Chapter 16: The Marauders map fights back

When Lucy awoke the first thing she saw was the lonely banister. She got up happily and skipped downstairs. Surprisingly her dad hadn't awoken, so she poured a glass of milk and waited, and waited. It was nearly eight and breakfast would begin in the great hall and Snape still hadn't woken up. Curiously Lucy tip toed over to her dad's bedroom and opened the door slowly, as if afraid of what she was about to see.

She noticed Snape's small mass under the bed sheets and sighed. She walked over gently and pulled them off. To her absolute shock Snape had gone as pale as the sheets themselves and had been sweating buckets. Lucy noticed tear marks on his cheek and gasped in horror. She calmed herself down before slowly wiping Snape's cheek.

"Dad" she said in a timid voice "wake up dad"

But Snape stayed asleep. Suddenly he spluttered words loud, random and crazy. Lucy listened to Snape as he shouted and turned

"Mad Albus" he stuttered "stay out of the corridor, ten points from Gryffindor!"

"Well at least that's normal" Lucy muttered, trying to keep herself calm

"I love you Jessica" he smiled as he turned onto his side, leaving a shocked Lucy to recover

"You do love her" she whimpered, feeling herself sink to the floor

"I promise to protect you Lucy...I won't hurt you, I love you deeper than anyone, stay with me. Don't loose your temper"

Lucy placed herself beside Snape and squeezed his hand softly "dad?"

"McGuire!!!" He screamed as he sat bolt upright. He panted harshly and started at her

"Dad it's nearly eight o'clock. You don't look so good"

Snape collapsed back onto his bed and began to cough loudly

"I'll make a potion" he muttered before dozing off peacefully. Lucy prodded him in the stomach and he awoke quickly

"Your staying here" Lucy told him

"No" he said abruptly, sitting up for the first time, but looking confused and scared

"Why not?" Lucy asked, with her hands on her hips

"Nothing" he said slowly "it's nearly christmas Lucy, and we'll be away from those monsters. Just tomorrow" his voice was dream like and Lucy had a sense of pity in him . She nodded slowly

"I'm going to send an owl" she said and knocked on the grubby window. Snape moaned at the sharp noise and laid on his back.

"Stay away from Jessica" she joked. Snape made no effort to contradict and stayed still. As an owl flew in Lucy found a quill and parchment and wrote a letter to Dumbledore

Dear Professor Dumbledore

Professor Snape is ill, he has got a fever. And won't be able to teach today

-Lucy

She folded it up and gave the letter to the owl, who then flew off and out the window to the headmasters office. She crept back to her bedroom and got changed quickly before returning to Snape's side. He'd woken up a little, but still looked very pale

"I'm going to lessons now, are you sure you don't want me to stay?"

"I'm not a grandparent" he snarled. He sighed heavily and started to snore

"What's up with you today?" Lucy asked concerned as Snape rolled over. He didn't sleep for long because the next second his eyes were open.

"Sorry" he said in his usual seep voice. It croaked a bit and Lucy sat down beside him

"I can stay" she offered

"Don't worry i'll be fine"

"Just send an owl if your in trouble" Lucy said and kissed him on the cheek. He stared for a moment before closing his eyes and laying still. Lucy waited a bit before she went down to lessons, in case Snape needed anymore help

'What's gone over him?' Lucy thought as she walked to the main hall

Snape woke up in a dreamy state an hour later and looked to his side. His clock said ten o'clock and Snape let out a signature groan. He got up and wiped his eyes ad dragged himself to the bathroom. He started a warm shower and felt it run through his greasy hair. Snape dried himself and got changed into his usual clothes, but he left the black cloak aside. Snape looked a lot better without the atrocious cape and most would wonder why he even wore it. Snape looked a lot better but could feel himself collapsing at the second

"Drowse potion" he muttered before taking out a quill. Some pest must have smuggled it in somehow and it's effects were easily shown through Snape

He rushed down to his desk and jotted down a couple of notes. He picked up a piece of parchment and wrote slowly, spelling the words aloud

Shona McGuire

Come to the dungeons at six thirty tonight

Powers

-Professor Snape

He dozed off at the final words

He had a nice dream. He was standing with Jessica outside a church. He recognised it instantly as the one at spinners end. But Snape thought it was odd because the thing had been burnt down years ago. He was holding Jessica by the waist, her brides dress glowing white. They were smiling and Lucy was next to him. For some reason Shona was as well, in a dress and her hair had been beautifully combed. 'She should dress like that more often' Snape thought, it would be a change from her usual non-girly outfit's she wore. But in Shona's hand was a note...The note!

Snape woke abruptly to find himself half sloped over his desk. It was nearly eleven now and Snape made a face at the clock perched above the main door

"Bloody drowse potion" Snape hissed

Snape found something to do. He rummaged through the draws until his hands met the unmistakable feel of old parchment. He placed it out in front of him curiously. The maradurs map lay silently in front of him. He scanned it before lazily flicking his wand in it's direction. Nothing. He tapped the parchment again. Still nothing. Snape hissed at it and opened it up further. The layout was quite unusual for a map. There were pieces of parchment for stairs flaps and locked doors, it was all mind boggling. Snape wondered how on earth Lucy had got hold of such a thing.

