Destiny's child, chapter 11.
Don't own the characters of the Harry Potter world, only the one's I've created, as well as the plotbunnies. Alas, my ferrets have all gone on to the rainbow bridge, I've no house plants, or fish, only my husband who is a better cook than I am. I know it has been ages since I've given an update, and I thank all of you for being so patient. I wrote this, set it aside, and found that I needed a new computer- and then had to find it , again. There may be some huge jumps in time just to compress everything into order. Please read and review when you have a chance. I don't know how many more chapters there will be- but enough to answer a few more questions. I hadn't abandoned this story, I just got to a point where I was so worn out from writing I couldn't finish it. But I made a decision to finish this before moving on to other things…
He felt a touch on his shoulder. It was Peeves who wore a concerned look on his face. "Student out of bed!" Peeves Giggled, then, his face darkened again.
"What is it Peeves?" he asked gently. Neville knew that Peeves came with the castle. He was part of the magical energy that kept the castle alive, and yet, he was the side of the rebellious nature of the castle. To send Peeves away would cause untold damage to the structure of the castle.
"Not your worry- yet" pointing to the book to distract Neville he pinched Neville's ear. "Bed time!" he said pulling him upward.
"Yes Gram" he grumbled.
Peeves beamed.
June 28th, 1996
Wizard Robes. Bloody hot things that tangled around the ankles as one hurried down the steps. Neville realized that the robes were made to slow down the students so they wouldn't leap down the steps three at a time. Right now, he knew that if he plunged over the rails of the moving steps it would be to his death, but, his need to get where he needed to be was greater than his concept of safety. Despite it being summer, despite it being his own time, he was on internship and had to dress as if he was at work during the time he was there until he was a full professor. He yanked open the fastenings on his long black robe to allow his legs the mobility to bend enough to leap over the rail onto the next stair case down that was swinging in the direction he needed. The castle seemed to know his need for haste, shifting away from it's normal pattern to allow him several more of the drops to get to the bottom as fast as possible.
There had been an explosion in the castle. Peeves had flown into the common room with stark terror in his eyes as he thrust the herbology knapsack into Neville's arms.
"Peeves? What happened?"
" No time! Headmaster needs you in the great hall!"
Neville ran.
Poppy had accompanied Minerva to St. Mungo's for a checkup. Professor Sprout was out visiting family. Most of the teachers were away for the weekend and those who were there had no clue as to how to treat wounds any more than Neville did.
Even Professor Snape was away-
"Peeves, find Professor Snape and bring him here, and be careful."
He found Dumbledore lying very still amidst rubble, his hand smoldering with disturbing blackness etched over the fingers and the back of his hand. The sword of Gryffindor was cast aside, as if it had rebounded from a heavy blow. Neville didn't have a clue as to what had happened, but he knew that whatever did, Dumbledore would be in horrible pain when he woke. He knew enough not to tamper with the hand, or the crushed ring that was beneath it, he carefully edge it aside and elevated the hand, checking for a heartbeat. Opening his bag he pulled out some willow bark and placed it in a small flask that he tipped to Dumbledore's lips letting it drip in slowly.
Neville eyed the injury again. It wasn't a proper burn, more like a curse. He didn't want to mess with it, but he knew that in short order, the agony from it would be great. Neville opened up his knapsack again and reached in. At the very least he could numb the arm. Carefully he placed a few drops of a mixture of dittany and opium that he had on hand for bites in the green house. He kept digging, and the only other thing he could find in the bag was a few chocolate frogs. Taking a breath he ripped open the bag and broke off one of the legs of the frog and tipped it into Dumbledore's mouth. He followed it with some more willow bark, and was on the third leg when Snape came hurrying into the great hall.
"Mind the ring" Neville said as Snape was about to kneel on it.
Snape regarded Neville's bag and then nodded to the chocolate. "Keep feeding it to him" he said after a moment then rising, he went down the hall to the dungeons entrance. He returned in a few moments- the longest that Neville had ever encountered, and together they carefully lifted Dumbledore moving him to the hospital wing. It would be later that Snape recovered the ring that had been the cause of it all and in a sealed box he placed it on the head masters desk.
Neville watched as Snape mixed a series of potions and fed them to Dumbledore- each one brought more relief than the next , but nothing seemed to change about his hand. He stayed out of the way, but was available to get things as Snape needed them, including food for him as the night wore on. Neville knew that Dumbledore was too weak to be moved to St. Mungo's and for some reason, it would not be the place that Dumbledore would want to go- Deep down, he knew the damage to Dumbledore's hand would be the death of him.
Poppy returned and thanked Neville for his help before dismissing him. Exhausted Neville nodded and made it as far as the seat outside of the hospital before sitting down and holding his head with his hands. Snape hadn't said he did anything wrong, or right, well at least the chocolate was the right thing to do. He held it together. He sat, looking at the wall unable to go up to his room- unable to be- alone- in the tower-. Minerva had stayed at St. Mungo's just for a day or so to help her recovery- there was no one else in the tower except the portraits and he didn't want to be alone just then.
