CHAPTER 10
Accusations
As soon as Hermione was out of his sight, Harry swore. His head was swimming. Who would do this to Hermione? His first thought was Ron, but shook that idea out of his head, knowing he wouldn't treat her like that. He silently vowed to find out who it was and get his revenge. He decided to put his jealousy aside and ask for Ron's help. Not knowing where he was (and not knowing the charm Hermione does), he painstakingly waited for him to return to the common room.
After what seemed like an hour to Harry (which was, in fact, ten minutes), Ron finally showed up. Harry piped up as soon as he saw the flaming red hair, and said loudly, "Where have you been?" Ron stopped abruptly, with a confused look on his face. "Well?" said Harry, even more loudly than before.
"I was in the Great Hall," he answered, meekly, thinking he was in trouble for something. Harry could sense this, but didn't know what it was about, and even more, he didn't care.
"Ron, I need your help."
"Now? I'm kind of in the middle of something. Could you help me?"
"Ron, NOW. Hermione was almost raped in the library!"
Ron didn't say anything for a second. "I know, Harry. . ."
Harry was usually ready for a lot of things, but not of this news. "What?!"
"As soon as I found out, I left the Great Hall to ask for your help. I didn't know where you were, which is why I was gone so long."
"How did you. . .?" Harry began, but then, realizing that he was wasting time, decided to forget about it. "Do you know who it was?" Ron shook his head.
"No. But I have a thought. It's stupid though."
"Anything will help right now, Ron."
"Well. . .Neville likes Hermione, too, doesn't he?"
* * * * *
The dormitory door burst open. Dean Thomas sat up sharply, tossing what appeared to be a magazine under him. "Where's Neville?" Ron demanded.
"No clue, mate. What do you need him for?"
"Never you mind," Harry quickly responded. "Well, where do we check now, Ron?"
"Oh! I don't know why I didn't think of this before! Hermione showed me this charm yesterday that's perfect for this." Ron muttered some kind of incantation that Harry couldn't hear. After twenty seconds of Ron's staring at nothing, Harry began to speak, asking what's going on. Ron hushed him. Harry and Dean watched in confusion. "I've got it!" shouted Ron, giving Harry and Dean a start. "He's in the library! Hey, isn't that where. . .?"
"Yes," Harry answered him. "Let's go."
"Wait," said Dean. The two turned around and looked at him. "Could you two, uh, do me a favor? Could you put in a good word about me to Hermione?"
* * * * *
Ron grabbed Neville by the collar and pushed him into the wall, holding him there. "What's the big idea?" they said in unison, Ron angry and Neville scared. Ron gave him the dirtiest of looks.
"Let him down, Ron," Harry told him. Reluctantly, he let go of Neville's collar.
"What's this all about?" asked a petrified Neville.
Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Ron interjected his own thoughts. "Don't play dumb! I know what you did to Hermione you. . .you. . .well, I don't know what you are but you can bet it's bad!" Ron whipped out his wand, but surprisingly, Neville was the first to cast a spell. Ron's entire body became as stiff as a board, and he fell over. Harry, regardless of the circumstances, was impressed. Neville swung his wand around at Harry, shaking.
"Don't try anything, Harry."
"I'm not going to, Neville. Put the wand down."
"No!" he screamed.
"Put it down." Neville still refused to drop it. Harry's hand slowly crept to his wand. In one fast, fluid motion, Harry ducked and said, "Expelliarmus!" Neville flew slightly backwards (since the wall wasn't far back) and his wand came to Harry's hand. When Neville got up, Harry handed him his wand. "I'm not going to hurt you. Let's sit down." They both sat, Neville now satisfied that he wasn't in danger. "Where were you approximately forty minutes ago?"
Neville curiously answered, "I've been here for about an hour. Why?"
Harry knew this placed him at the scene of the crime, but did not make him the criminal. "Did you see Hermione come in here at all within that hour?"
"Yeah, I have," Neville said, blushing. "I was going to ask her for help on my homework, but I figured it would be best if I tried to learn the stuff on my own. I'd like to think that I had actually earned the grade myself. I don't think she saw me, anyway."
"Did you see her leave?"
"No, I didn't."
Harry tried hard to think of something that would either prove or disprove Neville's innocence. He thought back to what Hermione said. She was in the library. Yes, he already found out that Neville was there. She was grabbed by something invisible. Well, Neville had access to Harry's invisibility cloak. Whoever it was silenced her. Hmm. . .this is something he could find out. "Neville, I want you to put a silencing charm on me."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
"Alright. Silencio." Harry couldn't speak. He moved his mouth but nothing came out. He pointed at his mouth to get the message across to Neville to take the charm off. Neville caught on, just as Harry did earlier, and took it off. Neville stared at him blankly, but Harry was lost in thought. Let's see. . .what else? She was thrown to the ground. He couldn't prove that Neville did that. She hit him. Well, since he was invisible there is no spot Harry could specifically check. He figured that he couldn't accuse Neville of anything. There was no incriminating evidence. But maybe there was at the scene of the crime! He said his goodbyes and thank yous to Neville, and started off, but Neville called to him. Harry turned around. Neville said, "Don't forget him," pointing to the stiff Ron on the floor.
