The Arrangement
Chapter 4- The Map
Here is the second chapter I promised you.
Harry awoke early the next morning to someone calling his name. It took him a few seconds to realize that it was Draco and that he was using the two-way mirror.
"It's about time you woke up Harry." Draco told him when Harry picked up the mirror to show he was awake.
"What do you want so early Dray?" Harry asked trying and failing to stifle a yawn.
"I want you to get your lazy arse up and come join me for breakfast in the Great Hall."
"Okay, meet you there in 15 minutes."
"'Kay, bye." Draco's face disappeared from the mirror. Harry quickly dressed and made his way out of Gryffindor Tower. It took him another 20 minutes to reach the Great Hall as he got lost a couple of times. Dray was waiting for him outside the doors to the Great Hall when he arrived.
"What took you so long?" Draco asked when he caught sight of Harry.
"Sorry, Dray. I got a little lost on my way here." Harry told him fighting a blush.
"Oh. Lets go get something to eat." Draco replied, laughing slightly at his best friend. Since it was Saturday there wasn't many students in the Great Hall. Harry decided to sit at the Slytherin table with Draco so they could plan what to do with their day. Shortly after they had begun to eat Blaise and Evan walked into the hall followed by Ron and Hermione. They all made their way over to the Slytherin table.
"Hey guys. What's up?" Blaise asked as sat down across from the two boys. Evan sat down next to Blaise while Ron and Hermione sat next to Harry and Draco.
"Just trying to decide what to do with our day. We were thinking of exploring the castle. Do you guys want to come?" Harry asked them as they dished up their own breakfast. There was a chorus of 'yeah' and 'sure'. They were all eager to try and learn their way around the castle before classes started on Monday. None of them wanted to get lost on their way to class.
There was suddenly a loud voice behind Harry and Draco. "What do you think you're doing? We don't allow Gryffindorks at the Slytherin table." A blonde girl with a pug face and a large boy with a menacing look on his face stood behind them.
"Look, Parkinson, I don't know what your problem is, but there is absolutely no problem with Harry and the others sitting here." Blaise replied coldly.
"You know what Blaise, they're not worth it. We can just go sit at the Gryffindor table from now on." Evan replied calmly while giving Pansy a scathing look.
"We're done anyway, so how about we start exploring now?" Harry asked trying to keep a fight from breaking out. The others agreed and they walked out of the Great Hall.
"Where should we start?" Ron asked uncertainly.
"I think it would be best to start at the bottom and work our way up." Hermione said in a matter of fact tone of voice. The others agreed and Draco, Blaise, and Evan led the way to the dungeons.
As they reached the bottom of the stairs leading into the dungeons, they met up with professors Malfoy, Snape, and Potter. All 3 professors smiled at the small group before Harry and Draco broke the silence.
"Good morning Professors." they brightly said together.
"Good morning. And just what are the lot of you up to today?" James asked flashing a mischievous grin at Harry and Draco.
"We were just going to explore the castle so we know how to get around for classes." Draco answered grinning back at James.
"James, don't you have something that would help with their exploration?" Severus asked knowingly. Harry and Draco looked at James with a bit of surprise and curiosity.
"Actually, no, I don't. Filch confiscated it in our 6th year. Remus or Sirius might still have theirs though. We should go find out." James said and then motioned for the group to follow him.
"Harry, do you know what they're talking about?" Draco asked him quietly as they made their way back upstairs. Harry just shook his head no. Back in the entrance hall they ran into the twp people they were looking for.
"Remus! Sirius!" James called out waving them over.
"Good morning James, Severus, Lucius. What can we do for you this morning?" Remus replied as they moved over to join them.
"Severus and I were wondering if you still had your copy of the map." James said quietly glancing pointedly at the small group of students standing behind Lucius.
"Yeah we do but we'd like to keep at least one copy for ourselves." Sirius replied just as quietly. James nodded in understanding.
"We can make another copy for Draco later today, but is there any chance you will at least let them have one copy now? They were going to go exploring in the castle. It was Sev's idea to give them a map. Mine was confiscated in sixth year, remember? We wanted to keep Sev's for ourselves as well."
"We can do that. Let me just go get my copy. Remember, we will all 4 have to be there to make another copy. I think it best if only Harry and Draco know how to use them as it will show all of our true names." Remus replied. James nodded. Remus turned and called Harry and Draco over.
