My hand hovered over my wand. I didn't know what to do, or say. This was the person who saved my life. He (I knew it was a he because of the figure's stature) had prevented terrible things from happening.
Hold on, my conscience said, what if he did all this just so he could have you to himself?
Then why would he have done what he did? I countered my conscience. Apparently, it had no counter of its own.
I had become so accustomed to the eerie silence that his voice, though not harsh, made me jump.
"Are you alright?" the shadow asked.
"I think so," I said in a small voice.
"Need a hand?"
Slowly, with my other hand grasping my wand now, I accepted the offer. At first, when I went straight up, I tottered, but I set myself straight. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Are you hurt?"
"No, I'm fine. They didn't take anything either, if that was your next question."
"Wow, quick one." I heard no joke in his tone. Unlike Liam, this guy was serious.
"Yeah, I guess that's why I was put into Ravenclaw," I said shyly.
"Well, come on; let's get out into some light. I want to make sure you aren't lying."
A little nervous, I followed my rescuer. He seemed tall—well, most guys did. I wouldn't be able to make out many of his features until we were under the dim streetlights of Hogsmeade. Even though he had just saved me, I was still wary. There was a sliver of a chance that my conscience could be right.
Once some light was given, I could finally take in his features. He looked to be no more than a year older than me. He looked to be out of breath, which was odd, considering he didn't attack them physically without the use of magic. His hazel eyes showed concern for me at the moment; his dark hair looked a bit out of place in certain areas.
"Look," I said, rolling my sleeves up and everything. "I'm clean of injury."
"Just what do you think you were doing with that lot?" he barked at me, getting strict all of a sudden.
"I had nothing to do with them, they herded me!" I retorted right back. "They tried to flirt with me at the Three Broomsticks—I work there now, just started today—and then they waited for me, putting an Anti-Disapparition Jinx over Hogsmeade so I couldn't escape. Then they cut me off both ways in that alleyway. I tried to defend myself—"
"You didn't do a good job."
"What I'd like to know is who you are, and how in the hell did you find me?"
"Well," he said slowly, "I wasn't looking for you. I was strolling around until I saw one bloke belonging to that group and two more behind him walk off somewhere suspicious."
"Wait. You're aware of them?"
"There were reports. If I hadn't seen them, you'd probably be in bad shape."
"No kidding," I scoffed.
We both heard a door creak open, and Rosmerta came running out, looking absolutely white.
"Dear Merlin!" she squealed as she nearly tackled me. "What happened?! I heard—heard spells shot—"
"I'm fine," I said calmly. "I took care of them."
"Where are they now?"
"One is left behind, the rest fled. Two were Stunned, two well alive," my savior reported.
Rosmerta's eyes went to him. "We need to get some form of police here!"
"Take it easy, ma'am," he said. "I'm an Auror."
My mouth dropped. First, some random person came to my aid, and now he's an Auror of all things?
"I think you better notify more, just in case," I told Rosmerta quietly. "Is that man you hit going to move?" I asked my savior.
"Not for a while, unless someone gives the counter-curse for it," he replied. "I think it's best if this is kept quiet, alright?"
"I won't tell anyone." I eyed Rosmerta.
"Good. Come with me, will you?"
Sighing, I followed my savior back into the dark. "Lumos," I muttered instinctively. The bright blue tip of my wand shone. I pointed it to the ground, searching for the man. We found him; his body froze in an odd position. "What did you do to him?"
"Full Body-Bind Curse," my rescuer replied. "Keep the light on him. I want to show you something." He bent down and rolled up the Body-Bound guy's sleeve to reveal something that would strike fear into the hearts of anyone.
A faded Dark Mark.
I stumbled back a few steps, repulsed. "H-he's a Death Eater?"
"Was," my savior corrected me. "This bloke is going to Azkaban."
"Lovely," I whimpered. "The others in this group—are they ex Death Eaters too?"
"They very well could be," he said gravely.
"Wait, how did you know what he was?"
"He's one of the very few that are running free still. It's an Auror's job to hunt whoever is left of the cult and bring them in."
I noticed my wand arm was trembling, the light bounced on the ground. They had been a part of the Death Eaters...
"Jenelle?" Rosmerta's voice echoed down the alleyway. I looked to her. "We're getting some help soon."
"Remember what I said about banning those men?" I called. "You'll have good reason to do so now."
"Why?" Rosmerta's heels clicked into the ground as she approached, her wand tip lit. Her wand light aimed down, and I heard her gasp.
"Does that answer it for you?" I asked.
"There had been ex Death Eaters in my pub?" she screeched. "I can't believe they tried to attack you! They never tried to hurt Veronica."
"How come you never had your suspicions about them?"
"Why would I? They're just kids!"
"Rosmerta, they were about my age, if not slightly older," I said bluntly.
"I still consider you a child."
"Well, they chose the wrong path," said my savior darkly. "Sometimes it's good to judge a book by its cover."
"Couldn't agree more," I murmured. I knew one person who had chosen that wrong path. Thankfully he wasn't around to stir up trouble.
