Title:Game Without Tears

Disclaimer: I do not own, wish I did, but I don't. I only own my plot line. Full disclaimer, first chapter.

Author: ShaeLynn Teelle

All other information: See first chapter.

Polite constructive criticism welcome. FLAMES WILL BE FED TO THE DRAGON IN MY BED.

Chapter 9: Truth to Never Believe

After he left the Headmaster's office Neville went down to the Great Hall, knowing it would soon be swarming with the other students for breakfast. When he got there he saw that Ginny was already seated at the Gryffindor table with a book open in front of her. He smiled and quietly sat down beside her, ignoring the stares he was receiving from the other students at the other house tables. Ginny glanced up at him once, but she just 'Mmm'-ed and went back to her book.

"What class are you working on?" Neville asked quietly.

"Herbology. I was just going over the reading on what Professor Sprout said we were doing today. So," Ginny continued, closing her book and giving her friend her full attention. Then, she paused, really giving Neville her full attention when she sensed something different about him, "How did things go with… last weekend?"

Neville smiled brightly at Ginny's hesitant question. Before he could actually answer, Ginny had squealed and thrown her arms about him in an over-exuberant hug. Neville's arms instinctively went around her and when she didn't release him after an appropriate time for friends, he tightened his hold on her slightly. The moment was broken and the two sprang apart as the voice of a slightly over-protective brother reached them.

"Neville, what do you think you're doing with my sister?" Ron asked rather loudly from halfway down the Gryffindor table. Hermione was beside him, trying not to laugh.

Neville turned around to face Ron and calmly answered, "I was returning Ginny's hug, Ron. What did it look like I was doing?"

His unflustered answer made Ron pause and then he blushed rather sheepishly when he met Ginny's glare and raised eyebrow. "Sorry, Neville, but you know… she's my sister. Got to look out for her."

Before Ginny could reply about not needing a brother guarding her they heard laughter coming from across the table. They all turned to see Harry standing there, laughing at Ron and Ginny. Off to one side they saw Professor Snape watching the scene with his typical sneer.

"Professor Snape,' Neville said calmly, nodding to the man he previously feared, stunning all the students that had entered the Hall.

"Mr. Longbottom," Snape answered back just a politely, nearly imperceptively cocking his head to the side in acknowledgement before continuing up to the Head Table.

The brief silence that had come over the Hall at the interaction was quickly broken by hushed whispers as the other students discussed the strange occurrence and shared the event with those that had missed it. At the Head Table Snape hid the smirk that threatened to break out across his face at the commotion he had caused. Neville had no such restrictions as a reputation that he wanted to keep and freely laughed with Harry at the other Gryffindors' reactions.

By the end of breakfast many of the Gryffindors had accepted what had happened as yet another one of the odd things that had taken place that year. Those that didn't accept it without question were Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. Neville promised to explain things to them later when there were not so many eager ears about.

There was no more open mention of the incident until after lunch except for brief confused looks from the Professors that hadn't known of the potion and congratulating smiles from the few that had been informed. After lunch the sixth and seventh year Gryffindors had their NEWT level Herbology class together with students from the other three houses that had received the minimum score on their OWLs and had chosen to continue their study in the field.

The sixth and seventh year NEWT classes for Herbology were combined as the seventh years were most often set to a project that lasted for sometimes two weeks, while the sixth years were taught about some of the more deadly plants they had not studied before. When there was time at the end of class the sixth years would spread out amongst the seventh year groups to learn about the different projects that were happening.

Professor Sprout, well aware of the groups of friends and enemies in the seventh year half of the class, placed the students in the groups, each house mixed amongst the others. There were five groups total with the four Gryffindors divided amidst the rest. Neville was in a group with Hannah Abbot from Hufflepuff and Lisa Turpin from Ravenclaw. Without any Slytherins in his group they were the farthest ahead in their research and Neville's abilities shone without worry that the project would be ruined by one of the Slytherin's pranks. There were actually no groups that had more than one student from a house and though three of the remaining four groups each had a Slytherin and a Gryffindor, no fights had broken out yet and only mild arguments rather than shouting matches.

At the end of class the Gryffindors were the last to leave and Professor Sprout stopped Neville for a moment, "Mr. Longbottom, congratulations on the events of this weekend. Also, if you would be interested, I would like to offer you an apprenticeship through at least next school year here at Hogwarts. Professor Dumbledore has readily agreed if you are willing and your parents were amendable to the idea when they fire-called me early this morning. You have until the NEWTs are taken to provide me with an answer. Think carefully on this. It will be a lot of work so you must be sure that this is what you'd like to do."

