Note:

This chapter is for everyone who’s ever gotten caught sneaking around past curfew, whether by a nosy cat, an overly curious knight, or a group of prank-loving boys who definitely don’t know all the castle’s secrets.

...

Two weeks had passed since the Quidditch match. At present, I was prowling the castle, unable to sleep - the full moon was approaching. I had slipped out of the dormitory and the common room, seeking solace on the Astronomy Tower. Thoughts had whirled endlessly through my mind, yet no conclusion had been reached. My conscience urged me to go straight to Dumbledore and tell him everything about my father. But that nagging voice in my head whispered otherwise, insisting I wait, listen to what my father had to say, even if fear churned within me.

Fear of the unknown.
Fear of making a mistake.

These thoughts plagued me as I wandered through the corridor. The castle was silent, deserted, much like it was in summer when I often found myself alone here. As I rounded the next corner, on my way back to the common room, it happened. Though, I did not know what exactly.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed behind me. Before I could react, someone grabbed me, and my first instinct was to scream. But I could not; a hand clamped over my mouth. Effortlessly, I was pulled into a nearby secret, dark passage.
At that moment, I realised it was not just one pair of footsteps; there were several. My heart pounded violently, and the next thing I knew, I was pressed against someone. An arm wrapped tightly around me, holding me firm against their chest, while their hand remained firmly over my mouth.

I have to get away!

Instinct kicked in, and I struggled. The grip only tightened. A voice hissed close to my ear, low and urgent: »Quiet, Phil. Mrs Norris is outside.«

Remus?

Yes, it was unmistakably his voice. Oddly enough, his presence calmed me. He seemed to notice this as well because his hand gradually moved away from my mouth, though his arm stayed firmly around my waist.
A strange warmth emanated from this closeness, though I was too preoccupied with processing the situation to linger on the sensation. Here I was, trapped in a secret passage with Remus and, presumably, the rest of the Marauders, hiding from Filch's wretched cat, Mrs Norris. That insufferable feline had been the bane of every student's existence since her arrival.
Even I had to tread carefully to avoid her sharp eyes, so I could not fault the boys for running from her. Cats were known for their longevity, so the likelihood of Hogwarts being rid of her was slim. She would likely haunt these halls for the next twenty years alongside her cantankerous master.

What are the boys plotting now?
I wondered, certain the Slytherins would need to watch their backs in the coming days. Or perhaps only Elizabeth and I would. I could not be sure, but I doubted the Marauders had forgiven us for the failed slime prank.

»Is the bloody cat gone?« whispered a voice that sounded suspiciously like Black's. A faint shuffling noise followed as someone slid against the stone wall, in complete darkness by the way.
»Looks like it,« came the reply. »But there's only one way to find out.«
»You mean the Map-«
»Shush, Wormtail!« Black hissed. »Phil is here.«
»Yes, I'm here,« I whispered back, »Thanks for that.«
»Would you rather have been caught?«
»I could've outrun that stupid cat.«
»Sure,« Black replied sarcastically, his eye roll practically audible in the darkness.
»Let me out, and I'll prove it.«
»Out of the question. You'd reveal our hideout.«
»Not my problem.«
»Not my problem,« he mocked.
Before I could retort, Remus intervened. »Stop bickering; it's pointless.« His grip on my waist tightened briefly, perhaps unconsciously. I held my breath and crossed my arms, inadvertently brushing against his. Noticing this, Remus released me, though the confined space left little room for separation.
»I don't want to spend the rest of the night here because of you lot,« I declared, my tone now calmer.
»As I was saying,« Pettigrew began again. I could not decipher his intent, but before Black interrupted, it had sounded suspiciously like he was about to mention a map.
»Out of the question,« Black reiterated. »Phil will not see it.«
»A secret map?« I ventured, picking up on Pettigrew's unfinished words.
»No one said anything about a secret map,« Potter interjected. I sighed.

Really? Why me?

»Don't pretend; it was obvious Pettigrew was about to say 'map',« I countered, staring into the darkness where I assumed Black stood.
»If it were a map,« Black replied dryly, »then yes, it would be secret.«
»Fine, then let me go, or I'll scream and give us all away.«
»A threat, is it?« Black scoffed. »Too much time spent with that snake Lestrange?«
»Do we really have to rehash this?« Remus muttered behind me, his tone weary. His friend fell silent.
I seized the moment. »I'll keep your secret map... well, secret.«
»As if,« Black snorted.
»I'm not finished,« I said with a sigh. »I'll keep it secret in exchange for something. A trade.«
Black let out a sharp, stifled laugh.
»What do you want?« Potter asked, likely aware they could not afford to be caught by Filch again.
»I don't know yet,« I admitted. »But for now, I want you to promise whatever you're planning tonight won't be aimed at Elizabeth or me. You've had your chance.«
Black spoke, »I don't like empty agreements, so no.«
»Shall I scream then?«
»Is this blackmail?«
»Possibly,« I admitted, »if you don't let me go right now.«
Potter sighed. »She's ruthless. Don't you want to stay and chat with us a bit longer?«
»No. So?«
Their silence spoke volumes, and I felt a surge of pride for standing my ground. Once, I might have crumbled and stayed with them, but not anymore. They were the ones in the wrong this time, not me.

