Disclaimer: If the lawyers call, tell them I know the world of HP doesn't belong to me.

And so the Room of Requirement became Neville and Gale's new home. It provided beds and a safe haven and Neville had figured the room out well enough that the Carrows weren't able to find a way in.

The only thing it didn't provide, of course, was food.

Gale's stomach growled loudly and she looked up at Neville who nodded. "I'm hungry too. I wish we could get some food."

There was a clatter and the two friends jumped, looking towards the opposite wall. A picture frame now hung from a single hook. Exchanging glances, the two moved forward, curious.

A girl smiled out at them from in front of a long tunnel. She couldn't have been more than seven, if that and now she waved at them, beckoning.

"What do you suppose she wants?" Neville muttered, not really expecting an answer but needed to express his thoughts.

Gale shrugged, however, moving forward slowly. The little girl grinned, pointing at the side of her frame. Gale looked back at Neville before curving her fingers around the edge of the frame and pulling.

The frame moved, opening like a little door and showing a tunnel just like the one in the picture. Gale climbed up into the tunnel, Neville grabbing hold of her tattered robes.

"We don't know where this goes," he told her, shaking his head.

Gale shrugged. There was only one way to find out. She placed her hand on his shoulder before climbing completely into the tunnel. Turning slightly she held out her hand and was glad when Neville took it, climbing into the tunnel behind her and up the short flight of steps.

They walked, the tunnel sloping down. Gale wondered where this led. Would they end up right back into the clutches of the Carrows and Snape or would this lead them out of Hogwarts? They couldn't just leave Hogwarts, not with everyone who was counting on and worrying about them.

"Suppose we've left Hogwarts, eh?" Neville said after they had been walking quite a ways.

Gale almost nodded but then she saw the light nearing the end. From where she was, she could make out the dim glow of a fireplace. They walked down another short flight of stairs, Gale pushing at the back of the picture frame in front of them.

They came face to face then with a wand. The man holding the wand was tall with long, stringy, wire-gray hair and beard. Bright blue eyes glared at them from behind dirty lenses. He lowered his wand, his eyes widening at the sight in front of him. "Gale?"

Gale's eyes adjusted, realizing they were in the Hog's Head, the bar, and a large smile came to her face. Quickly, she jumped out of the tunnel, clambering over the mantle and into the arms of the man in front of them. Turning, she motioned for Neville to join them and he did so, hesitantly.

"Gale, what are you doing here?" the man asked. "I thought you were with Potter, away from that madhouse of a school!"

Gale shook her head, gesturing to the portrait and back to herself. When the man continued to stare at her in confusion, she threw her hands up in frustration, gesturing to Neville.

The barkeep looked to him. "What happened to your face, boy? What's wrong with her?"

"Like you said, it's a madhouse up there. And Gale - she hasn't spoken since – since Professor Dumbledore was killed," Neville explained. "He's her uncle."

"I know who he is." The barkeep stuck out his hand. "Aberforth Dumbledore. I'm her uncle as well."

Neville shook his hand, dumbfounded. "Neville Longbottom. . . . This whole time, you've worked here?"

"I'll be asking the questions," Aberforth replied with a frown. "Here sit, sit. Are you hungry?"

Gale nodded enthusiastically, pulling Neville to the table in the middle of the room. Aberforth watched them for a moment before moving downstairs. Neville turned back to the picture of the little girl who smiled vacantly at him.

A moment or so later, Aberforth returned with a tray, holding butterbeer and sandwiches. "Now. . . . Tell me what's going on."

So Neville did all the talking, obviously, glancing at Gale every so once in a while. It was clear as day that she wasn't as close to Aberforth as she had been to his brother. Her body language said it all, really but still she looked happy to see the man, a semblance of some sort of family.

"The room sent us here," Neville finished.

Aberforth gazed at the both of them for a moment, reminding Neville eerily of Professor Dumbledore. Then the man settled back into his seat. "You two are either incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. I'm can't figure that out yet. But I'm glad you're at least safe, even if you're still stuck in that place."

He sighed, shaking his head. "Alright. Here's what we'll do. If you promise me that you'll both stay in that room I'll be sure that I'm always available to provide you both with food when you need it. Got it?"

Gale nodded enthusiastically. Neville grinned. "Of course! We weren't ever planning on leaving the Room of Requirement. We're waiting for Harry before we can strike up anything."

Aberforth shook his head. "Stupid boy. Should have left England months ago if you ask me. Hurry up and get back before the Room decides it doesn't want you there anymore."

A week or so later found Neville and Gale still in the room but, like Aberforth said, at least they were relatively safe. The room provided everything, from two sleeping hammocks to books for studying and such (something Gale had requested). By then, Neville had had the room completely figured out. They almost lost everything again when they had gotten back after that first trip to Aberforth's. The Carrows had almost gotten inside but as soon as they stepped foot back into the room, the door was locked again. So now, Gale made the trips to the bar to get them food Aberforth faithfully provided.

"Well, it's not Hogwarts made but at least it's something right?" Neville asked Gale, when she handed him some bread and soup.

The girl nodded, reaching for her own food . . . only to drop it when a knock sounded on the door.

She and Neville exchanged glances before Neville hopped to his feet, motioning for her to stay where she was. He took his wand from his pocket, approaching the door. "I need a way to see who's outside."

At his request, something like a peephole formed on the door, Neville leaning up to see through it. Gale watched as his body sagged with relief before he pulled the door open quickly. "Hurry, hurry, hurry!" he hissed.

Gale grinned as Seamus and Michael Corner rushed into the room, Neville slamming the door shut behind him. Seamus's face was horribly puffy, beaten to a pulp as he was while Michael still looked worse for wear from when the Carrows had tortured him. Still. . . .

"Boy are we happy to see you two!" Seamus had yelled, grabbing Gale into his arms. "And look! You were expecting us?"

Gale went to shake her head but when she turned around, she saw that there were two more hammocks and the room had expanded, now providing them with ample room.

"So what do we do now?" Michael asked, hopping into a hammock.

Neville looked over to Gale before he shrugged. "We wait it out. Harry, Hermione, and Ron are still in England and possibly even heading here! Until then, we make sure we stay safe in here, make sure other D.A. members know that there's a place to go. And when Harry gets here we strike and we get our school back."

Seamus grinned, the smile seemingly distorted by his beaten face. "Sweet."

Neville and Gale looked at each other again, grinning.

The school would belong to them again.

They'd make sure of it this time.

A/N: Hope you guys liked it. Sorry it took me so long to update! Thanks for reading and I'll see you guys next time. There will probably only be two more chapters!