Discalimer : All characters belong to JKRowling. This fanfic plot belongs to me. MWHAHAHA!!! and so does that evil laugh...

TO UNDERSTAND

'Gryffindor…'

'If you think calling me Gryffindor is going to insult me, you can think again!'

Chapter 11 – Managing Mischief

'MOVE!' I yelled, scattering a crowd of Hufflepuff 3rd years. Maybe it was something about the blood running down my cheek, to have made their faces so scared…

Adrenaline pushed me onwards, walking past door after door, each one showing more curious faces, though each wide pair of eyes disappeared after a glare in their direction. I was not exactly in the mood to be gawped at …

Foot steps sounded behind me and my pace quickened. If Ginny wanted to give me a lecture then I wasn't going to just wait around for it…

I started to run, my aching ribs protesting sharply and eventually met with the grand staircase. Stretching my legs I began to descend, feeling as though any minute I was going to fall flat on my face. Ginny stopped chasing me and screamed something after me that I didn't quite catch. Something about 'Stupid', 'Child', 'Snape' and 'Tonight'.

Oh yeah… I'm supposed to be writing that letter tonight. The letter home… I wonder how we're going to explain all this… Though if you think about it… Remus should remember us now anyway… Since he's technically already seen us…

I hobbled into the entrance hall to see Snape waiting for me, leaning on a suit of armor.

'How the hell'd… you get down here… so fast?' I gasped and he smiled from under his hair.

'Like I'm going to tell you…' he said scathingly and I frowned. Creepy bastard…

I licked the blood now running into my mouth and looked at his face. Was he going to say anything about Bonkdrop? He looked up at me sharply.

'I met your sister.' he said in a monotone, scanning my face

'Oh?'

'Yes. She told me we needed to find you and in no short terms that you'd probably not be in a good mood.'

'Oh'

'Are you in a good mood?'

'No.'

'Ah. Then she wasright…'

I looked at him strangely but he looked away, leading me down to the dungeons and into the common room. I groaned at the people lounging by the fire.

'Well if it isn't the prodigal champion…' said Lucius smiling as though very smug about something. 'Returned from battle at long last I see…'

I tried my best to ignore him and went to sit by Snape, sinking deep into the green leather sofa.

'Are you hurt Threston?' said a smooth voice behind me and Bellatrix draped her arms round the back of the sofa.

'No.' I said impatiently and hid the bloody sleeve I'd been using to wipe my mouth.

'Pity…' said Lucius smiling. 'We could have got that stupid teacher sacked if he'd hurt you too badly…'

'Leave him alone Lucius.' said Narcissa who was running her fingers through her sleek hair over and over. 'He's only just got back…and I want to hear every detail…'

'I've already told you the full story.' said Bellatrix irritably.

'Yes, yes.' said her sister impatiently 'however I want to here it straight from the snake's mouth…'

Everyone turned to me expectantly but I continued to stare at the fire.

'I'm going to get changed.' I said, getting up but Bellatrix pulled on my arm.

'No don't Threston. After all, we're still at a loss to how you managed to beat that oaf… we really do need every detail… '

She looked at me with her eyes glinting and I hesitated, before shaking my head decidedly and mounting the boy's stairs.

'I can tell you how he did it Bellatrix.' said Lucius again in that smug voice. 'It was all rather simple. Any fool could have beaten that poor excuse for an educator…'

I fumed silently, the back of my neck heating up and saw Snape following me up to the room.

'Any fool could have beaten him.' I mimicked under my breath, sounded distinctly bitter.

'Lucius will always claim that the achievements of others are elementary.' said Severus in a bored voice. 'And make his own efforts seem stupendous in comparison.'

'Pompous bastard…'

'However if you wish to go back down there and do the very Gryffindor thing of challenging him, then be my guest…'

I sighed heavily and lay back on my bed.

'What's so wrong with being a Gryffindor?' I huffed out loud.

Snape stared at me blankly.

'I'm going to hope to Merlin that was a rhetorical question, Threston or a piece extreme sarcasm.'

'I'll take that answer as an 'everything' then.'

'The question should be what is right with them.'

