3rd Person's POV

It was a relief to return to the noise and bustle of the main school on Monday, where he was forced to think about other things, eve', if he had to endure Draco Malfoys taunting. Malfoy was almost beside himself with glee at Gryffindor's defeat. He had finally taken off his bandages, and celebrated having the full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broom. Malfoy spent much of their next Potions class doing dementor imitations across the dungeon much to Karina's dismay; Ron finally cracked and flung a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, which hit him in the face and caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor.

"If Snape's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again, I'm skiving off," said Ron as they headed toward Lupin's classroom after lunch. "Check who's in there, Hermione."

Hermione peered around the classroom door.

"It's okay!"

Professor Lupin was back at work. It certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes; nevertheless, he smiled at the class as they took their seats, and they burst at once into an explosion of complaints about Snape's behavior while Lupin had been ill.

"It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he give us homework?"

"We don't know anything about werewolves two rolls of parchment!"

"Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly.

The babble broke out again.

"Yes, but he said we were really behind he wouldn't listen--"

"--two rolls of parchment!"

Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face minus one.

"Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."

"Oh no," said Hermione, looking very disappointed. "I've already finished it!"

"Aww well doesn't it just suck to be you." Karina smirks while looking at Hermione who is glaring back at her.

Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle snicker to themselves and gain frowns from all the Gryffindors.

"Do you always have to have some smart sarcastic remark to every single thing that I say?!" Hermione yells angrily at the smiling Slytherin girl.

"Hmm let me think for a second..."

Karina puts her hand on her chin as if she's actually taking the time to think, "Mmm yes. Yes I do. Sarcasm is actually my second language."

"Alright girls." Professor Lupin smiles slightly as the two squabble.

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Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air.

Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies. The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays. Both Ron and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts, and though Ron said it was because he couldn't stand two weeks with Percy, and Hermione insisted she needed to use the library, Harry wasn't fooled; they were doing it to keep him company, and he was very grateful.

To everyone's delight except Harry's and Karina's, there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term.

"We can do all our Christmas shopping there!" said Hermione. "Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!"

Resigned to the fact that he would be the only third year staying behind again, Harry borrowed a copy of Which Broomstick from Wood, and decided to spend the day reading up on the different makes. He had been riding one of the school brooms at team practice, an ancient Shooting Star, which was very slow and jerky; he definitely needed a new broom of his own.

On the Saturday morning of the Hogsmeade trip, Harry bid good-bye to Ron and Hermione, who were wrapped in cloaks and scarves, then turned up the marble staircase alone, and headed back toward Gryffindor Tower. Snow had started to fall outside the windows, and the castle was very still and quiet.

"Psst -- Harry!"

He turned, halfway along the third-floor corridor, to see Fred and George peering out at him from behind a statue of a humpbacked, one-eyed witch.

"What are you doing?" said Harry curiously. "How come you're not going to Hogsmeade?"

"We've come to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go," said Fred, with a mysterious wink. "Come in here...."

He nodded toward an empty classroom to the left of the one-eyed statue. Harry followed Fred and George inside. George closed the door quietly and then turned, beaming, to look at Harry.

"Early Christmas present for you, Harry," he said.

Fred pulled something from inside his cloak with a flourish and laid it on one of the desks. It was a large, square, very worn piece of parchment with nothing written on it. Harry, suspecting one of Fred and George's jokes, stared at it.

"What's that supposed to be?"

"This, Harry, is the secret of our success," said George, patting the parchment fondly.

"It's a wrench, giving it to you," said Fred, "but we decided last night, your need's greater than ours."

"Anyway, we know it by heart," said George. "We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."

"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" said Harry.

"A bit of old parchment!" said Fred, closing his eyes with a grimace as though Harry had mortally offended him. "Explain, George."

"Well... when we were in our first year, Harry-- young, carefree, and innocent--"

Harry snorted. He doubted whether Fred and George had ever been innocent.

"Well, more innocent than we are now-- we got into a spot of bother with Filch."

"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason--"

"So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual--" detention disembowelment and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous.

"Don't tell me--" said Harry, starting to grin.

"Well, what would you've done?" said Fred. "George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open, and grabbed— this."

"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know," said George. "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it."

"And you know how to work it?"

"Oh yes," said Fred, smirking. "This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."

"You're winding me up," said Harry, looking at the ragged old bit of parchment.

