Ok sorry it took me so long to get this up but i wanted to make sure it had the information I wanted in it. It is a bit shorter than usual but thats because its all words no action. No question time this time so just enjoy
Hermione landed hard in grass; silently cursing to herself, as was having a really bad day by anyone's standards. She had left Harry and had been searching since daylight for any of the surviving member of Dumbledore's Army but at each house she either found rubble from a fight or an abandoned house that left not a clue. No matter what the scene was she just sighed and kept looking but she knew her time was running out as Harry would need her at his side in just a few hours. The last thing she wanted to do; however, was to go back to him without any kind of aid but it was looking like she wasn't going to have a choice or at least it seemed that way till her old DA coin had heated up. She had forgotten all about it to be honest and by dumb luck had it on her person. The message had been clear as day Neville would meet her at the spot she had apparated to in ten minutes she just needed to wait it out a little.
However the longer she waited the more nervous she became wondering if this was all a game of some sort. Maybe Neville had been caught trying to get to her or worse yet maybe a Death Eater or Snatcher had sent the message to lure her here. Neville was never one to give up information on his friends but most of the Death Eaters weren't that stupid and could figure out how to work the coin if they tried hard enough. Harry had toward her to be careful and take any precaution necessary to make sure she came back to him and now she was worried that she had failed at just that. She would give Neville a little more time before she would leave just to give the boy the benefit of the doubt.
When Hermione was beginning to think that he wasn't going to show or that something happened to him. She pulled out her wand and started looking all around her for any signs of people in the area but could see anyone. But as she stood there she could swear something was closing in on her location. The sound of a quick snapping of a branch behind her immediately kicked in all the training her and Harry had gone through in the past few months. Within less than a second she had her wand pointed directly in the now nervous face of Neville Longbottom.
"And to think I thought you were freighting before Hermione," He lightly joked at her trying to ease her mind. "I do apologize I didn't mean to sneak up on you but I needed to get close to make sure it was you. Last week I was nearly caught by four snatchers so I take every precaution available to me. It's good to see you by the way Hermione." But still Hermione didn't lower her wand and Neville just smiled. "Back in first year you used a Body-Bind Jinx on me when I confronted you, Harry, and Ron before you went after the stone."
"Sorry Neville its good to see you, and I still remember your face at the farewell feast when Dumbledore gave you those points," Hermione responded with a smile finally lowering her wand from the boy's face but not putting it away. "I've been having a rough day, and when you weren't here on time I started getting nervous. I can't get a hold of any of the other DA members, and we are going to need their help now more than ever."
"Hermione I really didn't mean to sneak up on you and again I apologize. I'm sad to hear that your day isn't going well but I may be able to brighten it a bit. Hermione what if I told you that fifteen minutes from where you are now standing more than three quarters of the DA are safe and sound, ready to fight," Neville said with a smirk. Hermione only stopped and stared at him for a moment trying to register what on Earth he could mean by that. "Hermione, they are all over that hill right over there, well most of them are anyway. You are standing on the grounds of Longbottom Manor which I inherited upon the death of my beloved grandmother, I wanted to make her proud and I hope what I'm doing has her smiling from where ever she is."
" I wanted to find a way that outside of Hogwarts I could still be of help. So I took the idea from the Civil War that America had a while back and started to help secretly funnel Muggle-borns out of Britain and into safe zones over in the rest of Europe. It's kinda like the Underground Railroad, from here the Muggle-borns who wish to flee head over the hill on a dark hidden path that goes on for about sixteen miles to the home of the Lupins. After which they turn east and make their way towards Shell Cottage and catch a boat that takes them to mainland Europe," Neville spoke with pride evident in his voice. "The Order has been helping to guard the paths when they could spare the man power. But the majority of the passage ways are guarded by the Centaurs. Turns out that my grandfather had been one of the few who supported the effort to give them their land back, and though it failed they remembered him for it. Death Eaters attacked a group I was leading myself and they came from nowhere arrows hitting Death Eaters left and right. Since then they promised to keep watch over those who flee, I think they understand and see it as helping others who are opposed as they are."
Hermione looked up at the man in front of her with great awe, and couldn't believe this was the same boy from the train all those years ago. She wasn't sure what was more surprising, was it the fact that Neville knew Muggle history or that Neville had started this all on his own. Neville did in fact look wiser and older than she had remembered him being but then again they all looked older now and days. "Now I can honestly say I'm impressed. It makes the past few months a little easier knowing I'm not the only muggle-born to have help avoiding the Ministry. But to be honest I just want to get this over with so I can re-join Harry, no offense. So Neville can we just go into your home and discuss the battle plans for this evening," Hermione asked as politely as she could.
