Deep in the Forbidden Forest, moving shadows formed an unlikely quartet of rat, dog, stag, and werewolf. It was a combination beyond imagination, but every full moon the quartet was there.

Running, the rat was trying to keep up to the three large shadows in front of him. The full moon was shining brightly through the trees, lighting the path before him.

Needing a break, the rat nipped the tail of the dog in front of him. Immediately, the dog paused to allow him to quickly climb on his back; it was an arrangement done many times before.

From his spot on the dog’s back, the rat was able to see the forest more clearly. He loved watching the trees go by. Rested, the rat prepared to jump off when the he saw an object glinting in the moonlight. The rat quickly jumped off and ran over to it. Even with his poor eyesight, the rat could tell that this ‘thing’ didn’t belong in the forest. The dog, confused as to why rat had left him, trotted over to the rat.

The rat, upon seeing the dog, ran circles around the object. The dog stared at the rat, confused. Only when the rat pretended to bite the object did the dog understand and pick it up with its teeth. Then the dog turned, and chased after the stag and werewolf, leaving the rat to follow in his wake.

---

Peter lay on the ground, exhausted, when a shaggy mutt walked over, and dropped an object into his lap. While Sirius transformed, James inquired, “What is that, Padfoot?”

“Ask Wormtail, he made me pick it up,” Sirius answered.

Sitting now, Peter fingered the object. It was a small red rectangular box. On one side there was a smaller gray rectangle with two white knobs beneath it.

“Hello,” said Sirius waving a hand in front of Peter’s face. “Earth to Peter, what is that thing?”

“I dunno,” he admitted. “I thought it looked interesting.”

James reached over and grabbed the box from his hands. He looked at it from every angle before declaring, “I think it’s a Muggle object. I wonder what would happen if I turned a knob.”

“Make sure you put you hand on the gray part when you do so, it might burn up,” joked Sirius. Then he added seriously, “It could be how Muggles cook.”

James shook his head. “Siruis, Muggles use electricity to cook.”

“Prongs, showing off your Muggle Studies knowledge is not going to help you woo Evans,” Sirius stated.

Running a hand through his hair, James countered, “You think so.”

Peter was listening to his friends bicker when he noticed the front doors open. “Pomfrey!” he hissed.

James grabbed his invisibility cloak, and the three Marauders dived under it. Only after they watched Pomfrey prod the knot on the Whomping Willow, and disappear into tunnel underneath, did the three sneak back to their dormitory.

When they were safely back in their dormitory, the three Marauders turned their attention to the mysterious object. They laid it on floor and stared at it for a moment before James declared that he would turn a knob.

Peter scooted back a couple centimeters and clapped his hands over his ears when James reached for the knob.

“Peter!” Sirius laughed. “It’s not going to blow up.”

Peter put his hands back in his lap; he had thought it was a sensible precaution, things tended to blow up quite a bit around James and Sirius.

“Ready?” James asked, “One, two, three…” He turned the knob, and then he looked thoroughly disappointed.

Sirius and Peter leaned over and saw on top of the gray was a black line. Sirius grabbed the object and turned the same knob and the line extended. Then he turned the other knob and drew a horizontal line, making a corner. “Hah,” he exclaimed and started turning both knobs in many combinations. After a while Sirius could get the line to go in any direction he wanted, he could even make it curve.

James grabbed the box back, and quickly mastered how to use the knobs.

“Hey!” Peter yelled. “I haven’t had a turn yet.”

“Huh, sorry Wormtail, but I don’t think there is any room left.” James held up the box, and Peter could saw that the black lines filled up almost the entire gray rectangle.

Peter reached out to grab it, but James let go a moment too soon and the box went crashing to the floor. Peter out a gasp, and reached out a hand to pick it up.

“Nice job, Wormtail,” Sirius said.

Peter wasn’t willing to correct him, but it had been James who let go early. So Peter just flipped the object over, and to his astonishment the lines were gone.

James and Sirius looked at each other dumbfounded. It was like magic. But the box was a Muggle object, wasn’t it?

Peter held the box in his hands, and played with the knobs until he understood how it worked. This is fun, he thought to himself. After the gray was filled with lines he threw it in on the ground. Again the lines disappear.

“Amazing!” he exclaimed.

“It’s magic,” James whispered.

“It can’t be,” Sirius countered.

“It’s a Magic Drawing Box,” James stated.

“Nice one, Prongs,” Peter declared.

“I think you’re both mad,” Sirius suggested.

Whatever it was magic or madness, it didn’t take long for James to start working on his masterpiece. Which was really James fiddling around with the Magic Drawing Box, throwing it on the ground in disgust, and then repeating the process all over again.

Sirius got bored of waiting and decided to take a nap, ordering Peter to wake him when Prongs finally finished. Peter watched and provided moral support. “You can do James,” he said.

“Yes!” James finally shouted.

Sirius mumbled something about loud-mouthed roommates, and threw his pillow at James, before he decided to see what the fuss was about.

James puffed up his chest, and showed his masterpiece to his companions. It was not really much of a masterpiece in Peter’s mind. It was a badly shaped heart with the letters L.E. inside, made worse by the fact anything was connected. Peter decided to refrain from saying that, and decided to lie. “Its great, Prongs! Lily will love it.”

