Hermione, Daphne, and Blaise decide to tackle the research project. Ron, Harry, Neville, and Theo all agree to look around the castle in their free time to see if they can find any clues.
Harry insists that no one go around the castle alone, and Hermione especially needs to be accompanied by a pure-blood at all times. Hermione looks like she really, really wants to argue against this but can recognize a good idea when she sees one.
The rest of November passes without another attack. The hostility towards Harry fades with each passing day, but his and his friends' progress towards cracking the mystery is frustratingly slow-going.
Blaise had resorted to writing the Contessa about Voldemort's school days under the guise of a History project, but she had admitted that she had no idea- apparently the few people who would have known are either dead, would rather die before giving that secret up, or are Dumbledore.
According to the Contessa, it's a source of great frustration that she doesn't know and if Blaise or one of his 'delightful little friends' should find out, they'd have her gratitude.
Ron spends a lot of his time taking turns with his brothers to comfort Ginny. According to Ron, Colin had been one of her best friends and she's taking his petrification really hard.
"Really it's just up to me," he complains to Harry as they are exploring the castle one day.
They're looking down the same corridor that Mrs. Norris had been found in.
"The twins are trying to scare her out of her misery, and Percy isn't exactly what you'd call emotionally intelligent."
"Mhm," Harry says, staring at the windowsill. "Hey, Ron."
"Yeah?"
"Don't come over here."
Apparently this was the wrong thing to say, because Ron is instantly at Harry's side.
"Why, what- Merlin's saggy tits!" Ron yells, jumping back a good five feet. He's gone very pale and shaky.
"Sorry, but I did warn you," Harry says, trying not to laugh at the expletive.
"You could've told me it was spiders first!"
"It's weird though, right? Spiders don't act like this, not usually."
"Know a lot of spiders, do you?" Ron snaps.
Harry thinks back to his cupboard days.
"I'd say so," he says, shrugging.
"... right. Sure, why not. Look, can we get out of here? I fucking hate spiders."
As November ends and December begins, the temperature plummets even more than it had last year. Merlin is pretty much always sleeping in her heated satchel, and Harry is starting to miss her company despite the fact that she's technically with him most of the time.
He spends a couple Sundays in Myrtle's bathroom with Pansy and Hermione.
Harry was hoping that the potions club would help him get better at potions, but to his disappointment it really is mostly just experimentation.
However, he does genuinely come to enjoy Pansy's company (despite the fact that she brings out a really scary side of Hermione- Harry had no idea that Hermione had such a comprehensive plan for taking over the Ministry of Magic.)
Fortunately, Myrtle is usually absent from these meetings. When Harry remarked on this, Pansy and Hermione exchanged a glance.
"What?" Harry asks.
"Well, she… she's avoiding you," Hermione admits. "I don't think she likes you much."
"Good, I don't like her much either," Harry responds mulishly.
Pansy rolls her eyes and Harry goes back to reading about mice anatomy. In order to help Harry overcome his mental block, Pomfrey had started him on healing earthworms with the intent on going from there.
The problem with the gradual approach, Pomfrey had explained, is that it's time-consuming: with each animal he heals, he needs to have a comprehensive understanding on how their bodies work (Harry could reconstruct a beetle's digestive system with his eyes closed). He'd just managed to heal a little frog's broken leg, so Pomfrey is having him move up to mice. (Harry isn't sure, but he thinks McGonagall might be the one providing both the animals and their injuries in her cat form).
Harry's hopeful he can get it by Christmas, but is worried, too: a mouse feels like a big step up, and if he succeeds, they'll be moving on to birds and rabbits. The goal is eventually to get to a snake, and then a person. Pomfrey is optimistic, but Harry is mostly just trying not to think about it.
A week into December and McGonagall takes down the names of those staying at Hogwarts.
Harry doesn't put his name down. He hates that he's potentially leaving Theo to deal with Slytherin's monster alone, but he can't ask Remus if he can stay at Hogwarts without being suspicious. Theo assures Harry that he'll be alright.
"I am very pure-blooded," Theo says. "I'm safer here than I am at home."
