Over the course of the next few weeks, Lucy spent most of her time with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Harry had gotten into the habit of helping Lucy with her homework nearly every night. Ron tried to help but Lucy soon found out that he wasn't as good as Harry or Hermione. Life seemed to be alright for the brother and sister, aside from the overhanging threat of Sirius Black. Harry figured that Sirius was after him, but he didn't let on to Lucy.
Another thing that loomed over Harry's shoulder was the Hogesmeade trips. It seemed like all hope was lost on his going; Professor McGonagall had denied the power of being able to sign his form which had then trumped the other ideas. His friends all promised to bring him things back like chocolate from Honeydukes or merchandise from Zonko's. But it wouldn't have been the same. At least he had Lucy, he thought. But that didn't last long. After the first Hogesmeade visit, she shut herself in the library, ignoring anyone who talked to her. She was turning into a regular Hermione and Harry only needed one of those in his life.
But then Harry had a stroke of genius, and he wondered how he didn't think of it before. At the next visit, he found his invisibility cloak and set out, following Ron and Hermione down the path towards the village.
He'd barely walked 10 feet when two people grabbed him by his arms and dragged him back. It was Fred and George Weasley.
"Hey, guys, let me go!" Harry struggled but the twins held him tight.
"Stop struggling, just come quietly." Fred whispered inconspicuously. Harry continued to struggle, going against Fred's words. They dragged him into an empty corridor. Harry whipped the cloak off himself. He looked at the twins and saw them staring at him as if they'd planned to meet here and not had to ambush him in the grounds.
"What are you doing? I'm trying to – I was planning on going to…" but Harry was unsure if he should tell them where he was going. Before he could think of an excuse, George spoke.
"You're trying to get to Hogesmeade, we know!" He reached into his coat pocket and handed Harry a piece of old parchment. Harry reluctantly took it, hoping it wasn't one of their tricks. After seeing his confused expression, Fred explained.
"It's a map. You just tap it with your wand and say 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good' and it'll show you the entire castle, everyone who's in it and where they are." He said, tapping the parchment and saying the words. The spider veins of ink began spreading across the parchment, creating words, people, and classrooms. On the front read 'Marauders Map.' Harry was amazed.
"Where did you get?" he asked, incredulous.
"Filch's office, our first year. Pretty wicked, huh?" George said. Harry unfolded other sections and watched as Hannah Abbott made her way down the fourth floor stairs.
"If you wanna get to Hogesmeade, there are 7 secret entrances out of the school. Filch knows about these two, this one caved in a year ago, we're not sure where this one goes since it's right over top of the Whomping Willow," Fred pointed out several places. "So we suggest this one," he pointed to a picture of a one eyed witch statue.
"It'll lead you straight to Honeyduke's cellar. Just climb right out and enjoy yourself!" George encouraged. Harry smiled at the twins.
"Thanks guys!" he said, grateful for the first breath of freedom he'd experienced since arriving at Hogwarts.
"When you're done, just tap it with your wand again and say 'Mischief Managed' or anybody can read it and turn you in." Fred warned. Harry nodded, understanding the consequences of losing the map. He gathered up his invisibility cloak, tapped the parchment, and went on his way.
He had almost reached the landing that the witch statue was on, when he realized he was forgetting something. He hurried back down two flights of stairs and burst into the library. Madame Pince shushed him angrily before going back to stacking books.
Out of breath, Harry scanned the library for a red head. It took him several walks around the room to finally find her hidden behind stacks of books.
"Why are you reading all of these?" Harry asked Lucy. She jumped when he spoke. Harry picked up a book and inspected it. 'Runes for Beginners' "You don't even have Runes yet." He said.
"Give me that!" Lucy grabbed the book out of Harry's hands and replaced it on the table. "It's just preparing myself for the future. Besides, I've got nothing else better to do." She picked her quill up and began jotting down notes about Herbology.
"That's where you're wrong. You've got something MUCH better to do," Harry contradicted. Lucy gave him a quizzical look. "C'mon, I'll show you," he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards the exit. She hesitated in following along but the excited expression on Harry's face made her give in. They raced back to the one-eyed witch statue and Harry stopped to explain.
"So, do you want to go to Hogesmeade with me?" He asked nonchalantly.
"I'm not allowed to go." Lucy said. "And neither are you!" she added.
