----
Chapter 7 - Forsaken
----
"Wow. I've already read up on how to perform them, you know, just in case. But never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be given permission to actually use them."
"Hermione, you may see this as an educational opportunity, but really, this is far more serious. I don't know if you muggleborns really understand the gravity of the situation," Ernie Macmillan spat. Justin, his best friend, shot him one hell of a surprised look.
"Excuse me?! How dare you! I never said I saw this as an educational opportunity! I was simply stating how surprised I am that I would have to put something so cruel and drastic into practice!"
The two faced each other, shoulders squared, both looking like they were ready to take the first punch. Finally, Ernie backed down.
"Look, I'm sorry. This whole situation stinks. It really does. None of us want to be here. None of us want to be forced to inflict pain on another human being. But we have to. Think of all the rotten things those Death Eaters have done to our loved ones. Think of Harry's parents. Think of Neville's parents. And Susan's and Terry's. Think of Cedric Diggory… remember the horrors our parents lived with on a day-to-day basis. The fear that ran through them as they underwent their daily activities. If we don't do something now, the wizarding world will just go right back to living in constant fear."
Neville stood between Ginny and Seamus, looking more resolute than ever. Ginny grasped Harry's hand tighter. Behind them, Dean placed a comforting hand on Neville's shoulder. Justin slipped an arm around Susan's waist, and she tucked her head into the crook of his neck. Hannah Abbot sighed deeply and made eye contact with Colin Creevy across the room, who gave her a reassuring smile.
Suddenly, they heard an ear-splitting scream coming from somewhere down the row of tents. The students froze. Harry cautiously slipped outside, wand held at the ready.
----
"PROFESSOR! THEY'RE GONE!"
"Calm yourself, Pomona! Take a deep breath. Now. Who is gone?"
"Draco. Malfoy. Pansy. Parkinson." She spoke in gasps, and paused to drink from a bottle of water that was handed to her. "Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle."
"You are certain?"
"Yes. Poppy did not come across them in the Great Hall while taking attendance."
Dumbledore sighed and sat down on one of the benches in resignation, rubbing his temple.
"Then I'm afraid there's nothing we can do. We can only hope that none of them have taken the Mark yet. Alert the members of the Order to go easy on them. Only stun them if the opportunity presents itself. Let us hope for the best."
"Do you really think they've gone to the Dark Side, Albus?"
"I challenge anyone to present me with a better idea."
----
"It's Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, and Malfoy. They've all disappeared." Harry re-entered the tent, shoulders hanging, and looking rather defeated.
"I knew they were in league with You-Know-Who!" Ron shouted, startling everyone out of their silent stupor.
"Ron, sit down. Nobody's surprised. I'd just like to take a few good hexes to those gits. Probably been passing along our secrets the whole time." Seamus stated, looking rather perplexed. Why would they just up and leave the protection of the school right before the final battle?
Just then, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Bill Weasley entered the tent.
"Professor Lupin!" Hermione jumped from her seat and ran to hug Remus, but caught herself and downplayed her actions to a very excited handshake. "It's good to see you all, but not under these circumstances." Her face fell, and she led the delegation of the Order over to meet with the Army.
"Brief introductions. Dumbledore's Army, meet The Order of the Phoenix."
"Is that all?" Dean looked rather let down that there were so few of them. The Death Eaters would trample them for sure.
"Course not. There's about twenty-five more of us. They're back in the Hufflepuff locker room. By the way, Harry. Snape, er, Professor Snape wanted to talk to you. He's over there right now. Anyway, the five of us thought we'd come over, see who we've got working with us today." Harry stood up and left the tent.
"So do we know when the next wave of Death Eaters is due to hit?" came from somewhere in the room.
"No idea. But we've got patrols all over the quidditch field and school grounds. As soon as something happens, we'll be notified. Nothing left for us to do but wait around," Kingsley coolly responded.
"Anyone for a game of exploding snap?" Bill pulled a deck out of his leather jacket and shuffled. Cho Chang, Lavender Brown, and Dennis Creevy moved off into a corner with Bill, and he dealt out the cards.
