Pariah: The Other Malfoy

Chapter 73: Vandals

"If you keep it up and it reaches the Dark Lord's ears, he will order your death," he had a pained expression, "I couldn't face that."

"I know a way out, I can escape without you needing to know anything about how it happened. We've used a Fidelius Charm, we're safe," I said, "I have it under control. I won't sit by and let my friends be tortured."

"And I can't sit by and let you be tortured!" He retorted.

"Then do something about it!" I cried, "Stop them from torturing anyone!"

"I can't do that without giving away my true allegiance," he sighed, "Then he'll put someone worse in my place."

"Then let me handle this," I said, "I know what I'm doing. Harry knows what he's doing. It won't be long now, the final battle will be soon."

"I hope you're right," he sighed, "Go back to your friends. Tell them I flew into a rage and threatened you."

"Of course I will, I wouldn't want them to think you cared," I smiled at him.

That evening, we had met in the Room of Requirement again. Forty students, from three houses, all in on the plan devised by Neville and I. We would be vandalising the school again, but on a much larger scale.

We would go in pairs, our faces and robes hidden, maintaining anonymity. I was with Neville, we were taking the Great Hall, while others were split up elsewhere. Some would vandalise, others would keep watch, and we'd use the coins to inform one another if anything bad happened.

Names of students who were not attending this year, Remember Cedric, We Stand With Potter. Those were some of the things the two of us scrawled on the walls of the Great Hall.

We were almost finished when a slow clap began from behind us. I gave Neville a glance as I froze, quickly squeezing the coin in my pocket to inform our friends that the unthinkable had happened - we were caught.

"Out for a little evening vandalism, are we?" Snape asked mockingly, his eyes piercing as we turned.

I gave Neville a sharp look, warning him not to speak. If we didn't speak, Snape wouldn't know who we were and so wouldn't have to take action. If he did speak, Snape would have no choice.

I fumbled in my pocket, narrowing my eyes at Snape as he advanced on us. He raised his wand and Neville flinched beside me, resulting in cold laughter from Snape. He was certainly keeping his act up as an evil Death Eater.

"Longbottom, I see. Your disguises are quite effective," he said silkily, "I can't say I recognise your friend, but I would know that cower anywhere."

I gave Neville another warning glance before moving quickly, throwing Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder at the ground, covering the whole hall in darkness. I grabbed Neville's hand instantly, forcing him into a crouch as I headed for the edge of the room. We felt along the wall, heading towards the double doors - I hoped Snape would work out what we were doing and let us go, but I feared he would think it would make things too obvious. Or maybe he genuinely didn't realise it was me.

"I can hear you moving, you won't get out of here."

A few spells ricocheted against the walls, one hitting Neville on the shoulder. He whimpered with pain, drawing attention to the exact area we were. He gave me a panicked stare, I could just make out his face within the darkness.

"Muffliato," I muttered without hesitation, muffling our movements and allowing us to move forward again, and Neville to curse with pain.

"Ventus," a new voice came, and we were both knocked to the ground by the high winds, "Stupefy!"

I braced myself. Snape couldn't help if the Carrows were here, we really were doomed now. But the spell never hit and a thump came from the other side of the room.

The powder had been dissipated by the high winds, the room filling with light again, and Neville and I looked up to see two DA members, their identities concealed still, standing with their wands raised. I glanced behind me to Snape's unconscious figure, before running towards my two friends.

"Go!" I whisper yelled, "Common rooms, don't stop."

I realised it was Ernie Macmillan and Terry Boot as they nodded at us, running to their respective common rooms. I would need to thank them, but right then Neville and I needed to leg it to Gryffindor Tower. Stealth was the least of our worries.

We made it, Ginny and Seamus waiting for us, already innocently in their pyjamas. They wrenched our own black robes off of us, throwing our pyjamas at us, and nobody relaxed until we were changed and sitting nonchalantly on the sofa. Well, nonchalantly yet still taking deep breaths of air from the sprint we had performed up to the tower.

We had barely been back for half an hour when McGonagall walked in, eyeing us with suspicion as we pretended to be playing a game of Exploding Snap, rather than examining Neville's sprained shoulder.

We all visibly relaxed when we realised it was McGonagall and not the Carrows, but her stern gaze told me it would be equally bad news for us all. Did we drop evidence, showing exactly who it was?

"Mr Filch came to see me a few minutes ago," she spoke, "I do not like to be awakened so early, even less so when it is to tell me my classroom has been vandalised. Apparently, someone had carved the names 'Ron Weasley' and 'Tobias Roberts' into the walls. Nor was mine the only classroom affected."

I feigned surprise, "Really?"

She gazed out the window, "Indeed. Every classroom, and the Great Hall, all with names of students who are not with us this year. Professor Snape claims he came very close to catching the culprits, and has suspicions of who is to blame. He plans to do something about it in the morning."

"And do you know what he's going to do with them?" Neville tried to keep his voice casual, but failed as it cracked near the end.

"I do not think it will be very pleasant, but the specifics, no," she said before frowning at Neville, "How is Quidditch training going, Mr Longbottom?"

"Uh... good?" He frowned, glancing at the rest of us.

"I guessed you were doing something in secret, training of some sort, perhaps the kind that would also have injured your shoulder?" she spoke, nodding at the crudely tied bandage covering it, "I presumed it was Quidditch. Do be careful, Mr Longbottom. Quidditch can be a dangerous sport, and as much as I'd love you on the team, I don't think injuring yourself is the best way forward."

I smiled slightly. McGonagall was offering Neville, the only person who Snape could have claimed to suspect, an alibi.

"Yeah," Neville nodded quickly, catching on after a sharp look from me.

"I will be sure to make note of it," she nodded, turning to leave, the rest of us sharing looks of relief.

The halls were abuzz with the news the next morning, students discussing what had happened, wondering who was responsible. Many knew, of course, but they couldn't throw names out where the Carrows could hear.

I grinned at Neville as we walked into the Great Hall, many people seemed to stare at him with admiration, but my face fell the moment I crossed the threshold. All around me, people stopped talking, conversations trailing to a halt, people freezing before continuing to their seats in silence.

Snape was sat in his usual chair, his eyes burning into me as he saw me. I caught a warning in his eyes, but it was quickly forgotten when I saw the grins of the Carrows and the source of said grins on either side of Snape's chair.

Ginny Weasley and Hannah Abbott.