"But we're going to go anyway. This is a map of the entire school, Fred and George Weasley gave it to me." Harry held up the map for Lucy to see. "We're going to use my dad – our dad's invisibility cloak to get there without being seen. Okay? Just keep close to me." he instructed. Lucy nodded apprehensively. Harry wrapped the cloak around them and entered the statue through a hump on the witch's back. They were in a dark tunnel that was small and cramped. Harry held Lucy's hand and led the way down the winding passageway.
"I want to go back," Lucy said, her legs getting tired and the blackness of the hole scaring her.
"Just keep holding my hand and you'll be fine. We're almost there, the tunnel is getting steeper." They continued on until Harry hit his head on something solid. He pushed up on it and revealed a trapdoor. They were in the Honeyduke's cellar just like the twins had said. Quietly, they eased themselves out of the tunnel and went up the stairs to the main store.
The store was packed with Hogwarts students buying chocolate frogs, pepper imps, and other assorted sweets. Harry looked hurriedly for Ron and Hermione. He gripped Lucy's hand tighter so he wouldn't lose her in the packed area. Just as Harry was about to give up looking and head to another shop, he spotted his friends by the door.
"Do you think Harry would like these?" Ron asked, holding up a box of cockroach clusters.
"Definitely not," Harry said behind them. Ron and Hermione whipped around just as Harry slid the cloak off. Hermione gaped at him and Lucy in horror. Ron, on the other hand, was smiling.
"How'd you get here?" he asked in bewilderment and excitement.
"I'll explain later," Harry said. "Let's go somewhere less crowded." The four Gryffindors left the candy store and headed out into the street. A carriage made its way past them, up to a pub called "The Three Broomsticks." Hermione motioned for the rest of them to follow the carriage and enter the pub themselves. Before they could make their way over, the occupants of the carriage got out. Harry immediately recognized the large shape of Hagrid, followed by the short stature of Professor Flitwick and two figures that Harry didn't know right away.
"Put the cloak back on," Hermione whispered. "Quick!" she helped Harry and Lucy hide and Harry saw that it was for good reason. The two occupants had turned around to face the street. It was Professor McGonagall and Cornelius Fudge. Harry realized that they were only just in time under the cloak. If McGonagall or Fudge had seen him, he would probably be expelled.
They were speaking to the barwoman, Madame Rosemerta, with very serious expressions. The wind carried over only parts of their conversation. But the words that Harry couldn't escape were 'Sirius is looking for Harry Potter.'
Harry had to find out more, he pulled the cloak off Lucy and followed the teachers and Minister for Magic into the pub. Lucy was left standing in the open for other students and other teachers to see. As Harry entered the pub, Hermione and Ron stood near the wall of the Three Broomsticks. Lucy stood between them and the wall, hidden by their travelling cloaks. She wished she had brought a cloak, or at least a warmer sweater.
They waited for about 15 minutes before the door flung open for no apparent reason. They saw footprints in the snow heading in the direction of the Shrieking Shack.
"Follow him," Hermione grabbed Ron and Lucy by the arms and dragged them after Harry who was practically running. They reached the outskirts of the shack and found the footprints leading to a rock. Hermione and Ron stood cautiously 10 feet away but Lucy approached him. She reached out into oblivion, searching for the silky feel of the cloak. She slowly pulled it off Harry and saw him crying.
"Harry?" she asked softly. "Are you okay? What happened?" she said in a near whisper, not knowing if Harry wanted Ron and Hermione to hear. They were only his friends and she was at least his family. But Harry obviously felt different about his mates hearing his life problems.
"He betrayed them!" he said angrily. "HE WAS THEIR FRIEND!" he yelled into the echoing distance. "He's after me. He's trying to kill me. But I don't care if he finds me. When he finds me, I'm going to kill him!" he continued to rage.
"Who?" Lucy asked timidly. Harry collected himself long enough to mutter the words: "Sirius Black" to Lucy before breaking down again. For the few months that they had known each other, Harry had been Lucy's rock, her shoulder to cry on, and her support system. And now, she realized, the tables had turned. She needed to be there for Harry.
She put her arms out and hugged him. She was surprised when he hugged her back.
"He helped kill our parents Luce, he helped Voldemort. And know he's coming for me." Harry whispered. Lucy hugged him tighter, recognizing the all too familiar feeling of hopelessness.
