Something's Just Not Right...

"I just can't figure it out," muttered Harry to no one in particular.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"How did Lupin know how to use the map?" said Harry with growing frustration.

"Which map is this?" asked Ron, not looking up from the game of Exploding Snap he was playing with, apparently, himself.

"The Marauder's Map. You know, the one Fred and George gave me. The one that shows everyone at Hogwarts?"

"The one that nearly got us killed?" asked Hermione, even though she was sort of joking. Sort of.

"Oh, that map," said Ron, drawing out the line for dramatic irony. "I dunno, maybe he wrote it or something."

"How could he have written it?" Harry asked, exasperated. "There's a lot of complicated magic in this thing. And to know everyone at Hogwarts? Always?" Harry shook his head. "That would definitely take years to do. And probably more than one person."

At this, Hermione perked up. "Well, maybe it was more than one. After all, wasn't Professor Lupin close friends with your dad?"

"And Sirius Black, too," added Ron.

"And Pettigrew." Harry's expression grew dark at the mention of his newest nemesis. "I can't believe he lived with you for twelve years, Ron."

Ron shook his head. "You can't believe it? I slept with a Dark wizard every night since I was eleven!" Ron replayed his last words in his head and blushed. Please don't let Fred and George hear about this for a long, long time.

"Do you think Percy knew anything about Pettigrew?" Hermione asked him.

Before Ron answered - he really didn't think so - he looked over at Harry to make sure that the conversation wasn't really bothering him. Harry, meanwhile, was muttering, "Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. Mooney, Wormtail -"

"Harry!" Ron jumped up and pointed to the map excitedly. "Mooney! Wormtail!"

"Huh?" Harry looked confused.

"Oh!" exclaimed Hermione. "I see! Harry, do you remember what Lupin's boggart was?"

Harry thought back. "A white orb?" he asked, unsure.

"The moon, Harry. It was the moon."

"Alright, yeah. So what?" Harry looked from Ron to Hermione, who both seemed to be waiting for him to have some sort of epiphany.

"As in Mooney?" Ron said, in a tone much like one would use with a five-year old.

"Mooney? You mean...Professor Lupin? Mooney?"

"Yes!" said Hermione, getting excited. "And Wormtail? Do you think it's possible for Pettigrew's nickname to be Wormtail? You know, because his Animagus form is a rat. And rats have long tails that could be considered wormy. Worm-like?"

"And Padfoot!" cried Harry, finally (finally!) catching on. "Like Sirius' feet. And Prongs..." he trailed off, thinking of his Patronus.

"Wow," whispered Ron, thinking of the same thing. "Prongs. Antlers. A-"

"A stag," Harry finished. "It must've been my dad."

"Wow," Hermione echoed.

They sat in silence for a few moments trying to absorb this new revelation.

"But," said Hermione thoughtfully as she looked at the parchment one last time, "wouldn't you spell 'Mooney' without an 'e'?"