A/N: Sorry for not updating, like ever, but there's been a lot going on and I just didn't find time nor inspiration to write. I've changed the scenario of the original story a lot, I've done so all the way, I just forgot to mention it. I hope you all like the chapter and I'll try to be quicker with the continuing updates. Geez, I've been planning this author's note for SO long, but all of a sudden I've forgotten everything I was supposed to say. Oh yeah, I remembered something! I was at the premiere of DH2 three days ago and OH MY GOD, I cried! I dressed up too, Pansy Parkinson all the way. I actually won three free cinema tickets and a poster. Likable! IF I find the time I'll try to update sometime next week. I don't promise anything, though.

Chapter 3

The flash of green light missed Neville's head by inches. Luna gasped and they both drew their wands. Bellatrix's wicked laughter sent a cold chill down Luna's spine.
"How adorable, young mister Longbottom and his guuurlfrieeend," Bellatrix teased.
"Stay away, I'm warning you you!" Neville struggles to keep his voice strong and threatening; his nervousness was hard to hide.
"Maybe I should torture you to insanity, just like your parents. Or maybe I should take the girl first, so you can watch her suffer. That ought to be fun," Bellatrix barely looked at the two, her gaze was fixated on her wand. "I haven't had time to try the cruciatus curse with this new wand yet, the mudblood stole my other. This one is a yew, 9 ½ inches", with hair from quite a stubborn Unicorn.

She glanced sideways at Luna and Neville, both of which were standing in the exact same position as they had from the moment their wands were drawn.
"So? Have you decided? Which of you should I torture first?"
"None of 'em!" Growled a dark voice from behind Bellatrix.
She swirled around only to see the tip of a pink umbrella. The sparks coming out of the tip knocked Bellatrix over. Rubeus Hagrid grabbed her wand, clearly pleased with himself.
"Went better than expected tha' one."
Neville shifted his gaze from the unconscious Bellatrix to Hagrid standing over her, and back again.
"That is a really interesting wand, Hagrid," Luna said, breaking through Neville's trail of thoughts.
"Yeah, it's the pieces of me old wand, but tha' doesn't matter. Yeh two, should get yerselves out o'here, go, go!" Hagrid gestured his arms towards the stairs.
"What about you?" Neville wondered, nodding towards Bellatrix. "What if she wakes up?"
"I'll be fine, just take care o'yerselves,"
With one last look at Hagrid, Neville grabbed Luna's hand and turned around. But instead of going up the stairs he flickered his wand towards one of the empty paintings on the wall and it swung out and revealed a secret passage.
"Where are we going?" Luna asked.
"Seventh floor, I think," said Neville as he hurried up the stairs. At the top they faced, not a door, but a stone wall. Neville pushed the wall forwards and it opened up, revealing a battle between Fred, Percy, Harry, Ron and Hermione against two masked Death Eaters. Neville and Luna exchanged looks before they threw themselves into the battle. They had not battled for long when the air suddenly exploded. Neville felt himself falling down, his arms protecting his head.
At first he didn't feel the pain. Everything was a blur, but just for a few seconds. Reality kicked in and Neville felt a sharp pain in his left arm, and when he put his right hand on it he felt a sticky wet substance. He looked down and saw a long and deep cut on his arm. The pain was excruciating, but his focus changed when he heard a voice shouting:

"No – no – no! No! Fred! No!"

Neville looked up and saw Percy shaking his brother and Ron kneeling beside them, both looking terrified. Unable to decide if he should interrupt or keep away Neville stayed in his position staring at them, the pain in his arm was forgotten in the shock of losing an ally.
With an effort he managed to look away from the Weasleys and turn his head towards Luna. She was sitting a few meters away, looking pretty much unharmed. She turned and met his gaze, before her eyes moved down to his arm. She got up quickly and sat down beside him.
"Your arm, it's hurt!"
"Yeah, but don't nag about it, they've got enough on their minds," Neville said, nodding towards Fred's dead body.
"Come on, we'll get you down to the Great Hall, and have Madame Pomfrey look at that arm!"
Just as she said that a body fell from the hole blown in the side of the castle, curses came flying after it, hitting the walls over their heads.
"Get down," shouted Harry and Neville felt Luna dragging him with her, away from the curses and away from Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys.

Neville got up slowly, bending down to avoid getting hit. Behind him he heard Harry shouting "Percy, come on, we've got to move!" He wanted to turn to help Harry, but Luna was determined to get him to Madame Pomfrey.
Somewhere along the way he must've passed out, because all too soon they were down in the Great Hall and Madame Pomfrey was looking at his arm. She was saying something, but Neville wasn't really paying attention, his head was stuck with the battle upstairs. He hoped they all were still alive!
"There, you're free to go," said Madame Pomfrey as she gave him a pat on the shoulder. The arm felt good and he smiled.
"Thanks,"
"I'll pretend I never saw that blonde girl, she is underage, isn't she?"
Neville didn't take the time to answer her question, he just ran out, looking for Luna. He found her right outside the doors, battling Dolohov.
Without thinking Neville shouted "Expelliarmus," and Dolohov's wand flew out of his hand.
"You're alright!" Luna called over Dolohov's shoulder.
"Yeah, my arm still hurts, but the wounds are healing. Petrificus Totalus," he added and Dolohov fell stiff to the ground.
It was quiet around them for about a minute, a minute they used to embrace one another silently. Neville opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off by a roar coming from the staircase. Walking backwards down the stairs were Lupin, Tonks, Ernie and Seamus, battling six or seven death eaters Neville did not recognize.
"Look, feet!" Neville, who was about to join battlers in the staircase, looked puzzled down at Luna, she was pointing towards the doors. And after a couple of seconds he saw it too; three pair of feet going towards the door.
"It must be Harry, Ron and Hermione! You follow them and find out if they need any help and I'll help out here," Neville gestured towards the stairs. Luna nodded and headed for the doors. Neville ran towards the stairs while trying his best to stupefy the death eaters and not hit the others. Lupin cast a quick glance over his own shoulder, spotting Neville.
"Seamus, Ernie, you follow Luna. No one should go off by themselves."
Neville was about to throw in the fact that she wasn't on her own, but was cut off by a jet of red light coming towards his face. He threw himself to the floor, sending a stunner back. His curse hit one of the death eaters straight in the chest, and he fell down, dropping his wand at the same time.
"Two down, three to go..." Neville muttered to himself.