The Second Chance
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing of J. K. Rowling and Kurinoone's universe. This story is written with permission from Kurinoone, and is based on Kurinoone's fabulous, beyond awesome story- "The Darkness Within" (which was inspired by Project Dark Overlord's wonderful story- "The Shattered Prophesy").
Chapter 11: The Marauders' Map
Harry crept down the dark corridors, his Disillusionment Charm held in place. Even as he moved stealthily in the darkness, his mind was reeling about all he had just found out. Who would have thought, a single conversation between Weasley and Potter would be so informative. Harry had also caught the detail of 'Potter Manor', which meant that the Potters had moved from Godric's Hollow, probably after he ran away.
And what of the 'Marauder's Map'? What map was it? Was it magical? Who else knew about it?
Not to mention the most pressing question- how to steal the Map? It would be relatively easy to do so, but he didn't want to raise suspicions when Potter noticed the Map missing. The best he could do would be to nip the Map for a quick glance before returning it to its original position before Potter noticed a thing. Hopefully, he'd manage it tonight.
His occupied mind soon led Harry to the familiar One- Eyed- Witch portrait. He flicked his wand casually, and the passageway was revealed. Somewhere in the distance, a red light pulsed- signalling the end of the barrier. Harry closed the door behind him and concentrated on the magic.
Slowly, he closed in the flickering red light, feeling its magic radiating with strong force. Harry secretly marvelled at the barrier's strength. It was strong... but Harry was determined not to let it take him down. Again, in theory, the weaker the Secret Keepers, the less powerful the barrier. Harry wasn't intent on killing Potter in his sleep- even though he was an insufferable brat- but that didn't meant he'd harbour any guilt from weakening the other's powers. Just a simple spell would do.
After concentrating on the barrier's magic flow for a while, Harry decided to make his way back to the dormitory and try his luck with the Map.
Perhaps it could be of some help...
xXx
The drapes fluttered slightly as Harry allowed himself to enter.
The youngest Potter didn't stir; too deeply in slumber was he. Smirking slightly to himself, Harry gently unfastened the lock on Potter's bag, careful to check for booby traps as he did so. But the Gryffindors proved themselves just as predictably trusting and idiotic. Within seconds of rifling, Harry had found the old piece of parchment, detecting the small flickers of magic with confirmed it was the Map.
It was unbelievably easy. Walking silently so as not to wake the others, Harry closed the drapes around his four poster bed, ducked under the blanket and lit his wand non-verbally. He gave the Map a tap with his wand... and insults started to blossom all over the parchment.
The next morning found Ginny waking early, something she rarely ever did. She hadn't had much sleep lately, not since she returned to Hogwarts. Memories of one green- eyed boy haunted the corridors as she walked, and her unusual quiet self had drawn less company than usual. She rarely approached others for conversation, lost her wild laughter... she viewed the world as black and white.
It was like losing Harry all over again. There were brief times at the Burrow when she felt whole again; short moments when she fought her annoyance and amusement when Percy prattled off about his work or 'former glory' in Hogwarts, as Ron put it. While Percy had never been great company, nor popular, it was surprising how he could draw one of one's shell.
But Percy was no longer at Hogwarts; and youngest Weasley felt disappointed that she wouldn't even be hearing from him, nor the jokes Fred and George played, until term was over, until she returned to the Burrow. Her home. Home, where Bill and Charlie's quiet sympathy reached her. Home, where her mother fed them with unconditional love, care and food. Home, where her life had started, where she learnt to play, prank, laugh, live, before her world was overturned by a fairytale prince with a nightmarish ending.
Sometimes she'd wonder how Ron was coping, how did the Potters get over Harry's death? Did they feel as painful as she was? Doubtless they did, but why didn't it seem so? Damien could laugh, could smile... she never saw him cry, except for the time when they first received news at the Burrow. Was he hurt, like her? Was Ron, the ever obtuse, clumsy brother upset as well?
