. . .

When morning broke Tilly and the rest of the Ravenclaw house learned of the escapades that happened last night with Sirius Black getting into the castle again. Claire Morgenstern was once again the source of the information and she took no time in telling the entire house about it.

"How was she able to find this out?" asked Padma, crossing her arms over her chest while staring at Claire the same as her other roommates. "She isn't even in Gryffindor! She hardly likes Gryffindors"

"Ooohh, maybe she can read minds," gasped Luna in an excited whisper. For years she's been hoping to master the art of reading minds.

Tilly rolled her eyes at the thought of Claire Morgenstern being able to read minds. She continued to watch as Claire surrounded herself with anyone who was still willing to listen to her talk.

"Doubt it," Tilly scoffed. "If she was able to read minds, she'd brag about that too."

Cho sighed from beside of Luna. She was the only one of her roommates to actually be friends with Claire.

"Perhaps it could be a certain Gryffindor boy named, Cormac McLaggen," shrugged Cho, wearing a sly smile. "The boy with whom she was taking a light night stroll around the castle with just last night."

Matilda and Padma both began laughing.

"Really?" Padma snorted, turning to Cho. "Cormac McLaggen?"

"Yes Padma," said Cho. "Why is that so funny to the two of you?"

"Cho you can't be that blind," said Tilly, also looking down at Cho now. "The boy isn't even capable of spelling his own name. I truly expected more from the Morgenstern."

Cho shrugged and nodded her head as she could now understand why Padma and Matilda thought the idea of Claire being with Cormac was laughable. All four girls now stood staring at Claire Morgenstern with their heads tilted, wondering how Claire Morgenstern puts up with an idiot like McLaggen.

. . .

Throughout the day, everywhere they went they saw signs of tighter security; Professor Flitwick could be seen teaching the front doors to recognize a large picture of Sirius Black; Filch was suddenly bustling up and down the corridors, boarding up everything from tiny cracks in the walls to mouse holes. According to Harry and Ron, Sir Cadogan had been fired. His portrait had been taken back to its lonely landing on the seventh floor, and the Fat Lady was back. She had been expertly restored, but was still extremely nervous, and had agreed to return to her job only on condition that she was given extra protection. A bunch of surly security trolls had been hired to guard her. They paced the corridor in a menacing group, talking in grunts and comparing the size of their clubs.

It was Tilly who had taken notice that the one-eyed witch on the third floor remained unguarded and unblocked. It seemed as though Fred and George had been right in believing that they—and now herself, Harry, Hermione, and Ron—were the only ones to know about the hidden passageway concealed within.

"D'you reckon we should tell someone?" Harry asked Ron and Tilly after she had told him about the statue remaining unguarded.

"We know he's not coming in through Honeyduke's," said Ron dismissively. "We'd've heard if the shop had been broken into."

Tilly pulled her eyebrows together as she began to think while Harry and Ron spoke.

"It could be that Black is using the passageway without even breaking into Honeydukes," said Tilly voicing her thoughts.

"That passage only leads to Honeydukes," said Harry, looking over at Tilly. "Where else would he be gaining entry?"

Tilly rolled her eyes as Harry completely missed what she was trying to suggest. Truthfully, she expected neither him or Ron to understand.

"Harry, I mean, Sirius Black could be using Honeydukes as the entry without even needing to break in," Tilly attempted at explaining. "It wouldn't be hard to get in if he was disguised enough, maybe he's using Polyjuice potion to alter his appearance. How else would he be getting into the castle totally unnoticed?"

Ron looked from Matilda to Harry and shrugged. Neither of them could think of anything to say back to that.

Ron had also become an instant celebrity. For the first time in his life, people were paying more attention to him than to Harry, and it was clear that Ron was rather enjoying the experience. Though still severely shaken by the night's events, he was happy to tell anyone who asked what had happened, with a wealth of detail. Especially girls.

". . . I was asleep, and I heard this ripping noise, and I thought it was my dream, you know? But then there was this draft. . . I woke up and one of the hangings on my bed had been pulled down. . . I rolled over. . . and I saw him standing over me. . . like a skeleton, with loads of filthy hair. . . holding this great long knife, must've been twelve inches. . . and he looked at me, and I looked at him, and then I yelled, and he scampered.

"Why, though?" Ron added to Harry as the group of second-year girls who had been listening to his chilling tale departed.

"Is that really what you're choosing to go with?" said Tilly, who had been standing behind the group of second-year girls with her arms crossed and eyebrows raised skeptically. "He scampered? Really Ronald?"

"He did!" Ron defended himself, "You wouldn't know though, because you weren't there."

After that, he puffed out his chest with a huff and began walking in the opposite direction. Tilly couldn't help but laugh as she turned to follow him down the corridors.

"I know and I'm sorry," she called out as she began to walk after him. "I just don't really see a mass murderer scampering away from you."

Tilly disappeared around a corner as she continued to chase after Ron, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts.

. . .

It had been two days since the fiasco with Sirius Black getting into the castle had started and the students still listened to Ron tell of his dangerous encounter with Sirius Black and they still found the time to patronize Neville over his mistake that had led to Sirius getting past the portrait in the first place.

Per usual Tilly sat in the Great Hall with Luna for a normal breakfast when the school owls swooped in carrying the mail as they usually do. Tilly had received a few letters signed by her parents as expected, but it was nothing compared to what had landed on the Gryffindor table.

