Harry Potter and the Curse of the Gypsy

Author's Note: Yeah! The end is near...only five more chapters to go after this one. I hope you've liked this story as much as I have...I will just be glad to get it done though, I am bogged down with stories and I am about to start a new story on fictionpress.net. If you like this story, you should really check out Tobias Dragonheart with the penname Megx.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series. That sucks, doesn't it?

Twenty-Seven

It took Harry barely five minutes to rush quickly to his bedroom and retrieve his invisibility cloak from his bedroom. He stuffed it underneath his robes and left his room quickly, stumbling into the great hall. Quickly he began rushing towards the girl's prefects bathroom, which he remembered was near the kitchens but nothing else.

He stopped at an open doorway when he heard voices and nervously paused to listen. "Hey, Longbottom, what are you trying to do now? Get your famous friend to pay attention to you, for a change? He listens to you when it's convenient, doesn't he? Like when he's mad at that Weasley mudblood-lover. You were quite willing to be the little pawn in his battle weren't you?"

"Shut up, Malfoy." Neville replied nervously. "Harry...he's my friend. He's a thousand times what you'll ever be."

"Got you wrapped around his little finger like the rest of them, hasn't he?"

"I would be quiet if I were you." Harry said menacingly as he stepped into the room. A thankful look crossed over Neville's face and he tried to cut past Crabbe and Goyle, who had him pinned to the wall, but he couldn't budge.

"Why, Potter?" Malfoy sneered. "You think you'll be getting even more fans by protecting this squib?" he said icily.

"No." Harry said. "I just wouldn't want to have to put any more marks on your lovely face. Those black eyes suit you nicely." Harry said. Malfoy squinted--the bruises around his eyes had only just faded away, and he still had dark shadows surrounding them.

"Potter, you're getting on my nerves." Malfoy said. "Why don't you trot off with your mudblood loving friends and try not to make headlines for a change? And leave Neville to me...I'll show him what it means to be a wizard."

"Over my dead body." Harry muttered. Malfoy smiled.

"That can be arranged...hopefully, it will be soon. I only wish your girlfriend had gotten you while she was here. That only proves that you are just as stupid as your father. I know your dad trusted Sirius Black--and he tipped off the Dark Lord. He'll still out there, isn't he? Waiting to kill you? Bet he's joined up with his sister-in-law out in those dark woods."

Harry couldn't resist a small smirk--Malfoy didn't know that Sirius was really innocent. But the barb about Cory made his nerves tense up and his fingers automatically clenched around his wand. "Don't make me do something I won't regret." Harry said quietly.

"Oh, good one." Malfoy said. "How original." Quickly he raised his wand. "Furnunculus!"

"Fortificatum!" Harry said. The curse rebounded from the purple shield that suddenly surrounded Harry. When it faded a moment later he raised his own wand and, with an evil grin, shouted "Serpensortia!" A large boa constrictor slid from the tip of Harry's wand and began circling the ground. Malfoy was looking at it nervously--he hadn't forgotten Harry's ability to speak parseltongue. Harry hissed a few well-chosen words to the snake and it nodded its head before quickly going to Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. It wrapped itself around their legs, freeing Neville and knocking them into a huddle on the ground.

"Come on!" Harry said quickly. Neville quickly ran after him and they made their way down the hall. They stopped when they were alone and there was no chance of Slytherins being nearby--they never came as close to the Gryffindor tower as Harry and Neville were. "What was that all about?" Harry asked, running a hand through his hair.

Neville grimaced. "I was coming from the library--I'd been working on my Patronus essay--and Malfoy and his goons cornered me in that empty room. They were trying to get me to tell them stuff about you...when I wouldn't tell them anything they started accusing me of idolizing you." He turned red.

"Well, you're okay now. Lucky I came along when I...oh no!" Harry shouted suddenly. Neville jumped.

"What?"

"Listen, I've got to go." He looked around quickly. "Tell me, do you remember where the prefect girl's bathroom is?" he said sharply.

"Excuse me?" Neville said, a strange look crossing his face.

"Neville...do you remember that night? I had a strange piece of paper with me...do you remember any of that?"

Neville nodded. "I remember, it was some sort of map."

"Well, yes. Listen, I need that paper right now. And I think I left it there. If you can just tell me where..."

"I can help you look." Neville said. "I'm good with direction, but I can't tell you unless I'm there. I remember some of the things, but I don't remember the order." He frowned. "But if you'd rather..."

"Let's go!" Harry pulled Neville along by the arm and in a moment they were both running towards the kitchens. Harry skidded to a halt at the door and looked down the dark hallway. "This way!" he said. The two of them began down the hall. They stopped when they came to a fork. Harry furrowed his brow.