"Right, thanks," said Harry, and he took the spell off Ron. Ron immediately lunged at Neville, who, once again, turned Ron into a human ironing board. Harry sighed. "Wingardium Leviosa." Ron floated up and Harry guided him away from Neville.
When they were at a safe distance from anyone that Ron could attack, Harry let him down and broke the spell again. "What are you doing?" Ron screamed immediately. "Are you mad? You just let Neville go!"
"There's no solid evidence that it was him. I mean, think of all the times we've been wrong before--like about Quirrel or Moody, or even Sirius. None of them were what they seemed. And Neville's our friend. I don't want to accuse him of something he didn't do. That's why we should find the spot where Hermione was attacked and maybe we could find some clues or something." Ron seemed to agree, but did so reluctantly. "Hermione said she was looking at a book that was about lethifolds or something. What row would that be in?" he asked Ron.
"I dunno, mate. Maybe Madam Pince would know."
The two walked up to Madam Pince and asked her where they could find information on lethifolds. "Aisle three hundred thirty-nine," she answered with conviction. They thanked her and headed right in that direction.
They reached the place, and it was pretty obvious that no one has been there since Hermione, because her belongings were still there. "Look for clues," Ron said, as if it had been his idea all along. They checked Hermione's remaining clothes and found nothing to help them out. They were upset, and knew that if there was anything to help them, it would have shown up by now. Harry took Hermione's bra that was lying there and stuffed it into his robes. Ron, who hadn't seen this, suggested that they take Hermione's clothes back to her. Harry felt that was the most they could do at this point, so they grabbed the rest of her clothes and headed off.
* * * * *
That night, Harry felt really down as he was lying in bed. He was the only one in the room that was still awake. He wanted to help Hermione so badly, but his efforts were fruitless. He vowed that he would find out who it was, and he intended to keep that internal promise to himself. He held Hermione's bra that he snatched earlier that day and just looked at it. He knew he was being perverted at the moment, but he needed something to cheer him up. He noticed the size. Not bad at all. He noticed the color and style. Enticing. But he also noticed one more thing, the one thing he was waiting for all day. How could he have missed this? On the bra, caught in some of the holes as well as the clasp, were some stray hairs. Some stray, yellow, greasy hairs. . .
Accusations
As soon as Hermione was out of his sight, Harry swore. His head was swimming. Who would do this to Hermione? His first thought was Ron, but shook that idea out of his head, knowing he wouldn't treat her like that. He silently vowed to find out who it was and get his revenge. He decided to put his jealousy aside and ask for Ron's help. Not knowing where he was (and not knowing the charm Hermione does), he painstakingly waited for him to return to the common room.
After what seemed like an hour to Harry (which was, in fact, ten minutes), Ron finally showed up. Harry piped up as soon as he saw the flaming red hair, and said loudly, "Where have you been?" Ron stopped abruptly, with a confused look on his face. "Well?" said Harry, even more loudly than before.
"I was in the Great Hall," he answered, meekly, thinking he was in trouble for something. Harry could sense this, but didn't know what it was about, and even more, he didn't care.
"Ron, I need your help."
"Now? I'm kind of in the middle of something. Could you help me?"
"Ron, NOW. Hermione was almost raped in the library!"
Ron didn't say anything for a second. "I know, Harry. . ."
Harry was usually ready for a lot of things, but not of this news. "What?!"
"As soon as I found out, I left the Great Hall to ask for your help. I didn't know where you were, which is why I was gone so long."
"How did you. . .?" Harry began, but then, realizing that he was wasting time, decided to forget about it. "Do you know who it was?" Ron shook his head.
"No. But I have a thought. It's stupid though."
"Anything will help right now, Ron."
"Well. . .Neville likes Hermione, too, doesn't he?"
* * * * *
The dormitory door burst open. Dean Thomas sat up sharply, tossing what appeared to be a magazine under him. "Where's Neville?" Ron demanded.
"No clue, mate. What do you need him for?"
"Never you mind," Harry quickly responded. "Well, where do we check now, Ron?"
"Oh! I don't know why I didn't think of this before! Hermione showed me this charm yesterday that's perfect for this." Ron muttered some kind of incantation that Harry couldn't hear. After twenty seconds of Ron's staring at nothing, Harry began to speak, asking what's going on. Ron hushed him. Harry and Dean watched in confusion. "I've got it!" shouted Ron, giving Harry and Dean a start. "He's in the library! Hey, isn't that where. . .?"
"Yes," Harry answered him. "Let's go."
"Wait," said Dean. The two turned around and looked at him. "Could you two, uh, do me a favor? Could you put in a good word about me to Hermione?"