Ginny shook herself out of her daze, briefly annoyed with herself for thinking useless thoughts. She was back at Hogwarts! She ought to be excited- there were many things to do to put her out of her misery- she could just leave those nightmares behind, distract herself with something else.
Like breakfast.
Deciding to rise early, Ginny quickly dressed up and trudged down the familiar staircase to the Common Room.
When she finally arrived at the Great Hall, it was to her surprise to notice that the Gryffindor table was already occupied by one student- Kit Mason. His blue eyes were scanning a thick book quickly, leaving the little amount of food on his plate untouched. Ginny was surprised. It was only seven fifteen in the morning, and already he was up and reading. He made Hermione look lazy.
Well, then again, maybe not.
Ginny approached the boy slowly, then slid into the seat in front of him. Azure eyes flicked up from the book and rested on her face, before he gave her a small smile.
"Hey, good morning," Ginny said to him.
"Same to you," Kit said politely, his eyes leaving his book once more before he turned his attention back to the dusty volume again. Ginny tilted her head sideways to read the cover. It wrote 'Transfiguration Grade Seven'. It seemed as though she had found a male version of Hermione.
"Are you reading in advance?" she asked Kit, trying to strike up a conversation.
Kit nodded shortly. "Yes. I face... problems, in this particular subject."
"High- five here," Ginny grinned, recalling yesterday's thorny cushion. "That subject's a real pain."
The Gryffindor transfer student merely flashed her another smile before helping himself to some soup. His eyes were still reading the book greedily. Ginny guessed that Kit was merely glancing through the paragraphs, for he turned the pages at an abnormally fast rate.
"So... what do you think of Hogwarts?" Ginny said, before hurriedly backtracking, "Um, you don't need to answer if you're busy reading."
Okay, that was lame.
But Kit didn't disregard her question. Quite on the contrary, in fact. He actually put down his book to listen to her. Ginny was quietly surprised and pleased at his reaction.
"The classes are quite advanced," he said, his fingers trailing a pattern over the cover of his book unconsciously. "The professors teach well enough, I suppose, except for- pardon me- Professor Binns' class, which I find rather dull."
"Rather dull?" repeated Ginny, looking amused. "Did you really just mean 'rather' dull?"
"I'm sorry, I take it back," Kit started, back Ginny laughed.
"It's okay, that's the general opinion of the student population at Hogwarts," she said. "I was just playing with you, really."
"I was going to correct my description of History class into 'excruciatingly boring' before you interrupted," Kit smirked at her.
A strange flutter errupted in Ginny as she noticed the painful, indiscernably familiar expression appear on the Gryffindor transfer student. Kit cocked his head to one side as he studied Ginny's sudden change in demeanor.
"You're not actually upset about my adjectives of Professor Binns' class, are you?"
Ginny laughed a bit a that. "No, of course not, idiot."
Kit raised an eyebrow at the last word.
The youngest Weasley merely grinned. "I hope you don't mind, but I tend to throw insults around frequently. I find this activity fun. Sorry if it offends you."
"I'm kind of used to it. My father always does that, just that his insults are more subtle," Kit told her. "If any, I should be the one apologising... what was it I said that upset you?"
Ginny shook her head. "It wasn't you," she said softly, staring at her goblet. For a long moment she was quiet, before she added, "You just reminded me of someone I knew."
Kit didn't say anything for quite some time, but Ginny felt as though his eyes never left her.
"Okay," she said resolutely to get over the awkward moment. Trust herself to ruin a perfect conversation with a new transfer student early in the morning! "Ignore me when I broadcast my stupid thoughts."
"I'd prefer to listen when you broadcast your so- called stupid thoughts," said Kit, his playful smirk still in place.
"Why?" she asked, confused.
"It would be entertaining?" offered Kit.
"Oh really," said Ginny, rolling her eyes. "I, unlike my brother Ron, can read sarcarsm, you know."
"Well, you read me wrongly," the elder Gryffindor said.
Ginny smiled, feeling warmth seep through her cold figure. "Alright then. Thanks for the offer."
