The Marauders.
The Easter term had just begun. Most students usually stay for Easter, particularly Fifth years and above, but with the 'threat' of Sirius Black, majority had went home for the two weeks. This, of course, didn't include Ron, Harrison and Hermione.
They had things to do. Final Animagus transformations, exploring the castle using The Marauders Map, their self studies, homework. The list went on.
They were currently focusing on the map.
All three were sprawled out on the floor between Harrison and Ron's beds, map in the middle of them, snacks from Hogsmeade and other scattered books from their bags that they'd just been using to do homework before deciding to take a break.
They were watching people just... exist, Harrison supposed.
Students walking through the library, Dumbledore pace in his office, Snape in his potions classroom. It was rather fun, actually.
"Who are these Marauders then?" Ron asked, taking a bite out of a chocolate frog, frowning at the Dumbledore card he got with it. Old git.
"No clue, the twins didn't either." Harrison said, closing the map to the front, where the nicknames of the Marauders were displayed.
Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs.
"They sound familiar," Harrison blurted, "Moony more so than the others, but I don't remember where from."
"Maybe in one of the History text-books your constantly reading?" Ron asked, more a joke than being actually helpful.
"Ha ha."
"Maybe you've heard of them before?" Hermione asked, "Met them, perhaps?"
Harrison hummed, Ron speaking before he could, "Wish we could meet them, I mean, the charms work is incredible. To get the school that accurate."
"Well, it's probably not too accurate, the Chamber of Secret's isn't on here, nor is the alcove we usually sit at in the library."
"Huh," Ron tilted his head, "Do you think we could... add it in?"
"Maybe, I mean, there's probably tons of secret passageways and shortcuts that aren't included in here," Hermione stated, "Hogwarts is a magical building, and far too big after all. There's tons of blank spaces on the map as well in areas other than... well this part of the castle."
"You think they were Gryffindors?"
"It would explain why the dungeons were just named 'Dungeons', and the Slytherin and Hufflepuff dorms aren't labelled, but half of the stairs in the moving staircase are named."
Harrison snorted.
"I didn't even know they all had names," Ron huffed.
"Want to go exploring tonight?" Harrison asked. It had been far too long since he used the cloak, and the other two both grinned.
"We should see Myrtle as well, I need to check on my plant."
"Oh for Merlin's sake."
So they did. They used the map, and the cloak, which somehow, since first year, fit them perfectly. Harrison should seriously read up on whatever enchantments this thing has, it's incredible.
They wandered the corridors all night, finding the most random places. Old classrooms which subjects had been abandoned and portraits that hadn't seen living people in years. There was an empty bathroom, completely overgrown with a sign saying 'Temporarily out of use', which was most definitely not temporarily out of use. Ran into ghosts they hadn't met before.
The magic felt different in the more abandoned parts of the castle, more wild, yet freer. It was disturbingly relaxing up in these parts of the castle.
There were rooms that weren't on the map, passageways behind tapestry's that had never been discovered. Ron even fell into a secret passageway, which they suspected lead outside of the Castle and would need to check on another day, when laughing too hard at a joke.
They found old teachers rooms, which they wouldn't tell another soul about because hell would have to freeze over before they told a bunch of teenagers where abandoned bedrooms were. They may be young, but they weren't stupid.
"Who do you think this one's was?" Ron asked as they walked into yet another bedroom.
This one wasn't anywhere near the others, almost directly next to Gryffindor tower, above it at least 2 floors. Harrison walked to a window, and yep, you could see into one of the windows of the common room.
Hermione walked over to the bookcase, whilst Ron head to the desk, opening it. Most of the rooms had things left behind. Letters, lesson plans, books, ect.
"Definitely a Gryffindor, based off of the colours." Hermione said, coughing when she opened a book.
The entire room was red and gold, from the red velvet curtains and gold thread, to the wooden floors, which were very dirty, cherry wood.
"I think this is Gobbledegook." Ron held up a letter over his shoulder.
"A Goblin?"
"No, there would definitely be a record of that. Goblins practically hate wizards."
"You know of anyone who spoke Gobbledegook that could've stayed here at Hogwarts?"
