TW: Injury, mentions torture (Cruciatus Curse)
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"What happened to you? You look awful." Theo gaped at the tall wizard as he let himself sink onto the floor beside him. It had become somewhat of a habit of Neville's to join Theo here in the evenings and as much as Theo had tried to fight it, he couldn't stop himself from thinking about it as 'their spot' now.
If he was entirely honest, he had hoped that Neville would show up tonight. Theo had had a letter from his father this morning and had been on the verge of a panic attack for most of the day because of it, so he could definitely use the company. Not that he could actually tell Neville what the letter had entailed, but there was something about the gentle Gryffindor's presence that always seemed to ground him and the light chatter about mundane things like school work and what kind of plants Neville like to grow - topics that they so easily seemed to fall into these days - was always a welcome distraction.
Today was different though. It only took one look at Neville and the memory of his father's letter was completely wiped from Theo's mind, because Neville looked absolutely awful. He was unusually pale, with dark circles under his eyes and a sickly green tinge around his nose; but most prominent of all, was the deep, oozing gash across his left cheek and the several fresh bruises along his jaw.
"Had a run in with Carrow." Neville huffed, wincing with pain as he tried to adjust his seating position.
Theo's mouth went dry. "Which one?"
"Alecto." The battered looking Gryffindor said, a dark look on his face. "Unfortunately her aim is much better than her brother's."
"What happened?" Theo asked again, despite the ominous feeling in his stomach that told him that he really didn't want to know.
"She called Dean a Mudblood in class today, so I stood up for him and told her that Dean's ten times the wizard anyone from her rotten family will ever be." He let out a contemptuous scoff. "She didn't like that at all…told me to get up and practise my Imperio on Dean, show everyone how easily he'll bow to me." He shook his head, looking disgusted. "When I refused to do it, she decided to punish me instead. First with stinging and slicing hexes, but I don't think she liked how little I reacted to them, so she switched to the Cruciatus curse after that."
Theo thought he might be sick. He knew that Dean Thomas was technically a half-blood, but that he was raised by his muggle mother and hadn't known that he was a wizard until he received his Hogwarts letter. In the eyes of the Carrows that made him as good as a muggle born.
"You should have just done it." He said, when he finally regained his composure. "The Imperius curse doesn't hurt. Thomas would have been fine."
Neville shook his head, glaring. "It's about the principle," he said sternly. "Dean's my friend and a much better wizard than I am."
"So you'd rather get tortured than embarrass him a little?"
Anger rippled through Theo as he stared at Neville in disbelief. Anger at Alecto Carrow for being such a despicable person, anger at the Dark Lord and his stupid ideologies that had caused this stupid war, and anger at Neville for being such a bloody martyr. It had been foolish of him to stand up to Carrow like that, and part of him wanted to strangle the boy for putting himself in danger like that.
"Fuck…" He growled, balling his hands into fists. "You're such a bloody Gryffindor, do you know that?"
To his utmost despair Neville's lips twitched and he began to chuckle. CHUCKLE! Honestly...the audacity! Theo was furious, but Neville only shook his head, the low, raspy noise of his soft chortle still rumbling in his chest, as his lips tilted into a wide smile that made his warm, hazel eyes sparkle with pride and something that looked an awful lot like endearment.
It was so disarming that it instantly snuffed all of Theo's anger out and instead filled his stomach with a whole swarm of annoyingly persistent butterflies.
"You do know that that's a compliment to me, right?" Neville eventually said, his smile now so wide that it had formed that adorable dimple on his right cheek again.
"Yeah well… I didn't mean it as one." Theo grumbled, when he finally regained control over his voice. "You're a bloody idiot for risking your life like that."
But Neville just kept smiling, seemingly unperturbed by Theo's chiding.
In the end, Theo gave up on it and changed direction.
"You look like shit, mate." He said, wrinkling his nose as he took in the battered state of Neville's face.
"Cheers!" Neville laughed, a lopsided grin spreading on his lips. "Always appreciate the honesty."
"I mean it. Why didn't you go to Madam Pomfrey?"
As quickly as Neville's face had brightened before, it just as quickly grew dark again at the mention of the Hogwarts Matron.
"I don't know." He shrugged, pulling his bottom lip between his teeth and wincing when he realised that it was split. "She's got enough on her hands at the moment. With all the students being tortured and whatnot."
"Students like you?" Theo asked carefully, hoping to convey that being Crucioed for defending your friend did very much fall under the category of torture.
