Chapter 1- Lost Map
"We should have told James and Remus about this," Peter whispered as they watched Severus walk down the hall.
"Nonsense," Sirus hissed back, "they would have told us to forget it. Just because we did not find it the last few times does not mean we cannot find it now. Just turn into a rat and follow him."
"What will you do?" Peter asked.
"I'll watch from here," he said with a crooked smile. Peter could not help but smile back and shake his head.
"Do I have to do everything?" he grumbled and quickly changed into a rat.
Sirius watched him scurry off after Severus. He put a hand in his ropes expecting to find the map there and frowned.
"It should be here," he mumbled, opening his robes and looking around.
"Damn," he hissed looking at the floor around him. He looked up to see Severus turning a corner and Peter going after him.
"They are going to kill me," he groaned. Sirius walked quickly down the hall and looked around the corner to see Severus walking down the stairs.
"Peter," Sirius whispered, "Peter!"
The rat sniffed at the air slightly but then ran down the stairs.
"Great," Sirius mumbled, tiptoeing towards the stairs.
************************************************
Remus flipped through his Potions book lazily. James was writing his Muggle Studies essay on the bed next to his. Remus looked at the Gyriffindor dormitory and realized they were the only ones there.
"Where did Sirius and Peter go?" he asked. James shrugged.
"I think they went to try to steal something from the kitchens," he replied.
Remus nodded. It sounded like an idea Sirius might have and it sounded like one of those ideas he would need Peter for.
"One day he is going to find himself in big trouble and we will not be able to get him out of it," Remus said closing his book. James laughed.
"I want to be around to see that," he said with sparkling eyes, "the day Sirius gets caught will be the day Severus becomes the nicest person on the planet."
Remus smiled and put his school things in his trunk. James sighed as he finished his essay and then looked at his Potions book.
"What is the chapter about tonight?" he asked.
"Nothing very important unless you catch Inrophobita by kissing a hag and need to cure it," Remus replied.
James shuddered at the thought and quickly skimmed the chapter. Remus got off his bed and looked out the window. The moon was starting to rise in the sky and his skin prickled. It was only three days till the full moon and he could already feel the changes happening. Remus jumped slightly as a hand touched his shoulder. He turned to see James giving him a worried look.
"Are you ok? I know there are still three days before the full moon but I also know that you feel the effects way before it happens."
Remus smiled at his caring friend. He gave him a playful shove and flopped onto his own bed.
"You worry to much," Remus said with a laugh. James sat on his own bed and smiled.
"You make me worry," he replied.
"So how is Lily?" Remus asked. James knew he was changing the subject but decided to drop it. After all it was their last year at Hogwarts.
"She is great," James said quietly, "You know it will be three years we have been going out in about a month."
"You guys were made for each other," Remus said quietly, almost sadly. James caught it.
"What about you? Anything going on in your love life?"
"Not really," Remus said blushing.
"Come on," James pushed, "you hardly ever talk about it and then we end up finding out for ourselves. Don't you think it would be easier for us if you just told us? I mean we did not find out you had dated Judy that red headed Hufflepuff last year until you had broken up with her!"
Remus's blushing grew worse and James sighed.
"I know you are shy about these things but your secrecy about certain subjects is getting worse," James scolded.
Remus smiled.
"I do not tell you guys about who I see because I know you or Sirius will get to her. I would not be surprised if I found Sirius all over her."
James laughed.
"I would never do that," he replied, "I am with Lily remember?"
"That still leaves Sirius," Remus pointed out.
"Well what about that Gryffindor girl Molly that you had to do your Defense Against the Dark Arts project with? You are in the same grade and seem to get along good."
Remus gave James a "drop it" look and James smiled slightly.
"Why don't we go and find Peter and Sirius?" James suggested.
