Disclaimer: Does anybody have a cure for annoying imaginary friends?

Bob: oh for crying out loud!

Me: Bob has recently been pestering me to stop writing and start doing my homework.

Bob: Well you should!

Me: Do any of you want me to stop writing so I can do my homework? If you do, say so in your review. *nudge, nudge, wink, wink*

Aditya Simha: Thanks for the advice.

Dragongrl: Umm…thanks, although I have no idea what some of that said.

Temptress835/Goddess: 1. Thanks

                                          2. The whole idea was for it to parallel Harry's experience, but trust me; it's going to change soon.

                                          3. Sorry?

                                          4. He is currently locked up in my closet so I can… play quidditch with him later. Yeah, that's it.

Votes for who's office was shown last chapter

Severus Snape: 1 vote Neville Longbottom (who was apparently turned sour by the passing of time): 1 vote Close Call

As Professor Patil raised her hand to knock on the door, it swung open to reveal a slightly plump man with dark blonde hair.

Professor Patil smiled pleasantly. "Hello Neville."

"I wouldn't go in there if I were you. Just received …" he cast a glance at the students gathered around, "some bad news." Professor Patil's smile vanished and she nodded understandingly.

"Well then, I suppose I'll have to punish you myself." James, Andrew, and Marissa all looked highly relieved. "I suppose…three detentions for you two," she pointed to Cole and Maxine, "and twenty points from both of your houses." With that she walked off, leaving the students with the man who had come out of the office.

"Hello Professor Longbottom," Andrew said pleasantly. "How are you on this lovely morning?" One of the Malfoy twins coughed what sounded suspiciously like "suck-up".

"I'm fine Mr. Lupin. Now if you'll excuse me, the Mandrakes were a bit fussy this morning, and I want to go check on them." With that the older man walked off, and the Malfoy twins went the opposite direction with a parting glare.

Marissa smiled mischievously and turned to address Chrissie, Crystal, Paul, Brian, Trinity, and Maxine. "Well, we'll be seeing you later. Ta-ta for now." With that she disappeared around the corner, only to reappear a second later with the words, "Are you coming or not?" Lily bid goodbye to her fellow classmates and followed, along with James and Andrew.

When they were a good distance away from where they left the others James spoke. "That was close."

"To close," added Andrew. "Imagine what our parents would say if we got in trouble on the first day of school."

"Well, I don't suppose my Dad would especially care, although my Mum might," said Marissa.

"Well, we weren't really in trouble," Lily pointed out. "We didn't do anything."

James groaned. "That's not how my Mum would see it. We didn't do anything to stop it either. That makes us as guilty as if we had thrown the first punch."

"Is your Mum really that bad?" Lily asked. James shook his head.

"My Mum spent half her time at Hogwarts stopping fights. Not only as a prefect and head girl, but also as best friend of Ron Weasley and Ha— ow! What was that for?" James was cut off as Marissa elbowed him in the stomach.

"I wanted you to stop talking." She shrugged nonchalantly. There was a mischievous sparkle in her eye as she pulled something out of the folds of her robes, an old piece of parchment?

"Is that what I think it is?" Andrew asked in awe. Marissa nodded. "But, how did you get it? Where did you get it?"

"My father, where else? You think he'd actually let it fall into the hands of some Hogwarts Professor? Sirius Black has more brains than that, thank you very much." Her voice took on a dramatic tone. "He's dedicated to helping a new generation of lawbreakers wreak havoc in the halls of Hogwarts. And what better way to avoid getting caught than with this?" She held up the parchment as if to prove her point.

"And he doesn't want your Mum to kill him if you get caught," Andrew said dryly.

By this point Lily was extremely confused. How could am old piece of parchment help them do anything? "What is it?"

Marissa turned to her new friend with a devilish glint in her eye and a smug grin on her lips. "This, my friend, is the Marauder's Map."