Original artwork, not a still
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban ‧ 1999
Marauder's Map activation phrase
I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
The phrase is a password disguised as a confession, and it sums up the Marauders: an oath to behave badly, sworn with a straight face. It is also the series' first sign that Harry's father and his friends were rule-breakers like the twins. Fans use it as a joke before any scheme, usually with 'mischief managed' to close the thought, and it turned a magical parchment into one of the most imitated props in the whole franchise.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanShow the scene
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999), Harry is a third-year without a signed permission slip, so he cannot go to Hogsmeade. Fred and George Weasley give him the Marauder's Map, a blank piece of parchment they stole from Filch's office in their first year. George taps it with his wand and speaks this phrase, and the lines of Hogwarts appear, crowded with tiny moving footprints. It was written by four friends, Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs. To hide the map again, you tap it and say that the mischief is managed.
Sources (3)
- Harry Potter Wiki: Marauder's MapUsage and historyReference checked
- Harry Potter Wiki: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of AzkabanChapter 10: The Marauder's MapReference checked
- Wikiquote: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkabanquotes filed under GeorgeReference checked
Context reviewed