Remus nodded and they walked down to the common room. The common room was full of people doing homework and studying, though most were just talking to their friends with their books open. James scanned the crowd and nudged Remus when he spotted a group of girls by the fire. Remus rolled his eyes and walked reluctantly with James to the fireplace. James walked quietly behind one of the girls sitting and bent down and kissed her.
"James!" Lily cried with surprise. She jumped out of her chair and blushed as the girls giggled around her.
"Hi Lily," James said with a mischievous smile.
"Hello," said Remus.
"Why hi Remus," Lily said seeing him for the first time, "I did not see you there. Where are Sirius and Peter? Causing more trouble?"
"How can they cause trouble when we are not there?" James asked wrapping his arms around her waist.
"I wonder," she said with a laugh. James leaned in and kissed her, ignoring the sounds of the girls nearby. They drew apart and Remus shook his head.
"I thought we were going to look for Peter and Sirius?" Remus said quickly. He had just noticed who one of the girls was and wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.
"What's the rush?" James asked, "Don't you want to meet Lily's friends?"
Remus's face fell and James noticed.
"What is it?" James asked quietly as Lily started to talk among her friends, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing important," Remus grumbled.
"Are you two ok?" Lily asked with a concerned look.
"We're fine Lily," Remus replied with a smile. She nodded. Lily gestured to her small group of friends.
"We were just studying for that Herbology test we have tomorrow. Want to join?"
"No thanks," James replied, "but I don't recognize some of your friends Lily. Why don't you introduce them to us?"
James winked at Remus as Lily started to introduce her friends. Remus stayed quiet and listened as James made comments like "oh I remember you" and "Hello, I'm James and my friend here is Remus".
"And this is Molly," Lily finished.
"I remember you," James said raising his eyebrows and looking at Remus, "She worked with you on that project remember?"
"Yes," Remus mumbled. He looked at Molly and blushed slightly as she smiled at him.
"How have you been?" she asked quietly.
"Ok," he replied, "you?" She shrugged.
"Fine."
"Well, I guess you better find Sirius and Peter before they burn the school down," Lily said as she squeezed James hand, "I'll see you later ok?"
James smiled brightly and kissed Lily quickly. Then he gestured to Remus and they walked into the hall.
"I think you and Molly really hit it off," James said happily as they walked down the hall, "The fact that you have known her for a few years helps."
"I don't know her well enough," Remus replied, "I guess we have been friends for a few years but that's all."
James shrugged.
"Let's find the others," he said walking towards the kitchens.
*************************************************
Sirius watched Severus stop by a statue and smiled. Even without the map they were getting somewhere. The dungeons were cold and dark but Sirius still knew his way around. Peter stopped right inbetween Severus's feet and sat on his hunches. Severus muttered a word and the statue moved aside. A small dark hallway was behind it and Severus started to walk inside. Peter walked slowly behind him and stopped a few feet inside the hall. Sirius walked out of the dark shadows he was hiding in.
"Peter get over here," he hissed, "you don't need to get stuck in their with those Slytherins!"
The rat ran out of the passage as the statue started to move back into place. Once it had hidden the passage, Peter turned back into himself and smiled triumphantly.
"Did you get the password?" Sirius asked excitedly.
"Yup," Peter answered, "it's Kneazle soup."
"Kneazle soup? What a stupid password!" Sirius said patting Peter on the back.
"I don't believe we did it!" Peter said shaking from the excitement, "we actually found the Slytherin entrance and the password!"
"Well we already suspected it was there," Sirius corrected him, "but we never got the password before."
Peter sighed as they came out of the dungeons. Sirius started down a hallway but Peter grabbed his arm.
"Shouldn't you check to make sure no one is around?" he whispered. Sirius shook his arm off and glared at him.
"What?" Peter squeaked. Sirius's expression softened and he sighed.
"Listen Peter," Sirius said quietly, "I can not look at the map because I do not have it."
"What do you mean?" Peter asked slowly.
"I …um.." Sirius swallowed and looked at his small friend. Peter was staring at him with his beady eyes and Sirius looked at the floor.
