Chapter 03 _ The Marauder's Map_
Everybody, except the Marauders got up from their posters early. At eight, they left towards the train station, bound for Hogsmeade.
"This is a great day!" Peter shouted. "Most of the students are out!"
"Don't you want to go there too?" James asked.
"Of course we do!" The rest said in chorus.
"So, are we just going to stand here and do nothing to LURE OURSELVES OUT OF THIS SCHO-"
"Let's make a map! We can use it as an escape to Hogsmeade." Sirius said, leaving James unfinished in his sentence. "This castle is too big to begin the search. What if those tiny mouse holes are passage ways?" He wondered.
"Then search every inch of the castle. You guys were able to clean it for the detention. This is possible!" Remus leaped with joy. "I know one way out of this castle. This is towards the Shrieking Shack using the tap door under the Womping Willow", he said.
"Good idea! Same position friends. Let's start early so that we could HOPEFULLY finish early. Let's do this without magic, if possible", James said the final instructions.
A voice broke in. It was Lily. "Did I happen to hear the word map? What about lure out from this school?"
"What the heck!" Peter screamed. "She heard all our plans!"
"Wait for your next detention MARAUDERS-"
"It won't happen again Lily. PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Sirius hurled a spell on her.
"Great job -", Peter commented.
James confronted Peter and Sirius. "You shouldn't have done that to her", he said. "Come on, she's a lady. He kneeled down and picked up her hand. "Thank goodness. She's still alive." The other three were laughing.
"Sirius' spell is going to wear out after several minutes or, we can bring her to the hospital wing", Remus suggested. "We shouldn't waste time."
They went to each of the floors they're assigned to. Each faced cobwebs, dusty bedpans, empty classrooms and lots of trouble. They jotted down the places they went in through. They worked on this for a week, successfully because they placed a Forgetting Potion on Lily's fruit juice in which they served right after the spell hurled on her wore out. Alas! The Marauders found seven passages, including the passage Remus suggested, out of the school premises. "One passage can lead us to Honeydukes", Sirius said while tracing his illustrations.
The Marauders decided to write this down in an old parchment using magic. A lot of mistakes were done until one day, "One more step to make. Placing passwords for security." James said.
"Don't worry. I'll be in charge for the presentation", Remus volunteered.
"The password for revealing the map could be 'I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good-'", Peter proposed.
Sirius continued, " - and 'Mischief Managed' could be the password after use!"
"Fantastic!" Remus said in agreement. "All we need now is to write our names on the map to show ownership.but.when this map will be in the wrong hands, our real names will fray us", He said in a troubled voice.
Days passed but still, they haven't thought on what to write in the map aside from the illustrations of the passageways and spells. They happen to pass one day in the lobby, saw the bulletin board and read the newly placed announcement.
"A call to all 5th year students. A new subject will be placed in the curriculum and this is ANIMAGI. This class will help you transform into an animal," Peter read the message aloud for the group. "Wow, I can be a beaver!" He said in excitement.
"Class starts today, after Divination. See you there!" Sirius continued to read the note. Hope our teacher won't be a terror, he thought.
After Divination, James, Peter, Remus and Sirius went in the classroom together for the Animagi Class.
"I am Professor Keen Kitty, your Animagi instructor. Please observe silence and proper behavior within the duration of our class." She introduced herself to the 5th graders and asked each student for his or her name. After an hour, the bell rang and each of the students proceeded to their houses.
"Professor Keen told us that we could transform into an animal not of our choice but of what our character is. What animal could I possibly transform to?" James wondered.
"Luckily, I'm exempted from that class. I'm already capable of turning into - you know what", Remus said with a smile.
Since the first meeting, the students were looking forward to more challenging activities. James, bold and defiant, was able to turn into a stag. Sirius, the observant, was able to transform himself into a dog.
"Guys, did you happen to see Peter?" Remus asked.
"Maybe still forcing himself to change into a beaver!" Sirius answered with laughter and pride.
They spotted Peter sulking in the other corner of the room; his book closely attached on his faced. He looked so gloomy.
