The three boys hid under James's invisibility cloak. The portrait of the
Fat Lady was in sight. With a quick glance at the map to see if the
corridor was empty, the boys took off the cloak and folded it.
"We're clear." Sirius grinned.
"What's the password?" the Fat Lady asked, sleepily.
"No." Peter muttered, looking at the map.
"That's not the password," the portrait murmured.
"What is it?" James scowled.
"McGonnagal," he whispered. With that, the deputy headmistress strolled around the corner. She stopped and scowled at them.
"What are you three doing out of Gryffindor Tower at this time of night?" she asked crossly.
"Er... going to bed?" Sirius replied.
"I see that, Mr. Black, thank you," she snapped, "Where are you coming from?"
"Well, uh. er. well." Peter stammered. McGonnagal would not be happy if they told her they had been visiting Remus at the shrieking shack.
"The Owlery." James said quickly, to cover for his friend. Peter had no talent for getting himself out of trouble.
"We were sending an owl to Lily's parents. James wanted to know what to get her for Christmas." Sirius added, mischievously. James turned red and elbowed him - hard. He grinned sheepishly. McGonnagal's expression softened slightly.
"Very well. I understand why you waited until this hour. But as sixth years you ought to know how follow the rules." She sighed, "That will be five points from Gryffindor each."
"Yes, Professor," the boys replied, suitably meekly. Sirius looked at the floor to conceal a smile. McGonnagal only deducted 15 points? It was a miracle!
"Now, go to bed," she smiled. As soon as she was gone, they breathed a sigh of relief.
"Where's she going this late at night?" Sirius asked.
"Let's see," Peter replied, taking out the map once again. He followed the dot marked 'Minerva McGonnagal' "She's going to. Dumbledore's rooms?"
"What's she doing there?" Sirius asked as they walked up the stairs to the round dormitory they shared.
"Are we sure we want to know?" James replied suggestively, in the way that only teenage boys can.
"I don't think so!" Peter exclaimed, throwing the map into his trunk. "I'm going to bed!"
James leaned conspiratorially towards Sirius. "Does that mean what I think it means?" he whispered. Peter groaned and threw his pillow over his head. Sirius shrugged and opened the trunk. He studied the map for a moment.
"We have to tell Remus about this."
**(*)**
"We're clear." Sirius grinned.
"What's the password?" the Fat Lady asked, sleepily.
"No." Peter muttered, looking at the map.
"That's not the password," the portrait murmured.
"What is it?" James scowled.
"McGonnagal," he whispered. With that, the deputy headmistress strolled around the corner. She stopped and scowled at them.
"What are you three doing out of Gryffindor Tower at this time of night?" she asked crossly.
"Er... going to bed?" Sirius replied.
"I see that, Mr. Black, thank you," she snapped, "Where are you coming from?"
"Well, uh. er. well." Peter stammered. McGonnagal would not be happy if they told her they had been visiting Remus at the shrieking shack.
"The Owlery." James said quickly, to cover for his friend. Peter had no talent for getting himself out of trouble.
"We were sending an owl to Lily's parents. James wanted to know what to get her for Christmas." Sirius added, mischievously. James turned red and elbowed him - hard. He grinned sheepishly. McGonnagal's expression softened slightly.
"Very well. I understand why you waited until this hour. But as sixth years you ought to know how follow the rules." She sighed, "That will be five points from Gryffindor each."
"Yes, Professor," the boys replied, suitably meekly. Sirius looked at the floor to conceal a smile. McGonnagal only deducted 15 points? It was a miracle!
"Now, go to bed," she smiled. As soon as she was gone, they breathed a sigh of relief.
"Where's she going this late at night?" Sirius asked.
"Let's see," Peter replied, taking out the map once again. He followed the dot marked 'Minerva McGonnagal' "She's going to. Dumbledore's rooms?"
"What's she doing there?" Sirius asked as they walked up the stairs to the round dormitory they shared.
"Are we sure we want to know?" James replied suggestively, in the way that only teenage boys can.
"I don't think so!" Peter exclaimed, throwing the map into his trunk. "I'm going to bed!"
James leaned conspiratorially towards Sirius. "Does that mean what I think it means?" he whispered. Peter groaned and threw his pillow over his head. Sirius shrugged and opened the trunk. He studied the map for a moment.
"We have to tell Remus about this."
**(*)**
