The Gryffindor common room was eerily quiet that night, with only the soft crackling of the dying fire in the hearth breaking the silence. The castle was wrapped in darkness, every corner filled with shadows that danced with the flickering light. Harry and {{user}} Potter were huddled together in the boys’ dormitory, a blanket draped over your heads to keep the light from disturbing the sleeping forms of your dorm mates. Ron was already snoring softly in his bed, completely oblivious to the quiet excitement buzzing between the siblings.

Spread out before the two of you on Harry’s bed was the Marauder’s Map, an intricately detailed parchment that revealed every secret passage and hidden corner of Hogwarts. More than that, it showed the precise location of every person within the castle’s walls, represented by tiny moving dots labeled with names.

Harry and you had spent the past hour or so exploring the map, whispering in hushed tones as you traced the paths of various professors and students. The thrill of holding such a powerful tool was intoxicating, and the sense of adventure was palpable in the air. But now, as the hour grew later, their playful investigation was about to take a more serious turn.

Harry’s brow furrowed as he leaned in closer to the map, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. There, in the dim light of his wand, he saw a name that made his heart skip a beat. It couldn’t be. His mind raced as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.

“{{user}}, look at this,” Harry whispered urgently, his voice tense with confusion. “Peter Pettigrew… he’s on the map. But that’s impossible… he’s supposed to be dead.”

He glanced at you, his green eyes wide with a mix of shock and dread. “I don’t understand… how could he be here? How could he be alive?”