A "Friend" and a Map

[Kip]

Weatherby Wiggins strolled out of Charms class one day, a smile on his lips from Professor Gaputa's jests. He was one of the last ones out, and ahead in the corridor he saw a small slip of paper fall out of one of Atticus Prince's books as he turned a corner. Weatherby's little feet whipped faster as he tried to catch up to his friend; he scooped up the slip and was about to call out to Atticus, when his eyes took in what was scribbled on the note. Individual words and notations - amongst them, "Marauder's Map", and "enchanted to know where anyone in Hogwarts is at any time".

Something held Weatherby's tongue. Perhaps it was because Atticus had been pulling away as of late - even intentionally ignoring him at times - but Weatherby didn't call out. Instead, he surreptitiously tucked the note into his pocket and headed in the opposite direction, to the Gryffindor Common Room.

There, he struck up a conversation with one of the Gryffindor prefects, asking whether he'd ever heard of something called the Marauder's Map. "Are you kidding me? Who hasn't!" the boy exclaimed with a sarcastic laugh. "Err... I suppose you haven't. Old story, really. There's supposed to be a map that shows where each and every student, teacher, and visitor to Hogwarts is. I think its bullocks, but there are some students who swear its real. Some who say they've even seen it." Weatherby simply nodded along, adopting a blank face of awe.

After a few days of contemplation, Weatherby finally pulled Cecil aside in the Common Room when it was empty of other students. He withdrew the note from his pocket and showed it to his friend. "What do you think we should do? I really thought he was our friend - that he would have told us about something like this - but I've barely spoken with him since the Forbidden Forest."

[Barry Goldwater]

Cecil grunted. "Same. Guess almost getting killed over some damned herbs tends to annoy people...anyway, what d'you mean what should we do? That Marauder's Map could make our lives a lot easier. We ought to find it and keep it for ourselves, obviously."

[Kip]

Weatherby shrugged. "I just can't imagine what he would have done with it, if he had gotten it without us knowing. And that's assuming he doesn't have it already. I don't know, I don't like going behind his back, especially when I more or less stole this," he said, tapping the notes. "But I just know the other Slytherins will get their hands on this - probably will steal it from Atticus - and we can't let that happen. They'd use it to cause Gryffindor all kinds of trouble."

[Barry Goldwater]

Weatherby shrugged. "I just can't imagine what he would have done with it, if he had gotten it without us knowing. And that's assuming he doesn't have it already. I don't know, I don't like going behind his back, especially when I more or less stole this," he said, tapping the notes. "But I just know the other Slytherins will get their hands on this - probably will steal it from Atticus - and we can't let that happen. They'd use it to cause Gryffindor all kinds of trouble."

"Exactly. We ought to take a preventive measure, make sure the Slytherins can't get their grubby hands on it first. And anyway, if we ever wanted to pull any stunt on them, that Map would come in pretty handy for us..." A mischievous light flickered to life behind Cecil's eyes. "Anyway, if he wants we could show Atticus the map once we have it. He's about the only Slytherin we can trust anyway, except Violeta, and she's..." He bit back the first few words that came to mind.

[Kip]

Weatherby nodded. "Then we're agreed. We need to get our hands on this map, for Gryffindor's sake - and Atticus'. Once we have it, we can share it with him and try to show him that we trust him, even if he doesn't trust us."

Weatherby tapped his chin thoughtfully, and began pacing the room. "From what it says here, there are two kinds of people who would want this map: a student or a caretaker. A student could use it to get out of trouble or pull a prank, and our dear caretaker Filch could use it to catch students out of bed after-hours. Filch is a regular loon, though - if he had it, nobody could raise any trouble here - and we already have, ourselves - so he can't have it. Same goes for a professor. That means a student must have it, so we should begin looking for that student."

[Dark Storm]

At that moment a large, burly, year seven Gryffindor barged past the boys, sending them sprawling to the ground.
"Sorry,"
he spoke quickly, obviously eager to get to his next class. He picked up the boys books that had been scattered on the ground when knocked them and pressed them into the hands of the boys. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the name on the slip of paper and his eyes widened in surprise...
"Ermm, yes...sorry...here you go."
he muttered, before rushing off...

[Kip]

Weatherby's gaze flashed first to Cecil, then back to the seventh year who was quickly on his way out of the Common Room. "Did you see that?" he whispered. He tucked his items beneath his arms, and dashed off until he caught up with the older boy, beckoning for Cecil to follow.

"Thanks for helping us with our books! Sorry that we got in your way," he said to the boy, struggling to keep pace with the taller boy and his long strides.

[Dark Storm]

"Go...away"
The boy said gruffly, lengthening his stride,
"I need to get to...herbology."
he made up on the spot, still walking...

[Kip]

Weatherby exchanged another glance with Cecil. "Herbology? But Professor Song is on leave. Got mauled by Fanged Geraniums, or something." He was nearly jogging to stay at the same speed as the burly seventh-year. He looked up expectantly at the boy's face, marking it down in his memory. Even if they couldn't get his attention in this corridor, they could always ambush him again in the Common Room later. If he knew one thing from experience with his sister back home - older kids will do just about anything to get younger ones to leave them alone, if they go on pestering long enough.

[Dark Storm]

"Go away"
he hissed at the boys as they continued to follow him,
"Or I'll...I'll"
he sighed,
"Just go."

[Dark Storm]

The boy stopped, wheeling round slowly to face Weatherby and Cecil, he took a long look at the boy closest to him, opening his mouth to say something, but stopped, shaking his head, he drew his fist and smashed it into Weatherby's face,
"Shut up and leave me alone."
he hissed before striding off, leaving the boy bleeding in the coridor