Hey hey hey! Okay, I am reading this awesome "reading the books" fanfic, and I just had to recommend it! It's called The Fate's Decision by magicforever39. It's a percy Jackson and harry potter crossover though, so…but it's really good! You can also find it in my Favorite Stories section on my profile. It's NOT MY STORY, I'm just recommending it!

Celia: who the heck is Perry Janesend?

Me: *snorts into juice* nobody, I was just rambling. Disclaimer?

Celia: Um…Nicoisawesome does not own anything! Except for me.

Me: Nope. Snapey the grouchy professor owns you now.

Celia: You did not just call him that. High five!

Me: I'll high five you when you peel off the button.

Celia: Aw. Fine, let's begin.

For the next few days, Harry was in a sullen, sad mood. I heard about his broom, but nobody could cheer him up. On Thursday, he pulled me aside out into the hallway. It was a bit strange, since usually Ron and Hermione went wherever he went.

"Look, it's probably nothing; Hermione says Divination is a load of baloney, but I think you'd listen. I saw the Grim. Two times." Harry said in a hushed whisper.

My mouth fell open. "The Grim? What did it look like?"

"Um…it looked like a black dog. A big, shaggy, furry, dark-haired dog." Tom's eyes widened.

"Harry! You're not serious. I saw it too, once, in the hallways." I twisted my head, as if the Grim could be right behind me.

Harry blinked. "The Grim's in the hallways? It's in Hogwarts?" He was whisper-shrieking.

"It's nothing. Chill. Stray black dog wandered into the hallways. Chill." I sounded like I was trying to convince myself.

Harry shook his head. "Hogwarts has magical barriers. Nothing can get in. Except if Dumbledore allows it." My mind was spinning.

We decided to talk about it later, and both headed off to class. But I guess we were both too scared, and the subject never came up.

DADA did, though. I was about to walk in, when the trio stopped in their tracks.

"Don't tell me it's because of Snape." I rolled my eyes.

Ron hissed, "Check who's in there, Celia, Hermione." Hermione and I peered through the classroom door. Lupin stood there, raggedy robed and awesome. I grinned.

"It's okay!" Hermione announced. I was glad Lupin was back, even though he did seem a little ill. His face was pale and sallow, and his eyes has dark shadows under them. We scrambled to our seats, and he smiled when we sat down. His eyes passed over me, and I smiled back at him. A spark in his eyes ignited.

The class burst into complaints about the homework. I raised my hand.

Lupin called on me. "Professor Snape made us learn about werewolves, sir. We didn't get up to it yet." I emphasized the word werewolves.

"-and we had to do TWO ROLLS OF PARCHMENT!" Someone called. The class looked indignant, and Lupin smiled yet again. He assured us that we wouldn't have to do it, and not to worry.

Hermione and I sunk into our seats. "But I already did it! I finished it!" I moaned. Hermione did the same. "Me too!" She whimpered. Harry, Ron, and even Tom smirked at me. "Oh, stop it." I muttered. Then I reached into my bag, pulled out my two pieces of parchment, and promptly ripped it in half.

We learned about hinkypunks one-legged creatures with lanterns. The bell rang, and Lupin called," Wait a minute, Harry, Celia, I'd like a word." I was glad he'd stopped calling me Miss Celia, it was seriously weird coming from him.

Harry got to his desk first, and I said goodbye to Hermione and Ron. When I got there, they were discussing the dementor incidence.

"But Sirius Black escaped from them…he got away…" Harry said slowly.

Lupin dropped his suitcase, then stooped to pick it up. "Yes. Black must have found a way to fight them. I wouldn't have believed it possible…Dementors are supposed to-"

"You're lying, aren't you?" I said, eyes narrowed. Lupin blinked. "Harry told me that you made the dementor on the train back off!"

Lupin blinked again, surprised that I had caught his slip. "There are-certain defenses one can use. But that was only on the train. The more there are, the more difficult it becomes to resist."

Harry and I did a double take. "What defenses? Can you teach me?" Harry asked instantly. "Us," I corrected firmly. Tom snorted. 'Us'?

Shut up, I didn't mean it like that.

"I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting dementors…quite the contrary…" Lupin began.