I didn't say anything else and eventually he retired to his own bed, pulling the hangings around him. I sat there in silence and realized with a twang just how much I missed having Ron and Hermione to chat to.

'Aren't you going to talk to me?' I snapped in Snape's direction.

'No.' he replied flatly.

'Well what am I supposed to do now?'

'You're a big boy Threston, I'm sure you'll think of something to amuse yourself with…'

'Like what?'

I heard an irritable sigh from behind his drapes.

'Why don't you go back and talk to Lucius and his gang. I'm sure after proclaiming your allegiance to Lord Voldemort you'd be welcomed with open arms…'

'I don't follow Lord Voldemort and never will do. I only said that so Bonkdrop would understand how much of a prick he and his Ministry actually are…'

'Well I'm sorry to tell you this Threston but I don't think your statement had quite that desired affect. I think what you actually said was on a par to waving a dark mark in the air and donning a white mask…'

I fumed silently. Why is he so…irritating when he's right?

'I'm going for a walk.' I said dejectedly.

'Fine by me.' he sighed and I stood up. I'm leaving this bloody dorm before I go crazy.

I coughed, a spatter of blood falling onto my already filthy shirt.

I'm not going to do anything heavy duty, just a nice little walk around the castle. No fights! No angry Ministry obsessed teachers! Just a nice peaceful walk to stretch my legs…

'I'm going to see Ginny.' I said firmly getting to my feet.

'Gryffindor…' muttered Snape bitterly and I rolled my eyes.

'If you think calling me Gryffindor every 5 seconds is going to insult me Snape, you can think again.'

'Well it should Threston…' he said bitterly and I got up from my bed holding my sleeve up to my mouth. I walked slowly over to my truck and flipped it open. For a split second the image of my invisibility cloak and map flashed into the box but it was replaced with my new Slytherin robes and a stupid feeling in my head. Of course I haven't got my invisibility cloak… or the map… They weren't on me when I'd left 1997 were they? So I won't be able to have them now…

'Decided to abandon your plan Threston?' said Snape mildly as I flopped on the end of my bed. There was no way I was go for a wander without the map or the cloak…

'Oh shut up.' I said, kicking my trunk and stubbing my toe.

I hate 1975. No map. No cloak. No Gryffindors who like me (apart from Ginny of course). No Ron and Hermione. No Firebolt. No friends apart from my old Potions teacher who tried to make my life hell for 6 years and then killed Dumbledore…Wonderful…

I lay back down, blowing my lifeless hair out of face. Bloody blonde! I ask you…

Where would the map be, now I come to think of it…? It'll still be living with my Dad and the Marauders. Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs... Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers… They might even be using it right now… Trying to plan some prank or something... Maybe even against me…

I turned over to lie on my back, holding a discovered handkerchief up to my face.

That map is beyond handy… I used it to track Malfoy last year… Though of course since he spent all his time in the Room of Requirement I didn't really see him on the map that often… I used it in 4th year though… I caught Barty Crouch pretending to be Moody…but I didn't realize it at the time…

I lay back on my blankets, my eyes threatening to droop.

But that's the really handy thing about the Marauders map…It shows up who you are whether or not you're in an invisibility cloak…even if you're wearing a disguise-

I sat up bolt upright, realization hitting me like something had shot me in the chest.

'Shit…' I hissed, panic swelling in my chest.

The Marauder's have the Map. The map can see who me and Ginny really are. The map never lies. The Marauder's Map won't tell them that I'm Harry Threston but Harry Potter. It won't tell the Marauder's that Ginny's, Ginny Threston but Ginny Weasley.

The map never lies.

I have to get the map before they see us.

'Going for a walk after all?' said Snape, pulling back his curtains and raising a thin eyebrow.

'Yeah.' I said distractedly, not even bothering to change my shirt, just grabbing my cloak.

He nodded lazily before I left quickly, my heart pounding in my ears. I rushed through the common room and Lucius yelled something after me but I wasn't listening. I need to get into Gryffindor Tower but how?

