Disclaimer: The characters and plot described in this story are the property of J.K. Rowling.
We Need a Hero
Things were beginning to fall apart. Harry, Ron and Hermione were off somewhere doing who knows what for Dumbledore. Even in death he had sent them on a mission. Sheesh but the DA needed direction. Snape, excuse me Headmaster "Snark-the-Snake" Snape was in charge of the school and the Carrows were running rampant. The muggle-born witches and wizards had not returned to Hogwarts because it wasn't safe and it wasn't much better for the half-bloods.
Watching Alecto Carrow urge a fifth year to Crucio a first year because they just happened to be in the wrong hallway at the wrong time was the last straw. Instead of going to Herbology, a class he never missed, he headed toward the Forbidden Forest. He felt a lump build in his throat when he came to where Hagrid's hut had been, but kept on walking. He knew a place he could sit down and think.
The grass around him was lush and thick. He felt in his pocket for one of the flat stones he had picked up intending to go skipping them across the Black Lake. Instead he came across his DA galleon. He sat playing with it in his fingers. He felt it turn from cold to warm with the rubbing. He felt the ridges on the edge that had been charmed it to send messages. He missed Hermione's voice of reason.
Suddenly he caught a movement out of one eye. Firenze was moving slowly along the tree line so that he was not moving out into danger. "Ps-s-s-t, Neville," he whispered to the boy, "come here and talk to me."
Neville got up from where he was sitting and went over, "Firenze, long time, no see. How have you been?"
"Just hiding out and watching the sky," was the vague reply from the Centaur. "There is something bad coming. Someone is going to desecrate sacred ground with a needless murder. Mars, Jupiter, the moon and Venus will be aligned in the west. Not good."
Then Firenze changed his demeanor and asked what Neville was holding in his hand.
"This?" Neville replied. "It is a galleon that Hermione charmed during fifth year so that we could know when and where to meet without Umbridge knowing."
Firenze snorted at that name. "Piece of work, that woman is."
"You have given me an idea," Neville said. "I am going to activate these galleons and see who will show up for a meeting."
An hour after supper Neville was waiting in the Room of Requirement nervous that nobody else had hung onto their galleon. Suddenly the door opened and Ginny and Luna came through. "I was wondering who would be calling a meeting of the DA," Ginny said. "Do you have a plan?"
"Let's wait a few minutes and see who else shows up," Neville replied.
Soon nearly all of the members of DA who were in school had made their way to the meeting place. "We need a plan. We cannot allow them to beat us down." Neville began the meeting. "We need more ways to communicate and let the others know what is going on in here. We need to do anything we can to protect the younger grades. The teachers seem to have their hands tied." Neville went on, "Does anyone have any ideas?"
"Dumbledore willed the Sword of Gryffindor to Harry," stated Ginny. "I think we need to get it out of Snape's Office and get it to Harry."
"I think I can get one of the wizard radios to work. We can set up a network, Potter Watch," added Lee Jordan. "We could change passwords and channels like they did in the muggle CB movie I saw during the summer."
"What's a CB?" asked Neville.
"A radio thing. They had what they called handles, you know aliases so that nobody would know who was reporting. You really should watch muggle movies."
"You work it out and let everyone know the first time," Neville decided. "Ginny, Luna and I will work on the sword and everyone. Take it easy on the little ones when you are supposed to punish them. We are bigger and can take more."
Six weeks later
"Good to see you here for this meeting," greeted Neville. "We have run into a problem, Snape is not letting that sword out of his office. Report Lee?"
"Someone thought that they spotted Potter near the Forest of Dean. It may or may or not be true."
Spring term
"I have hard news to share," Neville intoned, his voice breaking. "I don't know how many of you know it, but Luna was taken from the train by Death Eaters and nobody knows where she is. Lee, keep watch for others, okay?"
Easter week
"I can no longer leave this room. If any of you wish to join me, you can come at any time. I have figured out that as long as someone is in here the room will not become available for anyone else, if you catch my drift." Neville brought the group up to date. "There is food available from the Hogs Head. Aberforth reports that Harry, Ron and Hermione had been at Malfoy Manor a few weeks ago. They rescued Luna, Dean Thomas, Mr. Olivander and some goblin from Gringotts when they escaped. Nobody knows where they are now."
"That goes with what I heard from a reporter in Diagon Alley," Lee stated. "Rumor has it they were spotted flying out of Gringotts on a dragon. The goblins swear nobody can break in or out of there, but there are some serious renovations going on."
May 2, 1998
"Hey, Neville, it looks like Arianna wants you."
Neville climbed up to the portrait gallery and followed her through the tunnel to the Hogs Head. "Wonder who is there," thought Neville as he limped toward the goal, "that's the only time he sends for me." The sight of Harry, Ron and Hermione greeted him as he exited the tunnel.
As soon as they got back to the Room of Requirement, Neville sent word to the DA via the galleon. He felt he had done his job and not have to be in charge any more.
Later the same day
When Harry was exiting the Great Hall to go to the Forbidden Forest, he told Neville that if Ron or Hermione couldn't get it he needed to kill the snake. "What in the world? How am I supposed to kill the snake?"
When Hagrid returned carrying the body of Harry and Voldemort was trying to recruit everyone, Neville decided that he just couldn't allow him to say the things he was about Harry. As the hat was put over his head and set on fire, Neville wasn't certain that he would get out of this alive. Suddenly, he felt the hilt of the Sword hit his head and the hat came off. Now he had something to kill the snake! Dumbledore had been right, "Help comes to those at Hogwarts who ask for it."
Neville had not set out to be a leader, but somebody had to do it and he had nothing better to do this past year.
Arithmancy Assignment #4
Task: For this assignment I would like you to write about a leader or somebody taking charge.
Optional Prompts: Sacred, beat, speaking, forbidden forest.
Word count: 350 min. 1250 max.