Chapter 5 The Order of the Phoenix
A cat was lapping at a puddle in a dreary London street, It had been raining for a week straight with no sign of letting off. The cobblestones had been flooded and the cars stood still outside the old grey brick tenements. With a loud crack the cat scarpered as a gaunt looking Neville Longbottom appeared out of thin air, he was considerably thinner around the face having hardly eaten in the last few months, he remembered fondly the three square meals a day back at Hogwarts but those days had long passed. "You! I'll be phoning the police if you've smashed any of those car windows" the concerned muggle man had shouted at Neville taking the Crack of his apparition as an act of mindless vandalism. Neville put his head down and hurriedly headed toward the bottom of the street, several muggles were now hanging out of their windows.
What do I do now thought Neville I couldn't try to contact anyone I'd put them in danger for sure, if anyone was still alive and free. He had been cornered and fought his way out a further twice since the incident with Jugson. He had found an article of his apparent grievous assault of the death eater in an abandoned copy of the daily prophet about a week after it happened. As he rounded the corner he noticed a small newsagents the brightly lit sign grabbing his attention against the dark backdrop of this London neighbourhood that time seemingly forgot with the drab grey tenements and cobbled roads. Driven by desperation Neville entered the shop he had no money muggle or otherwise but he hadn't eaten in two days and it had been months since his last meal that didn't consist of scraps scavenged from dustbins.
The shopkeeper's attention was instantly drawn to Neville as he entered the store "we don't do giveaways mate" "I have money don't worry" replied Neville. The shopkeeper didn't take his eyes off Neville as he went around picking up a three pack of instant noodles, a pack of bacon and a loaf of bread, Neville's mouth had already begun to water at the thought of food. "That'll do yah mate I'm just about to lock up" the shopkeeper's voice came from behind Him. Neville looked up grabbed a pack of polystyrene cups and looked the man dead in they eye and with a flick of his wand Neville made tins of soup, peas, carrots and wide manner of other products fly of the shelves. As the shopkeeper took cover Neville ran out the shop rounded the corner and disapparated with a loud crack.
Neville managed to scavenge an old worn pot from a bin from behind an Asian takeaway in Coventry before disapparating to an open field where he settled for his first full meal in ages. His belly full after eating everything he had stolen from the shop Neville fell asleep next to the fire he had used to cook his supper.
Over one hundred miles away in a small newsagents a very nervous and disgruntled shopkeeper was being interviewed by two very strangely dressed men. "so he was quite tall with dark hair, very ragged looking with a set of black robes over faded jeans?" asked Yaxley "that sounds about right then he sent all sorts of tins flying everywhere it was something like magic". Without another word Yaxley raised his wand and muttered "obliviate" as the dazed look took over the shopkeeper's face the two Wizards left the shop. "Sounds like Longbottom doesn't it Yaxley?" "I'm certain of it Travers the question is where has he went, send groups of Snatchers out to find him I'd bet he is in the countryside that's probably where he would feel safest." The two men walked into an alley and turned on the spot and disappeared.
Neville was woken abruptly by someone kicking his foot "boy care to explain to me why you felt it acceptable to light a fire in my field?" He looked around and rubbed his eyes and noticed three figures at the bottom of the field behind the farmer dressed in pitch black robes. He sprang to his feet and started to sprint toward a break in the fence that led to a wooded area. "I'll be calling the police boy I got a good look you" the Farmer yelled as Neville ran with all the power he could muster in his legs. He was in the heart of the wooded area when a series of loud cracks filled him with horror.
"Got you now Longbottom, did you really think you could avoid us forever" the snarling tone of someone he did not know came from beyond the trees off to his left. Neville hut the ground as three jets of red light hurled toward him so they're not trying to kill me yet. "Difindo" Neville aimed his wand at the trees and branches were cut away "ouch! He's slashed my hand open" "who cares Vale capture him" awww poor Vale whoever he is thought Neville not as if he has to try and fend off three attackers. "Incendio!" screamed one of his assailants and instantly an inferno circled around him. Panic started to set in as the three snatchers stepped through the flames, Neville couldn't think and started turning in circles looking for a way out, seeing no chance of escape he turned on the spot to disapparate as two sets of hands grabbed him by the shoulders.
As Neville was squashed into the darkness he felt extremely heavy, as if he were carrying a great weight. As he appeared on a deserted street his heart sunk as he realised he had brought two of the snatchers along for the ride. "Crucio" Neville screamed it was pain beyond pain so this is what Mum and Dad had to endure. The Cruciatus curse was lifted and as the second snatcher yelled "Incarcerous" Neville rolled out of the way and scrambled to his feet. "Everte Statum" Neville shrieked and one of the snatchers was blasted backwards by twenty feet "Lacarnum Inflamarae" a ball of fire came shooting toward Neville, he tried to extinguish the ball with the aguamenti charm, Neville's charm merely caused steam to rise to from the ball as it collided with his chest and threw him to the floor. The pain was searing through his chest and his vision had blurred, the two Wizards were standing over him but it looked like six to Neville as he yelled his last hope "protego" the ropes that would have bound him in place were swatted aside. His vision was clearing and the panic was now overwhelming, flat on his back with to hulking snatchers lingering over him. In an act of desperation Neville raised his wand "obscuro" as one of the snatchers wrestled with the blindfold Neville had conjured he quickly pointed his wand at the other "STUPEFY" the stunning spell hut home and the snatcher hut the wall with a dull crunch. Finally with a bit of breathing space Neville turned on the spot at the blindfolded snatcher called out "Sectumsempra" as Neville disapparated he felt severe pain shoot up his right hand side, as he appeared on a secluded country road he hut the ground blood pouring from open wounds on his face and right arm. Just as Neville succumbed to darkness edging in from the corners of his eyes he heard a voice "NEVILLE!". But it couldn't be the man that voice belonged to hadn't escaped Hogwarts he was covering the students trying to escape. "I can't heal these wounds myself" Neville felt a hand wrap round his left wrist as he passed out. Remus Lupin softly muttered "ferula" bandages sprouted from the end of his wand covering Neville's wounds. Remus could see that the bandages wouldn't hold for long. Turning on the spot with his hand around Neville's wrist he disapparated "ARTHUR, MOLLY HELP I'VE FOUND NEVILLE! ".
As Neville came too he realised he was extremely comfortable and properly warm for the first time in ages. He opened his eyes he saw a very familiar face "Gran?" Neville croaked "he's awake!" Augusta Longbottom shouted, "you gave us quite a scare there Son". Neville heard feet clambering up a set of stairs and all at once the room he had woke up in was full. Neville looked down at his arm which was covered in scars and felt his cheek which also had some scarring and his chest was agony covered in blisters and there was a red bottle of a blood replenishing draught on the oak table next to the bed. He looked around the room at the faces of Remus Lupin, Kingsley Schaklebolt, all the Weasley`s except for Ron, Minerva Mcgonagall and his Gran, all at once Neville was overcome with joy as he realised with a tear dripping down his face that The Order of The Phoenix was still in operation.