AUTHORS NOTE! :P
I AM SOOOO SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG!
So my sister broke her arm at work so I have to be a little slave for her, but I don't really mind cause I love her to bits but I do have to help her with a lot of stuff and that's stopping me from updating but she's back to college now but I'm back at school and I'm doing my Junior Cert this year, and for those who don't know what that is, it's kinda like the O.W.L'S :( So the teachers are giving up loads of homework :/
So once again, SORRY!
Now to answer some reviews...
blazeice9967: Really? Oh, I can't wait to read it! I just have to finish Clockwork Prince and I can read it!
Alexpuppy789: Gazzy is 8 (to be nine before the story is over) and Angel is six, almost 7.
Courtney DiLaurentis: *in a sing song voice* you'll just have to wait and see! :D
max artemis potter: I haven't read it yet either, bit I didn't really like the Atlantis Complex all that much. I'm back on the 26th... :/
ChopSuzi: I took that from the book because I loved it too! I laughed when I read it before as well :D
Shan Shan Liang: you'll just have to wait and see... :D
Arkell26: Oh really? So what actually happened to your arm? As I said up there, my sister broke her arm, but at the a&e, they told her it was her ulna that was broken, but then we went up to a different hospital to get her the proper cast, and the doctors there told her it was a completely different bone that she had broken... some doctors are idiots haha :)
Annie Bell: you really thought so? well some people I've talked to really liked it, but I finished it yesterday and I hated the ending :( i liked the book in general, but I didn't think it was good enough to be a last book in the series :( I was sad :(
AnikaandAj: Yeah, it kinda sucks :( I love Hagrid! He's amazing! Maybe in a couple chapters, we'll see :)
SevLoverKat: Happy birthday! Hope you had a good day :D
Thanks for all the reviews everyone! As always, they are very much appreciated!
Anyone here read Skulduggery Pleasant? Just wondering...
AND OH MY GOD WE GOT A DOG! I've wanted a puppy for so long and now we have one! His name is Bruce and he's 12 weeks old :'D I wanted to call him Padfoot but my sister wouldn't let me...so now I call him Bruce Wayne because I love Batman! HE'S SO CUTE! :D
anyway...
Now, on with the chapter! :D (this chapter could be quite short, just saying.)
AND SORRY AGAIN!
Enjoy!
-Rach ;)
Max's POV
I was standing in an old graveyard. The headstones that I could see were all cracked and dirty. I looked around and saw that the flock were standing together by a grave, all of them looking terrified. I tried to speak, but nothing came out.
Behind them, I could see Harry, Ron and Hermione walking to join them, looking scared as well. Suddenly, all of them dropped to the ground like stones. I tried to scream, but still no noise came out. I ran over to them, and as I got closer I knew that all of them were dead. I fell down on the ground beside them, tears falling down my cheeks.
I stood up and wheeled around when I heard high, cold, laughter. Standing by a large headstone was a tall, skinny man, but I couldn't see his features. The only thing I noticed were piercing red eyes...
I bolted upright, my heart hammering and my shirt sticking to my body with sweat. I pushed my sweaty hair out of my face and tried to even my breathing. It's the same nightmare I've been having for a while, but what I found strange was that there was always a gap of a few days between every nightmare, but each time was even more terrifying then the first.
I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn't. After about ten minutes of tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep, I eventually gave up and sat up again with my feet on the ground. After a couple more minutes, I decided that the only thing for me to do would be to go outside and fly. I stood up and grabbed my jumper, threw it over my head, then pulled on my dirty converse.
I checked that Hermione, Lavender and Parvarti were still asleep, then I eased the door open as slowly as possible so it wouldn't squeak. I sneaked down to the common room, then stopped. Should I wake the others? Ask if they wanted to go flying with me? I thought about it for a minute, then decided against it. This was my time. And I ran out of the portrait hole.
