(A/N: Sorry for not updating, but I've been busy. I thank all those that have been reading and reviewing. Here's the next chapter.)

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 7: The Missing Student

It had been a little over 2 weeks since Ron had stopped speaking to Harry. Things weren't looking all that good either. It was just like 4th Year all over again. Ginny was still angry with Ron, Ron was still angry with Harry, Hermione was caught between her 2 best friends and her boyfriend, and Harry was at a loss of what to do. He and Ron had row before, but never like this. Although Ron never brought up what happened again, he was acting as if Harry and Ginny didn't even exist.

Hermione was trying to make peace, but everyone was just being too stubborn for her to deal with it. Neither Harry or Ron would even look at each other. During classes, Hermione would sit in the middle of the two of them be used like a brick wall.

"Good morning class!" Professor Slughorn boomed as he entered his Potions class. "And how is everyone doing today?" He didn't even wait for an answer. "Now then, today were going to be breaking up into groups of 2 and create a rather complicated potion. It's called the Diseaseless Draught. It treats almost any illness, whether magical or none. The trick to making this potion is making to separate ones and then mixing them together at the right moment. So then," he waved his wand and instructions for 2 different potions appeared on the board, "the one on the left is the first half of the potion called the Bacteria Brew, and the one on the right is the Virus Vanisher. As their names suggest, one cures viruses and one cures bacteria diseases. When mixed together, no illness stands a chance. But the timing must be perfect. Now then, if you'll all break up into groups of 2, we should have enough. So, let's get started!"

The students began pairing up. Hermione gave Harry an apologetic look before sliding over to Ron. Harry sighed. He had seen this coming. He went over to sit with Ernie. Once everyone was paired up, Slughorn realized that there were an odd number of students in the room.

"Hmm, that's strange." he muttered to himself, but loud enough for the class to hear. "There should be an even number of students. Who's missing?" He picked up a sheet of paper and scanned through it quickly, nodding as he went down the list. "Has anyone seen Mr. Longbottom today?" he asked.

Seamus raised his hand. "Sir, he had an accident in Defense class. One of his spells sort of… well, let's just say it put him in the Hospital Wing."

"Ah, I see." Slughorn replied. "Well then, the rest of you may get started while I work this out."

Everyone began their potions. Harry was working on the Virus Vanisher while Ernie took care of the Bacteria Brew. The potion was very complicated. After about half an hour, Harry's potion was a transparent black when it should have been a bright blue.

"Not so good without your special potions book." he heard Ron utter.

Harry angrily turned to him. "Yeah, and yours is much better." he said sarcastically.

Ron's Virus Vanisher, which should have been orange, was a dark greenish brown syrup and was giving off fouls smelling yellow fumes. Hermione, on the other hand, had managed to get the perfect crystal light blue color described in the book. Mixed with Ron's the potion would most likely kill the drinker. Still, one correct potion was better than two. Ernie's Virus Vanisher was a dark maroon with small sparks coming out of it.

"Hmm, not doing so well this year." Slughorn said over Harry's shoulder. "Did you damage any of your genius brain cells facing You-Know-Who? I have a potion to fix that."

Harry didn't know how to respond to that. Even though Snape was no longer the Potions instructor, his potion skills weren't all that good. He was bound to go back to his normal skill level without the Half-Blood Prince's potion book, which he had no intention of going near again.

"Now this is excellent Miss Granger!" Slughorn exclaimed looking at Hermione's potion. "A perfect Bacteria Brew. But it takes two proper potions to correctly make a Diseaseless Draught. So let's see here… Uh, well… Mr. Weasley. This… needs some work… Um, right, Miss Granger, you have a few minutes before your potions are ready to be mixed, why don't you help him out."

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At the end of the lesson, Harry and Ernie's Diseaseless Draught was a total catastrophe. Ron and Hermione's was a mess as well. Even with Hermione's help, Ron's potion couldn't be fixed. As Harry handed in a vile of what was supposed to be Diseaseless Draught, Slugorn asked for him to stick around after class. Harry was feeling rather uncomfortable. He had a feeling that this had something to do with his potion skills dropping.

Once everyone cleared out, Slughorn approached Harry. "Harry, m' boy, I was wondering-"

Harry panicked. "Sir, I can explain about my grades." he blurted out.

Slughorn gave him a confused look. "Harry, your grades are fine, not quite as good as last year, but fine. I know how hard Seventh Year Potions can be, don't be so hard on yourself."

Harry sighed in relief. "Well, what did you want to talk to me about?"

Slughorn handed him same papers. "I was wondering if you could stop by the Hospital Wing and give Mr. Longbottom his homework." he explained. "Oh, and he may need a little help, so maybe you or Miss Granger could give him a hand."

Harry took the homework. "Sure, no problem."

"That's m' boy!"

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Harry walked up to the Hospital Wing with Neville's homework. The moment he walked through the door, Madam Pomfrey gave him a stern look.

"What's wrong with you this time, Potter?" she demanded.

Harry had to hold back a laugh. "Nothing. I'm just here to bring Neville his homework."

Madam Pomfrey raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Longbottom left the Hospital Wing over an hour ago."

"Over an hour ago? Then why wasn't he in Potions?" Harry wondered. "Maybe he's in the Common Room."

But when Harry checked, Neville was nowhere to be seen. He asked a few of the Gryffindors if they had seen him. Apparently the last time Neville was seen was right before he went to the Hospital Wing. Harry decided he would just give Neville his homework at dinner.

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Dinner came and still there was no Neville. Harry looked over at the Ravenclaw table, thinking that Neville might be with his girlfriend, Luna Lovegood, but he was not there either. He looked down at the end of the Gryffindor table to where Ron and Hermione were sitting. No Neville.

"Ron still being a prat?" Ginny asked, sitting next to him.

"Huh, oh, yeah he is." Harry replied. "Hey Gin, have you seen Neville at all?"

Ginny shook her head. "Not since lunch, why?"

"Because no one seems to know where he is. No one has seen him since he left the Hospital Wing."

Ginny seemed to be thinking. A mischievous grin appeared on her face. "Maybe he's with Luna in an empty classroom."

"No, Luna's over there." said Harry, nodding towards the Ravenclaw table.

Ginny just shrugged. "Why don't you look at the Marauder's Map?" she suggested.

"The map?" thought Harry. He mentally kicked himself. Of course the map. It showed where everyone one in Hogwarts was.

Harry laughed at his stupidity. "Wow, I feel really stupid right now."

Ginny kissed his check. "You're not stupid… I'm just smarter than you." she said before reaching for a drumstick.

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After dinner, Harry headed back up to the Gryffindor Common Room. Neville hadn't shown up at dinner. Where could he be? It didn't matter; the Marauder's Map would give away his location.

Harry searched through his trunk and pulled out the map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." said Harry, tapping the map with his wand.

Hogwarts appeared on the old parchment. The names and positions of everyone present in Hogwarts appeared. Harry looked around for Neville. He checked all the places Neville normally went, the classrooms, the library, the Quidditch Pitch, the bathrooms, the Great Hall. Neville wasn't there.

After a few more minutes of searching, Harry set the map down and returned to the Common Room. Ginny was waiting for him. She looked up when he walked in.

"Did you find him?" she asked. Harry didn't reply. His mind was buzzing with questions. "Harry? What's wrong?"

Harry turned to face her. "Ginny, Neville's not in Hogwarts." he whispered.

(A/N: What happened to Neville? Wait and see. I'll update A.S.A.P.)