Always knew it was you

The Forbidden Forest

Dean and Seamus had stopped talking to me.

Many Gryffindors whom I didn't even pointed at me and whispered.

Malfoy shouted, "Thank you, Longbottom " or "We owe you, Longbottom ", everytime I passed by.

But I think, Harry suffered the most. It seemed like he had taken the whole blame. Even the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs glared daggers at him everytime he walked in the corridor or sat in the great hall.

Hermione no longer voluntarily answered questions or asked doubts.

All three of us, were acting like we were mourning the death of someone.

I hardly left the common room and even when I was in the common room, I sat in the farthest corner. The only friend who talked to me was Hannah. Her friends told her that it was because of me, Slytherin was in the lead and was going to win the House Cup.

She had ignored them and told me to ignore them too.

I felt like I was all alone even when there were so many people around me. I didn't have any siblings, but I never felt the loneliness until today.

I distracted myself by preparing for the exams. The more lonely I felt, the more I prepared.

Hannah and I studied together regularly, much to the annoyance of her friends. It was one thing I would be very grateful.

I was eating breakfast when I received a note.

Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight.
Meet Mr Filch in the entrance hall.
Prof. M. McGonagall

"As if all this humiliation wasn't enough ", I thought.

Dean and Seamus had come to see me before I left.

"What do you want? ", I asked.

"Be careful, Neville ", they said.

"As if you care", I said and climbed out of the portrait hole ".

I went to the entrance hall with Harry and Hermione.

Filch was talking something about old punishments. Tears were flowing down my cheeks. The guilt that I had made Gryffindor lose points was greater than the fear of the punishment I was going to receive.

I heard Filch say the forest. The forbidden forest. They were going to kill me for thinking Gryffindor shouldn't lose points.Fine. I was past the point of caring. I let out a moan involuntarily.

Hagrid came and was talking about something. Well, if Hagrid was accompanying us, it's better.

I kind of liked Hagrid. People said horrible things about him, called him horrible names but he still was gentle and kind.

Malfoy was saying something about how the forest was full of werewolves.

"Werewolves? ", I thought. I clutched Harry's sleeve.

I let go of it and said "Sorry".

Hagrid told that a unicorn was killed last Wednesday and if we found the unicorn, we have to send up green sparks and if we are in danger, we have to send up red sparks.

The forest was full of unicorn blood. It shined in the moonlight.

Malfoy was honestly the dumbest idiot, I have come across.

Between Hagrid and Fang, he choose Fang. And he tells that I have no brains.

The most stupid person, I have ever come across.

"Who was killing unicorns? ", I thought.

Something was ominous that day.

I was mentally cursing Malfoy when I heard something behind me. I shouted and sent up red sparks.

It turned out to be Malfoy.

"Malfoy, don't you have any sense? We are in a forest full of dangerous creatures and you are scaring me. And between Hagrid and Fang, you choose Fang. If I die today, because of your fault, I swear I'll become a ghost and haunt you for the rest of my life. I haven't seen such a dumb and indecisive human like you in all of my 11 years", I said.

Hagrid arrived and paired me with Hermione.

Hagrid looked a bit angry, but not even as half as me. I remained silent for the rest of the detention.

Harry sent up green sparks after some time. We went up and saw a unicorn dead.

It was so beautiful and graceful even when it was dead.

We came out of the forest and I looked at Harry's face. He looked like someone told him he was going to die the next day.

"Harry, are you alright? ", I asked.

"I'm fine ", he said.

It was obvious that he was lying but I went to my dorm and tried to sleep.

"Seamus, Neville is back", Dean said thinking I was asleep.

"Blimey, I was scared Dean. Honestly if something had happened to him, I swear I would have killed Dumbledore and professor McGonagall ", said Seamus.

"With my help", said Dean.

"Ya, but he is safe. We should apologize to him, Dean. You think the Cup matters more than Neville? ", said Seamus.

"I know Seamus.We can apologize later. I feel horrible for ignoring him. Let's go to sleep now", said Dean.

"They both have been awake, waiting for me", I thought.

All of my anger vanished in a second and I slept smiling into my pillow.