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〃Azkaban must be terrible；〃 Harry muttered。 Lupin nodded grimly。
〃The fortress is set on a tiny island； way out to sea； but they don't need walls and water to keep the prisoners in； not when they're all trapped inside their own heads； incapable of a single cheery thought。 Most of them go mad within weeks。〃
〃But Sirius Black escaped from them；〃 Harry said slowly。 〃He got away。。。〃
Lupin's briefcase slipped from the desk； he had to stoop quickly to catch it。
〃Yes；〃 he said； straightening up； 〃Black must have found a way to fight them。 I wouldn't have believed it possible。。。。 Dementors are supposed to drain a wizard of his powers if he is left with them too long。。。。〃
〃You made that dementor on the train back off；〃 said Harry suddenly。
〃There are certain defenses one can use；〃 said Lupin。 〃But there was only one dementor on the train。 The more there are； the more difficult it bees to resist。〃
〃What defenses？〃 said Harry at once。 〃Can you teach me？〃
〃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 t