"Oh, are we?" said George.

He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:

Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs

Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present THE MARAUDER'S MAP

It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. Astounded, Harry bent over it. A labeled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room. And as Harry's eyes traveled up and down the familiar corridors, he noticed something else.

This map showed a set of passages he had never entered. And many of them seemed to lead

"Right into Hogsmeade," said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger. "There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four"

He pointed them out, "but we're sure we're the only ones who know about these. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in-- completely blocked. And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance. But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. And as you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone's hump."

"Moony, Wormtaill Padfoot, and Prongs," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."

"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers," said Fred solemnly.

"Right," said George briskly. "Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly.

"Just tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed!' And it'll go blank."

"So, young Harry," said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy, "mind you behave yourself."

"See you in Honeydukes," said George, winking.

They left the room, both smirking in a satisfied sort of way.

Harry stood there, gazing at the miraculous map. He watched the tiny ink Mrs. Norris turn left and pause to sniff at something on the floor. If Filch really didn't know... he wouldn't have to pass the dementors at all....

Harry traced the secret passage to Honeydukes with his finger.

Then, quite suddenly, he saw someone's name pop up. Following the footsteps on the map he finds himself at the lake and sees the figure he was looking for sitting by the water.

"Hey wanna go to Hogsmeade?"

Karina turns around to see Harry smiling while holding up parchment. She frowns a little looking confused then giggles at his determined face.

"What is this Harry Potter? How would we get into Hogsmeade?"

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Harry watched carefully. His little Ink self appeared to be tapping the witch with his minute wand. Harry quickly took out his real wand and tapped the statue. Nothing happened. He looked back at the map. The tiniest speech bubble had appeared next to his figure. The word inside said, "Dissendium."

"Dissendium!" Harry whispered, tapping the stone witch again.

At once, the statue's hump opened wide enough to admit a fairly thin person. Harry glanced quickly up and down the corridor, then tucked the map away again, hoisted himself into the hole headfirst, and pushed himself forward. He slid a considerable way down what felt like a stone slide, then landed on cold, damp earth. Suddenly a body falls on top of him making him groan in pain.

"Oh I'm so sorry Harry I slipped."

"It's okay Karina just please move your leg."

"Oop my bad."

Harry stands up while helping Karina then he looks around. It was pitch dark. He held up his wand, muttered, "Lumos! " and saw that they were in a very narrow, low, earthy passageway.

He raised the map, tapped it with the tip of his wand, and muttered, "Mischief managed!" The map went blank at once. He folded it carefully, tucked it inside his robes, then, heart beating fast, both excited and apprehensive, he set off pulling Karina to follow him.

The passage twisted and turned, more like the burrow of a giant rabbit than anything else. The two hurried along it, stumbling now and then on the uneven floor, holding their wands out in front of them.

It took ages, but after what felt like an hour, the passage began to rise. Panting, Harry sped up, his face hot, his feet very cold.

"You would think since you play Quidditch that you were actually in shape Harry." Karina teases him from the top of the passage way watching him struggle to climb up.

Harry sticks his tongue out at her then she holds her hand out to help him up. Ten minutes later, they came to the foot of some worn stone steps, which rose out of sight above. Careful not to make any noise, the two began to climb. A hundred steps, two hundred steps, Harry lost count as he climbed, watching his feet.... Then, without warning, his head hit something hard.

"What is that?" Karina whispers looking up at the confused boy.

It seemed to be a trapdoor. Harry stood there, massaging the top of his head, listening. He couldn't hear any sounds above him. Very slowly, he pushed the trapdoor open and peered over the edge.

They were in a cellar, which was full of wooden crates and boxes. Harry climbed out of the trapdoor, helped pull Karina up, and then replaced the door -- it blended so perfectly with the dusty floor that it was impossible to tell it was there. Harry crept slowly toward the wooden staircase that led upstairs. Now he could definitely hear voices, not to mention the tinkle of a bell and the opening and shutting of a door.

Wondering what he ought to do, he suddenly heard a door open much closer at hand; somebody was about to come downstairs.

"And get another box of Jelly Slugs, dear, they've nearly cleaned us out--" said a woman's voice.

A pair of feet was coming down the staircase. Karina leapt behind an enormous crate pulling Harry with her. The two stand face to face so closely that they can see every blemish and every flaw of their faces. Staring into Harry's blue eyes Karina notices that there is a hint of light green in them. Harry stares in awe of the beauty he is trapped with.

