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The Marauders were a great concept to bring into the Harry Potter universe, adding to the franchise's rich world-building. The group comprised four members, each of whom had their own nickname -- Messrs Moony (Remus Lupin), Wormtail (Peter Pettigrew), Padfoot (Sirius Black) and Prongs (James Potter).
Introduced in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the quartet is arguably most well known for its ties to the Marauder's Map. Though given the limited runtime of any film, the Harry Potter adaptations didn't really have enough room to dive into the history of the map and its owners.
Who Are the Marauders in Harry Potter?
The Marauders were all Gryffindors who attended Hogwarts together and quickly became the best of friends. James and Sirius met each other on the train to Hogwarts in their first year, just like how Harry would meet his best friend Ron Weasley. Although the two Marauders were from old wizarding families, Sirius was an outcast within his family because he didn't stand for the pure-blood bigotry so ingrained within the rest of them. While still at school, Sirius ran away from his family and lived with James and his parents.
Despite joining the group later on, Remus and Peter still added their own importance to the dynamic. Remus was quieter, but a true and loyal friend. Peter, on the other hand, was less talented than his friends but an avid supporter of them.
Ultimately, the Marauders had wildly different fates in store for them. Peter would later betray James and Lily to Voldemort after they made him their Secret Keeper. Sirius became Harry's godfather, while Remus taught Harry Defense Against the Dark Arts and became a mentor figure for him.
Why Can the Marauders Turn Into Animals?
Remus was bitten by the werewolf Fenrir Greyback when he was just a boy, fueling his concerns that he wouldn't be allowed to attend Hogwarts at all. However, Albus Dumbledore made the accommodations in order to support Remus' education, meaning that he could attend the wizarding school and make friends for the first time in his life. Eventually, his friends learned why he disappeared during the full moon, and they loved him all the same after. Not only did the Marauders accept Remus with his condition, but they also went above and beyond in their attempts to support him during his transformations.
They pulled off remarkable magic in order to join Remus during the full moon, as James, Sirius and Peter taught themselves to be animagi -- wizards who could turn themselves into animals -- in their fifth year. James learned to turn himself into a stag, which was the form of Harry's patronus, and Sirius' animagus was a large black dog. When transformed into these larger animals, James and Sirius were able to run around with Remus in his werewolf form and help keep him from hurting anyone.
Meanwhile, Peter's form of a rat would come in handy when the Marauders needed to freeze the Whomping Willow, as Dumbledore arranged a tunnel under it for him. Thanks to Peter's size, he could get to the knot on the tree that froze it without harm.
What Is the Marauder's Map in Harry Potter?
Becoming unregistered animagi wasn't the only remarkable thing the Marauders accomplished while at Hogwarts. They also invented the Marauder's Map. This map had the ability to locate everyone's whereabouts on the grounds of Hogwarts. This real-time tracking was especially impressive because it couldn't be tricked by enchantments. For instance, Harry saw Peter Pettigrew's name appear on the map while he was in his rat form, and when Barty Crouch Jr impersonated Mad-Eye Moody, the map identified him correctly despite his use of Polyjuice Potion.
The map also included a variety of secret passages within the castle, as well as secret passages in and out of the school grounds. This included the passage to the Whomping Willow and a passage Harry used to get into Honeydukes.
There was a noticeable absence from the map though that Harry discovered in his fifth year. The map did not show the Room of Requirement. Harry wasn't sure if that absence was a defense mechanism of that room itself, or if the Marauders never actually discovered the room; therefore, they weren't able to plot it onto the map.
How Did Harry Potter Get the Marauder's Map?
At some point, the Marauders lost custody of the map, and it ended up with Argus Filch, who kept it in his office for some time. Once, while he was punishing Fred and George Weasley, they stole the map and unveiled its secrets.
They learned that to access the map, one must tap it with their wand and utter the phrase, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." Without the password, the map will not reveal its true purpose. Snape learned this the hard way when he discovered it and was insulted mercilessly while trying to unveil its secrets. To clear the map, the user must say, "Mischief Managed."
Harry got the map in his third year when he was unable to attend Hogsmeade with his friends. Fred and George bestowed him the map, as they believed his need for it outweighed their own. From that point, Harry used the map faithfully throughout the series to help navigate the castle and keep an eye on his friends and enemies.
The Marauders and their map were an important part of Harry Potter. Harry's connection to his father, his godfather and his mentor was strengthened because he inherited their map, and Peter's betrayal was made all the more heartbreaking knowing how close-knit that bond had been in the first place.