Neville's Point of View
Seven days had passed, seven gruelling days. I spent the daylight hours training my team, with Niamh our newest member, and the night hours finding and perfecting new spells. It all felt so different to any battle we'd fought before, sided by dumb luck and Harry Potter.
This time it wasn't a prophecy in danger, or a stone or any trinket, it was Elle's life. I had tried nightly to contact Viperous, warn her of what was happening and to stay away from her father, but I couldn't contact the Order at all. Bitterness was growing like a weed within me.
Niamh proved to be fairly hopeless at anything that involved hurting people, it seemed to go against her nature. Yet I gave her private sessions and all of my books when I finished to give her the upper-hand. Despite how much she wanted to remain a simple healer, she would have to dirty her hands for this mission.
As I collapsed into my cold bed every night, I think of her. I wonder what she's doing, if she's okay or if they're torturing her. When I think of that bad things grow in my mind, and I imagine her dead. Always she twisted and broken and waiting for me to come.
I wonder too often whether I'm doing the wrong thing by spending this time training, or if I should take these kids straight to her. I still had no idea of her whereabouts, and that never-ending obligation to keep these students safe. The only reason I allowed them to come was because I couldn't do this alone.
As I sat over seeing my team slugging spells at one another relentless, I can't help but ponder on that lingering fact; we don't know where she is. Glancing at the door every spare moment I formulate a plan that grows more and more appealing with every moment.
"Abbott!" I yell, bringing the blonde girl before me.
"Yes, Neville." she replied in a monotone voice, eyes barely making engaging contact.
"You're in charge, I have to go... uh... survey the halls."
Niamh gave me one of her warning looks and appears as if she might follow me, quickening my long stride as I rush out of the Dorm. My feet make a steady pace down through the school, as I try my hardest to evade detection. My knack for being virtually invisible in this school seems to be intact as I'm not noticed.
Hagrid's hut is lonely at the base of the sloping field beside the school, no cheery fireplace emitting thick smoke, nor lights illuminating the shabby windows. He seemed to be the safest presence in the school without Dumbledore, perhaps due to his honest nature, or perhaps due to his sheer size.
Rushing to hide behind the worn stone slabs that create the tumbling hut, I look up at the school and noticed the black swarms of dementors floating through as nonchalantly as the school ghosts. Apparently my morose disposition makes me an unattractive target, and I am left in peace.
"Leon!" I hiss into the general forest area.
I doubt that the chubby red panda would venture too far into the forest, what with the many dangerous and mysterious creatures lurking within. Trying not to belittle the little creature by calling to him like a cat, I settle for shouting his name into the shrubbery.
Hours seem to pass and my voice goes hoarse, but finally a red bushy tail emerged from the bushes. I wished that I could talk to him as Elysia did, yet I had faith in his ability to understand English. The little creature stared up at my with its brown eyes inquisitive as to the nature of my visit.
Coughing nervously, I begin to talk to him as I would any human, "Leon, Elysia is in trouble- uh... I guess she always is... But, the Death Eater's got her this time."
I stare at the creature for any sign of recognition. Nodding hurriedly, he pawed at my feet in his way to urge me to continue. Smirking at my own small success, I nod extravagantly and crouch down in front of him to continue. An English speaking red panda, only in Hogwarts.
"They beat her, and took her away, I don't know where. I'm preparing a team over the next three weeks so that we will get her back, definitely. I need you to find her." I propose, tilting my head nervously.
Nothing, no little scratching or squeaks. The creature stares at me for a long while, silent. He'd earned his freedom, but he wasn't ever trapped. I waited a little longer before speaking again.
"We don't know where she is. You're probably the only person who knows as much about Hogwarts as she does. No-one will notice you, just look and find. Come back and lead us to her." I continued, ready to ring the neck of the little ferret.
Slowly the panda nodded, and I finally felt relief. Without another word, or squeak, the panda headed off towards Hogwarts, intent on his mission, hopefully. I breathed out a sigh of relief; it would be alright. I wondered vaguely if she had received a vision of herself being saved; perhaps that would give her hope.