"Don't worry friend. You'll get through this", James consoled him. "We will help him right?" He asked Remus and Sirius,
"Be happy. Every evening, we'll help you on this, okay?" Remus said with aspiration.
"I know you, James and Remus will help me; except for someone so boastful in our group", Peter said in a sad tone.
"You'll help our friend, right Sirius?", asked James and Remus.
Sirius gave an assuring tap on Peter's shoulder. "Of course I would. It's my pleasure - and I just figured out a way to do that."
The following day, a few from the 5th year class went to the Great Hall, bearing the excitement in their faces to register their names in the Ministry of Magic to certify them that each one is an Animagus. James and Sirius went together to the registration center. Remus on the other hand remained in the Gryffindor common room to accompany and console the depressed Peter.
"Thanks for staying here with me Remus", Peter said. Then, he asked, " Aren't you supposed to go down as well and register your name?"
Remus got some bottled drinks and handed one to Peter. "All the teachers in this institution already know that I'm a werewolf." Hours later, James and Sirius went back to their room.
"Good thing I haven't seen the Slytherins there", Sirius said. "If I happen to see them, huh! I'll knock them out!"
"Stop it Sirius! I want to go straight to the point. Today is a Saturday and our team will have a Quidditch practice any moment from now." James looked at serious sternly and turned to Peter. "I know you're afraid in the dungeon so it might as well be better if we'll practice there to help you face your fears." He looked at Remus and Sirius. "You must go there alone at eight this evening. See you later guys." He got his scarlet, Quidditch robes and broomstick and went to the field.
"Peter, you must face your fears", he told himself as he entered in the dungeon. "Where are James, Remus and Sirius? Boy! I wish they'd come early."
"Now, you know what to do Sirius", James said. Poor Peter, he thought as he looked at him helplessly.
"And be sure not to hurt our friend", Remus said with hope.
"Don't worry. I can manage. Trust me," Sirius assured them. He then transformed into an enormous, black dog. He found Peter leaning on the wall.
"I hear something growling out there. It's dark, I can't see anything", Peter said with fear. He went to the door and lit a fire and screamed, "A dog! Oh No! How can an enormous dog enter here?!" Absent-mindedly, he left the lighted stick outside and entered the room with no light and no way out, except for the tiny mouse hole.
Sirius, the dog, went nearer to Peter, who also went nearer and nearer to the mouse hole. The dog growled so loud that made Peter sank to his knees.
"Oh wizard of all wizards, please help me!" Peter prayed. "I wish.I wish I could turn into a mouse!" He looked at the hole desperately.
The dog ran towards Peter. To Sirius' and as well as James' and Remus' astonishment, their friend transformed into a mouse and ran into the hole. Peter's friends were speechless on his amazing transformation. "Hooray!", They shouted in chorus.
The dog transformed back into its human figure. "My plan worked!", Sirius said with delight and peeped into the hole. "Come out Peter. The dog was me; I was just trying to help. I want you to be an Animagus, like us." The mouse went out from the hole. They saw how Peter's body emerged out from the animal.
"Sirius, you scared me to death!"
Remus hugged Peter. "Congratulations! You made it!"
"Can we go out now from this dark dungeon? I'm really scared now", Peter suggested. The Marauders granted his request and sat on the staircase in the Great Hall. "I really wanted to be a beaver and all of you knows that."
"Give yourself even just a little pride, Peter. See you can come and walk with us as animals with no discomfort and not everybody here in Hogwarts knows that!", Sirius said and sighed. "Besides, don't you appreciate the hard work I've done?"
"I'm not registered in the Ministry -"
"But to us, you're a certified Animagus", James left Peter unfinished in his statement and smiled.
"I've already figured out a way to furnish our map. Let's go back to the dormitory and I'll show you", Remus said, his eyes shining with an idea.
The Marauders went back to the common room as quietly as they could. Seeing Lily after giving the password to the portrait of Sir Nicholas Cadogan made their eyes open wide. She approached them and said, "So, where have you all been this time?!"
James stepped forward. "Lily, hush down or else you're going to wake up everybody in here. Okay. Me, Remus and Sirius just, uhh, accompanied our friend Peter in the -", he paused and looked at his friends, "- boy's toilet room, that's all."