"Hermione first trust me I take no offense what so ever, but I don't think it's a good idea to go into my home at the moment. We are packed to the brim with muggle-borns and others who are trying to outrun the ministry right now. Susan, Seamus, Dean, and the Weasley Twins are doing all they can but there just isn't a place quite enough to discuss important information at the moment. I have privacy charms all around the grounds as well as notice me not charms so we are safe I promise," Neville said softly hoping not to offend the witch in any way. "The grounds are protected my a great deal of charms and wards courtesy of the goblins but the house is under the Fidelius Charm with my uncle as Secret Keeper. He's currently setting up muggle-borns over in France and Italy at the moment
"I …its fine Neville and I trust you so I hope then that you will be willing to pass along our message," Hermione said seriously. Neville took all of three seconds to nod before Hermione returned to her reason for being here. "Neville, Harry, Ron and I have been out on Dumbledore's orders on a mission to defeat You-Know-Wh as I'm sure you've gathered by nowo. Now Ron being a prat we always knew him to be, left me and Harry alone but let's just say I'm not mad as he's leaving made two people open there eyes towards the other. Anyhow, Ron eventually came back to see that me and Harry had progressed in our mission but that we didn't want to fight anymore. Harry as I'm sure you've heard was very upset that only a few were willing to go and fight back."
Hermione stopped to take a breath when she realized a sad look had suddenly come over Neville's face and then it hit her. "Oh my god Neville! I'm so sorry I forgot about what happened to your grandmother. I didn't mean to offend." Neville just waved her off hoping she would just continue with her tale.
"….So..so when we heard that more people were starting to do the right thing Harry decided that maybe it was time to stop hiding and start fighting back. Neville we have nearly completed what Dumbledore set us out to do. The only problem is that the last puzzle piece stays with You-Know-Who at all times. It's his snake Nagini Neville, we have to kill it, but I can't tell you why just trust me on this," Hermione said almost pleadingly.
"I trust you Hermione because Harry trusts you without a second thought, but I do have a few questions if you don't mind. Because after Harry's announcement it was pretty much a given that me and the rest of the DA here are in but we need to know at least some of the details. Most importantly is how on this Earth are we going to get into the castle without alerting Snape and the other Death Eaters," Neville asked?
Hermione had a small smile creep across her face that Neville would later admit would normally give him nightmares. "Neville would you believe me if I told you we aren't going to sneak in at all. We are in fact going to go straight up to the gate and walk straight through the front door without even lifting a finger."
"And just how in the world are we going to do that I mean the school is well guarded Hermione? Death Eaters and Dementors roam the grounds at all times and we can't get past the wards without Snape's help and there's no bloody way the old snake is going to just let us in," Neville said nearly shouting in shock.
"Neville a lot has happened in the past few months including a visit that me and Harry had from the current Headmaster. Neville I can't go into great detail but the things that Harry acused him of he did without knowing that Dumbledore allowed it. Snape is with us and is going to open the gate. So like I said we will walk straight through the front door," Hermione finished with a smile.
"I…but..you..oh whatever. So whats the plan Hermione I mean after were inside," Neville asked excepting that he would just have to trust them both to know what they were doing.
"Well Harry has a plan but for it to work our timing is going to have to be perfect…"
Across the country at The Hogs Head in Hogsmeade The Order of the Phoenix was gathering for a pre-war meeting under their new leader McGonagall in order to establish a plan for that evening's eventually war. They arrived slowly in order not to draw to much attention to themselves but unaware that the whole time they were being watched.
McGonagall watched as all the Order members poured in through the door and take their seats. They looked at her with worry and wonder all knowing what would be happening in a few short hours. She would try to keep them calm and orderly and hope that Harry had a plan. She wished she knew what the boy was up to as she cleared her throat to start the meeting but before she got out a word the door opened once more. To everyone in the rooms shock Harry Potter walked in followed by Severus Snape.
Ok hope it was good and I know that the title probably had you thinking you'd see the whole DA again but I decided against it in the end. The next chapter will so be short and focus on Harry telling the Order what has been going on.
So.
Next Chapter: The Order Acts
After That: Pleading and Planning
And After That: Siege at the Gates
