The Gryffindor Party carried on into the wee hours of the night, and only ended when Professor McGonagall came in with her tartan dressing gown and hair net at one in the morning. Even though she insisted everyone go to bed, Grace had other plans. She was at the good part of her book,Little Women, and decided she wanted to enjoy the common room while it was quiet and she could be alone. However, she didn't get two pages in before she ended up falling asleep.

She stirred when she felt someone take the book from her hand. "Shh," a voice whispered softly, a very familiar voice. She cracked an eye open, groaned quietly when she felt something soft and warm drape over her. She couldn't see much, her vision blurry from sleep. "Shh, go back to sleep, love," the voice whispered and when she felt them press a hand to her hair, running their fingers through it, and she let her eyes close again. She brought the blanket up closer to her chin as she enjoyed the feeling of the person's fingers. "Good night, my Grace," they whispered and she felt them press a kiss to the top of her head, then they were gone and sleep consumed her again.

Grace stirred for a second time that night, not long after when she heard something loud coming from up in the dormitories, and then the scampering and growling of Crookshanks. She groaned when she heard a familiar whine and a hiss. She blinked open her eyes a few minutes later to see Harry, Ron, Neville, Dean and Seamus standing in the common room pale in fear.

"What's going on?" She yawned tiredly, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, then pulled the blanket closer to her.

"Professor McGonagall told us to go to bed!" Percy exclaimed as he came down the stairs. Grace glared in confusion as she noticed more boys coming down, and heard a few girls whispering as they too came from their dorm room.

"Excellent! Are we carrying on?" Fred grinned.

"Everyone back upstairs!" Percy tried to usher everyone back to bed.

"Perce – Sirius Black!" Ron said faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"

The common room went very still.

"Nonsense!" Percy said, voice trembling in fright as he shook his head. "You had too much to eat, Ron – had a nightmare –"

"I'm telling you –"

"Now, really, enough's enough!" McGonagall snapped as she slammed the portrait behind her when she entered the common room, looking at everyone furiously.

"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"

"I certainly didn't authorize this, Professor!" Percy protested. "I was just telling them all to get back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare-"

"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron shouted. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!" Grace stared at Ron with fear.

No... he-he wouldn't do that. Why would he go to Ron?Grace thought in her head...And if he was here I would've seen him...right? She asked herself, as she curled deeper into the voice... she remembered, looking at the blanket that she didn't remember pulling over herself. She was barely awake when she heard the voice, and it was familiar, it was the same voice that told her to go to the castle. It was her father that tucked her in and kissed her head goodnight. He came in and what? Tried to hurt Ron? That didn't make any sense.

"Don't be ridiculous, Weasley, how could he possibly have gotten through the portrait hole?"

"Ask him!" Ron said, pointing a trembling finger to the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask him if he saw –" McGonagall glared suspiciously at Ron before making her way to the portrait entrance. The entire common room held their breath and listened.

"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"

"Certainly, good lady!" He exclaimed.

Everyone froze in stunned silence.

"You – youdid?" McGonagall asked, surprised. "But – but the password!"

"He had 'em!" Sir Cadogan told her proudly. "Had the whole week's worth of passwords, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!" Grace grimaced, now knowing where Neville's list went.

"Which person," McGonagall said after returning into the common room, her face stone cold and white as chalk. "Which abysmallyfoolishperson wrote down this week's passwords and left themlying around?"

The thick silence was broken by a small, terrified squeak and Grace winced when she saw Neville raise his hand in the air, looking guilty.

"Oh, Nevile," Grace sighed.

No one in Gryffindor Tower slept that night as the castle was being searched again, this time however, the entire house was able to stay awake in the common room, waiting for word on if Sirius Black was captured or not. Grace knew she should've spoken up to Professor McGonagall about seeing Sirius Black before he had went to the dorms, but she couldn't. There was some nagging part of her brain that made her hesitant and she kept thinking about it over and over.

