Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, brilliantly created by J.K.
Rowling. Most situations are based on those created by J.K. Rowling.
Chapter Twenty-One: Neville's Revenge
June arrived, and Ginny found herself busy with the stress of her O.W.L.'s. Harry kept her company during her studying, as much as possible without making Ron suspicious. Despite what Ginny had promised herself the night they spent in the Great Hall, she and Harry still kept their relationship to themselves. They liked it that way, for the time being.
Aside from hearing about a death now and then, the school heard no more about the mass Death Eater attacks. There was much sympathy for the four students called out of the Great Hall that day, as they had all lost someone close to them in some way. The four students were excused for the rest of the term, and had not returned to Hogwarts. The friends, and the other students at the school, were able to fall quickly back into their world of unreality, though Ron insisted on accompanying Hermione everywhere she went (he had never spent so much time in the library!). Once again, this very often left Harry behind and he was glad to have the extra time to spend with Ginny. He understood now why Ron and Hermione had wanted to be alone when they first got together.
"When do your exams start?" Harry now asked his girlfriend as he sat next to her on one of the couches in the common room.
"Four days," said Ginny. "I'm really worried about potions."
"Don't worry," Harry said. "You'll be just fine. When you're out of Snape's classroom, potions is so much easier."
"I can't believe you still take that horrid class," said Ginny. "I'm dropping it. A Mind Reader just needs an O.W.L. in potions."
"Wish it was that way for Aurors," said Harry. Ginny smiled at him and he leaned over to kiss her when the portrait hole opened and Hermione walked in. This was generally the signal that Ron was coming, so they moved further apart on the couch, and each grabbed a book just as Ron appeared through the portrait hole.
Hermione and Ron walked over to Harry and Ginny. "Something's up," Ron said immediately.
"What?" Harry asked. The tone in Ron's voice made him know that they were talking about something big.
"We can't be sure," said Hermione. "But all the teachers we saw are talking in hushed tones, and stopping altogether when we walked by."
"What do you think it is?" Ginny asked. "Another attack?"
"Seems like it," said Hermione.
"We need to know more," said Harry. "Come on, Ron." Harry dragged Ron upstairs to get the invisibility cloak, and then they both headed to the portrait hole without a word to Hermione and Ginny.
"Wait a minute!" Hermione exclaimed, stopping them. "Where do you two think you're going?"
"To get information," Harry explained.
"And what about us?" Ginny asked.
"What about you?" Ron asked. "You and Hermione will stay here."
"Excuse me?" Hermione asked. "We're not children! We've experienced almost everything you have!"
"But it might be dangerous!" Ron exclaimed.
"So?" Ginny asked defensively. "We know how to take care of ourselves."
"Hold on!" Harry intercepted before a raging argument took place. "We're not ALL going to fit under this cloak, and if something is up, we're going to need it or we'll be sent back here before we know anything! Now, Ginny, Hermione, we KNOW how capable you are. We'll come back and let you know as soon as we know something."
"FINE!" Hermione and Ginny exclaimed in unison. They sill wanted to go, but they sat quietly on the common room couches and glared as Harry and Ron, seemingly satisfied with their reaction, headed out of the common room.
* * *
"McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey were outside the hospital wing," Ron said to Harry, who threw the cloak over them.
"Let's go," said Harry, and the two set off, struggling to make sure they were both contained under the cloak. When they approached the hospital wing, they heard voices.
"Now, Minerva," came the voice of Albus Dumbledore. "Something MUST be done. Bellatrix Lestrange has a history of dangerous behavior."
"But do you think it wise to alarm the children?" Professor McGonagall asked. "Lestrange has been lying low. No attacks on anyone."
"Minerva, clearly the Death Eaters will try to set something up in Hogsmeade. We have to be on our guard."
"Of course, Albus," said Professor McGonagall. "So will we be expelling her from Hogsmeade tonight?"
Dumbledore paused, "Absolutely," hr said.
Harry and Ron had heard enough. They turned around to walk quietly back to the common room. When they were safely away from the teachers, they pulled the clock off and headed back. When they almost reached the common room, they collided with a distraught Neville Longbottom.
"Ow! Neville! Watch where you're going!" Ron exclaimed.
"Harry!" Neville cried. "I was coming to find you. You have an invisibility cloak?" Harry nodded. "Can I borrow it?"
Harry wasn't so sure this was a good idea, "What for?"
"I'm going to Hogsmeade," Neville said calmly.
"WHAT?!" Ron cried. "You can't. It's dangerous."
"I know how dangerous it is!" Neville exclaimed. "I know who's there, and I don't want her anywhere near Hogwarts."
"Neville, you of all people should know what Lestrange is capable of," said Ron. "Your parents-"
"I'll go with you," Harry said.
"WHAT?!" Ron exclaimed again in disbelief.
"She killed Sirius," Harry said. "And you just said it yourself - you know what she did to Neville's parents."
"But Harry, Dumbledore's going to take care of it," Ron pleaded.
"NO!" This time it was Neville who spoke. Ron saw the strange new expression in his eyes, of the deepest hate possible. Neville seemed possessed, and yet he was capable of his own thought.
"Are you coming?" Harry asked Ron.
"What about Hermione and Ginny?" Ron asked, looking towards the portrait hole.
"There's no time!" Neville urged.
"Yeah," added Harry. "Do you want them to come along?" Ron shook his head. "Then let's go!" Harry exclaimed, and he, Neville and Ron set off in the direction of the Whomping Willow.
* * *
An hour later, Hermione and Ginny were still on the couch in the common room. "Where are they?" Ginny exclaimed. "It can't take this long!"
Hermione said nothing. She was terrified. Her fears were not lessened when, five minutes later, Professor McGonagall entered the common room and made a very familiar announcement. As they followed her down to the Great Hall, Ginny turned to Hermione. "Maybe they're already there. Maybe they got caught."
"Let's hope," Hermione said, wishing for the first time that Harry had gotten caught with the cloak.
However, when they arrived in the Great Hall, they were greeted only with the sleeping bags. They pulled theirs to their usual spot to wait. They were soon joined by Luna Lovegood.
"Hi Luna," they said.
Luna did not return the greeting. Instead she said, "Where's Neville?"
"We were wondering where Harry and Ron were, actually," Hermione said to Luna. "I'm really starting to worry."
Dumbledore chose that moment to silence the crowd. "Students we have gathered you here - again - because we have reason to suspect that there's a Death Eater in Hogsmeade." This news was met with gasps from the crowd. Ginny, Hermione and Luna looked at each other knowingly. Dumbledore continued, "Steps are being taken to expel this Death Eater tonight. Students are asked to remain here for the evening."
Hermione, Ginny and Luna had heard enough. Hermione raised her hand. "Professor Dumbledore, may we have a word with you?" Dumbledore nodded and gestured for the girls to enter the room Harry had gone through in fourth year when he was chosen for the Triwizard Tournament.
"What can I help you with?" Dumbledore asked, and he noticed the absence of Harry, Ron and Neville.
"Well, sir," began Hermione. "We have reason to believe that Harry, Ron and Neville went to Hogsmeade."
"Are you positive?" Dumbledore asked.
"Who was the Death Eater?" Hermione asked.
Dumbledore sighed, knowingly, "Bellatrix Lestrange."
"We're positive!" all three girls exclaimed. Dumbledore nodded.
"Yes, yes, it would make sense," he said. "Girls, you must promise to stay right here, in this room until either I or another teacher fetches you."
Before he left, he conjured some sleeping bags and even some food for the three of them and rushed out of the room.
"Damn them!" Hermione exclaimed. "Didn't they think about their safety? Or how this would effect us?"
"They never do," Luna said. "They never do."
* * *
"Where are we?" Neville asked as the three boys emerged from the tunnel.
"Shrieking Shack," Ron said simply. Neville didn't ask any questions. He'd already seem enough Hogwarts secrets for the evening. Besides, he had his goal in mind, and he was determined to find Bellatrix Lestrange.
Suddenly, they heard cackling laughter above them. "She's HERE!" Harry hissed. He and Ron questioned each other with their eyes. "Wormtail told her about it!" they exclaimed in unison. Neville looked at them. "We'll explain later," Ron said.
"It's Lestrange I care about," said Neville. "You have wands ready?"
Ron and Harry nodded, suddenly fearful. What had Neville convinced them to do. "We've faced them before, we've faced them before, we've faced them before," Ron chanted as they walked up the stairs.
"Shhhh!" Neville hissed, but he stumbled on the steps and forced all three of them to become uncovered.
A door creaked open above them, and a beam of light shone on them. Bellatrix Lestrange appeared in the doorway. "Well, well, well," she said. "What have we here? Potter, of course, and the Longbottom boy, and a stray. Well, I certainly have no business with the stray-"
"RON RUN!" Harry screamed, remembering the words Voldemort said before killing Cedric Diggory.
Ron was down the stairs in one leap. Though he twisted his ankle, he continued to run and narrowly missed Bellatrix's curse. "Bloody hell!" he exclaimed. He hid in the trapdoor that led to the tunnel, concealing it from view to anyone on the other side. He planned to lie low for a moment, and then head back up to help Harry and Neville.
Ron jumped whenever he heard a crash, but the sounds of Neville's and Harry's voices calling out spells made him know that they were still safe. Or alive, at any rate. "I have to help," Ron said after what felt like an hour (but was only 10 minutes).
"You stay right where you are!" a voice exclaimed and Ron turned to see that it was Albus Dumbledore. Ron said nothing but watched Dumbledore go through the trapdoor. Ron listened carefully. He heard some feet shuffling, but little else. He was feeling the pain in his foot, made worse by the anticipation of the fight's outcome. "I should be up there!" he exclaimed.
* * *
Albus Dumbledore could see that he had arrived too late. The fight was over, and he was too late to help. Bellatrix Lestrange had been defeated, hit by something that looked a combination of two curses, harmless enough on their own but apparently deadly in combination. He checked the woman's pulse just to be sure and sent up the Phoenix signal so that proper members of the Order could deal with the problem.
"I will have to deal with you two later." Dumbledore sighed and he charmed the now stunned Harry and Neville so that he could escort them back to the castle. When he got Harry and Neville down the stairs, he called to Ron. "Mr. Weasley, if you could be so kind as to open the trapdoor. I could use a hand with Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom."
Ron opened the door and Dumbledore hovered the boys in. "Are they-?" Ron asked.
"Yes," said Dumbledore. "Stunned. Quite deeply. They won't wake up for a couple of hours. How is your ankle?"
Ron tried to walk, and winced. "Now so good," he said, and Dumbledore quickly bound it so he could walk. Ron felt a strange déjà vu sensation come over him. The last time they had left the Shrieking Shack had been under very similar conditions.
"Sir?" Ron asked as they walked. "What happened up there?"
"From what I can gather, Harry disarmed Bellatrix and then he ands Neville hit her with various curses. Her big mistake was not having back up."
"So Lestrange is.. gone?"
"Yes," said Dumbledore. "She won't be causing anymore problems. If I were you Mr. Weasley, I'd be more worried about what a certain young lady will do when she sees you."
Ron blushed. "Hermione," was all he said. If he though about it, he would consider himself lucky to even be seeing her again. He could have met his death in that house. "I'm just glad she didn't come with us," said Ron.
At long last, the castle came into view. Dumbledore halted and sealed the tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack, and then led the boys to the hospital wing. From there he headed back to the Great Hall to fetch Hermione, Luna and Ginny.
Chapter Twenty-One: Neville's Revenge
June arrived, and Ginny found herself busy with the stress of her O.W.L.'s. Harry kept her company during her studying, as much as possible without making Ron suspicious. Despite what Ginny had promised herself the night they spent in the Great Hall, she and Harry still kept their relationship to themselves. They liked it that way, for the time being.
Aside from hearing about a death now and then, the school heard no more about the mass Death Eater attacks. There was much sympathy for the four students called out of the Great Hall that day, as they had all lost someone close to them in some way. The four students were excused for the rest of the term, and had not returned to Hogwarts. The friends, and the other students at the school, were able to fall quickly back into their world of unreality, though Ron insisted on accompanying Hermione everywhere she went (he had never spent so much time in the library!). Once again, this very often left Harry behind and he was glad to have the extra time to spend with Ginny. He understood now why Ron and Hermione had wanted to be alone when they first got together.
"When do your exams start?" Harry now asked his girlfriend as he sat next to her on one of the couches in the common room.
"Four days," said Ginny. "I'm really worried about potions."
"Don't worry," Harry said. "You'll be just fine. When you're out of Snape's classroom, potions is so much easier."
"I can't believe you still take that horrid class," said Ginny. "I'm dropping it. A Mind Reader just needs an O.W.L. in potions."
"Wish it was that way for Aurors," said Harry. Ginny smiled at him and he leaned over to kiss her when the portrait hole opened and Hermione walked in. This was generally the signal that Ron was coming, so they moved further apart on the couch, and each grabbed a book just as Ron appeared through the portrait hole.
Hermione and Ron walked over to Harry and Ginny. "Something's up," Ron said immediately.
"What?" Harry asked. The tone in Ron's voice made him know that they were talking about something big.
"We can't be sure," said Hermione. "But all the teachers we saw are talking in hushed tones, and stopping altogether when we walked by."
"What do you think it is?" Ginny asked. "Another attack?"
"Seems like it," said Hermione.
"We need to know more," said Harry. "Come on, Ron." Harry dragged Ron upstairs to get the invisibility cloak, and then they both headed to the portrait hole without a word to Hermione and Ginny.
"Wait a minute!" Hermione exclaimed, stopping them. "Where do you two think you're going?"
"To get information," Harry explained.
"And what about us?" Ginny asked.
"What about you?" Ron asked. "You and Hermione will stay here."
"Excuse me?" Hermione asked. "We're not children! We've experienced almost everything you have!"
"But it might be dangerous!" Ron exclaimed.
"So?" Ginny asked defensively. "We know how to take care of ourselves."
"Hold on!" Harry intercepted before a raging argument took place. "We're not ALL going to fit under this cloak, and if something is up, we're going to need it or we'll be sent back here before we know anything! Now, Ginny, Hermione, we KNOW how capable you are. We'll come back and let you know as soon as we know something."
"FINE!" Hermione and Ginny exclaimed in unison. They sill wanted to go, but they sat quietly on the common room couches and glared as Harry and Ron, seemingly satisfied with their reaction, headed out of the common room.
* * *
"McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey were outside the hospital wing," Ron said to Harry, who threw the cloak over them.
"Let's go," said Harry, and the two set off, struggling to make sure they were both contained under the cloak. When they approached the hospital wing, they heard voices.
"Now, Minerva," came the voice of Albus Dumbledore. "Something MUST be done. Bellatrix Lestrange has a history of dangerous behavior."
"But do you think it wise to alarm the children?" Professor McGonagall asked. "Lestrange has been lying low. No attacks on anyone."
"Minerva, clearly the Death Eaters will try to set something up in Hogsmeade. We have to be on our guard."
"Of course, Albus," said Professor McGonagall. "So will we be expelling her from Hogsmeade tonight?"
Dumbledore paused, "Absolutely," hr said.
Harry and Ron had heard enough. They turned around to walk quietly back to the common room. When they were safely away from the teachers, they pulled the clock off and headed back. When they almost reached the common room, they collided with a distraught Neville Longbottom.
"Ow! Neville! Watch where you're going!" Ron exclaimed.
"Harry!" Neville cried. "I was coming to find you. You have an invisibility cloak?" Harry nodded. "Can I borrow it?"
Harry wasn't so sure this was a good idea, "What for?"
"I'm going to Hogsmeade," Neville said calmly.
"WHAT?!" Ron cried. "You can't. It's dangerous."
"I know how dangerous it is!" Neville exclaimed. "I know who's there, and I don't want her anywhere near Hogwarts."
"Neville, you of all people should know what Lestrange is capable of," said Ron. "Your parents-"
"I'll go with you," Harry said.
"WHAT?!" Ron exclaimed again in disbelief.
"She killed Sirius," Harry said. "And you just said it yourself - you know what she did to Neville's parents."
"But Harry, Dumbledore's going to take care of it," Ron pleaded.
"NO!" This time it was Neville who spoke. Ron saw the strange new expression in his eyes, of the deepest hate possible. Neville seemed possessed, and yet he was capable of his own thought.
"Are you coming?" Harry asked Ron.
"What about Hermione and Ginny?" Ron asked, looking towards the portrait hole.
"There's no time!" Neville urged.
"Yeah," added Harry. "Do you want them to come along?" Ron shook his head. "Then let's go!" Harry exclaimed, and he, Neville and Ron set off in the direction of the Whomping Willow.
* * *
An hour later, Hermione and Ginny were still on the couch in the common room. "Where are they?" Ginny exclaimed. "It can't take this long!"
Hermione said nothing. She was terrified. Her fears were not lessened when, five minutes later, Professor McGonagall entered the common room and made a very familiar announcement. As they followed her down to the Great Hall, Ginny turned to Hermione. "Maybe they're already there. Maybe they got caught."
"Let's hope," Hermione said, wishing for the first time that Harry had gotten caught with the cloak.
However, when they arrived in the Great Hall, they were greeted only with the sleeping bags. They pulled theirs to their usual spot to wait. They were soon joined by Luna Lovegood.
"Hi Luna," they said.
Luna did not return the greeting. Instead she said, "Where's Neville?"
"We were wondering where Harry and Ron were, actually," Hermione said to Luna. "I'm really starting to worry."
Dumbledore chose that moment to silence the crowd. "Students we have gathered you here - again - because we have reason to suspect that there's a Death Eater in Hogsmeade." This news was met with gasps from the crowd. Ginny, Hermione and Luna looked at each other knowingly. Dumbledore continued, "Steps are being taken to expel this Death Eater tonight. Students are asked to remain here for the evening."
Hermione, Ginny and Luna had heard enough. Hermione raised her hand. "Professor Dumbledore, may we have a word with you?" Dumbledore nodded and gestured for the girls to enter the room Harry had gone through in fourth year when he was chosen for the Triwizard Tournament.
"What can I help you with?" Dumbledore asked, and he noticed the absence of Harry, Ron and Neville.
"Well, sir," began Hermione. "We have reason to believe that Harry, Ron and Neville went to Hogsmeade."
"Are you positive?" Dumbledore asked.
"Who was the Death Eater?" Hermione asked.
Dumbledore sighed, knowingly, "Bellatrix Lestrange."
"We're positive!" all three girls exclaimed. Dumbledore nodded.
"Yes, yes, it would make sense," he said. "Girls, you must promise to stay right here, in this room until either I or another teacher fetches you."
Before he left, he conjured some sleeping bags and even some food for the three of them and rushed out of the room.
"Damn them!" Hermione exclaimed. "Didn't they think about their safety? Or how this would effect us?"
"They never do," Luna said. "They never do."
* * *
"Where are we?" Neville asked as the three boys emerged from the tunnel.