"I lost it," he mumbled.
"You what?!" Peter cried.
"We have to find it Peter! If someone else gets it we are doomed!"
"Padfoot," Peter groaned, "what if we can't find it?"
"We have too," Sirius snapped.
They retraced their steps quietly and did not find anything. After checking a second time they realized it was nowhere in the halls.
"Maybe Remus or James found it?" Peter suggested.
"I hope so," Sirius replied, "let's find them."
**********************************
"That's strange," James said as they ran out of the kitchen dodging food.
"What?" Remus said panting, "The fact that they started throwing food at us or the fact that Sirius and Peter are not there?"
"Where could they be?" James growled.
"I would really like to know," Remus said calmly as they walked down the hall, "I think they wanted to do something without us knowing."
"Somehow I realized that Moony," James drawled.
"Just pointing out the obvious," Remus shrugged.
"I have an idea," James said quickly, "You go back to the common room and see if they came back and I'll have a look around the halls."
"Check the dungeons first," Remus pointed out, "they might have went to find the Sytherins."
James nodded.
"I will meet you in the common room in an hour," James added. Remus nodded and they quietly split up.
********************************************
Remus entered the common room and was surprised to find it almost empty. He took a seat by the fireplace and sighed. He listened to the conversations around him and suddenly found himself eavesdropping on a group of girls nearby.
"I found it on the floor in one of the nearby halls," a girl was explaining, "it talks back to you!"
"I wonder what it is?" another girl asked.
"Who are Moony, Padfoot, Prongs, and Wormtail? They certainly are nice," another girl giggled.
"Oh look one of them answered you!" a girl gasped, "Molly come look at this!"
Remus froze in his chair. How did they get the Map? Oh Sirius! Remus thought furiously, he must have dropped it! He looked towards the group and found Molly examining the map.
"Whose is it?" she asked.
"We don't know," a girl replied, "it might belong to one of the boys."
"What about Potter and his friends? They might know," another girl suggested.
Molly looked up and her eyes met with Remus's. He quickly looked down at his hands.
"Remus?" a soft voice asked.
Remus looked up to see Molly standing over him.
"Yes?" Remus asked quietly.
"Do you happen to know who this belongs too?" she asked.
Remus's heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the strings of dialog on the parchment. Just his luck that Molly would be the girl to bring it to him. New words started to appear and he smiled.
"Yes I know who it belongs too," he replied.
"Well then you can take it," she handed it to Remus and he took it.
"Thank you," Remus said looking up at Molly.
"Anytime Remus," she answered with a smile. There was an awkward silence for a moment and then Molly blushed.
"Can I ask you something?" she said quietly. Remus nodded.
"Do you think you could…well…help me with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts chapter? It is really confusing me and I know you are good at it because of that project we worked on together."
"You mean you want me to tutor you?" Remus asked surprised. Molly shrugged.
"You could call it that I guess. What do you say?"
Remus tried to stop the strange pounding in his chest as his smile widened.
"I'd love too," he replied. They quickly set up a time to get together and Molly went back to her friends. Remus smiled to himself as he clutched the map. What would James say about this?
***********************************************
James was somehow not surprised when he saw Peter searching for something behind a statue.
"Looking for something Peter?" James asked as he walked towards his friend. Peter flinched and smiled nervously at James.
"Hi James," he said quietly, "what brings you out here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," James replied. Peter swallowed hard and gave James a sorry look.
"Do you happen to have the map?" James asked, "I would like to see where Sirius is or do you know where he is?"
"No, I do not know where he is," Peter said slowly, "and I do not have the map either."
"Does Sirius have it?" James asked.
"I think Sirius might have found it….I mean I think he has it," Peter said quickly. James smiled.
"Let's find him," he replied. Peter nodded nervously.
"Maybe he's back in the common room?" Peter suggested. James agreed and they walked towards the common room.
