Diary of a Discovered Girl
by Ash-Caro-Lynn
Chapter VI : Of Permission and Patronuses
After Ron and Hermione returned from the Hogsmeade trip – which I affectionately referred to as their 'first date' – the three of us had walked together to the Hallowe'en feast.
"Goodness, I do hope that this year, the curse of Hallowe'en horrors won't continue," I mused aloud, eating some of the pudding. Harry shushed me.
"You're going to jinx it!" he hissed, glaring at me for a moment before the two of us burst out into laughter.
"Hey, Harry, Willow, the two of us got you some things from Honeydukes – we could head back up to Gryffindor tower, skip the crowd..." Hermione looked at us curiously.
I cast a wistful gaze towards the rest of my pudding. "I suppose we could go up..." I sighed.
"I guarantee that what we've got you is better than that pudding," declared Ron. I stared at him.
"Is that even possible?"
"You bet it is."
"Hurry, Harry!"
"Is it just me, or does it seem strangely quiet?" I asked as we approached the portrait entrance. "Don't we usually at least hear the Fat Lady having a conversation by now?"
"Maybe she's asleep," suggested Harry. I raised an eyebrow.
"She wouldn't sleep during a feast, what if random students like ourselves were to come back early and spot her with rollers in her-" I stared at one of the portraits of a bull, behind which a lady was cowering.
A Fat Lady.
"What happened?" I whispered as the others kept walking.
"It was him," she replied, her eyes wide with horror. I looked back towards her own portrait.
"Who?" I queried further.
"The man who we do not speak of!" she replied dramatically. "S-S-Sirius Black."
I gasped, racing up the stairs to where the other three stood speechless in front of a slashed painting.
"Oh, Merlin," I mumbled. "Alright, the four of us should probably get out of here before-"
"Out of my way, move, Head Boy coming through!" shouted out Percy Weasley, parting the crowd that had formed. He looked from the slashed portrait to his younger brother. "What happened here?"
"Sirius Black was in the castle," I replied, trying to slow my rapid breathing. "He broke in to the castle... you can ask the Fat Lady over there if-"
My vision was flooded with darkness, and I collapsed to the ground in a dead faint.
"No way, Prongs, she is totally going to say 'Padfoot' first."
"Honestly, James, Sirius, are the two of you arguing again over what Holly's first word will be?"
"Well, what do you think, Lily-Flower?"
"Yes, Lily, do tell."
"I think... that the two of you shouldn't be betting on this!"
"Brilliant idea, Lily, we should really bet on this."
"Yes, thanks, love."
"Men..."
"This is not the dormitory," I mumbled, opening my eyes to the night sky.
Wait, the night sky? I didn't fall asleep outside, did I?
I was not, in fact, outside (thank Merlin for that), rather, in the Great Hall - ah, the enchanted ceiling that had intrigued me since first year was above me.
Lying on a sleeping bag.
Surrounded by various other students, most of whom were lying on sleeping bags.
"Did someone declare a spontaneous sleepover in the Great Hall?" I muttered, looking around.
"More or less," replied Harry, making me jump and stare at him. "We got back to Gryffindor tower, the Fat Lady was gone, Sirius Black had slashed her portrait, and you fainted, and shortly after all of the students were rounded up and brought here."
I nodded slowly, my gaze flickering over Ron, Hermione, and various other familiar faces' sleeping forms before I gasped as realization struck me.
"Black's in the castle?" I asked, my eyes wide.
"They've searched it, they didn't find him," replied Harry quickly. I frowned.
"They haven't found him..." I murmured. Somehow, the revelation did nothing to slow my racing heart.
"So, what's the facial expression for? You look like you just saw a ghost – well, that's probably not the best of analogies..."
I laughed weakly, and looked around before crawling onto his sleeping bag. "Alright, I don't want anyone else to hear this, they'll think I'm crazy-"
"-Not that they don't already," added Harry with a quiet laugh as I smacked him.
"-but I had another dream of the past," I finished. "James and Sirius were arguing – well, not really arguing – over what my first word would be, and then Lily came in and said they shouldn't be betting on it... and then, having not actually been betting, they thanked her for the idea."
"Maybe the voices in your head had a child?" suggested Harry. I mock glared at him.
"Honestly, how many Jameses and Lilies do you know?" I asked. "The coincidence is just... too great for it to just be my imagination."
"So you're saying that you think all of this is really just a coincidence?"
"Exactly, Harry."
"I do not agree with the professors' new choice of Gryffindor tower guardian," I decided as we walked from an eventful Defense Against the Dark Arts class.