"Shrieking Shack," Ron said simply. Neville didn't ask any questions. He'd already seem enough Hogwarts secrets for the evening. Besides, he had his goal in mind, and he was determined to find Bellatrix Lestrange.
Suddenly, they heard cackling laughter above them. "She's HERE!" Harry hissed. He and Ron questioned each other with their eyes. "Wormtail told her about it!" they exclaimed in unison. Neville looked at them. "We'll explain later," Ron said.
"It's Lestrange I care about," said Neville. "You have wands ready?"
Ron and Harry nodded, suddenly fearful. What had Neville convinced them to do. "We've faced them before, we've faced them before, we've faced them before," Ron chanted as they walked up the stairs.
"Shhhh!" Neville hissed, but he stumbled on the steps and forced all three of them to become uncovered.
A door creaked open above them, and a beam of light shone on them. Bellatrix Lestrange appeared in the doorway. "Well, well, well," she said. "What have we here? Potter, of course, and the Longbottom boy, and a stray. Well, I certainly have no business with the stray-"
"RON RUN!" Harry screamed, remembering the words Voldemort said before killing Cedric Diggory.
Ron was down the stairs in one leap. Though he twisted his ankle, he continued to run and narrowly missed Bellatrix's curse. "Bloody hell!" he exclaimed. He hid in the trapdoor that led to the tunnel, concealing it from view to anyone on the other side. He planned to lie low for a moment, and then head back up to help Harry and Neville.
Ron jumped whenever he heard a crash, but the sounds of Neville's and Harry's voices calling out spells made him know that they were still safe. Or alive, at any rate. "I have to help," Ron said after what felt like an hour (but was only 10 minutes).
"You stay right where you are!" a voice exclaimed and Ron turned to see that it was Albus Dumbledore. Ron said nothing but watched Dumbledore go through the trapdoor. Ron listened carefully. He heard some feet shuffling, but little else. He was feeling the pain in his foot, made worse by the anticipation of the fight's outcome. "I should be up there!" he exclaimed.
* * *
Albus Dumbledore could see that he had arrived too late. The fight was over, and he was too late to help. Bellatrix Lestrange had been defeated, hit by something that looked a combination of two curses, harmless enough on their own but apparently deadly in combination. He checked the woman's pulse just to be sure and sent up the Phoenix signal so that proper members of the Order could deal with the problem.
"I will have to deal with you two later." Dumbledore sighed and he charmed the now stunned Harry and Neville so that he could escort them back to the castle. When he got Harry and Neville down the stairs, he called to Ron. "Mr. Weasley, if you could be so kind as to open the trapdoor. I could use a hand with Mr. Potter and Mr. Longbottom."
Ron opened the door and Dumbledore hovered the boys in. "Are they-?" Ron asked.
"Yes," said Dumbledore. "Stunned. Quite deeply. They won't wake up for a couple of hours. How is your ankle?"
Ron tried to walk, and winced. "Now so good," he said, and Dumbledore quickly bound it so he could walk. Ron felt a strange déjà vu sensation come over him. The last time they had left the Shrieking Shack had been under very similar conditions.
"Sir?" Ron asked as they walked. "What happened up there?"
"From what I can gather, Harry disarmed Bellatrix and then he ands Neville hit her with various curses. Her big mistake was not having back up."
"So Lestrange is.. gone?"
"Yes," said Dumbledore. "She won't be causing anymore problems. If I were you Mr. Weasley, I'd be more worried about what a certain young lady will do when she sees you."
Ron blushed. "Hermione," was all he said. If he though about it, he would consider himself lucky to even be seeing her again. He could have met his death in that house. "I'm just glad she didn't come with us," said Ron.
At long last, the castle came into view. Dumbledore halted and sealed the tunnel that led to the Shrieking Shack, and then led the boys to the hospital wing. From there he headed back to the Great Hall to fetch Hermione, Luna and Ginny.