Why would he risk breaking into the common room wheneveryonewas asleep? And why would he go to Ron's bed? If he was dangerous, wouldn't he have tried to kill all the other boys trying to find Harry? But whyRon? What did her dad want with Ron? Perhaps it was a mistake, that he got the wrong bed... But she heard Snuffles, and Crookshanks. Did they know him too?

When Professor McGonagall returned to the common room, she had announced that Sirius Black had escaped once again. And even though she shouldn't be, a small part of Grace was relieved.

The next day, there seemed to be new, tighter security measures taking place within the castle. Professor Flitwick was teaching the doors to recognize Sirius Black's face. The Fat Lady returned to her post but now had two security trolls patrolling the corridor.

Ron, however, was basking in his new found fame as the entire school was buzzing about him. Grace rolled her eyes as she listened to Ron tell a new version of the tale. "Why though?" Ron asked, turning to Harry and Grace as a group of second-year girls walked away. "Why did he run?" he asked. "And how come you didn't see him?" He asked, turning to Grace. "You were in the common room!"

"I wasasleep, Ron," she huffed, glaring at him. "You know that thing you do at night when you're tired and youreyes are closed!" she hissed and pushed past the two boys and stormed down the corridor. She didn't want to hear about Ron's run in with Sirius Black anymore, and she didn't want anymore questions about why she didn't see him! Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore had brought her into his office the afternoon after the incident and asked her if she had seen or heard anything. Of course, like on Halloween, she said no, but she got that same look from Dumbledore, the same look that made her think that he knew she was lying.

For the next week and a half, Grace spent her time with Hermione, researching everything they could to help Hagrid with Buckbeak. They even wrote their own eye-witness testimonies that he could provide in the hearing, that Malfoy was the one at fault and it wasn't Buckbeak. If she wasn't with Hermione, she was out at her tree, hoping to see Snuffles, but after almost two hours outside with no sight of the dog, she went back inside the castle.

Now she was sitting, curled up on the sofa in the corner closest to the fire with her book. She still hadn't finished readingLittle Women, and while she enjoyed the story of it, she just couldn't get into the book. She wondered if it was because she had too much on her mind to concentrate on the book.

"Come with me," Grace jumped and looked up to see Harry in his pajama's and a grey hoodie, his wand in one hand and the Marauder's Map in the other.

"What?"

"Come with me."

"Why?"

"I thought I saw something on the Map and I want to go investigate but you're the only person I want to check it out with," he told her and she blushed.

"What did you see?"

"Look," he handed her the Map and she frowned. He pointed to a name, that made her Pettigrew.

"Peter Pettigrew? But...but he's dead..." she said, looking from the Map to Harry, who nodded.

"Let's go," he nodded to the door. Grace put her bookmark back in her book and placed it on the sofa as she stood up. Harry grabbed her hand and they snuck out of the Common room. Grace held the map, while Harry held his illuminated wand.

They walked through the dark corridors, they had gotten onto the same floor as the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, and Remus' quarters. "Wait," she whispered to Harry as she came to a stop. "He's coming this way," she whispered, pointing to the map where they saw the namePeter Pettigrewslowly get closer to them. She frowned, noticing how wonky the footprints were, going all over the place, she knew that wasn't normal. Grace held her breath and squeezed Harry's hand tightly as the name got closer to closer. They looked up, Harry holding his wand out hoping to see the mysterious man. She squinted her eyes, hoping to see through the darkness. They slowly turned, facing the name and they both jumped when they saw their reflection in the mirror.

"Watch it there, you two!" A portrait scolded them. Grace took deep breaths as they turned around, frowning atPeter Pettigrewwas now past them and had rounded the corner.

"That's odd," she whispered.

"Snape!" Harry hissed, and her heart stopped as she looked down and saw Snape's name coming close and about to round the corner."Mischief Managed," Harry whispered, pointing his wand to the map, and Grace stuffed into her, well it was still Harry's, hoodie pocket."Nox," The light at the end of Harry's wand disappeared just in time.

They both knew they couldn't escape in time, there was no point in even trying, so Harry squeezed her hand as an apology as the bright light shined in their faces. Grace squinted from the harsh light that close.

