Chapter II
Neville
Neville was enjoying his breakfast; he found out early that if he woke up before of the rest of his house he can eat in peace and quiet. Not a lot of people were eating at that hour, just him, some Slytherins and Ravenclaws, he only recognizes Hermione Granger and Draco Black but he doesn't want to impose on either.
The post is arriving early too, if you are there and Neville found out pretty fast that is better if he opens his mail with less people as possible since his gran is fond of Howlers. He only got the Quibbler, Harry had a full campaign against the Prophet, so most of them had switched the newspapers.
"No!" A gasp is heard from the Slytherin side of the room. Neville looks up. Draco Black is holding an envelope in his hands; he is shacking and looks ashen. Neville rises the same time as Granger does and they both walk to him.
"Draco, what happened?" Granger asked.
"Mum…something is wrong with my mother" Draco seems feverish.
"How do you know?" Neville asks.
"She said she loves me" Draco said faint.
Granger and Neville look at each other not sure how to proceed.
"You do not understand…she never…I need to talk to someone and check on her" Draco said and rushes out of the Hall.
"Should we go with him?" Neville asked Granger.
"I think he is going into his Common Room, we can't exactly follow" Granger frowns clearly not happy.
"Maybe is nothing" Neville said weakly.
But it was. The next day they announced Draco Black will be excused for a few days, Harry Potter was excused as well. Neville searched Granger's eyes in the crowd. After the feast she finds him followed by Pansy Parkinson.
"So what happened?" Granger asked.
"Is Narcissa…she was murdered" Parkinson whispered.
"How? Who?" Neville asked feelings his blood run cold.
"They do not know…they assume…"Parkinson rises her eyes to Granger, but doesn't continue. They all knew anyway, the threat of the Death Eater looms over the horizon.
"Shouldn't you be there? Considering…?" Granger asked. Neville doesn't like how they speak with their eyes and unfinished sentences, like he is an intruder.
"There wasn't an official announcement" Parkinson said prim.
"Announcement about what?" Neville asked.
They both turn to him, finally acknowledging his presence.
"Draco and I are betrothed" Pansy said simply.
Granger doesn't seem as surprised as he is, but nothing ever fazes her.
Harry is back in two days; Black is not back with him. Harry seems more sullen and quiet than usual, but that is to be expected. Neville wanted to ask about Draco, but he doesn't want to seem too pushy. Parkinson and Granger fret around Potter enough so he hopes he has enough support.
Neville is mostly keeping to himself; he understands the plants in the greenhouse better than he does his fellow classmates most of the time. He likes most and cares about them though and he knows better than most what Draco must be feeling right now, but on the other hand so does Harry. So again Neville decided to keep it to himself.
They announced Professor Umbridge as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts at the welcoming feast, but Neville didn't really pay her any mind. The teachers for defense change so fast there was a bet going on over the reason they will leave, Fred and George Weasley won the last two.
The Griffindors were having their Defense Class with the Ravenclaws that year. Neville was staying by his best friend, Ron Weasley, sourended by a swarm of Griffindors. Granger was on the Ravenclaw side, sitting alone like she usually did when not having classes with the Slytherins.
Umbridge entered the classroom at the exact time. She was wearing a shade of pink so bright Neville had to blink twice to clear his eyes. She looked small in front of the class, but somehow Neville was the one feeling intimidated.
Umbridge introduces herself again using her full status and rank in the Ministry, people already snicker, but she doesn't seem discouraged. She presents them the curriculum in an overly sweet tone, a hand rises from the Ravenclaw table, Neville knows is Granger without raising his eyes.
"But what about practical spells?"
"My dear, girl, why would you need practical spells for?"
"To fight Death Eaters" Granger said simply.
"There have all been apprehended by the Ministry long before you were even born"
"Then who killed Narcissa Black?"
"Enough! You should speak when spoken to and please do not interrupt my class again!"
Hermione looks like she is ready to argue, but some Ravenclaws shush her and she subsides.
The class continues in the same manner, Umbridge doesn't answers anymore questions after the first ones about Voldemort and Cedric Diggory. They are a lot of angry mumbles when they are leaving the class.
"She is the worst one yet" Granger spits while they were walking away.
"Be careful, she may hear you" Ron said cautious sneaking looks behind them
"She can only hear herself" Granger puffs won't learn anything this year!"
"We had two good runs" Ron sighs.
"I will bet on her getting eaten by something" Hermione hisses.
Neville puffs trying to keep the laugh in. Ron is looking at Hermione surprised and amazed.
Neville stares down at his prefect badge confused…He was named Gryffindor Prefect with Parvati Patil. What were they thinking? No one will listen to Neville…He is attending his first prefect meeting; waiting for someone to come and rip the badge away because this is clearly a mistake.
He sees Hermione Granger and Pansy Parkinson talking animatedly. Hannah Abbot and Parvati were also chatting in a corner; Anthony Goldstein and Ernie McMillan were talking about Quiddich, loud enough to be heard from the corner they retreated to. Draco Black was running late, Neville heard he just got back that morning, so he was pretty sure he won't show up at all.
"Alright everyone" The Head boy and girl step out. They were Roger Davies from Ravenclaw and Angelina Johnson from Gryffindor. Neville knew Angelina the best out of them, she was a fearsome Quiddich player as well, but she has always been nice and patient with him.
The chatter comes to a halt and everyone is paying attention.
"Your duties as Prefects are to keep things in order, stop people from sneaking out and getting into trouble and report anything you find suspicious to the teachers" Davies said.
"You are not Aurors, we do not want to hurt anyone, we only want to keep a resemblance of order" Angelina smiled.
The door opens and Draco Black steps in. He has dark circles under his eyes, but his uniform is perfectly arranged and not a hair is out of place otherwise. Pansy and Hermione sourended him on all sides as soon as he slips into the room.
"We divided a schedule for you to patrol at night" Davies said and floated to them a piece of parchment. Hermione started duplicating them and handed them out to everyone.
"Your badges allows you access to the Prefect only areas such as bathrooms and the study room and will also permit you to stay out after curfew" Angelina added.
Neville checks the schedule; he is assigned with Draco Black. The Gryffindor breathe a sigh of relief, at least is someone he knows. Hermione and Pansy are patrolling together, whoever made the schedule made a big mistake there, they were ruthless together.
"That will be all, keep the schedule for this week and let us know if they are any problems so we can modify it" Davies said.
"Look at you, Mister Prefect" Angelina walked over to him excited. She ruffles his hair.
"I am sure it has been a mistake somewhere" Neville mumbles.
"That is what I thought as well when they announced me "Angelina grins "But here I am now! I am sure McGonagall sees something in us we do not, but it will come to you!"
"They were a lot of other good guys there in Gryffindor" Neville shuffles from what foot to the next.
"You are not taking anyone's place but your own" Angelina reassured him.
"Ok….thank you" He smiles warmly.
"You welcome" Angelina ruffles his hair once more and then moves to Pavati.
Neville shuffles awkwardly to his friends. Hermione and Pansy are still by Draco's side, everyone is quiet.
"Congratulations, Neville" Hermione said warm.
"Thank you! There was no wonder for all of you, I never expected this…"
"Why not?" Pansy asked "I mean you are the most level headed one from your whole House"
"When you put it like that…"Neville grins.
"I am going to go, good-night" Draco said and slipped out.
Pansy and Hermione shared a look, but remained quiet. It was to be expected, Neville thought, Draco was just grieving.
"Have you heard about Harry Potter?" Lavender Brown said excited over the breakfast table.
"Heard what?" Ron asked over a mouthful of food.
"He got detention from Umbriedge because he said Voldemort is back in the middle of class" Lavander said weirdly excited. "I heard everything from Pavati, that know it from Hannah Abbot"
"And he got detention for that?" Neville asked.
"Four weeks detentions" Lavander said with a weird cheer.
"And he got it alone, no one said anything?" Ron asked.
"No one said anything, like those snakes can be true friends" Lavander puffs.
"I kept telling him!" Ron huffs.
Lavander smiles widely and scoots closer to Ron. Neville rolls his eyes and accidently makes eye contact with Ginny that is sat on the other side of the table. Ginny looks exasperated as well, Lavander has stopped being subtle that year.
He quickly looks away. Ginny has been in his mind ever since the Yule Ball, they danced together all night and he had more fun than he thought he will, but that is not a good idea, she is his best friend's sister, she is younger than him, plus she is so fierce is scary. She even got into the Quiddich team that year; Neville can barely fly on a broom.
"I heard she has some weird detentions" Dean said from one end of the bench.
"Weird how? My arm never recovered after Lockheart ones" George whines.
Fred raises his eyebrow at his brother and both erupt in loud laughter.
"I am serious, I saw a first year cradling his arm after her detention" Dean said.
"His arm?" Neville asked.
"I am sure if she was hurting someone, Minny would know, she has the nose of a bloodhound" Fred reassured them.
"Yes, she can't just hurt kids, this is Hogwarts!" Ron said.
Neville meet Ginny's eyes, they were both unconvinced.
Is only a few days later when Umbridge is named Chief Inquisitor at Hogwarts.
"That name is so insulting!" Hermione huffs.
"What do you mean?" Pansy asked.
They were all studying in the Prefect's room because it was significantly quieter.
"That is the name muggle used when they were burning people at the stake claiming their were magic"
"Muggles burned magic folk alive!?" Neville widdens his eyes.
"Couldn't they use a freezing charm?" Draco pipes out from his seat.
"They were not real witches; they accused one another for different reasons. The accused was always guilty" Hermione supplied.
"Why?" Neville asked.
"Money" Pansy and Hermione answer in the same time.
"Grudges" Draco supplied.
"Now you understand why the name is so wrong?"
"Yes, Proffesor" They all replied in the same time.
Hermione glared at them and continued on her Charms homework.
Umbridge does not stop there. During the fallowing week she starts interrogating the teachers and assisting in their class. Neville doesn't take Divination, but he found out from Lavender that Umbridge was especially hard on Professor Trelawney.
"That woman is a menace" Hermione whispers during one of their study seasons.
No one usually checks so they sneaked Harry in as well.
"Oh no, you have that face!" Pansy sighs dramatically.
"What face?" Hermione asked innocently.
"The plotting face" Harry supplied.
"I do not have such a face!"
They are a few minutes of silence where only quills squabbling on paper is heard.
"I was just thinking that…" Hermione starts.
"Here it goes" Pansy sighs.
"That" Hermione said louder drowning Pansy's voice. "If Umbridge is not teaching us anything, we should take matter into our own hands"
"Not another study group! Hermione, you made me join two so far!" Harry said exhausted.
"And your grades show that, but no…not really"
"Not really?" Pansy raises an eyebrow.
"I was thinking of a more practical approach"
"Do you want us to practice defense spells in our own time?" Draco asked sounding bored.
"We can learn from each other!" Hermione defended.
"Learn what?" Draco asked.
"Harry can do a Patronus spell, not everyone had the defensive training you guys had!" Hermione argued.
"Well, not all people needed it like we do!" Draco argued.
"I wish I could have known a spell or two to protect myself back when I was kidnapped" Neville said in a small voice.
Harry looks at him and nods.
"Fine, but Hermione you are taking care of it and only the people present!"
"You can count me out actually" Draco said.
"Why?" Hermione asked offended.
"I think is a silly idea and I do not want to get caught by Umbridge. " Draco rises from the table "I am done here"
Harry glared at Draco's retreating back.
"Be patient with him, he is going through a tough time" Pansy said putting a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"I know….I just…We can't help him if he pushes everyone away"
"I can talk to him again if you want" Pansy offers.
"No, is his choice, we will do it regardless" Harry smiles at Neville.
"Okay, so we can meet at the Hog's Head next Hogsmade weekend, I have a couple of people I want to invite!" Hermione announces.
"I will invite Ron as well" Harry said.
Hermione looks ready to argue, but doesn't say anything in the end.
Neville was waiting in the Hog's Head. Hermione had a list and a quill and was furiously writing names down. Harry was in the middle of the table overlooking the room full of students.
"We said only a few students" He hissed at Hermione.
"Well, Ron wanted to invite his siblings as well" Pansy commented from Hermione's side.
"They are more people here then the Weasley's" Harry said getting a bit impatient.
"All done, there are only 25 of us!" Hermione said exasperated.
"25!?" Harry shouted. All the chatter in the room stops and all eyes are on him.
"We have people from all houses, a lot of people wanted to join" Hermione whispers.
"Uhm hello" Harry addressed the gathering shyly.
"Hello!" A chorus of voices answered.
"I wrote everyone names on this list, it will go around and I want everyone to touch the tip of their wand to it, is enchanted if you tell anyone about it, I put a curse on it that will activate" Hermione said in a calm voice" If you are not sure, now is the time to step down!" She added.
"A curse?" Harry asked as the paper is circling around.
"I wanted to put pimples at first, but Pansy suggested boils and I went with that"
The paper returns to the center and Neville puts his wand as well. The tip of it lights up and his name is shining in gold on the paper before fading to black.
"Have you settled on the name?" Neville asked.
It was a huge argument. Hermione wanted Dumbledore's Army, but Pansy was against it and preferred Hogwarts's Guardians. Hermione took a long look at Pansy and finally written in gold letters Hogwarts's Guardians on the top.
Pansy smirks content.
"Draco?" Harry asks searching through the small room.
Pansy shakes her head no. Harry nods, but is like a light in his eyes dims.
"I made this" Hermione takes from her bag some gold coins. "When they shine is time for a HG meeting. Pass them around!"
Everyone takes their coin.
"Where will we meet?" Ginny asked.
"We are looking for a right place, we will let you all know" Hermione said.
"What about the Room of Requirement?" Luna Lovegood asked.
"That is just a legend" Hermione huffs.
"I've seen it!" Luna defends.
People start throwing suggestions and ignore Luna's comment. Ginny looks around murderous.
"I think the Room of Requirement is a viable solution" Neville speaks out.
"If you can find it!" Hermione said doubtful.
"We will!" Neville said and smiled at Luna and Ginny in the front row.
"Thank you!" Is Luna's dreamy voice. Neville turns towards her as they exit the Inn.
Luna and Ginny are staying behind, tagging along on the way back.
"I read about it as well" Neville said.
"Will you really help us find it?" Ginny asked.
"Yes!" Neville said sure.
"The legend said the room appears only when someone is in need of it. To make it appear, one must walk past its hidden entrance three times while concentrating on what is needed. The room will then appear, outfitted with whatever is required." Luna said.
"So we should pace all over the school?" Neville asked.
"We have a few good places to start from!" Ginny assures him.
"Absolutely not!" Draco's voice rings in the hallway.
"Is not they are doing something bad!" Neville argues.
"Just breaking curfew!"
"For a noble cause!" Neville insists.
"Yeah….Hermione's little scheme, that is not helping your cause"
"Well, they are already there, so is a bit too late"
"You just asked me to agree to it!" Draco widens his eyes.
"Luna said it will be better this way, she is quite smart"
Draco glares, but skips over checking the kitchen area.
"We've found it!" Luna ambushes him after breakfast the next day.
Neville jumps in surprise and drops his bag. He turns towards the voice; Ginny and Luna are grinningly at him widely.
"Can we use it?" He asked grabbing his things.
"Yeah, we will let Hermione know after dinner" Ginny reassured.
"Great" Neville smiled embarrassed.
"See you then!" Luna smiled and dragged Ginny away.
Neville's coin is burning in his trousers' pocket while he is in his Defense Class. He doesn't check it, but Ron is about to, before Neville brushes his shoulder to stop him. No one else checks the coin in the middle of the class thankfully.
They all gather after dinner. Draco is doing his rounds alone and will probably cover for them in front of the others.
The room they slip in is big and round, the walls and floor are made of stone, but they are mattresses littering the floors and mirrors are hanging on the walls.
They all slip in and the door closes behind them.
"How do we get out?" Ron asked.
"The door will appear when it is needed" Luna answered serene.
No one argued this time, considering the fact she is the reason they found this in the first place.
"Thank you all for coming. This first lesson, we will practice the disarming spell Expeliamus" Harry stated.
"How can that help us when we fight someone?" Dean asked.
"The first action we should take in a combat situation is trying to get away unless the escape is not possible" Hermione lectured.
"We came here to learn how to fight!" Seamus protested.
"And you will learn how to escape and defend yourselves" Pansy said losing her patience.
Some people still mumbled under their breaths, but everyone positioned into a circle with Harry in the middle.
"Form pairs" Harry instructed.
Everyone stumbled to form pairs; Neville was too awkward to go to anyone, so he waited patiently for whoever was left and pried they were an even number. When everyone chooses a partner, only Ginny was left. Neville looked over to Luna surprised they are not partnered, but Luna is already chatting up with Cho Chang.
Neville shuffles closer to Ginny.
"Hey!" He said unsure.
"Hi" Ginny smiles.
"Okay now I want you to try and disarm each other!" Harry said and raised his own wand. He partner with Hermione and everyone gave them a large breach.
The room erupted in spells, pure and total chaos. Ginny was quicker than him and Neville found himself being thrown into the air. From each pair someone was either down or wandless, only Harry and Hermione stood in the middle completely unruffled.
"Again!" Harry encourages.
Hermione slips by and takes Dean's place fighting Ron. Dean shrugs and walks over to Ginny.
"Want to try, red?"
Ginny smirks and raises her wand. Dean is sent flying into the air much like Neville was. The pair change after each try, Neville manages to disarm 3 people, but doesn't send anyone flying like Ginny and Hermione do.
By the end of the lesson, Neville is sore and has some bruises in places he doesn't want to think about, but all in all he has a better handle of the spell then he did before.
The next day while in Potion's Umbridge shows up to interview Professor Snape. Neville really hated professor Snape during his first years, he was terrified of him, but in the last year the teacher has significantly mellowed out, so Neville didn't really want to see him gone anymore.
Professor Snape has asked them to work on a Potion while Umbridge grilled him out. He and Ron have the table closest to the teachers. Umbridge started asking her questions and writing in her notepad. Snape answered in his monotone unimpressed tone dripping with sarcasm. Neville and Ron were doing their best not to snicker too loud.
Finally, Umbridge left in a huff. She doesn't seem very impressed, Professor Snape was in a foul mood all throughout the lesson, Neville gets yelled out for messing a potion for the first time in a long time. He doesn't take it personally.
"Is going to be okay!" Neville assures Ron for the 10th time that morning.
"I have no idea why I am even in the team!" Ron cried.
"Because they wanted a full set!" Dean jokes and bit into his breakfast.
Seamus elbows Dean and glares at him.
"You are in the team because you are a good player!" Seamus said.
"I was only joking, mate, you are a good player, is in your blood" Dean said rolling his eyes.
"But to play Slytherin in my very first game!" Ron cried out.
"Is a ritual of passage" Seamus assured wisely.
"No one expects you to win the game for us, just stay on the broom" Dean grinned.
"Thanks for the support!" Ron said glaring at Dean.
Dean just shrugged and smiled.
"I am going to tell Angelina I am quitting!"
"No, you are not!" Ginny rolled her eyes and set her plate next to them.
"She will understand" Ron argued.
Angelina glared at them from her place at the table, did she heard them all the way to where she is seated?
"Like Dean said, just stay on the broom, I can do the rest" She winks.
"You know you are up against Draco Black, right?" Ron asked.
"I can beat him any day" Ginny grins.
"I think she took all the confidence in the family" Dean whispers loudly to Seamus.
Ginny looks up and smiles at Dean and then winks.
"Stop that!" Ron growls.
Luna is sitting by him in the stands. She is wearing a huge lion on her head as a hat that row every time Gryffindor scores. Hermione is sitting with the Ravenclaws, but she is wearing a Gryffindor scarf.
Harry and Pansy are in the Slytherin stands, waving their flags. Neville knows Sirius Black and Remus Lupin are in the stands as well, Professor Lupin stoped to chat with him before the match, and they exchange letters from time to time after the events in third year.
Luna's lion gets a few good growls in, but in the end Slytherin wins the game. Ron wasn't really in his best shape, but in the end it was Draco catching the Snitch that does them. He looks into the parent's loge with a huge grin and the snitch fluttering in his hands and for a second his face darkened. Sirius cheers loudly and waves a huge flag.
Draco is drawn in by his cheering team, but Neville doesn't see him smile once all through the day. There is a party in the Slytherin Common Room and Harry invites them, but Ron refuses to go. Dean, Seamus and Ginny go, but Neville decided to remain with Ron, mopping.
