"This can't go on Albus." McGonagall let out defeat, feeling her concern grow now that Harry had been picked from the goblet, she already had her concerns when she heard Neona's name… "First the dark mark, now this?"
Dumbledore let out an exasperated sigh as he lent against his Pensieve. "What do you suggest Minerva?" His voice sound so small and futile in that moment, showing that even he didn't know what to do with the situation they faced.
"Put an end to it!" She implored encouragingly, throwing her hands into the air and marginally missing Snape who stood beside her. "Don't let Potter compete… we have our champions; Neona, Diggory and Krum."
But Dumbledore shook his head absently, "You heard Barty the rules are clear."
McGonagall scoffed in distaste at being chastised. "Well the devil with Barty and his rules… and since when did you accommodate them..." She grumbled, folding her arms over her chest in defeat.
Stepping forward, Snape gave McGonagall a sympathetic look. "Headmaster, I too find it difficult to believe this mere coincidence, if we are to truly discover the meaning of these events perhaps we should for the time being let them unfold." He knew his view would cause outrage but it was the only way.
"Do nothing?" McGonagall raged, her eyes narrowing at Snape. "Offer him up as bait? Potter is a boy not a piece of meat."
"…I agree with Severus." Dumbledore muttered, only just loud enough for them all to hear. "Alastor, keep an eye on Harry will you?" He called out to his old friend, not looking at any of them still, his mind to busy and on the brink of a riot.
McGonagall threw her arms in the air once more, turning swiftly at Dumbledore foolish decision to go through with it as Snape joined her once again, smirking slightly at her unsettlement.
Moody nodded sufficiently, "I can do that."
"Don't let him know though; he must be anxious enough as it is... knowing what lies ahead. Then again, we all are." Dumbledore withdrew a memory from his temple and led it into the pensive, watching as Harry's name flashed within it. "Severus, go fetch Neona… I wish to speak with her." He added shortly, still not facing them.
"Of course, headmaster."
With his head in his hands, Harry let out a sigh of frustration while he collapsed upon the steps outside the Common room. "You've seen the looks – they all hate me!" He accused sourly, glowering up at Neona who was watching him with a concerned gaze.
"Harry-" she tried, moving forward but he lashed out once more.
Harry shook his head frantically, "I didn't put my name in that stupid cup, I don't want eternal glory!" He exclaimed in fury at the reality of what he was facing.
"Harry, you don't need to explain it to me…" Neona spoke surprisingly calmly despite how much she wanting to throttle him. "You're worrying over nothing – you're just as good as the rest of us." It was true; Harry had done things she could even comprehend to do in her dizziest daydreams.
But he would have none of it, "I'm a fourth year and you're a sixth year, you're more advanced at everything than I am!" It was pulling him apart at the seams, he was scared and he didn't want to be and he was losing his friends because of something he didn't do. "I'm going to die out there!"
"Don't say that." Her tone grew dark all of a sudden; her eyes and face turned serious which scared him. "That doesn't mean anything. What have you done here?" Neona pressed with a wry smile, crouching down to his height as he sat on the staircase. "You've faced Voldemort twice and fought off a werewolf last year… you're able to cast the Patronus charm, not many can do that because they don't have the memories strong enough."
"But I've almost always had help." He argued for the sake of arguing.
She nodded, "True."
Harry let out another sigh, "But I want you to win." He was so angry with himself, he didn't want to complicate things like he always seemed to, he wanted a quiet year this year but he then realised that would never happen because he was cursed.
Neona smiled warmly, "That's very noble of you, Harry however, I think-" she was about to speak when a cold voice slithered from nowhere.
"Lupin, Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office." Snape made himself known; watching as Harry visibly rolled his eyes when he caught sight of him. "Don't make me take a point off of Gryffindor for that eye roll, Potter."
"Professor, he didn't mean it, did you Harry?" Neona pressed, eyeing her friend as he muttered a reply of apology. "I'll speak to you later." Rather reluctantly, she turned and followed the Potion's Master as he glided down the staircase, leading her away from Harry.
"Harry didn't mean it, sir."
Snape smirked, "Oh, I know… I just find it amusing." He replied, merely glancing at Neona as she walked beside him. "I heard that yesterday you kicked off in Moody's lesson, is that right?" He questioned intrigue, raising an eyebrow.
"Do you expect any less of me?" Neona teased, grinning widely as Snape shook his head at her words.
"No."
Neona watched as Dumbledore hovered over his pensive, glowering into its depths. "Professor did you know that Professor Moody is teaching the unforgivable curses to fourth years?" Neona called his attention to, ignoring Snape and McGonagall as they were still present in the office.
"The rumours have been sung to me, yes." Finally he turned to look at her, noticing how drawn she'd become in the year she'd been away, how ill she looked. "You have concerns?"
She frowned deeply, folding her arms over her chest. "Don't you think it's inappropriate?"
"Alastor has his ways… you enjoyed the lesson didn't you, Neona?" He could tell from her stiff stance, that the sixth year would've rather been mauled to death by a bear than withstand once of his friends lessons. "He can be a forceful man, I understand that."
"Forceful is putting it lightly." Neona tilted her head at the old wizard, "My father always speaks highly of him, but I have yet to see why…" she mumbled to herself, already not a fan of Moody's methods of teaching. "Why am I here, sir?"
Dumbledore clasped his hands together as he neared her, "Neona, I want you to protect Harry in the tasks… in any way you can." He saw that his words confused her momentarily; saw the perplexity that shone within her gaze as she watched him.
"W-wait… you're letting him compete? Are you mad?!" She ranted and raved, forgetting the calm nature she learned to adopt during the holidays, finding herself overwhelmed with the foolish decision Dumbledore had chosen to take. Realising her mistake, Neona composed herself. "What are the tasks, sir?"