Multiple gasps sounded from the Gryffindor table so she and Luna both quickly turned to see what was causing such a commotion. Neville's large barn owl landed in front of in, a scarlet envelope clutched in its beak. Tilly looked over at Harry and Ron who had been sitting opposite Neville looked at the letter in horror—they all remembered when Ron had been so unlucky to have gotten one.

Already feeling bad for Neville being ridiculed, Tilly rose from her spot and rushed over to where he sat. She got a few confused looks from Harry and Ron.

"Neville, run," Tilly advised simply.

Neville didn't need telling twice. He seized the envelope, and holding it before him like a bomb, sprinted out of the hall, while the Slytherin table exploded with laughter at the sight of him. They heard the Howler go off in the entrance hall – Nevilles grandmother's voice, magically magnified to a hundred times its usual volume, shrieking about how he had brought shame on the whole family.

Harry, who was too busy feeling sorry for Neville took no notice to Hedwig dropping a letter before him. Tilly got his attention by flicking his ear harshly.

"Ouch!" said Harry, clutching his ear.

Tilly didn't say anything, just glanced down at the letter and he followed her gaze and finally took notice.

Harry tore open the envelope while Neville's grandmother still went on shouting at him. He read the letter aloud to Ron and Tilly.

Dear Harry, Ron, and Matilda

How about having tea with me this afternoon 'round six? I'll come by and collect you from the castle. WAIT FOR ME IN THE ENTRANCE HALL; YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED OUT ON YOUR OWN.

Cheers,

Hagrid

"He probably wants to hear all about Black!" said Ron.

Tilly rolled her eyes at Ron. She couldn't see how he was still so keen about telling the story of him being terrified by Sirius Black. If it had been Matilda, she knew that he wouldn't have escaped the castle.

"I can't believe you're still milking that," said Tilly. "I mean, it isn't as if you died!"

"Yes, I'm still milking it, Matilda," said Ron, leaning across the table to be closer to Tilly. "And I could have died that night."

Tilly let out a scoff and rolled her eyes.

"Ronald, I'm sure if Sirius Black had wanted you dead, you'd be dead," said Tilly with the shrug of her shoulders.

Ron let out a dramatic gasp.

"There was a knife to my throat, Matilda—"

"Do you two ever stop arguing?" asked Harry as he spread butter on his piece of toast.

Both Ron and Tilly stopped bickering, but before she turned to go back to the Ravenclaw table she stuck her tongue out at Ron and he happily returned it.

. . .

At six o'clock that afternoon, Tilly left the Ravenclaw tower and easily outsmarted the security trolls making her able to sneak past them and headed down to the entrance hall.

Harry, Hagrid, and Ron were already there waiting for her arrival.

"All right, Hagrid!" said Ron. "S'pose you want to hear about Saturday night, do you?"

"Oh, here we go," whispered Tilly, with the role of her eyes.

Even by Harry's expression Tilly was able to tell that he was beginning to grow tired of the story as well.

"I've already heard all abou' it," said Hagrid, opening the front door and leading them outside.

"Oh," said Ron, looking slightly put out.

Normally Tilly would have laughed at Ron and rubbed it in his face that he couldn't tell his story, but she couldn't stand to see his spirits down. So, she backed away from Hagrid and Harry and made her way to Ron's side.

"You know, I'm sure Hagrid heard the story from other teachers," said Tilly, trying her best to lift Ron's spirits. "He is an authority figure here, so I'm sure that is why he knows."

The first thing they saw on entering Hagrid's cabin was Buckbeak, who was stretched out on top of Hagrid's patchwork quilt, his enormous wings folded tight to his body, enjoying a large plate of dead ferrets. Averting her eyes from the unpleasant sight, Tilly saw a gigantic, hairy brown suit and a very horrible yellow and orange tie hanging from the top of Hagrid's wardrobe door.

"Well, I see you have decided upon an outfit to wear," said Tilly, forcing a smile as she tried her best to not sound as if she was disgusted.

"Yes, this is it," said Hagrid, proudly. "Don' you like it?"

Tilly tried to tell him she loved it, but she feared if she opened her mouth, she wouldn't be able to find the words that Hagrid wanted to hear, and the last thing she wanted to do was hurt his feelings or make him feel bad.

"Outfit for what?" said Harry.

"Buckbeak's case against the Committee fer the Disposal o' Dangerous Creatures," said Hagrid. "This Friday. Him an' me'll be going down ter London together. I've booked two beds on the Knight Bus. . . and Matilda's mom promised to come an' help present Buckbeak's case."

Tilly gave Hagrid a smile, she hoped that her mom and the amount of research she and Hermione were able to gather would be good enough to make a case to the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. She was a little angry at both Harry and Ron for abandoning them when they had promised to help Hagrid as well. They had not lived up to their promise due to the arrival of the Firebolt because it had driven the case clean out of their minds.

Hagrid poured them tea and offered them a plate of Bath buns, but they knew better than to accept; they had had too much experience with Hagrid's cooking.

"I got somethin' ter discuss with you two," said Hagrid, sitting himself between them and looking uncharacteristically serious.