"Thank you for this opportunity, Professor Sprout," Neville said, stunned, but a smile crept across his face. "I will think hard on this and give you my answer at a later time."

The Professor nodded and returned to her work while Neville left the greenhouse, a dazed smile on his face. He was instantly surrounded by Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny, each asking him what Sprout had wanted. Any reply he would have given was interrupted by the Leg-Locker curse that was sent his way. It impacted with the mild defense shield surrounding him and dissipated harmlessly. The Gryffindors turned to see Draco and his group standing off to the side. Draco was, of course, the one with his wand out, a frown on his face.

Before anyone else could say anything Neville spoke with his new-found quiet confidence, "Nice try, Malfoy. But it's not going to work anymore. You'll just have to find yourself someone new to hex and curse when you're bored."

Draco looked at the boy in front of him, a mask of disgust and contempt on his face, "What happened that you grew a backbone, Longbottom? Your parents finally wake up or something?"

Neville drew his shoulders back and stared Draco in the eye, "Yes, they did."

"Good. It's about time," he answered without pause, the sneer suddenly gone from his voice.

Neville froze, as did the other Gryffindors.

"Yes, it is," Neville agreed quietly, watching Draco's every move.

Draco stood there for just a moment longer before nodding briefly to the Trio, acknowledging them. Then, he turned and strode back towards the castle, not saying another word, Pansy, Gregory, and Vincent falling into step beside and behind him.

The five Gryffindors stared after them, not quite sure what was going on that Draco had walked away from the chance to truly insult Neville and had, in a round-about way, congratulated him. Neville turned to Ginny beside him, one eyebrow raised slightly. She shrugged, but returned to watching the Slytherins as they neared the castle, a thoughtful look on her face. Hermione, Ron, and Harry looked to each other and nodded, silently agreeing to keep an even closer eye on Draco's group.

No more was spoken about either the incident with Malfoy or the past weekend until later that night after supper. The Trio, Neville, and Ginny were all sitting in a corner of the common room. Each was concentrating on their homework, even Ron, though he was the first one to break the silence.

"So what's happened between you and Snape, Neville? I mean, what was that display at breakfast all about?"

Neville and Harry looked at each other. Neville just smiled and Harry began laughing quietly as they remembered the look on Snape's face that morning in the Headmaster's office.

"My parents could hear and see everything that was happening around them, but they weren't able to respond or acknowledge very much. They told me a lot of things this weekend. I know you saw in fifth year when I was visiting them that my mother gave me a wrapper just before I left. She did that every time I visited and she told me it would take every ounce of mental strength she had to force that much. Dumbledore came to visit them several times over the years, keeping them updated on the Death Eater trials and who had escaped being sent to Azkaban."

At Hermione's shocked gasp Neville quickly reassured her, "It was alright, Hermione. Remember, they were part of the original Order of the Phoenix and they were Aurors before they were cursed. Professor Dumbledore knew that no one would tell them any of these things, but he knew that even if they never understood what he was telling them, they would have wanted to be told and they were glad he had."

"That's great, Neville, but what does that have to do with Snape? Beyond them knowing from Dumbledore that he had been a spy and was teaching at Hogwarts, of course," Ron said, slightly confused.

"Dumbledore wasn't the only one to ever visit them beyond my grandmother and I. Dumbledore brought Professor Snape along with him one time. Professor Snape apologized for everything that had happened to them and he told them what happened that night because he had to tell someone. Professor Snape was there the night my parents were cursed. He's likely the only reason I survived."

"What?!" Ron nearly shouted, attracting the attention of several other students near them, but the others quickly ignored the group when Hermione and Ginny glared out at them.

"I don't remember any of this. I was Obliviated days after because I had nightmares a lot and my grandmother refused to tolerate it, especially as being someone that keeps all her emotions to herself, she would never wake me and comfort me. She'd let me be until I grew quiet again or I woke myself up."

"But, Obliviating a child can cause learning problems later in life. I thought they only allowed that in extreme cases," Hermione interrupted quietly, watching Neville's expression.

"Yes, it does cause problems," Neville answered, looking away for a moment before he continued. "My grandmother had the money and influence to court a healer until they agreed. That's why it isn't easy for me in most of my classes. I wish they had never done that, even if I did remember seeing what happened, watching them being tortured. Do you know what happens to me when Dementors are near? I see a blank emptiness, pitch black around me and all I hear is muffled sounds and I don't know what's happening. I'm starting to think that Memory Charms aren't full proof.