But Neville only shook his head. "I'm fine. I can take it."
There was a stubborn expression on his face that told Theo that it wouldn't be any use trying to argue with him.
"What did Thomas think of all this?" He asked instead, partially because he thought it a good idea to change the subject, but also because he found that he was genuinely interested.
Neville sucked in a deep breath, his expression growing darker yet. "He left." He grumbled, picking glumly at a loose thread on his sleeve.
"Left?"
"Yeah…to go into hiding, I think." Neville stopped assaulting his robes when the thread finally snapped, discarded it on the floor and pulled his legs towards him, hugging them tightly against his chest. "It was only a matter of time anyway. With that stupid Muggle-born Registration Commission the Ministry is trying to push. He can't really prove his wizarding heritage with his dad gone and all, so it's best for him if he gets as far away from Hogwarts as he can… take his family somewhere safe." Neville let out a deep sigh, cheeks billowing as the air escaped through his lips in a slow, even stream. "I think he was hoping to finish his education first, but with his muggle upbringing he's always going to be a target as long as the Carrows teach here. And anyway… the way things are going it's not really worth it, is it? When was the last time you learned something useful here?"
Theo contemplated this for the moment and came to the conclusion that Neville was probably right. The Hogwarts Theo had known and loved so much didn't exist anymore. Instead it had turned into a school that taught hate and discrimination with a side of dark magic and a generous helping of torture. Sure, some of the teachers still tried. He didn't think McGonagall and Flitwick would ever bow to the new regime and Professor Binns' class remained as boring as ever. But Neville was right, Dean Thomas would never be seen as a worthy wizard in the Carrows' eyes, and as sad as it was, he was probably better off leaving now, before things could take a much nastier turn.
Theo knew it was wrong, but in a way he almost envied the boy for getting away…
"I'm sorry." he muttered after another brief silence, because it seemed the most appropriate thing to say, but also because he meant it. Thomas had been Neville's friend and he somehow felt that the brave Gryffindor was more upset about the situation than he was willing to show.
"Thanks." Neville hummed, still looking sullen, but at least the deep worry line on his forehead had smoothed out a little.
"You…" Theo swallowed, feeling hesitant, but then decided to just go for it. "You might want to put something on that cut so it won't scar, though. I think I have some leftover Dittany in my trunk if you want it?"
Neville tilted his head towards him, and Theo could feel himself blush when the Gryffindor's lips broke into a wide, appreciative smile.
"Thanks." he said, giving Theo a gentle nudge with his shoulder. "But I'm okay. If it scars, then I'll wear it proudly."
"O-okay." Theo breathed, feeling a little winded by the unexpected touch of Neville's arm bumping against his. It had been completely innocent of course, a mere brush of limbs, meant as a friendly gesture of gratitude, …but that hadn't stopped Theo's entire body from seizing up and growing unbearably hot.
He needed to get out of here.
"Uhm…Well, if you're alright, then I guess I best be going." He breathed, jumping up and taking a step back. "It's getting a bit late." He took a few laboured breaths, hoping that his blush wouldn't be too obvious in the darkness of the corridor, and ran a nervous hand through his hair, as he gazed down at the confused looking wizard.
"Oh, okay…" Neville said, startled by the sudden urgency with which Theo was trying to get away from him. "I guess I'll go too then." He was much less graceful than Theo, as he struggled to push himself up into a standing position, the grimace on his face giving away how much pain he was in. Theo watched him fumble with contrition. His fingers itching to reach out for him and help him up. But before he could gather enough courage to do so, Neville had managed it by himself and stood across from him, breathing heavily, but smiling nonetheless.
"I'll see you around then?"
"Sure." Theo croaked, forcing his lips into a stiff smile. "See you around."
And with that he rushed off towards his common room, chest tight and heart pounding, as he tried to shake the strange flutter in his lower belly; the spot on his shoulder where Neville had touched him still burning.
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Hi! Before anyone gets angry with me, I thought I'd address the potential canon divergence in this chapter. I know that the Muggle-Born Registration Commission was put into place before the school year started and that there is a strong likelihood that Dean never showed up for his seventh year at Hogwarts, seeing as he didn't really know what his blood status was.
I am aware that Dean's blood status is an ongoing discussion in the fandom, but for the purpose of this story it was just easier for me to make him a half-blood and have him be at Hogwarts for the beginning of the year. I do apologise if that bothers/upsets you!