A/N: Here it is people. The 7th Chapter! I know, I know. Finally. Hey- I
was out of the bloody country! I'm back now. Here it is. Thanks to all my
wonderful reviewers! Thanks you guys! Please review!!
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything about it; only the plot and the words.
Neville stood, letting the rain soak into him, as he stared at the five hooded Death Eaters. The Death Eater who had just spoken walked closer to him. His one soul thought at that moment was only one thing:
Must get Luna out.
The Death Eater walked closer to him, and stopped short, ten feet away.
"It's been awhile Longbottom," the female voice said. She moved her hand up to her black cloak and pulled down the hood. "It's a real pleasure you could join us though."
The face of Bellatrix Lestrange smiled evilly back at Neville.
Neville clenched his hand tightly around his wand. He wondered, perhaps, if he made a mad dash for her, could he get to Luna?
Bellatrix Lestrange was starring at Neville carefully. Her eyes watched his every move, and finally she grinned.
"If you're hoping to save your little girlfriend," she said, with a cruel laugh. "You won't succeed."
Neville forced his eyes back to Bellatrix. A sneer slowly formed on his face as he looked at the women who tortured his family.
"What do you want?" Neville spat loudly, through the rain. "To torture me? Want to make sure you've tortured all of my family do you?"
Bellatrix's grin stayed in place.
"Now, now, Longbottom," she said with a sly grin. "I wouldn't come and torture you right off. I thought you would have known by now; I always play with my prey before I go in for the kill."
Neville's vision flooded with red. All he wanted to do was hurt this women. Make her feel as much pain as he possibly could inflict upon her with his bare hands.
Two of the Death Eaters behind Bellatrix inched in closer. Bellatrix looked over her shoulder and smiled at the other Death Eaters.
She laughed coldly as she looked at Neville.
"I made it my business to hunt down all Longbottoms."
Neville's hand shook, and he raised his wand to her. She laughed at him again. The rain poured a bit harder.
"Expelliarmus!"
A Death Eaters standing close behind Neville disarmed him. Neville was caught so off guard that his wand flew easily out of his hand. He cursed himself for letting it happen.
"Silly boy," she sneered. "You cannot hurt me. I have four others here to protect me."
Neville breathed harder.
"What are you waiting for?" Neville shouted. "Kill me already!"
Bellatrix laughed shrilly. She looked behind her and waved one of the Death Eaters over to her. The shorter of the cloaked figures walked swiftly over to Bellatrix.
Bellatrix grinned at Neville and moved to pull down the hood to the Death Eater's black coat. As the hood fell down, Neville recognized the man at once.
It was the boy. The boy he chased.
"You," Neville said softly; he was sure no one heard him.
The boy with the corn colored hair, sneered at Neville. He linked an arm around Bellatrix's waist and pulled her closer. She giggled as if she were a silly school girl.
"I could not have gotten here without young Robert's help," Bellatrix said, giggling again. She turned to Robert and kissed him soundly on the mouth. When she pulled away, she laughed in a way, that Neville thought sounded false. It was as if she weren't really laughing.
"It shocks me," Bellatrix began, and her hand crept up the young Death Eater's arm. "What utter trust you behold in Albus Dumbledore."
Neville felt his temper raise. "Oh?" he screamed loudly. "And why is that? Why? Because you know you'll never be half the wizard he is?!"
The yellow haired Death Eater made a move toward him. Bellatrix, however, held him back. She put a finger to the young man's lips and walked closer to Neville.
"It's simply shocking," she repeated with a laugh that could shake a house. "You really think Dumbledore spoke to you, don't you?"
Neville worked hard to hide his sudden confusion and fright.
"What are you talking about?" Neville spat, his feet slushed in the mud.
Bellatrix smiled at him, looking smug. She shook her head.
"The Longbottoms never were bright to catch onto things," she said in a shrill voice, and the four other Death Eaters roared in laughter. "It was me, Longbottom. I told you to stay, and you did. Good boy; it was so easy, a simple polyjuice potion... you were fooled so quickly. Stupid boy."
Neville felt his heart quicken. Could it be true? Was it she, who had talked to Neville and Luna, had it indeed been Bellatrix Lestrange, posing as Dumbledore?
It was beginning to get darker and darker. It was hard for Neville to see, only the light from the house and the light from the Death Eater's wands illuminated the dark graveyard.
Bellatrix walked much closer. Her wand was outstretched in front of her. The other Death Eaters covered her from behind. Neville was surrounded.