Tonks pulled Ron and Hermione to one side of the room, while Lupin took Neville to the other end.
"Ron, do you think Neville's up to this today?"
Hermione piped up in his defense. "Of course he is! Neville's one of the strongest members we've got. He's made some stunning improvements since we've been working with him. His progress has been incredible. You should have seen the moves he pulled last year in the Department of Mysteries."
"I'll believe it when I see it."
"Why are you so worried about Neville, anyway?"
"I used to babysit him when his gran was busy. I've got a bit of a soft spot for the kid. But you're sure he's not a klutz anymore? I've got Remus over there giving him a pep talk right now." She locked eyes with Neville across the room and quickly looked away before he got suspicious.
----
"So, Harry tells me your command of dueling has improved since I left?"
"Yeah, my grades have gone up a bit too." "That's really good to hear." The two sat in awkward silence for a moment. Lupin finally broke it.
"It's alright to be afraid, you know."
"I know."
"Not many people are brave enough to face Death Eaters. Your parents were. I see a lot of them in you." Neville quickly wiped the tear that was forming in his eye and looked up, only to catch the eye of Tonks across the room.
"I've heard so much about them." He sniffed. "I wonder if Harry knows how good he's got it. He doesn't have to see his parents like I have to see mine. It's like… it's like I know they're in there, but there's not a damn thing I can do to see who they really are. I don't know my parents. I know these empty shells of people who teeter around St. Mungo's grinning for no good reason. Everyone tells me how brave they were and how great they were and what brilliant wizards they were. Well all I know is what they are. Dribbling maniacs."
"Neville, I…"
"No Professor. I'm glad I have to see it. It reminds me what we're fighting for today. All these stories about them give me something to live up to. I know who we're battling, but their poor insane grins put a face to the evils we're fighting. I have to go out there and fight today. Nobody else deserves to see their parents like that." With that, Neville broke down in a fit of sobs.
Chapter 7 - Forsaken
----
"Wow. I've already read up on how to perform them, you know, just in case. But never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be given permission to actually use them."
"Hermione, you may see this as an educational opportunity, but really, this is far more serious. I don't know if you muggleborns really understand the gravity of the situation," Ernie Macmillan spat. Justin, his best friend, shot him one hell of a surprised look.
"Excuse me?! How dare you! I never said I saw this as an educational opportunity! I was simply stating how surprised I am that I would have to put something so cruel and drastic into practice!"
The two faced each other, shoulders squared, both looking like they were ready to take the first punch. Finally, Ernie backed down.
"Look, I'm sorry. This whole situation stinks. It really does. None of us want to be here. None of us want to be forced to inflict pain on another human being. But we have to. Think of all the rotten things those Death Eaters have done to our loved ones. Think of Harry's parents. Think of Neville's parents. And Susan's and Terry's. Think of Cedric Diggory… remember the horrors our parents lived with on a day-to-day basis. The fear that ran through them as they underwent their daily activities. If we don't do something now, the wizarding world will just go right back to living in constant fear."
Neville stood between Ginny and Seamus, looking more resolute than ever. Ginny grasped Harry's hand tighter. Behind them, Dean placed a comforting hand on Neville's shoulder. Justin slipped an arm around Susan's waist, and she tucked her head into the crook of his neck. Hannah Abbot sighed deeply and made eye contact with Colin Creevy across the room, who gave her a reassuring smile.
Suddenly, they heard an ear-splitting scream coming from somewhere down the row of tents. The students froze. Harry cautiously slipped outside, wand held at the ready.
----
"PROFESSOR! THEY'RE GONE!"
"Calm yourself, Pomona! Take a deep breath. Now. Who is gone?"
"Draco. Malfoy. Pansy. Parkinson." She spoke in gasps, and paused to drink from a bottle of water that was handed to her. "Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle."
"You are certain?"
"Yes. Poppy did not come across them in the Great Hall while taking attendance."