"But what if the dementors come-"

"Professor, I need to be able to fight them, the Quidditch Match-"

Lupin held up his hands and took a long, long look at our faces. "Well…all right. I'll try and help. But it'll have to wait until next term, I'm afraid. I have a lot to do before the holidays. I chose a very inconvenient time to fall…ill." Lupin shot me a quick look. I nodded.

HHHPPPOOO

Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky became a beautiful glittery white, and the grounds were glazed with frost. Flitwick had decorated the classroom with fairies, which was really cool. Of course, I had to stay at Hogwarts, but the trio had also decided to stay.

The last weekend of the term was another Hogsmeade trip.

My dad, who insisted I go, probably to make sure I wouldn't go and sit there "dawdling" with Harry, grudgingly allowed me to go with the Gryffindors. As soon as Mcgonagall turned her head, I slipped out of line and met up with Harry at the third-floor corridor.

"Are you sure? I really think you should go, even Snape-" I cut him off. "Harry, shut up."

He meekly shut his trap, and a voice hissed, "Pst..Harry! Celia!" I jumped and whirled around. Fred and George popped their heads from behind a one-eyed witch. They dragged us into an empty classroom.

"What the heck, guys?" I interrupted as they started riling us up, talking about the glory of this present we were getting. "Tell us already!"

They pulled it out. Dead silence. "A ratty piece of parchment?" Harry sounded confused and annoyed.

Sensing magic on the parchment…Tom added. I shook my head slowly. "No-it's something else-"

Fred took out his wand. He tapped the parchment and said, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." I grinned.

In curly green words, the parchment now read:

Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

Surveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers

Are proud to present

THE MARAUDERS MAP

The map showed everything in the Hogwarts castle, and tiny dots appeared, moving around in dots. Each dot had a…name on it. I could see Mrs. Norris prowling in the second floor, and Peeves hopping and wrecking the trophy room.

"Oh my gods. Is…is this heaven?" I looked up from the parchment, jumping in excitement. "I feel like screaming. Oh my gods. The amount of pranks I could pull-"

George nodded. "This is for you two. These seven lead to Hogsmeade-use this one, Harry, these four Filch knows about, and this one's caved in." He pointed to the hallways.

"See you in Hogsmeade, my fellow friends." The Weasleys grinned. Fred pressed a Dung Bomb in my palm.

"I'm counting on you to put this in Snape's bed, Celia." He grinned. I nodded. "Thanks, guys, this is awesome! Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs…wow. They are pure geniuses."

While the Weasleys taught Harry how to clean the map- "See? Just tap it with your wand and say 'Mischief Managed'!" I wondered who the Marauders were.

"So, Harry, see you in Hogsmeade!" They winked and left.

"Oh, sure, say bye to Harry, but not me." I muttered. Harry was still holding the parchment. He stared at it for a second.

"Are you going to use it or gawk at it until Filch comes along?" I prodded him with my finger, and took the paper. Suddenly, two tiny ink figures appeared, took out their tiny wands, and tapped the one-eyed witch. Harry and I shot each other looks, then hastily took out our wands, tapping the one-eyed witch.

Nothing happened. "Um…" I trailed off, looking at the parchment. Speech bubbles had appeared, and it read, "Dissendium" we tapped the stone witch again and said the word.

"It's a passageway! Oh my gods! To Hogsmeade!" I clapped a hand over my mouth. Harry grinned and pulled out a cloak. I recognized it…

Invisibility cloak! I stuck my hand under it, and the end of my arm was now my wrist. There's only one, though. Tom, Captain Obvious, pointed out.

Harry seemed to read my expression, because he smiled knowingly and draped the cloak around both of us. "Thanks," I whispered. He nodded and grabbed my wrist.

I could only see his tangly hair in front of me, so I relied on his hand on my wrist to guide me. Occasionally I would step on his foot. Sorry, Harry.

I think he's going to have blisters on the heels of his foot. Tom remarked as I accidentally toed his foot again. "Sorry!" I hissed. A bob of his head and a quiet "shh…" made me close my mouth.

I tried not to step on his foot again, and let out a quiet breath of relief when we entered a back door in Honeydukes. "Finally-oops, sorry, Harry,"

"Meet up with you guys later; I'm so checking out Zonko's!" I slipped under the cloak and became visible again. I couldn't see Harry anymore, but I bet his feet were killing him.

