THE REVELATION | RON WEASLEY [BOOK ONE]

7. THE TRUTH STINGS

Gene took a long walk around the grounds, hoping the steam coming from her ears would dissipate. All she wanted to know was why Sirius Black was after them both. Her mind was too riddled with thoughts and questions, only worsened by her conversation with Dumbledore, and she was now willing to risk everything for a trip to Hogsmeade to take her mind off things.

Which brought her to now- arm in arm with Harry, attempting to make it past the courtyard.

"It'll work, trust me!" Harry whispered to Gene under his invisibility cloak, huddling closer together.

"We won't make it 5 steps out of the school with this snow. People'll see our footprints!" Gene muttered, though she followed him anyways.

"We'll be fine, come on!" Harry argued. Gene was right, as they had just made four steps when they caught sight of Fred and George throwing snowballs at one another in the courtyard.

"Oh no." Gene muttered in realisation, knowing there was no way they would get past these two.

All of a sudden, there was a loud splat, and Gene realised George had thrown a snowball straight at her, giving away their presence instantly. Another snowball hit them, but this time it was directly on Harry's face, the cloak providing a barrier as he flinched.

"Clever, you two." Fred grinned as they walked towards the two, causing Gene to wince.

"But not clever enough!" The twins grabbed both Harry's and Gene's arms, dragging them through the snow back inside.

"Besides, we've got a better way." Fred told them, with a grin.

Gene huffed in annoyance, dropping the cloak from her back along with Harry, to reveal their irritated faces. Instantly, Fred slapped a worn roll of parchment into Gene's hand and she unfurled it only to find it was completely blank, frowning up at him.

"What's this rubbish?" Harry asked as Gene passed it to him with an eyebrow raised.

"It's a wrench giving it to you two, believe me." George looked offended as he placed a hand on his chest.

"But we've decided your needs are much greater than ours. George, if you will?" Fred nodded to him, and he gave a curt nod. Gene rolled her eyes at their theatrics as George pulled out his wand and tapped it on the parchment.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Once he spoke, ink lines surfaced onto the paper and spread across it like veins.

"Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present The Marauder's Map." Gene read the text on the front of the parchment in cursive warily.

The twins explained that it was a map showing the entirety of Hogwarts, and the whereabouts of every person in the castle and its grounds. Gene was honestly a little annoyed that they had kept this from her until now.

"Now listen. There's seven secret passageways out of the castle. But we'd recommend-" Fred peered over the edge of the parchment, while Gene watched the tiny footsteps of Dumbledore pace his office.

"- That one." They said in unison and Gene nearly jumped. As the twins began to give them directions and help, Gene and Harry listened intently.

"The one-eyed witch on the third floor." Gene narrowed her eyes as she recalled their instructions.

"You best hurry. Filch is heading this way." Harry and Gene nodded.

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs," George gave a longing sigh, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."

"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of law-breakers," Fred said.

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