I'm not naïve. Ha!

Eventually, Black growled his reluctant agreement, and one by one, the others conceded. But they were careful. I barely glimpsed their so-called secret map before Potter muttered something under his breath, his wand emitting a faint glow and his back to me. Unfortunately, Remus decided it was a brilliant idea to cover my ears with his hands, muffling the incantation.
»Don't touch me!« I snapped, shoving his hands away. This time, his touch was not as welcome.
»Mrs Norris is gone,« Potter announced.
»Does your map show where people are?« I asked sceptically. The concept seemed too far-fetched to be real.
»As we said, it's a secret,« Black replied curtly.
I shrugged my shoulders and left the alcove. Outside, I continued, »You don't have to answer, because I can guess a few things.«
»And what, pray tell?«
»A map of Hogwarts that shows where people are and probably includes secret passages. Is that why you, Remus, wanted to know how Elizabeth and I escaped your trap? Are you trying to mark all the secret passages on your map?« My tone was sharp; I could tell I was close to the truth.
The boys remained silent as we walked down a corridor. On the left, windows came into view; on the right, portraits and old suits of armour lined the walls. The knights stood on their pedestals, and I commented, »I don't need to know, but I'd rather avoid getting ambushed by that cat. Shall we just use the secret passage here?«
I stopped, studying the Marauders. They exchanged strange looks, and I could not help but grin to myself.

Just as I thought.

Clearly, they knew nothing about the secret passage in this corridor. Understandable - it was one of the hardest to find. Over the summer, however, I had had plenty of time. Unlike them, I wrote my discoveries in a notebook.
»So, you don't know of any secret passage here?« My tone turned teasing.
I noticed Black's jaw tighten, but Remus responded, »You spend your free time searching for secret passages? You don't just wander around?« His question felt more like an observation.
»Of course,« I confirmed. »Summers would be dreadfully boring otherwise. But in this case, you're forgiven. I found this passage purely by accident. It's quite useful, though, as it ends on the floor of the common room.«
»And you're telling us this now because you're just so kind-hearted?« Black's scepticism was clear. I shot him a look - a mix of irritation and disbelief. He was acting like a sulky child, a term Lily often used.
»Believe it or not, despite today's events and others, I don't hate you,« I clarified, looking at all four of them. They seemed genuinely surprised. »I just happen to like you a lot less than before. I don't want you meddling in my life uninvited. By now, you must have enough evidence that your assumptions about naive Phil are incorrect.«
Even before finishing, I approached one of the knights. I could feel the boys' eyes on me as I spoke again. »But that doesn't mean I can't show you a passage that'll get us all out of danger. It's amusing, really, that you don't know everything about the castle's secrets.«

»No one can possess all knowledge,« echoed the voice of my father in my mind - a lesson he often shared. People always needed something from one another, after all.

With that thought, I stood before the suit of armour, bowing slightly as I uttered the correct words: »Life can be found everywhere.«
The knight tilted his head slightly upward. I spoke again, »Reveal that which you have been commanded to guard.«
In the next moment, the knight stepped aside and off his pedestal. I moved to it, sliding the top aside to reveal a hole leading to a secret passage below.
»It's impressive, in its own way,« Remus was the first to find his voice, stepping closer to inspect it.
»How many knights can be moved like this?« Potter asked, peering into the hole as he approached.
»I've found one on each floor so far,« I replied. »But their passages are all connected. It's really just a hidden spiral staircase.«
»A very useful secret passage,« Black concluded, as we all stood around the opening.
»You're not the only ones sneaking around the castle,« I pointed out, my voice carrying a teasing lilt. Without hesitation, I jumped into the hole. The floor was not far, but taller individuals would have to duck. Remus followed, crouching as he landed, and Potter brought up the rear.
»Hide one secret, and reveal another,« I muttered. The sound of stone grinding on stone echoed as the pedestal sealed itself. The knight moved, the clinking of metal filling the air. A moment later, torches along the walls flared to life, casting the broad passage in warm light.
»How did you even find this passage?« Potter asked, his glasses reflecting the flickering firelight.
»It's a secret, you know,« I teased.

What goes around comes around.

I would not tell them that Nearly Headless Nick had shown it to me while I was examining the knights over the summer.
»Fair enough,« murmured Remus, his head tilted slightly.
»Indeed,« I replied, starting down the passage that stretched in only one direction. At the spiral staircase, Remus could finally stand upright. We climbed to the appropriate floor, and whatever the boys had been up to earlier that night, they seemed to have finished it before the encounter with Mrs. Norris. As for me, my nocturnal wandering had been prompted by restless thoughts, but I had to admit the distraction of the Marauders had been oddly welcome.
Not long after, we reached the correct floor. With the same incantation, the knight's pedestal opened again. We emerged into the corridor and crept back to the common room, where we parted ways. I went straight to bed, hoping for sleep to come.

---

Hellooooo^^

I'm back! Let me keep it short and sweet: Wishing you all a Happy New Year in advance, since we won't be seeing each other again until next year! Yes, yes, I know - very dramatic*sniffles.

❤️❤️❤️

Sending lots of love,
RaVen