Sorry this is so late. RL and all that…Updates on all my stories will be regular from now on! If you read, review…it's common courtesy really

CHAPTER EIGHT

A DETENTION

"So," Snape hissed, his black eyes narrowing as he surveyed the trio over the Headmaster's desk, "So, you thought it would be fun to steal a priceless artifact from this school…and get away with it? Such arrogance." His eyes flicked to Neville, "And you Longbottom, what was your role in all of this? Just a hentchman then, because I'm certain you cannot be the mastermind behind this plot." He chuckled darkly, "But then, it was so poorly thought out, that you must have had some part in the planning, so tell me Longbottom," Snape leaned back in his chair, "Who planned this little…escapade?"

'We all did." Ginny said defiantly, sticking out her chin.

"Then you will all receive the same punishment, Miss. Weasley." Snape said, shooting a glare at Ginny, "Such an infraction cannot be taken lightly…stealing a priceless artifact…" he muttered as he summoned a piece of parchment to his desk, "…amazing you even…but then again Potter…"

"Don't you dare say anything about Harry!" Ginny snapped, her brown eyes flashing in her anger.

"Tisk, tisk, Miss. Weasley, more cheek from you? One would think that you would learn your lesson." Snape drawled, not even glancing up from the parchment before him as he spoke.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Ginny exclaimed, ignoring frantic looks from both Neville and Luna, "Betraying the Order like you have and then daring to sit at his desk, lording over all of us like you belong there. You disgust me."

Snape had become quite still during Ginny's little tirade, so still in fact, that if a fifth party had entered the room, her mightn't have noticed Snape's presence.

"Miss. Weasley," When Snape finally spoke his voice was so low, so venomous, that Neville had to work to suppress a shiver of fear, "I don't know who you believe you are speaking to, but I can assure you do not want that person to be me. You forget that I currently represent the establishment our world is currently ruled by. I suggest," he spat the word, "That you remember your place when speaking to your elders. Haven't your parents taught you nothing? But then, you are a Weasley, I suppose that in a household such as yours, lessons like that are simply passed over." He smirked as Luna placed a warning hand on Ginny's vibrating knee.

"Now back to the task at hand," He finished writing out their sentences with a flourish, "You will report to the gamekeeper at seven thirty tomorrow evening. He will instruct you further. Good evening." And he nodded his oily head towards the door.

The three trouped out in rather stunned silence, meeting a gleeful Filch at the bottom of the staircase. They trailed behind him as he escorted them back to their common room, babbling about how they were going to be hung from the rafters in the Great Hall, he was sure of it. Mrs. Norris twisted her way between their legs, tripping them often, but none of the three spoke a word.

Finally, when Luna had been dropped off at her common room, Filch led Ginny and Neville towards Gryffindor tower, still chuckling to himself about their coming punishment.

"Might teach you little bastards some respect for authority!" he exclaimed, just as the Fat Lady came into view. As soon as he was sure they were in the common room, he turned and hobbled away. It was only then that Ginny and Neville chanced a glance at each other.

"Was that-?" Ginny began, her eyebrows rising until they disappeared into her hairline.

"Yep." Neville answered, sinking down in one of the exceedingly comfortable Gryffindor common room chairs and letting out an enormous sigh.

"So you also thought that he was just a bit too easy on us?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, yes," Neville nodded, "About halfway back to the headmaster's office I had myself convinced that he was going to murder us and string us up around the school by out thumbs-like Flitch is always threatening to do."

"But what I don't understand is why he's being so…blasé about our punishments." Ginny muttered beginning to pace about the room, "I mean, stealing from the headmaster is a really out of bounds offence. I just don't understand why-"

'Give it a rest Gin." Neville sighed, rubbing his eyes, "Seriously, why can't you just be grateful that is just detention and go on up to bed? I, for one, have had a pretty rough day and I'm beat."

"You go on Neville." Ginny said, "I'm not tired."

"Are you sure?" Neville stood and looked at his friend. When she made no reply he shrugged, and, with a "Suit yourself." He clambered up the stairs towards the nearly empty dormitory above, his heavy footfalls echoing through the common room.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Ginny allowed herself to relax. Even though it was just Neville, someone she had known for years, she was finding it increasingly difficult to relax around others. Maybe it was because of what had happened at the wedding, maybe it was because her entire world had been shaken to the core, but Ginny Weasley couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the War then met the eye.