Images of those porcelain blue eyes lighting up with the glimmer of freedom sent a wave of warmth through me, as if her happiness was the source of mine.
Turning to face Hogwarts again, I let out a mournful sigh. Vaguely I found myself wishing we were back to the old days, with Harry requesting gillyweed from me as he entered his next challenge. Cedric was alive then, and that fact seemed important despite the fact that I had never been close with Cedric.
Cedric's death is when the game changed. That was when we realised that the stories were true, as we never could before, and that Voldemort had returned. That labyrinth that they had entered together was the end of the collective Hogwarts cohort's childhood.
I wonder if one day they'll say the Dorm was a game changer too? Will it be the moment when someone other than Harry Potter rebelled against Voldemort? When the student's fought back and protected each other? The school year was closing, and I hoped that we would hold on that long.
It hadn't occurred to me much what would happen if we were caught, but now it does. We'd be killed, us leaders, Niamh, Ginny, Me and Elysia. All dead for a certainty. Our students would go next, injured, maimed or maybe even dead. But if that possibility was allowed, then so were others.
If they would kill us, why wouldn't they kill her? They know she wouldn't tell them where her Dorm is, there wasn't any point in trying to use her as an informant. They would have no use for her, other than Voldemort's uses. But it didn't take a genius to see that he'd have no luck with Elysia, Viperous was his best bet.
The thoughts burned like blasphemy in my throat, did I have the right to say such things?
Walking up to the school, I got the briefest view of the lights of Hogsmeade. I kissed her for the first time there. Behind me there were trees hiding the garden we grew together, our home. Over the slopes was Hagrids hut, empty. The Whomping Willow beat Harry's car just yesterday, surely?
It was only last night I was frozen in my attempt to stop Harry, Hermione and Ron from risking their lives, I was positive of it. And... And yesterday, Draco was attacked by the Hippogriff. Last week Cedric was alive. Yes... Yes... Sirius Black, the menacing murderer, was roaming this earth too.
Madness crept up my back like a plague, knocking against my skull as a request for entry. Dare I let it in? Shaking my head I feel my legs swing wildly, feet crushing the already dead grass beneath their path. Hogwarts grew larger and larger, monstrous, as I ran closer and closer to its depths.
Down the hallways I ran, laughing and crying with sobs of increasing volume. I was running beside her, yes! If I turned my head now golden hair would be rebounding off of her back as we raced each other through the hallways. Laughter began to prevail over sobs as I remembered; when she's beside me I'm safe.
I tell myself, beg myself not to look. Neville, keep this illusion... Keep her beside us- don't look! Yet I long for her too much, I need to feel the warmth of her lips, the caress of her fingers. I turn and it all shatters, fragile glass splintering and digging into my eyes.
Tears run down my face as I stare at the emptiness beside me, the silence, the cold.
Shoulders slumped, I nod slowly. Turning on the unbearable weight of nothingness, I silently walk back to the Dorm. Every fake entrance I pass provokes another tear, salty droplets building up and up and up. My fingers wrap around the brass doorhandle and I find myself under the watchful gaze of my students.
Should I put on a brave face? Should I laugh and shrug, blame the non-existent wind for watering my eyes? Before I can formulate a lie, I find myself sliding down the surface of the door and relapsing into a pile of wracking sobs. The arms of Hannah Abbott grip me, her hands patting my head lightly.
Her blonde hair is all wrong. It's so yellow... too yellow. Elysia's was getting whiter and whiter, you see. Her eyes brown and warm, but not blue and piercing. In her arms I cried, in view of everyone that mattered to me. Sleep pervaded my view as I saw the students hobble off to their beds, and so did I.
Hannah mumbled something in a voice too low for me to hear. I shot her the best smile I could and entered our room, sleeping again on Elysia's side of the bed. Another episode like this, I realised, and they would think I'm too crazy to run the Dorm.
~
"Neville wake up!" Niamh hissed, her blue eyes narrowing beneath her glasses.
