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I took a mini break from studying just now to edit through this chapter, and hopefully you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

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"Potter wouldn't know class if it smashed into his face attached to one of those quaffles he likes so much," a voice loudly called from the other side of the room.

James's back stiffened, and he ground his teeth together. He knew that slimy voice anywhere. Snape.

"You mean like you wouldn't know what to do with a bar of soap if your life depended on it?" James bit back, swivelling in his chair to face the greasy haired git on the right hand side of the classroom towards the back.

"Here we go," Draco muttered under his breath, sticking his hand into his pocket and gently holding onto his Snitch—it was the first Snitch he had caught in this time, and for some reason he had started carrying it around with him lately.

James can handle himself if Snape draws his wand, and Hermione will step in before anything gets too serious, Draco thought as he carefully scrutinized the situation.

Snape was now leaning forward menacingly, dark eyes flashing with hatred and outrage.

Draco tried not to get involved when it came to Severus if he could avoid it, since he still remembered his Godfather that had tried to look after him the best he could. The Godfather that had cared for Draco in his own way.

Even after all these years it was difficult looking at him knowing that his home life wasn't good by any stretch of the imagination, and that his adult life hadn't been stellar either.

Draco and Hermione had both intervened and stopped James from going overboard in years past, but Severus himself was getting more aggressive and they couldn't control the Slytherin's actions and his obsession with riling up their brother.

Severus suddenly stood up sharply with a dark sneer just as Fabian Prewett walked into class.

The redhead paused with his books and materials in his hand when he reached his desk.

"Is there something wrong, Severus?" Fabian asked calmly, quirking an eyebrow as he put his books down on his desk.

"No, nothing is wrong, Professor," Severus said through clenched teeth before swiftly taking his seat.

Fabian paused for a moment longer before addressing the entire class and informing them what they would be doing in today's lesson. Draco's mind wandered however, lost somewhere in the lands of fantasy and memory.

"Can't believe Prewett gave us more homework," Peter groaned.

"It's never ending, it just keeps piling on. Do they not know that I have a life?" Sirius grumbled, throwing an arm around James's shoulder as they rounded the corner on their way to the Great Hall for lunch.

"What did you expect, Black?" A voice asked primly as its owner passed by the group of Marauders smoothly.

Lily Evans's glanced back at them over her shoulder, crimson hair whipping out behind her as she did. She made direct eye contact with James when she spoke again, "it's our OWL year. Maybe you should be studying and not out playing hookey."

With a tight smile she faced forwards once more and hurriedly went about her business. Draco glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye and saw the perplexed and baffled expression that was present, his heart going out to James.

Draco didn't get why Lily was being even colder to James these days than she used to be, especially since he wasn't flirting obnoxiously with her, and he had even stopped following her around like a lovesick puppy.

Girls, Draco thought with a shake of his head, his gaze drawn to figure in front of him who was holding hands with one of his best mates. Girls, he thought as he watched her raven curls bounce around happily. Girls.

Dear Mother,

School has been a bit hectic lately, school work is piling on, and James is scheduling practices constantly since he wants to ensure that we dominate in Quidditch this year.

I can't tell you anything more about Mary than what James has told you, Mum. That's between you and him. I will tell you that she's a nice girl. I spend a lot of time with her since she is Marly's best friend. I know you are going to want details, and yes, we're still together and she is probably way too good for me.

Hermione and I are fine, Mum. We worked through our issues—

Draco paused, quill held loosely in his hand as he tried to think about what to say next. What did he say next? Hermione and him were talking, they behaved like everything was the same as it had always been. Even though that was utter bollocks, and a steaming hot pile of Hippogriff dung. Nothing was the same. They were maintaining a pleasant facade and putting on an elaborate show that suggested that everything was grand, brilliant even. Draco supposed it was because it was easier than actually talking about it like they should.

WIth a irked twist of his lips Draco leaned forward and balled up the letter, deciding it would be best to start afresh.

Draco reclined in his desk chair, putting the quill down and rubbing his temple as a tired sigh blew heavily from his nostrils.