Neville froze in his spot, as Bellatrix Lestrange, the women who tortured his parents into insanity, stood directly in front of him. Her hand reached out to him.
Neville barely had time to recoil before she had run her slim fingers along his wet cheek. She smiled cruelly, as her eyes traveled over him, and landed on his rain soaked shirt.
"I never thought I'd say it Longbottom," Bellatrix breathed. "But you've gotten quite handsome. Yes. You're quite attractive. I shall be happy to have you."
Neville pushed her hand away roughly.
"You get the hell away from me," Neville said fiercely. "Keep the hell away."
Bellatrix looked into his eyes and smiled again. "No matter," she said. "Soon you'll see reason and join our services."
Neville's chest heaved up and down. "I'll never help Voldemort!" he shouted through clenched teeth. Any other day, Neville Longbottom wouldn't have said the name, but today? Today is was a different person. A braver person.
"You dare say his name?" Bellatrix replied shrilly.
It was mere moments before utter and complete pain hit Neville's body, full force. He thought for many seconds that he would die from the pain, until at last, it ended. need a wand, he was angry enough to beat the stuffibare hands. He didn' her feel as much
Neville's chest heaved up and down violently as he regained his breath. Finally he forced his head to look up at Bellatrix.
"What do you want with me?" he said, cold rain still soaking his shirt. Bellatrix eyed him for several more seconds, a look of cruel satisfaction upon her face.
She stepped closer.
"There is a prophecy," she whispered loudly. It was as if she didn't want anyone to hear her, but was speaking loud enough to be heard over the light dusting of rain. Neville tensed as she looked him over again quickly. "And you will help us fulfill it."
Neville tried not to lose his calm. His eyes darted over to where Luna was lying, and in a flash of a second he thought he saw her move. If he could just—
"What does it have to do with me?" Neville said, buying for time. He needed to figure out a way to get to Luna.
"So much you have to learn Longbottom," Bellatrix breathed. "So, so much..."
"Oh yeah?" Neville could feel his temper raising. "And you think you'll be teaching me?"
Neville glanced quickly back over at Luna. He squinted slightly. It couldn't be – was she moving? He looked quickly back to Bellatrix.
She laughed loudly. "You know more than I thought Longbottom!" she went on. "Sixteen years ago the prophecy told of one who would be born. One that would defeat the dark Lord. The boy was born in July. That boy is Harry Potter."
Neville starred at her slightly. His mind was racing. Maybe if he could distract the Death Eaters he could—
"You may wonder Longbottom," Bellatrix went on with a sigh. "What this has to do with you. I shall tell you. If on our side, you could be very valuable to us. And so, you shall join us. You are weak, just like your parents."
What happened next was almost in a total blur for Neville. It was as if something inside his heart had exploded and erupted at the same time. He could barely hear the wind howling for he himself was howling himself.
He hurled himself at Bellatrix with all his might. He felt his fist come in contact with the woman's face before his mind gave him the command. Bellatrix's eyes widened in utter surprise and she staggered backwards from his sudden outburst, holding her palm to her cheek.
"Get him you fools!" Bellatrix screamed.
Neville wasn't quite sure what was happening. All his life people had teased him and harassed him, but now? Now they looked afraid of him. Afraid of Neville Longbottom.
Neville could feel some sort of odd power surging through him. It was the most incredible thing he's ever felt.
In the time it took the Death Eaters to react, Neville had grabbed the wand out of the shock stricken Bellatrix Lestrange.
He had never thrown himself so violently to the ground as he did that moment. Wand in hand, Neville slammed himself, full force to the muddy ground, next to Luna. His hand was shaking, his heart beating wildly. He pointed his wand at Bellatrix's chest.
Suddenly, Bellatrix laughed.
"You won't kill me!" She shrieked shrilly. "You're too soft!"
"I will kill a known assassin," Neville breathed, touching Luna's face but not looking at him. For once, Neville was unwavering. "And I will kill the evil that killed my life."
He felt so many things at once. Slight fear in the Death Eaters' souls, disbelieving gall on Bellatrix's face, and a murmur from an alive Luna.
"AVADA KED—"
In one more second Neville would have committed the curse that killed so many. Only, he felt another thing. Luna.
She murmured quietly, as if speaking in chibberish. She clutched his shoulder and in her other hand—
A wand.
Neville never finished his last words. At once, he got the feeling he was about to be split into two different people by one extreme, awesome force.