Kit shrugged. "No problem," he said.
The sun had risen by now. Shafts of brilliant, colorful lights filtered in through the floor- to - ceiling windows, bathing the Great Hall in a majestic glow. Ginny sat quietly, drinking in the scene, enjoying the comfortable heat the great orb of fire provided.
Presently, Kit spoke up again.
"I've been thinking..." he started, and he smiled slightly as Ginny looked up at him, expectant. "What should I call you?"
Ginny was surprised by his question. "Um... Ginny? Just like everyone else. Nobody calls me 'Ginevra', though it's my real name."
"So which would you prefer?" he asked, half- a smirk still playing on his lips.
"Um... Ginny would be nice. 'Ginevra' sounds too formal. My mum only calls me 'Ginevra' when I create trouble," the youngest Weasley replied with a smile.
"Ginny it is then," Kit said, nodding his head. "So... Ginny, do you know any pranksters in this school?"
Ginny was surprised by his question. "Yeah sure. But why would you want to know?"
Kit's face seemed to light up and the mention of pranks. Indeed, Ginny could have sworn she saw a glint his his eyes. "My old school was perfectly dull," he said in response. "I was hoping that Hogwarts would be better. Preferably with pranksters to liven up the day. So, who are the most well- known ones?"
Ginny frowned as she pondered over the questions. "Plenty," she said. "As of right now, Damien and Ron are the only ones left in the school, I think. I only help occassionally. Before that, my brothers Fred and George were the most popular pranksters. You should've met them- they were brilliant. Pity they've graduated. They were twins, by the way."
Kit seemed surprised. "It seems like your closest family and friends are all pranksters," he said. "But Damien Potter... a prankster? He doesn't really look it."
The youngest Weasley smiled at the thought. "I forgot to mention something- his father, James Potter, is the greatest legendary prankster Hogwarts has ever had. Mr. Potter would never have forgiven Damien if his son wasn't a prankster."
Kit's eyes seemed to darken at the mention of James Potter, but he kept up a surprised expression. "Really? I never knew that."
Ginny nodded. "Mr. Potter had a group of friends- they were best pranksters ever, and they called themselves the Marauders."
Kit had to fight the triumphant grin from playing on his lips. He was right.
"The Marauders consisted of four people," she continued, taking courage from Kit's interest in their conversation. "Mr. Potter is called Prongs in their group. Sirius Black, Damien's uncle- also one of the top Aurors, and Mr. Potter's best friend... he's called Padfoot. The third member is Remus Lupin, also a great friend of theirs... and the last one," she faltered a bit at that. "Was Peter Pettigrew, namely... Wormtail."
"Was?" Kit asked. "He died?"
Ginny nodded uncomfortably. "Yes, only last year."
"That's a pity," Kit offered, wondering how to steer the conversation towards the Marauders' Map. By looking at the insults blossoming all over the Map when he tried to reveal its secrets, he had deduced that the Map was probably a product of a prankster. So far, he was proved correct.
"It wasn't," Ginny said, suddenly cold.
Kit didn't pursue the subject. "What sort of pranks did the Marauders pull?" he asked.
Ginny looked relieved at the turn of conversation. "Pretty cool stuff, according to Fred and George." She shrugged. "They used to play all sorts of jokes on the staff as well, according to Damien. There was a time they made Professor Flitwick's voice deep and croaky..."
Kit quirked an encouraging smile. "Wait, I think Ron mentioned something to me before- the Marauders' Map, was it? Was the Map created by the Marauders?"
The youngest Weasley was surprised. "Ron told you that? Well, I suppose there's no harm in telling you, then. Yes, the Marauders made the Map. Fred and George found it back in their Third- Year... they nicked it from Filch's office. The Map got confiscated directly before the Marauders graduated, you see."
"But why would they need a Map?" Kit reasoned. "They already know their way around Hogwarts."