"Godric Gryffindor." Harrison said, more of a joke, at first. But then a beat passed, and then two, in complete silence, before Ron turned fully around in his chair.
"What are the chances?"
"Knowing us? About 86%," Hermione said, voice full of amusement as she placed the book back on the shelf, "These are... pretty old."
"You're telling me, The Godric Gryffindor's Quarters has just been sitting here, behind a tapestry of a Cerberus, this entire time?"
"Pretty much," Harrison huffed, sitting on the bed.
"...Woah."
Then a second later,
"Does this mean the other founders have one as well?"
Harrison hummed in thought, Hermione looking through the, what looks to be, apothecary table that was in the middle of the room.
"Well, I'd say that Helga Hufflepuff would sleep in Hufflepuff, but have a secret passageway inside to get to it. Salazar Slytherin's is probably within the Chamber of Secrets, overlooking Slytherin. Maybe below it? And then Rowena Ravenclaw's is probably either in a tower, or in the forbidden section of the library."
"Wait, do you think all the founders had secret rooms like the Chamber?"
"Gryffindor was into potions," Hermione stated, interrupting their theorising, looking over old scrolls of parchment, "There's various potions he wanted to try and make, and never did. There's one on blood adoption, another on a cure for Dragonpox..."
Ron whistled, getting out of the chair and moving over to look at the rolls of parchment himself.
"You think its rude to hang out in one of the most respected wizards in time's bedroom, going through his things?"
"If he didn't want us in here, he would of put up a better defence."
"Good enough for me."
They continued exploring every other night. Finding lost books that belonged to the library and returning them, pieces of parchment from where students had passed notes to one another, an entire room full of detention report cards, which seemed to go on for miles.
It got to the Friday of the first week of their break when they found another secret passageway into kitchens. They'd explored the fifth, forth and third floors, which was a lot more peaceful now it didn't have a Cerberus and about twenty other possible ways to die, and now were exploring the dungeons. The second and first floor were too risky, students usually hanging around and teachers finding them past curfew more often than other floors. So dungeons it was.
They stumbled upon the portrait of a pile of rotting vegetables, and Harrison felt a twinge of magic coming from it as they got closer. The magic within the map didn't spark when they got close, so he figured the marauders hadn't discovered what was behind it yet.
It took a while, but hidden behind a piece of rotting carrot, was a pear, exactly the same as the one in the fruit bowl painting. He guessed you also had to tickle this one as well.
"Go on, Ron, tickle the pear," Harrison urged, trying not to laugh at the boys face as he did it.
It was very warm, and lively. The various house elves they never even knew existed in previous years, yet explained so much about the castle, looked just as surprised to see them as the first time. The surprise died quickly though, before they started fussing over all three and how they were all 'far too skinny' and asked 'what would sirs and missy like?'
It seemed as if they could sense the Hogwarts family magics too, as they instantly called Harrison, 'Sirs Ravenclaw', much to his panic and insistence they didn't tell anyone. Last time, he didn't go into the kitchens, only Ron did. He could not have Dumbledore find out he'd gotten rid of the blocks. They still had no clue what the man was up to, but he had lost their respect, and most certainly do not want to spend anymore than dinners in the Great Hall with him. Even that was risky without knowing Occlumency. There weren't any books on the subject other than vague explanation of what is actually was in the main library, so they had to search the forbidden library for it. They had the pass from Lupin, but actually searching through the cases and cases of books was tiring, and unorganised.
The three left the kitchens the most full they think they'd ever been, but that wasn't really saying much in Harrison's case.
It was the end of the Easter break, two days before lessons started back up. Ron and Hermione were reading palms for Divination practice, all three having just done more tea leaf reading, and Harrison was now trying to search through his brain using meditation where he had heard the Marauders nicknames before. They were so familiar. Right there, buried deep in his mind, buried amongst the rest of his memories.
Moony stuck out more amongst the others, so he went with that one.
Moony, Moony, Moony.
Full moon. Moony.
Full moon. Animagi.
Moony.
Full moon. Werewolf.
Moony.
Moony.
Moony.
Uncle Moony.
