The Marauder's Handwriting

Chapter 10 1/2: The Marauder's Handwriting
- by CaptainBoulanger
An outtake from "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban"

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"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Hermione whispered. Sure enough, the handwriting of the introduction to the Marauder's Map appeared on the parchment. "So far, so good." She dipped her quill and began to write.

May I have a word with Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs? wrote Hermione, in her best cursive, which she'd learned long ago at another, much less interesting, school.

A cursive similar to her own, but with a bit of an italic-like slant to it, replied. Certainly. What shall we call you?

Hermione smiled, dipping her quill in her inkwell again. Hermione Granger. Which one are you? Or is it all of you put together?

I'm Mr. Moony. The reply was in those already-familiar italics. Three other names appeared, their owners writing their own names in their distinctive handwriting. Prongs' was in writing a bit shakier than Moony's. Then came Wormtail's in a careful hand, and Padfoot's in pronounced uncials.

After a short pause, Moony continued writing. Now that you've got our attention, Miss Granger, what's on your little mischievous mind?

Well, there's a security risk... an escaped murderer trying to sneak into Hogwarts. I'm worried that he might be aware of the secret passages on this map, and could use them to sneak into the school. I thought I'd talk to you four, and find out if he's one of you.

Moony replied, And what about the former owners of this map, Miss Granger?

Hermione flinched. She hadn't thought of that. "Good point." She didn't know if the map could hear her, so she dipped her quill again. She was just about to write down her comment when Prongs' writing appeared.

Apparently it could, because Prongs continued, As far as I'm aware, this map was kept by Mr. Filch until only a few years ago. It was then liberated by Fred and George Weasley. They later gave it, as a gift, to Mr. Harry Potter. Does it still belong to Mr. Potter?

"It does... I'm just borrowing it. We're best friends."

Prongs' writing continued to appear on the parchment. So, tell me a bit about Mr. Potter. Have you had the honor of meeting his parents? The lettering began to scroll upward - Prongs had reached the bottom of the parchment.

"Harry's parents?" Hermione paused. "Then... this map has to be at least twelve years old."

Prongs' letters - a little shakier - asked, And why do you say that?

"Because... well, they're dead."

Prongs' letters became much larger and thicker. DEAD!

Hermione felt bad for Prongs, or whatever part of him lived in the map. To find out that someone was dead, the way he just had... but her attention returned to the parchment as Moony's writing interrupted. There, there, Prongs, let's get back to what the girl was asking. Pause. Well, Hermione, perhaps I'll just talk to you. Prongs is rather upset now. He rather liked Lily.

"Then... this map was made exactly when?"

Lily Potter and the four of us were all students at Hogwarts then. Padfoot's clear uncial lettering declared.

"So that makes it about fifteen or twenty years ago." Hermione nodded. "Unfortunately, our murderer is about that age... so he could still be one of you. They say he blew up a dozen Muggles with one curse, and turned in the Potters to Voldemort..."

Much to Hermione's surprise, Prongs' now-shaky writing reappeared. Well, at least it was Voldemort himself. Did he use the Killing Curse?

"I think so... we haven't learned about that one in school yet. I'm just a third-year. Harry was just a baby when it happened, but he survived. Lily sacrificed herself for him, and it created some sort of magical shield. When Voldemort tried to kill Harry, it backfired and almost destroyed him... except he's back now."

Moony answered, It's good to know that Lily died for a great cause... she's such a great girl. One of the few people who could stand to be around all four of us. I wish you had the chance to meet her.

"So do I. So, what can you tell me about the four of you?"

Moony's familiar script answered that question, in a way that would keep Hermione thinking for months. Accroding to what we've managed to overhear, two of us are dead and another is teaching at Hogwarts. We haven't heard about the fourth.

Hermione nearly dropped the map in surprise. "Teaching... here? At Hogwarts? Which one?"

Again, it was Moony's writing that answered the question. That would be me. Though I'm not publicly known by this name, I'm sure that a smart girl like you could figure it out. I do have one request, though.

Padfoot's uncials appeared, and Hermione got the idea that even in life, Moony, Padfoot, and Prongs had done most of the talking. Wormtail was being very, very quiet. This is the part where he convinces you to keep his secret, isn't it?

Moony replied, Quite right. Are you ready for my request, Miss Granger?

"I am."

If you do discover who I am, and why I might call myself Moony... please don't tell anyone. I'd rather that knowledge be kept amongst friends.

Hermione squinted at the paper a bit. Now that she thought about it, Moony's writing did look a bit familiar. One of *her* professors, then? And Padfoot had said 'he', that might narrow things down.

"I promise. I am kind of curious who you are... there's only two professors I can think of that would be the right age. The Potions teacher, and the Defense teacher."

Moony replied, See, I told you you were a smart girl. Why don't you figure it out, and then ask me about this murderer in person? I'm sure I'll have more up-to-date information.

"I'll do that. It'll have to wait a week or two, it's Christmas holidays now. Thank you for talking to me... I've got to go give the map back to Harry."

Prongs' writing reappeared, seemingly more steady. Perhaps he'd gotten used to the idea of Harry's parents being dead. Hermione, please, tell me about Harry Potter.

"He's a great kid. Black, unruly hair, glasses, a little on the thin side. McGonagall says..."

Professor McGonagall? She's still teaching? Padfoot asked.

"Yes, you know Professor McGonagall?"

She caught us at some of our pranks, back in our school days...

"...she says that Harry looks just like his father, except for Lily's green eyes, and the lightning-bolt scar on his forehead, which he got when Voldemort tried to kill him. I've seen pictures, it's true. Hagrid gave him a picture book of them, after our first year. And he's friends with the Weasleys. Do you know them?"

Yes. Hermione was surprised. The writing was Wormtail's. There was a boy a couple years behind us, Bill Weasley. Had a load of little brothers. Quite an interesting kid. Probably who we'd have given the map to, if Filch hadn't gotten it.

"Well, Fred and George, the ones who got it out of Filch's office, they're some of his little brothers. So I suppose it all worked out in the end..."

Prongs' lettering reappeared. Best get the map back to Harry, now. It is his, after all. And thank you for telling me about him.

"Just a moment." Hermione pulled out a piece of paper, and smiled, wondering if the map could see her too. "Goodbye, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs."

And what about me, Miss Granger? Moony answered.

Hermione quickly and carefully wrote that out, in script as close to Moony's handwriting as she could manage.

"Good night to you, too, Mr. Moony. Or should I call you Professor Moony?"

Good night, Miss Granger.

"Mischief managed," Hermione said, and the conversation on the map faded into nothingness. "Now I've just got to get samples of Snape and Lupin writing my name..."