"James, I don't understand what we're doing," said Remus, following behind his friend. "We finished the map, we don't need to keep doing this."
"TECHNICALLY, it's finished," correct James. "Anywhere we can get to is on the map. But there are a few places we haven't found ways to get to yet. Don't you want to include them on the map?"
"I get it," said Sirius, sneaking along behind them. "But I do have one question: why should we bother? We have two months before we're done here."
"And we're the only ones who know how to open the map," added Peter. "Basically, in two months, all the map's going to be is a scrap of parchment."
"Which is why we leave it at school," said James. "I charmed the map so that it will sense the will of anyone attempting to use it, and as long as they're a fellow troublemaker, the map will help them work out how to use it."
"What didn't you do to that map?" asked Remus, as they rounded a corner into the fifth-floor corridor.
"You know, that's not important," said James. "Come on, we're here. Let's see what we can find."
"We've been all over this place," said Sirius. "There's nothing here. It's just a random cold spot."
"But why?" asked James. "Even if it's just a spell, surely we'd find something. We need to figure it out."
"I doubt we will," said Remus.
"Yeah, what makes you think we'll have more luck this…" said Peter, starting to lean against the wall. Unfortunately, the wall was further back than he thought, so he fell backwards and hit the wall. "Ow."
"Did you hear that?" asked James.
"James, are you trying to ignore when I hurt myself now?" asked Peter.
"No, I heard something BECAUSE you hurt yourself," said James, knocking his fist against the wall. "It's hollow."
"So? Do you expect all the walls to be solid stone?" asked Remus.
"But in a spot where there's a mysterious cold spot?" asked James. "Is it so farfetched that there's something here?"
"He's making sense," said Sirius. "I think we should…" Whatever Sirius was about to say was cut off by a meowing coming from the end of the corridor. "Don't tell me…"
"Mrs. Lewis, have you found someone?" called Filch, still out of sight.
"Damn it, everyone under the cloak," said James, lifting it up so they could all scramble under it. Unfortunately, with all of them being much taller than they used to be, they only just managed to fit under.
"Who have we got here?" asked Filch as he came around the corner. When he saw no-one, he frowned a little. "Hiding won't help you now," he said, slowly walking down the corridor towards them.
The boys collectively held their breath as Filch got close to the group and stopped. 'Did he see us?' thought Sirius, wondering what he was doing.
"What's this?" asked Filch, bending down and picking up a piece of parchment on the floor. The boys watched in shock and horror as Filch picked up the Marauders Map. "Kids leaving their rubbish around? Straight to the bin with this then."
As he said this, words suddenly start appearing on the Map. "What's this?" asked Filch. "Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Mr. Filch, but would he please shut his horrifically misshapen mouth. Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that Mr. Filch is a nightmare to look at. Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that Mr. Filch can work at a magical school without magic. Mr. Wormtail bids Mr. Filch good day, and to retire while he still has some hair." By the time he'd finished reading, Mr. Filch looked beyond furious. "Well, this is getting confiscated, until I can find who these students are." Filch spun around and quickly made his way back to his office, Mrs. Lewis right behind him.
The boys waited for another minute or so, just in case Filch came back, before finally getting out from under the cloak. "What the hell?" asked Sirius. "I thought one of you had grabbed the map."
"So did I," said Peter, noticeably freaking out. "We worked so hard on that thing. Now Filch has it, and it's going to be pretty hard to get back."
"All according to plan," said James, causing the others to stop and stare at him.
"What are you talking about?" asked Remus. "We LOST the map."
"Exactly," said James. "Two months from now, we are going to leave this place, possibly forever. What would the map be used for then?"
"But who's going to get the map now?" asked Peter. "Filch has it locked up, no-one's going to find it."
"I have confidence it'll be found by someone who knows what to do with it," said James. "After all, who's more likely to find it now than someone who gets in trouble?"
The others paused as they considered this. "In a weird way, that makes sense," said Remus. "I don't agree, but it makes sense."
"Exactly, Remus gets it," said James. "Come on, let go to bed."
"Am I the only one wondering when James made the map be able to insult Filch like that?" asked Peter, before noticing the others were already leaving.