Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters and settings from the Harry Potter world, which is trademarked by J. K. Rowling. I do not claim any ownership over them or the world of Harry Potter and will not receive any money or other financial profit for presenting the work on this site. The story I tell here as well as certain original characters are my own invention, and are not purported or believed to be part of J.K. Rowling's story canon.
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Chapter 31
Never before in his life did Neville hold on to his wand quite like he had in this very moment. Though he had done much more reckless things before, sneaking into the Headmaster's office, Snape's office of all people, took a kind of toll on his nerves he had never even thought possible.
He was still waiting for the rush of adrenaline to kick in, when he finally met eyes with the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the office. Sage had told Neville the password once, though more out of accident than on purpose. She had most likely expected that this was rather critical information in the hands of the DA, but he couldn't make allowances for her worries on this matter. There was just too much at stake by now.
As Neville attempted to voice the password, his throat tightened, smothering his words along the way. He needed to get his shit together, as much he knew, but even after all these years of struggling with fear and insecurity, he still had no idea on how to deal with his difficulties under pressing circumstances like this. Sometimes he dared to do things even Ginny, one of the bravest people he knew, wouldn't have dreamt of, but other times.. he choked on little else than a simple 'Hello'.
Apparently sensing the frustration seething beneath his skin, Ginny placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it an encouraging squeeze. Despite the simplicity in her gesture, Neville felt his confidence raise again, enough to trap his demons in the back of his mind.. for now. He gave her a thankful smile, before finally enabling them access to the Headmaster's office.
The spiral staircase moved slowly but steadily, nearly killing Neville with all the noise it made. Hopefully Snape wasn't a light sleeper. Neville attempted to open the heavy oak door of the office as silently as possible, releasing a sigh of relief when he finally stepped inside. Ginny and Luna followed right behind, instantly searching the room for the prey they had in mind. All three of them had been in here before, when it had still belonged to Dumbledore, and shuddered at the state it now was in. Snape's presence still hung in the air, thick and heavy, like a suffocating blanket pushing down on them. It made Neville feel even uneasier than before.
"There it is," Ginny proclaimed, pointing towards the glass case the sword was kept in.
"The Sword of Gryffindor," Luna remarked in awe, though being a Ravenclaw herself.
It was a remarkable sight, Neville had to admit.
"We'll have to smash it," Ginny announced, sounding as determined as ever.
"No, that's too risky. There has to be a spell to get it out of there," Neville objected.
"But we don't know any spell like that," Luna explained bluntly.
"I'll do it," Ginny finally declared.
Neville sincerely wished for an alternative, but there was really nothing else left for them to do. Snape would note the sword's disappearance anyway, so what would a few additional shards even matter?
Ginny didn't really wait for approval from the rest of the trio, tossing a paperweight from Snape's desk against the glass case without even the slightest hint of hesitation. It shattered into a thousand pieces immediately on impact, puzzling Neville as to why such a valuable possession wasn't guarded any better.
The sudden sound of shards crushing beneath her feet, startled not only Ginny but also Luna and Neville. After a moment of shock, she reached for the sword, presenting it to her friends upon trover.
"We'll have to get this to Harry as soon as possible," she demanded, her voice somewhat trembling.
"Let's get out of here," Neville suggested, eager to not spent even a minute longer in there than needed.
Ginny agreed with a simple nod, heading for the door alongside Luna and Neville. The staircase moved painstakingly slow this time, putting Neville even farer on edge than he already had been anyway.
"I think I hear someone coming," Luna suddenly claimed.
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Author's note: I'd sincerely like to thank you for your kind words and advice on the last chapter. It really helps me a lot in my writing!! If you ever do feel like the storystagnates too long, please let me know! It's this kind of feedback that gives me a proper idea of where to head with the plot!!
I probably won't be able to update this story tomorrow, as I'll be quite busy the entire day. I'll try to stick to daily updates though for at least the rest of September.
Wishining you all the best and hope to get some feedback on this chapter again!! See you soon!! :-)