XXIX.

They took shifts watching the screens. It was mandatory viewing for all citizens during certain times, such as the bloodbath, the interviews, and the scores. But this time, they decided to watch every moment. They counted every tribute, marking each number as if it was a timer until Hermione can come home.

Neville Longbottom wasn't the strongest of the bunch. He was lucky that he grew up in one of the more affluent families in District 12. Slightly better than the Grangers, but not as good as the Mayor's family. He first met Hermione on the third day of school in their first year. She was extremely bright and incredibly self-assured in her know-it-all, snobby attitude. She correctly said, "Neville, it's levi-O-sa, not levio-sa." And of course, she demonstrated that spell with perfection to the pleasure of her surprised teachers. After the rest of her class failed a dozen or so times.

They were shocked she had that much control over her magic.

Of course, the fact that she was actually liked by the teachers including the bat-like, intimidating Professor Snape of Potions and that she was constantly correcting the motions by the hapless class did not endear her to any of her peers.

Well, most of them anyway.

It turned out that Neville thrived under her corrections. Without her, he probably would had failed over half of his classes and maybe held back the first year or so.

They knew Hermione's chances of survival were not good early in the games. Once she survived the bloodbath, her chances of coming home increased geometrically.

Of course, it helped that she had messages from home.

When Harry, Neville, and Hermione were in a study group on a project about the fake history of Panem, they started talking. Hermione already had her S.P.E.W. club formed, which was only consisted of the three of them. The AC12 was built on the foundations S.P.E.W. made when they realized the treatment of house elves wasn't so far off from the treatment of the districts.

They had some goals.

Increase magical knowledge beyond what the Capitol taught them.

End the Hunger Games.

Increase power of the districts.

Connect to other districts.

Find evidence against the Capitol.

Create an underground system of communication free from Capitol influence.

Four years ago, they had not a clue of where to start. But the Protean Charm Hermione found built their magical communication system based on a complex document that bound a life to it. It was a mixture of the Secret Keeper Charm along with the Unbreakable Vow that made the AC12 impossible to be betrayed.

With the Potter Library hidden underneath the wine cellar along with the Longbottoms' secret attic of books and scrolls, they were able to build their knowledge. Anything they didn't know, they experimented and made their own spells. Curses, jinxes, potions, wards.

Harry took down meticulous notes on how Gabrielle cast her wards and charms. The motions, the incantations, the very expressions of her face.

And they learned a lot from the District 2 Career. From Fiendfyre to lightning to flight, it seemed he was untouchable by anyone at all.

Then the District 4 Career met up with Hermione and Gabrielle. She was about to make a grab for the unaware older tribute until Gabrielle stepped into that Apparition and took the curse meant for Hermione.

Why Gabrielle did that bewildered Neville. But he knew that he and the AC12 were in that girl's debt forever now.

They held their breaths when Hermione threw the Torture Curse at the Career. Then the Career was able to shake it off, faster than anyone should had been able to. She countered quickly with a curse none of them recognized.

Then in a flash, the District 2 Career stole Hermione away.

The camera lingered on Gabrielle's decayed body a little longer than necessary. She was more of a rotten skeleton now with beautiful blonde hair forming a halo around her skull.

"Why?" whispered Harry, his face pale in the dim light of the classroom they borrowed to watch the Hunger Games in. "Why did he save her?"

No one had an answer to why the Career saved their Hermione.