"This way." Neville said. He pointed to a painting of a sphinx. "I remember that painting." They started that way. Every once in awhile either Harry or Neville would only just catch something they remembered and start down that way. They circled around a few places multiple times until they could find their way again.

"That's the statue." Harry sighed. "But what's the password?"

Neville shrugged. "Tarantella." He muttered. "Squeaky clean."

"Bubbles...soap, fuzzy rabbits, chicken pox..."

"It's no use." Neville scratched his head. "I have no idea."

"It's easier to guess Dumbledore's." Harry snorted. "He always uses some sort of candy."

"Maybe girl stuff?" Neville suggested.

"The password has been changed." Harry and Neville both turned. Cho was standing there, giving them an odd look. "What are you two doing?"

"Listen," Harry said quickly, "I left a piece of parchment in here, have you seen it?"

Cho frowned. "I'm not sure. But Hermione and I share cleaning duties...we requested Filch let us do it ourselves. Was it really that important?"

"I left it here that night." He said quickly. "I really need it."

Cho looked at them a long moment and finally shook her head. "Okay...just say the password. It's Raven Wing." Harry and Neville turned when the statue slid aside.

"Thanks." Harry said as he stepped it. Cho and Neville followed. "What are you doing?" he said suspiciously.

"Helping you find it, if it's that important." Neville snorted.

Harry looked at them a long moment before he sighed. "Okay, you and Cho take that wall, I'll be over here." He said finally. He went quickly to the other wall and began feeling along the stones. He looked for five minutes and found nothing...he turned to Cho and Neville, who were staring at him.

"Nothing." Cho sighed. Then slowly, all three of them turned their eyes to look into the filled tub. Harry's stomach sunk to his knees when he saw the brown patch of parchment sitting under the water.

"It's an automatic drain." Cho said quietly. "The water stays clean and we don't have to fill it or drain it--that's why it's still there."

Harry took a deep breath. "I have to get it." he muttered. He took off his robes and carefully kept the Invisibility Cloak enfolded within them before he dived into the water. He searched the bottom before finding the paper and picking it up carefully, letting himself float to the surface. He paddled to the edge of the pool and pulled himself up. And when he glanced down at the paper, he burst out laughing.

Mssr. Prongs would like to ask why on earth the Marauder's Map has been subjected to water torture for so long? The paper stated.

Mssr. Moony would like to add that he is quite clean and all baths should be reserved for that git Severus Snape.

Mssr. Padfoot is shocked that any person could do harm to such a magnificent creation as the Marauder's Map and would like to bring shame upon he who did such a thing to us.

The map was waterproof. He shook himself off as he got out of the tub, his sneakers squelching on the ground.

"What's so important about that?" Neville asked. Harry thought for a moment of just putting him off with a lie, but since he had helped decided to grant him the truth.

"Mischief Managed." Harry muttered. The words faded to a scale model of Hogwarts. Harry walked over to Neville. "See, it's the school--it shows where everybody is at any moment, see? There's Dumbledore up in office...Snape is skulking around the halls--there's all the Gryffindors in our tower, and here we are."

"Awesome." Neville said in astonishment. He looked up at Harry. "Did you make it?"

"No." Harry said. He folded up the map and tucked it into his pocket. "My dad did." He sighed. "I'm sorry, but I really have to go now. It's an emergency..."

"You're not going to get into any more danger, are you?" Neville said. "People are trying to kill you."

"No, I'm just visiting a...friend." The three of them walked to the bathroom door. Cho peeked out.

"It's clear." She whispered. The three of them stepped out.

"Think again." As a group they turned their gaze up to look into the scowling face of Severus Snape--Harry cursed himself as he realized Snape hadn't been skulking--he had been making his way here. "Draco Malfoy informed me he saw you three running this way, and after asking a few of the paintings nearby I discovered the strange fact that two boys had entered the prefect's bathroom."

"I'm sorry, but Hermione left something of hers here and she was busy..." Harry said quickly, after a sharp bit of quick thinking.

"That is a poor excuse." He glanced at Neville and Cho. "Not your usual accomplices...did Miss Granger and Mister Weasley finally wizen up or were they simply not available at the moment?"

"I just met them." Harry said quickly. "But I really have something I need to take to Hermione..."

"What is it?" Snape said coldly.

"Excuse me?" Harry said nervously.

"Show me what you are hiding under your robes...and in the meantime, tell me why you are wet, Potter."

"I--accidentally fell into the tub." Harry said, turning red.

