Harry Potter is not mine, the original story is from Maritza chan and I have help editing it from ArwenFairTinuviel. I'm just making this for fun.
A new chapter is here, enjoy!
Ron and Hermione's friendship seemed to have come to an end. Neville personally thought that Hermione's cat had eaten Scabbers, but Hermione fired up when he mentioned this to her, claiming that he was allying with Ron, and she decided not to speak to him again after that. Meanwhile Harry enjoyed a great last practice before the game against Ravenclaw and assured Wood that he had solved his problem with the Dementors. At the end of practice Richard, who had been watching, approached him and Harry let him ride the new broom.
They did not speak and Harry decided not to ruin the moment since Richard seemed very happy to ride the Firebolt. Madam Hooch, who had been sleeping, woke up and instructed them to go back to the castle at dusk. On their way Harry thought he had seen the Grim, but as he looked closer he only saw Hermione's cat. Harry also thought that the cat had eaten Ron's rat, but returned to the conversation about the Firebolt with Richard. At no time did he dare touch the point he was most interested in talking about with the boy.
The next morning everyone was excited about the game. The day was perfect, but Harry took his wand just in case the dementors showed up again. In the Great Hall everyone was amazed by Harry's new broom, including Percy Weasley, who had a bet on the game against his Ravenclaw girlfriend.
Malfoy strutted up to him at the Gryffindor table. "Are you sure you can handle that broom, Potter?"
"I think so," said Harry casually.
"Too bad it doesn't come with a parachute, in case a dementor shows up," Malfoy sneered. His goons guffawed loudly.
"Too bad you can't add an extra arm to yours, so it can catch the Snitch for you," Harry retorted. Everyone in the vicinity laughed and humiliated Malfoy departed, along with the rest of the Slytherin team.
As he walked out onto the pitch, Harry immediately noticed that the Ravenclaw's team seeker was very pretty. Abashed, he looked up into the stands and saw to his utter shock that Charles was sporting a blue banner, contrary to Richard's finger of # 1 in red and gold. Soon the came began and Harry, still reeling from Charles' betrayal, flew up into the air, keen on finding the Snitch. From the very start Lee Jordan spent most of the time commenting on the flashy new Firebolt and exasperating Professor McGonagall, while Cho Chang trailed after Harry, preventing him from getting anywhere near the Snitch.
Then one time he saw the little golden ball near the Ravenclaw end of the pitch, and as he made for he it heard Cho heard exclaim, "Oh no!"
Harry looked down and saw three hooded dementors. He had no time for them so without further ado he pulled out his wand and cried, "Expecto Patronum!"
A large silver shadow shot out of his wand. Harry did not have time to see what happened, instead flying straight on to catch the snitch and thus he won Gryffindor the game.
After a group hug in the air, Harry landed on the ground and was immediately enveloped in a big hug by an exuberant Richard. He was also very nearly hugged by Remus Lupin, who gave him his most heartfelt congratulations on the Patronus he had produced. It was only now that Harry learnt that they had not really been Dementors, but he had still given problems to the imposters who were under the hoods, which included Malfoy.
That evening there was a fantastic party in the Gryffindor Common Room where Fred and George threw around Hogsmeade products to everyone, and it only ended when Professor McGonagall marched back in at one in the morning and ordered them to go to bed. The only ones who were not at the party were Hermione, who was studying one of her numerous subjects and knew that Ron did not want her to be at the party, and Charles, who was still resentful for not being given a Firebolt and had gone to bed early in a strop.
Harry was soon asleep, like Neville, who was dreaming of walking through a forest with Harry's Firebolt, which was now his, and pursuing a silvery light. He ran and could hear galloping sounds, a clear and then –
"AAAAARGH! NOOOOOO!" Someone yelled. Neville woke up disoriented and fell out of his bed. Amid the confusion Dean lit his wand.
"White, Arneb White was in here with a knife!" Ron was saying wildly. Charles was at the door but he could see nobody.
The screams had awakened many and Fred came down, thinking everyone should continue on with the party. Percy was assuring Ron that he had just had a dream when Professor McGonagall came back in, looking very angry.
"Like you I am happy that Gryffindor won, but this is ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"
Percy hastily informed her that his silly brother Ron had had a nightmare and had awoken the whole Tower.
"IT WAS NOT A NIGHTMARE!" Ron shouted. "ARNEB WHITE WAS STANDING OVER ME WITH A KNIFE!"
McGonagall looked taken aback. "Impossible, how could he have come through the Portrait?"
