On Sunday evening, the day after their match, found Harry and the Weasley twins in an abandoned classroom. "So, how are we going to..."
"Prank Malfoy?"
"I say make him do something that makes him use his arm and humiliates him. We can make him do a pole dance, in front of the Great hall, go near flint, and punch him. That's what I thought of yesterday." They nodded in consent, "What are you— "
"— up to?"
" We can conjure a pole and put a compulsion on it to dance. A dancing potion in Malfoy's food with a switching spell will make him dance and the pole will ensure that he does a pole dance. A potion in flint's food to make him aroused or a compulsion to like Draco or a mild love Potion to get Flint touch Malfoy, along with an aggression potion keyed to Flint in Malfoy's food. So Malfoy will likely hit him."
"..."
"..."
"Do you like it?" Harry asked after a few moments of silence.
"Harrykins— "
"— we never took you— "
"— for a prankster— "
" — but we must— "
"Admit that— "
"It is a —
"BRILLIANT PLAN" They finally concluded together. How they could twin speak so flawlessly, Harry had no idea. "I am glad you approve." He said. "We will make a few tweaks and it will be a plan worthy of the marauders." Fred said.
"Indeed, less handsome brother of mine. We should make Harry our third twin, even though he does not look like us. Now we have Malfoy to prank!" George said.
They all grinned
The next day at dinner, they set the plan in motion. The switching of food was carried out by the twins. Soon the food was eaten making Malfoy twitch and Flint eye Malfoy. Now, Harry's part. He took the shrunken Pole and stuck it on the Slytherin table. As soon as the pole appeared, Malfoy ripped off his cast and climbed on the table. Suddenly his clothes changed and so did his body.
"GOOD EVENING. I AM DRACONIA MALFOY. SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE SHOW." Harry discretely waved his wand and music started playing. Malfoy started pole dancing sensually leaning and showing cleavage through his... her bikini and shook his ass at the Slytherins. The hall was filled with cat calls from various students.' Marcus Flint climbed on the table and started touching Malfoy.
Draconia punched him straight in the face. "You BASTARD! Keep your hands off me." Harry stopped the music and removed the compulsions. Draconia's eyes widened and he ran out of the hall screaming.
"Who did this? Better come and own it up. If I find proof, the consequences would be severe" Snape said in a dangerous voice looking at the Weasley twins but they gave him an innocent look.
"Wasn't Malfoy's arm injured? That was why Slytherin opted out of yesterday's game and we had to play Hufflepuff. Professor Snape also had confirmed it. Now, it looked perfectly fine while dancing and punching." Harry said loudly enough for nearby Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs to hear but not for Snape. Word quickly spread. Malfoy had faked an injury to get Slytherin out of a match and Snape had supported him. Snape was a liar. Harry smirked. The plan had worked out perfectly and they were not caught.
Fred and George raised a goblet to him. He returned the gesture. Hermione gave him a weird look. She had deduced that he was behind it. Harry shot her a wink. She understood it perfectly. Her suspicions were correct. She grinned back and gave him a wink back.
"It was brilliant" Harry said to the Weasley twins once they reached the common room. "Yes— "
"Harrikins— "
"It indeed— "
"— was brilliant. We— "
"— should do it— "
"— more often."
"I heard you want to open a joke shop." Harry said. They nodded seriously. "I have a proposition. I can fund your initial research and your shop once you leave Hogwarts. Just give me a good financial structure and plans of what you want to do. I will also help you with them, however I can. I also know about a lot of muggle things that you can use."
The twins eyes were wide in astonishment. "What do you want in return?" One twin questioned finally. Harry raised an eyebrow. "30% of the shares in your shop. We three will be partners. You two will own the rest. I feel you will be very successful with this idea."
"Really! That's it?" the other twin asked. Harry shrugged. "Yes." It would become an excellent business if the Weasley twins put their hearts into it and he knew they would. Whatever funding he would provide would be paid back by the shares within a couple of years if the shop was as successful as he estimated.
The twins shared a look before shaking his hands jovially. "Thank you." They said in unison. Before Fred started looking in his pockets and brought out a piece of parchment. "Harry, as you are doing this for us, we will entrust you with the secret of our success."
"This is the Marauder's map. It shows all secret passageways and people in Hogwarts." Harry raised an eyebrow at it. "You are kidding." There was a map which showed the position of all occupants in the castle and secret passageways in the chamber but to think that the twins had one was really... absurd.
