MILLIES POV
I spent a bit longer in the shower than I had intended to, mainly to avoid Mione, who I knew had been waiting in the dormitory for me. After the visit to Hagrid's, I had decided I wanted to speak to her - but not tonight - a much needed sleepover was waiting for me. So about forty minutes after I stepped into the shower, I stepped out again, quickly drying myself and lazily chucking my hair up into a bun, all while brushing my teeth. I reached into the bathroom drawer and pulled out some comfortable clothes. I pulled the grey joggers on and went to pull a black hoodie over my head - until I realised it was Harry's. Cringing at myself, I brought the jumper up to my face and sniffed his attractive scent, making my heart throb even more than it already was at the thought of him. I sighed, folding his hoodie neatly and tucking it back into the drawer, instead pulling on my Quidditch jumper. I admired it in the mirror - I'd always loved it with my name on the back: MILLIE DONOVAN 06.
"Nice," I breathed, grabbing the Marauders Map before leaving the bathroom, thanking Merlin when I saw the dormitory was empty.
It was extremely hard avoiding the teachers in the corridors, considering I had no Invisibility Cloak. The safety measures imposed on the school since Black's second break-in was making it almost impossible for me to get to Ravenclaw Tower. I kept peering down at the map every five seconds, and when I had made it about half-way, a tiny dot suddenly appeared - and it looked as though it was moving in my direction. I squinted at it. The minuscule writing next to it read Severus Snape.
I felt as though I was about to have a heart attack. I glanced down at my watch, swearing under my breath when I saw it was thirty minutes past curfew - if I was caught now, I'd be in big trouble, especially under these circumstances, and especially if it was by Snape.
I quickly pointed my wand at the map, muttered "Mischief managed," and stuffed it back into my pocket. "Nox," I hissed, and the light I had made at the end of my wand vanished - but it was too late.
Another light appeared, and it was coming from the end of Snape's wand.
"Shit..." I muttered, watching in defeat as Snape approached me at a swift walk, his black robes swishing, and stopped in front of me.
"Donovan..."
There was a look of suppressed triumph about him. I tried to look as though I'd just woke up, rubbing my eyes uselessly.
"Professor?" I said, pretending to look shocked. "What's going on-?"
"Come with me," Snape interrupted, smirking at my weak attempt at acting.
I followed him all the way to the dungeons. I knew exactly where he was taking me - his office.
I had only been in here twice before, and I had been in very serious trouble both times, too. I had begun to see an unfortunate pattern. Last time, at the beginning of my detention, I had wasted no time in soaking in the sight of his office, as he'd left me standing outside and I was annoyed, so I used now to do so; Snape had acquired a few more horrible slimy things in jars since last time, all standing on shelves behind his desk, glinting in the firelight and adding to the threatening atmosphere. My stomach twisted with nerves as I forced myself to look back at Snape - I had a horrible feeling he was out for revenge after I had managed to get myself out of his previous ninety detentions.
"Sit," he demanded.
I sat. Snape, however, remained standing.
"What were you doing wandering the corridors at night?"
"I was sleepwalking," I lied, yawning for effect - Snape wasn't fooled. On the other hand, he bent down, placing a hand on each arm of my chair so that our faces were a foot apart.
Now I felt even more sick.
"Don't you dare lie to me," he hissed. "You already know the Veritaserum I can make works extremely well..."
I didn't say anything. I just continued staring into Snape's dark eyes, as his mouth curled into a horrible smile.
"So," he said, quickly straightening up again. I couldn't help but smirk - my glare had intimidated him. "Everyone from the Minister for Magic downwards has been trying to keep all the students safe from Sirius Black. But Millie Donovan is a law unto herself. Let everyone else worry about her safety! Millie Donovan goes where she wants to, with no thought for the consequences."
I stayed silent. Snape was trying to provoke me into telling the truth - and if I did tell him I was going to Ravenclaw Tower, I'd be in even deeper trouble.