He heard a sigh, and lifted his head as Poppy sat beside him. She handed him a square of chocolate. He looked at it a long time before taking a bite.
"You did all of the right thing's Neville, and you did exactly as I or any one of the teachers who know their salt's would have done. Stop the pain, calm the person and then gently restore them are the three basis for medical care. While your dose of Opium was, excessive, to the point of damaging and far more than I would have ever dared give anyone, Professor Snape has assured me you saved Professor Dumbledore from later agony. "
"He won't be able to feel anything with that hand" Neville said flatly. Poppy regarded him.
"There are times that, such measures are taken because there is no other hope. The damage to his hand was such that he will never have full use of it again, that happened because of the curse, not from your opium mixture. What you did, was to prevent the agony that would normally accompany such an injury from ever happening, or the shock that would be fatal from the curse itself. You saved his life Neville." She said softly.
He shook his head.
"Peeves did. And the castle, It put the steps where they needed to be so I could get down them the fastest way. Peeves got Professor Snape- I just put a plaster on things until he could come."
Poppy placed another square of chocolate in his hands. "You still did all of the right things Neville." She said firmly.
"But at what cost?" Neville wondered to himself. There was a small CRACK to Neville's left. Glancing over he saw Dobby, the house elf that Harry had liberated. "Dobby would be honored to escort you to your tower, sir" Dobby said formally, holding out his small hand. Dobby gave Poppy a nod, then taking Neville's hand tugged him to his feet and leading him down the hall towards the Gryffindor common room. Neville saw his knapsack had been returned to the room, as well as a dinner that he almost told Dobby to take away, but when Dobby lifted the lid, the smell of the rice and chicken and some buttered pea's filled the air reminding him it had been too long since he had eaten.
"Dobby, do you know, what happened? How Professor Dumbledore was hurt?"
Dobby nodded. " He came, to where all of the house elves were and told us that he was going to be doing something very dangerous, and he did not wish any of us to be hurt, so , he sent most of the house elves to a safe place, and the few that remained were told not to go near if something , awful happened, that only Peeves would be allowed to get help if something would go wrong. He said, it was because he valued all of our lives, and Peeve's was special. He can move things when ghosts and portraits can not. He had chosen that day because he knew that should the walls of Hogwarts fall, those who were inside were far enough away they wouldn't be hurt. He expected much worse to happen. He chose that spot because it was the closest to the ground, and furthest away from the walls should they fall. He did not wish to do it, but, he knew he had to try and destroy the ring as soon as he could. Very dark magic, very bad…" Dobby trailed off for a moment.
"He used the sword of Godric Gryffindor to destroy the ring?"
Dobby nodded. Neville regarded the small house elf. "You didn't stay with the others – in the safe area." He said directly to Dobby. He saw the elf hang his head.
"Professor Dumbledore has been most kind to Dobby and Winky, as free elves, we are not bound by orders." For a moment Dobby regarded Neville "Dobby knows , that Dobby will die a free elf, in the battle to prevent he who must not be named from rising to power. It is a decision that Dobby made the moment Dobby chose to help Harry Potter and his friends"
Neville saw Dobby glance away and cast his eyes downward.
"Dobby, what is it that you are not telling me?" Neville asked softly.
Dobby gave a squeak before breaking down and falling to his knees. Neville gently lifted him up and gazed into his expressive eyes. "Please tell me."
" Not everyone survives the battles with the death eaters…" Dobby said in a faint whisper. "Hogwarts is safe for you."
Neville was about to take what Dobby had said as relating to him when he realized there was more.
"Dobby? Who has died?" Another squeak from Dobby.
"Friend of your family, Amelia Bones has been killed by he who must not be named followers. Other students parents as well, those who oppose he who must not be named.
"Gram- my parents…"
"Dumbledore has taken steps to be sure they are safe. He does not wish for you to have more worry on your shoulders."
"It's why I am here, isn't it? To keep me safe and them safe? I've made them a target for the death eaters haven't I?" Dobby gave a reluctant nod. "What about the other students?"
There was a struggle on Dobby's face. "The house elves are doing everything they can to keep the students and their families safe." He said softly. Dobby regarded Neville with concern. "Dobby does not understand, or agree with things that the head master has informed him of. Dobby only knows that what will be- what will happen, must happen for their own reasons if we are to defeat He who must not be named. Dobby knows that the path will not be an easy one for our hearts and many sacrifices will need to be made."
July 12th. It was late in the evening when Dumbledore returned from an evening out- something that Neville knew Poppy had informed Dumbledore not to do. But he was happy upon his return and insisted being out had done him no harm. He also mentioned in passing to the others that there would be a new potions teacher, and that professor Snape was going to be the defense against dark arts teacher.
