Well, here it is! Chapter 8. I hope you like it, but I don't know if anyone liked my other chapters because no one has reviewed. (hint hint) Please don't sue me, this is still J K Rowling's stuff.
I woke up surprisingly early the next morning, judging by the fact that the only light was given by a fading moon. That always happens to me. I wake up late on weekdays and early on weekends. It drives me nuts. I got up about an hour later as the sun started to peek it's way out from the horizon.
I pulled on some ripped jeans and a black tee-shirt with a picture of an evil kitty with an ax that read "I'm a nice person. Come closer." I hated the uniforms so the weekend freedom was a good break. I grabbed the decoy letter and called Prankster away from the window. He seemed to prefer sleeping in the dormitory rather than the owlry.
"Listen, I need you to give this letter to those Weasly twins this morning. Just fly in their dorm window an peck them awake. They need an early start." Prankster nodded with what looked like an evil grin and flew out the window. It looked like I was starting to rub off on the little guy.
I went down to the common room with the real piece of parchment in my pocket and strapped my wand to my belt. Then, making sure no one else was up, I sped off to the Great Hall.
"Ouch! Get off me you stupid bird!" I heard Fred's groaning voice coming down the staircase.
I stood up and turned to face the twins, still in their pajamas, hurrying down the stairs looking not too pleased with the early wake up call. Prankster was still following them and pecking as he went. It's pretty lucky nobody else is up yet. For the twins' sake.
"Will you call that bird off already!" said George angrily.
"Alright." I said, not hiding my disappointment. "Prankster, that's enough." Dejectedly, he flew over onto my outstretched arm.
"We got your letter." said George, looking over at Fred to finish.
"And it sounds too innocent." finished Fred.
"Would I lie?" I said, faking to be hurt at such a suggestion.
"We have proof of that." said Fred flatly.
"Alright, so I knew it was yours. At least I gave it back!" I said honestly. I have had too much practice lying to mess this one up.
"She's got us on that one, Fred." said George.
"Okay. Well, don't think we're done with you yet."retorted Fred. I just stared back expressionless.
Well I'm not done with you either. I thought evilly.
I didn't follow them immediately after they left the hall. It would have been too suspicious. Instead I waited a few minutes before tracking their footprints, which was not easy. I wound up in some odd room filled with trophies from since the school had started.
"I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." There was a pause and then, " Dammit, why isn't it working!" I heard Fred's voice coming from a door right on my left. It was open a crack so I could see in. He was holding the decoy that I made of that piece of parchment.
"You're not saying it clearly enough!" said George angrily. "Here, let me try." he said, snatching the paper from his twin. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." he said, enunciating clearly and tapping his wand on the paper.
"I wonder what's wrong with it."said Fred curiously. "Hey, what was that?" heasked suddenly looking at the door. I had accidently made it creak a bit.
Immediately, I dashed as quietly as possible away from the door and the trophy room, afraid that I had been seen. I ended up somewhere at the other end of the school, but I was lost. Far enough away, I thought, to try to activate whatever that thing was. I took it out of my pocket and held it in front of me.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." I said clearly, tapping drawer paper with my wand.
Red ink spread on the paper. It read, in some fancy calligraphy, "Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are proud to present the Marauders Map" The ink faded and then spread again forming a map of Hogwarts. It was no ordinary map, however. It showed all the people in their respective places. Small ink people with names accompanying them showed Snape pacing his office, and Filch prowling along the entrance to the forbidden third floor corridor. The map even showed secret passageways, some leading off the map. I saw myself in a hallway right off the main staircases. Good, at least now I know where I am. Heh, looks like Fred and George have figured out about the switch. I thought, observing their figures going down to the Great Hall. So, Dumbledore's not in his office. I thought, seeing a room I believed to be his office empty. I wonder how you get up there. I thought, a plan already forming in my mind.
"Mommy," said the girl knowingly, "what did you do to him?"
"A master never reveals her secrets." the woman replied, playfully smoothing her daughter's hair.
I skipped back to the Slytherin common room, my heart feeling light because of what I had done. I had been feeling very deprived lately. I grabbed some equipment needed for my new plan and used my new map to help me find the entrance to Dumbledore's office. There was a great stone gargoyle guarding the door.
"Great. Now what do I do!" I looked down at the map, wishfully hoping that it would show me the password or whatever I had to do to make that stupid gargoyle move out of my way. To my amazement, it did. I saw my little figure emit one of those talk bubbles from cartoons. Inside it was written "sherbert lemon".
"Wow. What the heck, I'll try it. Sherbert lemon!" I shouted at the gargoyle. To my astonishment the gargoyle sprung to the side away from the door. I checked the map again to make sure that no one was nearby or in his office and went inside.