"Professor Snape was called after the other Death Eaters had gotten to my house. When he arrived he couldn't do anything to stop them. My father was already under the curse and was beyond what he could handle. My mother was held against a wall so she had to watch, helplessly. I was in a corner of the living room where everything was happening, but I hadn't been seen by anyone. I do remember that corner. It was my play area, blocked off by magic so I couldn't get into mischief or get hurt.

"Mother told me I was always a quiet baby, only fussing if I needed something and rarely crying. For whatever reason that night, I didn't cry or fuss or draw any attention to myself. Mother said she had told me to stay quiet until the strangers were gone. She said I had been very smart for my age. My parents knew Professor Snape had been a spy before the end of the war. He had stayed at our house several times, healing from punishments when Voldemort's plans were spoiled, usually by Professor Snape, though it wasn't known at the time.

"Professor Snape, Severus, told my parents that when he arrived and realized what was going on he discreetly looked for me and found me in my play area. He had swept around the room like he does in the hallways now and covered me with his cloak and robes so no one would see me. When they asked why he had moved he claimed it was for a better spot to watch, just as my mother was hit with the Cruciatus.

"She understood what he was doing, that he was protecting me and since I knew him I wasn't afraid when he covered me so I couldn't see anything. From what they say I fell asleep under his robes, holding one of his ankles. Everyone knows he wears nearly three layers of robes, even in the summer. I guess they had muffled the sounds so much that I was able to fall asleep."

Ginny broke the momentary silence in a quiet voice, "Is that what you remember near Dementors? You remember being underneath Snape's robes when your mum was being cursed?"

"I think so. I can remember my play area, though after that night I never went there again as Grandmother had the house boarded up. Over the last few years I've seen things, remembered words and places that always confused me. But after talking to my parents, hearing their voices and their stories… It's starting to make sense. Somehow I'm getting back bits and pieces of my memories and I don't know how."

"Neville, how soon after what happened did your grandmother have you Obliviated?" Hermione asked, a look of intense interest and concentration on her face.

"Not long after. Severus had known and told Professor Dumbledore about where the Death Eaters would meet after the… events… of the night were over. That's how the Lestranges were caught. Members of the Order and Aurors were waiting for them. Severus took me to Professor Dumbledore and told him everything that had happened. Professor Dumbledore contacted my grandmother and told her the situation.

"The first thing she wanted done was to have a memory charm put on me, but Professor Dumbledore refused and warned Grandmother of the possible side-effects as I grew older. Besides not learning as well or as quickly as I might, my magic could have been affected to the point where it would never show through effectively, making me a squib. At least it was only dampened instead of completely being gone.

"Professor Dumbledore and Severus didn't find out she had done it despite their protests until it was too late. There is a reversal process, but it's still being worked on and only a quarter of the tests have had varying degrees of success. The other three quarters were killed. At least they can perform the tests in ways that don't affect a living patient.

"Severus had visited my parents with Professor Dumbledore shortly after we started at Hogwarts. His reputation with the other Death Eater families ensured he kept his façade of being the heartless, greasy git during school. He had to be cruel to me because he said it was the only way to keep up his façade. Professor Snape told my parents that even though he had told them everything and apologized, his guilt kept making him want to act completely out-of-character for the persona he had. He couldn't risk his true allegiances being discovered like that. He turned the urge to comfort me into anger and belittled me.

"Though he did say that I'm utterly hopeless at even the simplest of potions. I really can't argue with that and Mum said she barely passed to get into Auror training herself," Neville said, laughing slightly at Ron's expression of disbelief.

"Neville, I'm glad you've got your parents back and your questions are being answered," Ginny said, hugging him lightly.

"Well, there is one question I know of that hasn't been answered yet." At Ginny's confused look he asked, "Would you consider going on a date with me to Hogsmeade, Ginny?"

After a brief moment of shocked silence, Ginny threw her arms about Neville's neck, grinning widely while Harry and Hermione laughed and Ron was caught somewhere between laughing with them and sputtering a denial.

\/\/\/\/\/

Two weeks later found Draco slowly walking up a flight of the moving stairs. He had spent his weekend once just watching the stairs to determine if there was some kind of pattern to when they moved. Now, he had them timed perfectly. By the time he would reach the top of the current staircase he was on, it would change and bring him directly to the hallway he wanted to go to.

