Chapter 17 - The Marauder's Map
Harry had another bad dream that night, the same one he had the first time he met Mr. Laufeyson. He was in the dark corridor of Hogwarts again, searching for Mr. Laufeyson only he wasn't there. He saw the word 'variant' float in front of him in elegant orange letters, guiding him outside where the full moon was.
There he saw Mr. Laufeyson standing just at the edge of the forest. A wolfish beast in front of them growled before him.
"Lupin …" said Loki trying to calm the beast. It seemed to respond.
"What?" whispered Harry.
"Lupin … " said Loki kindly.
Both of his hands were out in front of him, trying not to give the creature a reason to attack, The beast heard him, growling viciously in response. It's body grew tense. Harry tried to yell, scream, say something but all attempts failed in vain. Mr. Laufeyson caught the beast and threw him to the side the great force. The creature lunged for him again snarling. Mr. Laufeyson ran between the monster and Harry, cracking a powerful right hook against its face, knocking it to the ground.
"Forgive me … " mutter Loki to himself. "Do you enjoy hurting people?" said the mysterious voice again more clearly. Loki turned around towards Harry.
"I don't enjoy hurting people … I… I don't enjoy it … I do it because I have to, because I've had to," Mr. Laufeyson said to no one.
Harry jolted awake up in another cold sweat.
Silent was the dormitory. A room of shadows. While those around him slumbered, Harry laid awake, unable to sleep. The dream, and memory Dumbledore showed him buzzed in his mind. With very few options available, he took out the Marauder's Map.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." he whispered pointing his wand at the map. The crooked corridors and serpentine passageways of Hogwarts radiated across the parchment, then... a TINY DOT caught Harry's eye. He saw Mr. Laufeyson's name on it, but there was another right next to it. Remembering his dream, the thought perhaps he was meant to follow it, so dashed out of bed with the map in hand and left the Gryffindor common room under his invisibility cloak. The map led him down a dark corridor of the castle. With map in hand, and wand aglow, he followed the name.
The names "Harry Potter" and "Mr. Laufeyson" drew closer and closer. Harry swished his wand about searching in vain. His heart beating fast. Harry squinted toward the end of the corridor, then down at the map. Only seconds away... Wand trembling in his hand, Harry glanced from the map to find Mr. Laufeyson right in front of him, just like in his previous dreams. He covered his mouth to mask his breathing. Harry could see the large orange font stamped across his back unsure if he was still in the dream or in reality. Loki turned around slowly, sensing something, scanning the corridor. Harry noticed that Mr. Laufeyson had lit a small green fire in the palm of his hand for light. Loki's eyes came to rest on Harry's. Harry froze not certain of whether he knew he was there or not. He stayed there, for a good moment. Harry couldn't tell if the fire reflected the brightness of his own green eyes or if the green fire gave him the color for him. Suddenly, he felt a tug on his visibility cloak. Someone from behind slipped it off. Harry spun around, wand raised and lit. It was none other than Mr. Laufeyson. Harry inhaled sharply.
"How the -" said Harry. He spun back around in full panic to see where he originally saw Mr. Laufeyson, but nothing was there, just like his dream.
"Hmm, there's not many people who can sneak up on me," said Loki slyly. Harry turned back to face him, praying that he was actually awake.
"Impressive cloak, I must say," said Mr. Laufeyson casually examining it. He watched as his hands disappeared behind it. Harry didn't realize how hard he was breathing.
"How did … how did you-"
"How did I … what?" asked Loki confidently. Unlike his dream, Harry's eyes caught a new name on the map, one that he really did not wish to see.
"Mischief managed," said Harry quickly closing up the map.
"Nox!" he said eliminating the glow from his wand. Harry stashed the map, only to turn to the harsh glare of Snape's wand.
"Potter," said Snape harshly. Spooked, Severus realized that Harry was not alone and glared at Loki. Loki merely returned the glare with another devious smile.
"Mr. Laufeyson … how you feeling?" taunting him from their last encounter.
"Exceptional," said Loki charmingly, disarming Snape's condescension. Loki had clearly caught Severus off guard. Harry noticed that his invisibility cloak was no where to be seen.
"Potter," continued Snape, "What're you doing wandering the corridors at night?" Harry was trying to come up with some excuse when Loki answered for him at record speed.
"I was just excorting him back to his dormitory," lied Loki. Snape eyed Loki carefully.
"Is. That. So," he said in his slow manner of speaking not believing a word he said. His glaring wand still pointed at both of them.
"Harry was helping me with some work after hours you see," said Loki calmly in a strangely charming manner. Snape cocked his head and narrowed his eyes without showing much emotion.