"How extraordinarily like your father you are, Donovan," Snape said suddenly, his eyes glinting. "He, too, is exceedingly arrogant. A small amount of talent makes him think he is a cut above the rest of us. Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers...the resemblance between you is uncanny."
"I'm going to take that as a compliment," I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the bubbling anger forming in my stomach. "You're right, I am like my father, and I'm proud of it-"
"Your father doesn't set much store by rules, either," Snape went on, pressing his advantage, his thin face full of malice. "Rules are for lesser mortals, not Jake Donovan. His head is so swollen-"
"Shut up!"
I was suddenly on my feet. Rage flooded through me as I stared at Snape's rigid face, his black eyes flashing dangerously.
"What did you say to me, Donovan?"
"I told you to shut up about my Dad!" I shouted, glaring back just as fiercely. "I know the truth, all right? He saved your life! Or one of his friends or something...Dumbledore told me! You wouldn't even be here if it weren't for them!"
Snape's sallow skin had gone the colour of sour milk.
"And did the Headmaster tell you the circumstances in which your father saved my life?" he whispered. "Or did he consider the details too unpleasant for precious Donovan's delicate ears?"
I bit my lip, breathing heavily. I didn't know what had happened, and was definitely too stubborn to admit it - but Snape seemed to have guessed the truth.
"Your father is not all the great Auror people make him out to be, Donovan," he said, a terrible grin twisting his face. "Have you been imagining some act of glorious heroism? Then let me correct you - your saintly father and his friends played a highly amusing joke on me that would have resulted in my death, if your boyfriend's father hadn't got cold feet at the last moment. There was nothing brave about what they did. Potter was saving his own skin as much as mine. Had their joke succeeded, they would have all been expelled from Hogwarts."
Silence, in which Snape bared his uneven, yellowish teeth.
"He's not my boyfriend."
Silence.
"What?"
"He's not my boyfriend," I repeated, slightly louder than before. "All because of one of my father's friends. Well, ex-friend..."
"I don't care about your teenage drama," Snape spat, and I just rolled my eyes, too tired of arguing with everyone to say anything. "Turn out your pockets, Donovan!"
I looked up again, my ears pounding. "What?"
"Turn out your pockets, or we go straight to the Headmaster! Pull them out, Donovan!"
Cold with dread, I slowly pulled out the Marauder's Map.
Snape instantly snatched it from me, holding it up so close to his face that his hooked nose was touching it. I tried with all my might to keep my face impassive, as he said, "What's this?"
I shrugged. "Spare bit of parchment."
Snape turned it over, his eyes flicking to me again.
"Surely you don't need such a very old piece of parchment?" he said. "Why don't I just - throw this away?" His hand moved towards the fire.
Without thinking, I shouted, "No!""
"So!" said Snape triumphantly, his long nostrils quivering. "Is this another letter perhaps, written in invisible ink?"
I narrowed my eyes to a glare, my voice shaking dangerously as I whispered, "Don't you dare..."
"Let me see, let me see..." he muttered, his eyes gleaming as he took out his wand and smoothed the map out onto his desk. "Reveal your secret!" he said, touching the wand to the parchment.
Nothing happened. I clenched my hands to stop them shaking.
"Show yourself!" Snape continued, tapping the map sharply.
It stayed blank. I was taking deep, calming breaths.
"Professor Severus Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!" Snape yelled, hitting the map with his wand. I couldn't help but snort, slapping my hand over my mouth to stop myself from roaring with laughter - 'master of this school'? Who did he think he was?
The master of this school, clearly.
But when I looked back down at the map, as though an invisible hand was writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface:
Mr Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.
Snape froze. I stared, dumbstruck, at the message. But the map didn't stop there. More writing was appearing beneath the first:
Mr Prongs agrees with Mr Moony, and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git.
It would have been very funny if the situation hadn't been so serious. And there was more...
Mr Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a Professor.
I covered my eyes in horror, peering through my fingers to read:
Mr Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball.