Eventful in that Professor Snape had been teaching it because Professor Lupin was apparently ill, and had decided to teach us about werewolves.
"There's nothing wrong with Sir Cadogan," replied Harry. "Alright, maybe he is a little..."
"Mean? Mad? Positively insane? Or non compos mentis – which is, by the way, the new password."
"The new password?" repeated Harry. "Didn't he just change it to Rabblerazzers four hours ago?"
"Yep," I replied. "He changed it to non compos mentis five minutes ago 'cause he got bored of rabblerazzers."
"What does that even mean?" asked Harry. I grinned.
"It's a Latin term," I replied. "Meaning 'not of sound mind.' Non translates to not, compos translate to having command, and mentis translates to of mind. Quite literally, not having command of mind."
He raised an eyebrow at me. "You're non compos mentis," he declared, rolling his eyes. I laughed.
"If anyone is, it's Snape," I replied. "I mean, like, honestly? Teaching us about werewolves? We do not need to know what's on page 394 when we're still on pages 192 and 193. Plus, that diagram scarred me for life."
"Which one is that?"
"The... scarring one."
The next weekend was a Hogsmeade weekend. Almost all of the third years and upper years were lined up at the Entrance Hall, the third years with their permission slips.
The only third years that weren't in the cue were Harry and I.
"Got any aces, my dear brother?" I asked with a grin, taking the two cards he handed me with a grin and a wink. "Got any eights?"
"Go fish," he replied, and I scowled, picking up a seven from the deck. "Got any fours?"
"Go fish," I answered.
Really. I had honestly been unable to think of any better way to spend the time than by playing cards – well, I had, but Harry had shot down my suggestion of shooting Tickling Charms at the other students as they exited the castle.
It had been a good idea, really.
"Got any eights?" I gaped at him like a fish, before scowling as I handed him the three eights and he set down his book. "Got any sevens?"
I handed him the seven.
"Got any aces?"
I handed him two aces.
"Got any twos?"
"Alright, there's something messed up about this," I declared, reluctantly passing over two twos. "No fair. I should really not have suggested playing cards with someone who can read my mind."
"Just lucky guesses," he replied with a wink, looking from his hand to the one card in mine. "So, Holly, got any Queens?"
"I give up," I decided, handing him the last card in my hand and scowling at the cards left in the draw pile. "This is a bewitched deck. Or you're a crazy talented guesser." I looked at him curiously. "Have you been paying attention in Divination? 'Cause I don't think Professor Trelawney taught us this, but that's the one class that would teach us that... and that you pay more attention in than I."
He chuckled. "Well, now that that's foiled, what should we do?" I frowned, tilting my head to the side as I contemplated it, idly shuffling the cards.
"Ah, our favorite firsties!" interrupted Fred before I could suggest another activity. I raised an eyebrow at the Weasley twins as they approached us.
"We're third years now," I corrected. "Why... are you carrying that piece of parchment like it's delicate with grins on your faces and it's probably not just a piece of parchment, is it?"
George laughed. "You've got that right, Potter," he replied. "This here is something we like to call..."
"Brilliant."
"Amazing."
"The secret to our success."
"Though the creators called it the Marauder's Map."
I raised an eyebrow. "The Marauder's Map?" I repeated. "What is it, like, a map of Hogwarts? Sorry to break it to the two of you... but we kind of know our way around by now."
"Ah, but that, young Holly, is where you are half-right," said George, taking a seat beside Harry.
"See, it is a map," explained Fred, sitting down beside me.
"But no ordinary map," chimed the twins, holding out the piece of parchment between us.
"It's... blank..." I muttered slowly.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," declared Fred, holding his wand to the paper. I gasped as words appeared on the page, reading them eagerly.
"Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs
Purveyors of Aid to Magical Mischief-Makers
are proud to present
THE MARAUDER'S MAP"
"Woah," muttered Harry as the names disappeared and were replaced by an entire map of Hogwarts.
Not just the version drawn on the backs of our timetables. This map showed entrances and exits, secret passages and empty rooms, and even footsteps.
"Wait, what are the footsteps for?" I asked, taking off my glasses and rubbing them on the sweater Fred was wearing before putting them back on. "Are those..."
"Names above the footsteps?" supplied George with a grin. "Yes."
"So this is how you manage to never get caught... and find people when they're hiding from you..." muttered Harry. "This is brilliant."
I frowned suddenly. "Who were the purveyors of aid to magical mischief-makers?" I asked curiously.
"Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs," answered Harry. I gasped.
"So... wicked," I muttered. "Why are you showing us this, anyway?"
"We're not just showing it to you, young Potters," replied Fred.