Since Tilly knew the topic of discussion since before the letter arrived to Harry she went to go sit with Buckbeak, after pushing his plate aside with her foot. Tilly had been the one to help Hagrid set this meeting up, she helped him prepare his speech to them. Since they refused to listen to her, Tilly thought they'd listen to Hagrid.

She sat down next to Buckbeak and began to softly stroke his head.

"What?" asked Harry?

"Hermione," said Hagrid.

"What about her?" asked Ron.

"She's in a righ' state, that's what. She's been coming down ter visit with Matilda a lot since Chris'mas. Been feelin' lonely. Firs yeh weren' talking to her because of the Firebolt, now yer not talkin' to her because of her cat—"

"—ate Scabbers!" Ron interjected angrily.

"Because her cat acted like all cats do," said Matilda, looking at Ron with sympathy.

She knew Ron missed Scabbers and was truly affected by his death, but he couldn't stay angry with Hermione because her cat was only doing what cats normally do. It's a part of the food chain.

Hagrid continued doggedly.

"She's cried a fair few times, yeh know. Goin' through a rough time at the moment. Bitten off more'n she can chew, if yeh ask me, all the work she's tryin to do. Still found time ter help me with Buckbeak's case, mind. . . She's found some really good stuff fer me. . . reckon he'll stand a good chance now. . ."

"Hagrid, we should have helped as well—sorry—" Harry began awkwardly.

"I'm not blamin' yeh!" said Hagrid, waving Harry's apology aside. "Gawd known yeh've had enough ter be getting on with. I've seen yeh practicing Quidditch every hour of the day an' night—but I've gotta tell yeh, I thought you two'd value yer friend more'n broom-sticks or rats. Now, Tilly, I could expect this out of. . . no offense Tilly."

Tilly shook her head with a smile as she continued stroking Buckbeak's head.

"Oh, none taken," she said without a care.

Harry and Ron exchanged uncomfortable looks.

"Really upset, she was, when Black nearly stabbed yeh, Ron, and Harry she's always terrified fer you," said Hagrid. "She's got her heart in the right place, Hermione has, an' you two not talkin to her—"

"If she'd just get rid of that stupid cat, I'd talk to her again!" Ron said angrily. "But she's still sticking up for it! It's a maniac, and she won't hear a word against it!"

"Ron!" said Tilly in a scolding manner. "You can't just expect people to get rid of their animal because of an accident they had no control over!"

Tilly glanced over at Hagrid, hoping he would see her point.

They spent the rest of their time discussing Gryffindor's improved chances at winning the cup while Tilly continued to play with Buckbeak. At nine o'clock, Hagrid walked them back up to the castle.

A large group of people was bunched around the bulletin board when Tilly returned to the common room.

"Hogsmeade, next weekend!" said Padma excitedly, noticing Tilly. "Won't you come this time Tilly?"

Padma clasped her hands together and pouted to Matilda.

"Maybe," said Tilly.

It wasn't a yes, but Padma took to celebrating anyway.

. . .

On Saturday morning, Tilly quickly slipped on something to wear, grabbed her purse that held some of her money, and went down to breakfast with Harry and Ron. She noticed Hermione kept shooting suspicious glances down the table at Harry, but he avoided her eye.

"Is something the matter with Hermione?" asked Tilly, leaning across the table to whisper to Harry. "She keeps glancing down here as if you're planning something illegal."

Ron scoffed as he dug at his plate. His scoff offered Tilly no answers.

"She threatened to tell McGonagall about the map and the passageway last night," Harry answered in a low voice, so Hermione would have no chance in hearing him.

"You two didn't try resolving your issues with her last night?" said Tilly, rolling her eyes in annoyance. "Do you realize how hard I worked with Hagrid to help prepare that speech last night?"

"Woah," said Ron, laying his fork down on his plate. "You knew about Hagrid's sp-"

"We had no time to try and talk with her," said Harry, quickly cutting Ron off. "Ron and I were talking about Hogsmeade and then suddenly she's threatening to tell on me."

"Yeah," Ron defended. "Hermione has become a complete loon!"

Harry nudged Ron with his shoulder after his comment about Hermione.

"You two nimwits do realize she's only worried about you, don't you?" asked Tilly, specifically looking at Harry. "And maybe if you two had gotten your head out of your arses sooner she wouldn't be telling on you!"

Breakfast ended and despite Tilly calling Harry and Ron arseheads she still followed them up the marble staircase where Harry tried to be extra careful not to be seen by Hermione in the entrance hall as everybody proceeded to the front doors.

"Bye!" called Harry to Ron and Matilda. "See you when you get back!"

Ron grinned and winked.

"Ron, don't wink," said Matilda with a scoff. "That adds to the suspicion!"

Ron raised her arms questionably at Tilly's comment.

"What? I winked," said Ron offended as they walked out of the front doors together. "Oh, I'm not allowed to wink?"

"You are one of the most dramatic people I've ever met in my life," said Tilly, shaking her head at Ron.

The two of them followed the rest of the students that had been permitted to go to Hogsmeade across the bridge.

Since the day was nice the walk to Hogsmeade was a nice one. The trail that the school used wasn't nearly as long as the one hidden within the one-eyed witch and so Tilly much preferred the school's path. If only Ron would have found a moment to stop discussing his encounter with Sirius Black with her, the walk would have been a great one. She assumed it was because Ron was so used to talking with Harry and he never stops Ron from talking and happily listens to him talk, but Tilly isn't Harry and she is very easily annoyed.