* * * * *
Ron grabbed Neville by the collar and pushed him into the wall, holding him there. "What's the big idea?" they said in unison, Ron angry and Neville scared. Ron gave him the dirtiest of looks.
"Let him down, Ron," Harry told him. Reluctantly, he let go of Neville's collar.
"What's this all about?" asked a petrified Neville.
Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Ron interjected his own thoughts. "Don't play dumb! I know what you did to Hermione you. . .you. . .well, I don't know what you are but you can bet it's bad!" Ron whipped out his wand, but surprisingly, Neville was the first to cast a spell. Ron's entire body became as stiff as a board, and he fell over. Harry, regardless of the circumstances, was impressed. Neville swung his wand around at Harry, shaking.
"Don't try anything, Harry."
"I'm not going to, Neville. Put the wand down."
"No!" he screamed.
"Put it down." Neville still refused to drop it. Harry's hand slowly crept to his wand. In one fast, fluid motion, Harry ducked and said, "Expelliarmus!" Neville flew slightly backwards (since the wall wasn't far back) and his wand came to Harry's hand. When Neville got up, Harry handed him his wand. "I'm not going to hurt you. Let's sit down." They both sat, Neville now satisfied that he wasn't in danger. "Where were you approximately forty minutes ago?"
Neville curiously answered, "I've been here for about an hour. Why?"
Harry knew this placed him at the scene of the crime, but did not make him the criminal. "Did you see Hermione come in here at all within that hour?"
"Yeah, I have," Neville said, blushing. "I was going to ask her for help on my homework, but I figured it would be best if I tried to learn the stuff on my own. I'd like to think that I had actually earned the grade myself. I don't think she saw me, anyway."
"Did you see her leave?"
"No, I didn't."
Harry tried hard to think of something that would either prove or disprove Neville's innocence. He thought back to what Hermione said. She was in the library. Yes, he already found out that Neville was there. She was grabbed by something invisible. Well, Neville had access to Harry's invisibility cloak. Whoever it was silenced her. Hmm. . .this is something he could find out. "Neville, I want you to put a silencing charm on me."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
"Alright. Silencio." Harry couldn't speak. He moved his mouth but nothing came out. He pointed at his mouth to get the message across to Neville to take the charm off. Neville caught on, just as Harry did earlier, and took it off. Neville stared at him blankly, but Harry was lost in thought. Let's see. . .what else? She was thrown to the ground. He couldn't prove that Neville did that. She hit him. Well, since he was invisible there is no spot Harry could specifically check. He figured that he couldn't accuse Neville of anything. There was no incriminating evidence. But maybe there was at the scene of the crime! He said his goodbyes and thank yous to Neville, and started off, but Neville called to him. Harry turned around. Neville said, "Don't forget him," pointing to the stiff Ron on the floor.
"Right, thanks," said Harry, and he took the spell off Ron. Ron immediately lunged at Neville, who, once again, turned Ron into a human ironing board. Harry sighed. "Wingardium Leviosa." Ron floated up and Harry guided him away from Neville.
When they were at a safe distance from anyone that Ron could attack, Harry let him down and broke the spell again. "What are you doing?" Ron screamed immediately. "Are you mad? You just let Neville go!"
"There's no solid evidence that it was him. I mean, think of all the times we've been wrong before--like about Quirrel or Moody, or even Sirius. None of them were what they seemed. And Neville's our friend. I don't want to accuse him of something he didn't do. That's why we should find the spot where Hermione was attacked and maybe we could find some clues or something." Ron seemed to agree, but did so reluctantly. "Hermione said she was looking at a book that was about lethifolds or something. What row would that be in?" he asked Ron.
"I dunno, mate. Maybe Madam Pince would know."
The two walked up to Madam Pince and asked her where they could find information on lethifolds. "Aisle three hundred thirty-nine," she answered with conviction. They thanked her and headed right in that direction.
They reached the place, and it was pretty obvious that no one has been there since Hermione, because her belongings were still there. "Look for clues," Ron said, as if it had been his idea all along. They checked Hermione's remaining clothes and found nothing to help them out. They were upset, and knew that if there was anything to help them, it would have shown up by now. Harry took Hermione's bra that was lying there and stuffed it into his robes. Ron, who hadn't seen this, suggested that they take Hermione's clothes back to her. Harry felt that was the most they could do at this point, so they grabbed the rest of her clothes and headed off.
* * * * *
That night, Harry felt really down as he was lying in bed. He was the only one in the room that was still awake. He wanted to help Hermione so badly, but his efforts were fruitless. He vowed that he would find out who it was, and he intended to keep that internal promise to himself. He held Hermione's bra that he snatched earlier that day and just looked at it. He knew he was being perverted at the moment, but he needed something to cheer him up. He noticed the size. Not bad at all. He noticed the color and style. Enticing. But he also noticed one more thing, the one thing he was waiting for all day. How could he have missed this? On the bra, caught in some of the holes as well as the clasp, were some stray hairs. Some stray, yellow, greasy hairs. . .