"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, It did not show the Room of requirement or the Chamber. He also noted it showed only seven passageways out of the school. There were 13. Also, each common room had a path to the outer chamber which was not on the map. But it was portable easily unlike the map in the chamber.
"Moony, Wormtail, 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."
"This is awesome" Harry breathed. "Indeed it— "
"— is Harrykins." The twins smirked. "It is pleasure to be in business with you, Mr. Potter." They said in unison. "Show me your ideas after Christmas. I will fund it if they are indeed worthy of selling in the most premium prank shop that will be opened." They grinned.
It was Christmas morning. By mid-November he had completed his mind place. It was a beautiful five-floor Castle with 2 floor of Dungeons and the Chamber of secrets, Surrounded by huge grounds, a lake and a Quidditch pitch. He had started adding defenses to it.
His own training was going well. He could now shoot 4 stunners a second. The progress was slower now as he was already decently fast in spell shooting. Senior Aurors in the DMLE had this speed of spell shooting. His spell knowledge had grown by leaps and bounds. He now knew more than a hundred combat spells, though some were children level and one won't use in a real fight. He was still woefully inadequate as compared to Dumbledore, Voldemort and some of the Hitwizards who knew thousands of such spells. In subjects like Charms and Transfiguration, he was on NEWT level and mid-sixth year in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Subjects like Herbology, Astronomy, History of Magic and COMC depended on the topic Harry wanted to study. He had regular debates, read through laws and found loopholes, made mock bills and learned relevant laws to his goals for Political studies.
The only disappointment for him was that he still could not see magic by mage sight. He was currently on a break from any training or learning new magic since the last 4 days and would remain so for another 3. Why? Because of the ritual he had done on the winter solstice.
FLASHBACK
Near midnight of December 21, the winter solstice, Harry was busy drawing runes on the floor of the ritual chamber in the Chamber of Secrets. "Harry, recheck the rune on your right... yeah that one, it is not drawn perfectly, do it again. We can't afford a single mistake in this one." Harry redrew the rune. This was the most dangerous ritual he was going to perform till date. Not a single mistake could be tolerated.
He remembered the explanation he had received for it three weeks ago. 'On this winter solstice, midnight you will perform your most dangerous and complex ritual till date. It will also be your most beneficial. You remember how we explained the magical core to you? Well, this ritual focuses on the increasing your magical core a bit, widens the magical pathways in your body so your magic will flow more freely and most importantly will give you a greater benefit of magical training. As we have said, Magic is like a muscle, the more you train it, the more it increases. This ritual will be like a mild steroid making the growth of your magic faster than usual. Its name is melius est magicae ritual.'
The ritual was dangerous as for all this, the ritual drained almost all magic from the persons body and then made the magical core more easily stretchable in a sense and increases its size automatically by a few percent.
Think of the magical core as balls. As a comparison, Squibs had a size of magical core as big as a thermocol ball(the ones used for decoration), average witches and wizards had the size of a baseball and centennial wizards had a size of a football at their full maturity. The more powerful witches and wizards like McGonagall, Amelia Bones, the famed Alastor Moody, Professor Flitwick, Hitwizards, etc. had a core size somewhere between a baseball and a football. Currently, Harry's core size was around this size. This ritual will make it easier for this size to increase and also immediately after the ritual the Magical core of his would become a tiny bit bigger than it was.
It was a damn powerful and useful ritual and also equally dangerous. Salazar and Helga triple checked the runes before giving a go-ahead.
At exactly midnight, Harry started a long chant, lying naked in the ritual circle. The runes glowed and then the excruciating pain started. He was frozen for this by Dobby so he would not move. "AHHHHHHH!"
"Bear this pain Harry, for a few minutes, please." Helga said between his screams of pain. Tears flowed down Harry's eyes. The ritual was painful.
After what felt like an eternity, the pain stopped and the glow of runes died out. Harry lay there, in pain feeling weak and helpless. He felt extremely drained. He soon passed out.
It was a few minutes before noon the next day when Harry came around. He was on a bed, still naked from yesterday's ritual. He was feeling pain all over his body. His feeling of magic had returned by a bit but he still felt drained. Gingerly getting up, he went to the adjoined Bathroom to relieve himself. He also prepared a hot bath and lay in it for an hour. After coming out, he donned the clothes laid out by an elf, probably Dobby. He looked around for his wands and other things, not finding them he went out to the study.
