Chapter 14: The Best Birthday Present Ever

It was October 14th, and Harry was trying to decide what to give Megan.

"Hi Hermione." Harry said as she snuck in quietly.

"Looking at the Map again?" she asked.

"Just trying to decide what to give Megan. She'll be 13 tomorrow."

"Thirteen. When we were thirteen, you found out you had a godfather, our DADA teacher was a werewolf, and Dementors were swarming the castle." She laughed.

"And you were constantly traveling through time." Harry added.

Harry looked at the map again and saw that Megan was in the kitchens with the others. Because the map never lies, he already knew Polaris' real last name. He just decided not to bring it up.

Just then, he got an idea.

"I know that look." Hermione told him.

"It's extremely risky." Harry told her. "No one will have any warning."

"Harry? You're not…"

"I am. I think that the second generation of Marauders needs this."

0000

Megan had always thought her brother was the best person in the world. But he had drawn the line. He gave the class a pop quiz on what they had learned so far to make sure they were paying attention. Megan did pay attention, so that wasn't the problem. The problem was that he did it on her Birthday. Her 13th birthday present from her brother was a pop quiz!

Harry walked around the classroom with his hand in his right pocket. When he got to Megan, he bent down and looked over her shoulder pretending to look at her paper. While he did that, he slipped something in her bag.

0000

"I can't believe Harry gave a pop quiz on my birthday!" Megan said in the common room.

"Some birthday present." Ariel said.

Megan grabbed her homework out of her bag when the envelope Harry placed in her bag during the quiz fell out.

"Megan." Colin said pointing to the envelope.

Megan looked down and saw the envelope. She picked it up and opened it. The scratch piece of parchment and a note was in there.

"A scratch piece of parchment?" Vega asked as she grabbed it.

Megan was reading the note.

Dear Megan,

Happy Birthday! Did you like my little diversion? Don't worry. The quiz isn't for a grade. It was just to keep you busy as I snuck your real birthday present into your bag. I know what you're thinking. "A scratch piece of parchment? What is my brother thinking? Has he been around Dumbledore too long?" The thing is that it is not a scratch piece of parchment. I know I told you it was, but I didn't want you to try to steal it from me. Now that you are thirteen, I think you can be responsible enough to use it. You remember Dad telling you about the Marauders? Well, this is the key to their, the Weasley twins, and my success. My success in knowing where you were that is. To activate it, you point your wand at it and say, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Now for the most important part: So that you won't get caught by any other teacher besides me and Hermione, when you are finished with it, you point your wand at it and say, "Mischief managed". Make Dad proud. Remus told me he hinted to Colin, so let me know if you can figure it out. You can find me on it.

Harry.

"Vega. Let me have the parchment." Megan told her friend.

Vega handed her the parchment.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." She said following her brother's instructions.

Just then, writing appeared on the parchment.

MESSRS. MOONY, WORMTAIL, PADFOOT, AND PRONGS

PURVEYORS OF AIDS TO MAGICAL MISCHIEF-MAKERS

ARE PROUD TO PRESENT

THE MARAUDER'S MAP

The gang starred at the map.

"No bloody way." Vega finally swore.

"I don't know what surprises me more." Colin said. "That a Professor gave us this, the fact that this is the map Fred and George were talking about, or that my dad was one of the makers."

"Your dad?" the rest of the gang asked.

"Yes. He's Moony." Just then he realized something. "That's where I heard the name from. Fred and George were talking about him."

"And so was Harry. The day I went to his house for Christmas." Megan remembered.

"Then, my Dad must be Padfoot." Vega said remembering Christmas. "Remember Uncle James screaming it?"

"So, Harry must be Archimedes." Adam said.

"He said to go find him after we activate the map." Ariel said.

They looked down and saw him in his office.

0000

KNOCK KNOCK

"Come in." Harry said looking up from the quizzes he was looking over to see what he had to cover.

When the gang walked in, he grinned.

"I see you got the map." He said.

"Is my dad the same Moony that is mentioned?" Colin asked.

"Yes." Harry said.

"Is my dad Padfoot?" Vega asked.

"Yes."

"How about Wormtail?" Polaris asked.

"We don't speak of Wormtail because he's Peter Pettigrew." Harry told him.

"Prongs?" Megan asked.

"Dad."

"What about my dad?" Adam asked.

"He got his name after the map was made. But his name is Mistoffolees."

"Our dads were THE Marauders." Megan said plopping down in a chair.

"Mum, Spica, Sara, and Melissa didn't want you guys knowing just yet. We finally got them to cave just last January."

"So, tell us more about the map." Adam said.