I passed through a bunch of Ravenclaws on the 3rd floor who scattered quickly to make way for me. Obviously stories of my clash with Bonkdrop had traveled fast…

Ginny hasn't told me the password to get past the fat lady and without a password I'm sunk… Unless I knocked out a Gryffindor, hid him in a cupboard and passed my self off as him… No. I've already knocked out enough Gryffindors today…

I stopped on the 6th floor, going into a classroom and locking the door behind me.

'Think Potter think…' I said, kneading my forehead. 'You need to get into the boy's dorm…'

I passed over to the window and opened it wide. I stuck my head out and looked upwards. It was Gryffindor tower, I was sure of it. The classroom was directly beneath it…But how the hell could I get to it?!? Go up through the ceiling? No. The floor's solid stone. Nothing is getting through that. I slammed my fist on the window sill, frustration filling me up. If I could just get a note to Ginny maybe she could go and steal it… But then she'd be hated. If I stole it, it would be the work of a Slytherin and she wouldn't be blamed… Though even if I do steal the map she'll probably be accused of letting me in…Though that's only if they catch me first…

I looked out the window again. The dorms wouldn't be much further up…if I climbed…

I backed away from the window. It was a stupid idea, what if I fell for God's sake? I walked tentatively over to the window ledge again and looked down, the dark waters of the lake glittering up at me. I'd be squid food for sure... I looked up again, spotting a gargoyle about a metre up from the window. I squinted, leaning out as far as I could to see that the Gargoyles ran all the way up the tower, spaced about a metre apart all the way to the dorm windows.

If I climbed on the Gargoyles I'd have a clear run all the way to the 7th Year boy's window. I could climb up to the window, shimmy it open and get in that way…As for getting down… I looked down into the depths of the lake and gulped. I'd think about getting down when I'd finished. Anyway if I got the cloak I could go out through the common room: the non-dangerous, non-suicidal way of getting back…

I laughed bitterly. So much for a peaceful stroll…

I shook my head before talking off my cloak and rubbing my hands together. I tapped my palms with my wand 'obduro'

At least I'd have grip.

I shook my head again before climbing onto the windowsill and standing up. Shoving my wand in my mouth I reached upwards and wrapped my hands round the Gargoyle's neck. I was going to die. This was a big mistake. I put my feet on the wall placing all my weight on my arms and pulled my legs round the Gargoyle's back. I was now dangling 200 feet in the air underneath a 1000 year old piece of Limestone…

'Great…' I grunted round my wand and I swung my right arm up to the Gargoyle's head, pulling up the rest of me with it. I breathed a sigh of relief as I sat with my back to the wall, looking out on the now setting sun. It sure was a beauty…blood red with purple clouds…Picturesque. Almost worth the hassle!

I gritted my teeth and stood up against the wall, hoisting myself up to the next Gargoyle. A chunk of stone broke off under my foot and I panicked, grabbing at the wall. This has got to be the most stupid position I've ever put myself in… I carried on, up and up, my heart in my mouth. 5 gargoyles to go…. 2 gargoyles to go…until I finally reached the dorm windows. Breathing a sigh of relief I latched my fingers onto the window sill, my trainers scrabbling to get a grip on the stone. I secured my feet before lifting myself up to peer tentatively in through window.

'I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU TOLD HIM I USED TO BE A MAN!'

'WELL IT'S TRUE!'

'BUT IT WAS MEANT TO BE OUR SECRET!'

Okay… Wrong window…I shifted along to the next opening, my feet resting on a piece of fancy stonework.

'So… where'd you get the weed dude…?'

'Hufflepuffs deal it behind the green houses... They grow it themselves…'

'Seriously…? That's so awesome…'

… Typical 2nd years…I moved along again, praying for it to be the right one. I listened intently, my ears pricked.

'Did you know Dolores Umbridge used to be a man?'

I KNEW IT!

'You're kidding me?!?'

'Nope, that Hufflepuff guy told me behind the green houses yesterday…'

I've got to tell Hermione and Ron… When I get back that is…If I get back…

I moved on to the next window, my feet beginning to slip and this time I hit the jackpot. It was definitely a 7th year boy's dorm. There were clothes everywhere, books everywhere and a distinct smell of sweat and old porn mag, plus there was no-one there. Excellent.