A soft meow and purr from his right drew his attention. He lazily tilted his direction towards the source of the sound, and he was greeted by the sight of a pitch black cat with bright knowing eyes. Midnight. It was if just thinking about Hermione had summoned her feline companion.

Draco cocked his head to the side and carefully extended a hand towards the sleek creature, but Midnight gave him an almost reproachful look before purposefully knocking over his inkpot.

Draco quickly righted the pot and grimaced as the ruddy cat walked in some of the spilt ink—happily trotting her way across some spare parchment at the top of his desk before settling in on the left side of it, casually laying her head across her paws when she was done.

He could have sworn the infernal creature was challenging him to do something about it by the look she was giving him.

WIth a sigh Draco vanished the ink, and moved to clean up the parchment before a "what are you doing?" came from behind him—startling him, and almost causing him to jump out of his skin; he crumpled the parchment in his hand slightly, and his heart began to gallop away from him at an alarming rate.

"Hello, dear brother of mine. Can you please not sneak up on me in future?" Draco grumbled as he turned sideways in his chair to face his brother.

James was more dishevelled than usual— his hair mussed, his glasses partially a ways down on the bridge of his nose. His shirt tail was untucked and the top two buttons were unbuttoned. On top of it all, his tie was askew and loose. Draco took in his brother's appearance and the dazed sort of dreamy look James was giving him. It only took a moment for him to come to the swift conclusion that James had seen Mary before coming back to the Tower after class.

"I'm not the one with the heightened sense of hearing and smell," James teased with a bright grin, sitting down on the edge of Draco's bed.

Caramel. Draco didn't know how he'd missed it, James's own natural, earthy and woodsy smell was laced with Mary's sweet caramel aroma.

"What's that?" James asked, jerking his chin to the parchment with Midnight's now smudged paw prints on it.

"Midnight spilled some ink and went for a bit of a walk across my desk," Draco answered with a small look of contempt aimed at the smug feline.

James appeared to be lost in deep contemplation for a few moments before a sudden outburst rushed from his lips, "that's it!"

James stood up in excitement, closing the distance between them and his eyes eagerly gobbled up the parchment clasped in Draco's hands. "That's what's missing from the Map!"

"What do you mean?" Draco queried, tilting his head back to get a better look at his brother, brow knitting together.

"We can have footprints follow the names of the people that appear on the Map!" James exclaimed, fervently rubbing his hand through his hair.

"Th—That sounds like a great idea," Draco plastered on a keen smile whilst the cogs in his mind whirred away at full speed—his eyes were locked on the blasted cat that was now licking her paws with a casual arrogance that infuriated him. How in Merlin's name had the cat known? How?

"I'll go find Moony and Padfoot! Pads was supposed to be doing the final touches to the front today. I'm confident that Moony can do the spellwork to make the footprints happen in no time. I'm sure of it."

James excitably spun on his heel and exited their dorm, leaving Draco all alone once more.

Midnight meowed as she stretched and then stood up, tilting her head in curiosity at Draco.

"How did you know?"

The footprints had been something Hermione had mentioned to Draco once in passing. It was when they were discussing all the details and elements of the map that she had so often used in the future.

Midnight yawned, showing all of her teeth. When she was done, she shook her head lightly and purred at him before jumping off his desk and slinking out of the room.

For whatever reason, he was entertaining the idea that perhaps, perhaps, Midnight understood everything that was said in her presence. Which was a slightly unsettling thought. The cat was everywhere and nowhere all at once, she had been present during many of his conversations. Even if she couldn't speak and thus reveal the things she had overheard, it still perturbed him and made him a tad bit uncomfortable.

Draco shook the thought from his mind, it was starting to hurt his head a little too much. With a deep breath Draco faced his desk, picking back up his quill in one hand whilst crumpling up the parchment Midnight had walked on in another. He glanced at the parchment once more before discarding it.

With a tiny smile Draco picked up a clean piece of parchment and began to pen another letter to his Mother.

Dear Mum—