When they got to Hogsmeade the two of them walked through Honeydukes looking through the many different assortments of candies and sweets. As they waited for Harry, Tilly went up to pay for her things. She had gotten some Apple Rings, Caramel Cobwebs, Peppermint Toads, and Ton-Tongue Toffee. She wasn't normally one to eat many sweets, but everyone knew, one couldn't walk into Honeydukes and not buy something.

Tilly began showing Ron her purchases, but he seemed distracted by something other than her. He looked around the room with a look of panic flashing across his face. It was because Harry hadn't shown up yet. His arrival time seemed to be taking longer than normal.

"He's probably dead, isn't he?" said Ron, his voice cracking. "This is my fault. I should have never insisted that he come along today."

Tilly rolled her eyes as Ron went on jumping to conclusions. But she went on to comfort him anyhow.

"I highly doubt Harry's dead," said Tilly, trying to assure Ron. "Perhaps he needed to stop for a restroom break."

That didn't help Ron at all, he continued to only assume the worst possible scenarios.

"He's probably been killed, Tilly," said Ron with a face of horror. "He might have met Sirius Black in the tunnel and he's done went a murdered Harry. How am I supposed to tell McGonagall about this?"

Again, Tilly rolled her eyes at Ron's dramatics.

"I highly doubt that Harry met Sirius Black in the—"

She stopped herself midsentence as she began to think of the possibility of that actually happening.

"Actually, that theory isn't totally absurd," Tilly corrected herself.

Tilly's sudden change of mind though was no help to Ron as he began to hyperventilate. Before he could attract the attention of a hoard of students or a Professor, Tilly grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him outside.

Tilly grabbed onto Ron's shoulder firmly when they were a safe distance away from everyone else.

"Ron, look at me," said Tilly in a soft tone, trying to help him, but it wasn't working as he only continued looking at the concrete underneath their feet. "Ron, you have to look at me!"

This time when she was sterner and demanding with him, Ron's head raised, and his eyes locked with Matilda's. His breathing was heavy, and his chest heaved in and out.

"Ron, I'm telling you that Harry is not dead, and you need to calm down," ordered Tilly as she stared directly into his eyes, hoping to get through to him. "And if Harry isn't here in ten minutes or so, I'll go and search for him myself."

Ron's eyes widened, and he shook his head vigorously.

"What? No, you can't go off alone," said Ron, breathing heavily, looking at Tilly with concern. "I can't lose you too."

Against her will, a small smile formed on Tilly's lips as those words escaped from Ron's lips. She couldn't help but like that he seemed to care about her and to worry about losing her, but quickly she changed her expression back to the way it was.

"Okay then," said Tilly, nodding her head. "If we must send someone whom we don't mind being in danger, we can send Malfoy."

Tilly had finally gotten Ron to smile.

"Okay," he chuckled softly. "I mean if we have to send somebody."

As Ron seemed to be calming down, Tilly sat him down on the sidewalk outside of Honeydukes and she sat down as well. He began to chew on the candy that he bought, trying to keep himself from thinking bad things about Harry. Tilly didn't want to admit it, but she too was worried about Harry. She had walked that passageway with him before and it had never taken then this long to get from Hogwarts to Honeydukes.

"It's me," Tilly heard a voice murmur from behind her.

She was sure the voice belonged to Harry when she saw no one behind neither her or Ron.

"What's kept you?" asked Ron, quickly standing up from the sidewalk.

"Snape was hanging around," answered Harry.

Tilly followed Ron's actions and stood as well.

"We should probably get moving because the longer that Ron continues to stand here and talk to you the more people are going to think that he belongs at St. Mungo's Hospital," said Tilly in a quick whisper, trying to seem as if she was talking with only Ron.

Both boys agreed, and they set off up the High Street.

"Where are you?" Ron kept muttering out of the corner of his mouth. "Are you still there? This feels weird. . ."

"Well, you look weird," said Tilly.

They went to the post office; Tilly pretended to be helping Ron check the price of an owl to Bill in Egypt so that Harry could have a good look around. The owls sat hooting softly down at them, at least three hundred of them; from Great Grays, right down to tiny little Scops owls ("Local Deliveries Only"), which were so small they could have sat in the palm of Tilly's hand.

They visited Zonko's, which was so packed with students Tilly feared that Harry would tread onto someone and cause a panic. There were jokes and tricks to fulfill even Fred's and George's wildest dreams; Harry gave Ron and Tilly whispered orders and passed them some gold from underneath the cloak. Ron and Harry left Zonko's with their money bags considerably lighter than they had been on entering, their pockets bulging with Dungbombs, Hiccup Sweets, Frog Spawn Soap, and a Nose-Biting Teacup apiece.

The day continued to be fine and breezy, and none of them felt like staying indoors, so they walked past the Three Broomsticks and climbed a slope to visit the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted dwelling in Britain. It stood a little way above the rest of the village, and even in daylight was slightly creepy, with its boarded windows and dank overgrown garden.

"I just don't see what everyone is so afraid of," said Tilly shrugging her shoulders, after Ron had asked why she was unimpressed by all the ghost stories. "We see ghosts all of the time, being at Hogwarts, there are tons of ghosts there."