I desperately rubbed my eyes in an attempt to wake myself up from this nightmare. But it was all too real as the map's last words appeared:
Mr Eaglet deeply wishes that Professor Snape take Mr Wormtail's advice, and to also wash the grease off his face while he's at it.
I waited for the blow to fall.
"So..." said Snape, dangerously quietly. "We'll see about this..."
He strode across to his fire, seized a fistful of glittering powder from a jar on the fireplace, and threw it into the flames.
"LUPIN!" Snape yelled into the fire. "I WANT A WORD!"
Utterly bewildered, I stared at the fireplace. A large shape had appeared in it, revolving very fast. Seconds later, Lupin was clambering out of it, brushing ash off his shabby robes. A wave of relief washed over me - I was safe.
"You called, Severus?" Lupin greeted mildly, his eyes meeting mine. He narrowed them, and I very discreetly shook my head.
"I certainly did," said Snape, his face contorted with fury as he strode back to his desk. "I have just asked Donovan to empty her pockets. She was carrying this."
Snape pointed at the parchment, on which the words of Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Eaglet, Padfoot and Prongs were still shining. An odd, closed expression appeared on Lupin's face.
"Well?" Snape pressed.
Lupin continued to stare at the map; I had the impression that he was doing some very quick thinking.
"Well?" Snape said again. "This parchment is plainly full of Dark Magic. This is supposed to be your area of expertise, Lupin. Where do you imagine Donovan got such a thing?"
Lupin looked up and, by the merest half glance in my direction, warned me not to interrupt.
"Full of Dark Magic? he repeated mildly. "Do you really think so, Severus? It looks to me as though it is merely a piece of parchment that insults anybody who tries to read it. Childish, but surely not dangerous. I imagine Millie got it from a joke-shop-"
"Indeed?" Snape sneered. His jaw had gone rigid with anger. "You think a joke-shop could supply her with such a thing? You don't think it more likely that she got it directly from the manufacturers?"
I didn't understand what Snape was talking about. Nor, apparently, did Lupin.
"You mean from Mr Eaglet or one of these people?" he asked obliviously. "Millie, do you know any of these men?"
"No," I said quickly.
"You see, Severus?" said Lupin, turning back to Snape. "It looks like a Zonko product to me-"
"It is!" I interrupted, gesturing to the map. "I got it in Hogsmeade..."
"Well!" said Lupin, clapping his hands together and looking around cheerfully. "That seems to clear that up! Severus, I'll take this back, shall I?" He folded the map and tucked it inside his robes. "Millie, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay. Excuse us, Severus."
I went to wave at Snape but quickly retracted my hand at the look of pure loathing on the Professor's face, his dark eyes flicking between Lupin and I. I quickly followed my godfather all the way back into the Entrance Hall before speaking.
"Uncle Lupin, I-"
"You don't need to explain yourself, Millie," he told me softly. He glanced around the empty Entrance Hall and lowered his voice. "I happen to know that this map was confiscated by Mr Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map," he added, noticing my amazement. "You don't need to tell me how it fell into your possession. I am, however, astounded that you didn't hand it in. Particularly after what happened the last time a student left information about the castle lying around. And I can't let you have it back, Millie, I'm sorry."
I had expected that, and was too keen for explanations to protest. "But why did Snape think I'd got it from the manufacturers?"
"Because..." Lupin hesitated, reaching out and patting my shoulder, "because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of the school. They'd think it extremely entertaining."
"Do you know them?" I said, impressed.
"We've met," he said shortly. He was looking at me more seriously than ever. "Don't expect me to cover up for you again, Millie. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously, but I would have thought that after he sent you that letter it would have had more of an effect on you. You father would not be pleased."
He gave me one last pat on my shoulder before walking away, leaving me feeling worse by far than I had at any point in Snape's office. Slowly, I mounted the marble staircase, not daring to try and get to Ravenclaw Tower now. I just hoped Lyra wasn't waiting up for me.