Neville stood at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, checking his watch impatiently. Helena was supposed to meet him there half an hour ago. For some reason she had insisted on waiting until after term started to discuss the mirror or the forbidden chamber. He hadn't told anyone about the mirror yet, nor had Theodore told him what his mission for the Grey Lady entailed. He was planning on telling his friends eventually, but every time he started to, he worried about how they would react. Hermione would definitely scold him for breaking school rules, and Neville figured that Harry and Ron would insist on seeing the mirror themselves. And that would mean breaking his promise to Dumbledore.
True to his word, Neville had not searched for the mirror again. It killed him to leave it behind, but he knew he was lucky to have gotten away with sneaking around with only a lecture. There was no need to push his luck after that. Besides, Dumbledore said the mirror drove people mad. Neville didn't want to be mad. Sometimes he thought he had already gone mad; he had been having nightmares about the scar carving itself across his forehead, as everyone in the world focused their attention on him simultaneously. The pain from the scar was bad enough, but the eyes were the worst. Watching him. Judging him. Neville shivered. It was too damn cold out by the forest. Where the hell is Helena?
Snow fell off a branch behind him, and he heard a man swearing. Neville drew his wand and whirled around to see Hilliard brushing snow off his cloak. Neville jumped backward. "How long have you been in there?" he asked, heart racing. He hadn't seen or heard him up until then.
Hilliard raised his hands to show Neville he was unarmed, though Neville spotted the handle of his wand sticking out of an inside pocket in his robes. "I've been here since before you arrived." he said. "Just making sure nobody was around to listen in on your meeting with Miss Helena." He chuckled. "I saw you just stroll over here and stand around, checking your watch, Longottom. Sloppy. If I were a Death Eater or a criminal or even an acromantula, you'd be dead."
Neville lowered his wand sheepishly. Hilliard was right. He had been careless. Neville had always assumed himself to be safe, whether he was at home with Gran or at Hogwarts, which was said to be the safest place on Earth. But then, he thought, a troll did get past Hogwarts's defenses. And if a troll could get in, something or someone much cleverer and much more dangerous could easily sneak in.
Hilliard walked over and playfully smacked Neville's back. "Don't sweat it, Longbottom," he said. "The area's secure. Just remember that someone with your reputation is quite the attractive target for any idiots who want to make a name for themselves. So how was your break?" Neville didn't answer. "Don't want to talk? Fine with me." he turned to the tree Neville was leaning on. "Area secure, Miss Helena." he said to it.
The Grey Lady flew through the tree and floated past Hilliard, giving a nod of acknowledgement. "So, Neville, I hope you put the little Christmas gift I gave you to good use." she said, smiling mysteriously. "Or did all my hard work vanish for nothing?"
"What Christmas - ?" Neville started to ask, before he gasped. It finally clicked. "You convinced Peeves act as a diversion to Lupin, didn't you?"
Helena clapped her hands like a giddy schoolgirl. "Yes, yes! I'm so glad you figured it out."
"Took him long enough," Hiliard mumbled, but both Neville and Helena ignored him.
"It wasn't easy, you know." Helena chirped. "Peeves rarely follows instrctuions, and I had to call in my last favor from the Bloody Baron to make it happen. And I certainly didn't want him to destroy the Vanishing Cabinet," she added with a frown, her excited demeanor fading away. "That set back some of my plans, but I guess I should have said something more specific than 'Make a lot of noise and draw Lupin away from the fifth floor,' I guess."
"Yeah, I suppose," Neville said quietly. He was only half-listening. His thoughts had wandered during Helena's story and he caught himself thinking about the mirror again.
"So?" Helena asked expectantly. "Did you get the info about the artifact?"
"Huh?" Neville responded, still slowly returning to reality. "I mean, yeah. It's called the Mirror of Erised. It's supposed to reflect the deepest desire of the person looking into it. No matter how painful it might be to learn." he whispered in addition. He looked at his shoes dejectedly, and he saw Helena and Hilliard exchange glances out of the corner of his eye. They were worried about him. Wonderful. Because he always wanted more attention.
"Is the mirror still there?" Hilliard asked.
"No," Neville answered. "I overheard Dumbledore telling McGonagall he was going to move it the following night. He didn't say where. I double-checked, and it's not where I found it." This was a lie, but they didn't need to know that he got caught and spoon-fed the information about the mirror. He didn't want to lose his credibility.
"Really?" Helena said. "Because I was watching you the whole time, you know. Invisible. And I remember Dumbledore telling you that the mirror was being moved, not McGonagall."
Or he could have no credibility at all. Swell. Neville swore.
"Relax, Longbottom," Hilliard said, shaking his head. "Your mission was to retrieve the information. We don't care how you got it, as long as it's accurate. After all, Dumbledore thinks he told you in confidence. Our involvement is just between us."
"Great," Neville said. He was the only one at this meeting that wasn't smiling. He didn't care about their little operation. All he cared about was the fact that he looked like a liar and an idiot to them.
"Well, Neville, you did do your job, and you did it well at that," Helena said warmly. "A deal's a deal, so I'll tell you what's in the forbidden chamber."
Before she could continue, a loud roar echoed through the grounds. Neville instinctively glanced toward the forest nervously, but Hilliard turned the other way and said: "Whatever that was, it sounds like it came from Hagrid's hut."
"One of his pets?" Helena asked nervously.
"Unlikely," Hilliard responded. "At least, not one of his known ones. If he got a new monster, then that might be the source."
"What should we do?" Neville asked. "Is Hagrid in danger?"
"Hagrid can handle himself." Helena answered, though she still looked nervous. "But I want you and Robert to go there and observe."
"Yes, ma'am," Hilliard said immediately, walking off. Neville stood still, not believing what he was hearing.