My savior rose, looking at Rosmerta and me. "I think it's time you go on home," he said to me. "Madam, do you mind staying with this one until the others arrive?"
"I don't mind at all," Rosmerta replied. "If he even twitches, I'll knock him right back out."
"Good."
"Where will you be going?"
"I will be escorting—Jenelle, is it?—home."
"The jinx should be lifted," I said. "We should be able to Disapparate now. That's how they escaped."
"Alright. Take my hand when you're ready."
Before I took my savior's hand to Disapparate, I looked to Madam Rosmerta. "Should I come in tomorrow?" I asked quietly.
"It's your call, but I don't recommend it. After what you've just gone through, it'll go through the Prophet eventually, and people will know you were involved. An ex Death Eater being locked in Azkaban won't slip under those greedy writers' eyes."
Now with a decision to make that could hold off until tomorrow morning, I took hands with my savior and Disapparated to Godric's Hollow.
The moment we landed in front of my doorstep, the door swung open, shining light in our faces. I put a hand near my eyes to shield them.
"Jenelle!" Mum squeaked as she pounced, hugging me. "We were so worried! We thought something happened to you when you weren't back. Oh, Jenelle—"
"Easy, Claire," Dad said, pulling Mum carefully away from me. "Go inside and calm down." Mum nodded and left. Dad's eyes scrunched with concern. "What happened?" he demanded to know. "Who is this?"
"Well..." How could I start it?
Instead, my savior told the tale: "My name is Neville Longbottom, sir," he said. "I'm an Auror. Your daughter was being attacked on her way home by a few suspicious men that I happened to clock when I was wandering. She tried to fight them off, but she needed a little help, so I came to her assistance."
"Did any of them escape?" Dad's voice seemed to be tottering onto angry now.
"Most did," I took over. "Neville put one in a Full Body-Bind Curse. He's still in an alleyway in Hogsmeade; Madam Rosmerta is keeping watch over him until help arrives."
"How many were there?"
"Five," Neville counted. "Two were still up and running, we both Stunned the other two."
"Any idea as to who they were?"
"Well," I chimed, "they were usual costumers at the Three Broomsticks; they caused trouble before—but not like tonight. They had a history of messing with the female bartenders. The last one got scared off because of them." I wanted to leave out the part about them being Death Eaters. For my sake, I hoped Neville didn't let that slip.
"It had to be the group I was hearing about," Dad muttered. "I can't believe it!"
"Dad, I know you're venting and all, but don't you think we should be inside, you know, for safety purposes?"
"Right, right."
I felt a little safer being inside my home. Mum was sitting on the couch, facing us all. While Dad and Neville were talking, I guess, I helped comfort my mother.
I definitely owed Neville for saving my life, even if he wasn't on Auror duty.
"It's okay, Mum," I whispered as her terrified eyes met mine. "I'm home, I'm safe."
"I-I just thought something b-bad happened, so b-bad that we would n-never see you a-again," she whimpered. "We owe this boy a favor."
"We definitely do," I agreed softly.
"Jen," Dad called me. I turned my head. "I'll go take your mother upstairs. He wants a word with you."
"Alright," I whispered. You could've just said his name. I didn't hold that against my dad, however, not this time. It was rude to not call people by their names and just refer to them as "he" or "she". That was like calling a pet "it" rather than the name it was given.
With an arm holding him to her, Dad escorted Mum upstairs to their bedroom.
"Do you think you'll be alright?" Neville asked me.
"I should be," I said shakily. "We really owe you for this, for saving my life."
"Nah, you don't have to, really," he said modestly.
"We insist. I insist," I pressed.
"You wouldn't be able to repay me."
"I'll find a way."
"I'll hold you to that." He gave a small grin. "Well, I better be off and head back to clean up that mess. I don't want to intrude anymore."
"I understand. Listen, do you think you can keep us...up-to-date if there are any new developments about the group that attacked me tonight?"
"Of course, but I'm sure the Prophet will beat me to it. They're bound to dig up this story and leak it as quickly as they can. If there is any danger around this area, I'll get notified and come straight here to protect you."
"That's a little extreme, don't you think? I mean, I have a wand and my father who is a wizard," I said matter-of-factly.
"Yes, I know," he said. "However, two against...say, four or more, doesn't sound like good odds."
"Um, did you forget it was two against five not too long ago?"
"No, I didn't. That situation was different. I'm an Auror. I know more about Dark wizards than you and your father do. I can handle them better."
Okay, he made a fair point there.
"I would strongly consider staying home tomorrow," he said seriously.
"I planned on it," I admitted. No decision to be made in the morning now.
Without saying goodbye, Neville left my home and Disapparated back to Hogsmeade.
Feeling really tired, I lugged myself upstairs to my room. I collapsed on my bed, too lazy to change. Nala leapt up with me, her head rubbing against my cheek. She certainly knew when I was exhausted, or just not feeling well. Tonight, she helped me dive into sleep without much trouble.