Harry shrunk backwards slightly in his chair as Professor Snape glared down at him. "Professor McGonagall has just told me the most interesting story, Mr. Potter. She told me that Mr. Weasley was struck in the back by a large amount of mud while talking with Mr. Malfoy in Hogsmeade." He said, pausing for a moment but Harry remained silent. "And then Mr. Weasley saw the most interesting thing, Mr. Potter. Your head floating in midair. Do you care to explain to me how your head was in Hogsmeade?"
"I have no idea Professor, I've been in the common ro-" Harry managed.
"Do not lie to me Mr. Potter. I know very well that you were not in the common room." Snape said his voice hard. "Does it mean nothing to you that everyone from the Minister of Magic himself downward has been working to ensure your safety?"
Harry shrunk further down into his seat but said nothing, suddenly finding his shoes very interesting.
"Empty your pockets." Harry's head snapped up at that, a look of clear defiance sliding over his face. "Now Mr. Potter."
Angry Harry removed the bag of treats from Honeydukes and the folded Marauder's Map from his pockets. He swallowed as the professor eyed the bag of candies, "Draco and Hermione got them for me last time."
Snape said nothing to this instead, picking up the map and turning it over in his hands as though trying to place why the piece of parchment seemed familiar. His black as narrowed at the panic that flashed across Harry's face before he could stop it. "A spare bit of parchment- or something more? Instructions on how to enter Hogsmeade perhaps?" And then he lifted his wand and delivered a forceful tap to the map, "Professor Severus Snape, Potions Master of this school, commands that you reveal the information you conceal!"
It stayed blank. Harry's sigh of relief turned quickly to dread though as smooth lines of text began to appear across the map.
Mr. Moony presents his greetings to Professor Snape, and advises him to keep his great greasy nose to himself.
Snape and Harry both froze. Harry's mouth opened but the words continued to form.
Mr. Prongs concurs with Mr. Moony and would like to add that the Professor Snape is an ugly old bugger.
It might have been funny if Harry hadn't already been in so much trouble. Snape might have been able to forgive his little venture into Hogsmeade… but this.
Mr. Padfoot would like to offer his surprise that a great slime like that was ever able to become a professor.
Harry shut his mouth with a snap and swallowed hard. Snape was still frozen, though his knuckles were beginning to turn white with the force he was clutching the map.
Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape go back to his own business, and advises him to use shampoo, the great greasy bat.
Horrified Harry let his eyes slide shut. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he didn't look. When he opened them it was to a choked sound from Snape.
Ms. Frost bids the most esteemed Professor Snape a good evening, and advises him to seek his answers elsewhere.
The potions master spun, map clutched tightly in his hand and started to his office, "Potter, with me." His voice was sharp and Harry found himself wishing he had never taken the map from the twins.
He fought to keep up with Snape as they wound their way down into the dungeons, confused when they bypassed the man's classroom and office before stopping at a painting of a potions lab with a large snake curled in front of the fire and lifted its head at their approach. Harry opened his mouth to speak just as the professor ground out, "Toujours." The painting swung open and Snape pulled Harry though a small entryway and into a comfortable looking sitting room.
Maera looked up from the sofa with a frown, "Severus? What-?" She was cut off when he threw the parchment onto the table in front of her. Her hands shook as she picked it up and her eyes flew over the words, "Where did this come from?"
"I would like to know the same. I confiscated it from your godson." His voice was hard and she looked away from the map, her eyes finding Harry as though seeing him for the first time.
"I see." She swallowed, turning her eyes back to her husband, "I… I thought this was destroyed. Peter- he- he said he lost it, that Filch took it." She spread the map out on the table in front of her, tracing the creases with her fingers. Severus cleared his throat, pulling her from her thoughts abruptly.
"Where did you get this Harry?" Her voice was soft, but her face was blank. The boy fidgeted, clearly warring with himself over whether or not to give up his friends.
"Fred and George, they told me they took it from Filch's office." He admitted, eyes traveling down to his shoes. "I- I used it to go to Hogsmeade."
"Harry James!" Her face now was thunderous, and he grimaced. "I forbid you to go to Hogsmeade for a reason, it's not safe. The dementors have been patrolling the village, what on earth were you thinking? And not only that but you had no idea if the map was safe to use or not! Did you learn nothing from what happened with the diary last year? A month's detention with me Harry, every Saturday during Hogsmeade visits. I'll leave the rest of your punishment up to Severus, for being out after curfew."
Harry paused in the doorway on his way out to go to his dorm, "Maera, I… I think the map might be broken. It showed Peter Petttigrew's name on it."
Maera sighed running her fingers through her hair, "It's impossible Severus, the map doesn't break. It's never wrong!" Her eyes tracing over each name on the map again.
"He's dead, Maera. It must be some sort of fluke. How could he have managed to go this long without being detected? Not polyjuice, the man couldn't brew to save his life. Certainly not a glamour, too difficult." Severus sighed, tired of having the same conversation for the hundredth time, "The man had no special talents that could help him hide for so many years."
"You're right of course. He didn't really stand out in any way; you wouldn't believe how long it took to complete the animangus transformation." She frowned, running her fingers across the old parchment. "It's old, and with James gone who knows if something didn't change in the magic."
"Perhaps it's time to dispose of it," Severus said, standing and giving a significant glance to the crackling fire in the fireplace before moving towards their room.
"Of course," She agreed, folding the map gently and moving to the fireplace. Just before dropping it into the flames she glanced over her shoulder, and finding that she was alone reached up to tuck it between the pages of one of the books on the mantel. The map was never wrong.
The next morning Maera woke early and after carefully extracting herself from her husbands arms, crept from the bed, quickly threw on the day's clothes and grabbing the map slipped quietly from their rooms. The sun was just creeping into the sky when she knocked rather harshly on the painting of the wolves, a few minutes later a ruffled looking Remus Lupin appeared.
"Maera? Is something the matter?" Even though the werewolf was obviously exhausted his voice was filled with concern.
"I'm not sure yet. Can I come in?" She said, and when Remus moved to allow her in she walked over to the coffee table. Pulling her wand from her robes, she started the fire before pulling the map from her pocket. Remus started as she unfolded it and laid it open across the table. "You did a great deal of the charms work on the map. I need you to check them. I know you remember."
Remus moved to sit next to her, running his fingers across the map in a way reminiscent of how she had the night before. "Where did you get this?"
At that Maera couldn't help a slight smile crossing her face, "Harry had it. Apparently the Weasley twins managed to find it in Filch's office and gave it to Harry this year. Severus found it in his pockets. It's a long story." She looked up, searching his face, "Remus. I really need you to check the charms. It's important."
"Very well," He agreed with a sigh. His wand dropped into his hand before he began moving it over the parchment in a series of complex movements, his lips moving as he quietly muttered spells. She watched silently and it seemed like an eternity passed before he looked up. "The charms are working perfectly."
At that the witch dropped into the couch, her eyes moving across the names on the parchment. "Remus, I… Harry told me he saw Peter Pettigrew's name on the map."