It was an amazing sight to see. All sorts of contraptions both old and new were standing on little tables. There was a large desk with an armchair to rival any I had ever seen sitting behind it. The walls were lined with bookshelves and the entire room was covered with pictures of past headmasters. Most were simply snoring in their frames, although one or two were looking at me in interest. I noticed the sorting hat was perched on top of one of the shelves. Luckily there was a high ceiling.
"Why is a high ceiling good?" interrupted the young daughter.
"You'll see." answered the mother, grinning.
I rummaged through the desk looking for his wand. Secretly, I doubted that he would have left it in his office, but it was worth a try. I was very surprised when I found it at the bottom of a large drawer.
"Wizards are such trusting folk.." I said to myself, lifting it out. I closed everything I had opened and put everything back exactly as I found it, so it wouldn't look suspicious. I took out my equipment and my wand and went to work.
The girl interrupted yet again, exploding with curiosity. "What did you do to Dumbledore's wand?"
"I told you . . ."
"A master never reveals her secrets." the young girl finished.
About twenty minutes later I got off the desk and looked around to make sure nothing was out of place that shouldn't be. I was just about to leave when I heard footsteps just outside the door.
I quickly grabbed the map out of my pocket to see who it was. I saw the figure of an old man with the label "Albus Dumbledore" next to it.
"Shit." I said quietly to myself. This was not good. I quickly stuffed the map back in my pocket along with my equipment and glanced around for someplace to hide. Under the desk? No way, too obvious. Behind a bookcase? Like I can fit in there! I noticed a cabinet nearby and opened it wide. There was an almost empty shelf up high that I could climb up onto. It was very unlikely that he would see me up there unless he was looking for me. I climbed up and moved what little items there were on that shelf in front of me. The only problem was that I didn't have enough time to close the cabinet door before he came in.
"Ah, I must have forgotten to close that." he said absentmindedly. He seemed somewhat preoccupied, like his brain had been left somewhere else.
As he walked over to the cabinet, I held my breath. I didn't want to make any sound that might bring his attention to me. He must have been really out of it because he didn't even close it all the way. Thankfully those pictures on the wall didn't give me away. Dumbledore looked tired, like his brain power had been all spent. He slumped in his chair. I hoped to god he would fall asleep. Maybe he would leave. Something!
I began to stiffen up in my hiding place, but I didn't dare move. I kept my breathing as quiet as possible, hoping for any opportunity of escape. The old man looked like he was nodding off when there was a nock on the door. Shit, company. I thought in a whisper. I would have looked at the map to find out who it was, but I couldn't move.
"Professor," said an oily voice from the door, "I need to speak with you."
Dumbledore's head jerked up suddenly. He walked to the door, dragging his feet. He opened the door and let in (oh man, can my luck get any worse!) Snape.
"Come in, Severus." he said, sounding tired and looking older than usual.
"Forgive me, sir, but this is urgent. It's about Querril. I don't trust him. I think he's trying to steal it."
"My dear Severus, he helped protect it!"
What on earth is "it" and why is "it" so special? I wondered to myself.
"Hmf." said Snape.
"What do I need to do to stop your silly suspisions?" Dumbledore said exasperated.
"Will you please allow me to keep a closer watch on him?" said Snape testily.
"Very well." he said, sitting down heavily in his chair.
"And will you try to remember this? Your Alzheimer's is getting worse every day." he reminded meaningfully. I had to try really hard to suppress a giggle. He was already asleep in his chair. Snape stomped out testily. As soon as the snoring began I got out of that cabinet as fast as I could without making a sound.
I slipped out of the door and, once outside, breathed a sigh of relief. I checked my watch. 8:30! God I must have been in there a long time. I stretched my limbs out, glad not to be cramped in anymore. I hurried down to the Great Hall for a quick breakfast. I had to avoid the Weaslys as much as possible. Didn't want a confrontation. It would be fun, but bad for the whole "secret troublemaker" thing.
I headed up to the common room and sat down on a comfortable couch. I knew I had to find a way to make the map blank so that it wouldn't be read by prying eyes. I looked at my little figure, hoping it would emit another talk bubble like last time. It did. I supposed the map shows the passwords on it's own. Definitely worth galleons. This time it read "mischief managed". It sure is. I thought.
"Mischief managed." I said, tapping the map with my wand
What a long day. It seems like it should be evening and yet it's only morning. I guess I should get to work on charms homework. I said, groaning. I wish there was a spell to make homework do itself. Or maybe just make all homework disappear. Something useful like that. I thought wistfully. I went upstairs to grab my bag. When I got there, my jaw dropped open and my eyes went as wide as humanly possible.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!" I yelled.
And... that's it! Please review the story or I won't know whether to make another chapter or not! Still Rowling's stuff. Hope you like it! Namarie!