Just in case || Draco Malfoy

Fifty Eight - Thought

"What a plot twist you were"

...

"I don't remember seeing this on the marauders map" said Ron.

We had entered the tunnel that Neville had emerged from. He had a mark on his forehead that was scabbed over with blood and his clothes were dusty and torn. He said the tunnel we were walking through led out to the Gryffindor common room and we were following him into the castle.

"Marauders map?" I asked him.

"Long story" Harry replied. "Oh Neville, this is Helena" he said, gesturing to me as we continued to walk down the tunnel.

"Isn't she-" Neville said, slowing down to look between me and Harry.

"No. We thought so too" said Harry.

"Well. That's because it never existed till now" Neville said replying to Ron and continuing walking. "The seven secret passages were sealed off before the start of the year. This is the only way in or out now"

We continued to walk down the long dark tunnel, our wands illuminating the way. "The grounds are crawling with death eaters and dementors."

"How bad is it with Snape as headmaster?" Hermione enquired.

"Hardly ever see him" He replied.

"It's the Carrows you need to watch out for" I said.

"She's right" Neville replied.

"Carrows?" Asked Harry.

"Yeah brother and sister. In charge of discipline. They like punishment the Carrows"

"They did that to you?" Hermione asked referencing the cut on his forehead. "Why?"

"Today's dark arts lesson was practicing the cruciatus curse. On first years." The trio looked at each other in slight shock, the barbarity of the school shocking them. "I refused. Hogwarts has changed"

We followed the small tunnel for a few minutes, it getting larger in some places and then tightening again. Neville led the way - the four of us close to him.

As we continued, the slightly illuminated image of a door came closer and closer towards us until we eventually reached it.

"Let's have a bit of fun shall we?" Neville said with a slight smile. His attitude reminded me of Luna - both of them seemingly still happy in their drastically unfortunate situations.

Neville placed his hand firmly on the door and pushed - it swung open just like the one we had entered. Me Harry Hermione and Ron stood back, the light from the room not on us.

"Hey. Listen up you lot." Neville said, blocking the door way. I could hear a murmur grow quiet. "I've brought you a surprise.

"Not more of Aberforths cooking I hope" said a voice from the room. "I'll be surprised if we can digest it"

Neville let out a small chuckle before moving to the side. The four of us walked forward, Harry at the front of us. We all became clear to those in the room, us stood several feet off the ground. The room was full of Gryffindor students, each of them looking as worn as Neville. Hammocks hung from the walls and sleeping bags littering the floor.

"Blimey" said the same voice. A round of applause came from the room directed at Harry, all the students standing up and making there way over to us in a huddle.

The five of us slowly made our way down a ladder that lay against the wall under the door, Neville being the last following me. I followed the others, the students gathering around us. I felt horribly misplaced as all these people welcomed back their hero and I stood there, the rumours of me being on the side of you know who probably spread to them.

The three of them hugged and smiled with the fellow students, people welcoming them back. I could see a few people eyeing me suspiciously.

"Oi Harry" one of them said. "What've you got her for?" He said eying me up and down. "Thought she was a Malfoy now"

"No, she um-" Harry said, a few other people listening in.

"I'm Helena" I said approaching the boy. "And I'm on your side. That what Snape said, it isn't true. I was lying to the Malfoys"

He looked towards Harry as if to ask for approval that I was telling the truth - he nodded.

"Alright then. What's the plan Harry?" Neville said, the chatter of the students dying down to listen to what they had to say. Harry faced them, them looking towards him waiting for an answer.

"Ok. There's something we need to find." He said. "Something hidden here in the castle. And it may help us defeat you know who"

"Right. What is it?" Asked Neville.

"We don't know" Harry replied. The faces in the room looked at each other in slight confusion, me being one of them.

"Where is it?" Neville asked.

"We don't know that either." I heard a murmur around the room that displayed the same confusion that I felt, not knowing what it was we were expected to find. "I realise it's not much to go on"

"That's nothing to go on" said the same boy who I had spoken to before.

"I think it has something to do with Ravenclaw" Harry replied. "Um, it will be small, easily concealed. Anyone any ideas?" He surveyed the room, each of the students looking at each other to silently ask the other if they knew what Harry was talking about, Harry himself realising how he sounded.

"Well there's Rowena Ravenclaws lost diadem" said a girl, I looked over and saw that it was Luna, I let out a silent sigh of relief to see that she had escaped from the manor unharmed.

"Oh bloody hell here we go" Ron said.

"The lost diadem of Ravenclaw?" She continued. "Hasn't anyone heard of it? It's quite famous"

"Yes but Luna, it's lost" said a girl who I knew to be named Cho stood next to her. "For centuries now, there isn't a person alive today who's seen it"

"Diadem? What's a diadem?" I questioned Cho.

"It's a sort of crown. You know, like a tiara"

The attention of everyone in the room was refocused on the loud noise of a door opening, everyone turning their heads to look at the girl who came running through the room - Ginny Weasley, Ron's sister.

"Harry" she said, clearly taken aback by his presence.

"Hi there" he replied. They stared at each other for a few moments until Ron let out a small laugh.

"Six months she hasn't seen me and it's like I'm a frankie first year. I'm only her brother"

"Yeah but she's got loads of those. There's only one Harry"

"Shut up Seamus" Ron replied to him.

"What is it Ginny?" Neville said to her.

"Snape knows". I felt my stomach lurch with her words. "He knows that Harry was spotted in hogsmeade."

...