The force was great. It lifted them up, and for the second time in the last year, Luna and Neville were gone.
TBC
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything about it; only the plot and the words.
Neville stood, letting the rain soak into him, as he stared at the five hooded Death Eaters. The Death Eater who had just spoken walked closer to him. His one soul thought at that moment was only one thing:
Must get Luna out.
The Death Eater walked closer to him, and stopped short, ten feet away.
"It's been awhile Longbottom," the female voice said. She moved her hand up to her black cloak and pulled down the hood. "It's a real pleasure you could join us though."
The face of Bellatrix Lestrange smiled evilly back at Neville.
Neville clenched his hand tightly around his wand. He wondered, perhaps, if he made a mad dash for her, could he get to Luna?
Bellatrix Lestrange was starring at Neville carefully. Her eyes watched his every move, and finally she grinned.
"If you're hoping to save your little girlfriend," she said, with a cruel laugh. "You won't succeed."
Neville forced his eyes back to Bellatrix. A sneer slowly formed on his face as he looked at the women who tortured his family.
"What do you want?" Neville spat loudly, through the rain. "To torture me? Want to make sure you've tortured all of my family do you?"
Bellatrix's grin stayed in place.
"Now, now, Longbottom," she said with a sly grin. "I wouldn't come and torture you right off. I thought you would have known by now; I always play with my prey before I go in for the kill."
Neville's vision flooded with red. All he wanted to do was hurt this women. Make her feel as much pain as he possibly could inflict upon her with his bare hands.
Two of the Death Eaters behind Bellatrix inched in closer. Bellatrix looked over her shoulder and smiled at the other Death Eaters.
She laughed coldly as she looked at Neville.
"I made it my business to hunt down all Longbottoms."
Neville's hand shook, and he raised his wand to her. She laughed at him again. The rain poured a bit harder.
"Expelliarmus!"
A Death Eaters standing close behind Neville disarmed him. Neville was caught so off guard that his wand flew easily out of his hand. He cursed himself for letting it happen.
"Silly boy," she sneered. "You cannot hurt me. I have four others here to protect me."
Neville breathed harder.
"What are you waiting for?" Neville shouted. "Kill me already!"
Bellatrix laughed shrilly. She looked behind her and waved one of the Death Eaters over to her. The shorter of the cloaked figures walked swiftly over to Bellatrix.
Bellatrix grinned at Neville and moved to pull down the hood to the Death Eater's black coat. As the hood fell down, Neville recognized the man at once.
It was the boy. The boy he chased.
"You," Neville said softly; he was sure no one heard him.
The boy with the corn colored hair, sneered at Neville. He linked an arm around Bellatrix's waist and pulled her closer. She giggled as if she were a silly school girl.
"I could not have gotten here without young Robert's help," Bellatrix said, giggling again. She turned to Robert and kissed him soundly on the mouth. When she pulled away, she laughed in a way, that Neville thought sounded false. It was as if she weren't really laughing.
"It shocks me," Bellatrix began, and her hand crept up the young Death Eater's arm. "What utter trust you behold in Albus Dumbledore."
Neville felt his temper raise. "Oh?" he screamed loudly. "And why is that? Why? Because you know you'll never be half the wizard he is?!"
The yellow haired Death Eater made a move toward him. Bellatrix, however, held him back. She put a finger to the young man's lips and walked closer to Neville.
"It's simply shocking," she repeated with a laugh that could shake a house. "You really think Dumbledore spoke to you, don't you?"
Neville worked hard to hide his sudden confusion and fright.
"What are you talking about?" Neville spat, his feet slushed in the mud.
Bellatrix smiled at him, looking smug. She shook her head.
"The Longbottoms never were bright to catch onto things," she said in a shrill voice, and the four other Death Eaters roared in laughter. "It was me, Longbottom. I told you to stay, and you did. Good boy; it was so easy, a simple polyjuice potion... you were fooled so quickly. Stupid boy."
Neville felt his heart quicken. Could it be true? Was it she, who had talked to Neville and Luna, had it indeed been Bellatrix Lestrange, posing as Dumbledore?
It was beginning to get darker and darker. It was hard for Neville to see, only the light from the house and the light from the Death Eater's wands illuminated the dark graveyard.
Bellatrix walked much closer. Her wand was outstretched in front of her. The other Death Eaters covered her from behind. Neville was surrounded.