"Where do you think you're going at this time of night? It's past curfew!" The Fat Lady shouted as I walked down the corridor. I smirked and started running down the stairs.
When I reached the fourth floor, I skidded to a halt. I was sure I heard footsteps. I know I'm not one to care about the rules, but I really didn't want to have to face Professor McGonagall when she was angry. Or Filch. I never wanted to face Filch.
I ducked down behind the statue of Boris the Bewildered and listened. The footsteps got closer, and then I heard them stop right in front of the statue. My curiosity got the better of me (not the first time, and definitely not the last) and I peeked out around the statue. But there was no one there. I looked around quietly, but there was no one to be seen.
To be seen...
I reached out my hand, slowly, trying to stay closer to the shadows. I felt the silky fabric of the Invisibility Cloak and I pulled.
Standing there was Harry, the Marauders Map in one hand and the golden egg in the other. His black hair was damp and he smelled of different kinds of perfume scented soap. He stared at me with wide green eyes, shocked.
"What are you doing here?" he hissed.
"I could ask you same question," I said eyeing the golden egg. Then something clicked. The egg, the soap scent that was rolling off of him, and where we were standing- in the fourth floor by the statue of Boris the Bewildered. "You had a bath," I said, grinning.
"So?" he asked, trying not to smile.
"You have the egg. You took Cedric's terrible advice."
Harry smiled. "So maybe I did. At least now I figured out the wailing."
"You did?"
"I did."
"What did it mean?" I asked.
Harry frowned, trying to remember. Then he said, ""Come seek us where our voices sound,
We cannot sing above the ground,
And while you're searching, ponder this:
Wove taken what you'll sorely miss,
An hour long you'll have to look,
And to recover what we took,
But past an hour- the prospect's black,
Too late, it's gone, it wont come back.""
"And you figured out what that meant that fast?" I asked, trying to figure it out myself.
"Yeah well, Moaning Myrtle helped," Harry asked, rolling his eyes.
"What? Moaning Myrtle was with you while you were having a bath?" I asked, trying not to laugh.
"Oh, shut up," Harry said, smiling. "There were loads of bubbles."
I laughed and said, "So what does it mean?"
"It means that something I would really miss will be stolen from me and placed at the bottom of the Black Lake and I have an hour to get it," Harry said. I stared at him.
"You have an hour? But- but how are you going to breath for an hour?" I asked.
Harry frowned, chuckling weakly. "I don't know. I suppose that's the next thing we have to figure out."
"Well we'll be helping you every way we can," I said, touching his shoulder. He grinned then asked, "So what are you doing out this late?"
I thought back to the nightmare, to seeing Harry with those wide, unseeing eyes... "Couldn't sleep," I said, avoiding eye contact. "I was going to go flying."
"Do you want me to go outside with you?" he asked. I nodded. "Sure, if you don't mind."
"Here, get under the Cloak," Harry said, bending down and picking it up. He threw it over the two of us and we started walking. "Oh, wait. I should check the Marauders Map, see if Filch or Mrs. Norris is around," Harry said. He pulled out his wand, whispered "Lumos!" then tapped the map with his wand and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."
Straight away, lines started spreading across the map and the words `Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present the Marauders Map,' spread across the top of the map. Harry opened it, and right there was a detailed map of the castle and the grounds, and where everyone was and what they were doing.
Filch and Mrs Norris were safely in their office. No one seemed to be moving except for Peeves, but he was bouncing around in the trophy room. We started walking again, but then Harry stopped. "That's weird..." he whispered. "Look at this."
Harry pointed to the corner of the map where Snape's office was...but the dot wasn't labelled Severus Snape...it was labelled Bartemius Crouch.
"What? But isn't Crouch ill? What the hell is he doing here? At three in the morning?" I whispered. Harry shrugged, clearly as confused as I was. We stood there, watching as the dot moved around and around the room, pausing here and there...