"It's not only a normal Map of Hogwarts," Ginny corrected him, unaware that she had just confirmed Kit's theory that it indeed was a map of Hogwarts- "It's magical. The Map shows every single person in Hogwarts at their respective current locations. At the most brilliant thing is, the map never lies. I can fool others with a false idenitity, but my real name will still appear on the Map."
Kit's eyes snapped to her, suddenly alert; but his face was impassive as usual. "They say that you need to be advanced in magic to activate the Map," he carried on, trying not to look too interested. "Otherwise all you'll see is a blank piece of old parchment."
Ginny laughed. "Ron told you that? Well, that's just so typical of him. No, all you need is the password."
"Password?" Kit asked.
"Yeah. Sorry, I can't tell you what it is... confidentiality and all that," Ginny said. "It belongs to Damien. You're only allowed in the secret if Damien agrees to tell."
Kit smiled, but it was cold, unlike before. "Never mind," he said. Then he noticed Dean Thomas walking into the Great Hall, yawning. The newcomer immediately grinned and waved at Ginny as he approached the Gryffindor table. Ginny scowled.
"I really don't know why he always does that nowadays," she said, putting down her cup of tea.
Kit got up to leave, slinging his bag casually over his shoulder as he did so. Ginny looked up.
"You're leaving already?" she asked.
Kit nodded. "I'll see you around, Ginny," he told her with a curt nod, before brushing past Dean as he exited the Great Hall once more.
That mornings' conversation settled it. The quest of getting the Marauders' Map was not optional anymore- it was compulsory. His mission would be torn to shreds if Damien Potter decided to use it and noticed his real name 'Harry Potter' strolling around undercover with Kit Mason's face. He couldn't afford to deal with the barriers now, not yet. Anyway, the barriers were strong, but Harry was reasonably confident that he could blast through it, providing he had his full power at disposal when he got around to it.
Besides that, the Map would virtually be invaluable if he could get his hands on it. He could ensure his not getting caught, and when the Death- Eaters stormed Hogwarts, he could check if everyone was in position effectively. As much as he loathed to admit it, the Marauders were genii.
But how was he supposed to get the Map? What was the password? He could easily steal it- Potter was not careful with his possessions- but now that he had asked Ginny about the Marauders' Map, suspicion would be cast upon him if the Map were to go missing.
Maybe he could get a Professor to confiscate it? Or perchance, the caretaker- Filch would be a more cooperating and oblivious as well...
Harry quirked a small smile. He just needed to have a few words with someone for his plans to take place...
Fate really had a sense of humor.
The Seventh- Year students were working on Disillusionment Charms that day. It was the second way of decreasing your chances of being hit by a Dark Curse, according to Professor Wynter, which many heartily approved of. At least, it was better than dodging around in the constant fear of being cursed by your fellow students.
They were allowed to use their wands, but Professor Wynter promised that they would have to start learning to perform the charm wandlessly by the next lesson. However, that wasn't to say that Defense class for that day was easy. Professor Wynter, much to their dismay, would cast jinxes at those who did not perform the charm properly. All you needed to let slip was one slight shimmer, and the professor would round on you, firing curses.
Ron swore aloud as he crashed to the floor for the fifth time.
"Up, Weasley," Professor Wynter commanded at once. "Your Charm is not strong enough. I detect a shimmer."
Even Hermione got slammed into a wall twice for letting her concentration slip. Of course, Professor Wynter did provide a Cushioning Charm to lessen the impact, but it still came as a nasty shock.
At the end of the lesson, Parvati Patil was clutching at her heart, crying slightly from fright and shock. She had been knocked down the most times by the Professor for not paying full attention and allowing her charm to flicker a time too many. Ron was rubbing his forehead ruefully as he, Hermione and Kit made their way out of the classroom together.
"That Professor's going to be the death of me," the redhead groaned. "It's barely the first week of school, and he's giving us this work overload!"
"You were really good," Hermione told Kit as they descended the stairs together. "You didn't even get hit once!"
Kit shrugged. "I wasn't the only one."