Uncle Moony?
Uncle Moony...
Mooy.
"Mooy? Why?"
"It was a nickname your father made for me, Moony."
"It sounds familiar. Sort of. I recognised you on the train, actually. I..."
Harrisons eyes opened. Holy shit. He stood up, perhaps a bit too fast, catching Ron and Hermione off guard.
"Harry?"
"I know who the Marauders are."
"Seriously? Who?" Ron asked, eager.
"I... I'll be right back."
"Where are you going?" Hermione furrowed her eyebrows, looking slightly worried.
"To confront a Marauder."
Knock Knock, Knock, Knock.
"Come in, Harry."
He walked in, trying not to look too amused, or whatever he was feeling. He was never great at knowing his own feelings.
"Morning Remus," He greeted with a smile. The man was sat at his desk, marking over a few of the last DADA essays.
"Morning, to what do I owe the pleasure? You look awfully happy."
Harrison snorted, sitting down across from him, "Oh, you know, I came across something a while ago."
"Nothing too dangerous or cursed I'd hope?"
"Oh no, no, nothing like that."
"Mhm?"
"It was a map of sorts."
Remus paused in his reading, looking up at Harrison. "A map?"
"Yes," He nodded, careful to not let any emotion slip.
A small silence. "And what was this map of?"
"Hogwarts."
Remus sat back in his chair, placing his quill on the table. "You don't say?"
He hummed, "Yes, it's rather useful actually. Helps me get around, without coming across anyone I would like to avoid."
"How odd."
"It was created by these Marauders right," Oh its getting so much harder. The look on Remus' face. "And I found the charms work so fascinating."
The werewolf cleared his throat, "Marauders huh?" Playing dumb? Ok.
"Yeah, it was impressively complex. Me, Hermione and Ron want to replicate it, make one of our own or at the very least edit the original to include parts of the castle that weren't discovered by them. I guess it's sad I don't know any of the creators, huh Moony?"
There was a flicker of a smile on the mans face before he cleared his throat, "Yes I suppose it is, though I'm sure you can find a book on it somewhere in the forbidden section. Perhaps opposite the tapestry of the Goblin ritual, third shelf, seventh book along?"
Harrison grinned, "I'll be sure to have a look."
Remus huffed in amusement, "How'd you find it? I doubt Filch would just give it up."
"It was stolen from him a few years ago by a few people," He shrugged, "Said people decided I should have it for Christmas. I only just properly started looking into the map."
Remus laughed, "I don't suppose these 'people' were a set of red-haired twins, were they?"
Harrison feigned a look of disagreement, "Not at all."
"Do be careful with the map, wont you Harry? If the map were to end up back in one of the creators..."
"Sirius Black, you mean?"
Remus barely hid his flinch, but Harrison noticed it.
"Yes. Sirius."
"Which one was he?"
"Ah, he was Padfoot."
"Why those names, I mean..." He trailed off, not really sure if he should reveal he knew Remus was a werewolf yet.
"Well... We created the map in our fifth year, and we needed a code name for... pranks and such. And earlier that year they..." The man paused. "They became animagi, and so the nicknames are based off of those."
Wait, WHAT?!
Harrison knew if he was drinking, he would of choked. Instead, his jaw dropped. Holy crap.
He opened and closed his mouth several times, because what is he supposed to say to that?!, before swallowing, "Well, you don't have to worry, we're planning on changing the password if we can."
Remus looked glad for that, and nodded.
"So... Padfoot for a dog, right?"
The slightly serious, panicked look on the werewolves face faded into a nostalgic smile. "Yes. Prongs, your father, was a stag. Wormtail, Peter Pettigrew," The man swallowed before continuing, "He was a rat. And, well, I was Moony."
"Makes sense, I suppose." Harrison mused, thinking it over. He now had two heirlooms he knew came from his father. Nothing of his mother.
Remus looked confused, "How does 'Moony' make sense?" He asked, before his face turned blank with realisation. "Oh."
"I've known since November, if that helps?"
"It's that obvious?"
"Only if you pay attention to what you learn in Snape's cover lessons. Which no-one actually does."