No Body No Crime □■ Hermione Granger

Chapter 22

Arlene stared, it was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds with tiny ink dots moving around it, each labelled with a name in minuscule writing. One the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. And as her eyes travelled up and down the familiar corridors, she noticed something else.

This map showed a set of passages she had never entered and many of them seemed to lead-

"Right into Hogsmeade," said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger. "There are seven in all. Filch knows about these four-"he pointed them out "but we're sure we're the only ones who know about these, don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor, we used it until last winter, but it's caved in, completely blocked and we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance, but this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times and as you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone's hump."

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."

"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers," said Fred solemnly.

"Right," said George briskly. "Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it --"

"-or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly.

"Just tap it again and say, "Mischief managed! And it'll go blank."

"So, young children" said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy, "mind you behave yourselves."

"See you in Honeydukes," said George, winking.

They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way.

Arlene frowned "Did they just call us children?"

Harry shook his head "Did they just give us the map?"

'Right' Arlene thought glumly 'the map'.

As much as she would love to sneak into Hogsmead, she can't, she had promised Sage. And her friend was right, if Sirius Black could sneak into the fortress that is Hogwarts, going to the village would be walking into the lion's den.

"We can't go," Arlene announced, she bit her lip and pushed a stray curl behind her ear "Black is still on the loose, it's too dangerous."

Harry looked conflicted "What if he can't see us?"

Arlene gave him confused look "What?"

Hesitantly, Harry told her about his little secret, the cloak of invisibility, how he got it in his first year and how he had been using it to sneak out ever since.

Once again, Arlene was conflicted, she promised Sage.

'But you'll be invisible' a voice told her 'there won't be any danger.'

"Okay," she agreed "let's go."

Arlene really wished her life would stop revolving between all is well land and bad news train like an out of control pendulum.

The 'bad news train' left the station when they squeezed through the narrow passage and into Honeydukes which was coincidentally where both Hermione and Ron currently shopping.

"Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione was saying.

"How about these?" said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose.