The Potter Twins and the Deathly Hallows {7}

34. A Gathering Storm

"Until someone brings the world back into tune, this is how it is." - A Gathering Storm, Hadestown

"Neville -- what the fuck -- how --?"

But Neville has spotted Ron, Hermione, and Riley, and with yells of delight is hugging them, too. The longer I look at Neville, the worse he appears: one of his eyes is swollen, yellow and purple, there are gouge marks on his face, and his general air of unkemptness suggests that he's been living it rough. Nevertheless, his battered visage shines with happiness as he lets go of Riley and says again, "I knew you'd come! Kept telling Seamus it was a matter of time!"

"Neville, what's happened to you?"

"What? This?" Neville dismisses his injuries with a shake of his head. "This is nothing. Seamus is worse. You'll see. Shall we get going, then? Oh," he turns to Aberforth, "Ab, there might be a couple more people on the way."

"Couple more?" repeats Aberforth ominously. "What d'you mean, a couple more, Longbottom? There's curfew and a Caterwauling Charm on the whole village!"

"I know, that's why they'll be Apparating directly into the bar," says Neville. "Just send them down the passage when they get here, will you? Thanks a lot."

Neville holds out his hand to Hermione and helps her climb up on to the mantelpiece and into the tunnel; Ron and Riley follow, then Neville, while Harry and I address Aberforth. 

"I don't know how we can thank you. You've saved our lives twice."

"Look after 'em, then," says Aberfirth gruffly. "I might not be able to save 'em a third time."

Harry and I clamber up on the mantlepiece and through the hole behind Ariana's portrait. There are smooth stone steps on the other side: it looks as though the passageway has been here for years. Brass lamps hang from the walls, and the earthy floor is worn and smooth; as we walk, our shadows ripple, fan-like, across the wall. 

"How long's this been here?" Ron asks as we set off. "It isn't on the Marauder's Map, is it? I thought there were only seven passages in and out of the school."

"They sealed off all of those before the start of the years," says Neville. "There's no chance of getting through any of them now, not with curses over the entrances and Death Eaters and Dementors waiting at the exits." He starts walking backward, beaming, drinking us in. "Never mind that stuff...is it true? Did you break into Gringotts? Did you escape on a dragon? It's everywhere; everyone's talking about it, Terry Boot got beaten up by a Carrow for yelling about it in the Great Hall at dinner."

I can't help but grin. "Yeah, it's true."

Neville laughs gleefully. 

"What did you do with the dragon?"

"Released it into the wild," Riley says. 

"Hermione was all for keeping it as a pet," Ron adds, sniggering. 

"Don't exaggerate, Ron --"

"But have you been doing? People have been saying you've just been on the run, Harry and Haylee, but I don't think so. I think you've been up to something."

"You're right," Harry says, "but tell us about Hogwarts, Neville, we haven't heard anything."

"It's been...well, it's not really like Hogwarts anymore," says Neville, the smile fading as he speaks. "Do you know about the Carrows?"

"Yeah, they were there the night Dumbledore died," I say. "They're teaching now?"

"They do more than teach," says Neville. "They're in charge of discipline. They like punishment, the Carrows."