"Well, Neville's a different case- he's been specially trained by Professor Dumbledore himself. He doesn't count!" Ron always made his dislike for anyone apparent. Kit found that a very foolish but useful trait of the Gryffindor.
"Specially trained?" Kit asked. "Why for?"
"Ah... Professor Dumbledore thought that Longbottom would be the 'Chosen One' after Harry- well, after Harry Potter supposedly died seventeen years ago. A very long story."
Kit nodded disinterestedly; his mind already wandering, back to his plan...
There were of course, many undercover agents in Hogwarts- most of them from Slytherin, all sons of Voldemort's Inner Circle Death- Eaters. None of them except one, however, knew that Kit Mason was actually the Dark Lord's right- hand, nor did they know that Mason was undercover, either. Only Rosier Jr. knew the truth, and he was trusted not to under any circumstances, reveal the truth.
Rosier Jr. was currently in the same year as Damien Potter, and he was also the brightest junior Death- Eater of his age (apart from Draco Malfoy, ex- Death- Eater), which effectively helped him on his way to become the leader of all the junior Death- Eaters in Hogwarts. Only Rosier Jr. was allowed to meet Kit Mason, but only when the Gryffindor ordered it so.
That night before dinner, Kit met up with the fourth- year boy at a darkened section of the library. Rosier Jr. could tell that powerful wards were already placed around them, and even so, Mason felt the need of placing a Disillusionment Charm around himself. Rosier Jr. was facing a bookshelf, his back turned to whomever that happened to walk by. If anyone did indeed spot him, they would assume that Rosier Jr. was merely looking for a Potions book.
"Y-You called me, sir?" the younger boy whispered. This was the first meeting between them both.
Kit silently frowned. Trust Lucius to tell the boy to refer to him as 'sir'. But he shrugged the matter aside, it wasn't like it mattered. At least it was a form of respect, and it wasn't as obnoxious as 'Dark Prince'.
"Were you followed?" a disembodied voice asked Rosier Jr.
The boy shook his head firmly. "No, sir," he sounded confident. "What is it I have to do, sir?"
Kit smirked. "It's fairly simple. Provoke Damien Potter."
The Gryffindor transfer student was still wearing the Disillusionment Charm as he slipped into the Common Room behind one Jimmy Peakes. Immediately, he caught sight of the familiar redheaded girl, protesting loudly in the far corner of the room.
There was a crowd around her, all cheering the same thing, "Quidditch tryouts! Quidditch tryouts!"
"You are all ridiculous!" spluttered Ginny, voicing Kit's thoughts. "It's only the first week. Why hurry?"
"Then when are we having tryouts?" whined Seamus, his arm slung around his best friend, Dean. "Come on, I'm itching for a flight. And according to the new rules, the Quidditch Pitch is now off limits to whomever that does not book the pitch first."
"I'm on it, I'm on it, okay?" Ginny sounded irritated. "I've already booked the Pitch. Tryouts will be held next Wednesday before breakfast. Happy?"
A loud cheer errupted in the Common Room, and Kit chose the moment to sneak up into the Boys' Dormitories. Damien Potter's bag was lying, exposed, on the younger boy's four poster bed. Kit drew the drapes half- close before prying into Potter's bag. Bottles of ink, quills, fresh parchment... the Marauders' Map.
A minute later, Kit watched quietly as Damien Potter re- emerged from the washroom and slung his bag over his shoulder before leaving for the Common Room.
When Ron and Damien descended to the Great Hall for dinner, talking animatedly about Quidditch again, Kit was already sitting at his usual spot. Hermione was trailing behind the pair, looking bored, books under her arm as usual. When the Head Boy spotted Kit, he waved at the transfer student cheerily and dropped into his customary seat beside Kit. Damien quirked a sarcastically pleasant smile as he sat across Kit again, like he did the day before.
"Good evening, Disney Prince," the younger boy greeted.
Kit pursed his lips. He was not going to let the boy annoy him. But at the same time, he cringed inwardly at the nickname. If it wasn't 'Dark Prince', then it was 'Disney Prince'. He never thought he'd admit it, but Kit preferred the former.