"Potter, Black," Snape sneered. "Out for a lover's midnight stroll, are we?" he asked mockingly, looking down at their conjoined hands. Grace's face burned from embarrassment.

"I was...I was..." Harry started, trying to think of something. "Sleepwalking..." he finished. It took all of Grace's willpower not to turn to him in confusion.

"How extraordinarily like your father's you both are. They, too, were exceedingly arrogant. Strutting about the castle –"

"My dad didn'tstrut," Harry retorted, cutting Snape off. Grace couldn't say the same, she had a feeling that her daddidstrut based on the stories that Remus had told her. "Nor do I, or Grace for that matter. If you don't mind, we'd appreciate it if you lowered your wand."

Snape gave them an icy glance before lowering his wand, noticing the fullness of Grace's pockets. "Turn out your pockets," he told her and Grace didn't move, instead she stared up at him. "Turn out your pockets!" he ordered harshly and Grace, begrudgingly, pulled the folded up map from her pocket. "And this, what might it be?" he asked, raising a brow at Grace.

"Spare bits of parchment," she answered simply. "I was reading, I like to take notes you see..."

"Really," he said dully, drawing the word out, then pointed his wand to the parchment. "Revealyour secrets." Grace and Harry both looked down, and their eyes widened in horror as they saw the words beginning to appear on the paper. Grace felt her heart fall, they were both in it. "Read it."

Grace gulped. "Mr. Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business," she read aloud, wincing.

Snape froze, his eyes narrowing dangerously at the parchment. "Continue," he hissed, as the words kept appearing on the paper and Grace wished it would stop.

"Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git," Harry read, squeezing her hand and they both knew they were really in for it now. It would've been funny if it had been anyone else, andnotSnape, but Grace grimaced as the words didn'tstop. Please stop! She pleaded mentally.

"Go on," Snape glared and Grace swallowed hard.

"Mr. Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a professor..." Grace closed her eyes in horror. She was in for it, they both were. She knew that Remus wouldn't be able to talk her way out of a letter to home after this.

"Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball." Harry had finished.

Grace opened her eyes to see Snapes face so red, that she nearly ran from fright. "Why, you two-"

"Professor?" Remus' voice came from behind Snape, and they all looked to see Remus slowly appear from the darkness.

"Well, well,Lupin," Snape sneered. "Out for a little walk in themoonlight, are you?"

"Harry? Grace? You two alright?" Remus asked, ignoring Snape. Grace nodded quickly, wanting to get out of there and go back to the common room.

"That remains to be seen. I've just now confiscated a rather curious artifact from Miss Black and Mr. Potter. Take a look, Lupin, thisissupposed to be your area ofexpertise," Snape glared, snatching the map from Grace's hands, the map now had a horribly insulting characture of Snape, and handed it to Remus. "Clearly, it's full of dark magic."

Remus frowned as he took the paper from Snape and quickly glanced at a guilty-looking Grace and nervous-looking Harry, then at the map. "I severely doubt that, Severus," he started, looking back up to Snape. "It looks to me as if it merely insults anyone who tries to read it," he said, chuckling. "I suspect it's a Zonko's product."

"You think a joke shop could supply them such a thing? You don't think it more likely that they got itdirectly from the manufacturers?" Snape sneered.

"You mean from Mr. Wormtail? Or Mr. Padfoot, or Mr. Prongs? Or this Mr. Moony?" Remus asked chuckling, then turned to Grace and Harry. "Do either of you know any of these men?" he asked them, and they both shook their head. "It looks like a Zonko's product to me," he continued and Snape went to grab the paper but Remus pulled it out of Snapes reach. "Nevertheless, I shall pursue any hidden qualities it may possess. As you say, itismy area of expertise," he said with a small smirk, then turned to look at Grace and Harry. "Come, Harry, Grace," he nodded to them.

The look in Remus' eyes didn't go unnoticed by Grace, and she wanted nothing more than to go back to the common room. Hurriedly, Harry pulled Grace along with him past Snape and followed Remus. The walk to his classroom was silent, and she could feel the anger coming from him. Harry seemed to notice the distressed look on Grace's face and squeezed her hand in comfort. He was going to take the blame, since it really was his idea to drag her out of the common room.