"Did you encounter a furry monster while accompanying Peter in the toilet room, Sirius?" Lily approached him and asked, "Why so hairy tonight, Sirius?"
He stretched an arm as if trying to push away Lily. "So who cares if I have dog hairs on me?"
"Stop it. Lily, why not go back to your room now?", James said. "So, where's Remus?" He changed the topic.
Lily hummed as she walked away as if very happy to have Sirius irritated.
"Everyone, I'm in here!", Remus shouted while waving his arm. "Come and look what I've got in here."
"Is this the map? Why is it blank? Don't tell me you erased everything?!", Sirius furiously shouted in panic. "Calm down Sirius. James, in our group, you're Prongs because you can change into a stag. I'm Moony because I have this moon attraction. Sirius, you're Padfoot because you can change into a dog." Remus confidently informed the group. "And Peter, you're Wormtail."
"Now we've got silly nicknames", Sirius said intriguingly.
James looked at the blank parchment. "What do we need to do next?"
"Get your wand. Each should cast magic on this parchment and swear that you own the nickname. If this map is in the wrong hands, Moony's, Wormtail's, Padfoot's and Prong's ill messages will appear", Remus gave the instructions while holding the blank parchment.
"You did not erase the illustrations?", Sirius asked.
"Did you forget about the passwords you and Peter suggested?", Remus asked him in return.
"- I'm sorry. I forgot."
Remus got his wand. "Follow everything I say, 'I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good'."
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good", the three complied.
"I am Moony", Remus tapped his wand.
"I am Wormtail", Peter followed Remus.
Sirius got his wand as well and said, "I am Padfoot."
"And I am Prongs", James said.
Remus rolled the parchment and said, "Follow what I'll say and do again." He placed the parchment on the table. "Mischief managed!"
"Mischief managed", the three said in chorus.
Remus opened the parchment and showed the complete map. Words and illustrations appeared itself on the paper, as if someone was writing. This amazed the rest, including Lily who did not completely go back to her room.
Merrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids of Magical Mischief - Makers are Proud to
Present
THE MARAUDER'S MAP
Everybody, except the Marauders got up from their posters early. At eight, they left towards the train station, bound for Hogsmeade.
"This is a great day!" Peter shouted. "Most of the students are out!"
"Don't you want to go there too?" James asked.
"Of course we do!" The rest said in chorus.
"So, are we just going to stand here and do nothing to LURE OURSELVES OUT OF THIS SCHO-"
"Let's make a map! We can use it as an escape to Hogsmeade." Sirius said, leaving James unfinished in his sentence. "This castle is too big to begin the search. What if those tiny mouse holes are passage ways?" He wondered.
"Then search every inch of the castle. You guys were able to clean it for the detention. This is possible!" Remus leaped with joy. "I know one way out of this castle. This is towards the Shrieking Shack using the tap door under the Womping Willow", he said.
"Good idea! Same position friends. Let's start early so that we could HOPEFULLY finish early. Let's do this without magic, if possible", James said the final instructions.
A voice broke in. It was Lily. "Did I happen to hear the word map? What about lure out from this school?"
"What the heck!" Peter screamed. "She heard all our plans!"
"Wait for your next detention MARAUDERS-"
"It won't happen again Lily. PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" Sirius hurled a spell on her.
"Great job -", Peter commented.
James confronted Peter and Sirius. "You shouldn't have done that to her", he said. "Come on, she's a lady. He kneeled down and picked up her hand. "Thank goodness. She's still alive." The other three were laughing.
"Sirius' spell is going to wear out after several minutes or, we can bring her to the hospital wing", Remus suggested. "We shouldn't waste time."
They went to each of the floors they're assigned to. Each faced cobwebs, dusty bedpans, empty classrooms and lots of trouble. They jotted down the places they went in through. They worked on this for a week, successfully because they placed a Forgetting Potion on Lily's fruit juice in which they served right after the spell hurled on her wore out. Alas! The Marauders found seven passages, including the passage Remus suggested, out of the school premises. "One passage can lead us to Honeydukes", Sirius said while tracing his illustrations.