I pulled myself up onto the window sill and inched the window open, slipping inside. I stepped lightly onto the stone flooring, trying to make as little noise as possible and walked up to the nearest bed.

'Jesus Christ…' I groaned and put a hand over my nose. It stank worse than anything else in the room: a mixture of Girl's perfume and wet dog. Not a good combination. I flicked open the trunk at the end of the bed to see a jumble of uniform and sweet wrappers. There seemed to be a kind of sticky green goop on top and I stared at it wearily …but there was no map to be seen.

I moved on to the next bed that was by far the neatest, the owner's pajamas lain on top ready for the night. There was a pile of books piled up on his bedside table with titles such as 'Lycanthropy: Man or Beast?' and 'Dangerous creatures made a doddle!' I smiled gently and looked to his trunk, pushing it open to find a huge amount of chocolate…but again, no map.

The next bed was small, with a small dip in the middle as though its occupant spent a lot of time curled up. There was no sign of any personal artifacts only borrowed bits and bobs that seemed to belong elsewhere. I opened his trunk to see nothing but a few bread crumbs and a large lump of cheese…but again, no map.

The last bed belonged to a definite Quidditch maniac. Every spare bit of wall or solid object was covered in a poster or a cutting or a photo of Quidditch. There was Quidditch bedcovers, Quidditch socks and the unmistakable tail end of a broom sticking out from under the bed. I picked up a picture from the bedside table and held it up touching the glass.

'Dad…' I whispered softly looking down at the Marauders, who were obviously about 16 years old and stood about in the snow. They all waved merrily up at me as a snowball hit James in the head, thrown by a laughing Sirius. I've seen this photo before. It belongs in the photo album Hagrid gave me in first year…Along with all the over pictures of the long dead.

I put it down a frown on my face. This is no time to dawdle Harry Potter! You need to get a move on!

I pushed back the lid on the last truck and finally there it was. It was a relatively new piece of parchment but there was still no mistaking it. I'd found The Marauder's Map.

'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.' I whispered softly and tapped it with my wand. An immediate explosion of ink passages sprang onto the page, showing each and every passage in Hogwart's castle. I scanned it quickly to where the Gryffindor dorms were and found a tiny ink dot labeled 'Harry Potter'. I realized with a twang that I was actually stood in my dorm of 22 years in the future…

I scanned the map a little wider and another Potter caught my eye. A James Potter, heading right this way, followed by a Sirius Black a Peter Pettigrew and a Remus Lupin.

'Shit!' I swore and ran to the window tucking the map into my back pocket. I jumped out, landing precariously on a gargoyle just outside the window and crouched down. It had gotten much darker since I'd climbed up and the wind was freezing my cheeks, each icy blast threatening to send me tumbling into the lake.

The door banged open and they all trooped in laughing and trying to shove each other over.

'That was amazing!' said Sirius flopping on his bed. 'Did you see his face?!?'

'Never saw it coming, did he?' laughed James, smashing Remus with a pillow for no apparent reason.

'Totally oblivious!' said Remus throwing a shoe at James.

'You- you definitely got him good.' stuttered Peter, smiling on his bed.

Sirius sighed, putting his hands behind his head and the laughter calmed down.

'What do you think about that Threston?' he said suddenly, turning to look at them.

'Well he's definitely interesting…' replied Remus who was apparently used to Sirius starting conversations from nowhere.

'Bloody bastard.' said James bitterly. 'Shoving me in that cupboard like that! My shoes stink of Filch!'

Everyone laughed and James scowled petulantly.

'That cloning was a pretty impressive bit of magic though…' said Remus vaguely, still looking at his book.

'Yeah Prongs.' said Sirius. 'It even had your Quidditch badge…'

I glowed with pride. It had been pretty tricky and to be honest I was quite worried about it. If Bonkdrop had swung it round any more it would have broken. It was more like a puppet than a clone…

'It was more creepy than impressive if you ask me…' said James dejectedly. 'I mean he could clone anyone of us! Make it look like we've done stuff we haven't…frame us for stuff…'

Peter's eyes widened but Sirius and Remus looked skeptical.

