Chapter Five: Marauder's Map

Nothing's mine. As usual. Oh! You know what? The actor who plays Sirius in the PoA movie is the voice actor for the Earthworm in 'James in the Giant Peach.' o! Sorry, but that strikes me as hilarious. Heehee...

'Maudire' in French means 'damn'.

Since we can't use asterisks anymore, flashbacks will be bold and italic, since my markers are no longer allowed. For example... 'Maudire' in French means 'damn' Got it? I hope you enjoy – cheers, everyone!

Time passed, and things were business as normal. Remus, in danger of actually failing potions, took on some extra homework assignments that would boost his mark (and cut into his sleep time). James shamelessly courted Lily, who was equally infuriated and flattered by the Potter boy. Peter got to know that Hufflepuff girl better, and, surprisingly, took part in a Care of Creatures competition that he ranked highly in. Sirius, being Sirius, didn't really focus on anything, but hopped around, dark and cheerful. He took to vanishing away at any spare moment he could, and returning with a slightly agitated, if not pleased, look on his face. Despite attempts from all the marauders to find out what he was cooking up, Sirius wouldn't say a word. James tried to follow him, but Sirius somehow knew, and always lost him on the third floor, right by the balcony. Deciding that he would tell them in due time, the three boys left Sirius alone. Besides, James refused to believe that Sirius just might know the secret passages of the school better than he.

Remus continued to go to Hogsmeade with Ursula, drinking many cups of herbal mint tea and going over charms homework with her. Every time that Remus was starting on his way to meet the Ravenclaw lass, Sirius would suddenly vanish to that place he kept vanishing to, and didn't come back until well into the night.

"Why does he do this?" Remus murmured to himself, folding a dry quill between the pages of his charms textbook. Sirius had stalked out of the commons room yet again, small backpack clenched in one fist, and a scroll in the other.

James looked up from a complicated diagram of the Quidditch pitch, having heard the question. "Is it that hard to figure out?"

Remus sighed and shrugged, "When she asked me to the Yule Ball, he encouraged me to take her," James nodded, remembering that he had done the same, "but if I help her with homework and drink tea with her, then suddenly he's all broody and – and..."

"And?" James prompted.

"And..." The brunette shoved the textbook he was holding into a bag. "And something. I don't know." With that, he left the room as well, leaving a highly amused seeker in his wake.

If that wasn't enough, the moon the previous month had been short and uneventful (as was told to Remus). It was reported that the wolf seemed edgy, and slightly tame. The news was welcome, but slightly suspicious to him. It didn't match what he was dreaming of, and Remus was sure that the marauders were hiding something from him. The French lad didn't like it, and he said so, but they pleaded innocence that was obviously faked. Remus, tired and fatigued, didn't care enough to explore it. His dreams told him enough...

Running, hard and fast, the wind in his ears and fur, mouth open and tongue rolling out in laughter. Padfoot was running behind him, and even Prongs struggled to keep up with him. Hungry. Thirsty. The night was young...so was the meat and the blood.

'Where are you going?' Padfoot barked.' What's the hurry, Moony?'

Good Padfoot...always keeping an eye out for Moony. ' I need to feed, Padfoot!'

Prongs took great strides to catch up. 'I saw squirrels near the stream!' He said. Wormtail was hanging onto an antler for dear life; it was the only way the little one could run with us. Laughter again. Poor Wormtail, always so slow and small.

'I don't want squirrels!'

'Why not?' Padfoot said. 'They're good for you!'

'Don't like them. Need something bigger.'

Prongs jumped in front of Moony, causing them all to stop. 'A badger?'

'No. Much bigger. Something warm and juicy.'

'I swear that I saw a fox; some of them moved in last week.' Prongs tossed his head, nearly making Wormtail fly off. There was a little squeak. 'We could hunt them down. It would be a game.'

'A game?'

'Yeah!' Padfoot said. He grinned. 'Whoever gets the foxes first is the King of the Moon!'

'Yes! Yes, let's play that game!'

Running again, smelling and searching for foxes...pretty rowan furred foxes...

Peter shook Remus awake, early the morning after Full Moon. Remus batted at him half-heartedly, groaning into his pillow.

"Remus..."

"S'en aller..." Remus muttered.

"...What?"

"Go away."

"It's kind of really important."

"Unless it involves Sirius charming my pajamas to dance, again, then I really don't care."

"But..."