He glanced at the watch he had set for only the staircases' movements and looked up just in time to see Ginny Weasley take a step into open air as the staircase she was on moved suddenly. He saw her turn and try to grasp hold of the railing, but her hands slid off the stone and she fell.

Without a thought he pulled out his wand, "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Ginny stopped falling five feet from the staircase Draco was on. With a light flicking of his wand he gently lowered the Gryffindor until she was sitting in front of him, her eyes wide and face pale.

"The stairs are known to move, Weasley. I would think that you have been here long enough to realize that," Draco said with a raised eyebrow, but the usual taunting sarcasm was gone from his voice and had been replaced with a trace of concern.

Ginny stared at him, "I was thinking about something and I didn't pay attention to where I was." She stopped, staring at him, "You saved me. Why? I thought you hated my entire family, Malfoy."

Draco winced slightly at the name, but was saved from answering when the staircase shifted. He saw Ginny grip the railing next to her tightly and close her eyes. Draco just planted his feet more firmly and rode the movement without even swaying.

When the stairs stopped at their new destination Draco leaned down near Ginny and reassured her quietly, "It is only worse when you close your eyes, Weasley. Go down these stairs and take the next two flights to your left. That will get you back to where you were going. Be more careful next time, Ginny."

"Why did you save me?"

Draco paused as he was about the climb past the girl that sat in his way, "Potter considers you an important part of his life. I would hate for him to lose someone else he cares about. If you tell anyone about this, Weasel, you will not like the consequences," he sneered at the Gryffindor and walked up the stairs, disappearing through the door and into the fifth floor corridor.

He didn't close the door completely and after a moment Draco looked back out to the stairs. Ginny had stood up and was walking down the steps, hand holding tight to the railing. When she reached the bottom she took the staircase on her left. The next set of stairs he had told her to take changed when she was halfway up the first set. She paused, waiting for it to stop moving before she stepped onto it.

Draco smirked and closed the door. He turned to the right in the deserted corridor, and slipped behind a floor to ceiling statue of a lion. Knocking twice, a small section of the wall moved and Draco walked into the room beyond where four people were waiting.

"You're late. Any trouble?"

"Ginny Weasley almost hit the floor at the bottom of the staircase tower," Draco answered with a grin and waved his wand, lighting the four torches placed about the room.

Pansy stepped towards him, "Is she okay?"

"Yes. I hope that she learns that getting so wrapped up in her thoughts could get her killed. Any news?"

"We'll be called tonight. There was an incident in Hogsmeade that we weren't aware of at the time. I'm sure Dumbledore has already told the other members of the Trio. Hermione Granger followed Millicent out past the Shrieking Shack. She was taken an hour ago."

"Damn. Her need to know everything that is happening is what is going to get her killed. We need a plan, something, anything, to get her out of there alive."

"Like what?" Daphne asked, moving closer to Gregory. "You know what he's likely to do to her. A good bought of torture, Cruciatus for information, then, kill her and send her body back to the main gates of Hogwarts."

"Alright, we know how her death would affect Potter and Weasley, but is there anything else you can think of that would be worse or just as bad?" Draco asked, specifically looking between Pansy and Daphne.

"Rape," Pansy whispered.

"It has to be something that is not going to leave a physical impression on her, Pans."

The Slytherin glared at Draco, "Sometimes I don't know how you've managed to stay alive for so long in the Inner Circle. Think! You make the suggestion and the Snake will expect you to carry it out. Every Death Eater knows that you do not do anything to a woman sexually with an audience. It will be accepted that you drag her into one of those nearly soundproof rooms that are off the main meeting room. You can't hear anything from there unless it's loud. Make her scream, however you can, so the Snake and his followers believe you are forcing her.

"The Snake can't detect simple spells anymore so use them to make it look like you took her. Everyone knows that nothing rattles you. They're all convinced that the cold mask is what you really are like. All you have to think of is what you need to say that will convince the Snake that your plan will do more damage to Potter's cause than her death will. Just explain to Granger what she needs to do while you have her in one of the small rooms. She's a bright Gryffindor. She should be able to figure out what you're trying to do for her. I know that you can pull this off, Dragon," Pansy said, resting her hand briefly against Draco's cheek.

"Okay. This is how it's going to happen. I hope the girls will not get called tonight as it has only been a week since the last time, but I cannot be sure. No matter what happens tonight, we will meet back in my room. Everything clear?" As the other four nodded, Draco grinned without humor, "Then, let us all do our part and let the Snake lose some ground."

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