Rose awoke in a disgruntled state on Saturday morning with Harry sleeping by her side in the hospital chair.
It was a gloomy, rainy, day and Rose felt that the sound of the rain pattering on window panes was so relaxing that it made her want to put her head back on the pillow and stay asleep forever. Rose sighed and went to put her head back down before Harry woke up until she paused- something had caught her attention from the corner of her eye. A piece of paper was sticking out of Harry's pocket. Currently, Harry had just begun snoring and had tilted his head backwards with his mouth hanging open.
Rose quickly sat straight back up in her bed and turned towards Harry. She would have to be careful when retrieving the paper- she knew that Harry was an annoyingly light sleeper.
Slowly, she began to edge her way off the hospital bed and tiptoe closer to Harry. She was inches away now from the paper jutting out of his jumper's pocket. She bit her lip- might as well jump the bullet and take it out of his pocket. She reached in and grabbed it out of his pocket- whatever "it" was- was it a map? She turned it over- it was blank. She jumped when she heard Harry move in his seat- he had woken up. 'Drat' she thought to herself.
Harry had quickly realized that Rose had taken his map when he stood up from his chair.
"Give that back!" He snapped at Rose. He tried to grab it from her hands but Rose quickly pulled the map away before he could grab it.
"Not so fast," She challenged Harry, "I wonder, what's it about this map that makes you so jumpy? Hmm… who gave it to you?" She asked as she flipped it over- it appeared to be a blank piece of paper but knowing Harry and knowing magic she knew it must be something suspicious.
"Really, Rose?" Harry groaned, "I don't have to tell you everything do I? Some things you don't have to know about."
Rose folded her arms and glared at Harry, "Wrong." She said bluntly, "I'm your older sister and thus reserve the right to know everything."
Harry sighed in defeat. Rose had already talked to Harry about keeping her informed- especially in the realm of magical matters. She hated feeling like she never knew what was happening. Harry placed the map back in Rose's hands folded upright so she was looking down at the front page and cover of the map. He took out his wand and pointed it on the front page and through gritted teeth said:
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Rose watched in awe as the colors of the map began to swarm on a previously blank page. In red ink the title of the map appeared:
Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs
are proud to present
the Maurader's Map
She read the title of the map aloud. Rose's lips tightened in contemplation and confusion. She flipped open the map and peered down. There appeared to be a map of Hogwarts and all the surrounding grounds- and little images of feet moving about? She could spot Professor Snape about two kilometers from her and Harry as well as Professor Dumbledore in his office.
Her heart suddenly began to pound. She didn't like knowing that Harry had this map. He was just going to go exploring and get into trouble.
"Who gave you this map?" Rose asked again this time her tone was filling with concern.
Harry hung his head clearly not wanting to tell Rose, but Rose wasn't having any of it.
"Who?" Rose raised her voice as she insisted on getting information from Harry and he held up his hands to calm her down. He released his hands before confessing:
"Fred and George."
Rose stared at him in disbelief. Harry didn't make any facial expressions and gave her blank looks to let the news sink in. Rose rolled her eyes.
"Oh, you've got to be joking." She added, "I'm going to need to have a word with both of them."
"Hold on," Harry pleaded, "It was mostly Fred's idea, he just wanted to help me get to Hogsmeade, then George made a good point that it could help me keep track of Sirius Black!"
Rose face flushed with anger and frustration before snapping, "That actually makes George more in the wrong! Harry I don't want you to go looking after Black this bloody map will tempt you to do just that!"
Harry threw his hands up in the air, "Rose that map could keep us safe too! If it weren't for that map I never would have heard about Black and how he betrayed our parents or killed those innocent people, Rose. This map is keeping us safe!"
Rose shook her head and sat back on her head. She was at a loss for words. Harry folded the map up quickly and pointed his wand onto the front page again before saying:
"Mischief managed."
Rose watched as the colors and images faded away. Harry sat next to Rose on her bed.
"Don't be too mad at the map," Harry said softly to Rose, "I need to be one step ahead all the time."
Rose huffed. "Where did Fred and George even find that thing?" Rose muttered.
"Snitched it," Harry answered, "From Filch's office."
Rose relaxed her shoulders. "I still don't like that map, but I'm not taking it from you." She finally said. She was taken aback when Harry hugged her but hugged him back.
"Do you have Quidditch practice now?" Rose asked when they had finished hugging and Harry nodded slowly while stuffing the map into his pocket. At that moment, Rose heard familiar voices entering the ward- Bridget was coming in laughing along with Fred and George.
Harry grimaced at George to stop laughing and he did when he saw Rose's upset expression.
"Alright, time to go!" Harry said and quickly left the ward for Quidditch practice.
"Don't you two have Quidditch practice as well?" Bridget turned suddenly to Fred and George.
"Yeah," George replied slowly, "Erm, but you see we're just stopping in for a moment to say hello, and it appears we've done something?"
George raised his voice at the end when he saw Rose standing there with her arms crossed.
"You know what?" Bridget began sensing the tension rising between Rose, Fred and George, "I think I'm going to go catch up with Harry!" She awkwardly smiled and turned around to run after Harry down the outside corridor.
"Did we do something?" Fred asked to cut the tension.
"You gave Harry a map?" Rose asked as she waited for the map to ring a bell in Fred and George. They raised their eyebrows.
"Oh,no" George muttered to himself when he realized what Rose was talking about "The Marauder's Map," He clarified while nudging Fred.
Fred held up his hands to defend himself before quickly saying "I think you just mean to say that you're angry with George right, because he's your boyfriend- so I'm gonna go." He turned around to leave before Rose stopped him.
"No, I'm upset with the both of you, do you know why?" She waited rhetorically for a response before quickly answering for them "If Harry sees even an inkling on that map of Sirius Black it's going to lead him straight there!"
George sighed, "Rose, I know you're upset but have you ever considered that maybe it's a good thing- he'd be one step ahead of Black."
"No," Rose exclaimed, "I'd just rather Harry not think about Sirius Black!"
"Rose," George reasoned, "You know that's not possible, right?"
Rose stuffed her hands into her pockets to try and calm herself down she could feel her eyes brimming with tears she was trying to fight off. That anxious feeling- it was coming back. '
"Rose, it's better for Harry to be prepared to fight against Black," George whispered as Fred lowered his gaze in a seeming attempt to give them some privacy.
"How will Harry a 12 year old wizard ever be prepared to fight against someone as evil as Black?" Rose asked her voice swelling with concern and effort to remain calm.
"You have to trust him, give him some freedom Rose, and let him get really good at magic," George answered softly before turning to look at the clock-
"Bloody hell," Fred commented, "Wood's going to dock us 5 points if we're late."
George nodded and walked over to Rose to kiss her on the forehead, "I'll come back later tonight- have you heard anything from Bellamy?"
Rose shook her head. Fred nudged George to get him to get going. George waved a light goodbye to Rose as he followed Fred out the door.
Rose took in a deep breath and sat back on her bed.
She knew George was right. She had to trust Harry more- if he was destined to defeat Voldemort than he had to find a way to defeat Sirius Black.
She looked out her window and tried to distract herself from feeling powerless.