"Have some lamb chop?" Damien continued, heaping food onto his plate. "Steak? Gravy? Mashed potatoes?"
Kit took no notice of the boy, treating Potter as he would thin air. But Potter kept on grinning.
The huge mound of unappetizing ugly monster appeared on Damien's plate, and Kit felt his appetite vanish at the familiar sight. Damien purposely made an involuntary movement, as though he were going to place the plate before Kit, when the elder boy snapped,
"Don't give that to me."
Damien chuckled evilly. "Touche. I knew you couldn't ignore me, nobody can."
Stupid Potter. Insufferable brat. Idiotic grin. Irritating smi-
No, that wasn't the point. Kit wasn't easily annoyed. Nope, Kit was perfectly cool, calm and collected.
"Anyway, it's not nice to decline or ignore my courtesies," Damien continued. "Especially when I was meaning well. It's impolite to reject good intentions; everyone knows that."
Kit put on a falsely sweet smile. "I apologise, Damien Potter... but hey, look! Your gravy is overflowing!"
His voice was overly dramatic.
Damien narrowed his eyes at the elder Gryffindor. "I know this is your doing. Stop it!"
"Anything to save you!" Kit exclaimed, still in drama- mode. He raised his wand and pointed at Damien's plate.
The gravy vanished from Damien's plate. The youngest Potter regarded his food suspiciously, before rolling his eyes and taking a spoonful of mashed potatoes and stuffing it into his mouth.
The potatoes were rock hard- Kit had drained all liquid from Damien's plate. Damien opened his mouth furiously, and did the inevitable- he choked.
Kit wasn't dropping his drama- mode. "Oh no! Look at you! Have some pumpkin juice?"
Before Damien could react, Kit had lifted the jug and poured the orange liquid all over Damien's pile of food. Ron choked back his laughter as he watched the scene.
"OI!" bellowed Damien, overcoming the offensive lump of potato. "Don't do that!"
Kit's smile was as sweet as it was nasty at the same time. "It's not nice to reject my courtesies like that, especially when I was meaning well. That was most impertinent of you."
"Oh yeah?" the younger Gryffindor jabbed his wand at his ruined dinner, and the mess on his plate disappeared.
Kit nodded. "It's basic manners, really."
"Says who? You?" Damien shot back, irritated.
Kit feigned an innocent look. "Everyone knows that," he said in a perfect immitation of Damien's voice.
Ron, to the youngest Potter's immense irritation and dismay, clapped his hands in delight. "Well said, well said!" he chortled through his laughter, watching Damien's expression in obvious amusement.
Kit looked at the redhead, frowning slightly. It wasn't even funny. Then again, Ron found everything amusing.
The rest of dinner passed uneventfully. Dean had moved over and engaged Ron and Damien in a conversation about Quidditch and Hermione just kept on reading through her pile of books. Ginny was sitting at the other end of the table with a strange looking girl wearing radishes by her side. Kit averted his gaze to the Slytherin table.
Rosier Jr. caught his gaze but looked away calmly, so as not to give the game away. Kit felt the tiniest bit of pleasure at this. At least it told him that not all the students at Hogwarts were complete fools. Rosier Jr. would probably make a good Death- Eater.
Kit turned his attention back to his plate, his fork playing with the food on it. The main course disappeared a minute later, to be replaced by dessert. Kit wasn't enjoying his meal one bit. The lavish amount of food and lack of decorum the Gryffindors displayed effectively put him off dinner. But he pretended to eat a few spoonfuls of ice- cream all the same, trying to act as normal as he could possibly be.
Most of the staff had retired for the night, leaving only Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout. Kit waited for another five minutes before getting up to exit the Great Hall.
"I'll be going first," he told Ron, tapping the redhead on the shoulder as he left. "Good night."
Ron looked pleasantly surprised- it was the first time Kit had done something this friendly before. "Yeah, sure, goodnight. I'll come up later."
