Harry Potter uses the Marauder's Map to enter Hogsmeade

Harry Potter uses the Marauder's Map to enter Hogsmeade, a secret passage that allows him to bypass the Dementor-guarded entrances and visit the wizarding village for the first time, an act of defiance that deepens his understanding of the adult world's secrets and dangers.

The Gift of the Map

On the Saturday morning of the first Hogsmeade weekend, Harry, resigned to being the only third-year left behind, borrows a copy of Which Broomstick from Oliver Wood and plans to spend the day reading. As he walks alone through the third-floor corridor, Fred and George Weasley pull him into an empty classroom. They present him with an early Christmas present: a large, square, very worn piece of parchment that appears blank. Fred explains that the map, which they stole from Argus Filch's confiscated and highly dangerous drawer in their first year, is "the secret of our success." George touches the parchment with his wand and says, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Instantly, thin ink lines spread like a spider's web, and words blossom across the top: "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers, are proud to present THE MARAUDER'S MAP." The map reveals every detail of Hogwarts castle and grounds, with tiny ink dots moving around, each labeled with a name. Fred and George point out seven secret passages, four of which Filch knows, one that is caved in, one blocked by the Whomping Willow, and one that leads directly into the cellar of Honeydukes. They bequeath the map to Harry, saying his need is greater than theirs, and instruct him to tap it and say "Mischief managed!" to make it blank.

The Journey Through the Passage

Harry, flooded with excitement, hesitates only briefly, recalling Arthur Weasley's warning never to trust anything that can think for itself. He reasons that he only wants to use it to get into Hogsmeade, not to steal or attack anyone, and that Fred and George have used it for years without incident. He pulls out the map and sees a new ink figure labeled 'Harry Potter' standing exactly where he is. The figure appears to be tapping the statue of the one-eyed witch with its minute wand, and a speech bubble appears with the word 'Dissendium.' Harry whispers the word and taps the statue; its hump opens wide enough to admit a fairly thin person. He hoists himself into the hole headfirst and slides down a stone slide, landing on cold, damp earth in a very narrow, low, earthy passageway. He sets off, stumbling on the uneven floor, holding his wand out in front of him. The passage twists and turns for what feels like an hour, then begins to rise. He climbs worn stone steps, losing count, until his head hits a trapdoor. He pushes it open and finds himself in a cellar full of wooden crates and boxes, which blends so perfectly with the dusty floor that it is impossible to tell it is there.

Arrival in Honeydukes and Meeting His Friends

Harry creeps up the wooden staircase and, dodging behind an enormous crate as a man comes down for a box of Jelly Slugs, slips through the door at the top. He finds himself behind the counter of Honeydukes, which is so crowded with Hogwarts students that no one looks twice at him. He edges among the shelves of sweets, suppressing a laugh at the thought of Dudley's piggy face if he could see where Harry is now. He squeezes through a crowd of sixth-years and sees Ron and Hermione standing under a sign reading "UNUSUAL TASTES," examining a tray of blood-flavored lollipops. He sneaks up behind them and says, "Definitely not," when Ron suggests Cockroach Clusters. Ron nearly drops the jar, and Hermione squeals, "Harry! What are you doing here? How — how did you —?" Ron, looking very impressed, asks if he has learned to Apparate. Harry drops his voice and tells them all about the Marauder's Map. Ron is outraged that Fred and George never gave it to him, while Hermione insists Harry should hand it in to Professor McGonagall. Harry refuses, pointing out that if he hands it in, he will have to say where he got it, and Filch would know Fred and George nicked it. Hermione argues that Sirius Black could be using one of the passages, but Harry counters that the one he just came through is hard to see the entrance to in the cellar, and unless Black knew it was there, he couldn't use it. Ron points to a notice on the door stating that Dementors patrol Hogsmeade every night after sundown, and argues that Black would have a hard time breaking into Honeydukes with Dementors swarming the village. Hermione, still worried, asks if Harry is going to report her, and he grins, saying, "Are you going to report me?" She admits she won't, but insists he is in so much trouble if anyone finds out.

The Consequences of Discovery

Harry, Ron, and Hermione spend the day in Hogsmeade, visiting the post office and Zonko's Joke Shop, where Harry, hidden under the Invisibility Cloak, gives Ron whispered orders and passes him gold. They then walk past the Three Broomsticks and climb a slope to visit the Shrieking Shack. There, they encounter Draco Malfoy, who taunts Ron about Hagrid losing his case and Buckbeak's impending execution. Harry, still hidden, throws mud at Malfoy, but when he throws a stick at Crabbe, Crabbe's foot catches the hem of the cloak, revealing Harry's head for a split second. Malfoy yells and runs back to the castle. Harry realizes the damage is done and tears back through the passage to Hogwarts. He hides the Invisibility Cloak in a shadowy corner of the passage and climbs out of the witch's hump just as Snape approaches. Snape, with a look of suppressed triumph, takes Harry to his office and accuses him of being in Hogsmeade. Harry denies it, but Snape forces him to empty his pockets, finding the Marauder's Map. Snape tries to force the map to reveal its secrets, but it insults him, writing "Mr. Mooney presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business." Snape summons Lupin, who, after a tense exchange, takes the map and claims it is a Zonko product. Ron bursts in and backs up the story, saying he gave Harry the stuff from Zonko's. Lupin takes the map and, after the others leave, tells Harry he cannot have it back, explaining that the mapmakers would have wanted to lure him out of school. He warns Harry not to expect him to cover up for him again, and tells him that gambling his parents' sacrifice for a bag of magic tricks is a poor way to repay them. Harry feels worse than he had at any point in Snape's office.