"We should have told James and Remus about this," Peter whispered as they watched Severus walk down the hall.
"Nonsense," Sirus hissed back, "they would have told us to forget it. Just because we did not find it the last few times does not mean we cannot find it now. Just turn into a rat and follow him."
"What will you do?" Peter asked.
"I'll watch from here," he said with a crooked smile. Peter could not help but smile back and shake his head.
"Do I have to do everything?" he grumbled and quickly changed into a rat.
Sirius watched him scurry off after Severus. He put a hand in his ropes expecting to find the map there and frowned.
"It should be here," he mumbled, opening his robes and looking around.
"Damn," he hissed looking at the floor around him. He looked up to see Severus turning a corner and Peter going after him.
"They are going to kill me," he groaned. Sirius walked quickly down the hall and looked around the corner to see Severus walking down the stairs.
"Peter," Sirius whispered, "Peter!"
The rat sniffed at the air slightly but then ran down the stairs.
"Great," Sirius mumbled, tiptoeing towards the stairs.
************************************************
Remus flipped through his Potions book lazily. James was writing his Muggle Studies essay on the bed next to his. Remus looked at the Gyriffindor dormitory and realized they were the only ones there.
"Where did Sirius and Peter go?" he asked. James shrugged.
"I think they went to try to steal something from the kitchens," he replied.
Remus nodded. It sounded like an idea Sirius might have and it sounded like one of those ideas he would need Peter for.
"One day he is going to find himself in big trouble and we will not be able to get him out of it," Remus said closing his book. James laughed.
"I want to be around to see that," he said with sparkling eyes, "the day Sirius gets caught will be the day Severus becomes the nicest person on the planet."
Remus smiled and put his school things in his trunk. James sighed as he finished his essay and then looked at his Potions book.
"What is the chapter about tonight?" he asked.
"Nothing very important unless you catch Inrophobita by kissing a hag and need to cure it," Remus replied.
James shuddered at the thought and quickly skimmed the chapter. Remus got off his bed and looked out the window. The moon was starting to rise in the sky and his skin prickled. It was only three days till the full moon and he could already feel the changes happening. Remus jumped slightly as a hand touched his shoulder. He turned to see James giving him a worried look.
"Are you ok? I know there are still three days before the full moon but I also know that you feel the effects way before it happens."
Remus smiled at his caring friend. He gave him a playful shove and flopped onto his own bed.
"You worry to much," Remus said with a laugh. James sat on his own bed and smiled.
"You make me worry," he replied.
"So how is Lily?" Remus asked. James knew he was changing the subject but decided to drop it. After all it was their last year at Hogwarts.
"She is great," James said quietly, "You know it will be three years we have been going out in about a month."
"You guys were made for each other," Remus said quietly, almost sadly. James caught it.
"What about you? Anything going on in your love life?"
"Not really," Remus said blushing.
"Come on," James pushed, "you hardly ever talk about it and then we end up finding out for ourselves. Don't you think it would be easier for us if you just told us? I mean we did not find out you had dated Judy that red headed Hufflepuff last year until you had broken up with her!"
Remus's blushing grew worse and James sighed.
"I know you are shy about these things but your secrecy about certain subjects is getting worse," James scolded.
Remus smiled.
"I do not tell you guys about who I see because I know you or Sirius will get to her. I would not be surprised if I found Sirius all over her."
James laughed.
"I would never do that," he replied, "I am with Lily remember?"
"That still leaves Sirius," Remus pointed out.
"Well what about that Gryffindor girl Molly that you had to do your Defense Against the Dark Arts project with? You are in the same grade and seem to get along good."
Remus gave James a "drop it" look and James smiled slightly.
"Why don't we go and find Peter and Sirius?" James suggested.
Remus nodded and they walked down to the common room. The common room was full of people doing homework and studying, though most were just talking to their friends with their books open. James scanned the crowd and nudged Remus when he spotted a group of girls by the fire. Remus rolled his eyes and walked reluctantly with James to the fireplace. James walked quietly behind one of the girls sitting and bent down and kissed her.