Kit managed a smile in his direction, and smirked at Damien, before leaving the Hall. Now, hopefully Rosier Jr. would play his part well. Following the corridor Ron had brought him once on a tour before, Kit quickly made his way towards Filch's office. His luck held. Pressing his ear to the door, he could hear the caretaker wheezing inside.
Kit placed a Disillusionment Charm on himself, then waited for Filch to appear. He barely waited a few seconds before the doorknob twisted open, and the caretaker shuffled downstairs towards the Great Hall. So far, all according to plan.
As usual, Filch stood in the corridor, scowling as the students made their way to their Common Rooms. Kit could see Rosier Jr. talking to his fellow Slytherins- Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Fowler... Voldemort's junior Death- Eaters. Potter was and Weasley were standing on the right of Rosier's gang. Again, as usual, Weasley and Potter were the last to leave the Hall, trailing behind everyone else.
That was when Rosier made his move. He pointed his wand stealthily at Potter's bag, using a non- verbal Cutting Hex. Immediately, a large seam appeared, ripping the material apart. Inkwells, quills and parchment tumbled out onto the floor, much to the pair of Gryffindors' horror.
"Oopsies, looks like Potty has an accident," sniggered Goyle as the Slytherins closed in. Nott stepped casually on the inkwell, causing Damien's stack of new parchment to be splattered with dark ink. His essays were effectively ruined as well. Only one piece of old parchment was not contaminated- there was a water resistant spell on it.
Rosier pretended to frown as he stepped down on the parchment with his ink- covered sole. Not a print was left behind on the brown paper. Then insults started to well up all over the old piece of parchment.
Potter cursed loudly and shoved two of the Slytherins away, his face displaying suppressed anger. Weasley, on the other hand, looked livid. Kit's eyes darted to where Filch was approaching.
"What's that parchment?" Nott said in a scared voice.
"Give that back!" snarled Damien.
"It's full of Dark Magic!" exclaimed Goyle in his loud, bullfrog voice. "Potter brought something illegal!"
"It's not Dark Magic you dolt! They're just insults meant for people like you!" shouted Ron, trying to levitate it back, but Rosier Jr's grip on it was firm. "Give it back now!"
"Why do you want it back so badly?" tautned Rosier, inspecting the parchment. "Is is precious?"
Filch arrived at the best possible time. "What the blazes is going on here? Detention, all of you! Duelling in corridors!"
"We weren't even duelling!" said Damien angrily.
Rosier's voice was louder than the Gryffindors. "Mr. Filch, sir! Damien Potter has something illegal!"
Filch's attention was caught. "Illegal?" he repeated. "Where?"
Damien and Ron protested loudly and furiously, but Rosier Jr. had already handed over the old parchment, which was still covered with insults. Familiar insults, to Filch at least.
The caretaker was livid. "Where did you get this? Detention, Mr. Potter!"
"Give it back to me, it's not illegal!" Damien tried to snatch it back, but no avail.
"It's indestructible, sir!" Rosier continued excitedly. "There was ink spilt all over it, but it came out undamaged!"
"I will find a way to destroy this artefact, trust me!" the caretaker was grinning and frowning manically at the same time. Potter and Weasley's face were an ashen grey. They tried protesting and explaining loudly, but needless to say their attempts were futile. The Slytherins were grinning maliciously; Rosier's face was triumphant.
Kit, still under the Disillusionment Charm, knew it was time to leave. His mission had succeeded so far. Allowing himself the luxury of a small grin, he snuck up back to the Gryffindors Common Room and lay down in his four poster bed back in the boys' dormitory.
From beneath his pillow, he drew out another piece of old parchment- the real Marauders' Map.
Now all he needed was the password... and he had another plan for that.
A/N: I originally planned to continue writing about Harry's plan in this chapter, but decided it'd be too long. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks so much to those who reviewed last time, your encouragements really kept me going and supplied me with constant, imperative inspiration.
What do you think of Chapter 11? Please drop me a thought! :D
Take care,
Epsilon Scorpii