Neville trudged up the stairs to the Gryffindor boys' dorms. It was strange when he entered his dorm, and it was only Seamus and himself; Harry and Ron were missing, as Neville expected, and Dean hadn't returned. That also made sense to Neville, since Dean's heritage would be a death sentence in this new era. It was lonely, and it was going to be a difficult year with very few people to lead the resistance.
However, that wasn't the strangest part. Neville had expected that, since there was no way Harry would have been able to set foot within the wards of the school without being killed by a mass of Death Eaters. Ron, as expected, was with Harry. At least, Neville was willing to bet. Those two were inseparable since school began, and Neville couldn't imagine Ron being anywhere but beside Harry.
What was shocking was the way that Seamus was storming around the nearly empty dorm, and throwing his textbook against the wall. Neville noted, not without a slight amount of glee, it was their joke of Muggle Studies textbook. However, his primary concern was his Irish friend's state of mind.
"Those blasted Death Eaters! I'm gonna kill them!" Seamus shouted, and his face was redder than Neville's had been in Potions class when dealing with Snape. Seamus kicked a bed, and let out another string of curses, which Neville wasn't sure was aimed at the bed or the Death Eaters.
"Seamus, what happened?" Neville asked, racing into the dorm and stopping Seamus from punching the mirror. The punch instead met Neville's outstretched hand, who grabbed his hand as quickly as he could. It hurt like hell, but he felt it was honestly for the best.
"They're out for him, aye? They're out looking for him and they're gonna kill him if they find him!" Seamus snapped, spinning around and kicking his trunk again, swearing even more. "He's not here because of those bigoted, fucking morons!"
The young man looked like he was about to kill someone, and Neville hoped it wouldn't be him. "Dean's smart, he'll be alright. Anyway, Harry's gonna kill You-Know-Who. This nightmare'll be over soon."
"But what if he isn't? What if they find him?" Seamus snapped, before picking up his beat up Muggle Studies textbook and whipping it at the wall again. He proceeded to then whip out his wand and hurl a curse at it, and Neville jumped back in a panic as the book exploded.
"Seamus! We can't do anything about Dean right now! I'm sure he'll be fine! He's one of the best in our year!" Neville exclaimed, grabbing Seamus's shoulders and looking him in the eyes. "We need to fight the battle here. We can't fight Dean's battle for him."
To Neville's shock, the boy began crying, and pulled Neville into a hug. "We've been best of friends since first year, and he's always made me see sense! I don't know what to do!" he sobbed. "I can't lose him!"
Neville had always had his suspicions, but to hear the boy hint at it so explicitly, he felt rather awkward. "Look, Seamus. Dean's going to be okay. I promise. Now, we're the only seventh year, Gryffindor boys left. Guess what that means? We've got to step up and be leaders. We've got to make the Carrows lives here hell. It might not mean a lot outside, but any resistance is a lot. It's what Dean would want us to do. Hell, it's what Harry would want too."
Seamus nodded a few times, still crying. "For Dean."
"For Dean." Neville affirmed.
"Let's make those fucking bastards pay for everything they've done and every bloody thing they're going to do." Seamus hissed, gripping his wand.
"We'll show them that Hogwarts isn't easily conquered." Neville said. "Dumbledore's Army."
"Might not be taking on the Lestranges, but at least it's something." Seamus said. Neville shuddered slightly at the mention of the Lestranges. His parents were just a small percentage of the casualties at their hands, and he had to fight for his parents as well. He would make them proud.
Seamus was fighting for Dean, and Neville was fighting for his parents. They had their fire, and now they needed to direct it so the Death Eaters would burn. Hogwarts would rise, and maybe it was just their isolated rebellion, but at least it was something.
"We've got to stick together, aye?" Seamus asked, and Neville nodded.
"Right until the Carrows realize exactly how stupid it was to come here."