I am very sorry it has been so long since I last updated :S My old computer decided it's time had come, but I finally got a new laptop! I had to re-write a few chapters that I had lost on the other computer, but all is well! So, enjoy this chapter, and please let me know what you think!
~Obviously, I do not own JK Rowling's work, only mine.~
-JS-
"Bethany! Bethany, we got it!"
The twins came running down the stairs and over to me on the common room couch. From the way they ran around you'd think there was a stampede on the loose.
"What?" I asked, glancing up from the letter I was writing to my parents.
"We got it!"
"We figured it out!" They spurted out.
"The parchment?"
"What else would we be talking about?"
"Well, show me!" I cried, forgetting all about the letter.
"We couldn't have done it without Le-" George started.
"But I'm the one who finally got it!" Fred interrupted.
"Shall I get Alicia and Angelina?" I hopped off the couch, already making my way to our room.
I grabbed the girls' arms without explanation and dragged them down to where Fred and George were gathered with Lee.
The twins placed the parchment on a table and we all huddled around.
"I solemnly wear that I am up to no good." Fred said, pointing his wand to the parchment.
The parchment began to reveal itself, as if it had just woken up.
The words and markings came clearly into sight.
"Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are proud to present the Marauders map!" Angelina read out of breath.
"It's a map!" I shouted.
"No!" Lee said sarcastically, causing my cheeks to blush.
"Well, open it!" Alicia insisted.
The twins unfolded the parchment to reveal a huge map, and after looking at it for a moment, we realized it was a map of Hogwarts. Names were scattered on the map, but they were moving around like little bugs.
"Is this real? Is that Snape right now?" I asked, pointing to a dot that was labeled 'Severus Snape.'
"This, m'ladies, is a map of everybody in Hogwarts." George started.
"What they are doing." Fred continued.
"Every second."
"Of every day." They finished together.
"So how did you find out what the phrase was?" Angelina asked.
"Well, we experimented with it... saying different things." Fred said.
"It would flicker to life here and there." Lee joined in. "It flickered the most when I said, 'I am up to no good.'"
"So we just played with that phrase, until Fred got it right." George finished.
"This little beauty is going to teach us more than all the teachers in this school." Fred said.
"That's positively brilliant!" I exclaimed.
"What do you suppose Miles Bletchley is doing sneaking around at this hour?" Alicia asked, pointing to Mile's name.
"Isn't that where the Hufflepuff common room is?" Angelina pondered.
"What a git." George said.
"You don't even know what he's doing." I pointed out.
"He's still a git." Fred claimed.
"Benefit of the doubt, boys." I said, tousling their messy red hair.
The Marauders Map proved to be quite a useful addition to our group. It's as though the map understood us, especially Fred and George. The map spoke to them. It somehow knew they were trouble-makers. George said that sometimes the map spoke to them. Little side notes would appear with humorous comments, making fun of people. Fred said that one time while they had the map open they were talking about what a creep Professor Snape was, and suddenly the map read, 'Professor Snape is a greasy, long-nosed ball of slime.'
George said that the map often brought to their attention when somebody was by themselves and easily prank-able.
"Happy Christmas!" I shouted in the sleeping Angelina's ear, causing her to jump.
"Golly! You could have been less boisterous."
I grinned at her.
"Happy Christmas to you, too!" She said, giggling.
Alicia had decided to go home for the Holidays. She left several days ago, as did Lee. Fred and George, despite their mother's pleas, wanted to stay at the castle for the Holidays with us. My parents begged me to come home, but I had become attached at the hip with my new friends. We wanted to spend Christmas Day together and experience our first Hogwarts Christmas feast!
"Haaaaaaaaapy Christmas!" The twins attacked on us upon our entrance to the common room.
For the past week the Gryffindor Common room has been a sight to see. Bells hung on the stairs, Christmas flowers decorated the whole room, and mistletoe magically grew in the archway of the common room every time a couple walked underneath. The fireplace was lit, and a large Christmas tree stood tall and proud in a corner. Underneath the Christmas tree were presents. At least fifty presents were stacked all around the tree for the Gryffindor students who remained at Hogwarts.
"Let's open gifts!" Fred said excitedly, running to the tree and grabbing a box with his name on it.
As I searched for a box with my name on it, Fred and George opened theirs.
They each pulled out olive green hand-knitted sweaters. Fred's had an 'F' on it, and George's had a 'G'.
Angelina and I had to turn around and cover our mouths with our hands so they wouldn't see us snickering.
"Eugh! I'm not wearing this." Fred said, holding the sweater with two fingers.
"Why not?" I asked, smirking.
"It's green!" George exclaimed. "I have red hair!"
"We are not leprechauns." Fred grumbled.
"Your mum put so much effort into making you warm sweaters, the least you can do is wear them." Angelina pointed out.
The twins glared at her, knowing she was right.
"Open our gifts!" Fred said to us, handing each of us large orange boxes.
