Chapter 298: The Marauder

As they left the castle, Ron was still clutching his head and groaning in pain.

Because Fred and George had secretly punched him twice with some magical gadgets.

Their methods were recorded in “One Hundred Ways to Prank Ron.”

“So how do we avoid Professor Snape on patrol?”

Ron asked, clutching his head; sometimes, even when he knew who the culprits were, he couldn’t get revenge.

Fortunately, the two had good restraint—they’d just reached the limit of what Ron could endure without screaming.

“Not everyone can become a great follower of Grimm.”

Fred dramatically pulled something from his cloak and placed it in Wizard Sean’s hand—a large square sheet of parchment, heavily worn, blank on its surface.

“What is this?”

Ron asked, puzzled.

“This, Ron, is our secret to success.”

George affectionately patted the parchment.

“We wouldn’t have taken it out unless summoned by the great Grimm.”

Fred said.

“But I… why would Wizard Sean need an old piece of parchment?”

Ron asked.

“An old piece of parchment!”

Fred closed his eyes and made a face, as if Ron had deeply wounded him.

“Explain it, George.”

“Well… when we were in first year—we were young, carefree, innocent—”

Ron let out a snort; he doubted Fred and George had ever been innocent.

“Ow!”

Ron quickly paid for his laughter.

Ron glared at the two, even though Wizard Sean was laughing too.

But the next second he let it go—well, Wizard Sean was always different.

“—ah, even more innocent than now—back then we had a little run-in with Filch.”

“We dropped a large dungbomb in the corridor, and for some reason, it annoyed him terribly—”

“So he dragged us into his office and started threatening us with his usual routine—”

“—detention—”

“—gutting us alive—”

“—and we couldn’t help but glance at one of his filing cabinet drawers, labeled ‘Contraband, Highly Dangerous.’”

“So—”

Wizard Sean guessed.

“Hey, if you were the great Grimm, what would you do?”

Fred said.

“George threw another dungbomb to distract him, and I immediately opened the drawer and grabbed—this.”

“It’s not as bad as it sounds, you know,”

George said,

“We figure Filch never figured out how to use it. But he must’ve guessed what it was, otherwise he wouldn’t have confiscated it.”

“Do you know how to use it?”

“Oh,”

Fred grinned proudly,

“This little treasure taught us more than all the teachers at the school combined.”

Both drew their wands and tapped the parchment lightly, saying:

“I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”

Instantly, fine lines of ink spread like a spiderweb from where George’s wand had touched, connecting and crisscrossing, filling every corner of the parchment;

then, at the top, green cursive letters appeared:

【Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs】

【For the assistance of magical pranksters】

【Presented with pride】

【The Marauder’s Map】

The Marauder’s Map…

“I can…”

Wizard Sean had barely begun speaking when Fred, like a man presenting a sacred relic, held the map up:

“The great Grimm, your loyal follower proudly offers you—”

“The Marauder’s Map—”

George took over,

“We’ve memorized it anyway.”

He winked.

Wizard Sean took the parchment in hand; the map showed every detail of Hogwarts Castle and its grounds, but most extraordinary were the many small black dots moving across it, each labeled with tiny script bearing a name.

In the upper left corner, a marked black dot showed Professor Dumbledore pacing in his study; the caretaker Filch was patrolling the third floor; the mischievous Peeves was bouncing around in the trophy room.

Wizard Sean and Ron’s eyes swept along the familiar corridors, suddenly noticing something new—the map revealed passages they’d never walked, many seemingly leading to—

Hogsmeade.

And halfway along, a footprint labeled “Gert” was pacing back and forth.

“Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, Prongs.”

George tapped the map’s title and sighed,

“We owe them so much.”

“Noble souls, tirelessly working to aid the next generation of rule-breakers.”

Fred declared solemnly.

These words left Wizard Sean silent; the order of those names reversed was the order in which the Marauders had died.

From James, to Sirius, to Peter, to Lupin…

The magical world was always shrouded in something like fate—here, every story seemed to have a beginning and would inevitably reach its end.

Wizard Sean found it hard to believe this was coincidence, especially after studying astral magic, but the Centaur teacher had told him:

“Our people have believed in fate for over seven centuries, but if fate ever seeks our destruction, then it is no longer fate.

It is merely something that must be resisted with courage.”

“Alright, let’s move!”

Fred said cheerfully.

The group set off.

Under the moonlight, Wizard Sean saw a name flickering beside Ron:

“Peter.”

Wizard Sean felt a sudden unease—if he could see it, there was no reason Fred and George couldn’t.

So they watched Ron every day, sharing space with a man named Peter, and said nothing, asked nothing?

Wizard Sean leaned toward the idea that they simply didn’t care—or thought Peter was a ghost or something.

After all, they didn’t use the Marauder’s Map constantly.

After seeing Ron off.

Wizard Sean and the others returned to Hogwarts Castle.

Tomorrow morning, Gert would safely return Ron.

And the cost of Ron’s wand and everything else? Fully sponsored by the twins.

“Great Grimm, we must remind you,”

George said lightly,

“Don’t forget to clear it after use—”

“—or anyone else can see it.”

Fred warned.

“Just tap it again and say, ‘Mischief managed!’—and it turns blank again.”

The twins vanished in a flash, leaving Wizard Sean standing alone in the shadows, quietly watching every name.

Until he saw Ginny’s name suddenly appear, returning to Gryffindor Tower.

He understood: Tom was far more cunning and impatient—or rather, arrogant—than he’d imagined.

He put away the map—Weasley twins always unintentionally gave him far too much help—and walked deeper into the castle.

Now, while Tom was still inactive, it was time for him to act.