Neville froze in his spot, as Bellatrix Lestrange, the women who tortured his parents into insanity, stood directly in front of him. Her hand reached out to him.
Neville barely had time to recoil before she had run her slim fingers along his wet cheek. She smiled cruelly, as her eyes traveled over him, and landed on his rain soaked shirt.
"I never thought I'd say it Longbottom," Bellatrix breathed. "But you've gotten quite handsome. Yes. You're quite attractive. I shall be happy to have you."
Neville pushed her hand away roughly.
"You get the hell away from me," Neville said fiercely. "Keep the hell away."
Bellatrix looked into his eyes and smiled again. "No matter," she said. "Soon you'll see reason and join our services."
Neville's chest heaved up and down. "I'll never help Voldemort!" he shouted through clenched teeth. Any other day, Neville Longbottom wouldn't have said the name, but today? Today is was a different person. A braver person.
"You dare say his name?" Bellatrix replied shrilly.
It was mere moments before utter and complete pain hit Neville's body, full force. He thought for many seconds that he would die from the pain, until at last, it ended. need a wand, he was angry enough to beat the stuffibare hands. He didn' her feel as much
Neville's chest heaved up and down violently as he regained his breath. Finally he forced his head to look up at Bellatrix.
"What do you want with me?" he said, cold rain still soaking his shirt. Bellatrix eyed him for several more seconds, a look of cruel satisfaction upon her face.
She stepped closer.
"There is a prophecy," she whispered loudly. It was as if she didn't want anyone to hear her, but was speaking loud enough to be heard over the light dusting of rain. Neville tensed as she looked him over again quickly. "And you will help us fulfill it."
Neville tried not to lose his calm. His eyes darted over to where Luna was lying, and in a flash of a second he thought he saw her move. If he could just—
"What does it have to do with me?" Neville said, buying for time. He needed to figure out a way to get to Luna.
"So much you have to learn Longbottom," Bellatrix breathed. "So, so much..."
"Oh yeah?" Neville could feel his temper raising. "And you think you'll be teaching me?"
Neville glanced quickly back over at Luna. He squinted slightly. It couldn't be – was she moving? He looked quickly back to Bellatrix.
She laughed loudly. "You know more than I thought Longbottom!" she went on. "Sixteen years ago the prophecy told of one who would be born. One that would defeat the dark Lord. The boy was born in July. That boy is Harry Potter."
Neville starred at her slightly. His mind was racing. Maybe if he could distract the Death Eaters he could—
"You may wonder Longbottom," Bellatrix went on with a sigh. "What this has to do with you. I shall tell you. If on our side, you could be very valuable to us. And so, you shall join us. You are weak, just like your parents."
What happened next was almost in a total blur for Neville. It was as if something inside his heart had exploded and erupted at the same time. He could barely hear the wind howling for he himself was howling himself.
He hurled himself at Bellatrix with all his might. He felt his fist come in contact with the woman's face before his mind gave him the command. Bellatrix's eyes widened in utter surprise and she staggered backwards from his sudden outburst, holding her palm to her cheek.
"Get him you fools!" Bellatrix screamed.
Neville wasn't quite sure what was happening. All his life people had teased him and harassed him, but now? Now they looked afraid of him. Afraid of Neville Longbottom.
Neville could feel some sort of odd power surging through him. It was the most incredible thing he's ever felt.
In the time it took the Death Eaters to react, Neville had grabbed the wand out of the shock stricken Bellatrix Lestrange.
He had never thrown himself so violently to the ground as he did that moment. Wand in hand, Neville slammed himself, full force to the muddy ground, next to Luna. His hand was shaking, his heart beating wildly. He pointed his wand at Bellatrix's chest.
Suddenly, Bellatrix laughed.
"You won't kill me!" She shrieked shrilly. "You're too soft!"
"I will kill a known assassin," Neville breathed, touching Luna's face but not looking at him. For once, Neville was unwavering. "And I will kill the evil that killed my life."
He felt so many things at once. Slight fear in the Death Eaters' souls, disbelieving gall on Bellatrix's face, and a murmur from an alive Luna.
"AVADA KED—"
In one more second Neville would have committed the curse that killed so many. Only, he felt another thing. Luna.
She murmured quietly, as if speaking in chibberish. She clutched his shoulder and in her other hand—
A wand.
Neville never finished his last words. At once, he got the feeling he was about to be split into two different people by one extreme, awesome force.
The force was great. It lifted them up, and for the second time in the last year, Luna and Neville were gone.
TBC