A/N I'd just like to thank everyone who's been reading up to this point, and especially anyone who has given reviews. I'm not really sure whether this chapter is going to go over well, so I'd especially like some feedback here. Thanks again to anyone who's taken the time to read this!
Chapter 10
Neville's Misfortune
Quidditch practice that Wednesday went well enough, even though Colin tried to show up to watch again. However, Harry immediately told Colin to leave (there was really no way he could be trusted any more, after he had lied in Malfoy's favor) because they were actually going to start making up plays and plans for their first game, even though it was still a month and a half away.
Thursday night, Potions went well. When Harry was done with his lesson, however; he was somewhat annoyed to find that Ron and Hermione were waiting for him outside McGonnogal's room. Apparently, they had been serious about not letting him walk anywhere alone, for fear that Malfoy would try to attack him again.
"You know, you really don't need to worry so much," said Harry, showing some frustration.
"Well, we're not worried now, as we're walking with you. The three of us should be safe," said Hermione.
Ron just remained silent, as if he was somewhat embarrassed to be defying his friend's wishes by trying to protect him, but he still felt it necessary to do so.
So, grudgingly, Harry accepted the situation. After all, walking with Hermione and Ron was better than being in an argument with them, but the whole situation was still somewhat embarrassing.
It turned out, however, that Harry was not the person that Hermione should have been worried about getting hurt. Moments after Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gotten to the common room, taking seats near where Ginny had been sitting, Neville came running into the common room.
Or at least most of him did.
He was missing his arms. "Malfoy hexed my arms off!" he screamed, in frustration and embarrassment.
"Does it hurt?" asked Hermione, who had never even heard of this curse before, and didn't really know the nature of the spell.
"A little bit, by the shoulders. But he hexed me, and then left me there with my arms on the floor. And of course, I couldn't pick them up. I don't know the counter-curse and couldn't' use my wand if I did-"
"Calm down Neville, we'll take you to the nurse," said Hermione, and soon, Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville were all walking down the corridor to the nurse's office.
When they got there, Madame Pomfrey took one look at Neville, and said, "Well, where are his arms?"
"They got hexed off," responded Ron immediately.
"No, I mean, where are the now, I can't reattach them if I don't have them," responded Madame Pomfrey shortly.
Neville explained that he had left them near the library. Ron and Harry volunteered to retrieve them, while the others stayed there with Neville.
"Malfoy's gone too far this time!" Ron stated as they walked.
"You're right, but I bet he gets away with this just like he always gets away with things. No teachers saw him or anything, and I'm sure he'll have an alibi. But he'd pay if I saw him by himself in a corridor!" Harry said. He had not, however, really thought his wish would come true, and so was extremely surprised when they met him right outside the library.
Harry began to draw his wand, as did Ron, but Malfoy already had his own wand trained on Harry, and spoke in his characteristic, slow drawl. "If you draw your wand, I'll curse you both before you have a chance to do anything. Instead, why don't you meet me out on the Quidditch pitch in 20 minutes, after you've gotten your friend's arms reattached," he smirked, gesturing at the arms on the floor. "I'll duel Harry, and Goyle can duel Ron. Unless you'd rather to duel Crabbe. Anyway, they'll both be there, so you can take your pick. Or are you too frightened to duel me?" concluded Malfoy coolly.
"We'll be there," responded Harry abruptly, before Ron had a chance to object.
They picked up Neville's arms and started back to the infirmary.
Ron's mind was racing. He couldn't decide whether he should go to the duel with Harry. After all, it seemed quite clear that Harry would go, just to get even with Malfoy, unless he was physically restrained. And if Ron told Hermione and Ginny, they'd tell Harry not to go, but he'd probably do it anyway. Unless Hermione opted to get a teacher involved. You never really could tell with her. Ron ultimately decided that he owed it to Harry to come with him, especially because Malfoy really did deserve to get beat at a duel. They could win this battle too, after all, it was only Malfoy.
After they had given the arms back to Neville, they waited for them to be put back on, figuring that they really couldn't leave before this had been done at least. As Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Harry were walking back to the common room, Harry figured that about ten minutes had passed since he had promised Malfoy he'd meet him on the Quidditch pitch. Harry thought, well if I'm going to do this, we've got to leave right now, there's really no time to go back to the common room.
He had been having slight misgivings about going at all, as he had promised so many people (Tonks, Lupin, Hermione, Ginny) that he wouldn't do anything stupid. But, it was still before curfew, so the chances that he would get caught were slim, plus if he really screwed Malfoy over in a duel now, he would stop messing with them. Of course, Harry didn't really believe that Malfoy would stop harassing Gryffindors as long as he was in the school, the real issue at stake here, Harry had to admit to himself, was pride. But that didn't mean that he was able to resist going.
Spotting a bathroom, Harry got an idea, "I've got to use the toilet, I'll be back in the common room in a couple of minutes," he said.
It took Ron a second or two, but he got his cue and said, "Erm, yeah, me too."
They walked toward the bathroom, which was in the opposite direction of the common room, but then continued walking toward the outer doors, after making sure Hermione and Ginny were out of sight.
Once they got outside, they figured they were probably going to be late for the duel if they didn't run the rest of the way to the pitch, so that's what they did. It was already dark out, but they spotted the forms of Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy in the field.
But before the even waiting for Harry or Ron to be ready to duel, Malfoy pointed his wand at Ron and shouted "Expelliarmus!"
Harry pointed his wand at Malfoy, but was then distracted by the fact that a mouse that had previously been unnoticed on the Quidditch pitch turned into none other than Peter Pettigrew, to whom Malfoy immediately tossed an extra wand, which he had been holding in his cloak.