Sirius however snickered, “Your masterpiece is going to disappear when she throws that right back at you, Prongs.”

It didn’t even last that long. James threw the Magic Drawing Box at Sirius, in retaliation for the comment made, destroying the said masterpiece. Peter rolled his eyes, James tended to do things without thinking.

Sirius held the Magic Drawing Box in his hands laughing. “Let’s go see what Moony thinks of this, if he’s awake yet.”

“Can’t,” James mumbled. “We have to go listen to boring Binns.”

“Listen,” Sirius snorted. “I never listen.”

“You’ll have to listen today,” Peter interjected. “Moony won’t be there to take notes.”

“Then you can take notes, Wormtail,” Sirius countered.

“What…me?” Peter stuttered. There was no way he would be to pay enough attention in Binns class to take notes up to Remus’ standard.

“Uh, last time he took notes, none of us could read them,” James reminded Sirius.

“Then you take them,” Sirius stated.

“No way!”

The three friends bickered the entire way to class over who would take notes, and in the end no one did. Binns class was simply too boring, so the took turns playing the Magic Drawing Box instead. Remus would be mad, but he was always a little cranky after full moons. Peter was hoping the sight of the Magic Drawing Box would change that.

James drew pictures of his broomstick, Evans, and a stag. Sirius did picture of a dead snake, a dog, and what was supposed to be Professor Binns with the room on fire. Peter managed a rat, and one of James, that wasn’t all that bad. The rest of the class--the ones that weren’t sleeping--kept shooting odd looks at the trio as the tried to hide their laughter, but weren’t really successful.

It was Peter’s turn, and he wanted to draw something good. His eyes traveled around the room, and were drawn to a certain Slytherin. He smiled and went to work.

James and Sirius keep trying to look over his shoulder, but he managed to keep it hidden until he completed his drawing. It wasn’t great, but Peter was proud of his work. It was a picture of Snape. Well, of his large nose and greasy hair at least, but for Snape that was all that was really necessary anyway. At the bottom, one of the greasy hairs formed a bunch of shaky cursive letters that spelled Snivellus.

Peter passed the Magic Drawing Box over to James and Sirius and waited for their reactions. James’ face lit up, Sirius got an evil grin on his face, and they both started talking in whispers about what to do next.

By the time the bell rang, the plan was already in motion. The Magic Drawing Box had a variety of Shield Charms, a Hover Charm, and a Tracking Charm placed upon it.

As they left the classroom, Sirius snuck behind Snape and let the Magic Drawing Box go. It hovered behind Snape, following him as he walked. As Snape walked down the halls, with the Marauders not far behind, students stopped and stared at Peter’s picture. It wasn’t until a group of first-years started laughing that Snape turned around saw the Magic Drawing Box.

Snape’s eyes glinted, and he stared murderously at the Marauders. He whipped out his wand, but instead of Jinxing James, he attempted to blast the Magic Drawing Box out of existence. A jet of light escaped from Snape’s wand, but bounced back, due to the shields, and hit Snape in the chest. Snape flew in the air several feet, knocking over a suit of armor when he landed.

Peter doubled over in laughter. Beside him, Sirius was howling in glee, and James was wiping tears his eyes when…

“POTTER! BLACK! PETTIGREW!” screamed a furious looking McGonagall from the end of the hall. “What do you think you are doing? Grab that thing, and follow me. NOW!”

James grabbed the Magic Drawing Box, and followed McGonagall. Sirius waved at Snape before obeying, leaving Peter to scurry after them.

When McGonagall’s back was turned, James quickly removed the charms, and dropped the Magic Drawing Box to remove the picture.

“Potter,” McGanagall turned. “Kindly manage to keep a hold of that thing until the Headmaster sees it.”

The Headmaster, Peter gulped. They were in deep trouble this time.

When they arrived at Dumbledore’s office, McGonagall took the Magic Drawing Box from James and handed it to Dumbledore. She quickly explained the situation, and left the room.

Dumbledore was silent for a moment, examining the object before him. Finally he stared at the three students before him, and asked, “How did you come across this…device?”

---

Remus Lupin was not in a good mood. Last night had been the full moon, and he was extremely tired. On top of that his friends had not visited him in the Hospital Wing, nor had shown up for Charms class once he had been let out. So Remus was busy scanning the Marauders’ Map trying to figure out where in the world his friends had wondered off to. Finally, he found them, in Dumbledore’s office. Remus groaned, what had sort of trouble had they gotten themselves into now? Then his heart jumped, what if Dumbledore figured out that they were illegal Animagi? Then with energy, that surprised him, Remus sprinted toward Dumbledore office.

When he reached the statue, Remus was gasping for breath. He quickly mumbled the password--one advantage of being a Prefect--and walked up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, he paused and opened the door…

Remus blinked when he saw the scene before his eyes. Professor Dumbledore, James, Sirius, and Peter were all laughing and playing with a…Was that an Etch-A-Sketch?

“Remus, so glad you could join us,” Dumbledore said. “Would you like to see this marvelous Muggle device?”