Remus opened one eye slowly, using the effect of fading gold-amber eyes to stare directly at Peter. "Wormtail, please go away. I spent last night trying not to kill anyone," he narrowed his gaze for effect, "And I'm still a might bit peckish." Usually he didn't approve of threats, but he was pretty goddam tired.

Peter gulped, fidgeting. "Okay, but it's about James' birthday." He said. "Sirius's got this big thing planned."

Remus tiredly propped himself up on his elbows. "Why does that concern me?"

"He won't admit it, but I think he needs help."

Remus blinked at Peter, not feeling in a very helpful mood. He rolled over. "Why can't it wait till tomorrow or something?"

Peter looked at him with pleading eyes, poking at his shoulder. "You know how he's been going off alone lately? Well...this is why."

Remus grunted at him.

"He's been working on it for two months...help him? Please?"

Remus sighed, slowly flopping so his torso and upper body were hanging off the bed. He shuffled around underneath.

"Um...Remus?"

"Hand me my pants." Remus said, voice muffled. He appeared, shoes in hand. "Where's Sirius?"

"In the library, if you can believe it."

Remus and Peter came upon Sirius, who was hiding in a section of the library, deep in the back. He jumped at their approach, looking extremely guilty. "Moony...shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"Secret's out, Padfoot," Remus said wearily. "What are you doing for James' birthday?"

Sirius fiddled with a quill that he was holding. His fingers were stained with different colored inks. "What makes you think I'm doing something for James' birthday?" His eyes narrowed shiftily.

Remus sighed, leaning on Sirius' shoulder as he looked down at the table. It was a piece of parchment, empty. Inkbottles were lying open; some empty, some full. Scattered quills fluttered about. Remus looked at Sirius.

Sirius stared back.

They stood, staring for a moment. Remus raised an eyebrow; Sirius shrugged his shoulders. Remus gave him a look, and Sirius shook his head.

Peter watched, fascinated at the silent exchange.

Remus deepened the look, glancing at the map quickly. Sirius sighed and gave in, pulling his wand out of his back pocket. He waved it at the parchment, saying, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," And tapped it.

As they watched, the parchment ceased to be blank, and letters, lines and dots rose to the top, squiggling and turning into something of an uncompleted map. It wiggled on the page for a moment, and Sirius suddenly pulled the three of them away from the paper. As they ducked behind various pieces of furniture, the page spurted out ink, splattering on the bookshelves and table. Slowly Remus, Sirius and Peter stood again.

"It's not supposed to do that," Sirius said, embarrassed, "But I'm working on it."

"What is it supposed to do?" Remus asked, saying a spell that cleared away the ink on the books and table.

"Well, it's supposed to be a map of the school – the entire school."

Peter poked the paper, "What's so special about that?"

Sirius snatched the map away from him, "The special part of it is what I'm trying to get to work! The ink spurting thing is only temporary right now, but that's because I can't get the Tracking Charm and the Identification Spell to work together. See, I want to have the map know all the people moving around in Hogwarts and the area, but I already have eighteen layers to the map, and I can't figure out how to get it to watch each individual person and remember them when they come and go from the grounds..."

Remus sank into a chair, "Why didn't you just ask us for help?"

"I wanted it to be somewhat...impressive... Right now, it's just a map that spits ink at you."

"I say that's impressive, anyway." James said, peering over Sirius' shoulder, hands in pockets. "Think of the fun we could have with that."

"ACK!" Sirius pressed up against the bookcase. "Why does everyone keep doing that to me today?!"

James grinned. "It's fun. So, this is for me?" He picked up the parchment scroll, looking at it. "Spiffy..."

Sirius rubbed his neck. "Well, it's going to be a Marauders Map, when it's done, you know...something that we could sneak around with, and not get caught with, because we would see them coming! And we'd know where we could go and what people are doing, and...it's going to be great! There are activation words..." Sirius demonstrated, tapping the parchment. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." It activated. "And the words that we would use to wipe it clean, make it just paper again, are-"

SPLURT.

Sirius blinked, black liquid dripping from his eyelashes. "-Mischief Managed." The paper cleared, and Sirius set it delicately on the table.

"Stupid," James said admiringly to Remus, looking at his ink-covered best friend, "Stupid, but brilliant. We have work to do, gentlemen!"

Remus shook his head with a smile, casting a cleaning spell on Sirius. Sirius was clapping James on the back, saying, "Happy Birthday, Prongs!"

...licking his muzzle, relishing the dripping crimson drops that tasted like copper. It was warm and luscious, and it gave an inner fire to his veins. It sated his hunger, but only for the moment.

'Why Padfoot no eat some?'