'Stop being so paranoid Prongs…' said Remus flatly.

'Well if he's done it once, what's to say he won't do it again?!?'

'He only did it the first time as a distraction. I don't think it was personal…'

'Oh so it's just pure coincidence that we had a fight this morning!'

'To be fair James you did dump that slimy thing on his head in potions.'

'Yeah…but still…'

Sirius looked over at the both of them a glint in his eye.

'Well if you want to take it personally Prongs we could just get him back…'

James smiled and my stomach sank.

'Prank?'

'Of course…'

Remus sighed.

'It's 8 o'clock at night boys! He's probably in his dorm! Anyway if you're caught, all evidence points to your arses being blasted from here to London… He's advanced. Too advanced…'

Sirius raised a finger.

'We'll only get blasted if we're caught!' he said smugly.

'If he doesn't catch us then it doesn't matter if he's advanced or not.' continued James and Remus sighed.

'Why do you have it in for him anyway…' he said quietly. 'You're even aren't you?'

They both ignored him and James jumped off his bed.

'It'll be tricky getting into the Slytherin dorms though…' he said, his brow furrowed.

'We've never done it before have we?' said Sirius walking over to James' bed.

'Well there's always a first for everything…' smirked James. 'But he might not even be in his dorm… Have a check with the map first.'

Sirius flipped open James's trunk and reached inside.

Oh shit. They're going to see it's gone. I lowered my head a little from the window and suddenly my breathing sounded deafening.

'It's not there.' said Sirius staring at James 'But didn't you have it last?'

'It is in there.' said James, his eyebrows furrowed. 'It'll just be a little buried that's all…'

Sirius began tossing things out of the trunk until it was empty.

'It's gone!' he said and James pushed him out of the way, feeling around his trunk.

'I must have put it somewhere…' he said, biting his lip.

'Everyone have a look around!' said Sirius and they all got up, looking under everything.

I tried to move. If they found me I was in big trouble. Sitting on the gargoyle my heart in my mouth I tried to feel down with my legs. There was nothing there. I cursed under my breath a sudden fear overwhelming me. I would have to go in through a window; it's way too dark to try and climb down now…

'Well where the fuck is it Prongs?!?' said Sirius angrily after 10 minutes futile effects. 'If you've bloody lost it, I'll have your guts for garters!'

'I won't have lost it!' he replied defensively. 'It'll be in here somewhere!'

'Stop getting in a flap.' said Remus calmly 'You'll just have to summon it!'

I held onto the parchment firmly, ready to counter the charm. My balance was holding on by a thread.

'Accio map.' said Remus clearly and the map pulled at my hands but I refused to let go.

'Well it's not in here then it must be- SHIT!' screamed James.

'What's up?'

'Blood!'

'What?!?'

Oh god. I must have dripped somewhere.

'There's blood on my bed!'

Oh crap.

'Who the hell's been bleeding on my bed?!?'

'It wasn't me!'

'Or me.'

'Or me!'

'Well it's still bloody wet!'

Remus frowned.

'Well if it's is wet, then it's recent…' he said slowly. 'So someone's been in here and it wasn't long ago…'

They all looked around the room as though I (the thief) was going to leap out at them any minute.

'Threston was bleeding.' said James sharply and Remus sighed looking frustrated.

'Look. Leave Threston alone, Prongs. He's a Slytherin, he wouldn't know our password-'

'But he's also the only Slytherin so far to have beaten us!'

'He's got a point.' said Sirius, biting his lip.

Remus frowned.

'Well whoever has stolen the map it is unlikely that it would be a Gryffindor. Therefore they can't have come through the door…but they can't have come through the window either…'

'Why not?'

'It's a 250 foot drop James. No-one would be that desperate or stupid to steal what would just be to them a bit of scrap parchment…'

They all fell silent.

'You never know.' said James darkly then squinted at the window. 'Did you leave that open Moony?'

I moved slowly round to the right, deciding to try and find an empty dorm. They were going to find me. They were going to catch me.

'No…' he said slowly

'Did you Wormtail?'

I clung hard to the wall, the wind whipping my cheeks. I was nearly round the bend.