I removed the lid from the box to find a slightly smaller box inside. I raised on eyebrow at the twins and pulled out the second box. Inside the second box was yet another box. After opening the third box to find yet ANOTHER empty box I threw them down and said, "Is there even anything in here?"
"Nope." They said, grinning.
"There's nothing in the box." George said.
I glared at them, chucking the box at the twins.
"Hey now. There's nothing in the BOX. Check out the lid." Fred said, attempting to put a bow on George's back without him noticing.
I grabbed the lid and flipped it over. Taped underneath the lid was a red hat and red gloves to match.
Angelina checked under the lid of her box to find a gold hat and matching gloves.
We burst into laughter and thanked the twins.
"That's quite clever!" I said to them. "Now open ours!"
Angelina and I went together to buy the twins a magical noisemaker. The noisemaker was charmed to loudly make crude noises and rude sayings, but when a person heard it, the noise appeared to come in the opposite direction of the noisemaker. So the the culprit wasn't suspected.
"Absolutely brilliant!" The twins said together, giving us each a high five.
A loud belching sound came from the other side of the room. Several people snapped their heads up, looking around disgusted. The twins smiled at us.
"Now don't go too wild with that." I said.
"We will." They replied.
I smiled, shaking my head at them.
"Shall we go get some breakfast?" Angelina chimed in.
"Let's shall." Fred replied.
The breakfast consisted of Cinnamon buns, pancakes, sausages, bacon, eggs, toast, and pumpkin juice. The atmosphere of the great hall was very merry. Even the professors were laughing. Except Professor Snape, of course. I swore I saw him smile once, though. The ceiling was snowing and Christmas tunes could be heard. A Christmas tree as tall as a two story house dawned the front of the room. Hagrid, who had bits and pieces of pine in his beard from hauling the massive tree, was already tipsy from drinking too much firewhisky. The four of us stuffed ourselves to our hearts content, knowing we'd be regretting it.
"I'm so full." I groaned, pushing my plate away from me.
Across from me, the twins weren't eating for once. Instead, they were dumping pepper in someone's pumpkin juice when they weren't looking.
"Oi! You two finished?" I asked them.
"Watch this." Fred said, winking.
George reached into his pocket and a few seconds later a large flatulence noise came from where the Slytherin table was.
"Too many eggs there, Miles?" Fred shouted across the hall.
The hall burst into laughter, including some of the professors. Hagrid laughed loud and hearty while pounding his fist on the table causing several drinks to spill. Dumbledore peered over his half-moon spectacles at the twins with a knowing look and winked.
Miles face turned deep red and he sputtered, "It.. it wasn't me! I swear it!"
Angelina and I were laughing so hard tears began to roll down our cheeks.
"I will never regret buying them that noisemaker." Angelina said.
"Nope." I agreed.
"Mail's here!" A tiny blonde boy from the Ravenclaw table shouted.
Just then, dozens of owls flew into the great hall with parcels tied to their legs searching for the student whom their envelop was for.
A rather small black and white spotted owl landed beside me and looked at me expectantly with round, yellow eyes. A letter addressed to me was tied around it's ankle.
"Who's owl is that?" Angelina asked.
"I dunno, I've never seen it before." I said untying the letter.
I expected the owl to fly away after I got the letter off, but it remained perched on the table, watching me.
"Dearest Bethany,
Happy Christmas my dear! Your father and I miss you so much. I was rather hoping to see you this Holiday, but I am sure Hogwarts is a lovely place to be during the season. Say hello to Angelina for us, and your new friends as well! I look forward to meeting them.
I'm sure you are wondering where this beautiful owl came from. Happy Christmas darling! Your father and I picked out this owl for you with help from Angelina's mum. His name is Dragon. He's still quite young, but the breeder said he is most efficient! He loves being around people. He always wanted to be within sight of your father and I! Quite affectionate as well. (However, as he is still so young, when he gets overexcited he may nip).
Lastly, your father and I have big news... We are having a baby! I very much wanted to tell you in person, but I couldn't wait! You will have a little brother or sister come this September! We are so excited, your father already cleared out the guest room. (He's so wonderful!)
Please write back as soon as you can.
Much love, mum and dad."
My head was buzzing! The excitement from my new pet, and then in the same letter she said I would have a baby sibling! I stared with wide eyes at the letter for a few more moments. The excitement bubbled up inside me until I couldn't take it anymore.
"GUESS WHAT?" I practically screamed.
"What?" The twins asked, astonished.
"My mum is having a baby!"
"Welcome to the world of siblings." Fred said.
"You will never be lonely." George said.
"That's wonderful news!" Angelina said, hugging me.
I looked down at my new owl. I reached out to stroke his head, and he hooted affectionately. I fell in love with Dragon right away.
"Is that your owl?" Angelina asked.
"Yeah. His name is Dragon." I said proudly.
"Wicked name." The twins said.
I smiled even wider. Nothing could stop the happiness that was welling inside of me.