four

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Ivy woke up from her slumber and got dressed for school. She put on her makeup, her robes, her shoes, and brushed her hair.

She went out of her dorm and in the common room. She glanced to the bulletin board and saw the quidditch tryout results. She read through them and was pleasantly surprised to see she made the team.

        Although, she did grimace as she realized Adam was a Beater with her, which was inevitable. She wondered when her brother, Justin, would have his tryouts.

She walked down to breakfast and sat down at the Ravenclaw table, in her usual spot next to the girls she shared a dorm with.

"Hey, Ivy," One of them said. She was the 'leader' of the group. She had platinum blonde hair. Ivy had talked to her before and was on good terms. They even shared a dorm. But they weren't best friends, like the rest of the group.

        "Hello," Ivy said, trying to remember her name because she didn't want to seem rude and ask.

         "Congrats on making the quidditch team. I didn't know you played quidditch," She said, smiling at Ivy. Ivy gave a smile back, her name instantly popping into her head once she spoke more with her honeyed voice. Chloe.

        "So, um, I see you sit next to Sirius Black in Transfiguration. I was just wondering, could you put in a good word for me?" Chloe said, a bit awkwardly for someone who was so confident. Ivy nodded her head with a smile.

        "Sure. I'll tell him today."

        Chloe smiled. "Maybe you aren't so bad, Ivy," She said with a genuine smile, one that lit up her perfect face. Ivy laughed shyly. "Well, anyways, now that that's out of the way, we should hang out more. I know we're roommates, but I don't hear from you very often."

        "Yeah, sure," Ivy nodded, smiling. She was probably considered part of their clique by a lot of Hogwarts, but she wasn't as close to them as they were with each other. If anything, she was probably left out of their clique for being so focused on academic pursuits. They ate the rest of their breakfast, talking as they did so.

        Later that day, Ivy sat under the Black Lake. She had a break in between her classes and was currently writing down answers to her homework before Remus approached her.

        "Hey," Ivy said as Remus's shadow blocked the sun from her, making it easier to see.

"Hi. I was wondering— well, we were wondering— if you would want to come to Hogsmeade with us," Remus said. Ivy blinked.

        "Now?"

        "Yeah, if you want to. It was Sirius's idea," He hastily added. Sirius had already taken a liking to the Ravenclaw, more than the others. He thought she was funny.

        "Sure, why not," Ivy said, looking down at her book. She closed it, stood up, and made her way to Hogsmeade with the four.

         They traveled, making conversation as they did so, and then got to the streets of Hogsmeade.

         "So, Ivy," James began, leaning over to look at Ivy as they walked. "You enjoying quidditch?"

        "I suppose," Ivy said, thinking about it for a second. "It's fun. Gives me something to do. Though I could never imagine being as devoted to it as you."

         "Of course not, I'm the most devoted of the devoted, the best of the best!" James exclaimed flamboyantly. Ivy narrowed her eyes.

        "Yeah... Something like that. And, have you finished that Charms assignment?"

        "What assignment?"

        "The one due on Thursday."

         "Of course not! It's due Thursday. Today is Saturday," James said, like it was common knowledge. "No need to stress over things that aren't due for so long!"

        "That's only like, five days."

        "That's ages, Ivy!" James said, draping a shoulder around Ivy's shoulders, having to bend down to do so. "You need to learn to procrastinate every once in a while."

        "I'm assuming Remus has finished it?"

        "Yeah."

        "Oh, you can't go by Remus!" James said, waving a hand. "He is too uptight for his own good."

         "...Okay."

        "I'm really not, you are just too rambunctious," Remus said with a smile.

        "Shh."

        They arrived at the Three Broomsticks. They ordered their respective drinks, talking amongst each other with smiles as they did so. A piece of paper fell out of James' pocket without him noticing. Ivy picked it up, examining it.

        "You dropped this, James. And may I ask why you have a random piece of parchment? What is this for?" Ivy said. James made eye contact with the three other people sitting at their table and tried to figure out an excuse.

        "I dunno. It's just a piece of parchment," James said. They were silent for a second.

        "...Why haven't you thrown it away?"

        "...Don't have the time."

        Sirius audibly scoffed and rolled his eyes at the excuse causing Remus to nudge him. Ivy raised her eyebrows.

        "You're hiding something," She said as she steepled her fingers, parchment in hand. A smile was on her face despite his own nervous one. James was a really bad actor.

        "I bet this parchment is hiding something stupid, like all your prank ideas, and to let me see all the ideas, I have to say something. I mean, that is the logical reason as to why this parchment can be so important to you. Or, you don't have any other spare parchment, and you need this one. But, shockingly, I find the latter to be less likely, since you barely ever worry about trivial things like that," Ivy pondered aloud. "And to activate it, there is probably a phrase to say. Because I've read about that type of stuff in a book before, and it's just like you. Something in your style, like, "I am doing bad things."

        Ink formed on the paper as Ivy pointed her wand. Ivy's eyes went wide as she read the messages that appeared. Sure, she was confident in her logic, but this theory was a shot in the dark. And she was half-joking.

        Prongs would like to tell Ivy Scott that he supposes she is close to the right answer.

        Padfoot would like to inform Ivy Scott that she just needs to say the phrase a bit differently.

        Moony would like to ask if she is up to no good.

Wormtail would like to say that Ms. Ivy is very smart, and she should get it soon.

Ivy looked around at them. They all looked very nervous, despite trying to hide it. Ivy felt herself smile as she tried again. "I'm up to no good."

Prongs would like to ask if you solemnly swear it.

Padfoot says that you are the smartest who has ever come across this map. But kindly fuck off, this is a secret.

Moony thinks you are intelligent.

Wormtail agreed with Moony and Padfoot.

Ivy smiled, almost smug, as she looked around at the four boys in front of her. She thought about what the people on the paper had said. "Do you solemnly swear it... this was too easy. And 'kindly fuck off, this is a secret'? Seriously?"

They all glanced at Sirius discreetly, who shrugged at them. She cleared her throat and pointed the tip of her wand to the piece of parchment. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Ink formed on the paper in front of her. Ivy read the words that appeared. She was astounded that they could come up with something so clever and creative, that even she had to think about it for a few minutes.

"The Marauders map... Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs." Ivy mumbled as she opened up the map with slightly shaky hands. She looked at the map, soon realizing it was of the castle. Dumbledore paced in his office. "Holy shit! This is clever! I'm... impressed. I actually didn't think I was correct in any of that, but you're quite predictable, James."

        Ivy folded the map back up and handed it to James. "How do you— turn it off?"

        "Mischief Managed," James spoke, as all the ink disappeared in front of her own eyes. Ivy was astounded. She never thought they could come up with something as smart as that.

        "That was clever!" Ivy repeated as she smiled, her eyes lit up at that little puzzle.

        "Don't tell anyone about that," Sirius said as Ivy scoffed.

        "What do you think I am, a dumbass? I'm not going to tell anybody. I'm a good secret keeper. And it's not like I really have anyone to tell it to, anyways," Ivy said quickly.

         Soon enough, their Hogsmeade date came to a close. They walked back to the castle, saying goodbye and parting ways. They all seemed a little discouraged, yet excited about their new smart friend.

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