"Even the Hogwarts ghosts avoided it," said Ron as they leaned on the fence, looking up at it. "I asked Nearly Headless Nick. . . he says he's heard a very rough crowd lives here. No one can get in. Fred and George tried, obviously, but all the entranced are sealed shut. . ."

"I'd avoid this place too, look at it, it's a dump, whether you're dead or alive," argued Matilda. "And yes, it was sealed off, probably because people like your brothers, Fred and George, kept trying to sneak in to further the ghost stories."

Ron opened his mouth to reply when they heard voices nearby. Someone was climbing toward the house from the other side of the hill; moments later, Malfoy appeared, followed closely by Crabbe, Goyle, and as expected, Daisy Morgenstern. Malfoy was speaking.

". . . should have an owl from Father any time now. He had to go to the hearing to tell them about my arm. . . about how I couldn't use it for three months. . ."

Crabbe and Goyle agreed with him, but the Morgenstern spoke differently.

"You could use your arm Draco," said Daisy with a long sigh. "I witnessed you move it the very day you had been scratched."

Draco ignored his friend.

"I really wish I could that great hairy moron trying to defend himself. . . 'There's no 'arm in 'im, 'onest—'. . . that hippogriff's as good as dead—"

"Just like your ego was, right?" sounded Daisy Morgenstern again.

Tilly let out a snort when Malfoy suddenly caught sight of her and Ron. His pale face having split into a malevolent grin. Tilly let out a sigh and grabbed for her wand which was tucked in her coat pocket.

"What are you doing, Weasley?"

Malfoy looked up at the crumbling house behind Ron.

"Suppose you'd love to live here, wouldn't you, Weasley? Dreaming about having your own bedroom? I heard your family all sleep in one room—is that true?"

Tilly quickly stepped in front of Ron, so he would be unable to lunge at Malfoy.

"I heard that your parents met at a family reunion and your father also happens to be your cousin—is that true, Malfoy?"

"Keep him busy"

Tilly felt Harry's cloak against her as he whispered into her ear.

"We were just discussing your friend Hagrid," Malfoy said with a glare towards Tilly. "Just trying to imagine what he's saying to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. D'you think he'll cry when they cut off his hippogriff's head?"

"No more than you did when the hippogriff scratched your arm," said Matilda, wishing Harry would hurry with his plan. "What was it? Three weeks of pouting for poor wittle Dwaco?"

SPLAT.

Malfoy's head jerked forward as the mud hit him; his silver-blonde hair was suddenly dripping in muck.

"What the—?"

Tilly only shrugged pretending as if she had no idea as to what was happening, and Ron had to hold on to the fence to keep himself standing, he was laughing so hard. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle spun stupidly on the spot, staring wildly around as Daisy attempted to duck and hurry off, Malfoy tried wiping his hair clean.

"What was that? Who did that?"

"Haven't you heard?" asked Ron, unable to finish his sentence because he was laughing so hard.

"The worst kinds of ghosts haunt this place," Tilly said, with the air of one commenting on the weather.

Crabbe and Goyle were looking at Tilly scared. Their bulging muscles were no use against ghosts. Malfoy was staring madly around at the deserted landscape.

"I know this is your doing, Winters," yelled Malfoy, pointing an accusing finger in her direction.

Matilda pretended to look offended as she placed a hand over her heart.

"Me?!" she pretended to be shocked at the accusation. "I don't even have my wand, Malfoy."

SPLATTER.

Crabbe and Goyle caught some this time. Goyle hopped furiously on the spot, trying to rub it out of his small, dull eyes.

"It came from over there!" said Malfoy, wiping his face and staring at an empty spot.

Crabbe blundered forward, his long arms outstretched like a zombie. Tilly assumed Harry was able to dodge him because a stick was floating in midair, and thrown at Crabbe's back. Crabbe did a kind of pirouette in midair, trying to see who had thrown it. As Ron was the person Crabbe seen besides Matilda, it was Ron he started toward, but suddenly Crabbe stumbled—and his huge, flat foot caught the hem of Harry's cloak. Before it was too late Tilly grabbed her wad and pretended to cast the first spell that came to mind, making sure not to move her wand.

"VISUS REGITUR!"

Suddenly the cloak slid off Harry's face.

For a split second, Malfoy stared at his face.

"AAARGH!" He yelled, pointing at Harry's head. Then he turned tail and ran, at breakneck speed, back down the hill, Crabbe, and Goyle behind him. Daisy too followed, but not as quickly and she kept glancing back over her shoulder with a confused glance.

Harry tugged the cloak up again, but the damage was done.

"Harry," said Tilly, quickly walking towards where Harry stood. "You've got to run for it! Malfoy is likely to anyone what he saw, you have to get back to the castle."

"See you later," said Harry, and without another word, he tore back down the path toward Hogsmeade.

Even though there was a chance of Harry getting into trouble the two students laughed as they too headed back down the hill. The picture of Malfoy's face as the mud hit him in the head was going to be forever sealed into Matilda's memory.

"Hey," said Ron, getting Tilly's attention after their laughter had subsided. "What was that you yelled before Harry's cloak came off?"

"It was a spell I learned recently," said Tilly, shrugging her shoulders. "It can make people see whatever you want them to."

Ron gaped at Matilda.