There were times that Neville would wonder, and question how anyone could manage to absorb the amount of information that they were asking him to in a month and a half. Often there were days that he didn't come out of the tower- Dobby would bring him food, and make sure that he was in bed by a proper hour. His new wand made all the difference in the world, and it had been ages since he needed his rememberall. All too soon the summer swept by leaving him with a sense of a longing inside. He made his way to the library and spent the better part of the afternoon regarding the study rooms. In less than two weeks he would have to return the books to the shelves of the library and he needed to know where they were kept, or at least have them in an area that he could reference them quickly.
Minerva shook her head firmly when he proposed the suggestion to her. "No. absolutely not. The headmaster agrees with me on this particular matter. Once the semester begins, you will be concentrating on your studies here at Hogwarts as well as the duties we will have for you. That other studying of the materials will have to wait until the proper time. "
Blinking Neville regarded her. "The ministry doesn't know what you're doing, do they?"
Falling silent Minerva shook her head. "No they do not, and they would not be pleased if they did know. What you have learned this summer is only a small portion of what you need to know, and until the danger of death eaters, and he who must not be named passes, the knowledge – is also a danger to you."
Neville sat back. It hadn't occurred to him that certain death eaters would take interest if they knew there was someone who held the secrets of Hogwarts. Minerva watched Neville blink several times.
"It's not just Hogwarts, is it? It's every magical home that follows the same laws as here." He breathed out softly. He saw Minerva lean back. She knew this as deputy headmistress. She knew how the spells worked and the dangers of this type of old magic- Magic that could make houses with rooms that hang in mid air, Tents that had many rooms and impossible doors, walls that moved with words and charms- the wizarding world knew about it, but didn't- know the long forgotten spells. Or the whys it hadn't been taught in the schools.
"The elves… the house elves- it's their magic that made it all possible."
Minerva compressed her lips. There was more that Neville was going to learn, A sweet gentle boy who learned the secrets would have to change once he knew.
But he didn't ask. She knew that he hadn't figured it out, he would someday. It would change him though.
There had been a great struggle of power in the wizarding world once it was realized that the pure blood wizards were losing their power. The first wizards could shape elements and bring life to stone. But they delved too deeply into the search for knowledge and the elves who had helped them before knew the growing wizard population was a threat to them. The more wizards that were born, the less powerful the wizards became, save for a few, Salazar Slythern, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff and Godric. They created Hogwarts to teach and control the students using the knowledge of the elves. Hogwarts was different back then, and became a safe haven for the wizard's children from the muggles.
There were many theories why the goblin rebellion happened. Some said it was working conditions, others said it was from attacks on the hapless goblins by the wizarding pure blood children who felt they were superior. The nearby town of Hogsmead became a headquarters for the wizards to work out the defenses against the goblins until such time that meeting in public was safe again.
Goblins controlled the mines, and the discovery of wealth beneath the surfaces. Their mistreatments by the wizarding world came to a head during the great massacre. The earlier rebellions left a rift between the wizards and the magical creatures which wished to have a place in the wizarding world. The centaurs would not take sides during these wars, the giants did, and then quickly forgot what they had been fighting about leaving the giants battle hungry with a rage that would take decades to diminish.
There were some rebellions the goblins won, but the victory came to the wizards when during the rebellion, the elves who had taken the side of the goblins for rights, were forced to surrender to the very wizards who they had assisted years before. For the terms of the surrender, the once free elves took on the subjugation that the dwarves had known for decades. Wands were forbidden for the goblins and the elves to use. Only the most basic of magic for service and survival was allowed, making the elves helpless least they grow in power again. To their credit, the founding wizards had been kind to the house elves that they sheltered within the walls of Hogwarts. None of them were ever mistreated, and those who wished to leave, were granted the freedom to. Hogwarts became a haven though for the house elves taking in a great many that had nowhere else to go. Many of the great and noble houses had passed without issue leaving the house elves without homes. Many more wizards chose not to have house elves in their homes.
The final provision of the Ministry of Magic was to shut down the buying and trading of house elves and allowing conditional treatment of the creatures to remain only within the wizarding families. It was discovered that Kindness was the key to the loyalty of the house elves. While they would serve under most conditions, the house elves that were treated kindly were less likely to murder their owners in their sleep. A new rebellion was always possible with the ill treatment of the house elves, but with the elves living under so many different roofs, and kept apart, the rebellions were less likely.
Unlike the goblins. Beyond limiting their use with wands, and spells, there were certain – dangers with dealing with the goblins, and certain – advantages.
" Yes" she said at last, realizing that Neville was waiting for an answer. Minerva closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she saw Neville was regarding her with sadness. "All of this is going to change very soon and while Professor Snape knows what you are doing here during this summer, it is something that will be changing once the school term begins.