"Ask him!" Ron insisted. So they all hurried down to the Common Room and McGonagall asked the portrait of Sir Cadogan whether he had let in a man. The knight replied that he had indeed let in a man because had all passwords of the week in a list and had reeled them off to him most politely.
"Which person," she screeched as she climbed back into the Common Room, looking absolutely livid, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and carelessly left them lying around?"
Trembling from head to toe, Neville raised his hand.
xXxXx
Ron became an instant celebrity and he found it very enjoyable. Conversely Neville fell into disgrace and was punished by Professor McGonagall not just with detention. She forbade the rest of the House from giving him the password for the Gryffindor Tower, so he had to wait mournfully all evening for somebody to let him in. But worst of all was the Howler that his grandmother sent him two days later. Neville could not bear the shame.
That same day after lunch, Ron found him and told him that Hagrid had invited them both to have tea with him. Hagrid was not interested in Ron's story, and, after comforting Neville, he showed them the suit he was going to wear for Buckbeak's trial. He lectured them on how they should talk to Hermione again, because she was feeling the strain of taking so many subjects at once. They also spoke about the next Quidditch match and Hagrid accompanied them back to the castle.
Once back in the Common Room they saw that there was to be another trip to Hogsmeade. Ron encouraged Neville to come along again.
"Neville!" Hermione objected reprovingly from behind a stack of books. "Neville, if you go to Hogsmeade, I'll tell McGonagall about the passage!"
"Do you hear someone talking?" Ron said without looking at her.
"How can you encourage him, Ron, after what happened with White? I will tell her–"
"Now you want Neville and Harry to be expelled and for us to lose in Quidditch?" said Ron angrily. "Haven't you done enough damage already this year?"
Hermione was about to reply, but Crookshanks appeared and at the hatred that twisted Ron's face she scooped him up and ran up to the girls' dormitory.
"What do you say Neville?"
"Ok, but I think I need to remember how to do that invisibility spell again."
xXxXx
"Great, another trip to Hogsmeade!" Harry muttered to Richard, who was reading a book of runes.
"You seem happy with the idea," the latter said without looking at him.
"Oh, I have not yet told you about the last time-!" But then both were distracted as Hermione tearfully ran past them up to the girls' dormitory.
"I'm not a fan of Hermione, but I think Ron has gone too far," Richard announced grimly, closing his book.
"Do not feel so sorry," Harry said, wondering how to tell him that, thanks to her, he now knew Richard's secret.
"I know she's a snitch and foolish goose, but she is not coping well with so many subjects to study as well as helping Hagrid with the poor hippogriff's case..."
"What hippogriff's case? How do you know about that?"
"Well, when you and Charles weren't speaking to me at Christmas I started to study with her. I helped with some snippets of information I got from Japan… although I still think that Hagrid will lose. Of course, I have not admitted that to her."
"Just watch yourself with her," Harry said without going into the sensitive topic. "Anyway, I know how to get to Hogsmeade and we could meet up there!"
"Does Charles know?" Richard said in a bitter tone.
"Just know that I know how to join you there." Harry was beginning to think that Richard and Charles were too much like Hermione and Ron.
"Take your invisibility cloak just in case. If he went to Ravenclaw, he is capable of anything."
So on Saturday, Harry followed Richard's advice and took his invisibility cloak with him. He watched everyone going to Hogsmeade and then he went quickly to the third floor. To his dismay he found the dot labeled 'Neville Longbottom' approaching his own ink self.
"Hi Harry!" Neville said while Harry was hiding away the map. "Would you mind if I come with you? I promise not get stuck on the way."
"Sure, I – " but Harry did not finish. Snape had suddenly appeared behind Neville.
"What are you two doing here? A strange place to meet, is it not?" To Harry's horror Snape was now looking intently at the statue of the witch.
"We were not meeting here – we just happened to have met here," Harry explained quickly, for Neville had lost his power of speech.
"Indeed-? You have a habit of being in the most unexpected places, Potter, and very rarely with good intentions; adding Longbottom to that would be catastrophic, so I suggest you immediately return to Gryffindor Tower, where the two of you belong."
So they walked back to Gryffindor Tower, Neville now not so sure that he wanted to go to Hogsmeade if Snape was on their case. While Neville was weighing up his options, Harry discretely pulled out the map and saw to his delight that Snape had returned to his office, while Charles was in the kitchens. Hurriedly he ran back to the third floor, soon followed by Neville, and the two boys rushed down the secret passageway to Hogsmeade. Harry made Neville go out first 'for safety', and when he was out of sight he put on his cloak and slipped out of Honeydukes.
xXxXx
"What took so long?" Ron complained after Neville, invisible, whispered in his ear that he was there.