McGonagall smirked with satisfaction at Neona's little outburst, proud to know she wasn't the only one that disagreed with the conclusion Dumbledore had come to.
"I can't tell you that sort of information, Neona as it wouldn't be fair on the other competitors."
Scoffing, she rolled her eyes before running a hand over her face in frustration. "Well, then how do you expect me to aid Harry in any way at all? If you give me a job, you need to give me resources to carry it out."
Contemplating his options, Dumbledore looked to the two professors standing behind one of his favourite students. Both gave him a nod of approval and so he chose to inform her of what she faced for the next year. "The first task requires superlative nerve with some analytical intuition if you are to contend with a dragon of your choosing, the second will require unwavering perseverance and a little prowess of your cerebral intellect as you enter the Black Lake and finally, the third will require your unprecedented senses and some of that insightful wit if you have any chance of getting through a Labyrinth."
Neona narrowed her gaze at Dumbledore, "And how can you assume that I will be there to protect him at every turn?" She persisted, wanting to know his end-game, to know what lied ahead. "How can you be so sure I will keep him safe?"
Dumbledore smiled warmly, "Because you were able to protect him from your own father last year which, above all, requires the ultimate sacrifice – to betray one's family to save the life of another."
Neona fell silent, her head dropping to the ground at the mention of last year, and how she almost killed her father along with Snape.
"An Unbreakable Vow should do, I suppose…" Dumbledore concluded to McGonagall's horror, choosing to ignore her horrified glance altogether. "Severus, would you do the honour?"
"Albus, no! I cannot stand aside while you... make her do this!" McGonagall called out, rushing forward to pull Neona away from his extended hand. "I will not allow you to subject her to this!"
"It's fine, professor." Neona smiled faintly, pulling up the sleeve of her school shirt. "If it's for Harry, I don't mind living dangerously."
Dumbledore chuckled at her comment and let out a sigh, "Do you mind if we don't kneel – I've got a bit of a bad knee, old age I suppose."
"I don't think you're that old professor."
Her reply brought a wide smile to the headmaster's face. "You're so much like your mother, she was also as kind-hearted as you are my dear, but I am an old man now and- "
"You could die!" McGonagall exclaimed in outrage, not caring if she cut Albus's off as she raged, wanting nothing more than to reach for her wand and Confund both her and Albus for their foolishness to agree to risk her life in such a way, especially without any consideration for Remus or Lyall.
Neona gave her an understanding nod, seeing the sudden rush of fear within her Head of House's eyes as she stared at her in fright and dread. "It's a possibility that I can contend with, anyway, I won't die without a fight, professor." She vowed with a grin, reaching out to grasp Dumbledore's wrist firmly as he did the same.
"Are you ready, Neona?" Dumbledore pressed with the twinkle glittering in his eyes. He nodded to Snape when Neona merely nodded her head in agreement, commanding him to begin gently as the raven-haired man lifted his wand.
"Will you Neona Lupin; promise to watch over Harry Potter as he enters this tournament?" Dumbledore asked softly, watching as her eyes pierced through him.
Neona nodded, "I will."
From the tip of Snape's wand, fiery stream jetted from his wand to wrap around their hands to settle there while Dumbledore continued to ask his questions.
Dumbledore tightened his grip on her wrist before her asked the next question. "Will you promise, to best of your ability, to protect him harm and those who seek to harm him?"
Neona gave a slight bow of her head, "I will."
Another jet of fire streamed from Snape's wand to wind in the opposite way that the first had, settling securely around the bonded hands, signally for Dumbledore's ask his finally question.
"Will you …" He paused briefly, his throat going dry as he realised he was afraid to ask such a request of someone who had no true reason offer him aid if it could ensure Harry's safety. "… Give your life for his if needs be?"
McGonagall's breath hitched in her throat at his words, starting forwards slightly as if she was going to rip Neona from Albus but instead she chose to clench her fists, knowing Dumbledore wouldn't allow her to intervene.
Even Snape jolted his head in Dumbledore's direction, questioning his final request for Neona, allowing his emotions to be perceived in that moment as he let his worry be seen when regarding one of his favourite students.
But the request did little to make Neona flinch, in fact she remained successfully composed unlike the two other's in the room and merely gave another nod of confirmation.
"I will."
At her words, the final fiery stream slithered from Snape's wand to entwine around their hands until all three streams glowed a deep crimson that Neona found herself all too familiar with in the past year and that was enough to bring her some discomfort but all that disappeared when the bonds disappeared and let go of each other's wrists.
Breaking the silence, Dumbledore gave out another sigh. "I do love competitions, and I also know that you will do Hogwarts proud but you're going to need a mentor…" He trailed off when he saw the look she gave him, "No, I don't intend of asking your father to come, don't worry."
Neona tilted her head in confusion however; she soon understood whom he was referring to. "My grandfather... how can you be so sure he would agree to something as ludicrous as this?"
Dumbledore clasped his hands together and looked past Neona briefly, "Why did you agree to this, Lyall?" asked Albus, his eyes laughing.
At the mere mention of her grandfather, Neona whizzed around and let out a gasp in surprise when she clapped eyes upon Lyall, looking tired but wearing a warm smile. "Hello, Ne." He greeted softly, watching as McGonagall and Snape looked to him. "Hello Minerva, Severus."
"Lyall." They both greeted in unison.
"Lyall," Dumbledore moved forward to embrace him tightly before pulling away with another smile. "You arrived quicker than I anticipated, I only asked for you less than an hour ago."
Lyall shrugged, "My granddaughter wants to obtain eternal glory, and I came to discuss strategies with her as soon as I could." He explained while holding out his arm for her to take, placing his over her when he felt her hand grip the inside of his elbow. "We have a lot to talk about."