Chapter 1: Dead By Dawn?
It had been strange to encounter the Golden Trio incomplete. Neville could hardly believe it when Harry had informed him that they had lost Ron several weeks before at Malfoy Manor, when he sacrificed himself so the others could escape. Harry and Hermione had then broken into and back out of Gringotts. The Battle of Hogwarts was now moments away.
Pushing his way through the frantic crowds, Neville saw Harry Potter now, coming down the other direction. Whereas Neville was feeling quite the high from an adrenaline rush, Harry appeared deeply stressed.
"What happened to you?" Harry blinked.
"I feel awesome! I feel like I could... spit fire!" A thought occurred to him. "Hey, have you seen Hermione?"
"Hermione?"
"Yeah! I reckon it's about time I told her, since we might both be dead by dawn!" And he hurried up the stairs, leaving a baffled Harry in his wake.
Neville finally found Hermione Granger in an empty Room of Requirement. He gulped when he saw his secret crush was still wearing that silk black dress that apparently belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange, that dress that hugged the Muggleborn witch's curvy figure in all the right places. Before he could say anything, however, or even pluck up the courage, Hermione's eyes locked with his and she hurried towards him.
"I need you!"
Neville frowned. "OK..."
"I have to get into the Chamber of Secrets! There's something down there that can help us destroy this." Hermione held up Hufflepuff's Cup that she and Harry had somehow stolen from Gringotts. "Harry ran off, and he's the only one who can get us in..."
"Maybe I can help!" Neville jumped in. "Just lead the way."
Hermione took Neville's hand and tugged him towards the door. "Come on. We have to go to the bathroom."
Bathroom? Neville thought, baffled. What about the Chamber? But he let Hermione drag him wherever they might go.