"Mm- Yup? Yeah..." I mumbled, trying desperately to smooth my hair down from its rat nest.
"Leon's back." she whispered, standing back as I leapt from the bed and pulled on black robes.
"Show me." I replied, following her diligently.
The little red panda seemed exhausted, yet the students were delighted to see him. It seemed as though he hadn't been pampered since he left Elysia, and quite liked the life again. I sent for one of the students to call and elf and bring to creatures stew, which I always thought would have disastrous health consequences.
"You found her?" I questioned, the creature nodding its head up and down.
Whilst I fell back in a state of paralysis, the students exclaimed at the fact that he could communicate. A chair was procured beneath me, allowing me to sit rather than collapse with relief. Staring at the creature that could reply with on yes or no's, I waited for my next question.
"She's..." I inhaled the deepest breath I could in an attempt to slow my heart, "she's alive?"
The students then paused, all hands halting from their pats. No-one else had considered it, I suppose, and I had just shattered the ice.
Then, the panda nodded vigorously. A smile broke the surface of my face and cheers rung out across the dorm. The plate of stew was brought forth and a party of sorts was occurring in our dorm. The Room provided fireworks, streamers and confetti, much to the joy of Ginny and her cohort.
"She's alright? She's alright?" I went on, excitement muddling my brain.
This reply was not so good. The creature shook its head from side to side slowly. It had only been three weeks, and I'd been considering lengthening a month to a month and a half. Yet the news of her poor health changed things considerably.
"WE LEAVE TONIGHT!" I bellowed, rising from my chair.
The celebrations halted as my twenty one paused. They could die tonight. I could die tonight. She could die tonight. Hesitantly, the celebrations were urged to continue as my force tried to convince themselves that it was alright. Calling them to my quarters I tried to calm them.
"Neville... We could. You know." Ernie whispered, twisting his mouth as he appeared to hold in tears.
"I know... None of you have to come. You can stay, protect the children." I offered, now regretting ever having involved them.
"I'm coming with you." Hannah Abbott declared first, fear leaving her face as she stared at me with a determined expression.
After her declaration came Niamh's, and the floodgates opened. The force would remain intact, and we would go tonight. Ordering them to find appropriate clothes, I told them to enjoy the celebrations and relax. Training would only tire them before their skills would be tested.
My stomach was rife with butterflies and worms simultaneously as I remained beside Leon that day. If I were Elysia at this moment, I'd look to see who'd die, and I'd keep them here. Yet, I didn't know. I couldn't do that. I had to risk it all, for her. It wasn't my life I was risking, but theirs.
11:30pm came, and I urged all of them to drink their coffee as fast as possible and brace themselves. Gripping my own tightly, I led the team. We were to follow Leon to where she was being held, and take care of any Death Eaters in our way.
I urged them all to merely knock them unconscious, yet I knew I would be aiming to kill.
"Be brave, please be brave." I said finally, before opening the door and leading them outside.
The first Death Eater we met looked no older than me, and when I studied his face I recognised him as a Slytherin from the year above us. Hannah hurled a stupefy spell at him before he even turned to see us, collapsing to the floor, I waved my wand and added, "Petrificus totalus."
The hallways we began to explore ever so quietly were ones I had barely seen in my life. Leon knew his path well, so well I assumed that he must have travelled here many times. Why hadn't he warned us sooner? Shaking my head quietly, I resisted the urge to ask.
But then... if she was unwell, shouldn't he have warned us? Perhaps I was overthinking, perhaps I was wrong. Could Red Panda's have photographic memories? A dull thud sounded behind me, yet the hallway was too dark to see, and I couldn't risk making a noise to ask.
Screams echoed in the distance, her screams. The hallway had no windows, yet in the distance I could see one dim archway that allowed moonlight to flood through it. Leon was by that window, waiting silently. I could see nothing but the shape of that panda in the distance, my own limbs invisible to me.
