An Uncomfortable Conversation

Ch. 1 - By magic and All I hold dear…

'Had it really only been one day?' thought Harry in the fog of the aftermath. Two days since the three of them broke into Gringott's, stole the chalice of Helga Hufflepuff, escaped on the back of a dragon, raced to Hogwarts via Hogsmeade, fought, lived, died, lived again? If he hadn't accomplished all of it, he would laugh and call it a children's fairy tale.

One day since he, once and for all, destroyed his nemesis, and found that he would have a life after that one moment. The nightmare was finally over, and the new one just beginning. One day since the world changed. Such a brave new world, full of wonder and fear.

He stood in the back of the Great Hall, watching his adopted family congregate at the front, watching in grief the middle child, the trickster named Fred, encased in his coffin, draped in wildflowers. Today was the day that Fred would be going home, to his unfortunate resting place at the Burrow. Arthur was there, holding Molly to keep her from crumbling. He saw Bill on the other side, holding his wife Fleur, and his Mum too. Percy was standing back behind them, resting his hands on his mother's shoulders, his pain obvious from his slouch. Even his best mate Ron was there, one hand holding Hermione's and with the other holding Ginny to his chest while she cried.

The worst though was George, lying upon the top of the casket, wailing away his broken soul. Harry distantly wondered if George would survive Fred very long. For a brief moment, he thought that he would have traded his life so Fred could have lived. He bitterly laughed, knowing that he already made his choice. He had to live now.

Ginny was the one he needed the most now, but he had been bounced around between everyone else save the one he wanted and needed. There was the meeting with Kingsley after the Golden Trio, as the wizarding media referred to them, to discuss what needed to happen immediately. That took forever. He eventually crashed in a bed, not remembering anything for the next twelve hours.

When he awoke, there was a plate of sandwiches for him, a jug of pumpkin juice, and a whole cake. That meal didn't last long. A hot shower and some fresher clothes did nothing for his weariness. He didn't care about anything else except his Ginny. He hoped that she would be his Ginny again. He had gone to look for her that evening, but didn't find her anywhere. His walk through the castle that night, unable to sleep any longer, reminded him of those first nights he came home, to Hogwarts, when he would look out the window onto the lake. He was home, and yet still so alone.

Even now, standing at a distance watching his adopted family grieving, he didn't want to burden them further with his guilt and grief. If he could, he would disappear and return later. There was still so much to do, and yet he now had time to help do it.

Harry turned around, and ran into Neville. He still looked exhausted, battleworn, encumbered.

"Harry!"

"Neville. What are you doing up already?"

"Couldn't fall asleep. Can we talk?"

"What's up?"

"I need to talk with you privately."

"What's going on? Who needs me now?" he retorted painfully. "I thought I took care of everyone I needed to talk to yesterday."

"Not here, Harry. Up in the common room?"

Before he could look around, he felt a small hand slip into his, squeezing it warmly. He knew this hand without having to confirm what he knew in his heart. Her scent was an olfactory ray of sunshine, and better than any firewhiskey. Strawberries, and sunshine, with a dash of broom polish. His amortentia.

The three friends walked back to the Gryffindor common room, looking to make sure that they were alone. Away from the Great hall, it was even quieter. The only noise was the wind blowing in through the occasional decimated window. Once the families left yesterday, the castle was almost too quiet.

"Neville, what is going on that we need to talk privately?"

"Not yet. I want to get inside where it's private."

"What's going on Neville? What's so important?"

Neville glanced over his shoulder, looking desolate. He continued walking without replying.

That was all he said as they continued the trek to the Gryffindor common room.

Harry looked down at Ginny, seeing her auburn hair shine in the occasional patch of sunlight. Her expression was as haunted as Neville looked.

Harry looked back at Neville. He had changed since he first saw him three days ago, and even more so since the end of last year. He had changed since the last time Harry saw him, almost a year ago. This wasn't the shy humble boy of 11, hunting his frog and not remembering what his grandmother told him. This was a man, a defender of the manor, and confident in his responsibilities. He was a man in every regard. That said, he looked fragile, in need of support, of contrition, of solace.

They made their way into the room, finding the chairs and sofas in front of the fireplace. Half a week into May and the walls held a chill that the roaring fire held back. Harry and Ginny took the couch, while Neville settled into the overstuffed chair with his back to the door. His eyes were shadowed from lack of sleep, bruised from defending the castle, and those who lived here. A scar ran down the side of his face. 'How did that happen?' wondered Harry.

"There's something you need to know, before anything else happens. Something that you will not like when I tell you. It can't go past this room, at least for now."

Harry felt the first vestiges of panic. "What Neville?"

Neville looked at Ginny. She wasn't paying attention, just gazing out the window into the night. He knew she was listening, since her hand was firmly ensconced Harry's hand. "While you were out hunting down the Horocruxes, there was a reign of terror here at the school. Snape let the Carrows do almost anything want, including abusing the students at times. Ginny, Luna, and I were the leaders of the resistance, and decided to stand up to them. The nightmare started the first day we were back."

Neville took a deep breath, finding the courage to continue. "At first, it was nothing more than petty taunts. They really were quite thick. But they were here to indoctrinate. At first, Snape was able to keep them under control, letting the head of houses discipline us. That changed after we tried to steal the Sword of Gryffindor. The abuse started then."