"So, you made them see something?"

Matilda shook her head.

"There was no time to cast the actual spell, Harry's cloak was already beginning to come off," Matilda told him. "I only pretended so that when Malfoy decided to run his mouth, I'll be able to keep him from getting into too much trouble."

"Well, what about you?" asked Ron. "Won't you get into trouble then?"

Tilly laughed as she shook her head.

"No, I don't get into trouble," she said truthfully.

Whenever there is a threat of Tilly getting into trouble or being punished all she ever has to do is go and see Dumbledore, and after she pleads her case, he always lets her off. There are perks that come along with being the headmaster's favorite student.

Ron smiled, looking over at Tilly.

"That was really smart!" He said. "You are really smart."

Matilda smiled and looked over to Ron confidently.

"I know," she said, turning back ahead.

When Ron and Matilda arrived back at the castle the two agreed to split up and search for Harry. Tilly tried searching for him in the library, the Great Hall, and she even checked in with Myrtle—who was not so happy to see her without bringing Harry along.

"Still nothing," Tilly whispered to herself and she found herself back in front of the Great Hall.

She felt defeated, confused, and worried. Harry had left with plenty of time to have had arrived by now and yet he is nowhere to be found in this castle. Tilly began making her way towards the staircases to check in with Ron when she noticed a black cloak walking towards her.

"Just wonderful," whispered Tilly.

Professor Snape approached her with Harry in tow. He was wearing his usual twisted smile when he spoke to her.

"Miss Winters," said Snape, sounding almost amused. "Just the student who I was looking for."

Snape glanced around Tilly, probably searching for Ron or Hermione, as those two are usually found being involved as well.

"You can follow Mr. Potter and me," he said simply.

Tilly, already knowing what this was about decided to listen.

Harry and Tilly followed him downstairs, and Harry kept trying to wipe his hands clean on the inside of his robes without Snape noticing. They walked down the stairs to the dungeons and then to Snape's office.

Tilly had never been in Snape's office and her face turned into a disgusted scowl as she took in her surroundings. The room was unreasonably dark and there were creatures in jars sitting on shelves behind his desk, glinting in the firelight and adding to the threatening atmosphere.

"Sit," said Snape.

Harry and Tilly sat. Snape, however, remained standing.

"Mr. Malfoy has just been to see me with a strange story, Potter," said Snape.

"I don't doubt that," mumbled Matilda, rolling her eyes.

Snape's attention was turned to her.

"You spoke?" he said.

"I mean, Draco Malfoy coming up with nonsense stories isn't something to be surprised over,"

Snape crossed his arms and glared down at a small Matilda.

"Draco Malfoy happens to be one of the most competent students I have had," Snape defended him.

"Well, obviously you believe that," Tilly murmured, leaning back into her chair with a bitter expression.

Harry didn't say anything.

"He tells me that he was up by the Shrieking Shack when he ran into Weasley and Miss Winters."

Neither spoke.

"Mr. Malfoy states that he was standing talking to the two of them when a large amount of mud hits him in the back of the head. How do you think that could have happened?"

Harry tried to look mildly surprised.

"I don't know Professor."

Matilda let out a snort of laughter, unable to hold it in.

"It is said to be incredibly haunted up there," said Tilly, a sly grin playing at her lips. "Though I'm sure you know the stories, don't you Professor?"

Snape's eyes were boring into theirs. It was exactly like trying to stare down a hippogriff. Harry was trying hard not to blink while Matilda remained relaxed and unbothered.

"Mr. Malfoy then saw an extraordinary apparition. Can either of you imagine what it might have been?"

"No," said Harry, now trying to sound innocently curious.

Tilly shrugged when Snape looked over to her.

"If you really need me to, I could make an educated guess for you," said Tilly, trying to upset Snape.

"It was Potter's head. Floating in midair."

There was a long silence.

"Woah. . ."

Tilly whispered softly in a surprised tone.

"Maybe he'd better go to Madam Pomfrey," said Harry. "If he's seeing things like—"

Tilly let out another snort of laughter.

"What would your head have been doing in Hogsmeade, Potter?" said Snape softly. "Your head is not allowed in Hogsmeade. No part of your body had permission to be in Hogsmeade."

"When telling you about Harry's head did Malfoy happen to tell you what he heard before he seen the head?" asked Matilda, rolling her eyes.

Snape brought his attention back over to Matilda.

"Yes, in fact, he did," said Snape slowly. "That is why you are here Miss Winters."

Matilda raised her eyebrows at him, waiting for him to continue.

"What spell was it you used again?" he asked, waiting for her to mess up.

She smiled confidently, sitting back up in her chair.

"Visus Regitur," answered Tilly. "Draco wasn't talking to us Professor Snape, he was ridiculing Ron, I didn't like that, so I scared him."

Harry looked over at Tilly with a confused expression.

"And where were you able to learn such an advanced spell?" he continued to tease her.

"I read Professor," said Matilda. "I read a lot."

Snape nodded, as he began to pace the floor.

"Then how do you explain the mud Miss Winters?" said Snape. "Was that the ghosts?"

Having not thought he'd ask her that Matilda quickly came up with another lie.

"I used another spell to throw the mud," she shrugged easily.

"Iractare,"

Snape nodded slowly. He had thought he caught the two of them in their lie, but Matilda was quick to outsmart him.

