Author's Note: This is a sequel to Harry's Wild Adventures and will make the most sense if you read that story first. As per usual, any recognizable Harry Potter characters and locations belong to JK Rowling and no copyright infringement is intended. Writing is done for fun not profit.

Chapter 1: Hogsmeade

Harry Potter sat at the Gryffindor table after a rough Potions class. Professor Snape was still Harry's least favorite teacher, even though he was kind to him when Harry visited Hogwarts while he was still a student at the Training Institute For The Blind. Harry toyed with his lunch as he stewed over the events that led to Snape vanishing his potion and giving him detention for not paying attention to the directions. It wasn't his fault, well, not entirely, that he was distracted. After all, not everyone had a mass murderer who escaped the notorious wizard prison Azkaban who was supposedly hunting him. To make things worse, Professor Dumbledore informed him it was too unsafe for him to go to Hogsmeade. Writing to Mrs. Weasley in a plea to appeal that decision resulted in a lecture about how his safety was more important than sweets and the subject was closed for discussion. He was so deep in thought that he was totally oblivious to the chatter of students around him and to the arrival of his friends.

"Harry, earth to Harry!" Ron yelled in Harry's ear, making him jump.

"Ronald, don't scare him," snapped Hermione.

"Harry, Fred and George want to see you," Ron said.

Harry quickly got up and made his way down the table to where the twins were teasing Percy.

"Hiya Harry! How's our new little brother?" Fred asked.

"I'm fine," Harry said. "Ron said you were looking for me?"

"Well, we hear you can't go to Hogsmeade, because our dear mum is way too overprotective," George said.

"Yeah, and she said I would be in trouble if I keep complaining," Harry said sadly.

"Well, we have just the thing," said Fred. "The Marauder's Map!"

"The what?" Harry asked, confused.

"It's a map of the castle. We made it into braille just for you, so you can have it," said Fred.

"You will be able to find all the secret passages and see if anyone's coming towards you. It'll keep you out of trouble."

Harry felt hope fill him. "And you say I can have it?" Harry asked, thinking it was too good to be true.

"Of course!" said the twins together.

Harry took the parchment and scurried back to his abandoned lunch plate. As he ate a sandwich, he examined the map, noting familiar names and locations. His friends were arguing over Hermione's cat and took no notice of what he was doing. He saw that Professor Snape was in his office and not at lunch; and followed Professor McGonagall's path as she moved from the staff table back to her classroom. Suddenly, he saw a name he didn't know, Peter Pettigrew. He shrugged and stuffed the last of his sandwich into his mouth as the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.

Saturday morning arrived and Harry donned his invisibility cloak and walked through the passageway to Honeydukes. On the way, he thought about Sirius Black. No one told him any details. He finally arrived at Honeydukes, and he found Ron and Hermione. He did not say anything, because no one was to know that he was there.

"Let's buy Harry some chocolate frogs," said Hermione.

"Yeah, let's," Ron said.

Harry stood there, listening to his friends. Suddenly, he heard running footsteps, and before he could move, someone ran into him hard, making him fall over.

"Potter," said Malfoy's voice. "Why are you partially invisible? You're not supposed to be here, are you?"

"Harry!" gasped Hermione. "You're not allowed to be here! You don't have a signed permission form."

Harry felt his breathing quicken. He was in so much trouble. He knew that Malfoy would tell Snape.

Hermione saw that Harry was gasping for air. He looked like he was panicking to the point where nothing they said to him worked.

"Ron, get a teacher!" Hermione snapped. "Go away Malfoy."

Ron opened his mouth to argue, but quickly shut it upon seeing Hermione's glare. Harry kept imagining Professor Snape's face looking murderous while Professor McGonagall looked disappointed. Imagining their reactions to him sneaking into Hogsmeade made him panic more.

Ron ran back to the school as fast as his legs would go. He saw Madam Pomfrey in the entrance hall. "Madam Pomfrey!" he gasped out. "Its Harry! Something's happening to him!"

"Where is he?" Madam Pomfrey asked, worriedly.

"Hogsmeade," Ron said.

The nurse looked shocked before composing herself. "I'll follow you," she said shooing Ron back out the front doors.

When they got to Honeydukes, Madam Pomfrey recognized Harry was having a panic attack and immediately sent a patronus to Harry's healer. "Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, either continue your shopping or return to the castle," she said briskly. "Mr. Potter will be fine."

