The Eternal

chapter 6

A couple of weeks after the incident at the Quidditch match, winter fell over Hogwarts and the holidays had arrived for the students. More than half the school had packed up their things and wondered off to the Hogwarts express, that would take them home for Christmas, but Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed back, like some other students. These students spent their time going down to Hogsmeade for a Christmassy time, but Harry had to stay back and watch all the kids leave in a good mood. He sat at the top of the clock window with Alice, desperately wishing to leave with Hermione and Ron.

"You're really still not allowed to go?" Alice asked. Harry nodded. "That's really unfair. Like, what do they think would happen, you aren't 10 anymore," Alice said in disbelief, but Harry just shook her off and turned away from the window. "There is no point in trying to go, I will just end up with detention," Harry answered. "If only I was able to teleport," Alice pleaded. "I bet you can, you just don't know how," Harry said turning back in her direction. A frown appeared on Alice forehead. "What makes you think that?" she asked. "Are you serious?" Harry replied.

"You can do everything else, why not that too? Besides, apparition is a skill that is mastered by many wizards and witches already, so you will be able to do it too, if not better," Harry continued. "Well, I haven't figured it out yet and I am not going to. I have other stuff I have to concentrate on first. Like the three new abilities I need to learn to control, before moving on to more abilities that are stuck inside of me," Alice said. Suddenly Harry's frown turned into a grin and he started running towards the stairs. "Where are you going?" Alice yelled after him. "Getting something that will help me get out of here!" Harry yelled as he ran down the stairs. "Aren't you going to tell me what it is?" Alice yelled after him and walked to the railing, but Harry had already reached the end and was out of reach. "Idiot."

A couple of minutes later, Harry walked outside the front doors under his invisibility cloak towards the path to Hogsmeade. As he proudly walked past Fred and George Weasley, the twins suddenly ran towards him and grabbed him by his arms and pulled him back with them. "Guys, let me go!" Harry pleaded, but the two boys just laughed. "Oh, clever, Harry," Fred said. "But not clever enough. Besides, we've got a better way," George finished. "Guys, come on, I'm trying to get to Hogsmeade," Harry pleaded once again. "We know," the boys said and pulled him towards the stairs where Harry had come down from. "Don't worry, we'll get you there," Fred said as they entered the school. "We'll show you a quicker way," Fred added. "If you pipe down," George finished. "Ow, let me go! Come on, guys," Harry begged at this point. "Bless him," George added as they got to the stairs. "Now Harry, come and join the big boys," the twins said as they sat Harry down and pulled his cloak off his head.

"What are you doing?" Harry asked angrily, but Fred just shushed him and handed him a sheet of old paper. "What's this rubbish?" Harry asked annoyed, holding the paper in his hands. "What's this rubbish he says," Fred mocked, and the boys laughed. "That there is the secret to our success," he added and pointed at the paper. "It's a wrench giving it to you, believe me," George said. "But, we've decided, your needs are greater than ours," Fred said. Harry opened the folded paper and saw, that there was nothing in it. He looked up at the boys in confusion. "George, if you will," Fred said as he saw the face Harry was making. Then George pulled out his wand and held it on the empty sheet of paper. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he said and suddenly writing, and a symbol appeared on paper.

"Messieurs Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present the Marauder's Map," Harry read out and looked up at the twins again. "We owe them so much," George stated. Harry opened the paper further and in front of him appeared a large map of the school's grounds. "Hang on. This is Hogwarts," Harry said in disbelief. "And that- ," Harry started and then stopped in shock. "No, is that really," Harry started but the twins finished his sentence for him. "Dumbledore. Pacing. In his study," the twins said back and forth. "Does that a lot," Fred added. "So, you mean, this map shows," Harry started again, but George finished his sentence. "Everyone," he said. "Everyone?" Harry asked reassuring. "Everyone. What they're doing," George said. "Where they are," Fred added. "Every minute," George added. "Of every day," Fred finished.