It was so damned dark! Behind Leon there was a shape, rigid and awkwardly placed, like a statue. Then again, judging by the amount of statues littering the hallways it probably was. The red panda was frozen, it seemed, in his waiting. Vacant eyes waited for me to edge closer.
No footsteps sounded behind me.
As I neared the window, I could see my own grey outline surrounding me, finally some light afforded to my vision. Turning behind me I saw no shapes, none at all. Fear began to prickle to edges of my brain as I turned back to Leon, who was now suspended in the air.
"Good job, Longbottom." a high pitched voice whispered.
It was him. It was really him. I was no force against Voldemort, and in that moment I understood that I was dead. I hadn't leapt in front of my love to stop a curse from killing her, I hadn't died I the process of removing her from the building. No, I had fallen into a trap.
Twenty one students were dead because of me. Beautiful Hannah Abbott, who had allowed me to cry in her arms... Niamh, the gentle Irish healer... My friends. My wand arm fell limp to my side as I prepared to join those that I had killed.
"They aren't dead, fool. A mind so heroic, yet so easy to read." he continued, red eyes glowing in the semi-shadows.
"You won't ever have her. She won't join you, no matter what you do." I replied, my voice verging on strong.
"I wanted to kill every single one of you children first, and thanks to this stupid creature I will. You see, the Imperius curse works on animals, too, you know? And his little skull contains the directions to your precious Room." he snarled, venom dripping from every word.
"Dorm... It isn't the Room anymore." I said vaguely, looking at the creature hanging limp in the air.
"Yet I don't need him to find you all, enough time will lead me to you. So, I'm giving you the chance to buy some time." he continued, his voice like nails on a chalkboard.
"Why would you do that?" I questioned, doubting his motives.
"Enjoyment. General pleasure, because the answer to your problem is this ferret. I can only retrieve memories from living things." he proclaimed, his hand breaching the moonlight to point at Leon's limp body.
I heard her scream again, this time crying 'NO! NOT LEON!' She was close, I knew that now. Voldemort could not truly be in front of me, either, his hand was transparent. He hid in the shadow to hide the fact that he was an apparition. He would not kill me.
"You're right, halfwit. But around this corner behind me, I have twenty one death eaters. I'm not without humour." he croaked, Leon's body now rotating.
He was right, though, Leon was the key to the Dorm. I couldn't risk it, I couldn't. Elysia's screams continued, quieter now as her energy drained. Tears threatened to pour from my eyes as I lifted my wand. To further his joke, Voldemort broke the Imperius curse and made Leon face me, brown eyes imploring me to stop.
"Leon, I have to..." I whispered, raising my wand to point at him.
Cedric was the game changer years ago, and this was the newest game changer. One breath, two breath, three. The nerves weren't going anywhere, nor the guilt. Imagining the faces of every student protected in that dorm, I opened my mouth.
"Avada kedavra!" I croaked, a green wave of light enveloping the red panda and sending him limp.
Voldemort's shadow dissipated, fading out the window and leaving me with an onslaught of Death Eater's. A cracked heart repeated my last two words over and over, strangers in black robes with blacker tattoos on their forearm dropping like flies.
Some people begged for mercy. Some told me that they were forced. Some jumped from the archway. Yet by the end of it, twenty one death eaters were dead in a matter of minutes. My numbed body travelled over the body and around the corner, at the end of the hallway lay a cast iron door.
No guards were left, so my cold fingers turned the lock to reveal an emaciated Elysia laying on the ground in a broken pile. She looked at me with bloodied eyes, crying and crying. I couldn't speak, I couldn't think, I was dead like those death eaters.
"Stupefy." I whispered tenderly, watching her forced into sleep by a burst of red light.
Despite my numbed heart, I couldn't stand the thought of her seeing my destruction, or Leon. Cedric was once the greatest game changer in my life, this was his replacement. Voldemort had put weak guards there on purpose. He made it so easy on purpose, so that I would be as much of a murderer of her.
The game was well and truly changed.
~
Ouch my heart. I killed two people in one chapter.
Sorry about that.