"James!" Lily cried with surprise. She jumped out of her chair and blushed as the girls giggled around her.
"Hi Lily," James said with a mischievous smile.
"Hello," said Remus.
"Why hi Remus," Lily said seeing him for the first time, "I did not see you there. Where are Sirius and Peter? Causing more trouble?"
"How can they cause trouble when we are not there?" James asked wrapping his arms around her waist.
"I wonder," she said with a laugh. James leaned in and kissed her, ignoring the sounds of the girls nearby. They drew apart and Remus shook his head.
"I thought we were going to look for Peter and Sirius?" Remus said quickly. He had just noticed who one of the girls was and wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible.
"What's the rush?" James asked, "Don't you want to meet Lily's friends?"
Remus's face fell and James noticed.
"What is it?" James asked quietly as Lily started to talk among her friends, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing important," Remus grumbled.
"Are you two ok?" Lily asked with a concerned look.
"We're fine Lily," Remus replied with a smile. She nodded. Lily gestured to her small group of friends.
"We were just studying for that Herbology test we have tomorrow. Want to join?"
"No thanks," James replied, "but I don't recognize some of your friends Lily. Why don't you introduce them to us?"
James winked at Remus as Lily started to introduce her friends. Remus stayed quiet and listened as James made comments like "oh I remember you" and "Hello, I'm James and my friend here is Remus".
"And this is Molly," Lily finished.
"I remember you," James said raising his eyebrows and looking at Remus, "She worked with you on that project remember?"
"Yes," Remus mumbled. He looked at Molly and blushed slightly as she smiled at him.
"How have you been?" she asked quietly.
"Ok," he replied, "you?" She shrugged.
"Fine."
"Well, I guess you better find Sirius and Peter before they burn the school down," Lily said as she squeezed James hand, "I'll see you later ok?"
James smiled brightly and kissed Lily quickly. Then he gestured to Remus and they walked into the hall.
"I think you and Molly really hit it off," James said happily as they walked down the hall, "The fact that you have known her for a few years helps."
"I don't know her well enough," Remus replied, "I guess we have been friends for a few years but that's all."
James shrugged.
"Let's find the others," he said walking towards the kitchens.
*************************************************
Sirius watched Severus stop by a statue and smiled. Even without the map they were getting somewhere. The dungeons were cold and dark but Sirius still knew his way around. Peter stopped right inbetween Severus's feet and sat on his hunches. Severus muttered a word and the statue moved aside. A small dark hallway was behind it and Severus started to walk inside. Peter walked slowly behind him and stopped a few feet inside the hall. Sirius walked out of the dark shadows he was hiding in.
"Peter get over here," he hissed, "you don't need to get stuck in their with those Slytherins!"
The rat ran out of the passage as the statue started to move back into place. Once it had hidden the passage, Peter turned back into himself and smiled triumphantly.
"Did you get the password?" Sirius asked excitedly.
"Yup," Peter answered, "it's Kneazle soup."
"Kneazle soup? What a stupid password!" Sirius said patting Peter on the back.
"I don't believe we did it!" Peter said shaking from the excitement, "we actually found the Slytherin entrance and the password!"
"Well we already suspected it was there," Sirius corrected him, "but we never got the password before."
Peter sighed as they came out of the dungeons. Sirius started down a hallway but Peter grabbed his arm.
"Shouldn't you check to make sure no one is around?" he whispered. Sirius shook his arm off and glared at him.
"What?" Peter squeaked. Sirius's expression softened and he sighed.
"Listen Peter," Sirius said quietly, "I can not look at the map because I do not have it."
"What do you mean?" Peter asked slowly.
"I …um.." Sirius swallowed and looked at his small friend. Peter was staring at him with his beady eyes and Sirius looked at the floor.
