Hmm, I always figured it was the toll of Azkaban, in one way or another - it's a miracle he got out with his sanity intact, Animagus form or no. But I'm always a sucker for unexpectedly-powerful characters who are very very clearly above and beyond what's "normal" for the world, so I'm quite glad you ran with this!
Also, thought you'd like to know - but from reading this series, I've taken such a shine to true genius Sirius that I started toying with the idea that the Map was based on an early map of Number 12 that Sirius made when he was eight or nine to help him avoid his family. He had to get a sample of magic from each person he wanted to appear on his house map, but it was James who finally figured out how to make people appear on the Marauder's Map without a sample of their magic first. Most fics I've seen have them finishing the Marauder's Map in late sixth year at the earliest and now I'm cackling at the idea that they had most of it finished before Christmas of their second year; most changes afterwards were in the form of adding rooms and passageways.
It could very well be that Sirius is the source behind the first Map, that's what I've always believed. Though more for Hogwarts because he wanted to avoid his relatives and James indeed figured out how to make everyone appear on the map :P In this universe they have been working on the map since early second year; constantly adding to it as they discovered more and their own knowledge grew as well. I don't think it was ever completed fully as it would keep growing as they got older. I have it noted that they're looking up spells to add to it during "Solemnly Swear" so they likely finished it around that time here.
But you could very well be right, indeed and they finished it even earlier.
That's true; and in a real sense the Map really never was finished because we know at least two rooms that it doesn't show: the Room of Requirement and the Chamber of Secrets. At the same time, I think there would have come a time when the bulk of the mapping and the enchantments were finished, and they were adding little bits and bobs as they discovered new rooms or passages, or thought of a little new feature. Like, I think the insults generated with the wrong "password" was something they added later - it's not something necessary for the Map's primary function, which is mapping Hogwarts and noting where people are.
true, though I've always believed that the Room of Requirement is not on it since it's Unplottable and they simply couldn't add it. I looked back through my stories and they began making the map in first year in this universe yeah.
true, the protections would only be something they added later to protect the contents of the map, probably after they realised it could fall into the wrong hands.
Just because the Room is Unplottable doesn't mean they couldn't build in some hints about it. Like the secret passage to Honeydukes? Harry got the password because the Map told him. Maybe Harry just never found out how to trigger the Map to give the hints for the Room like he did the Honeydukes passage.
In canon I don't think they knew about it; or ever discovered the true purpose. When Harry was looking for a place to give the DA lessons, Sirius suggested the Shack, why wouldn't he have suggested the Room of Requirement if he knew about it?
Or Harry indeed never discovered how to trigger the hints and Sirius simply didn't remember the room.
No, you're right: they didn't seem to know about the Room in canon. Which is why the Map isn't finished, yeah? Because it's supposed to be a map of the entirety of Hogwarts grounds, including all the people on site, but we know of at least two rooms which aren't on it (because the makers didn't know about them).
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