You stepped on him more than twenty times. Tom, the ever so helpful person, commented.

You counted?

Maybe. I huffed at his smirk. You are so cocky.

Thank you. I mentally face palmed, which of course made him smirk because he could see what was going on in my mind.

I bit my lip as the cold engulfed me, my sneakers trailing in the snow. Should have brought a bigger jacket. I shivered and hurried towards the large Zonko's.

You're telling me! It's freezing! Tom disappeared, abandoning me in the cold. I gritted my teeth and yanked open the door to Zonko's.

HHHHHPPPPOOOOO

"Ron! Hermione!" I called. Ron and Hermione were talking, and heading towards less crowded areas. Harry was probably following.

I grabbed Hermione's shoulder. The two of them turned, and Harry muttered a "hi" in my ear. His voice cracked.

"What-what happened?" I frowned at their upset faces.

"Oh-I really don't think-" Hermione reddened.

"It's okay. I-I'll tell you later, okay?" Harry murmured into my ear. I didn't like the way he sounded angry, bitter, and sad at the same time. I nodded stiffly, pretending Harry wasn't there so nobody would give me strange looks.

Black was good friends with Potter. I saw them talking and laughing when I was in school. Tom remarked softly.

How about my dad? Tom didn't answer. Finally, he replied slowly, I don't think it's my place to tell.

I almost threw my hands in the air at that. Not your place to tell? So tell me, O Wise One, who's going to tell me?

He smirked and didn't answer. I huffed quietly. Hermione studied me. "Are you okay?"

I panicked. "Yeah. I-it's nothing." I stammered. Great. Not at all up to my usual lying skills. Hermione's eyes narrowed, but she nodded suspiciously.

Slowly a hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me over to the side. "What?" I hissed out of the corner of my mouth as I pretended to straighten my robes and tighten my ponytail.

"I can't believe it, Black, he-" Harry's voice gave out that broken crack again-"he was best mates with my father! And he-he betrayed them! He's my godfather!"

If he hadn't sounded so stricken, I would have gasped. Even though I couldn't see Harry's face, I could, kind of, in my mind, see the worried crease in his forehead, and his emerald eyes crinkled with panic.

"He can't be your godfather. Your parents wished it, but if you don't, he won't ever be it. Don't worry, Harry, he's not in Hogwarts. Give me the map for a sec-" I casually leaned against the wall and grabbed the parchment.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," I whispered, pretending to write on the parchment. I tapped it with my wand, and stared at the map, folding it so that only I could see it. I inhaled sharply. What was that-but it couldn't be- he was dead.

"Is he?" Harry's invisible hand flicked the parchment corner, and I tapped it, muttering, "Mischief Managed!"

It couldn't be…I swallowed. "He's not in there, Harry. Black isn't in Hogwarts." That was an easy sentence, knowing I wasn't lying, but the name I saw….in the Gryffindor common room…it couldn't be!

I shoved the parchment at Harry. "I have to get back, to Hogwarts." I said suddenly. "I forgot-my Charms homework-ten inches of parchment-due tomorrow!" I hastily wrapped my robes around me tighter in the howling wind, and left as fast as possible. Harry murmured a goodbye, and I suspected the godfather thing was still on his mind.

As I made my way back through the passageway- I only needed to convince the cashier I had left my jacket in there while using the restroom-I breathed heavily. Because a snide little corner of my brain was wondering the impossible.

The map didn't lie. Then why, did it show, that digging under a Gryffindor bed, was Ron's rat, Scabbers? Why wasn't Scabbers' name labeled "Scabbers"?

Why did it say, Peter Pettigrew?

Black killed twenty people. If Pettigrew had survived, since Black had been on the walls of the alley, and Pettigrew's back facing the street, Black couldn't have killed the other people, and not killed Pettigrew. Curses didn't work like that.

The only way…was that…I gulped and hurried to the dungeons. The only way…

No. Black was guilty.

The only way, if Pettigrew was still alive, was that Pettigrew had cast the curse. Which meant Pettigrew was to blame.

And Black was innocent.

Pretty good thinking; Celia starts to doubt! I might have her realize Hermione has a Time Turner, too, give me opinions! I need some flaws for Celia, too!