The Marauders decided to write this down in an old parchment using magic. A lot of mistakes were done until one day, "One more step to make. Placing passwords for security." James said.
"Don't worry. I'll be in charge for the presentation", Remus volunteered.
"The password for revealing the map could be 'I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good-'", Peter proposed.
Sirius continued, " - and 'Mischief Managed' could be the password after use!"
"Fantastic!" Remus said in agreement. "All we need now is to write our names on the map to show ownership.but.when this map will be in the wrong hands, our real names will fray us", He said in a troubled voice.
Days passed but still, they haven't thought on what to write in the map aside from the illustrations of the passageways and spells. They happen to pass one day in the lobby, saw the bulletin board and read the newly placed announcement.
"A call to all 5th year students. A new subject will be placed in the curriculum and this is ANIMAGI. This class will help you transform into an animal," Peter read the message aloud for the group. "Wow, I can be a beaver!" He said in excitement.
"Class starts today, after Divination. See you there!" Sirius continued to read the note. Hope our teacher won't be a terror, he thought.
After Divination, James, Peter, Remus and Sirius went in the classroom together for the Animagi Class.
"I am Professor Keen Kitty, your Animagi instructor. Please observe silence and proper behavior within the duration of our class." She introduced herself to the 5th graders and asked each student for his or her name. After an hour, the bell rang and each of the students proceeded to their houses.
"Professor Keen told us that we could transform into an animal not of our choice but of what our character is. What animal could I possibly transform to?" James wondered.
"Luckily, I'm exempted from that class. I'm already capable of turning into - you know what", Remus said with a smile.
Since the first meeting, the students were looking forward to more challenging activities. James, bold and defiant, was able to turn into a stag. Sirius, the observant, was able to transform himself into a dog.
"Guys, did you happen to see Peter?" Remus asked.
"Maybe still forcing himself to change into a beaver!" Sirius answered with laughter and pride.
They spotted Peter sulking in the other corner of the room; his book closely attached on his faced. He looked so gloomy.
"Don't worry friend. You'll get through this", James consoled him. "We will help him right?" He asked Remus and Sirius,
"Be happy. Every evening, we'll help you on this, okay?" Remus said with aspiration.
"I know you, James and Remus will help me; except for someone so boastful in our group", Peter said in a sad tone.
"You'll help our friend, right Sirius?", asked James and Remus.
Sirius gave an assuring tap on Peter's shoulder. "Of course I would. It's my pleasure - and I just figured out a way to do that."
The following day, a few from the 5th year class went to the Great Hall, bearing the excitement in their faces to register their names in the Ministry of Magic to certify them that each one is an Animagus. James and Sirius went together to the registration center. Remus on the other hand remained in the Gryffindor common room to accompany and console the depressed Peter.
"Thanks for staying here with me Remus", Peter said. Then, he asked, " Aren't you supposed to go down as well and register your name?"
Remus got some bottled drinks and handed one to Peter. "All the teachers in this institution already know that I'm a werewolf." Hours later, James and Sirius went back to their room.
"Good thing I haven't seen the Slytherins there", Sirius said. "If I happen to see them, huh! I'll knock them out!"
"Stop it Sirius! I want to go straight to the point. Today is a Saturday and our team will have a Quidditch practice any moment from now." James looked at serious sternly and turned to Peter. "I know you're afraid in the dungeon so it might as well be better if we'll practice there to help you face your fears." He looked at Remus and Sirius. "You must go there alone at eight this evening. See you later guys." He got his scarlet, Quidditch robes and broomstick and went to the field.
"Peter, you must face your fears", he told himself as he entered in the dungeon. "Where are James, Remus and Sirius? Boy! I wish they'd come early."
"Now, you know what to do Sirius", James said. Poor Peter, he thought as he looked at him helplessly.
"And be sure not to hurt our friend", Remus said with hope.
"Don't worry. I can manage. Trust me," Sirius assured them. He then transformed into an enormous, black dog. He found Peter leaning on the wall.
"I hear something growling out there. It's dark, I can't see anything", Peter said with fear. He went to the door and lit a fire and screamed, "A dog! Oh No! How can an enormous dog enter here?!" Absent-mindedly, he left the lighted stick outside and entered the room with no light and no way out, except for the tiny mouse hole.