'I locked it shut before we went to defense.' he answered, wide eyed.

I turned round to look at their window as James stuck his head out of it.

'HOLY MERLIN!' he yelled and I scrabbled to the next gargoyle.

Sirius, Remus and Peter all gawped as I clung on for dear life and James pulled out his wand.

'Don't curse him!' shouted Remus. 'He'll fall off!'

'WHO CARES?!?' screamed Sirius furiously, who looked half way between outrage and pure disbelief.

The wind was getting stronger on this side of the tower and my fingers were slipping. I needed to get inside. The Marauder's were yelling hoarse and I closed my eyes hard. This was turning into a nightmare.

'YOU BASTARD, COME BACK!'

'YOU THEIF!'

'YOU-'

Their words were getting lost in the wind as my strength began to wane. There was a light in the next window and I lifted my arms to the locked pane, banging it with one fist.

'LET ME IN!' I screeched as two 7th year girls stared up at the window, their jaws dropping. 'LET ME IN!' I screamed again before one girl ran to the window undoing the lock. They both grabbed my arms and pulled me inside before closing the window behind me. I collapsed on the floor the warmth stinging my face and breathed heavily. I wasn't going to die. I wasn't going to die...

'Harry?!?'

I looked up to see Ginny staring down at me from her bed.

'Hey.' I gasped before she moved off her bed to come next to me.

'What the hell are you doing?' she hissed in a stage whisper before I pulled the paper out of my back pocket.

'The Map?' she spat, but then it dawned on her. 'Of course…' she whispered and I nodded.

'Um…we don't mean to be rude or anything…' said the girl to my right who seemed to be blushing slightly 'But … um… well…we don't usually have boys clinging to the side of our tower and we were wondering what you were doing…'

I smiled nervously. What the hell was I supposed to say?!?

'Midnight stroll…?' I said hopefully before Ginny elbowed me, pulling me upright in the process.

'This is Marlene.' she said pointing to the brown haired girl with the pink cheeks. 'And this is Alice.' she pointed at the girl with the black hair who waved and giggled.

'Nice to meet you. 'I said and shook both their hands.

Marlene stared at me and I shifted nervously… Though I suppose she's entitled to be staring, after just pulling me head first through her bedroom window…

'I'm Harry Threston.' I said and the door to the Dorm burst open, a very angry bunch of Marauders spilling into the room.

'WE WANT OUR MAP BACK!' screamed James and I took a surprised step backwards.

'What's all this racket about?' spat a voice from the right as a girl wrapped only in a small towel walked out of the bathroom.

Lily. She took one look at us all and screamed.

'GET OUT!' she yelled as I jammed my eyes shut. 'WHY THE HELL ARE YOU IN HERE?!?'

James' jaw had dropped, his cheeks turning the colour of tomatoes.

'Um, h- hey Lily-'

'GET OUT!' she screeched again, her hair starting to fall from the turban of toweling perched on her head. 'WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING IN MY ROOM?!?'

'We want our-!' started Sirius but Remus nudged him

'We want our…parchment back!' he filled in.

Lily looked like she was going to explode.

'WHAT PARCHMENT?!?'

'Our parchment that he stole!'

She turned round to look at me as if realizing for the first time that I was there.

'Why the hell are you in here?' she snapped and I was lost for words. 'You're in Slytherin for Christ's sake!'

'I…um…' I stuttered.

'He came to see me.' said Ginny quickly, glaring at me to keep my mouth shut. 'He was feeling homesick and…just wanted to see me!'

'That bastard was outside our window!' shouted James, taking his eyes off Lily to look at me 'He stole from our dorm!'

I smiled nervously as Lily sized me up.

'Did you steal from their room?' she said suspiciously.

'No…' I said slowly and the Marauders starting yelling in protest.

'QUIET!' she screamed and there was. 'What are you accusing him of stealing exactly?'

'Our…our…piece of parchment.' said James lamely. They don't want to tell Lily about the map….

'Your parchment?' she said skeptically and there was a long pause. 'James that is pathetic…'

'But Lily!' he protested.

'You find out that Harry Threston is in my dorm!'

'You don't under-'

'For completely innocent reasons!'