"Wow," he whispers.

"What?" Karina asks feeling a little uncomfortable with how comfortable she is around the Gryffindor.

"Nothing... just, you have freckles. They're very tiny and not noticeable but they're there."

The two just continue to stare at one another until they hear the man who was shifting boxes walk back up the stairs.

"I think we should probably go..." Karina says while moving away from Harry.

Quickly and silently, they dodged out from the hiding place and climbed the stairs; looking back, harry saw an enormous backside and shiny bald head, buried in a box. Harry hurried and reached the door at the top of the stairs, slipped through it then pulled Karina along. Then finally they found themselves behind the counter of Honeydukes -- they ducked, crept sideways, and then straightened up.

Honeydukes was so crowded with Hogwarts students that no one looked twice at the two. He edged among them, looking around, and suppressed a laugh as he imagined the look that would spread over Dudley's piggy face if he could see where Harry was now.

There were shelves upon shelves of the most succulent-looking sweets imaginable. Creamy chunks of nougat, shimmering pink squares of coconut ice, fat, honey-colored toffees; hundreds of different kinds of chocolate in neat rows; there was a large barrel of Every Flavor Beans, and another of Fizzing Whizbees, the levitating sherbert balls that Ron had mentioned; along yet another wall were "Special Effects" -- sweets: Droobles Best Blowing Gum (which filled a room with bluebell-colored bubbles that refused to pop for days), the strange, splintery Toothflossing Stringmints, tiny black Pepper Imps ("breathe fire for your friends!"), Ice Mice ("hear your teeth chatter and squeak!"), peppermint creams shaped like toads ("hop realistically in the stomach!"), fragile sugar-spun quills, and exploding bonbons.

Harry squeezed himself through a crowd of sixth years and saw a sign hanging in the farthest corner of the shop (UNUSUAL TASTES). Ron and Hermione were standing underneath it, examining a tray of blood-flavored lollipops. Harry sneaked up behind them.

"Ugh, no, Harry won't want one of those, they're for vampires, I expect," Hermione was saying.

"How about these?" said Ron, shoving a jar of Cockroach Clusters under Hermione's nose.

"Definitely not," said Harry.

Ron nearly dropped the jar.

"Harry!" squealed Hermione. "What are you doing here? How-- how did you--?"

"Wow!" said Ron, looking very impressed, "you've learned to Apparate!"

"'Course I haven't," said Harry. He dropped his voice so that none of the sixth years could hear him and told them all about the Marauder's Map.

"How come Fred and George never gave it to me!" said Ron, outraged. "I'm their brother!"

"But Harry isn't going to keep it!" said Hermione, as though the idea were ludicrous. "He's going to hand it in to Professor McGonagall, aren't you, Harry?"

"Why in the world would he do that?"

"Please tell me that isn't who I think it is." Hermione frowns slightly not wanting to turn around and have her nightmares come true.

"Aw you think of me Granger. How cute."

Ron and Hermione turn to see Karina smiling while chewing a piece of licorce.

"How in the world are you here?" Ron asked smiling slightly at her.

"Why your bestie of course... "

"Harry Potter! You helped her get here?! You could get in serious trouble." Hermione whispers.

"Oh don't get your panties in a twist Granger. He'll be fine. I won't tell of course. Thanks again Harry."

"No problem Karina. I didn't want you to be the only one at Hogwarts all alone and bored."

"You're a great friend Harry," Karina pulls Harry into a hug making him stand still in surprise.

"See you later then Ron, Harry... Granger."

Karina walks out Honeydukes but not before grabbing another piece of licorce. Outside the window, the three see her catch up with her Slytherin friends.

"She didn't even pay for those! Ugh never mind her right now. Harry like I was saying... you are going to hand that in? Aren't you?"

"No, I'm not!" said Harry.

"Are you mad?" said Ron, goggling at Hermione. "Hand in something that good?"

"If I hand it in, I'll have to say where I got it! Filch would know Fred and George had nicked it!"

"But what about Sirius Black?" Hermione hissed. "He could be using one of the passages on that map to get into the castle! The teachers have got to know!"

