Neville Longbottom and the True Rumors

---------------------------------

Summary: Everyone knows what happened to Harry in Deathly Hallows, but not much is known about the occurrences at Hogwarts. What really went down at Hogwarts while Harry was off Horcrux hunting?

A/n: Thanks for the reviews! I didn't get as many as I sorta hoped. But… whatever. Was the last chapter that horrible?

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine. If it was Fred Weasley would NOT have died.

---------------------------------

Chapter 9: Punishment

---------------------------------

Severus Snape grabbed the Sword of Gryffindor and then glared down at Neville. He took the Body Bind curse off of him and grabbed him harshky by the shoulder and lifting him up. His body burned from the fall, and he almost fell on the sword, and then it could have been bye-bye Neville.

"Up!" he drawled coolly. Well he didn't have much of a choice after Snape pretty much pulled him to his feet. He looked up the steps and that fear came back. "Now!" Neville slowly began limping up the steps, he could feel Snape's eyes borring into his back as he walked. He walked pretty quicky considering Snape was right behind him. He didn't want to know what happened to Ginny and Luna. Especially since they had been grabbed by the Carrows. And they were some scary people.

Snape pushed him angrily into his office, the door slamming behind him. He felt his heart drop when he saw Luna and Ginny being held tightly by Amycus and Alecto Carrow. The siblings had a horrible grin on their faces (making them look even uglier). "Let them go," Snape snapped.

The Carrows seemed disappointed as the let go of Ginny and Luna. Snape seemed to glare at all of them. "Sit."

Neville didn't need telling twice as he sat down. Luna sat down next to him almost immediately and Neville could see the fear written all over her face. He reached over and grabbed her hand. He never felt Luna grip his hand so hard. He tried to squeeze it back almost reassuringly, but there wasn't any feeling in his hand to squeeze back.

Snape saved him before, he could do it again, right? "Explain yourselves."

No one answered. "Now!"

"That sword isn't yours! It belongs to Harry!" Neville snapped, but then he realized what he said and looked down immediately.

"So that gives you reason to steal from the Headmaster of Hogwarts?" Snape asked coolly. "That gives me means to expel the lot of you."

He heard Luna let out a small whimper as the Carrows walked around behind Snape to get a better look at the three trouble makers. Even Neville had to squirm under their gaze. They looked so evil. The smile on their face was sickening.

The room fell silent. "But I'm not going to expel you," he said slowly, his gaze settling on Neville. "No, you're going to get detention."

Detention!? Neville knew right now that he would rather die than go through a Carrow detention. He had heard horror stories from people who weren't being as well behaved as Neville. What those horrible Death Eaters put people through. Neville was just getting sicker and sicker as silence took them over again.

"You will be spending Friday night into Saturday in the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid."

Wait… what? That… that didn't seem like a detention, that…

"Excuse me?" Amycus said, pulling Neville out of his thoughts. "We are in charge of the punishment at this school."

"But you are under my control, I can and will overrule you if I feel a different punishment is necessary," Snape drawled. Neville was a bit confused again. Was Snape trying to help them? Why else would he give them a detention in the Forbidden Forest with their favorite professor?

Neville shifted in his seat as he felt Luna's grip on his hand loosen, but only slightly. He managed to squeeze it lightly, even though he was sure that she broke at least two of his bones if not more.

"Detention Friday night. You will meet Hagrid in the Great Hall, and he will go over your further punishment from there. Is that understood?"

The three of them answered in unison. "Yes sir."

"Good, now get out of my sight!"

Neville didn't need telling twice as he stood up, pulling Luna up along with him. Ginny got up as well. Neville couldn't help himself as he looked at the Carrows. They looked disappointed, and why wouldn't they be, Snape conned them out of the a detention with three of their 'favorite' students.

They slowly walked down the steps, Neville's hand still in Luna's. He didn't feel like letting go, therefore he didn't. He liked the way that his hand felt in hers. The reassurance he felt when he was with her. Like they were gonna all be okay. He squeezed her hand again, making a smile form on her face. As soon as they were out of earshot from Snape's Office, Ginny let out a laugh.

"Detention with Hagrid, is he crazy?"

Neville didn't say anything. Even with Hagrid the Forbidden Forest was a bad idea, a very bad idea. It was dangerous. But it was better than anything with the Carrows. The Carrows were… he couldn't even describe them.

They were soon at the junction where he and Ginny had to go one way and Luna had to go the other. The two of them finally let go of each other, almost mutually. It seemed like both of them didn't mind the other one holding their hand, as if it wasn't that big of a deal (but in Neville's book it was a pretty big deal, especially the way it made his heart flutter when she let go and smiled at him).

"Goodnight Neville," she said slowly. She still seemed a little scared, but there was a small smile on her face. "Ginerva," she added as an afterthought.

"'Night Luna," Neville said slowly as she walked away. Neville couldn't help but watch her leave. She was really pretty, at least in Neville's opinion.

"Hey, Neville," Ginny said quickly. "Let's go before the Carrows come and give us detention for loitering."

Neville nodded as he turned back to Ginny and they started walking towards the Gryffindor Common Room.

"So what's going on between you and Luna?" she asked innocently as they walked.

Neville didn't respond. He wasn't sure. Maybe it was just the stress of the situation pushed them to just comfort each other. That was just it, nothing more than Neville's wishful thinking. Everyone knew that Luna liked Ron, even if she didn't make it that obvious. It was there.

"Earth to Neville…" Ginny sighed as she waved her hand in front of his face.

Neville looked at her.. "Huh?"

"You and Luna?"

"Fiddlesticks…" Neville said slowly, Ginny giving him a confused look, but they were right at the entrance to the Gryffindor Common Room, and that was the password.

When they entered the Common Room, the roar was almost deafening with people cheering them on. "Did you really try and steal something from Snape?" a second year asked, looking up at Neville and Ginny in awe.

They looked at each other and chuckled. Well, this was interesting. Neville slowly worked his way back towards the dorms, and it took him a while. People were congratulating him and patting him on the back. This was an odd feeling, was this how Harry felt every time he did something and him and his fellow Gryffindors treated him like a king? It had to be. He couldn't help but be confused that he was getting all this positive attention from attempting to steal something from Snape.

But he couldn't deny… it felt pretty good.

---------------------------------

A/n: Originally this was going to be with the detention, but that will be the next chapter. I'm trying to keep these short and sweet so I can update every day (unless I get sick).

Just as a heads up, I lost my notebook with all my DH notes in it, so I need to go through and find them all again. sigh Sorry if there are any inconsistencies in this chapter, I was going totally from memory.

Just a question, does anyone know what happened with Mungos during the Voldemort take over. It might have been mentioned, but I don't recall. So if someone could provide me with that it would be greatly appreciated!

Leave some love (or hate, just something to let me know you're reading)!