〃I don't pretend to be an expert at fighting dementors； Harry； quite the contrary。。。〃
〃But if the dementors e to another Quidditch match； I need to be able to fight them 〃
Lupin looked into Harry's determined face； hesitated； then said； 〃Well。。。 all right。 I'll try and help。 But it'll have to wait until next term； I'm afraid。 I have a lot to do before the holidays。 I chose a very inconvenient time to fall ill。〃
What with the promise of anti…dementor lessons from Lupin； the thought that he might never have to hear his mother's death again； and the fact that Ravenclaw flattened Hufflepuff in their Quidditch match at the end of November； Harry's mood took a definite upturn。 Gryffindor were not out of the running after all； although they could not afford to lose another match。 Wood became repossessed of his manic energy； and worked his team as hard as ever in the chilly haze of rain that persisted into December。 Harry saw no hint of a dementor within the grounds。 Dumbledore's anger seemed to be keeping them at their stations at the entrances。
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 pany； and he was very grateful。
To everyone's delight except Harry'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 e you're not going to Hogsmeade？〃
〃We've e to give you a bit of festive cheer before we go；〃 said Fred； with a mysterious wink。 〃e 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 pletely 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。。。。
But even as he stood there； flooded with excitement； something Harry had once heard Mr。 Weasley say came floating out of his memory。
Never trust anything that can think for itself； if you can't see where it keeps its brain。
This map was one of those dangerous magical objects Mr。 Weasley had been warning against。。。。 Aids for Magical Mischief Makers。。。 but then； Harry reasoned； he only wanted to use it to get into Hogsmeade； it wasn't as though he wanted to steal anything or attack anyone。。。 and Fred and George had been using it for years without anything horrible happening。。。。
Harry traced the secret passage to Honeydukes with his finger。
Then； quite suddenly； as though following orders； he rolled up the map； stuffed it inside his robes； and hurried to the door of the classroom。 He opened it a couple of inches。 There was no one outside。 Very carefully； he edged out of the room and behind the statue of the one…eyed witch。
What did he have to do？ He pulled out the map again and saw to his astonishment； that a new ink figure had appeared upon it； labeled Harry Potter。 This figure was standing exactly where the real Harry was standing； about halfway down the third…floor corridor。
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。 He stood up； looking around。 It was
pitch dark。 He held up his wand； muttered； 〃Lumos！ 〃 and saw that he was 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； hea