"We're giving it to you," added George.
Harry stared at them like they had just grown two more heads to add to the two they had already. "You're... giving us this?"
The twins grinned.
"Couldn't have our favorite firsties staying back for the Hogsmeade trip now, could we?" asked Fred rhetorically.
"We're third years," I argued, "but how are we supposed to get into Hogsmeade?"
"There's seven exits to the castle," answered George. "Filch knows of these four, this one is blocked off – but this is the one the two of you can take."
He pointed to a small tunnel with a small statue near the entrance. "You can thank us later." George got up, shooting us winks over his shoulder as he rushed to join the other students leaving for Hogsmeade legitimately.
"Mischief managed," said Fred with a wink, tapping the map again with his wand before joining his twin.
"Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs, eh?" Harry nudged me with his elbow. "Recognize any of those?"
"Yeah," I breathed. "Professor Lupin was Moony... the serious guy was Padfoot... our father was Prongs..." I frowned. "I don't remember a Wormtail, though."
"Maybe he was their friend back in school," replied Harry with a shrug. "Well, I assume you want to get to Hogsmeade while there's still daylight..."
I grinned, pulling out a magical enchanted item he recognized well.
"You still have that?"
"Ow, that's my foot."
"Well, sorry, Holly, it's kind of hard to regard your personal bubble when we're cramped up together under my Invisibility Cloak with a map in front of us- ow, that's my head!"
"Well, sorry, Harry, it's kind of hard to regard your personal bubble when you're being an arse." I frowned. "So, it should be here. There's the statue – do you see a tunnel?"
"Nope," replied Harry, looking around and back to the map. "Hey, look at this." He pointed to our names, where a speech bubble had appeared with the word, 'Dissendium.' "Do you reckon we have to speak the word?"
"I reckon we have to tap this statue of a one-eyed witch with our wands and cast the spell to reveal the passageway," I replied with a shrug. "Dissendium."
The witch slid forward, revealing a tunnel. I cheered, high-fiving Harry. "So, you first, then?"
"I knocked on Professor Lupin's door, it's your turn," he replied. I scowled, but stepped into the tunnel, letting out a scream as my foot slid out from under me. "Holly? Are you alright?!"
"I'm fine," I called back. "It's a slide!"
And he followed me down, landing with an, "Oomph."
"It's a narrow tunnel," he observed. I raised an eyebrow, though in the darkness it was impossible to see. "So, we just have to walk along here?"
"Basically, yeah," I replied. "Follow my lead."
"Damn, you're light," muttered Harry as he helped me out of the tunnel. I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Is that a compliment?" I asked confusedly. He shrugged.
"An observation," he replied. "So, where are we?"
I looked around the room – filled with boxes. "I'd say we're in a cellar," I replied, looking into one of the opened boxes. "A cellar of a candy store. What's the candy store in Hogsmeade called again? Honeyduchess?"
"Honeydukes," corrected Harry with a laugh. "Well, you were close, at least."
I carefully opened a trapdoor above a ladder. "Well, since I just went through that tunnel first and found out the hard way that it started with a slide – my back end is mad at you for that, by the way – it's your turn."
He sighed, but climbed up the ladder before holding down a hand to help me up. I quickly grabbed it, following him up the ladder.
"Well, I can't exactly say I've ever seen this much candy in one place in my life," I commented, looking around the store dazedly. "Look! There's so much candy! Wait, what are we supposed to be looking for, again?"
"We're supposed to be looking for Ron and Hermione," he replied. "You've still got that Invisibility Cloak, right?"
"Harry, this place is so crowded that we couldn't get caught in here if they had every single professor out looking for us," I replied, searching the vicinity for Ron and Hermione. I caught sight of a head of bushy brown hair and another of red, and quickly nudged Harry, pointing out our friends.
"I doubt Harry would particularly enjoy those," I could hear Hermione saying as we drew nearer.
"Yeah, they look gross," I agreed. "Too many legs, you know?"
The jar – thankfully made of Unbreakable glass – crashed to the floor as Hermione whipped around to stare at us with wide eyes.
"Harry? Willow?" she gasped out. "I thought – you didn't get your permission slips signed!"
"Merlin," breathed Ron. "You've learned how to Apparate!"
All of us turned to face him with raised eyebrows.
"No," I replied, shaking my head slowly. "Just... no."
"Then – how-"
"Not important," I replied. "Well, actually, I suppose it's quite important, but on the other hand, so is perusing the sweet selections of this here store."
"Blood... pop?" muttered Harry, picking something up. I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Out of all the things you could possibly have chosen to pick up," I drawled, "you chose the one sweet that was marketed towards vampires. Are you sure you don't suck blood?"