Chapter 10
Neville's Misfortune
Quidditch practice that Wednesday went well enough, even though Colin tried to show up to watch again. However, Harry immediately told Colin to leave (there was really no way he could be trusted any more, after he had lied in Malfoy's favor) because they were actually going to start making up plays and plans for their first game, even though it was still a month and a half away.
Thursday night, Potions went well. When Harry was done with his lesson, however; he was somewhat annoyed to find that Ron and Hermione were waiting for him outside McGonnogal's room. Apparently, they had been serious about not letting him walk anywhere alone, for fear that Malfoy would try to attack him again.
"You know, you really don't need to worry so much," said Harry, showing some frustration.
"Well, we're not worried now, as we're walking with you. The three of us should be safe," said Hermione.
Ron just remained silent, as if he was somewhat embarrassed to be defying his friend's wishes by trying to protect him, but he still felt it necessary to do so.
So, grudgingly, Harry accepted the situation. After all, walking with Hermione and Ron was better than being in an argument with them, but the whole situation was still somewhat embarrassing.
It turned out, however, that Harry was not the person that Hermione should have been worried about getting hurt. Moments after Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gotten to the common room, taking seats near where Ginny had been sitting, Neville came running into the common room.
Or at least most of him did.
He was missing his arms. "Malfoy hexed my arms off!" he screamed, in frustration and embarrassment.
"Does it hurt?" asked Hermione, who had never even heard of this curse before, and didn't really know the nature of the spell.
"A little bit, by the shoulders. But he hexed me, and then left me there with my arms on the floor. And of course, I couldn't pick them up. I don't know the counter-curse and couldn't' use my wand if I did-"
"Calm down Neville, we'll take you to the nurse," said Hermione, and soon, Ginny, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville were all walking down the corridor to the nurse's office.
When they got there, Madame Pomfrey took one look at Neville, and said, "Well, where are his arms?"
"They got hexed off," responded Ron immediately.
"No, I mean, where are the now, I can't reattach them if I don't have them," responded Madame Pomfrey shortly.
Neville explained that he had left them near the library. Ron and Harry volunteered to retrieve them, while the others stayed there with Neville.
"Malfoy's gone too far this time!" Ron stated as they walked.
"You're right, but I bet he gets away with this just like he always gets away with things. No teachers saw him or anything, and I'm sure he'll have an alibi. But he'd pay if I saw him by himself in a corridor!" Harry said. He had not, however, really thought his wish would come true, and so was extremely surprised when they met him right outside the library.
Harry began to draw his wand, as did Ron, but Malfoy already had his own wand trained on Harry, and spoke in his characteristic, slow drawl. "If you draw your wand, I'll curse you both before you have a chance to do anything. Instead, why don't you meet me out on the Quidditch pitch in 20 minutes, after you've gotten your friend's arms reattached," he smirked, gesturing at the arms on the floor. "I'll duel Harry, and Goyle can duel Ron. Unless you'd rather to duel Crabbe. Anyway, they'll both be there, so you can take your pick. Or are you too frightened to duel me?" concluded Malfoy coolly.
"We'll be there," responded Harry abruptly, before Ron had a chance to object.
They picked up Neville's arms and started back to the infirmary.
Ron's mind was racing. He couldn't decide whether he should go to the duel with Harry. After all, it seemed quite clear that Harry would go, just to get even with Malfoy, unless he was physically restrained. And if Ron told Hermione and Ginny, they'd tell Harry not to go, but he'd probably do it anyway. Unless Hermione opted to get a teacher involved. You never really could tell with her. Ron ultimately decided that he owed it to Harry to come with him, especially because Malfoy really did deserve to get beat at a duel. They could win this battle too, after all, it was only Malfoy.
After they had given the arms back to Neville, they waited for them to be put back on, figuring that they really couldn't leave before this had been done at least. As Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Harry were walking back to the common room, Harry figured that about ten minutes had passed since he had promised Malfoy he'd meet him on the Quidditch pitch. Harry thought, well if I'm going to do this, we've got to leave right now, there's really no time to go back to the common room.
He had been having slight misgivings about going at all, as he had promised so many people (Tonks, Lupin, Hermione, Ginny) that he wouldn't do anything stupid. But, it was still before curfew, so the chances that he would get caught were slim, plus if he really screwed Malfoy over in a duel now, he would stop messing with them. Of course, Harry didn't really believe that Malfoy would stop harassing Gryffindors as long as he was in the school, the real issue at stake here, Harry had to admit to himself, was pride. But that didn't mean that he was able to resist going.
Spotting a bathroom, Harry got an idea, "I've got to use the toilet, I'll be back in the common room in a couple of minutes," he said.
It took Ron a second or two, but he got his cue and said, "Erm, yeah, me too."
They walked toward the bathroom, which was in the opposite direction of the common room, but then continued walking toward the outer doors, after making sure Hermione and Ginny were out of sight.
Once they got outside, they figured they were probably going to be late for the duel if they didn't run the rest of the way to the pitch, so that's what they did. It was already dark out, but they spotted the forms of Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy in the field.
But before the even waiting for Harry or Ron to be ready to duel, Malfoy pointed his wand at Ron and shouted "Expelliarmus!"
Harry pointed his wand at Malfoy, but was then distracted by the fact that a mouse that had previously been unnoticed on the Quidditch pitch turned into none other than Peter Pettigrew, to whom Malfoy immediately tossed an extra wand, which he had been holding in his cloak.