"Come with me, boys, and I will give you something to help you out today." The boys followed Remus up to his quarters on the first floor. Once they were inside Remus put up a locking and silencing charm.
"Okay, what I'm about to show you is highly secretive. Do not let anyone else know how to work this. Accio map. Draco, we will be making you your own copy later today. For now the two of you will need to share this. Do not let anyone else look at this when it's activated. You'll see why in a minute." Remus held out a piece of parchment to Harry who took it.
"Take out your wand and tap the paper and say 'I solemnly swear I am up to no good'." Harry did as he was told and lines began to appear from the point where his wand touched the paper. It was a map of Hogwarts. The heading at the top of the map read:
Messrs. Moony, Shadow, Padfoot, and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
The Marauders Map
"Do you see why only the two of you can use this map?" Remus asked the boys. Harry scanned the map and let out a surprised gasp. His dad was still in the entrance hall with Lucius and his father but instead of showing him as James Potter it showed him as James Snape. He looked around more and his eyes fell onto Remus' quarters. Remus' name showed up as Remus Black and his as Cale Snape.
"The map shows our real names. We can never let anyone else see these. Are you sure it's safe for us to be using them?" Harry asked Remus.
"As long as you are careful with it I don't see any problems. Let's head back down so you can join your friends." Remus said leading the way back to the entrance hall.
When they reached the entrance hall they saw their friends standing around looking rather nervous because there were 4 professors standing there talking amongst themselves. Harry and Draco smirked at the looks on their faces while they were trying to avoid the professor's gaze's. James was the first to see them return.
"Harry, Draco, may I see it for a moment." Harry handed over the parchment. "Just as I thought." James handed it back to Harry with a meaningful look. Harry nodded at his dads unspoken words.
"Okay, guys, lets go exploring." Draco said to the small group of friends standing a few feet away. They let out a collective sigh of relief which made Harry and Draco smirk again. When they were out of earshot of the professors, Harry and Draco stopped and turned to their friends.
"You guys so know that you don't have to be afraid of those professors, right?" Harry asked them. Everyone just looked at him rather skeptically. He sighed and looked to Draco for help.
"Look, we have known them all our lives. They will be strict in class and when it comes to major rule breaking, but otherwise they are very laid back and easy going." Draco told them all.
"What makes you so sure about that?" Hermione asked slightly curious. "I mean, obviously Professor Malfoy is your father and Professor Potter is Harry's, but how can you be so sure about the other 3?"
"Because they have all been friends since their own school days here. They are like family to Harry and I. You don't have to worry about them showing favoritism though." Draco said, rightly guessing at the looks that passed over Ron and Evan's faces. "Do you expect your brothers and sister to show you favoritism?" Draco asked them.
"No, I suppose you're right." they muttered together. Blaise hadn't spoken this whole time as he was quite well acquainted with Professor Malfoy and somewhat so with Professor Snape. He had met him a few times at Malfoy Manor. Now that he thought about it every time he had seen Professor Snape at the Manor he had seen Harry there as well. He turned a slightly calculating gaze in Harry's direction.
Harry had been surreptitiously watching Blaise the whole time as he was the only one that hadn't said anything. He could almost see the conclusion Blaise came too as he had been wondering how long it would take him to realize that he had always visited Malfoy Manor with his father. When he saw Blaise give him the slightly calculating look he nudged Draco so that they could get a move on.
"Okay, let's get going. I would like to be back in the entrance hall by lunchtime. So where do we start?" Draco asked everyone. Harry was the first to answer.
"Why don't we start down by the Slytherin dorms and find the quickest way to the potions classroom."
"How did you know the entrance to Slytherin was down here?" Evan asked.
"Our parents have told us all about their time at Hogwarts." Draco told them. Everyone but Blaise just kind of muttered something that sounded like 'oh'.
They finally made their way to the entrance to the Slytherin dorms. They once again came face to face with Pansy Parkinson and the large boy from breakfast.
"Don't tell me you're showing them how to get into the Slytherin dorms now?" Parkinson said, sneering at the small group in front of her. They just chose to ignore her.
"Okay," Harry said looking down at the map in his hands, Draco looking over his shoulder. "We're right here and the potions room is here," he continued pointing at the map. He glanced up at the wall in front of him and then back to the map. He glanced over at Draco and they both shrugged.