"Professor, it was all my idea-" Harry started as they rounded the corner, but with a look from Remus, Harry quieted. Remus opened the door to his classroom, storming down the center aisle with Harry and Grace following after him.

"I don't know how this map came to be in your possession, but I'mastoundedthat neither of you handed it in!" Remus scolded them angrily. "Did either of you stop to think thatthis– " he held up the map, shaking it in the air at them, "in the hands ofSirius Black– is a map to thetwo of you?" Grace looked down at her feet, feeling guilty. "Your father didn't set much store by the rules either, Harry, but he and your mother gave theirlivesto save yours! Gambling their sacrifice by walking about the castle unprotected, with akilleron the loose, strikes me as a poor way to repay them!

"And you, Gracia," Grace winced at the name. "I thought your mother and I raised you better, than this! Itaughtyou better than this! Do you know what your mother and I have sacrificed for you? All of that would go to waste if Sirius Black managed to get a hold of you! This is not the first, or the second, but thethirdtime I've had to speak to you! Iwillnot do it again, because the next time I find that you've stepped out of line, Iwillwrite to your mother!" He shouted, slamming the map on his desk. Grace grimaced. "I don't know what's gotten into you, and, no matter how many times I've tried to talk to you, it doesn't seem to work! I am at my wit's end with you! One more mess up, Gracia, and I will be through, do you understand?" Grace nodded numbly.

"Professor," Harry spoke up quietly.

"I don't want to hear explanations," Remus cut him off shortly.

"No, it wasn't," Harry shook his head. "Why did Snape think we'd gotten it from the manufacturers?"

Grace noticed how Remus became stiff. "Because," he paused, "because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining," Grace frowned. She just realized that Remus knew it was a map, how did he know it was a map?

"Do youknowthem?" Harry asked, impressed.

"We've met," Remus answered shortly, before scribbling something on a spare parchment. "Here you two go, in case you are stopped by Mr. Filch or another teacher. I'd like you two to return to your dormitory now. Don't take any detours, if you do, I will know," Remus tapped the map on his desk. Harry nodded and went to leave, tugging Grace with him, then he paused.

"Professor Lupin," Harry started again, turning to their teacher. "Just so you know, I don't think that map always works. Earlier, it showed someone in the castle... someone Grace and I both know to be dead."

" And who was that, Harry?" Remus asked, half-listening as he moved to the other side of his desk.

"Peter Pettigrew," Remus stood straighter and looked at the two of them. There was something in his eyes, confusion and disbelief, and he shook his head.

"That's not possible," he whispered and Harry shrugged.

"Just telling you what we saw," he said and tugged on Grace's hand, but Grace didn't move. "Grace?"

"Uh... I-I want to ask Professor Lupin something, wait for me outside?" she asked and Harry looked at her curiously before nodding. When Harry stepped out of the classroom and when she heard the door closed she turned to Remus, who sat at his desk.

"It's time for bed, Grace-"

"How did you know it's a map?" she asked.

"Gracia," Remus sighed, giving her a look that clearly said he didn't want to talk about it.

"We never mentioned a map, and that paper never said map either," she continued. "How did you know it was a map?" she asked again.

"Gracia," He said, in a low voice, clearly done. "It's time to go to bed."

Grace sighed, looking out the window at the moon that shone through the glass, then she realized. "Moony," she whispered, her eyes widening in realization and she looked at him in surprise. She's been wondering why that name sounded so familiar, wondering where she had heard it before. Her mother had said it a few times when she thought Grace wasn't in the room or listening whenever she talked to Remus. "You're Moo-"

"GO TO BED!" Remus shouted at her, making her jump and look at him in fright. "Now." She nodded and turned to walk out of the room. She paused at the door to look back at him. He hovered over the papers on his desk, gripping his hair tightly. She saw the slight tremor in his shoulders, and her heart broke.

"I love you," she called to him softly, "and I'm sorry..." Then she left the room.