"Harry wasn't there Professor Snape," said Tilly, looking over at Harry. "It was only a prank that I thought would be a good lesson for Malfoy."

Harry began to nod.

"It's true," he added. "I've been up in Gryffindor Tower."

"Can anyone confirm that?"

Harry didn't say anything. Snape's thin mouth turned into a horrible smile.

"So," he said straightening up again. "Everyone from the Minister of Magic downward has been trying to keep famous Harry Potter safe from Sirius Black. But famous Harry Potter is a law unto himself. Let the ordinary people worry about his safety! Famous Harry Potter goes where he wants to, with no thought for the consequences."

Snape was trying to provoke Harry into telling the truth. Snape had no proof, he needed that confession from Harry.

"That isn't fair," said Tilly in a surprisingly calm manner. "You have no proof Harry was there and I've confessed to what happened!"

Harry stayed silent.

"How extraordinarily like your father you are, Potter," Snape said suddenly, his eyes glinting. "He too was exceedingly arrogant. A small amount of talent on the Quidditch field made him think he was a cut above the rest of us too. Strutting around the place with his friends and admirers. . . the resemblance between you is uncanny."

Tilly sat unable to speak. She felt uncomfortable and felt as if Snape had gone too far in provoking Harry.

"My dad didn't strut," said Harry, surprising Tilly. "And neither do I!"

"Your father didn't set much store by rules either. . ."

"This is very unprofessional, and you need to stop it!" Tilly interrupted him.

Snape went on though, pressing his advantage, his thin face full of malice. "Rules were for lesser mortals, not Quidditch Cup-winners. His head was so swollen—"

"SHUT UP!"

Tilly jerked slightly in her chair as Harry was quickly on his feet. His face was redder than she had ever seen it before. Now that she sees him mad, Tilly is sure this is the first time she's ever seen him evoke so much emotion. Snape's face had gone rigid, the black eyes flashing dangerously.

"What did you say to me, Potter?"

"I told you to shut up about my dad!" Harry yelled. "I know the truth, all right? He saved your life! Dumbledore told me! You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for my dad!"

Snape's sallow skin had gone the color 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 Potter's delicate ears?"

Tilly's leg bounced as anger began to course through her body. She kept having to stop herself from gripping onto her wand.

"I would hate for you to run away with a false idea of your father, Potter," 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 father wouldn't have gotten cold feet at the last moment. There was nothing brave about what he did. He was saving his own skin as much as mine. Had their joke succeeded, he would have been expelled from Hogwarts."

Snape's uneven, yellowish teeth were barred.

"None of that matters, your life was still saved by James Potter. You have no right to try and tarnish Harry's idea of his dad when he isn't even alive to defend himself." Matilda had finally snapped. "This discussion is not relevant to the reason you brought Harry and me here. I know you're provoking Harry to try and get him to tell you what you want to hear. You are evil and acting highly inappropriate for a Professor!"

Snape's face was still contorted into a malicious grin.

"I have things I could tell you about your father as well, Miss Winters," Snape growled. "But I can see both your father and your mother in you. And that is not a compliment."

"I wouldn't say much more than that Professor Snape," Matilda ordered, rising from her seat. "My dad is alive and able to defend himself and I also have nothing keeping me from going straight to the headmaster after this meeting to inform him of your lack of professionalism. I suggest you get back on topic."

Snape's grin turned into a glare as he turned to Harry, again.

"Turn your pockets, Potter!" he spat suddenly.

Harry didn't move. Tilly could still see the anger within him.

"Turn out your pockets, or we go straight to the headmaster! Pull them out, Potter!"

"Great, I say we go see the headmaster Dumbledore anyway," said Tilly, narrowing her eyes at Snape.

With much dread, Harry began to slowly pull out the bag of Zonko's tricks and the Marauder's Map.

Snape picked up the Zonkos bag.

"Ron gave them to me," said Harry, quickly.

Tilly closed her eyes in annoyance. She prayed that Harry would get a chance to tip Ron off before Snape was able to get to him.

"Indeed? And you've been carrying them around ever since? How very touching. . . and what is this?"

Snape had picked up the map. Harry attempted at keeping his face impassive.

"Spare bit of parchment," he said with a shrug.

Snape turned it over, his eyes on Harry.

"Surely you don't need such a very old piece of parchment?" he said. "Why don't I just—throw this away?"

"No!" Harry said quickly.

"So!" said Snape, his long nostrils quivering. "Is it another treasured gift from Mr. Weasley? Or is it—something else? A letter, perhaps, written in invisible ink? Or—instructions to get into Hogsmeade without passing the dementors?"

Harry and Tilly blinked. Snape's eyes gleamed.

"Let me see, let me see. . ." he muttered, taking out his wand and smoothing the map out on his desk. "Reveal your secret!" he said, touching the wand to the parchment.

Nothing happened. Tilly watched as Harry began to clench his hands to stop them from shaking. She though, she was calm, Snape had no effect on her.

"Show yourself!" Snape said, tapping the map sharply.

It stayed blank. Harry began to take deep, calming breaths as Tilly silently instructed him to do.

"Professor Snape, master of this school, commands you to yield the information you conceal!" Snape said, hitting the map with his wand.

As though hands were writing upon it, words appeared on the smooth surface of the map.

