Out of the Shadows (A Harry Potter Fan Fiction)

Chapter 30- Fight (Ava)

"Hermione!"

I froze and watched as everyone rushed forwards to hug the trio. It was Harry. Merlin, I hadn't seen him in almost a year.

"Okay, okay, calm down!" Neville shouted, and as people started to pull away, I finally saw Harry. His hair was the longest I'd ever seen it, pulled up in a bun to keep it out of his face. He had various cuts and bruises on his face, and looked skinner than I remembered him. When his gaze fell on me, his green eyes lit up.

I rushed forwards at the same time that he did, and wrapped him in a hug. We both held an iron grip on each other, and I nestled my face in his shoulder.

I was overwhelmed with emotions, and he seemed to be as well. I relaxed into his hug and whispered in his ear.

"Thank Merlin you're alright."

"Thank Merlin you're alright," He murmured with relief, "I... we found out that you'd gone missing at the wedding and we've seen all the wanted posters for you everywhere and... Merlin, I've been so worried. I had no idea that you've been here all along."

He pulled away and studied my face. I smiled when I saw the stubble lining his jaw. He looked more like a man that I remembered.

"Are you actually alright?" He asked me, and I nodded with a shrug.

"As alright as I can be, Harry. Better now you're here. Much better."

Reluctantly, we finally broke away. The moment I did, Hermione rushed into me and hugged me tightly, "I've been so worried about you, Ava! Thank God you're okay!"

A moment later, Ron's arms were around me as well. I was still in a state of shock. It was Ron, Harry and Hermione. Why on Earth were they at Hogwarts?

"Where are we?" Harry asked, looking around in confusion.

"Room of Requirement, of course!" Neville grinned, "Surpassed itself, hasn't it? The Carrows were chasing me, and I knew I had just one chance for a hideout: I managed to get through the door and this is what I found! Well, it wasn't exactly like this when I arrived, it was a load smaller, there was only one hammock and just Gryffindor hangings. But it's expanded as more and more of the DA have arrived."

"And the Carrows can't get in?" Harry murmured, his eyes scanning the room.

"No," Seamus spoke up, "It's a proper hideout, as long as one of us stays in here- which Ava does twenty-four-seven- they cant get at us, the door wont open. It's all down to Neville. He really gets this Room. You've got to ask it for exactly what you need- like 'I don't want any Carrow supporters to be able to get in' – and it'll do it for you! You've just got to make sure you close the loopholes! Neville's the man!"

Neville's cheeks flushed slightly, "It's quite straightforward really. I'd been in here about a day and a half, and getting really hungry, and wishing I could get something to eat, and that's when the passage to the Hog's Head opened up. I went through it and met Aberforth. He's been providing us with food, because for some reason, that's the one thing the Room doesn't really do."

Ron nodded in agreement, "Yeah, well, food's one of the five exceptions to Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration."

I snorted as everyone else gaped at Ron.

"Well," I murmured, "For ages, Neville and the others were nicking food from the Great Hall. But it was becoming harder with the Carrows getting worse and worse, so we've been relying on Aberforth completely for the last month or so."

Seamus cleared his throat, "So we've all been hiding out here for nearly two weeks, and it just makes more hammocks every time we need them."

Ernie stepped forwards, "Tell us what you've been up to, though. There've been so many rumours, we've been trying to keep up with you on Potterwatch. You didn't break into Gringotts?"