"Are you insane?" he shouted. "I'm not going anywhere near that!" Nobody answered him, though, as Helena and Hilliard had both left. "Brilliant," he muttered, as he jogged after them.
The two of them ran – Helena didn't run so much as glide – to the yard behind Hagrid's hut. By the time Neville reached them, the noise had stopped, Hilliard pulled him behind a bush, and Helena was nowhere to be seen. Putting a finger to his lips, Hilliard peered over the bush. Neville followed suit. His jaw dropped.
Hagrid was standing in the doorway to his hut, petting and soothing a dragon. A freaking dragon! It wasn't fully grown, thank God, though it was still the size of a large cat. It had black scales that were intermittently shining, the others covered in soot. It had a long, angular snout, with several sharp teeth sticking out of it's closed mouth. The wings were leathery and bat-like, and seemed to be much too large for its body. As Hagrid was petting it, it began making a strange sound.
"Hagrid," a voice coming from the hut said in disbelief. "Is that thing purring?"
" 'Course 'e is, Ron," Hagrid said, beaming down at the dragon as if it were a kitten. "'E's got his mummy to look afta him now."
Neville craned his neck as much as he dared, and was barely able to make out two silhouettes behind Hagrid. One of them was clearly Ron, and the other looked like...
"Hagrid, that thing nearly destroyed your house," Harry said, walking closer and touching Hagrid's shoulder.
"'E didn't know any better." Hagrid defended. "'E only just hatched a few weeks 'go, din't he? 'E's only a baby."
"A baby that is already bigger than the rock cakes you made for us," Ron snorted.
"He's right, Hagrid," Harry said. "What are you going to do when it – when he grows up?"
There was a pause. Neville tried to adjust himself to see better, but Hilliard grabbed his arm. Neville looked down and saw Hilliard staring at him. He didn't say anything, but his eyes told Neville "Stop moving, you moron, before you blow our cover."
And then Hagrid just started bawling. "I-I know I can't keep 'im forever," he sobbed, "but 'ow's Norbert goin to live wi'out me looking out for 'im." The dragon – Neville figured its name must be Norbert – hopped out of Hagrid's arms and started wandering toward the bush. Neville tensed, getting ready to run, but Hilliard grabbed his arm again and shook his head. "'Ow's 'e gonna find food?" Hagrid continued sobbing.
Right on cue, Norbert let out a shriek and pounced on a passing rat, easily killing it and swallowing it whole.
"Something tells me he'll manage, Hagrid," Ron deadpanned.
"Look, Hagrid, we've already gotten a reply from Charlie," Harry said seriously. "He's agreed to look after Norbert in Romania. Norbert'll be happy and you won't get in trouble. Everyone wins."
Hagrid was quiet for a few minutes, clearly mulling it over, his rational side at war with his emotions. He said something that Neville didn't hear, as a stick cracked nearby at that very moment.
"Go check it out," Hilliard whispered. "I'll monitor the situation."
Neville nodded and crept off toward the source of the noise. How the hell did I get into this mess? he thought sadly. I still don't even know what the deal is with the forbidden corridor. This whole Grey Lady thing was a mistake.
He finally reached the source of the noise, and was surprised to see that someone else was spying on Hagrid. And it wasn't anyone he could persuade to keep quiet either.
"Malfoy," he said quietly enough so that nobody would overhear him. Malfoy stiffened and turned around. "Spying on school faculty?"
"I might be, Longbottom," he whispered, his voice filled with hatred and triumph. "Trying to protect the oaf, Hagrid?"
"I might be," Neville responded coolly. This wasn't good. He needed to come up with a plan. "Though Hagrid isn't exactly my friend, either."
"What's your point?" Malfoy sneered. "You're not going to let me turn him in. So what are you after?"
"I was hoping we could make a deal," Neville answered, mind racing. "Maybe giving you something in return for your silence."
Malfoy chuckled. "You must be out of your mind, Longbottom. What could you have that could top a chance to get rid of Hagrid, Weasley, and...uh..."
"His name's Harry Potter," Neville said, rolling his eyes. "And I can help you fight against the one person you hate more than me."
"Oh, really?" Malfoy said, raising an eyebrow. "And who might that be?"
I can't believe I'm saying this. I just need to stall for time. "Theodore Nott," Neville said flatly. "A Slytherin who talks openly about working together with the Muggles must be the lowest of the low in your eyes. I can spy on him for you, sabotage his plans. What do you say?"
"Do you think I'm stupid?" Malfoy said loudly. Neville put a finger to his lips, and Malfoy continued in a whisper. "Nott's one of your friends! Scum like you are made for each other! Why would you want to sell him out?"
"That's a good question," Neville answered, trying his hardest to sound hard and uncaring. I hope Theodore won't be too mad about this. "Truth is, I'm getting sick of him. All of his big ideas are sounding crazier by the day. I figure he needs a reality check on how the world works." Neville shrugged and shook his head. "Besides, he's a Slytherin. Slytherins and Gryffindors don't mix very well, as I'm sure you know. So, what do you say?"
Malfoy grinned evilly. Clearly, he liked the idea. It made Neville sick to his stomach. "Very well, Longbottom. We have a bargain."
Author's Note: Geez, how long has it been since my last update? Two months? I'm really sorry, guys, managing a Boy Scout summer camp kind of takes away all of your spare time. Luckily the summer is over, and I have a bit more free time on my hands. Hopefully this means updates will be more frequent in the future.
Anyway, this chapter is way too short for such a long time, but I wanted to give you something to show that I'm not dead and I have no intentions of stopping the story. Please leave reviews and stay tuned for the next update, which at this rate will probably be up in October. Ah, well. Life happens.