"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. Harry stared, dumbstruck, at the message. Tilly had to clasp a hand over her mouth to keep from laughing. But the map didn't stop there. More writing was appearing beneath the first.

"Mr. Prongs agreed 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."

Harry had closed his eyes in horror and Tilly's face was turning red as she held her breath.

"Mr. Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day, and advises him to wash his hair, the slimeball."

Tilly wished that she was able to laugh at this.

"So. . . ," said Snape softly. "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 called into the fire. "I want a word!"

Tilly was confused as to why Snape would need to speak with Professor Lupin, as she stared into the fire. A large shape had appeared in it, revolving very fast. Seconds later, Professor Lupin was clambering out of the fireplace, brushing ash off his shabby robes.

"You called, Severus?" said Lupin mildly.

"I certainly did," said Snape, his face contorted with a fury as he strode back to his desk. "I have just asked Potter to empty his pockets. He was carrying this."

Snape pointed at the parchment, on which the words of Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs were still shining. An odd, closed expression appeared on Lupin's face.

"Well?" said Snape.

Lupin continued to stare at the map. Tilly had the impression that he was very familiar with this map, as she noticed he stared at it with a sense of longing and nostalgia. She's concluded that Professor Lupin isn't a discreet man.

"Well?" said Snape again. "This parchment is plainly full of Dark Magic. This is supposed to be your area of expertise, Lupin. Where do you imagine Potter got such a thing.

Lupin looked up and, by the merest half-glance in Harry's direction, warned him 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 reads it. Childish, but surely not dangerous? I imagine Harry got it from a joke shop—"

"Indeed?" said Snape. His jaw had gone rigid with anger. "You think a joke shop could supply him with such a thing? You don't think it more likely that he got it directly from the manufacturers?"

Lupin acted as if he had no idea what Snape was talking about, but with the way, Snape said the last part of his sentence made Tilly suspicious.

"You mean by Mr. Wormtail or one of these people?" he said. "Harry, do you know any of these men?"

"No," said Harry quickly.

"You see, Severus?" said Lupin, turning back to Snape. "It looks like a Zonko product to me—"

Right on cue, Ron came bursting into the office. He was completely out of breath, and he stopped just short of Snape's desk, clutching the stitch in his chest and trying to speak.

Tilly let out a frustrated whine as she shook her head. Things were going so well.

"I—gave—Harry—that—stuff," he choked. "Bought—it. . . in Zonko's. . . ages—ages ago. . ."

"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. "Harry, Ron, Matilda, come with me, I need a word about my vampire essay—excuse us, Severus—"

Harry didn't dare look at Snape as they left his office, but Tilly made it a point to glance back over her shoulder and give Professor Snape an overly sweet smile. They and Lupin walked all the way back into the entrance hall before speaking. Then Harry turned to Lupin.

"Professor, I—"

"I don't want to hear explanations," said Lupin shortly. He glanced around the empty entrance hall and lowered his voice. "I happen to know this map was confiscated by Filch many years ago. Yes, I know it's a map," he said as the three students looked amazed. "I don't want to know 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, Harry."

Apparently, Harry had been expecting that, because he made no attempt to protest.

"Why did Snape think I'd got from the manufacturers"

"Because. . ." Lupin hesitated, "because these mapmakers would have wanted to lure you out of school. They'd think it extremely entertaining."

"So, you know them?" said Tilly, skeptically.

"We've met," he said shortly. He was looking at Harry more seriously than ever before. "Don't expect for me to cover up for you again, Harry. I cannot make you take Sirius Black seriously. But I would have thought that you have heard when the dementors draw near you would have had more of an effect on you. Your parents gave their lives to keep you alive, Harry. A poor way to repay them—gambling their sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks."

He walked away, leaving Harry looking worse than even in Snape's office.

"You know, I don't entirely believe him," said Tilly, once Lupin had disappeared from their sights.

"You don't believe that he knows the map makers?" asked Ron.

Tilly shook her head.

"Oh, I believe he knows them because I think he's one of them," said Tilly, easily.

The three students slowly mounted the marble staircase. As they passed the one-eyed witch Harry stared into the room.

"It's my fault," said Ron abruptly. "I persuaded you to go. Lupin's right, it was stupid we shouldn't have done it—"

Ron turned and looked at Tilly expectantly.

"Well it isn't at all my fault if that's what you're waiting for me say," said Tilly. "I didn't convince anyone to do anything. In fact, I helped by being there so, you're welcome."

"You always do this, Matilda," whispered Ron, as they continued walking.

"Do what, tell the truth and save the day—"

Tilly broke off; they reached the corridor where the security trolls were pacing, and Hermione was walking toward them. As they looked at her face Tilly watched as Harry's expression dropped and it looked as if his heart plummeted.

"Come to have a good gloat?" said Ron savagely as she stopped in front of them. "Or have you just been to tell on us?"

"Ron!" hissed Tilly. "Don't be such an arse."

Tilly turned to face Hermione, her expression soft.

"What's the matter, Hermione?"

Hermione was holding a letter in her hands and her lip was trembling. "I just thought you ought to know. . . Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed."

"What?!"

. . . . .

^Tilly's Hogsmeade Outfit^

. . . . .

(I made up the two spells, they are Latin translations)

visus regitur = controlled sight

iactare = toss