Written for Charms (Write about a duel during the Battle of Hogwarts), Dumbledore's Army (Neville Longbottom)
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Neville had once coward away from the prospect of fighting. It had scared him and he would have much rather sat back and not risked his life. He knew he was a shame of Gryffindor. Everyone told him that enough for him to know it to be true. They all taunted him for his reserves to pick a fight. The Scared Gryffindor, it was an insult told to him by every side of the school.
That scared little boy was long gone now. Looking back, Neville couldn't pinpoint the exact moment he had come out of that stuttering, insecure, and unconfident shell. But as he threw spell after spell at the opposing Death Eater, he knew the exact moment didn't matter. All that mattered was that he had indeed come into himself.
The spells were flying fast. The Halls of Hogwarts was lit in an array of red, yellow, blue, and green. For a moment he thought of the lights like the colors of the Houses. That thought was pushed away as a Killing Curse almost him from the side.
There was no time to think on any matter other than that of survival. In a duel, your one and only focus had to be on ending the fight – hopefully with as little damage to yourself as possible. Already Neville had gotten into duels with at least twelve Death Eaters. He had somehow managed to scrap by, and he was thankful for that.
This Death Eater he was fighting against now was proving to be quite the fight. This unnamed man was out to kill. His robes were stained with blood. Red streaks ran along his grey mask. Neville was scared to know if the blood was from his side, or theirs. Either way, this Death Eater wasn't going easy on him.
Neville could feel himself becoming exhausted. He had been up for hours prior to this Battle. He had been fighting nonstop since it started who knew how long ago. He'd been running this way and that, taking out Death Eaters, protecting some of the younger students still there, and getting the injured to safety. He was exhausted. That wasn't going to stop him though. He pushed back against the Death Eater's advances, but it did nothing to quell the other man's blood lust.
A cutting charm broke through Neville's shield. It slashed at his shoulder. He could feel the warmth of blood starting to pool under his torn sweater. He didn't give in though. He threw back his own cutting charm, and was disappointed whenever it only bounced off the man's shield.
Another cut went through Neville's arm. It was his wand dominant arm. With a free hand, he cupped it over the bleeding wound just above his elbow. He could feel the blood loss loosening his grip. His tightened his hold on his wand, sending out a hex at the Death Eater. It too bounced away.
Neville was backing up a step now. The Death Eater was advancing with an eager step. Despite the mask shrouding his face, Neville had a feeling the man was grinning wickedly at what he perceived to be an easy victory.
Neville wasn't going to give it though. He would be damned if he cowered from this fight. He wasn't going to hide away while the rest of his friends, his family, fought for freedom. No, Neville was going to keep fighting. He was going to hold himself high until blood loss took him to his knees.
A body pressed against his back. Daring a glance, Neville caught sight of soft blonde hair. It was wild with curls, filled with debris, and hide the face of the Ravenclaw. He didn't need to see her face though. He could feel the smile of reassurance that Luna was giving him. All around there was death and destruction, and still she had the power to smile at him. To calm him in the midst of a fight.
The Death Eater he had been dueling with was now only a few yards away. He swayed in the slightest of step. The falter in the man's step gave Neville cause to believe in his victory. Biting back the pain that was rapidly overtaking his slashed and bleeding arm, Neville raised his wand and began to fire back with a greater determination than he ever thought he could have.