Ron and Hermione looked torn but left.

Madam Pomfrey smiled slightly when she saw Scott. "I do apologize for the short notice," she said.

"It is alright Poppy. Where's Harry?"

Harry thought the images of his teachers and the Weasleys being mad and the Dursleys giving him mean looks would never stop. Suddenly, he felt like he was forced to come back to the present, and the images went into the background.

"Harry?" a familiar voice asked.

Harry was relieved. It was Scott, and he didn't seem to be angry with him.

"Let's go back to the castle, and we'll talk about what upset you so," he said calmly. They headed back to the castle, following Madam Pomfrey up the path.

As soon as they reached the castle, Professor McGonagall's stern voice said, "Mr. Potter, my office, now."

Harry gulped. He was in so much trouble. Professor McGonagall saw the state Harry was in, and decided that Scott could join them as well.

"So, Mr. Potter," she said when they were seated in her office. "What in the name of Merlin were you doing in Hogsmeade?"

Harry fidgeted for a moment before answering, "I just wanted to go. I never got to do anything fun when I was younger. I just wanted to see what it would be like to go shopping and have fun with my friends."

Professor McGonagall exploded. "Does your safety not concern you at all, Mr. Potter? Or are you going to run into every dangerous situation and pretend that it's a walk in the park? You can spend time with your friends here! You have no reason to sneak out just to hang out with them! The only time you're allowed to sneak out of the castle is if it is under attack, and you have to escape. Sirius Black is out there, looking for you, and what do you do? Go to a place where he could easily find you! Well? What do you have to say for yourself?"

Harry felt tears falling down his face. He had made her mad at him, and now she would throw him out of school.

"I'm sorry Professor," Harry said sadly. "But why is Sirius Black after me?"

"Sorry won't cut it, Mr. Potter," snapped the professor, ignoring his question.

"Professor McGonagall," said Scott. Professor McGonagall whipped her head around to where Scott was sitting calmly. She raised her eyebrows. Didn't he know better than to interrupt her lecturing of a student?

"I believe you're being a bit harsh on Harry," Scott continued. "Harry has had a very rough childhood, and he never got to go out with the Dursleys when they went somewhere, and he never had friends to hang out with. This is the first time he really gets to go out with his friends without adults watching his every move. Yes, safety is important, and I can understand why you're upset, but you should try to be a little more understanding."

Harry couldn't believe it. Scott was trying to get him out of trouble. No adult had ever tried doing that before.

Professor McGonagall, on the other hand, was fuming. How dare he tell her how to deal with a situation? She was Harry's head of house, and therefore, was her job to decide the way to deal with trouble. She finally decided, for Harry's sake, she would not punish him as harshly.

"Very well," she said after a few moments. "For going to Hogsmeade without permission, I will take 20 points from Gryffindor, instead of the 40 points I was going to take. Also, you will serve detention tonight with Mr. Filch. I will also have no choice but to write to your guardians, as I know you do not hold a valid permission form. I will also suggest they sign the form for it is much easier to protect a student who is not invisible."

Harry was relieved. No, he didn't want detention with Filch, but it was better than having it with Professor Snape.

After being dismissed, Scott led Harry to an empty classroom.

"Harry, I am a bit concerned about your safety, but I am more curious about how you snuck out in the first place."

"I have a map," Harry said. "It shows the entire castle."

"May I see this map?" asked Scott.

"No, you'll just confiscate it turn it over to Professor McGonagall then I'll get in even more trouble." said Harry, crossing his arms and shoving the parchment deeper into his pocket.

"Accio map," said Scott, quietly.

Harry felt the map leave his pocket, even as he attempted to prevent the motion.

Scott caught the map and began examining it. He noted the complexity and completeness of the work as well as the braille labeling. He smiled as he followed Professor Snape roaming the halls and Professor Dumbledore pacing in his office. Scott paused and scratched his head, he knew that name but Peter Pettigrew was dead, so it wasn't possible…

Things were quiet for a moment, but all of a sudden, Scott stood up. "Harry, I have to see the headmaster. No, you're not in trouble, but I found a name on this map that shouldn't be here. We will talk later, I promise."

Harry wanted to follow and snatch the parchment back before the Headmaster took it. He sighed in resignation and wandered slowly back to Gryffindor tower, knowing Hermione would likely be waiting there to lecture him.