'Lily-'

'So you decide to use it as an excuse!'

'But-'

'To come and barge into my dorm!'

'Lily I-'

'Throwing around feeble accusations!'

'But Lily-'

'To settle your petty little grudge!'

'Lily!-'

'AND I AM NOT HAVING IT POTTER!'

'HE STOLE OUR-'

'I AM HEAD GIRL NOW!'

'LISTEN TO ME!-'

'SO IF YOU AND YOUR PERVY LITTLE FRIENDS DON'T GET OUT OF THIS DORM RIGHT THIS INSTANCE!'

'LILY YOU-'

'I'LL MAKE SURE YOU'RE IN DETENTION TILL YOU LEAVE THIS SCHOOL!'

'LILY!'

'GETOUT!'

She grabbed her wand from her bedside table and the Marauders turned tail and ran for their lives.

'Whoa.' I said, blinking stupidly. My mother was one scary lady.

I sighed in relief. I was safe at last... She rounded on me.

'Now who are you?' she said, still brandishing her wand.

'He's my brother.' said Ginny quickly.

'Your brother?'

They all turned to look at me and Ginny, squinting to see the resemblance.

'Oh yeah…' said Alice quietly.

'You're the one who beat up our DADA teacher.' said Marlene slowly. 'Aren't you?'

'Um…Yeah…' I said nervously, flattening my fringe.

Lily stared at me and I couldn't help staring back. She had green eyes. My eyes. A cold voice rang in my head as the scene whenever the dementors got too close played in my mind. She was my mother. The one who had died to save me….She was there…right in front of me… Realizing she was still in a towel I wrenched my gaze away and coughed. She still didn't look away.

'Have I met you before…?' she said softly.

'I don't think so.' I said, biting my lip.

'I've got this odd sense of déjà vu…'

I looked at the floor, wishing my hair could still hide my whole face.

Ginny looked at me nervously and seemed to be searching for something to say.

'Are you still bleeding?' she said loudly and the atmosphere broke.

'You're bleeding?' said Lily, snapping out of her daze. 'Oh God! I'll go get my first aid kit!'

She ran back to the bathroom and Ginny looked at me. Are you alright? she mouthed and I nodded numbly. That was my mum…

Lily Evans came back out of the bathroom thankfully in her dressing gown. She put the box she was carrying down on her bed flipping it open. Bending her head over the case she scanned it hurriedly, running her fingers over the vials inside.

'A-ha!' she said happily and walked back over to me. 'Drink this.'

I took the vial from her and popped the cork, swallowing it down in one.

'Thanks.' I said as a warm feeling pushed the ache in ribs away.

'No problem.' she said vaguely and smiled at me before walking away, her long red hair dripping onto the floor. What a change in attitude...

'Harry…?' said Ginny softly, pulling at my sleeve.

'What?' I said, turning my head to her.

'Are you okay…?'

I stared at the floor again and pretended to be looking at the stone, but was really looking at a picture in my mind. One that belonged in my photo album, taken at my first birthday party. It showed a beaming James holding me above his head as I smeared cake round his face with tiny little fingers. Lily was stood beside us, smiling warmly and it just hit me that she had exactly the same expression on now. The same glow…

'I'm fine.' I said softly.

'So how are you going to get back to your dorm?' asked Marlene, sitting with her legs crossed.

'I don't know.' I said, biting my lip.

'Well the Marauders are still down in the common room.' said Alice, walking back in from checking the stairs. 'So if you go down that way then you'll most definitely get attacked or something…'

'Ah.'

God, I was in a bad situation… Well, I am not going out that bloody window again, that's for sure. Not unless I have a sudden urge to commit suicide…

'I'm sorry to have to say It.' said Alice sitting on her bed. 'But you are a Slytherin. If the Marauders have told all the others that you're up here then you'll have no chance of just walking out of here…'

'They won't have told anyone.' said Lily quickly.

'How do you know?' asked Ginny

'They're proud.' she said simply. 'They'll want to catch him on their own wits. I bet that no-one apart from us and them actually know you're here.'

Well that makes the situation a little better... a little.