"I lost it," he mumbled.
"You what?!" Peter cried.
"We have to find it Peter! If someone else gets it we are doomed!"
"Padfoot," Peter groaned, "what if we can't find it?"
"We have too," Sirius snapped.
They retraced their steps quietly and did not find anything. After checking a second time they realized it was nowhere in the halls.
"Maybe Remus or James found it?" Peter suggested.
"I hope so," Sirius replied, "let's find them."
**********************************
"That's strange," James said as they ran out of the kitchen dodging food.
"What?" Remus said panting, "The fact that they started throwing food at us or the fact that Sirius and Peter are not there?"
"Where could they be?" James growled.
"I would really like to know," Remus said calmly as they walked down the hall, "I think they wanted to do something without us knowing."
"Somehow I realized that Moony," James drawled.
"Just pointing out the obvious," Remus shrugged.
"I have an idea," James said quickly, "You go back to the common room and see if they came back and I'll have a look around the halls."
"Check the dungeons first," Remus pointed out, "they might have went to find the Sytherins."
James nodded.
"I will meet you in the common room in an hour," James added. Remus nodded and they quietly split up.
********************************************
Remus entered the common room and was surprised to find it almost empty. He took a seat by the fireplace and sighed. He listened to the conversations around him and suddenly found himself eavesdropping on a group of girls nearby.
"I found it on the floor in one of the nearby halls," a girl was explaining, "it talks back to you!"
"I wonder what it is?" another girl asked.
"Who are Moony, Padfoot, Prongs, and Wormtail? They certainly are nice," another girl giggled.
"Oh look one of them answered you!" a girl gasped, "Molly come look at this!"
Remus froze in his chair. How did they get the Map? Oh Sirius! Remus thought furiously, he must have dropped it! He looked towards the group and found Molly examining the map.
"Whose is it?" she asked.
"We don't know," a girl replied, "it might belong to one of the boys."
"What about Potter and his friends? They might know," another girl suggested.
Molly looked up and her eyes met with Remus's. He quickly looked down at his hands.
"Remus?" a soft voice asked.
Remus looked up to see Molly standing over him.
"Yes?" Remus asked quietly.
"Do you happen to know who this belongs too?" she asked.
Remus's heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the strings of dialog on the parchment. Just his luck that Molly would be the girl to bring it to him. New words started to appear and he smiled.
"Yes I know who it belongs too," he replied.
"Well then you can take it," she handed it to Remus and he took it.
"Thank you," Remus said looking up at Molly.
"Anytime Remus," she answered with a smile. There was an awkward silence for a moment and then Molly blushed.
"Can I ask you something?" she said quietly. Remus nodded.
"Do you think you could…well…help me with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts chapter? It is really confusing me and I know you are good at it because of that project we worked on together."
"You mean you want me to tutor you?" Remus asked surprised. Molly shrugged.
"You could call it that I guess. What do you say?"
Remus tried to stop the strange pounding in his chest as his smile widened.
"I'd love too," he replied. They quickly set up a time to get together and Molly went back to her friends. Remus smiled to himself as he clutched the map. What would James say about this?
***********************************************
James was somehow not surprised when he saw Peter searching for something behind a statue.
"Looking for something Peter?" James asked as he walked towards his friend. Peter flinched and smiled nervously at James.
"Hi James," he said quietly, "what brings you out here?"
"I could ask you the same thing," James replied. Peter swallowed hard and gave James a sorry look.
"Do you happen to have the map?" James asked, "I would like to see where Sirius is or do you know where he is?"
"No, I do not know where he is," Peter said slowly, "and I do not have the map either."
"Does Sirius have it?" James asked.
"I think Sirius might have found it….I mean I think he has it," Peter said quickly. James smiled.
"Let's find him," he replied. Peter nodded nervously.
"Maybe he's back in the common room?" Peter suggested. James agreed and they walked towards the common room.