Chapter 2
Beep, beep, beep!
Neville stirred in his sleep.
Beep, beep, beep!
"Alright," Neville said, groggily.
He turned to his side and hit the "snooze" button on his alarm clock. After a yawn and a stretch, Neville sat up and glanced around his room. The sun was barely coming up over the horizon, so his room was cast in a dark shadow. This used to frighten Neville, but he wasn't a foolish little boy anymore.
Croak.
Neville cocked his head toward his hungry toad.
"Trevor."
Standing up, Neville made his way to his dresser where a box full of flies laid. Reaching in, he grabbed several before they could fly away. He released them near Trevor. Trevor, however, was too slow.
"What am I going to do with you, Trevor?"
Neville picked up his wand and pointed it at one fly.
"Impedimenta!"
The fly stopped in mid-air, allowing Trevor to gobble it up. Neville did this twice more in succession, allowing his toad to eat. He smirked, noticing his excelling performance in magic.
Pulling on some clothes, Neville made his way downstairs to find his grandmother already cooking breakfast.
"There you are! If you weren't down here in fifteen minutes I was going to check on you," his grandmother said, cheerfully.
Neville just stared at her.
"What?" his grandmother asked.
"How can you be so cheerful? Have you any idea what we're going to be up against this year?" Neville asked, incredulously.
"Of course, I do. It's not going to be easy, that's for sure. But the world could use more cheer in a time like this. You have a big day ahead of you. Better eat up. Who knows what they'll be feeding you in that place," she said.
Neville sat down and piled his plate with all of his favorite breakfast foods. Through a mouthful of toast, he said, "Gran, do you think you can look after Trevor while I'm away?" He felt bad for asking, Trevor was a gift after all. But Trevor always got loose, and somehow Neville thought it wouldn't be wise to have such a slippery toad with him this year.
"Of course, dear," his grandmother replied. She seemed to know exactly what Neville had been thinking.
"Thanks."
He wolfed down his meal and returned to his room. He was packing his trunk with a few last minute items. Pulling out his wand, Neville levitated his trunk and was on his way out the door, but he stopped and sighed. Turning around he grabbed what looked like a passport and stuffed it in his pocket.
"Good-bye, Trevor."
Croak.
And without another glance backward, he left his room.
His grandmother met him at the foot of the stairs.
"I still don't understand why we're leaving so early. The train doesn't arrive for another two hours," Neville told her.
"We've got some things to talk about. But not alone. We're meeting the Weasley's at a nearby coffee shop," she replied. She opened the door and the walked out to the welcoming sunlight.
"You have everything, correct?"
Neville nodded.
"Good. Take my arm," she said, and Neville obliged. They disappeared without a trace.
Chime, chime, chime.
The door to the coffee shop was exceedingly noisy with the new customers entering. Neville and his grandmother took a seat near the door, awaiting the Weasley's arrival.
"Are you going to tell me what this is about?" Neville asked, but his Grandmother just shushed him.
The coffee shop's door kept chiming as customers came and went. It was bustling this morning with hordes of muggles, no doubt heading to work. Finally, three red-headed people entered, crying out loudly at the sight of Neville and his grandmother.
"Augusta, pleasure, pleasure," said Mr. Weasley, extending a hand and placing a kiss on each of her cheeks.
"The pleasure's all mine, Arthur. Molly, dear, how do you do?" said Neville's grandmother.
"As well as we can be, Augusta, given the current circumstances," she replied.
Ginny shifted awkwardly toward Neville.
"What do you suppose this is all about?" Ginny whispered.
"No idea," Neville replied.
"Ah, yes, to business," said Mr. Weasley. He looked solemnly at Neville and Ginny. Each rose an eyebrow. "Now, kids-"
"We're not kids anymore!" Neville interrupted.
"Shush, sweetie," his grandmother said.
"Yes, well, sorry, it's a habit. As you both know, Hogwarts is being overrun by Death Eaters. Now, this gives you no incentive to run amok about the place trying to stir up trouble. We're fighting them from the outside, in secrecy. We don't want you two teaming up with others to do it from inside Hogwarts. The last thing we want is for you to get hurt," said Mr. Weasley. "And," he continued, because each showed signs of interrupting, "I still work at the ministry. This gives me a boost. If you, Ginny, stir up trouble, I could be out a job and won't be able to provide much more useful information to the Order. Understand?"
Ginny and Neville obediently nodded.
"Now, there may come a time in which we try to contact you for updates. These are the times in which the family may be in peril or something drastic has come up. Whatever you do, do not panic. It'll be for you guys not to be in the dark about situations.
Now, with that being said, are you two ready to go back to Hogwarts?"
Ginny and Neville exchanged glances.
"I suppose," Neville said.
"Well, dears, an hour has passed and we've got one more left until the train leaves. Arthur has to return to work, so will you two be okay at the platform by yourselves until the train leaves?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"Of course, Mum. Like Neville said, we aren't children anymore," Ginny replied.
"Alright. We'll see to it you get onto the platform without any trouble."
They left the coffee shop and made their way into King's Cross Station. It was unusually crowded. They were approaching the bare barrier between platforms nine and ten. As they moved closer, however, two figures became distinguishable. Both were guarding the entrance to platform nine and three quarters.
"Rowle and Mulciber," Arthur whispered. "Death Eaters."
A rage swelled inside Neville. He should have expected this. They wouldn't allow muggle-borns to be smuggled past them.
They reached the barrier.
"Okay, dears, we'll be seeing you. Take care and have a wonderful year!" said Mrs. Weasley. She hugged them both. Augusta mimicked her.
"You two be safe now. I love you!" she said.
"Good-bye, Gran. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," said Neville.
Ginny waved. "Together?" she asked Neville. He nodded.
They sprinted toward the platform, only to run into two thick arms.
"Papers first," said Rowle. He held out his big burly hands to receive the paperwork.
"And what if I refuse?" Neville asked, defiantly.
Mulciber reached for the collar of Neville's shirt and grabbed him.
"Then you'll be chucked into Azkaban and be given the Dementor's Kiss. Now show us your bloody paperwork," he demanded releasing Neville and pushing him to the floor.
"Leave my grandson alone!" Augusta shouted as she marched toward the Death Eater. He pulled out his wand and pointed it straight at her head.
"Give me a reason, and I'll do it," Mulciber laughed.
Neville jumped to his feet and punched him in the face. Mulciber staggered. Rowle, acting exceedingly slowly, grabbed Neville's arms and forced them behind his back.
"Looks like we've got a fighter on our hands. Better shape up, boy. We'll be having none of that at Hogwarts."
"Like hell you won't!" Neville spat. He was struggling to get free. Mulciber walked over to Neville and reached into his pocket, pulling out the passport looking thing.
"Pure-blood," he stated, showing Rowle the huge red stamp on the inside of it. "As is the girl."
"Well, looks like you'll become quite the soldier for us. Just you wait," said Rowle, releasing Neville. If Ginny hadn't restrained Neville, he would have punched Rowle in the face as he did with Mulciber.
"This is exactly what we were trying to avoid," whispered Mr. Weasley.
"That was very irresponsible of you, boy," cried Mrs. Weasley, loud enough for the Death Eaters to hear. She winked at Ginny and Neville secretively, so the Death Eaters couldn't see. "Be careful."
After the last round of hugs, Neville and Ginny were finally allowed onto the platform of nine and three quarters.