I know, I should be working on Peace Treaty 2. I'll try to have it out by Monday night, I promise.
The door slid open and a girl slipped in. Seamus looked up, then back down. He didn't know her. Then his head snapped back up.
Her eyes, which matched the green of her tie, met his, then looked away. "Neville."
Neville moved quietly over to her. "What've you got?"
She started pulling vials from the pockets and sleeves of her robes. "It was a bit easier tonight. She knows."
Neville started. "It won't get you any trouble, will it?"
She gave him a 'you're-an-idiot-but-it's-sweet-that-you're-worried' look. "You think Pomfrey would turn me in?"
He grinned. "I suppose not. What's it looking like out there?"
She scowled. "It's a good thing you've got an alternate food source. They've blocked the way to the kitchens. Trying to starve you out. If they think of blocking the hospital wing…" she shook her head. "I'll keep bringing more as long as I can."
Seamus was confused. "But..but you're a Slytherin."
She stared at him. "Bra-vo. Figure that out on your own?"
"Seamus." Neville said quietly. "Slytherins are keeping us alive."
Seamus blinked.
Lavender spoke. "It was Daphne Greengrass that made sure I got here unseen. And Blaise Zabini put me in contact with her in the first place."
Parvati nodded. "And Millicent Bulstrode kept me out of detention a few times."
"Blaise is the contact." The girl confirmed. "Daphne's the guide and bodyguard, Millie's our lookout."
"And you?"
She grinned. "I'm the thief, obviously. And no, it's not just us four."
"Then why aren't any of you here with us?" He challenged.
She rolled her eyes at him. "You get caught. We don't."
He blinked.
"Cunning, Finnegan. You go rushing into things without a thought. We look at all the angles, go at it sideways. We do nothing without thinking it through. Therefore you are in here, and we are out there." She dug a galleon out of her pocket. "You're brave, not necessarily clever about it. We're clever, not necessarily brave. But if we're clever enough, we don't have to be."
"And are you clever enough?"
She smirked. "Made it this far, haven't I?"
After a moment the galleon glowed briefly. "That's the all clear." She slipped out, with a promise to return and a wink when Neville told her again to be careful.
"Yes sir, General Longbottom."