"Show me what you have." Snape said icily. Regretfully, Harry reached in and pulled out the two objects he was holding--the Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map.

"My, my Potter...an Invisibility Cloak. This explains many things, doesn't it? I am sure that when Professor Dumbledore hears you have this..."

"Dumbledore gave me that cloak." Harry said indignantly. "It was my dad's."

Snape scowled and turned his gaze to the Marauder's Map. Suddenly, his eyes lit up in slow and steady pleasure. "But surely this is illegal? I know something of this nature was confiscated long ago...very interesting. Come with me now...you three will speak to Dumbledore immediately."

Harry felt his heart sink as he followed Snape down the halls, dripping. Cho and Neville were giving him nervous glances--Neville was deathly afraid of confrontation of any sort, and Harry guessed that being a Ravenclaw, Cho had never been in any situation similar to the one she was in now.

They stopped at the gargoyle that was only too familiar to Harry by this point. "Blood lollipop." Snape hissed. The gargoyle slid aside--Harry felt Neville jump.

They ascended the stairs that slid slowly up the door of Dumbledore's office. Snape knocked and they heard Dumbledore say quickly, "Enter." The door opened and Snape ushered the three of them. Dumbledore turned and Harry saw the quick amusement in his eyes.

"Not your usual crowd, is it Harry?"

"No sir." Harry turned red.

"I caught these three coming out of the girl's prefect bathroom." Snape said in irritation. "They had an Invisibility Cloak they claimed you gave them and a highly dangerous map revealing potentially hazardous information about this school." He laid out the cloak and map and stepped back, looking proud of himself.

"I'm disappointed in you, Harry." Dumbledore said. Harry felt his feet turn to lead but suddenly he said, "Your father never once got caught with that cloak."

Snape turned white. "Surely, Professor, you do not find it appropriate..."

"No, of course not." Dumbledore raised a hand. "But I am sure there is an explanation for all of this...we only..."

CRASH! Everybody turned when a loud noise was heard at the door. Professor McGonagall had slammed it open and was standing there, looking more wild than Harry had ever seen her. She took a deep breath. "There has been another attack in Hogsmeade." She said quickly. "They are saying...oh, Albus, they are saying that three people have been killed!"

All traces of merriment left Dumbledore's eyes. "Wait here. Do not leave my office." He said quickly as the teachers rushed away.

Neville and Cho were both looking frightened to their wit's end...but Harry had just had a thought which threatened to push him over the edge. "Ron..." he whispered. "Hermione."

"What is it?" Cho said slowly.

"They're in Hogsmeade." Harry said. "They went to ask some people a few questions." He said. He struggled to push images out of his mind--images of Hermione and Ron, Sirius and Remus bathed in that hideous green light...

"Can you see Hogsmeade on the map?" Cho whispered. Harry shook his head.

Slowly Neville slid the map over and stared down at it. And then he turned pale, and gave the smallest of squeaks. "Is this thing...always right?" Neville said. "I mean...it can't be fooled by potions or something?"

Harry shook his head. With a yell Neville stood and, clutching his wand, rushed to the door. Cho started and turned to look at Harry. Slowly the both of them looked down at the parchment. There, at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, was a group of small dots--one labeled Isabelle Black, another Peter Pettigrew, one name Harry had never seen--and there was one nobody had ever expected to see at all.

"Frank Longbottom." Harry whispered. He looked up--Neville nodded. "Let's go." He whispered. "Cho, you..."

"I'm coming." She said quickly.

And as a group they rushed out of the room, Harry grabbing the sword he had pulled from the chamber of secrets years ago for protection, and they quickly ran out of the castle without delay, all students being in their common rooms, all teachers in Hogsmeade.

When they reached the Forbidden Forest the people on the map had all disappeared into the forest. Harry wiped it clean and stuffed it into his pocket. "Harry!" The three of them turned.

"Professor White! Professor Figg!" The two women rushed up. White pushed her glasses up on her nose, looking more frazzled than ever.

"I was just looking for you, Harry, when I met Professor Figg." She said quickly. "Both of the Gryffindor prefects are missing...where's Hermione?"

"Hogsmeade." Harry said sharply. "But that doesn't matter. I just saw Isabelle Black go into the forest. There were others with her...Frank Longbottom was there."

Immediately Figg's face went white. "I knew it." she hissed. "Stay by my side." She whispered. "They've come Harry--somebody is going to die tonight."

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Yet another evil cliffie! BWAHAHAHAHA! I am truly evil! Well, tell me what you thought of this chapter, I am running out of things to say as I come closer to the end. All will be revealed soon...I hope you find the end satisfying.

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