I looked up at Harry, and he was looking at me. We both nodded at the same time, then we turned around and headed off in the direction of Snape's office. We were going to see what Crouch was up to.
We walked down the staircase as quietly as possible, although some of the portraits still turned curiously at the squeak of a floorboard or from the rustle of our pajamas. We crept down the corridor, not speaking to each other, although we didn't have to speak to know what the other was thinking.
We reached a huge tapestry that Harry brushed aside and we were now walking down a much narrower corridor that would lead us down two floors. I kept glancing at the map. It just didn't make any sense, or fit his character, for law-abiding Mr Crouch to sneak into someone else's office at the dead of night...
We were halfway down a staircase when suddenly I felt Harry drop beside me and the cloak slipped over my head. I looked over at Harry and saw that he was stuck in the trick step that Neville always forgets to jump. The only reason I wasn't stuck in it too was because I was a step behind Harry.
I pulled the cloak back over my head and bent down to help Harry out of the step, but then he wobbled and the golden egg fell from his grip and rolled down the steps of the staircase. Me and Harry both lurched forward trying to grab it, but it was too far away- the egg fell down the staircase with a bang as loud as a bass drum on every step- the Invisibility Cloak slipped again, and I reached out to grab it just as Harry went to grab it, then the Marauders Map fluttered out of his hand and slid down six steps, where it was too far for us to get it from under the Cloak.
I started to take the cloak off, but Harry grabbed my hand just as the egg rolled under the tapestry, burst open and started wailing loudly in the corridor. We waited, Harry still holding my hand, and with his free hand he fixed the cloak around us so that we were completely covered. We waited, listening hard, holding hands. My heart was beating so fast and loud that I feared that whoever was going to come and check out what was happening would be able to hear it.
Then, almost immediately-
"PEEVES!"
It was the unmistakable hunting cry of Filch. We could hear his rapid, shuffling footsteps and his wheezy breathing as he drew nearer and nearer.
"What's this racket? Wake up the whole castle, will you? I'll have you, Peeves, I'll have you- what is this?"
Filch's footsteps halted; there was a clink of metal on metal and the wailing stopped- Filch had picked up the egg and closed it. The two of us stood very still, and Harry's leg was still in the magical step...any minute now, Filch was going to pull back the tapestry, thinking that it'll be Peeves, but Peeves wouldn't be there, but if he came up the stairs he would definitely see the Marauders Map...and Invisibility Cloak or not, the map would clearly read `Maximum Ride' and `Harry Potter' standing in this spot.
"Egg?" Filch said quietly at the foot of the stairs. "My sweet!"- obviously Mrs Norris was with him- "This is a Triwizard Clue! This belongs to a school champion!"
My heart was hammering in my chest; my stomach was churning-
"PEEVES!" Filch roared gleefully. I've never heard him sound so happy. "You've been stealing!"
He ripped back the tapestry and I saw his horrible, pouchy face and bulging pale eyes, staring up at the dark, and as far as Filch knew, the deserted staircase.
"Hiding, are you?" he said softly. "I'm coming to get you, Peeves...you've gone and stolen a Triwizard clue, Peeves...Dumbledore'll have you out of here for this, you filthy poltergeist..."
Filch started climbing the stairs, his scrawny, dust-coloured cat at his heels. Mrs Norris's lamp-like eyes, so very like her masters, were fixed directly on us. Not for the first time, I wondered if cats were able to see past Invisibility Cloaks. Sick with apprehension, I watched as Filch drew closer and closer to the Marauders Map in his old flannel dressing gown- beside me, Harry was trying desperately to free his leg. I would of moved out and grabbed the map, but it was too far away for me to get it without being seen.
Harry had no luck getting his leg out. I actually think it sank down into the step more.
"Filch? What's happening?"
Filch stopped a few steps below me and Harry and turned. At the foot of the stairs stood the only person that could of made this situation any worse: Snape. He was wearing a long grey nightshirt and he looked livid.
