The Brightest Black - A Dramione Fanfic

They're Here

"Harry, do you have the Marauder's Map?"

Draco's words cut through the silence of the classroom, bringing Hermione and Harry's attention to him.

"The map? Oh! The map!" Harry quickly pulled his drawstring bag out of his robes. The map sprang instantly into his hand and he yanked it out of the bag. It took only a moment to lay it on a desk and touch his wand to it. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Lines of ink raced across the parchment and he stared at them avidly as Hermione and Draco crowded close.

His eyes attached to the bit of tunnel running from the whomping willow to the edge of the map.

Nothing.

"Damn, nothing by the whomping willow," he said, scowling in frustration.

"Maybe it was someone coming into the school. Come on, let's spread the map out and search it. They have to be somewhere. It's only been a few minutes since you saw movement by the tree," Hermione said logically.

Harry tried to do as she said, but his hands were shaking from all the pent up frustration and worry. Draco helped him lay out the map without a word.

Together the three of them searched, but found nothing before the door opened and the others arrived.

"What's going on?" Ron asked, hurrying over to the map. Luna at his side.

"Someone used the secret passage under the whomping willow," Harry answered without looking away from the map. His eyes were still searching for any unusual names.

"Could it have been someone sneaking back in from a trip to Hogsmeade?" Ginny asked, slipping her arm around Harry's middle and giving him a light squeeze.

Harry shook his head, "Couldn't be. They knew where to touch the tree to stop it from moving. Padfoot always said that was a closely guarded secret. I don't even know. He didn't want me doing anything stupid."

"Smart man," Theo said.

"It has to be Pettigrew," Ron said. "He must have told a Death Eater or Voldemort about where to touch."

"Can't be," Draco quickly responded. "Pettigrew was kissed by dementors before being put in Azkaban. I heard about it when the Dark Lord was living in my house."

"Maybe it was his soul, escaped from the dementors," Luna suggested.

Pansy snorted, "That's just stupid. Obviously Pettigrew told someone before that Halloween night."

"He was likely bragging about old adventures," Neville said.

"The how is not as important as the who right now. Please, focus!" Hermione scolded. "We need to figure out if this is something serious or not! Lives could be on the line!"

"Point," Harry said, cutting off Pansy as she opened her mouth to argue. "How about I go with a couple of you and go check out the tunnel. Everyone else, keep an eye on the map and be ready to call for help." There was no way he was going to sit here and let others go check this out without him. He had the most Defense training out of all of them.

"I'll go!" Hermione and Draco said together.

Ron shook his head, "No, one of you should stay since you two can speak mind to mind. I think it should be Hermione that stays. It makes more sense for you to stay here. A lot of students and teachers respect you. And you will be the most successful at convincing others if this is something serious."

"But-" Hermione started

"He's right," Harry found himself saying. "Between your articles, academics, and last name you have a lot of power. And I'll have others watching my back. It will be fine."