Sirius, the dog, went nearer to Peter, who also went nearer and nearer to the mouse hole. The dog growled so loud that made Peter sank to his knees.
"Oh wizard of all wizards, please help me!" Peter prayed. "I wish.I wish I could turn into a mouse!" He looked at the hole desperately.
The dog ran towards Peter. To Sirius' and as well as James' and Remus' astonishment, their friend transformed into a mouse and ran into the hole. Peter's friends were speechless on his amazing transformation. "Hooray!", They shouted in chorus.
The dog transformed back into its human figure. "My plan worked!", Sirius said with delight and peeped into the hole. "Come out Peter. The dog was me; I was just trying to help. I want you to be an Animagus, like us." The mouse went out from the hole. They saw how Peter's body emerged out from the animal.
"Sirius, you scared me to death!"
Remus hugged Peter. "Congratulations! You made it!"
"Can we go out now from this dark dungeon? I'm really scared now", Peter suggested. The Marauders granted his request and sat on the staircase in the Great Hall. "I really wanted to be a beaver and all of you knows that."
"Give yourself even just a little pride, Peter. See you can come and walk with us as animals with no discomfort and not everybody here in Hogwarts knows that!", Sirius said and sighed. "Besides, don't you appreciate the hard work I've done?"
"I'm not registered in the Ministry -"
"But to us, you're a certified Animagus", James left Peter unfinished in his statement and smiled.
"I've already figured out a way to furnish our map. Let's go back to the dormitory and I'll show you", Remus said, his eyes shining with an idea.
The Marauders went back to the common room as quietly as they could. Seeing Lily after giving the password to the portrait of Sir Nicholas Cadogan made their eyes open wide. She approached them and said, "So, where have you all been this time?!"
James stepped forward. "Lily, hush down or else you're going to wake up everybody in here. Okay. Me, Remus and Sirius just, uhh, accompanied our friend Peter in the -", he paused and looked at his friends, "- boy's toilet room, that's all."
"Did you encounter a furry monster while accompanying Peter in the toilet room, Sirius?" Lily approached him and asked, "Why so hairy tonight, Sirius?"
He stretched an arm as if trying to push away Lily. "So who cares if I have dog hairs on me?"
"Stop it. Lily, why not go back to your room now?", James said. "So, where's Remus?" He changed the topic.
Lily hummed as she walked away as if very happy to have Sirius irritated.
"Everyone, I'm in here!", Remus shouted while waving his arm. "Come and look what I've got in here."
"Is this the map? Why is it blank? Don't tell me you erased everything?!", Sirius furiously shouted in panic. "Calm down Sirius. James, in our group, you're Prongs because you can change into a stag. I'm Moony because I have this moon attraction. Sirius, you're Padfoot because you can change into a dog." Remus confidently informed the group. "And Peter, you're Wormtail."
"Now we've got silly nicknames", Sirius said intriguingly.
James looked at the blank parchment. "What do we need to do next?"
"Get your wand. Each should cast magic on this parchment and swear that you own the nickname. If this map is in the wrong hands, Moony's, Wormtail's, Padfoot's and Prong's ill messages will appear", Remus gave the instructions while holding the blank parchment.
"You did not erase the illustrations?", Sirius asked.
"Did you forget about the passwords you and Peter suggested?", Remus asked him in return.
"- I'm sorry. I forgot."
Remus got his wand. "Follow everything I say, 'I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good'."
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good", the three complied.
"I am Moony", Remus tapped his wand.
"I am Wormtail", Peter followed Remus.
Sirius got his wand as well and said, "I am Padfoot."
"And I am Prongs", James said.
Remus rolled the parchment and said, "Follow what I'll say and do again." He placed the parchment on the table. "Mischief managed!"
"Mischief managed", the three said in chorus.
Remus opened the parchment and showed the complete map. Words and illustrations appeared itself on the paper, as if someone was writing. This amazed the rest, including Lily who did not completely go back to her room.
Merrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids of Magical Mischief - Makers are Proud to
Present
THE MARAUDER'S MAP