Snape spent the next ten minutes annoying himself and roaring in frustration. If anybody had a camera then it would have been priceless to watch the potions master getting beaten by a map. He searched and opened every piece of the darn thing, but he couldn't find a way to open it at all. Snape's highly acute intellect was no match for this piece of parchment. But Snape wasn't going to give up yet.

"Damn thing" he mumbled. He sat back in his chair and thought carefully "so if it doesn't open without a password, the gre system must be in use"

His whisper was soft and low and to anyone listening to that, people would be slightly worried if they heard him

"gre,gre,gre..." He mumbled "what could they use for gre..."

Snape pulled out a drawer to reveal a very scrawny little book. It was fragile and weak, and it looked as if it had taken a beating. Snape opened it carefully and turned a grotty page, knowing all it's contents. He scanned the words carefully as he read to himself

In the form of dark magic the terms of gre astounia are used. It comes in from when any use of dark magic. It is a lie to break in a contract or a secret source allowing the human to access whatever the magic possess for a short period of time. To use gre astounia the spell trick work asenta must have been learnt by the U.S.A, otherwise the consequences can be fatal

Snape nodded his head and drew out his wand. He stood up slowly and fired his wand into action

"Nasta devesta" he said as the maradurs map flew open again. Snape focused on nothing else but the map. He swirled his wand numerous amounts of times, the tip of the wand sometimes emitting a soft light before dimming. At last he fired a silvery substance at the map. It soaked up and a soft breeze blew through. The maradurs maps ink flowed softly and Snape lowered his wand in triumph

"now lets see what you do" he muttered quietly. His fingers trailed over the first flap as Snape slyly opened it. His eyes saw a painted wooden door, and he smiled in delight

"So it's a map" he whispered softly

Knowing he had only little time to examine the thing, Snape beside studying the map. He was astounded that he could see everybody where they were, what they were doing, where they were going and who they were. Snape drifted his fingers over the footprints of Lucy Snape. He sighed softly as he watched walk over walk out to the quidditch practice with Fred and George Weasley, Harry and Ron behind them. Snape opened the map further to notice that he had a room of Dumbledore's office. Dumbledore was pacing around the little footprints showed his movements.

Snape scanned the maradurs map with awe. This was so dangerous but the fact was that the idea of being able to see everybody was great. Snape saw the footsteps of Shona McGuire run around the corner up the steps, Snape raised his eyebrows as the feet disappeared to another part of the map. A rush of excitement flowed inside him as he opened the map wider. He then realised that the footprints of Filch and Mrs Norris were not far behind Shona. Snape laughed loudly.

"McGuire what have you done" Snape tutted

Suddenly the map slammed shut. Snape's quick reflexes wrenched his hand away before it was grabbed by the map. He started at it as the writing at the front appeared.

Messers Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail and Prongs would like to point out that Snape should mind his own business

"What the..." Snape moaned

We'd also like to point out that we despise you

"I despise you" Snape snarled. He couldn't believe he was arguing with the maradurs map

Go away Snivels

Snape arose at the words and they faded away

"Potter!" He yelled at the thing. Snape forced himself to calm down as the maps writing disappeared. Snape fell back in his chair in shock. What student would make that? Snape rubbed his eyes as the potion took effect again. He was totally confused now and wasn't sure what to make of everything. He rubbed his eyes as he had a sudden flashback

"Severus have you got any idea who murdered Mr Merrycloud?" His mother asked him, holding a bunch of playing cards. The young Snape scanned the board like map carefully before answering

"I have a bunch, but if I were to tell you there wouldn't be much of a game, would it?"

His mother laughed gently and returned to her deck...

Snape's mind whizzed at a sudden idea. Snape took out a piece of parchment and wrote down everything he didn't get. This is what you would do in the game of the rats and the robbers. It was a who done it game but with a wizard twist. You'd have at least three or five people playing at a time. One playing piece would be murdered in suspicious circumstances and the others had to work out who it was that had killed it. There were cards and clues placed in the middle of the board and the board itself would allow the figures to walk around freely. But if one were to pick up a rat card, they were to be a spy for the murderer, seemingly working for the detectives but putting them off track. This was the only plan Snape had, so he decided to go along with it. 'But who's the friend and who's the foe?'

He wrote slowly but the words seemed to bounce off the edge

Maradurs map

Dementors

The ministry

He scanned it for a second, scanning the words closely. Without warning the maradurs map exploded with life.

The room glowed brightly and Snape jumped to his feet. The place was surrounded by a brightness that blinded him, Snape was forced to cover his eyes. Suddenly he felt his chest drop and his stomach turn as wind swept past him. It became clear that he was falling as he started to toss and turn. Snape opened his eyes to see he was being thrown down a never ending tunnel. It was vast and the darkness at the bottom wrapped around the brick walls. Snape would have yelled but no words came out as he plunged hundreds of meters per second, staring into the face of death. At a sudden shock he realised a flat brick wall stood between him. This time Snape's scream echoed through as he straightened himself out. He braced for what he thought would be unbearable...