"Snape," came Neville's shaking voice.
"Ugh." Ron gave a contemptuous snort.
They walked down the high street and visited the post office, Zonko's, and finally the Shrieking Shack – or as close to it as they dared go. Ron was telling Neville how haunted it was, making Neville almost faint with fear, when Malfoy and his gang appeared, talking about the trial until they realized Ron was there.
xXxXx
Harry met up with Richard in a corner of Honeydukes, where they stayed a while drinking butterbeer. After that they browsed the shops, Zonko's in particular. It was a lovely day and both were in a good mood, talking about everything that hadn't talked about in weeks – except of course the important issue that Harry couldn't decide whether or not to bring up, not wanting to risk losing his friend again.
xXxXx
Oblivious of Neville being invisible nearby, Malfoy amused himself with making fun of Ron. Neville took the opportunity to catch him unawares by throwing handfuls of mud at him. Malfoy and his cronies were scared out of their wits, while Ron and Neville couldn't stop laughing. But all good things are short lasting, and Neville forgot to re-do the invisibility spell. Suddenly Malfoy was able to see Neville's head bobbing around before he managed to re-cast the spell. Malfoy ran off screaming and Ron advised Neville to quickly return to the castle before Malfoy blagged about what he had seen to a teacher.
Again Neville did not know how he came back so fast, but this time as soon as he came out in the third floor hallway he was caught by Snape, who took him straight to his office. Neville was sick with fear, but this time Snape did not have to levitate him to make Neville accompany him.
"Malfoy was here only moments ago, telling me a curious story," Snape drawled, eying up Neville who was now sitting terrified on the hard chair in front of Snape's desk. "He told me that he had found Weasley, apparently alone, near the Shrieking Shack when a large lump of mud struck his head."
Snape's voice was malicious, and Neville fretted over whether he was looking suitably surprised. "Do you know how that could have happened?" Snape continued. Neville attempted to make his face appear blank.
Snape began circling the room, still speaking. "Then Malfoy saw an apparition, Longbottom. He saw your head, and neither your head nor any other part of your body has permission to be Hogsmeade."
Neville was petrified, sweating away. He would have thought of an answer if not for the fact that Snape instilled in him such utter terror that he could not think of anything to say.
"But we both know you're a good for nothing fool and that you couldn't make it alone to Hogsmeade…" For the first time Neville looked up and saw Snape looking at him, intrigued. "I want you to give me the whereabouts of Potter."
"We were in the Tower, like you said…" Neville stuttered – it was all he could articulate.
"And someone could corroborate that?"
Neville remained silent. Snape leered at him.
"Your silence moves me. Now empty your pockets."
Neville, quivering like jelly, put the Zonko items on Snape's desk.
"Ron brought me those in the last trip..." he invented frantically.
"And you are still carrying them around in your pockets? How touching…"
But before he say anything more, Ron ran breathless into Snape's office.
"I - I gave - Neville – that – those – " he said, trying to take a breath between each word. "I bought them – in Zonko's – ages ago – "
Snape glared at them and took ten points from each. With another vicious glare he let them go, and both felt very lucky not to have received any further punishment.
But Snape was expecting a bigger catch. He knew that Neville Longbottom was not clever enough to be able to figure out how to sneak out of the castle – someone must have helped him, and he would catch the culprit. He stormed out of his office and had the fortune come across one of his most favorite victims almost immediately – Charles Black. Snape knew that the three annoying boys were not talking to each other, because of some trivial and idiotic dispute. Charles was walking along with a couple of books and thinking about nothing in particular when Snape stopped him.
"What are you up to, Black?" he interrogated Charles.
"I've just come from the Library; I was finishing my homework on vampires…"
"Do not lie to me, I know you're up to something!" snarled Snape. "Where are the others?" he demanded.
"I don't know…"
"Five points from Gryffindor!" said Snape crossly, irked that the boy was being deliberately unhelpful.
"What!"
"And another five, for that inappropriate response," Snape sneered and left him.
For the first time Charles felt outraged. He had lost lots of points in his time at Hogwarts, usually for something he had done already. Today, he'd had ten points taken off for doing homework? How could they want him to take studying seriously when he was punished for doing so? Life was very unfair.
xXxXx
Harry had decided to return to Hogwarts early to avoid arousing any suspicion. He leisurely walked through the tunnel back to the castle and before he emerged from the statue of the witch he checked the map to ensure that no one was nearby. But he had barely taken a few steps down the corridor when a hand grabbed his shoulder, like an eagle seizing its prey.
"I was waiting for you."
Snape had caught him.
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