Neville sat up, and stripped off his grubby jumper, along with the t-shirt underneath it. He turned around, demonstrating the scars along his back and arms, showing off the ones on his chest too. The lash marks on his shoulders, and the curse burns on the back of his arms were evident still.

"I didn't want you to worry while you were out saving us, Harry. You didn't need to be distracted from what we were suffering when you showed up."

Ginny squeezed his hand, again.

"What aren't you telling me, Neville? I can see that you're hiding something."

Neville took his time putting back on his tee shirt and jumper. His reticence was causing Harry panic.

Ginny squeezed his hand again, and let go.

"He wasn't the only one who was abused, Harry," she whispered quietly.

He looked over, shocked at the admission. She stripped the shirt off of her body, trying to maintain a shred of modesty while showing her own scars. She held the flimsy jumper to her chest, hiding her breasts from view. Only now did he notice the ones around her wrists, the faded writing on her arms, and even lash marks on her lower back. The lash marks were still angry, even if they weren't recent. They criss-crossed, looking like a broken chess board. "Who?" was all he could ask before the rage took him over. She shrugged back into her shirt.

"The Carrows. That whipping was right after Christmas. I wouldn't harm a first year for their insolence, so they stood me on the dais in the front of the Great Hall, and whipped me. Once they finished, they wouldn't allow any healing. I was made an example of." She whispered as the tears started to fall. "Snape stood there watching, and his only consideration was that I wasn't stripped completely before the whole hall of students."

"Oh G_d Ginny!" he wept as he took her into his arms, feeling her begin to sob. "Do your parents know?"

"No. I hide them with glamour charms. They don't need to know yet. Maybe one day soon, but not yet."

"There's more Harry," interjected Neville. "I hope you won't hate me for it."

"What can make me hate you Neville?" he responded, quite painfully. "You led the resistance here, protecting the ones who were the focus of the onslaught. You stood up to those monsters. How could I hate you when you did what I couldn't?"

Neville sat there a second, gathering his thoughts, while Ginny was still quietly weeping in his arms. He looked at her, waiting for her approval. She saw his inquisitive glance, and gave her nod. She burrowed further into Harry's arms.

"Part of my protection of her included her honor, Harry. We had to let everyone here believe that I was shagging her and Luna. McGonnagall was in on it, from the first time we were sent to her. She knew that Ginny was a target from the first day. All of us who weren't in Slytherin were targets. But we didn't do anything, by my Magic and all that I hold dear. It just looked like that to everyone else." Neville choked on his last statement.

"Seamus and Dean took an Unbreakable vow, to protect her and Luna best. Anyone and everyone from fifth year on up promised to protect her as best as possible. Everyone in Gryffendor and DA knew about the two of you. I told them the truth the first day. We wouldn't be men if we didn't stand up for the women and girls here. Sorry, Ginny, but you can call me a chauvinist, but you know I'm right."

Harry felt her nod from her seat on his lap. It didn't stop her silent sobbing.

"We let them catch us once in a broom closet, and let them think we were shagging. It was all for show, including letting McGonagall punish us again. Snape made her paddle Ginny in front of everyone. They loved making an example of her. They said that she was a Blood traitor, and not worthy of protection. Once she took her welts, The Carrows said that Purebloods women were to be chaste for their marriage, and were prohibited from acting that way."

"It wasn't just resistance to their insanity. It was our way to fight back as best as possible." He looked down, letting shame roll across his face. "That is why Ginny was helping us lead the resistance. Her honor was at stake. We couldn't let anything happen to her. So we hid those facts in plain sight."

Harry looked at Neville, seeing the anguish in his face. How could he be mad at his friend who tried everything to protect the love of his life? Harry could only shake his head, realizing how monumentally stupid he had been, thinking that Ginny would be safe at school. "How fucking stupid could I have been?" he asked rhetorically. "I thought breaking up with you would protect you. I should have known better."

"Seamus knew what I was doing – which was nothing. Rumors are easily manipulated, and let people believe what they want. People seeing us at meals let them think what they want. It didn't work – and there were attempted attacks on her, Luna, heck, any and all of the girls."

Ginny pulled her face from Harry's soaked jumper, looking up at him through her red rimmed bloodshot eyes. "Seamus and Lavender took up the mantle of resistance within the first week. That mad little Irishman has bollocks of steel, taunting them in class. Lavender, even as a pureblood and protected, told the Carrows in Muggle studies that Amycus wasn't fit to spit shine your boots. Once Michael Corner and Terry Boot were brought into the Hospital wing because they wouldn't toe the party line, they joined back into DA. Even that craven ponce Zachariah Smith joined up."

Neville jumped back into the conversation. "Around the middle of October, two fifth year Slytherins tried to ambush her. That fireball you're holding escaped after petrifying them on the floor leading to the Dungeons. Snape never did find out who did that to those gits. They said it was her, but she questioned how she could disarm and immobilize both of them non-verbally. After that, everyone left her alone for the most part. Those freaks still taunted, but that was expected by then. The other professors tried to protect everyone as best as possible."

Neville squirmed in his chair, looking apprehensive. "I'll be right back. I need water."