Chapter 134
George unfolded a large yellowish sheet of parchment, which appeared completely blank.
When Harry took the paper, he was surprised that it seemed useless.
He looked at the twins with a puzzled expression.
Harry exclaimed, "What is this? I don't see anything! Are you mocking me?!"
Fred and George laughed at Harry's comment. Fred said, "Look at the paper!"
Fred cast a revealing spell on the parchment, and suddenly a detailed map appeared, showing moving icons and names of people.
George explained, "This is the Marauder's Map. It shows the exact locations of everyone inside Hogwarts. Look over here Dumbledore is in his office, and Professor McGonagall is near us with other students. The map shows everything with precise accuracy no mistakes!"
Harry was astonished by the map, realizing its immense value. He hadn't expected to obtain such a powerful tool so easily, especially since it could help him sneak around unnoticed if he ever needed to.
Harry asked, "Where did you get this? It's not easy to find!"
The twins exchanged glances. Fred replied, "As you can see on the first page, the map was created by a group of Hogwarts students who called themselves 'the Marauders.' We don't know their real names. We found it in Professor Snape's classroom library when Professor McGonagall sent us to look for him. Since his office was untouched, we took the map without his knowledge it had gathered dust for ages. Maybe even Snape didn't know it existed."
After this explanation, Harry thanked the twins and ran quickly to join the group heading to Hogsmeade before it was too late.
The secret passage to Hogsmeade closed shortly after a person entered, requiring a password that Harry didn't know.
Harry held the Marauder's Map and wrapped himself in the Invisibility Cloak to avoid being seen while leaving Hogwarts.
However, he forgot one thing: it was winter, and although his body was invisible, the snow revealed his footprints a clear sign of someone walking that could be noticed.
As he passed by Albert, Albert noticed the footprints, realizing someone was moving outside.
Harry glanced at Albert and saw that he was indeed watching him. This meant Albert had discovered him, but said nothing. Since the school guard was standing nearby, Albert couldn't alert them. Instead, he diverted his attention, chatting casually with the guard.
Once Harry exited Hogwarts completely and neared Hogsmeade, Albert finished his conversation with the guard, saying he wanted to rest in his common room.
Then, suddenly, Albert transformed into an owl and soared high into the sky, far from the school.
Flying, he exclaimed, "Oh, how beautiful it is to see this view while soaring! It reminds me of three years ago when I escaped from prison. Flying through the sky truly feels like freedom!"
Albert flapped his wings and sped toward Hogsmeade, exhilarated by the wind and the open sky.