Lionheart ~ Harry Potter (Under Heavy Editing)

Chapter Twenty-Six | Footprints of the Past

After getting over the horrifying fact that Buckbeak was due to be executed, the four teenagers had comforted Hagrid, who has devastated.

Ariana had uses her wand to split the Black Lake's shores, opening up a walkway for her friends and herself to be able to approach Hagrid without being drenched. They finally got a good look at Hagrid's face, and it made them pity him even more than they previously did. His dark hazel eyes were bloodshot and puffy, rimmed with tears.

He had openly let the tears fall. Ariana watched as the fell into the Lake; it seemed as if Hagrid had actually cried a river, and by the look of him, he could have.

The Gryffindors stayed with them for as long as they could, all of them horrified with the decision to murder Buckbeak. Each of them knew that the decision had been made because of Draco's moronic God complex. Hagrid had warned the entire class of a Hippogriff's need to be respected, but Malfoy had dismissed that completely, resulting in his injury.

The remainder of the day was uneventful. Ariana remained her usual self. To most people, she was sarcastic and unreadable, but to others, she was only unreadable. The girl had spent years being brutally trained how to keep people guessing about her, and it was successful. No one really knew Ariana, not at all.

She seemed like a normal girl, but inside, she was in constant, painful turmoil. It was agonising, but the witch had learned to live with it.

~~~~~

Ariana had spent hours staring out of the window at the moon. The silver circle had always brought her peace during her awful life. She could, and does, watch the gorgeous satellite for hours.

As she usually did when sleep alluded her, Ariana snuck out of the Common Room. She had a few spots where she sat, but tonight she chose one that wasn't far from Gryffindor Tower.

Her white hair seemed to glow in the moonlight and her pale skin was smooth, giving her a hint erethral beauty. She was dressed in a black spaghetti strap top that moulded to her curves and a pair of black silk pajama trousers, all of which was covered by a light, black, knee-length dressing gown.

Her pale blue eyes were transfixed on the moon as she sat on the stone window ledge.

In the distance, she could hear the soft pit pat of footsteps approaching. Ariana decided that she coukd remain where she was, since it didn't sound like a Professor. In her second year, the girl had memorised the gaits of all of her teachers, and this one did not belong to any of them.

Her conclusion: it was a student.

"Ariana?" A voice asked, drawing her from her thoughts.

She looked at Harry, who was wearing his pajamas and a hoodie. He was holding the Marauder's Map and his wand, which was glowing at the tip, providing a source of light as he roamed the darkened castle.

"Harry? What are you doing out here?" she enquired, dropping down onto her plimsole covered feet.

"I could ask you the same thing," Harry responded, raising an eyebrow.

"I often sit at various points throughout the castle when I can't sleep," Ariana answered honestly, walking to stand by Harry's side. "What are you doing?"

"I saw Peter Pettigrew on the map," Harry stated ominously.

Ariana frowned in confusion. "Peter Pettigrew is dead, Harry. How is that possible?"

"I don't know. Look."

"Lumos," Ariana whispered, triggering a small, white light to emit from the tip of her wand.

She held it at map and peered down at it. Right enough, two footprints were running down the corridor in a ragged fashion. Above them, a name plaque read: Peter Pettigrew.

"That can't be..." Ariana said, so quietly it was almost inaudible.

She and Harry used the map to guide them towards the dead man's footprints. Ariana knew it couldn't be a ghost; the castle was home to many ghosts, and none of them showed up on the map. So, what was he?

Ariana raised her wand, squinting towards the end of the corridor. The two Gryffindors coukd clearly see Pettigrew moving quickly down the adjoining corridor; he was only ten yards away.

Ariana and Harry brandished their wands, searching the corridors for the man. Anticipation ran through Ariana's body, she glanced at the map, then down the corridor repeatedly, seeing nothing.

Harry was doing the same thing, acting as a mirror image. His breathing had picked up, as had Ariana's, but not as much as her companion's.

Pettigrew was only seconds away.

The two students slowly approached the dark red footsteps, eagerly waiting to see what was running about Hogwarts.

With their hearts in their throats, the Gryffindors rounded the corner. Their eyes flew about, straining in the dark as their names on the map collided with Pettigrew's, but they saw nothing. Nothing at all.

"What...?" Ariana said under her breath, wheeling around, holding her wand out.

"Watch it there!" a voice shouted, startling the students.

Ariana looked in the direction of the voice to find an older man in a painting, who was scowling at the glare of the light shining from her and Harry's wands. "Sorry," she apologised, lowering her wand to eye the map.

Ariana did feel guilty, but Pettigrew was occupying her thoughts. How was a man, who had been 'destroyed', wondering about Hogwarts? And the only thing able to sense his presence was an enchanted map... It made next to no sense.

While Harry looked ahead, searching for any sign that Pettigrew was actually there, Ariana studied the map. Her heart leapt into her throat when spotted a name on the map: Severus Snape.

~~~~~

Question:
Which 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' character was seen on the Marauder's Map during The Prisoner of Azkaban?

A: Porpentina Goldstein

B: Jacob Kowalski

C: Newt Scamander

Congratulations to Blackstars36 for answering the previous question correctly.