"It's Peeves, Professor," Filch said. "He threw this egg down the stairs."
Snape climbed the stairs and stood beside Filch. I gritted my teeth and tightened my grip on Harry's hand.
"Peeves?" Snape said softly, staring at the egg in Filch's hand. "But Peeves couldn't get into my office..."
"The egg was in your office, Professor?"
"Of course not!" Snape snapped. "I heard banging and wailing-"
"Yes Professor, that was the egg-"
"-I was coming to investigate-"
"-Peeves threw it, Professor-"
-"and when I passed my office, I saw that the torches were lit and a cupboard door was ajar! Somebody has been searching it!"
"But Peeves couldn't-"
"I know he couldn't Filch!" Snape shouted. "I seal my office with a spell none but a wizard could break through!" Snape looked up at the stairs, straight through us and then down the corridor below. "I want you to come help me search for the intruder, Filch."
"I-yes, Professor- but-"
Filch looked at the stairs desperately, right through us, and I held my breath. I could see that Filch was very reluctant to leave the chance of getting rid of Peeves from the castle forever. Go, I pleaded, just go with Snape...please...
"The thing is, Professor," Filch said, "the headmaster would have to listen to me now. Peeves has been stealing from a student, it might be the only chance to get him out of the castle for good-"
"Filch, I don't care about that damn wretched poltergeist! It's my office that's been-"
Clunk. Clunk. Clunk.
Snape stopped talking very abruptly. He and Filch both looked down at the foot of the stairs. I saw Mad-Eye Moody limp into sight between the narrow gap over their heads. Moody was wearing an old travelling cloak over his nightshirt and he was leaning on his staff as usual.
"Having a pajama party and I wasn't invited?" he growled.
"Professor Snape and I heard noises, Professor," Filch explained. "Peeves the poltergeist has been stealing from students and throwing things around- and then Professor Snape discovered that someone had broken into his of-"
"Shut up!" Snape snapped at once.
Moody took a step closer to the foot of the steps. I saw his magical eye glide over Snape, and then onto me and Harry.
My heart gave a painful jolt. Moody was able to see through the Invisibility Cloak...he alone could see how strange this situation seemed: Snape in his nightshirt; Filch clutching a golden egg; and me and Harry, under and Invisibility Cloak, holding hands, with Harry's leg stuck in a step. For a few seconds, he locked eyes on both of us, then he looked away and turned back to Snape.
"Did I hear that correctly, Snape?" he asked. "Someone broke into your office?"
Snape's lips thinned. "It is unimportant," he said coldly.
"Oh, on the contrary," growled Moody. "it is very important. Who'd want to break into your office?"
"A student, I daresay," Snape said. I could see a vein flickering horribly in Snape's temple. "It has happened before. Potion ingredients have gone missing from my private cupboard...students attempting illicit mixtures, no doubt..."
"Reckon they were only after some potion ingredients?" Moody asked. "Not hiding anything in your office, are you Snape?"
"You know I'm not hiding anything Moody, as you did quite a thorough search of my office yourself."
Moody's mangled face twisted into a smile. "Auror's privilege. Dumbledore asked me to-"
"Dumbledore happens to trust me," Snape snarled through clenched teeth. "I refuse to believe that he has given you orders to search my office!"
"Course Dumbledore trusts you," growled Moody. "He's a trusting man. He believes in second chances. But me- I like to say that there are some spots that just never come off, Snape. You know what I mean?"
Snape suddenly did something very weird- even for him. He seized his left forearm with his right arm, as though something had hurt him.
Moody laughed. "Go back to bed, Snape,"
"You don't have the authority to send me anywhere!" Snape shouted, letting go of his arm as if angry with himself. "I have as much right to prowl this castle at night as you do!"
"Prowl away," Moody said, but his voice was full of menace. "I look forward to meeting you in a dark corridor sometime...you've dropped something, by the way..."