Padfoot had been sitting on a large tree stump, talking to Prongs and Wormtail. He wagged his tail at Moony. 'I'm not hungry, Moony.'

'You're never hungry.'

'I usually eat before I see you.' Padfoot explained, nudging Moony with his head. 'Full, now?'

'Full. I win the game.'

'Yes, you do.'

'I'm King of the Moon.'

'Yes, Moony.' Padfoot said, shaking out his fur. 'You are.'

'King of the Moon...'

"Mr. Lupin, are you listening?" Remus muttered something in French. "Mr. Lupin? Oh, dear. Someone prod him, will you?"

PROD.

Remus grumbled, snatching up someone's wrist. "Je essayer sommeil..."[1]

"Remus, I don't understand. Wake up will you?"

Remus sat up, yawning. "Potions?" Blinking, he saw that the class and the teacher, Professor Elwood, were all looking at him. Sirius and James sat at the table in front of him, and Lily was the one whose wrist he was holding. Remus released her, and looked down at his caldron. It was an icky orange color. He glanced at Lily's; it was a brilliant red.

"Now, are you listening, Mr. Lupin?" Professor Elwood had his book open, and was looking at Remus archly.

"Yes, sir."

"Now, as I was saying, it seems that you have forgotten to add the main regent to your potion. That would be...?"

Remus stared into the cauldron. "Um...bicorn's horn?"

"No, Mr. Lupin. You need to add beetles eyes. You learned this in first year." The Professor gave him a disapproving look and moved on.

Remus, humiliated, watched as Sirius, shooting a sympathetic look at him, pulled a small flat disc out of his pocket. Groaning, Remus let his head drop into his hands, shaking his head. Not the Webbing Wonders...

Webbing Wonders, along with Sticky Slimelights and Everlasting Expel Gel, were contraband prank materials from Zonkos. So, naturally, the marauders had a large supply of them. Sirius favored the Webbing Wonders, and usually had a few of them on his person at any given time. Now, he unwrapped one, and threw it at Elwood's back, watching with delight as it exploded on impact, inching it's way over the man's body to wrap him in many layers of silver-gray colored webs. Elwood fell to the floor wriggling and glared wildly at anyone who met his gaze. Laughter burst out in the classroom, and Remus sighed.

Lily patted him on the shoulder. "It's his nature. He feels he had to defend you when something happens."

"But it's not the Professor's fault. I wasn't paying attention." Remus replied.

"Do you think that matters?" The girl asked, raising an eyebrow. "You know Sirius."

"Yeah, I do." Remus replied quietly. He rubbed his eyes.

Lily watched him, a worried look on her face. "Are you all right, Remus? You seem...stretched out or something. Is there something wrong?"

"No, I'm just tired."

"Are things treating you well?" She paused thoughtfully, adding, "How is your girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend?" Remus repeated, startled. "You mean - Ursula?"

James' girlfriend smiled gently. "Yes, I'm talking about Ursula. How are things between you two?"

Remus watched, as Elwood slowly broke free of the decaying Webbing Wonders. "Fine, really. We're just friends, anyway."

"That's not how she sees it." Lily said. "She thinks that you two are an item."

"An item?" Remus again repeated, alarmed. "We go for tea sometimes, and I help her with charms, but that's it... We aren't an item..."

The female Gryffindor gave him an apologetic look. "Then you'd better tell her, because she's calling you her boyfriend."

"Maudire..."

"What?"

The professor was now yelling at Sirius, who was cheerfully bearing the brunt, staring up at the professor with his best, 'gee-you-mean-I'm-not-supposed-to-stuff-like-that?' look that he possessed. James was laughing so hard that he was crying, and Remus sighed again.

[1] I'm trying to sleep.

James: Padfoot...
Sirius: WHAT?
James: o.0 Whoa, take it easy... I was only asking if you knew that your cousin Bellatrix was named after a star.
Sirius: She was?
James: Yup. Bellatrix is Orion's left shoulder.
Sirius: Who's feeding everyone information on constellations?
Me: Do dee do dee dooo....

You know, I was originally supposed to have Andromeda in the last part – in place of Lily – but then I realized that Andromeda is a full two years older than the marauders (according to me). So I had to revise it, much to my great displeasure, because I couldn't come up with a foolproof explanation as to why they were in the same class. I guess I could have changed the class or something, but 5th years generally aren't in advanced classes, and I didn't want to make Andromeda seem less intelligent by putting her in a lower class level. –shrug- Ah well, at least I caught it, right? Cheers!