According to the map they should have a straight path to the classroom. Harry handed the map to Draco and walked over to the wall placing a hand on it. However, the wall was an illusion and his hand passed right through it. He glanced back at the others and grinned before walking right through the wall. The others quickly followed. A couple of minutes later they stood in front of the open classroom door. Just inside stood 5 professors grinning at the small group.
"It didn't take you long to figure that one out." Sirius said with a chuckle. Harry and Draco also gave a small chuckle and flashed the professors a grin.
"Okay, so now what's the fastest way to the Great Hall?" Evan asked. Harry and Draco looked back down at the map.
"There doesn't appear to be a shortcut. It looks like we'll have to take the stairs." Draco answered and began to lead the way. The professors followed them back up to the entrance hall.
"What classrooms are on the first floor?" Hermione asked.
"Defense, Transfiguration, and Muggle Studies are all on the first floor. You will be taking all 3 of those classes this year." Sirius answered. Ron and Evan looked at him in surprise.
"We were told that" Ron began.
"Muggle Studies was one of the classes we chose in third year." Evan finished.
"That is one of the curriculum changes that Headmaster Riddle talked about last night. There is one other class that has been added as mandatory until at least 5th year and that is Arithmancy." Remus informed them.
Blaise once again had a calculating look on his face. He kept looking between Severus, James, and Harry. Lucius noticed this and stepped forward to speak for the first time.
"Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy, please come to my office immediately after lunch. There is something I need to discuss with you."
"Yes sir."
"You have about an hour before lunch. Why don't you go on up to the first floor and look around. We'll see you all at lunch." Severus told them and then the professors walked away.
"What's up Lucius? Why do you want to see Harry and Draco after lunch?" James asked as they headed back down to the dungeons.
"I think we may have a problem. You saw the Zabini boy with them?" The other 4 nodded. "Next to Harry, Blaise is Draco's best friend. He has been at the Manor the same time Harry has been a few times though they never interacted. Draco knew enough to not mention your relationship to anyone outside the family but I think he may suspect. I want to warn them but also find out how much Draco trusts him." Lucius finished as they stepped into his office. No one else said anything as they thought this over.
Draco and Harry said very little as they wandered around the first floor trying to figure out what Lucius could possibly want. The hour before lunch passed quickly and they soon found themselves sitting at the Gryffindor table enjoying hamburgers and chips with cola to drink.
At different points during lunch Draco and Harry would notice one of their godfathers or Harry's fathers looking in their direction before they would get up and walk out of the hall. This made the boys even more nervous about whatever it was that Lucius wanted to see them for. Just as lunch was ending, both boys glanced up at the head table and saw Lucius stand up, giving them a quick glance before leaving the hall. Both boys quickly followed him out.
Because of the looks the others gave them during lunch, it came as no great surprise to the two boys when they knocked on Lucius' door to see all 5 professors waiting for them. They entered and quickly took their seats. Harry was the first to break the somewhat tense silence.
"You wanted to see us, professor?" The professors all gave a small laugh.
"Relax, boys. You're not in any trouble. We just wanted to talk to you about Blaise Zabini. I noticed something earlier and just wanted to caution you." Lucius said gently. Harry had paled slightly when Blaise's name had been brought up. Severus was the first to notice this.
"What's wrong Harry?"
"I think he knows or at the very least suspects. I wanted to talk to Draco about it but we haven't had the chance. I think all of the times he saw me at the Manor it was just father and I who had come over. I don't think he ever saw dad there." Harry explained quietly. Severus and James looked at each other with concern in their eyes.
"Just as I thought. Am I right in assuming, Draco, that you never actually told Blaise Harry's real name?" Draco nodded his head.
"So what do we do?" James asked.
"How trustworthy do you think Blaise is, Draco?" Lucius asked his son.
"I don't think he would tell anyone our secret." Draco replied to his father.
"I suggest we just leave things for now and see if Blaise approaches any of us. We can discreetly keep an eye on him and you boys be extremely careful around him, but if you try to stay away from him altogether then he will know that we are definitely hiding something. If he has or does figure it out, then we will cross that bridge when we come to it" Severus said and the others agreed.
"Are you still exploring the castle this afternoon?" Sirius asked. Both boys nodded. "How's that going?"
"Really good. We've figured out where all of the classrooms on the first floor are. We were going to start on the second floor as soon as we were done here." Harry replied.
"Well then, you boys best be off. We will come find you if anything comes up." Remus said. The boys quickly left the office to find their new friends. They spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the castle and having a good time with their friends.