From Beginning to End

Chapter 33: The Map

      Three out of four of the Gryffindor boys were sneaking down the corridors late after curfew trying to find the Slytherin Common Room without getting caught.

      Peter was out, he didn't say where, but had been distant over the last few days so the others let him be.

      It was moments like these that James wished his father would let him have the family invisibility cloak. Their missions would be so much simpler with it but apparently James wasn't responsible enough for it yet.

      That was completely untrue, he was plenty responsible James thought, but that was irrelevant in the current situation.

"Pureblood," whispered Sirius as they reached the dungeons.

      "Pureblood?" Remus asked, his nose crinkled in distaste.

      Sirius cringed. "Yeah, unfortunately. Regulus told me."

      The door swung open, allowing the Gryffindors in. They had— well James had— transfigured their ties to be green and silver to fit in more.

      The Common Room was dark and cold, something was seemingly oozing from the ceiling. In the corner a wall of glass reflected a murky green hue. A fish darted by, making it clear that the corner showed the Black Lake. Cool, sure, but also creepy.

      Given Slytherin was known for housing upper class Purebloods, it was hard to imagine that Salazar Slytherin had designed a place for them to be so... gross.

      "Over here," Sirius called softly.

      He had reached the stairwell leading the boys dorms, a silver plaque telling exactly where the third years were housed.

      There were two dorms. One housing Gavin Avery, Damocles Belby & Adrian Carpenter

      The other held Dorian Mulcibur, Matthew Nott, Evan Rosier & Severus Snape

      They decided to go for the one Snape slept in. He was, afterall, their main target. They could always get the others later.

      They creaked open the door casting a soft Lumos as they spotted Snape's bed.

      James and Sirius acted quickly with Remus as a lookout. They placed dungbombs around, under and in his bed, turned all of the Slytherin boys' hair a split red and gold, and placed a Filibuster Firework on the toilet that was charmed to go off as soon as the seat was lifted.

Soon the work was done so they scurried out, somehow being unnoticed.

      "That was wicked!" Sirius whisper-shouted.

      "Bloody Brilliant!" agreed James.

      Remus chuckled too, saying the password for Gryffindor and climbing back into the warmth of his bed.

Their prank was spoken of for the next week. The four serpent boys scowled and shot insults at anyone who dared to comment on their new Gryffindor-esq appearances.

      The other three giggled amongst themselves, having no clue that they'd be next.

      No one sat anywhere near Severus considering the fact that he smelt like, well you know...

With a new couple in Gryffindor, and Peter's absence, James and Remus were left to third wheel a lot more often than they'd have liked.

      But it did offer up a lot more time for Remus to carry out his own pranks without having to worry about his friends ruining the secrecy of it all.

      He was also working on a map, a charmed map that showed everyone in the castle or on the grounds.

      He had been working on it with Peter in the beginning of the year as Peter used to get lost often. However, Peter figured out the castle before the project was completed and had befriended James and Sirius, leaving Remus to do the work on his own.

      Luckily, Remus liked working independently, and now that he had more time to himself, he was able to get a lot more done on it. There was so much more of the castle to discover, many more charms necessary to make it perfect but it was something of his own, something of his own that he was actually proud of.

Remus Lupin had never had a chance to be proud of himself. Everything that he had, everything that he was only pulled him down more.

      He wasn't athletic like James with his ultra fast reflexes and strength.

      Remus couldn't be even if he wanted to, the fear of heights prevented that.

      He wasn't handsome like Sirius, with his curly Black hair, piercing grey eyes and strong jawline.

      The scars that divided the tan skin of Remus' legs and arms with silver and red showed how monstrous he was.

      He wasn't kind like Peter, with his tendency to share everything he had or offer a comforting word to those who wear down.

      Remus was nothing but sarcastic and biting, and god-forbid someone tried to steal his chocolate.

      He wasn't smart like Lauren or Lily, with their hands constantly raised, and points being earned in every class.

      Remus was barely scraping by with A's and E's and Social Anxiety crippled him from answering even the most obvious questions.

      No, Remus couldn't begin to compare to his friends, but he had the map. The map was one his source of pride. It may have been the only thing he had that made him worthwhile, but it was everything.

      He had done the drawings himself after Peter abandoned it. The charm work had been all his. The hours of scouting and naming could only be traced back to a scrawny, scarred boy who bled to mean something.

      The map was Remus Lupin's gift.

      In a few years time he would perhaps share this gift with the other boys. It would be useful for pulling pranks and for sneaking around past curfew.

      But it also wasn't wrong of him to keep it to himself for a while. Remus just wanted to have something that was completely his own, selfishly.

      Although the boys certainly wouldn't doubt his ability to make such a thing, Remus didn't want to risk it.

      He also didn't want to fight for who got to use it and when, which would certainly happen if given the opportunity.

      Besides, he had his own reasons for sneaking amongst the castle at night that his friends need not to know.