Chapter 3
The shriek startled Snape so much that he dropped the chalk that he was using to write the next set of potion instructions on the board. He turned just in time to see Potter run through the door.
"POTTER! GET BACK HERE!!!! 1000 POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR!!!!"
There was no sound of returning footsteps. Potter was gone.
Ron instinctively caught the Map before it hit the ground. He didn't know what had happened, but Harry hadn't been this happy since before the incident in the Department of Mysteries. Whatever he had seen, both in his vision and on the Map, must have been amazing. He looked down.
At first he couldn't see what it was that Harry had seen. Then, on the very edge of the Map he saw it. It was all he could do not to go running after Harry. In fact, he could barely restrain himself from giving a shout of joy of his own.
Taking the opportunity while Snape stood fuming at the door, he motioned to Hermione who was sitting with Lavender Brown. She looked at him puzzled, but came over anyway. Silently, he handed the Map. There in nice bold letters was the name "SIRIUS BLACK."
"But, he's-- he's..." Hermione stuttered.
"Dead?" asked Ron, who had gotten control of himself, but barely. "You heard Professor Lupin third year. The Map never lies. He's here, Hermione, on the grounds. Whatever he did to come back, I'm just glad he is."
"Me, too," said Hermione. She handed the Map back to Ron. "Should we tell someone? I mean, he is Professor Lupin's friend, too." Lowering her voice, she said, "I'm sure that he would like to know that his last loyal friend has come back from the dead."
Ron looked back down at the Map and paled. "Hermione, we have bigger problems." His face took on the same frightening look that Sirius Black's had when looking at Wormtail in third year. "Wormtail, and about a dozen other D.E.s have shown on the grounds."
Hermione's face hardened. "Where?"
Ron said, "Just outside the boundaries for apparating. They are only about 300 yards from Snuffles and they are between Harry, Snuffles and the castle."
Hermione gasped, "Oh, no, and Harry doesn't have his wand."