Raised By Wolfstar: Slytherin Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Lost Diadem

'Neville—what the—how—?' started Harry.

But Neville had spotted Theodore, Allison, and Tracey, and with yells of delight was hugging them too. The longer Harry looked at Neville, the worse he appeared: One of his eyes was swollen yellow and purple, there were gouge marks on his face, and his general air of unkemptness suggested that he had been living rough. Nevertheless, his battered visage shone with happiness as he let go of Theodore and said again, 'I knew you'd come! Kept telling Ginny it was a matter of time!'

'Neville, what bloody happened to you?' said Tracey as she pulled out her bottle of Murtlap Essence and started applying it to the deep cuts on his face.

'What? This?' Neville dismissed his injuries with a shake of the head, but still accepting Tracey's help. 'This is nothing, Seamus Finnigan is worse. You'll see. Shall we get going then? Oh,' he turned to Aberforth, 'Ab, there might be a dozen more people on the way.'

'Dozen more?' repeated Aberforth ominously. 'What d'you mean, a dozen more, Longbottom? There's a curfew and a Caterwauling Charm on the whole village!'

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

Neville held out his hand to Tracey and helped her climb up onto the mantelpiece and into the tunnel, Theodore and Allison followed, then Neville. Harry addressed Aberforth.

'I don't know how to thank you. You've saved our lives twice.'

'Look after 'em, then,' said Aberforth gruffly. 'I might not be able to save 'em a third time.'

Harry clambered up onto the mantelpiece and through the hold behind Ariana's portrait. There were smooth stone steps on the outside: It looked as though the passageway had been there for years. Brass lamps hung from the walls and the earthy floor was worn and smooth; as they walked, their shadows rippled, fanlike, across the wall.

'How long has this passage been here?' Theodore asked as they set off. 'I don't remember ever seeing it on Marauder's Map, only the other seven.'

'They sealed off all of those before the start of the year,' said Neville. 'There's no chance of getting through any of them now, not with the curses over the entrances and Death Eaters and dementors waiting at the exits.'

He started walking backward, beaming, drinking them 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 hit with a powerful Deterioration Hex by Amycus Carrow for yelling about it in the Great Hall at dinner, barely escaped being abducted!'

'Is he ok?!' asked Allison, Harry had nearly forgotten Terry was her second cousin.

'He's fine, he got away and Hannah healed him right up,' Neville answered quickly. 'Now, is it true?'

'Yeah, it's true,' said Harry. Neville laughed gleefully. 'What did you do with the dragon?'

'Let it loose into nature,' said Theodore. 'Tracey was worried it couldn't handle itself.'

'That's not true, I just was worried it would run into healthier dragons.'

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

'You're right,' said Harry, 'but tell us about Hogwarts, Neville, we've barely heard anything.'

'It's been...well, it's not really like Hogwarts anymore,' said Neville, the smile fading from his face as he spoke. 'Do you know about the Carrows?'