"That makes me feel, uh, not better at all," Harry says.
Theo rolls his eyes. "It'll be fine, Harry. Go home for Christmas. You deserve a break."
A week and a half later, Harry and his friends go together to see what everyone is excited about by the Great Hall notice board.
"Dueling club?" Harry asks excitedly. "We should go!"
His friends all turn to stare at him as one.
"Harry, no offense, but what do you need to learn dueling for?" Blaise asks incredulously.
The image of Quirrell's terrified face flashes in his mind, and Harry shrugs.
"Seems interesting," he says.
"I, for one, am all for it," Ron says.
"Who do you think is going to be running it?" Daphne asks.
"Flitwick used to be a champion dueler," Hermione muses. "Maybe it'll be him."
Eight o' clock can't come fast enough, but eventually it does roll around. Harry meets with his friends in the Great Hall, which has been utterly transformed.
The ceiling is a velvety matte black color, and the room is lit by dozens of torches. The tables have all been moved somewhere, and now there is just a single raised platform in the middle of the hall.
Apparently the idea of a dueling club had been a popular one- most of the school seems to be here, crowded around the platform and whispering excitedly. Finally, the bell chimes the eight o' clock hour, and the smarmy face of Gilderoy Lockhart parades out on the platform.
"Well," Daphne says, turning to leave. Hermione holds an arm out to stop her from leaving.
"Wait-"
"You can't seriously tell me you still have a crush on this idiot," Daphne says flatly.
Hermione rolls her eyes.
"Obviously not. But look," she says, jerking her head in the direction of the professor.
Harry cranes his head to look and can't help the grin that spreads on his face as a surly Snape stalks out to stand besides Lockhart.
"Oh, this is going to be good," Ron says gleefully.
Blaise and Neville are both smirking. Even Theo has a glint of dark satisfaction in his eyes.
"Alright, I'll stay," Daphne concedes.
Lockhart introduces the concept of dueling with as much flourish and pomp as Harry had expected. When he faces Snape to begin the duel, he bows with so much grandiosity that Harry is momentarily worried that he's going to fall right off the platform. Snape, on the other hand, just jerks his head.
Then, the duel begins. As quick as a whip, Snape has his wand out and is sending an expelliarmus at Lockhart, who crashes into the far wall. Lockhart's wand goes sailing out into the crowd.
The whole thing is over in less than a blink of an eye, and Harry exchanges wide-eyed glances with his friends.
Snape is good. In fact, Harry's pretty sure the only reason Snape verbalized his spell was for the benefit of the audience.
As Harry is still reeling over that dueling exchange, Lockhart gets back up on the stage, regains his wand, and says some bullshit about letting Snape win that round. Harry barely represses a snort.
Then, (Harry assumes it's to save face), Lockhart ends the demonstration and begins pairing students off.
Harry grabs his magic just in time as the man bodily grabs Harry's arm and deposits him next to a gleeful Draco Malfoy. Harry does his best to ignore the boy and instead looks around to see who his friends have been paired with.
Theo and Ron have been paired together, Daphne is paired with Pansy, Hermione with Blaise, and Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley; a Hufflepuff boy that Harry recognizes as one that still hisses at Harry in the halls.
"Shame I'm paired with Longbottom," Finch-Fletchely says loudly to Ernie McMillan, another Hufflepuff boy. "I was hoping for a challenge."
Neville flushes and Harry has to grab tight to his magic.
"Face your partners!" Lockhart calls from the platform.
Harry and Malfoy do so, standing a fair distance apart- not far enough, for Harry's taste.
"And bow," Lockhart continues.
Harry jerks his head as Malfoy does the same.
"Wands at the ready!" Lockhart says, and Harry has to hold back an eye-roll.
Can't he get on with it?
"On three, attempt to disarm your class-mates. Disarm only, we don't want any accidents! Alright, one… two… three!"
Harry goes to fire a spell, but Malfoy has started on 'two' and his spell hits Harry hard, making him feel like he'd been hit over the head with one of Petunia's frying pans. Harry stumbles forward, but blinks and shakes his head as the pain recedes.