"Our dads made it when they were in school. It was lost their seventh year. When Fred and George were in the first year, they managed to rescue it from Filch. They learned how to work it and gave it to me my third year. I wasn't allowed to go to Hogsmeade at the time because I was living with Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. I've had it ever since."

"So now you're giving it to us?" Colin asked.

"Of course. I have to let the Marauder spirit live."

Polaris had the map in his hands now and was looking at it. When he saw his name, he paled and looked at Harry in horror.

"Another thing," Harry added. "The map never lies. Even if you are under the influence of Polyjuice Potion, it will still show up as your own name."

"What's wrong Polaris?" Ariel asked taking the map from him and noticing his real last name.

"Polaris?" Ariel asked.

"My dad told me about that just last year." He informed them. "And you knew this whole time?" he turned to Harry.

Harry nodded. "I wasn't going to say anything until you spoke up."

Vega and Megan looked over Ariel's shoulder to read: Polaris Black. (See Profile)

They looked over at Polaris.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I wasn't sure what people would think." Polaris apologized.

"Our lives just keep getting crazier." Adam said. "First Megan finds a long-lost cousin, and now Vega has a long-lost second cousin. Do you have any Aunts or Uncles, Colin?"

"Not to my knowledge." Colin answered "I'll ask Mum and Dad."

"I don't think doing another Christmas reunion is such a good idea this year." Harry told the kids.

0000

It was finally time for the first Quidditch match of the season. Gryffindor vs. Slytherin.

"Alright." Polaris announced "For the Slytherins we have Shylock, Hook, Silver, Lestrange (Rodolphus' nephew), Malfoy (Agatha's older brother), McCavity, AND Malfoy."

The Slytherin's cheers were drowned out by boos.

"And on the Gryffindor Team…" Polaris continued, "We have Eliot, Edwards, Black, Ackheart, Lupin, Newton, AND POTTER!"

The Slytherin's boos were drowned out by cheers.

"Shylock and Eliot shake hands. And THEY'RE OFF! Black has possession, she passes it to the hot…I mean, Edwards, she passes it to Ackheart. HE SCORES! Gryffindor 10 Slytherin 0."

"Shylock has possession now. He passes it to Hook, but Edwards intercepts! GO ARIEL!"

"Mr. Gray. Please report a nonbiased commentary." McGonagall told him.

"Sorry Professor. Wait. McCavity hits a bludger towards Ariel. But she dodges it. GREAT JOB ARIEL!"

"Mr. Gray." McGonagall warned.

"Anyways," Polaris continued, "What's this? It looks like Potter has found the Snitch! C'MON MEGAN! GIVE MALFOY A TASTE OF TRUE POTTER SKILL! MAKE PROFESSOR POTTER PROUD!"

"Mr. Gray!"

Harry rolled his eyes at Polaris' antics. "He's just as bad as Lee and Pettigrew." He whispered to Ginny.

Megan and Agatha chased after the Snitch as Gryffindor kept on scoring. Ariel, Vega, and Jeremy were good. And Peter Eliot was a superb Keeper. He only missed one.

"I see him following in Wood's footsteps." Ginny said to her husband.

"Or Ron's" Harry added.

"POTTER CAUGHT THE SNITCH! POTTER CAUGHT THE SNITCH! 200-10! GRYFFINDOR WINS!"

"Well, 10 minutes. Not quite the record, but pretty close." Harry said looking at his watch.

0000

"That was a great match." Polaris said.

"Tell me about it. Nice dodge Ariel." Vega said.

"Thanks. Polaris? Were you flirting with me out there?"

"No. What makes you say that?" He said flustered.

"You called me "hot"."

"Um."

"Great game." Harry said walking up to the gang.

Polaris shot him a "thank you" look.

"Up to your standards?" Colin asked.

"Just about." Harry said with a grin. "Haven't beaten my record, but you still have time."

"What is your record?" Adam asked.

"5 minutes." Harry told them.

"5 MINUTES!" they repeated.

"My first ever match against Hufflepuff. Ron and Neville missed it though. They had gotten into a fight with Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle."

TBC

"Dad?" Vega asked. "Can they stay with us?"

"Well," Sirius said. "It's up to Polaris' mum."

"My wife died giving birth to Polaris." Rigel explained.

"I'm sorry." Sirius said.

"Don't worry about it. I wouldn't want to impose."

"C'mon Dad. Anyplace sounds better than Great-Grandma's."

"Where your grandparents dark wizards?" Colin asked trying to get the story going.

"I'm not proud of it." Rigel said. "My father eloped with my mother right after school. Behind her back, he became a Death Eater."