The lessons continue smoothly after that. Umbridge drops a few more decrees, but they have the Hogwart's Guardians to keep them going. Neville never considered himself a good fighter, but he was quickly learning all the spells Harry thought them. Harry was a great teacher as well, as the lessons progressed he grew more and more confident and they got to more advanced stuff.
By far Neville's favorite lesson was the Patronus Charm. They were meeting in a Hogsmade weekend, sneaked back inside the castle using one of the short cuts Fred and George knew. The school was empty, only the first and second years, but they were not nearly as loud as the upper classes.
"So for the Patronus spell, all you need to do is think of your happiest memory, you need to visualize that and then cast the spell. " Harry lectured.
"The spell can be used in more ways than to fend off against Dementors as it can be used against a ray of other dark creatures and to send messages" Hermione added.
Everyone took their places and started casting.
Harry casts first. A stag, looking like a young buck, but still impressive in its size. Hermione got it on her second try, a silver otter that flew playfully across the room.
She was the only one that got a corporeal Patronus in the first lesson. Harry assured all of them that is okay, that it took him a while to master it too and that in a combat situation the spell would act differently.
The problem is, Neville doesn't get it on his second lesson, or third or fourth or by the time everyone else can do it. He can manage a non-corporeal, a tick white mist around himself like a shield, but never more than that.
Ginny managed a horse in her third lesson, Ron's is a Terrier, and even the twins managed it to cast two identical magpies. Neville's last hope was secretly the Slytherins, being a known fact that it was a light spell and most dark families couldn't cast it.
Blaze managed it, a panther, all smooth lines and regal pace. Pansy took longer to master it, but her cobra was terrifying. Neville heard Pavati gasp loudly and only then noticed the reptile curled around Pansy's frame.
Neville was officially the last one. Harry was still encouraging and Hermione gave him a book on the magical theory, but the Gryffindor saw the pity in everyone's eyes. Another thing Neville sucks at….
Neville was lying in bed that night staring at the ceiling. Maybe the problem was the memory; Neville doesn't have that many happy memories to begin with. He tried for the day that his mum gave him a candy wrapper for his birthday and remembered his name or the full day he got to spend with Frank in a rare moment of lucidity.
Maybe Neville should focus on newer memories, happier ones, like the time Remus saved him from Bellatrix…but maybe it wasn't an exact memory, maybe it was the concept of it, something that make him happy, a reason that in a fight like scenario would help him to keep going. Neville fall asleep with a new plan forming.
The next morning, he goes to an empty classroom to practice. He closed his eyes and though about his friends, about the found family that he made over the years, at Ron and his family, Harry and Hermione, Luna and before the words left his mouth to Ginny.
"Expecto Petronum!" His voice shake, but his hand was steady as always.
A mist erupted from his wand, damn it and he really thought he was on the right path his time. But then, from the mist took shape a mighty lion.
Neville was speechless. His Patronus nuzzled at him big cat and pounced. After a few minutes of stunned silence the Patronus dissolved into mist.
Neville didn't want to go home for Christmas that year. He had one of the best years he had in all of his school years, he had a huge gang of friends now, he had in more than one occasion people from HG step in for him when he was bullied or picked on.
They had a lesson about shields, Neville was much better at defense spells then he was at offense ones. Everyone was speechless when he showed them his Patronus at the begging of the class, only Ginny was sitting in a corner grinning.
After the end of the lesson, people rushed out to get their suitcases ready for the journey home tomorrow. Neville was half way to the Gryffindor tower when he noticed that he forgot his blazer in the room.
"Do you want me to come back with you?" Ron asked from atop the stairs.
"No, go and pack I will be right back!" Neville said rushing back down.
Neville made his way back to the kitchens and revealed the room. He checked for any other students before opening the door. He walked on the dark room dimly lit by candles. He thought initially that everyone has cleared out, but as he walks farther in the room he sees a shape at the back of the room.
"Ha…" He started calling, but stopped.
It was indeed Harry. Harry and Draco Black arguing with mistletoe forming above their heads.
Neville stopped for a second to look at them. The room above their heads was trying so hard…Draco and Harry were shouting about the HG. Draco wanted Harry to quit as Umbridge was getting bolder and he can be in danger, Harry doesn't seem to listen. Neville shakes his head and leaves them to it.