Malfoy goes to shoot another spell, but Harry doesn't give him the chance: Harry had been planning on just trying to disarm the other boy, but now he's mad.
Not really thinking about what he's doing, Harry feints with his wand, and waves his other hand to wrap his magic around Malfoy's ankles. When Harry has a secure hold, he grits his teeth and tugs forward so the boy falls flat on his back.
Malfoy shrieks in indignation, then shoots another spell at Harry from his prone position. Harry can feel the spell hit and his legs go all wobbly.
Harry stumbles around for a moment, pulling his magic back towards him and trying to disentangle the spell from his legs. He gets it cleared off after a second or two, and retaliates with a gray-magic based tickling hex. Malfoy, who's still on the ground, curls up laughing.
Lockhart yells, "I said disarm only!"
Harry is about to dismiss the spell on Malfoy when Malfoy gets him with some sort of knock-back jinx (casting through his gasps of laughter), and Harry feels himself go flying backwards. Harry reflexively uses his magic to catch himself, and he lands with a smooth roll.
Harry springs to his feet just as he hears Snape yell, "Finite Incantatum!"
The great hall falls into silence as most everyone's spells are canceled all at once.
Harry sees Malfoy clamber up to his feet, but is quickly distracted by how chaotic everything had become in the last two minutes.
There's a haze of green smoke floating above the crowd, and students are helping each other stand up all around the hall. Harry scans the crowd, looking for his friends.
Ron is pinned to the wall via a knife thrown through his robes, Theo is sporting a bright pink eyebrow, Hermione is glowering at Blaise who is hiding behind a hiccuping Daphne, Pansy's hair is sticking straight up, and Neville…
Neville seems completely unscathed. Harry looks for Finch-Fletchley, who's up and laughing with McMillan (who has a bloody nose) and Millicent Bulstrode (who is apologizing to McMillan).
"Dear, dear," Lockhart says, moving through the crowd and surveying the damage. "I think I'd better teach you how to block offensive spells. Here- let's have a demonstration. Any volunteers?"
"Me, professor!" Finch-Fletchley calls, waving a hand.
Lockhart sees the boy and smiles, gesturing for the boy to join him on the stage.
"Good, yes, and where is your partner… ah, Longbottom! There you are, come on up!"
Harry grabs his magic and holds it close, watching as Neville's face pales and he begins to walk up to the stage.
Snape also looks like he wants to say something, then shrugs almost imperceptibly and leans against a wall.
"Neville-" Harry tries as the boy passes him.
"I'll be f-fine," Neville whispers before getting to the platform and climbing up to join Finch-Fletchley.
"Now, Mister Longbottom, when Mister Finch-Fletchley points his wand at you, you do this-" Lockhart wiggles his wand around in a nonsensical pattern, before fumbling it and dropping it to the floor.
"Er, bit excitable- thank you, yes," he says, reclaiming his wand from a snickering Ravenclaw.
Harry sees Snape roll his eyes.
Neville nods his head jerkily and Lockhart claps him on his shoulder. "Good man!"
Lockhart jumps easily from the stage, then turns to face the two students. "Alright, three… two… one… go!"
Finch-Fletchley leisurely raises his wand, pointing it directly at Neville. Harry tightens his hold on both his magic and his wand, ready to step in at a moment's notice.
Neville doesn't do anything- he just stands and watches Finch-Fletchley, his own wand held loosely at his side. Harry trades a worried look with Hermione, who's moved to stand by Harry.
Finch-Fletchley strides forward and opens his mouth to cast, and Harry sees Neville idly flick his wand. It's still being held at his side, and isn't pointed anywhere near Finch-Fletchley. Harry furrows his brow in confusion, and then his jaw drops.
One of the wooden slats making up the platform suddenly juts out slightly. It's subtle (Harry doesn't think anyone else sees it), but it's enough: as Finch-Fletchley casts his spell and steps forward, his foot catches on the board and he pitches forward.
He catches himself with a stumble, but it's enough to make the spell he'd cast go wide, missing an unflinching Neville by inches.