Months passed and things had settled down. The castle was protected and Harry limited his visits to Hogesmeade. Lucy quit going altogether. Ron continued to follow the Sirius Black story fervently and Hermione spent entire afternoons and evenings working on her homework. She had double the homework than the other three but she was usually the only one who managed to get it all done. And it was an evening just like any other before things started really happening for them.
They hadn't seen Hermione since dinner, and even then it was for only a few minutes as she grabbed some food and rushed off to the library. Ron had had the Daily Prophet spread out on a table in the Gryffindor Common Room. He and Harry had been poring over it, searching for any articles discussing the mass murderer. Lucy had spent her evening curled up in an armchair, half reading her book and half listening to her brother and his friend talk. Everything was seemingly ordinary on this rainy April day at dusk.
"G'night Luce!" Harry hugged his sister before she climbed the stairs to her dormitory. He and Ron continued to sit by the fire for a few minutes to talk Quidditch, something they couldn't do in front of Lucy without getting disapproving glares. But it was soon bed for them as well. Harry got into his four poster bed, expecting the same rainy day for tomorrow. It was Friday at last for the students of Hogwarts. He fell asleep thinking of a cancelled Care of Magical Creatures lesson and an entire weekend to do what he pleased.
"ARGGGHHHGH!" Harry woke with a start to find Ron thrashing around in his bed. Harry whipped the covers off himself and grabbed his wand from the bedside table.
"Ron? Are you okay?" he asked, fear spreading through him when he didn't hear anything coming from the other side of the curtains. Seamus, Dean, and Neville were all awake with wands out by now. They all stood in silence, listening for a sound that meant Ron was still there. Ron slid the curtains open so fast that the boys nearly jumped out of their skin.
"Harry, he was here! He was holding a knife! He was trying to kill me!" Ron whimpered.
"Who Ron? Who was it?" Harry lowered his wand, now seeing that the danger had gone.
"He cut my sheets and stood over me. Ready to kill. But he must've had the wrong bed because it was me instead of you." Ron wasn't making any sense to Harry.
"Who was it?" Harry practically yelled to get Ron's attention away from the events and more to the people.
"It was…" Ron gulped in preparation. "Sirius Black,"
Harry was being pushed around the Gryffindor Common room. Dumbledore had been notified of the appearance of Mr. Black and protection was doubled at every entrance. Filch and the ghosts searched the castle to discover that Sirius Black had, indeed, escaped without being caught. The Gryffindor students had all been told to go back to bed once they had awoken to Ron's screaming. But they still lingered in the common room, hoping for more details on the catastrophic events of the night. It took Lucy 5 minutes to work around the people and find Ron, Hermione, and Harry. Ron was talking to a bunch of 4th year girls about the 'adventure' and Harry and Hermione were talking very seriously in near whispers.
"Harry!" Lucy rushed over to give him a hug. "Oh my god! I woke up and everyone was talking about Sirius Black and I was so scared! I thought something happened to you." She was in hysterics.
"Lucy, Lucy, I'm fine. Everyone is fine, I promise. There's no need to get upset, okay?" He rubbed her back until she calmed down. Ron kept talking to other students who all seemed very impressed. But Hermione was clearly not.
"He's acting so brave and chivalrous. He almost got killed by Sirius Black. He's telling it like it's a Gilderoy Lockhart fabricated story. He didn't even do anything!" she scowled in his direction. "He's not even worried about his best friend being in even more danger seeing as how Sirius Black can just get into the castle like that." She glared at Ron while he told some girls that Sirius had been brandishing a sword instead of a simple knife.
"Well, I'm going to bed. See you tomorrow Harry, Lucy." Hermione stood up and flounced away, Crookshanks at her heels.
"C'mon, we should be going to bed as well." Harry said to Lucy. He stood up but she pulled him back. She held his arm so he couldn't go anywhere.
"Harry, I don't want you to die." she whispered in fear. Harry sighed.
"I'm not going to die, I swear! There are more Dementors and Dumbledore will make sure nothing else happens. Just go to bed, everything will be great by tomorrow. You'll see," He assured her. It took him several more tries before she was convinced he was okay. Harry went up to bed without saying goodnight to a still chattering Ron. He didn't hear him come in that night but found him in the Common room the next morning; asleep on the couch.