"So you are awake. How are you feeling?" Salazar asked.
"Drained. Tired. Weak. In pain." Harry said. "Don't worry dear, it is an unfortunate side effect. You will be perfectly fine in a couple of days. But I will advise you to avoid doing magic for a few hours atleast. And no magical training for a week. Healer's order." Helga said. Harry nodded, knowing she was correct and it was futile to argue. "Tippy, bring Harry food and a pain relief potion." Helga called and ordered a Hogwarts elf. "Harry, first eat the lunch and then drink the potion. Then use the time turner." Harry obeyed. He wasn't going to argue. He was hungry and he knew that pain relief potions worked best with a full stomach.
FLASHBACK END
"HARRY! Wake up mate, its Christmas." Ron yelled. "I am up, I am up." Ron and Hermione had stayed back for Christmas despite Harry's protest. They had put their foot down saying that they were not leaving Harry. Hermione said that her parents had went to an international conference, so she anyways had to stay. She had given him a big name for it but Harry could not exactly remember it. Ron was the only one who had no reason to stay but yet stayed for Harry. He was touched by the gesture.
They went down to the common room. Under the Christmas tree, there were several presents. Harry also noticed She-who-must-not-be-named Tonks sitting next to the fire with Hermione, wearing casual clothes instead of her auror uniform.
"Hey Tonks! Why are you here? You don't wanna go home for Christmas?" Harry asked
"Uh... Oh Harry! Merry Christmas! I am not going to home this year. Bonesy is paying us triple for this. It is necessary to remain here. The castle is empty and so Black might decide to attack... someone." Tonks said. Harry knew that someone was actually him but smiled nonetheless. "Well then I thank you Tonks. For ensuring our safety. And yeah, Merry Christmas."
Harry and her had developed a friendship of sorts. The bubbly auror had spent a of time around the trio. They liked her. She was a Hufflepuff who graduated in 1991, the year before Harry came to Hogwarts. She was an extremely cheerful girl who was fun to be around.
"Well... I am going for Dinner to my parent's house, but will be back before curfew. Don't get in danger today, alright." She added and Harry nodded. He then gestured towards the presents. They nodded and all went to the pile. Harry saw his presents.
Mrs. Weasley had sent him a scarlet sweater with the Gryffindor lion knitted on the front, also a dozen home-baked mince pies, some Christmas cake, and a box of nut brittle. He heard Ron moan about the maroon colour. Hermione had given him a nice book on History. He saw additional presents, one was from Tonks and the other was from DG: Daphne Greengrass. He tore it open. It was a set of expensive cologne. Two medium-sized bottles a blend of citrus-rosemary-spice blend in one and jasmine-woods-ocean breezes in the other. It smelt extremely nice. He was now glad that he had bought a silver bracelet for her. It was the most expensive gift he had given. Certain standards needed to be maintained for the Most Noble and Most Ancient Houses. Also by now they were very good friends, in secret, of course. No one except Astoria knew about it. Salazar and Helga didn't count.
"Harry, you didn't have to!" Tonks said seeing his gift. It was a ladies purse. He had gotten Ron a Wrist watch with a wand holster so he didn't break his wand. For Hermione, it was books. He had kept the budget for them the same. He didn't know what to buy for Tonks and so bought her a purse. What else could he buy for a women? She was merely a friend so he wasn't going to give her an expensive gift nor she was from a Most Noble and Most Ancient House.
She had given him a book on Dueling. He had it, but appreciated the gesture nonetheless. There was one more, a long, thin package.
"What's that?" said Ron, looking over, a freshly unwrapped pair of maroon socks in his hand. "Dunno…" Harry ripped the parcel open and gasped as a magnificent, gleaming broomstick rolled out onto his bedspread. Ron dropped his socks and jumped off his bed for a closer look.
"I don't believe it," he said hoarsely.
It was a Firebolt, identical to the dream broom Harry had gone to see every day in Diagon Alley. Its handle glittered as he picked it up. He could feel it vibrating and let go; it hung in midair, unsupported, at exactly the right height for him to mount it. His eyes moved from the golden registration number at the top of the handle, 007, right down to the perfectly smooth, streamlined birch twigs that made up the tail. "Who sent it to you?" said Ron in a hushed voice. "Look and see if there's a card," said Harry. Ron ripped apart the Firebolt's wrappings.
"Nothing! Blimey, who'd spend that much on you?"
"No idea."