Finch-Fletchley looks up, scowling deeply at Neville. Neville just smiles apologetically and gives a little shrug as if to say, "what can you do?"
Finch-Fletchley straightens up quickly and sends two spells at Neville in succession.
Neville does raise his wand now, and makes a downward slashing movement. It erects a clear shimmery barrier just in time to catch the spells, which shatter into colored fractals as they hit.
The audience gasps as one, and Harry elbows Hermione and points excitedly.
"Hermione!" Harry whispers excitedly. Hermione is busy staring in shock at Neville. "That wand! That's a new wand!"
Hermione just keeps staring, but Harry can see Blaise shaking Daphne back and forth in excitement. Theo is raising an eyebrow and Ron looks like he's going to burst into cheers at any moment. Snape is wearing a rare expression of absolute shock.
Finch-Fletchley's expression is truly stormy now, but before he can try to cast again, Neville slashes his wand upwards, dismissing the shield and turning to Lockhart.
"Like that?" Neville asks.
"Uh," Lockhart says, then shakes his head and grins. "Exactly correct! Very good! All thanks to my tutelage, of course," he adds.
"Sure," Neville agrees easily, before jumping down from the stage and going to stand with Harry and Hermione.
"H-hey guys. How's it g-going?"
Hermione smacks Neville on the arm. "You should have told us you got a new wand! How did you get it? Did Remus end up taking you after all?"
By this point, Blaise, Daphne, Theo, and Ron have all gathered round as well.
Up on the stage, Lockhart seems to be trying and failing to recreate the shield that Neville had conjured so easily. In mutual silent agreement, the seven slip out of the Great Hall and begin to make their way to the Library.
"Well?" Hermione asks as they walk.
"Oh," Neville says, scratching the back of his head. "I got it th-the day Harry got out of the Hospital W-Wing."
"That was ages ago!" Hermione protests disbelievingly.
"It must h-have slipped my mind to-to tell you guys. S-sorry," Neville says.
Harry grimaces, sure that Neville would have told them if they hadn't been so preoccupied with Harry's drama.
"If Remus took you Harry would have known, and would have mentioned it to us," Daphne points out as they sit at their usual table in the Library. Harry reckons they still have a good twenty minutes before they need to worry about curfew.
"Did your Gran finally see sense?" Daphne asks hopefully.
Neville laughs bitterly. "No, of course not." He pauses, expression going sheepish. "I just, uh, m-made it. The wand, I mean."
Blaise buries his face in his hands and lets out a muffled scream. Daphne and Hermione stare. Harry and Ron exchange grins. Theo raises both eyebrows.
"Well," Harry says excitedly. "What are you waiting for? Show us!"
Neville's face flushes, but he obligingly holds up his wand.
"That is a stick," Hermione says flatly.
"Most wands are," Harry reminds her.
She rolls her eyes. "I mean, that is literally a stick. Is that a leaf?"
Neville shrugs. "I keep p-picking it off but it just gr-grows back. It's stubborn."
"Grows back," Hermione says disbelievingly.
Neville shrugs again.
"Wood type?" Daphne asks, eyes glittering with unbridled fascination.
"Rowan," Neville says.
Blaise snorts. "Of course it is. Of course. And let me guess, you used unicorn hair for the core."
"Uh," Neville starts. "Basically?"
Everyone stares at him.
"What. Could you possibly mean by that." Theo asks finally.
Neville flushes even darker.
"Oh!" Harry says, realizing what he must have used. "Oh! Neville, you're a genius!"
Neville looks down at the table.
"Someone needs to please explain," Ron says, looking between Neville and Harry. "I think Blaise is about to have an aneurysm."
It's true, Blaise is beginning to look a little crazed; staring at Neville's wand with narrowed eyes and muttering to himself.
"I used unicorn b-blood," Neville says finally, rolling his wand around on the table. Then he looks up, worried look on his face; and hastily adds, "ethically sourced!"
The Library is dead silent for just a moment, and then Harry bursts into laughter as his friends begin to yell at Neville, who buries his head in his arms.