"He can't be getting in through a passage," said Harry quickly. "There are seven secret tunnels on the map, right? Fred and George reckon Filch already knows about four of them. And of the other three -- one of them's caved in, so no one can get through it. one of them's got the Whomping Willow planted over the entrance, so you can't get out of it. And the one I just came through -well - - it's really hard to see the entrance to it down in the cellar, so unless he knew it was there..."

Harry hesistated. What if Black did know the passage was there?

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Karina's POV

"Shall we go for a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks?"

I was more than willing; the wind was fierce and my hands were freezing, so we crossed the road, and in a few minutes were entering the tiny inn. It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky. A curvy sort of woman was serving a bunch of rowdy warlock' up at the bar.

"That's Madam Rosmerta," said Blaise. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" he added, going slightly red.

"And I shall go with him. Shall I my butt." Pansy glares at the back of Blaise's head as she follows him to the bar.

The rest of us made our way to the back of the room, there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree, which stood next to the fireplace. Blaise and Pansy came back five minutes later, carrying foaming tankards of hot butterbeer.

"Merry Christmas!" Daphne said happily, raising her tankard.

We all raise our tankards and then drink. It was the most delicious thing I'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of me from the inside.

Across the bar was the golden trio, as the door of the Three Broomsticks flew open Harry Potter had choked on his drink and spit it all over the table. Ron and Granger pushed his head under the table making him fall off his stool. We all laugh quietly waiting until the professors go up the stairs to be any louder.

"Those Gryffindorks are pure comedy gold." Pansy laughs shaking her head.

"They are so weird. How did Potter even get here?" Vincent rubs his chin in confusion.

"Now that I think about it... how did YOU get here Karina?" Blaise says looking innocently confused in one second and hurt in the next.

"Ow!! You kicked me!"

"Oops sorry must've slipped." I smile evilly, stupid Blaise now I have to make up some story so Draco doesn't go all my father will hear about this.

"Um I actually found a passage way. It led me here so now I don't have to worry about getting a permission slip. Just don't get caught."

I sip my drink and hope no one asks me anymore questions but obviously this isn't a fairytale where dreams and wishes come true.

"Hmm weird... I heard Potter saying something about a passage or secret tunnel or something he found. How crazy would it be if you both went through the same passage?"

You've got to be freaking kidding me.

"Yeah that would be really crazy." Draco says looking at me trying to figure out if I'm hiding anything or not.

"Ouch! What the-Again?!" Blaise frowns while pulling his leg up to rub where I kicked him.

"Oh Blaise! I'm so sorry I must've worn the wrong shoes. They just keep slipping."

"Seriously though Karina I want to know as much as Blaise does. How did you find out about the passage you took? Was it Potter?"

"No Dray. I found out from Fred and George. You know those two are jokesters. They know every secret it's like their job."

"Ahh that makes sense. Who wants to go to Zonkos?" Blaise smiles and walks to the door making everyone leave out The Three Broomsticks except me and Draco.

I feel Draco's eyes on me as I finish my butterbeer. Turning slightly I see him glance over at the golden trio's table then back at me.

"You're being truthful with me right Karina? We've never once lied to each other... so please tell me love did you or did you not go with Potter."

"I-I I-It's not like I did it to h-hang out with him, Dray. I went so I could hang out with you guys. So I could actually go to Hogsmeade. It's not fair that because my parents are dead I can't go."

"That's not the point Karina. You were okay with lying to me. You would've just left it how you told the story if I hadn't of said something just now."

"Dray I just-I I just do-don't want you to be upset and to be angry."

"Of course I'm going to be upset no matter how many times I ask you it's like you are a freaking magnet to freak."

"He's not a freak Draco."

"And now you're defending him!"

"I am not! I mean I am but that's not the point! I don't want us to fight all the time over him and the other Gryffindors. Why can't we just worry about us?"

"Because you go and do things like what you just did. That's why."

Draco slams his tankard down then storms out the bar. Feeling something wet hit my hand I realize that tears are falling down my face. I hurriedly wipe them away as I see Ron glancing over at me.

'You okay?' He mouths making me slightly smile.

'I'm fine.' Holding up a thumbs up I put my drink down then leave the bar and head to Zonks.

The rest of the day Draco ignores me... the rest of the week Draco doesn't talk to me. My nightmares become worse and more livid. A lot of the time I'm so scared and so sick that I just stay in bed. I wish Draco and I weren't fighting... the nightmares weren't present when he was around.