I looked at Harry in horror. Moody was pointing at the Marauders Map. Harry's eyes were wide and sparkling, and he looked very nervous. As Snape and Filch turned to look at it, Harry started waving his hands around and mouthing, "It's mine! It's mine!"
Snape reached for it, a horrible look of comprehension of his face-
"Accio Parchment!"
The map flew into the air, slipped through Snape's outstretched fingers, and into Moody's waiting hand.
"My mistake," Moody said calmly. "It's mine. I must have dropped it."
But Snape's black eyes were darting from the map to the egg in Filch's hands, and I could tell that he was putting two and two together as only Snape could.
"Potter," he said quietly.
"What's that?" Moody said calmly, folding up the map and pocketing it.
"Potter!" Snape snarled and he actually turned his head and stared right at the place where we were. "That egg is Potter's. That piece of parchment belongs to Potter! I have seen it before, I recognize it! Potter is here, with his Invisibility Cloak! And no doubt Ride is with him!"
Snape stretched out his hands the way Iggy used to when he was first blind, and started walking up the stairs towards us. We leaned back, trying to get away from his outstretched fingers-
"There's nothing there Snape!" barked Moody. "But I'll be happy to tell you the headmaster would be happy to hear how quickly your mind jumped to Harry Potter and Maximum Ride!"
"Meaning what?" Snape asked, turning around and staring at Moody, his hands inches from my stomach.
"Meaning that Dumbledore is very interested to know who has it in for those two!" Moody moved closer to the foot of the stairs. "And so am I Snape...very interested..." The torchlight flickered over his mangled face so that the scars and the chunk missing from his nose stood out far more then usual.
Slowly, Snape lowered his hands and then he said, "I merely thought that if Potter and Ride were wandering around after hours again...it's an unfortunate habit of theirs...they should be stopped. For their- their own safety."
"Ah, I see," Moody said, "Got Potter and Ride's best interests at heart, have you?"
There was a long pause. I rolled my eyes. Yeah, because Snape had a heart.
"I think I'll go back to bed," Snape said eventually.
"Best idea you've have all day," Moody smiled. "Now, Filch, give me that egg-"
"No!" said Filch, clutching the egg. He reminded me of Gollum from The Lord of The Rings. "Professor Moody, this is evidence of Peeve's treachery.
"It's the property of the champion he stole it from," Moody said. "Hand it over."
Snape swept downstairs and passed Moody without a word. Filch made a chirping noise to Mrs. Norris who stared blankly at us for a few seconds before turning and following her master. I heard Snape walking away down the corridor; Filch handed Moody the egg and disappeared from view too, muttering to Mrs Norris.
"Close save," Moody muttered after we heard a door banging.
"Yeah. Thanks," Harry said.
"What is this thing?" he asked, taking out the Marauders Map and unfolding it. "It's a map of Hogwarts," Harry said reluctantly. I tried pulling Harry out of the step, but he was stuck in there good. I would need help to get him out. I hope Moody offered to help soon.
"Merlin's beard," Moody whispered, staring at the map. "This is some map, Potter."
"Yeah...it's quite useful," I said, still trying to yank Harry's leg free.
"Er- Professor? Do you think you could help Max and get me out of here?" Harry asked.
"What? Oh, yes, yes of course!" Moody said. We both took one of Harry's arm each and pulled him up. His leg came free of the trick step and he climbed onto the same step as me.
Moody said slowly "You didn't happen to see who had broken into Snape's office, by any chance? On the map, I mean?"
We shared a look, and Harry nodded. "Yeah, we did. It was...Mr Crouch."
Moody's magical eye whizzed over the entire map. He looked suddenly alarmed.
"Crouch? Are- are you sure?"
"Positive," Harry said.
"Well, he isn't here anymore," Moody said, his eyes flying over the map. "Crouch...that's very interesting..."