"Oh really, and what work might that be?" asked Snape.
"I believe it's called … none of your concern," said Loki slyly. It astounded Harry how flippant Mr. Laufeyson could be, while at the same time remain cool under pressure. Snape encroached upon him.
"You are exceeding … arrogant," said Snape fiercely point his wand at him. Loki waited, allowing him to get closer before disarming Snape with a single hand movement and reversing his own glaring wand back in his face. Snape stepped back.
"God you are annoying, I will be taking Mr. Potter back to his dormitory. You know, do the job that I am suppose to do. And you will leave us, understand?" said Loki twirling the wand in his finger tips like a blade as to give it back to Severus. Hesitantly, Snape took his wand back.
"Come Harry," said Loki leading him away from Snape.
Loki and Harry walked down the corridor in silence. In his mad hurry to find Mr. Laufeyson, Harry didn't realize how far away he carried himself from the Gryffindor common room. If they went down an adjacent corridor, they would be just outside the castle. It was late, very late, and dark with the exception of the glow from the bright moon.
"Harry," said Loki once they were very far away from the unwanted professor. They stopped for a moment.
"Why were you sneaking about tonight?" he asked directly.
"I … I wasn't sneaking," said Harry trying to lie. Loki raised an eyebrow and pulled out his invisibility cloak from nowhere.
"How did …"
"You think Snape is going to let you keep this?" said Loki.
"And you are just going to let me have it back?" asked Harry.
"Oh … I don't mind a bit of mischief," said Loki, handing Harry the cloak back, "But what were you doing?"
"Just a bit of mischief," he responded taking the cloak.
"Ha, nice try … and I see you 'managed said mischief'?" said Loki glancing at the parchment in Harry's hand. Mr. Laufeyson was disturbingly perceptive. Harry had to be careful. He took a breath, searching for some strength. "If … if I tell you what this is … will you not confiscate it?" said Harry. Curiosity peaked Loki's interest.
"Okay … " said Loki not exactly in a trustworthy like way. Harry took a deep breath and pointed his wand at the parchment.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good" annunciated Harry.
"Mmmm … I like this already," said Loki practically purring.
"This … this is a map of Hogwarts, only it shows anyone and everyone who is in the castle at any point in time," said Harry. Loki's eyes glistened with great desire and deviousness. Why was this student was sharing this information with him, he did not know.
"And it never lies … There was a name … A name that I saw that I don't think is real …" he began.
"I thought you said it never lies?" questioned Loki.
"That's why I went out tonight," said Harry. His heart was racing. "I had to be sure," he continued.
"And what was the name?" asked Loki. Harry opened the map and showed it to him. Loki saw the crooked corridors and serpentine passageways of Hogwarts across the parchment along with several moving dots. Loki nearly thought about enchanting Harry and stealing said parchment, but neither Dumbledore nor Mobius … nor Lupin would enjoy that. Only two dots directly in front of him remained still, his and Harry's.
"So … what was the name?" he asked Harry not understanding. Harry let his finger carefully land on Loki's dot. The Trickster looked up quickly.
"I beg your pardon?" he asked surprised.
"Your first name is 'Loki'?" asked Harry with great caution. A shiver went down Loki's spine. He thought Snape was his potential variant, as easy as that would be … but could the variant … be in fact … the boy with the lightning bolt scar?
"Yes …" he said carefully.
"Loki? Loki Laufeyson?" asked Harry again. Loki conjured a hidden dagger in his sleeve.
"Yes," he said gravely. Harry blinked. His breathing was rapid.
"Can I ask you … a personal question?" said Harry. Loki's green eyes were locked on Harry's.
"Go ahead," he said with a dangerously expressionless face.
"Where are you from?" Harry asked kindly. Loki narrowed his eyes. "Originally … where are you from?" He was the first person to ask him this since he had arrived at this school. No one knew, save for the headmaster.
"Asgard, where are you from?" he said plainly. Stunned, Harry froze, confused.
"Um … Godric's Hollow," he answered surprised that he chose that answer. Loki furrowed his brows.
"What do you really want to ask? What do you want?" asked Loki. Harry took a breath when they heard a loud howl from just outside the castle, breaking their focus.
"What was that?" asked Harry. They heard it again growing closer. Loki looked out the window and saw that the moon was completely full.
"Oh shit," said Loki.
"What? What is it?" asked Harry frantically. Loki put away his hidden dagger and ran outside the castle. Harry saw the moon too. It looked just like his dream. The next event that was suppose to follow, was a beast just outside the school Harry thought. He put back on the invisibility cloak and checked the map again. He saw Loki's dot move quickly out of the castle onto the school grounds towards a second dot that read 'Remus Lupin.'