He rolled his eyes. "I was curious, not genuinely interested," he replied, setting it back. "So... this is Honeydukes."
"Yep," replied Ron. "Pretty spectacular, isn't it?"
"Willow," said Hermione, "what are you looking at?"
"Who, me?" I asked. "Nothing – nothing at all... just... out the window... y'know..."
In reality, I had been looking at Zonko's Joke Shop across the street. But there was no good in letting her know that.
After all, this was Hermione Granger, who follows the rules to the letter. If she had known I was looking at the store that sold goods designed to break said rules...
...even the mere thought of it makes me shudder.
"So, we were just going to finish up in here," explained Hermione, "and then head into The Three Broomsticks – that's the pub – for a cup of Butterbeer... and then..."
"Wow, sounds like the two of you are on a date," I replied. "Harry and I could always just... you know... leave the two of you by your lonesome... I mean, obviously, you would want some one-on-one time, right?"
"No," replied Hermione and Ron firmly, after which the two of them frowned at each other. I winked at Harry.
"Come on, Harry dearest," I said with a grin. "Let's leave these two lovebirds alone... I hear that The Three Broomsticks has a really delicious secret menu option."
And so the two of us left Hermione and Ron alone together in Honeydukes, walking arm-in-arm (by my insistence, of course) to The Three Broomsticks, ensuring that we remained inconspicuous enough not to be noticed by any professors.
"This smells odd," I declared as we walked through. Harry raised an eyebrow at me. "Oh, I see – hurry, quick!"
I grabbed him by the arm, pulling him to one of the tables in a more secluded area.
"What are we doing?" he whispered harshly. I put a finger to my lips, and ducked under the table, beckoning him to join me. "Alright, if you weren't my sister, I would be finding you very creepy by this point."
I winked at him, pulling out a silvery cloak from my bag and draping it over the two of us.
"There's a table full of professors over there," I explained in a hushed voice. "If they see the two of us, they're either going to think we're a couple of third years on a really cute first date or know that we didn't get our permission slips signed and put us into detention. Unless you'd like to operate on the assumption that the professors are totally going to buy the fact that you're dating your sister, we're going to have to stay under the Invisibility Cloak."
"Wonder what they're talking about?" mused Harry aloud. I shrugged, having no idea of what they would be conversing about in hushed voices.
Unless...
"They're going to go upstairs," I mumbled. "Madam Rosmerta – I think that's the barmaid's name – is telling them they can go, and they're going to follow her..." I tightened my hand around the fabric of the cloak we were under. "We can follow them – that is, if... you're willing to break a few rules in order to satiate your curiosity."
"Since when have I not been willing?" he replied. I grinned. "After all, we are the school's resident detectives."
"Precisely, my dear Watson," I replied, and with a lot of careful maneuvering, we managed to get out from under the table and up the stairs without the cloak slipping up and revealing us.
"What're they saying?" I whispered, as we leaned up against the door behind which the professors had disappeared.
"I can't hear them over you," he replied, and I scowled, pressing my ear to the wood.
"Yes, what with the threat of Black, it would be very dangerous for the boy to come into Hogsmeade," I could hear one of them – Professor Flitwick, it sounded like – saying.
'The boy?' I mouthed to Harry with a frown. He shrugged.
"I still can't believe that Black would do such a thing," sighed a voice I couldn't recognize – almost definitely not one of our professors, so I assumed it must have been Madam Rosmerta. "He and Potter were such good friends back in school..."
Harry's eyes widened, and he fixed me with an incredulous gaze. I shook my head.
"Didn't you hear?" asked Professor McGonagall's voice. "They're saying that Potter trusted Black – to keep his secret, you see – and that Black betrayed him to... You-Know-Who. They were the best of friends... Potter even made Black Harry's godfather."
An almost inaudible gasp escaped from under the Invisibility Cloak – well, two simultaneous ones, rather. I watched with wide eyes as instinct kicked in and Harry started to run, myself only barely able to keep up with him and under the cloak at the same time.
"Harry, calm down!" I hissed as we slipped through the open doors and out into the snowy woods behind the pub. "It's-"
"He was their friend!" he exclaimed, throwing himself down on a tree stump. "Didn't you hear? He betrayed them, to Voldemort! They trusted him, and he just threw it all away!"
"Harry-"
"No, Holly," he replied. "I don't want to hear excuses for him. He was a murderer, and he's... he's my godfather. My bloody godfather, Holly-"
"Who's to say," I whispered, my voice hardly staying even, "that only one of the Potter twins has an escaped convict for a godfather?"