He said nothing for a minute, still staring intently on the map. I could tell that this meant something to Moody, but I didn't dare ask. To be honest Moody scared me a bit. But, he did just stop me and Harry from getting into a lot of trouble...
"Sir?" I asked. "Why do you think Crouch would be in Snape's office?"
Moody's magical eye left the map and focused on me and Harry. I had the impression that he was sizing us up, wondering whether to answer me or not.
"Put it this way, Miss Ride," he said, "they say that old Mad-Eye Moody is obsessed with catching wizard. But he is nothing- nothing- compared to Barty Crouch." He continued to look at the match, even though I was eager to know more.
"Professor Moody?" Harry asked. "D'you think this has anything to do...maybe Mr Crouch thinks that something is happening..."
"Like what?" Moody said sharply.
Harry and I shared a look, not wanting to say too much in case Moody might guess that someone outside Hogwarts has been talking to us. I didn't want any tricky questions about Sirius.
"I don't know," Harry said. "Weird things have been happening lately, right? It's been in the Prophet...the Dark Mark in the sky, the Death Eaters and everything."
Both of Moody's eyes widened.
"You two are quite sharp," he said, nodding in approval. He looked back at the map. "Crouch could be thinking along the same lines," he said slowly. "Very possibly. There have been some strange rumors flying around lately- and Rita Skeeter isn't exactly helping either, of course. Making people nervous." A grim smile twisted on his lopsided mouth. "Oh if there's one thing I hate," he muttered, more to himself then to us, "is a Death Eater that walks free."
I stared at him. He couldn't mean what I thought he meant?
"And now I want to ask the two of us a question," Moody said in a business like voice. I literally felt as if my stomach dropped from my stomach. He was going to ask where we got the map. But the story of how Harry got it didn't only involve me and him, and the others, but also our fathers and Fred and George- and Remus Lupin, our last Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Moody waved the map in front of us and I braced myself-
"Can I borrow this?" he asked finally.
"Oh!" Harry said, clearly relieved. "Yeah okay." I knew Harry was very fond of that map, but I don't think he cared now that Moody wasn't asking where we got it from.
"Good boy," growled Moody. "I can make good use of this...this might be exactly what I've been needing. Right, bed, off with the two of you."
We climbed to the top of the staircase together, Moody still examining the map as if it was treasure. They walked in silence to the door of Moody's office, where he stopped and looked at us.
"Ever thought of being an Auror, Ride, Potter?"
"No," I answered, taken aback.
"Well you should. Especially with your- er, certain abilities, you could make a fine Auror. And you too, Potter. Keep that in mind. Now, I'm guessing you weren't just talking the egg out for a walk tonight, am I right?"
"Yeah," Harry said. "I was trying to work out the clue."
Moody winked at us, his magical eye going mental. "Nothing like a nighttime stroll to give you ideas. See you in the morning."
He went into his office, staring at Marauders Map and closed the door behind him.
We walked slowly back to Gryffindor tower, talking quietly about what just happened, trying to figure it out. Why was Crouch pretending to be ill, and then sneak into Snape's office in the middle of the night? What did he think Snape was hiding in his office that was that important?
And Moody thought that me and Harry were Auror material. Honestly, I never thought I'd live long enough to ever think about a career, and every second of every day I expect to be taken back to the School...but I liked the idea of being an Auror.
Fighting evil people, protecting those who needed protecting... yeah, I thought as I bid Harry goodnight, being an Auror would be pretty awesome.
I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY! PLEASE FORGIVE ME? :(
I hope it doesn't take this long for the next chapter, but if it is, please start messaging me or reviewing to get me to do the chapter because then I 'll feel like I was under pressure, and I do better when I'm under pressure :)
Hope you all forgive me :(
Anyway, I said enough at the top Authors Note, so here it is, hope you enjoyed the chapter :)
Love you guys, you're amazing :D
like always, to get cookies and butterbeer and because of my tardiness, you get chocolate cake! So...
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-Rach ;)