Dumbledore sighed and sat down on one of the benches in resignation, rubbing his temple.
"Then I'm afraid there's nothing we can do. We can only hope that none of them have taken the Mark yet. Alert the members of the Order to go easy on them. Only stun them if the opportunity presents itself. Let us hope for the best."
"Do you really think they've gone to the Dark Side, Albus?"
"I challenge anyone to present me with a better idea."
----
"It's Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, and Malfoy. They've all disappeared." Harry re-entered the tent, shoulders hanging, and looking rather defeated.
"I knew they were in league with You-Know-Who!" Ron shouted, startling everyone out of their silent stupor.
"Ron, sit down. Nobody's surprised. I'd just like to take a few good hexes to those gits. Probably been passing along our secrets the whole time." Seamus stated, looking rather perplexed. Why would they just up and leave the protection of the school right before the final battle?
Just then, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Bill Weasley entered the tent.
"Professor Lupin!" Hermione jumped from her seat and ran to hug Remus, but caught herself and downplayed her actions to a very excited handshake. "It's good to see you all, but not under these circumstances." Her face fell, and she led the delegation of the Order over to meet with the Army.
"Brief introductions. Dumbledore's Army, meet The Order of the Phoenix."
"Is that all?" Dean looked rather let down that there were so few of them. The Death Eaters would trample them for sure.
"Course not. There's about twenty-five more of us. They're back in the Hufflepuff locker room. By the way, Harry. Snape, er, Professor Snape wanted to talk to you. He's over there right now. Anyway, the five of us thought we'd come over, see who we've got working with us today." Harry stood up and left the tent.
"So do we know when the next wave of Death Eaters is due to hit?" came from somewhere in the room.
"No idea. But we've got patrols all over the quidditch field and school grounds. As soon as something happens, we'll be notified. Nothing left for us to do but wait around," Kingsley coolly responded.
"Anyone for a game of exploding snap?" Bill pulled a deck out of his leather jacket and shuffled. Cho Chang, Lavender Brown, and Dennis Creevy moved off into a corner with Bill, and he dealt out the cards.
Tonks pulled Ron and Hermione to one side of the room, while Lupin took Neville to the other end.
"Ron, do you think Neville's up to this today?"
Hermione piped up in his defense. "Of course he is! Neville's one of the strongest members we've got. He's made some stunning improvements since we've been working with him. His progress has been incredible. You should have seen the moves he pulled last year in the Department of Mysteries."
"I'll believe it when I see it."
"Why are you so worried about Neville, anyway?"
"I used to babysit him when his gran was busy. I've got a bit of a soft spot for the kid. But you're sure he's not a klutz anymore? I've got Remus over there giving him a pep talk right now." She locked eyes with Neville across the room and quickly looked away before he got suspicious.
----
"So, Harry tells me your command of dueling has improved since I left?"
"Yeah, my grades have gone up a bit too." "That's really good to hear." The two sat in awkward silence for a moment. Lupin finally broke it.
"It's alright to be afraid, you know."
"I know."
"Not many people are brave enough to face Death Eaters. Your parents were. I see a lot of them in you." Neville quickly wiped the tear that was forming in his eye and looked up, only to catch the eye of Tonks across the room.
"I've heard so much about them." He sniffed. "I wonder if Harry knows how good he's got it. He doesn't have to see his parents like I have to see mine. It's like… it's like I know they're in there, but there's not a damn thing I can do to see who they really are. I don't know my parents. I know these empty shells of people who teeter around St. Mungo's grinning for no good reason. Everyone tells me how brave they were and how great they were and what brilliant wizards they were. Well all I know is what they are. Dribbling maniacs."
"Neville, I…"
"No Professor. I'm glad I have to see it. It reminds me what we're fighting for today. All these stories about them give me something to live up to. I know who we're battling, but their poor insane grins put a face to the evils we're fighting. I have to go out there and fight today. Nobody else deserves to see their parents like that." With that, Neville broke down in a fit of sobs.