'So I guess I'm stuck.' I said miserably. 'At least until the Marauders go away.'

Ginny looked at me and I became painfully aware of the fact that I was still filthy. I wiped my mouth again, scraping the dried blood away. What was I going to do?

'You'll have to stay here.' said Alice and she looked to her friend for some sort of agreement.

Lily looked at me with her brow furrowed, red hair beginning to curl below her shoulders and I gulped. It was up to her.

'It's the only way Lily.' said Alice flatly. 'He'll have to kip in the spare bed otherwise he's toast.'

She still stared at me.

'I don't know.' she said eventually. 'I mean he is a Slytherin…'

'But he hasn't done anything to us Lily…' said Marlene quietly. 'I've got no problem with him sleeping here tonight and he is Ginny's brother after all…'

'Please Lily.' said Ginny simply and all three girls pouted in her direction. Lily sighed and rolled her eyes.

'I guess i'm over ruled.' she said stiffly but a smile was starting at her lips. 'I guess this would be a perfect opportunity to wind up James and the prats...'

Marlene and Alice cheered as I let out a breath. Phew. No Marauder face off. Well. Not tonight anyway…

For the rest of the night I chatted away with the 4 girls, talking about anything and everything. Most of the time they'd burst out into giggles that wouldn't stop for minutes at a time or blush deeper than James had done if certain male names were mentioned but I found I didn't mind. It was contagious when Ginny laughed and I found myself beaming along with them. After what seemed like hours Lily checked her clock and said it was time for bed. I went to the bathroom and had a quick shower, the girl's murmurings and giggles wafting under the door. Drying myself off and pulling on the huge t-shirt Alice had leant me, over my boxers I walked back into the dorm. They were all in bed, Lily reading, Alice and Marlene still whispering and Ginny smiling at me.

'Is this one mine?' I said pointing to the empty bed beside Ginny.

'Yeah.' said a hushed reply and I clambered under the covers.

With a sighed of contentment I realized that the girl's beds were much softer than the boy's ones. Though I suppose the Girl's mattresses probably haven't had the springs broken by jumping on them so hard.

I glanced across at the rest of the room before pulling the red drapes around my bed.

'Night Threston!'

'Good Night Slytherin!'

'See you in the morning Harry.'

'Night Harry!'

'Night!' I replied and pulled out the parchment from under my t-shirt. 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.'

The Marauders map sprang onto the paper and I scanned it lazily, the ink illuminated by my wand. All the Marauders were back in their dorm and presumably asleep. Thank God. What if they'd decided to take a leaf out of my book and climb in through the girl's window to get to me? I shuddered quietly. I looked up the Map to see Albus Dumbledore pacing his study, as per usual. He was probably thinking. Scrutinizing the paper I looked for any sign of Professor Bonkdrop. He was nowhere to be seen. Good, I don't fancy running into him again in a hurry. I folded the Parchment out a bit more to stare at the dungeons. All the beds in my new dorm were filled. All apart from mine…and Snape's? What the hell was he doing up? There was a little dot labeled 'post owl' sat on the window ledge next to him. He was getting post? At 11 o'clock at night? I frowned, before taking off my glasses and snuggling down further under the covers. I tapped the Map with my wand still staring puzzlingly at Snape's dot.

'Mischief Managed.'

I'M SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG!! I really am. I kinda had writers block and all homework and exams and a whole load of other crappy stuff to do... So to make up for it this chappie is nearly 13 pages long instead of my usual 5/6 pages long. All questions you have involving this chapter just put them in a REVIEW and i'll get back to you... I hope you're enjoying this story anyway and feed back WOULD be good... For all you loyal reviewers (you know who you are) THANK YOU SO MUCH!! Because it is nice to know that at least some people put in the effort... Since i've had 358 hits on my last chapter and only 53 reviews on the whole story :(... but anyway enough moaning.

ellie.

ps. i'll try and get the next one up sooner but the impending first round of GCSE exams are going to be starting soon so ... there may be a delay. But i'm TRYING to get this finished by the 7th book. (which i shall be going to get at 12:00am in the morning at Tesco's due to tradition :) ) Thanks again xoxoxo