Tonks was gaping at it. So was Hermione. But Harry suddenly had a thought. What if... "Ron, don't touch it. Back away, everyone. It may be dangerous." He cried out in alarm. Ron looked at him in shock. Tonks eyes went wide understanding what Harry was saying. She went for her wand but Harry beat her to it. "Domus nontangere" He said. A golden dome appeared around it. No one would be able to physically touch it without breaking this shield. It was a spell used by curse breakers to protect objects from being touched till they were deemed safe. "How the fuck do you know this spell? We learn it in Auror training! Fuck that! How can you cast it. It took me a month to cast that damned spell properly." He looked at Tonks once she was finished ranting. "Tonks, I can produce a corporeal Patronus. This is easy work." He said simply.
"Let that dome be. Why the bloody hell do you think it's dangerous?" Ron asked.
"It is without a note. It is plausible that Sirius Black may have sent it."
"Harry mate... Black is on run. How could he walk into a shop and buy a firebolt?" Ron asked
"There are disguises, Ron. Polyjuice, glamor charms, artifacts to change looks and so on." Hermione said.
"I am no expert on cursed objects, I admit. We should call the professors." Tonks said. Harry nodded and sent off a Patronus message to Dumbledore, McGonagall and Flitwick saying that a curse broom may have been gifted to Harry by Black. Within minutes, Dumbledore appeared with his phoenix in a flash of flames. His eyes alert and wand at ready. He looked around the room and saw the dome. "A firebolt. Was there a note?" He asked and they shook their heads. Dumbledore waved his wand around the room and relaxed at once. Then concentrated back on the broom. That was when McGonagall and Flitwick arrived. Dumbledore said nothing to them, instead turned to Tonks. "Nymphadora, can you kindly remove this dome? So I can inspect it."
Her hair turned red. "Don't call me Nymphadora. And the spell was done by Harry, not me." Dumbledore's eyebrows raised. The other two professors wore expressions of shock. Harry flicked his wand and ended the spell. Dumbledore started waving his wand on the broom. After 15 minutes he finally stepped back. "The broom does not appeared to be cursed. There are no curses or jinxes on it, I can certify... Just... Fawkes, bring me the dark detector." Fawkes flamed out from where he was sitting on Harry's shoulder and returned with a metal detector like object. Dumbledore waved that object on the broom. It glowed green.
"The broom is completely safe Mr. Potter. But who sent it is a mystery." He said. "Though it is commendable that you thought on your feet and did not ride it. There was a high possibility that it might have been a death trap. 15 points to Gryffindor." He added.
"Are you sure it is perfectly safe, Professor Dumbledore? Such an expensive, top-of-the -line broom, without a note?" McGonagall asked. Dumbledore nodded. "I bid you all merry Christmas. I will see you at lunch. Enjoy your day." He said before leaving the common room.
"You know Filius, I am seeing the Quidditch Cup already in my office." McGonagall said. Flitwick rubbed his temples before they both left.
"Woah Harry! A Firebolt for you. I want to ride it once." Tonks said.
"Me too! And think about Malfoy's face when he sees it!" Ron exclaimed. Harry grinned and nodded. "After me, you both will get a chance. Hermione, you too."
"NO! Thank you. I prefer my feet on the ground. I am not keen on riding a normal broom let alone the Fastest. I will watch." She said and they laughed.
After the Christmas feast Tonks returned. They were the only ones in the Tower. The trio was sitting near the fire chatting amiably. "Wotcher Guys! I am back!" She said and took a sit next to them. After a few minutes of describing her celebration, she said, "Hey, let us celebrate properly."
"We just had a dinner worthy of kings. What do you want to celebrate more?" Harry asked and Tonks winked, removing a bottle. "Firewhiskey" She whispered.
Their eyes went wide. "We are not of age to drink it." Hermione said. "Oh, lighten up, it's Christmas." Tonks said.
"Yeah Hermione, at parties everyone above fourth year drinks anyways. What is the big deal." Hermione reluctantly nodded and Tonks conjured glasses and poured the amber liquid.
"To friends and Christmas Spirit." She raised her glass and they all drank. The teenager coughed violently, smoke coming out of their mouth while Tonks let out a burp with a flame. "You, kids just had your first proper alcohol. Welcome to adulthood!" And they continued till the bottle was empty. All stumbled into their rooms while Hermione just went to sleep on the couch slurring that she was too tipsy.
The next day, unfortunately, they all woke with a massive hangover.