The New Marauder

Twenty Six

    The note haunts me, so much so that I wish I never saw it in the first place. It's been four weeks, and I still haven't found the courage to try his suggestion. I think it's because if it actually works, then it will make everything real. That the one I had been talking to through the map is my father. It's the only conclusion I had come up with. The father that threw me away for whatever reason, the father who hadn't bothered with me until the night. If I use this, then the ghost of my father comes to life. While I would rather figure it out on my own, I fear that my curiosity will soon be getting the better of me.
    Even now, while the older kids had just come back from Hogsmeade and with Charlie posting the Quidditch team's practice schedule, I couldn't be happy like the rest of my Housemates. I had made the team, but after speaking to Professor McGonagall, I was placed on the reserve list. Charlie, Fred, and George were a bit disappointed that I had done that, but after talking with them about my feelings and what happened the night I was in the Hospital Wing, they understood, they weren't too happy, but they understood. Charlie still requires all reserves to be at practice, which is every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday night, which has helped a bit with the mixed emotions that have taken over my mind but only until my feet touch back down on the pitch.
    Letting out a groan, I realize that instead of finishing my Transfiguration homework, I had spent my entire last free period of the day staring at the blank parchment that's spread out over the table in the middle of our room. I mean it's not due for three more days, but the thought of it not being completed irks me. Maybe I can go to the library during lunch tomorrow to finish it up.
    "Bullocks Ori, you still at it?" Fred asks, walking into our room with George following behind, both drenched in sweat from their own practice on the pitch.
    I can't help but laugh at his words; yes, I know they've taken it lightly with the British slang around me mainly cause they know I wouldn't know what they're talking about, but whenever they get extremely tired or mad they let those funny sayings slip out. "Yeah, just weighing the pros and cons of using the advice." I mumble, walking to my wardrobe to pull out the picture of my mother and uncle.
    "You mean the note from your father?" George questions, taking off his dirtied jacket as he sits across from me. "Look, I know you're a bit miffed with him, but he's one of the makers."
    "The Marauders." Fred corrects, sitting next to him. "And that means. If it does work, then Uncle James has to be too. Mum says they've been attached at the hip since Hogwarts."
    "Yeah, I know that." I mumble, remembering reading all about it in Uncle Regulus's diary and the pain it caused seeing his brother trade him in for another.
    "Then what's stopping you? It seems to us that he wanted you to have it."
    "That's the problem though." I answer, tearing my eyes away from my mother in her Ravenclaw Quidditch robes. After digging around in the library, I found out that the Cup was won that year when Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw by thirty points. Proof of the photo shows that my mother didn't care she was just as happy as my Uncle and it showed. "He left me, just like he left his brother. He leaves that's what he does. If I take his advice and use it, it feels like I'm accepting him. That someday I will end up-"
    "Sod off Ori, that's a bit of a stretch and you know it." Fred cuts me off a bit angrily.
    "You are nothing like him; you're more like your mum. Bloody look exactly like her too." George agrees, pointing at the photo of my mother and Uncle.
    "But-"
    "No." Fred almost shouts. "What if it was Uncle James that left you the note?"
    "He didn't though." I argue.
    "But it was his map too, wasn't it? Take your dad out of the picture; just think about how proud Uncle James would be if he knew you had this."
    "I've never met him, so I wouldn't know." I point out dryly.
    "Just try it." George pleads desperately, nudging the note closer to me.
    Letting out a sigh, I realize that they won't stop bugging me until I at least give it an attempt. "Fine."
    Picking up my wand, I let the warmth flow through my hand before tapping it against the seam of old yellowed parchment. My heart speeds up as the words of greeting me spread out, filling the blankness with thin red ink. "I swear that I am up to no good." I mumble tapping the center.
"Messer Moony wishes to know if you solemnly swear that you're up to no good."
    Flicking my eyes up to Fred I hold his until he gives me a nod. "I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good." I whisper after taking a deep breath.
    Instantly the red ink moves towards the center is its been liquified again before spreading out in all other directions however at the middle of the folded pieces it forms a square like castle.
    "Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs—"
    "Are proud to present the—"
    "Marauders map." We whisper one after the other in complete awe.
    Eidetic memory aside, Fred would be the first to admit that I knew a lot more about our studies than the twins, but looking over the inscriptions that made up the halls and classrooms, I knew this took smarts, like really serious brainpower smarts. Makes me think if they had gotten help from my mother, yes I know it was wrong to dig into her a bit but I couldn't help it I need to know the type of person she is.
    "Is that really—"
    "Charlie and Gemma?" George giggles pointing to two sets of footprints inside an empty Charms classroom on the third floor.
    Shaking the thoughts away, I look to where he's pointing and laugh. "I don't think they're studying."
    "Oh, he's gonna hear about this." Fred grins wickedly. "Look, Professor McGonagall is headed that way."
    All of us hone in on her set of footsteps as it moves down the corridor heading straight for the door. Right as she gets to it, we see footprints belonging to Theodore Potter rush to her before they both walk away quickly.
    "What was that about?" I ask, opening the parchment further only to see them walk into his office.
    "I dunno, but look, this goes all the way out to the Forbidden Forest." George says, ruffling up another section. "The Black lake, Hagrid's Hut, the Owlery, even the Quidditch pitch."
    "Where do you think this goes?" Fred points to a thin strip of words leading away from a statue at the end of the same corridor of Uncle Theo's classroom.
    "Don't know, maybe we should find out tonight." I grin, sitting back in my chair.
    "This is crazy—"
    "Wicked." George finishes for his brother. "Imagine what all we can do with this."
    "All the pranks—"
    "Charlie got me some exploding paintballs." I smile, thinking about how we can get back at the Slytherins for using a rhyming jinx on Angelina. She's not in our House, but she is our friend. "I can't wait to show Cedric."
    "He will flip." Fred agrees.
    "Look, he's heading for the Library." George points to a group of Hufflepuffs.
    Without thinking, I grab my new leather satchel Uncle Charlie sent for me that has my initials pressed in red and gold on the bottom corner and throw it over my shoulder. "Let's go."