Hermits At Hogwarts: Book One

Chapter Twelve

The day that everyone who'd gone away for the holidays had returned, something odd happened to the suits of armour that lined the hallways of Hogwarts. They started at certain points of the day, where the halls were packed with rushing students, belting out random lyrics of different Muggles songs: some of which were not appropriate for the younger students to hear (the more mature ones tended to play when sixth and seventh years and teachers were walking by). The reason for why or how this happened, no one could figure out. Flitwick and McGonagall spent all of their free time that day trying to get it to stop, which only made the clanky suits start screeching the words rather than somewhat pleasantly singing them.

"LET IT GOOOO-"

"WAKE ME UP INSIIIIIIIDE-"

"-AAAAAAAAAAAAA-"

Many Muggleborns actually tried requesting songs for the armour to sing, which sometimes worked, and sometimes was ignored.

"Can you try some lyrics from the Muffin Song?"

"How about the last few lines from Back in Black, AC/DC?"

"Maybe something from Mother Mother or Panic! At The Disco?"

"Listen here, you bisexual space rock-"

This baffled those born from wizarding-only families and a few half-bloods, but most of those with one Muggle parent joined in.

It was not a quiet first day back to say the least.

About three weeks after term had started back up (and the singing suits of armour had finally been fully silenced), the Gryffindors (and a few of the non-Gryffindor Hermits who'd snuck in to study with their friends) heard someone audibly struggling to climb through the portrait hole. Iskall and Grian looked at each other questioningly and went to check on whoever was there and emerged half-dragging Neville Longbottom, whose legs seemed to be bound together with invisible rope. Once the pair let go, Neville immediately face-planted onto the floor.

"You alright, dude?" Iskall asked over the uproar of laughter from the other Gryffindors, helping the poor boy to his feet (very awkwardly). Percy Weasley started scolding those who had laughed while Harry, Ron, and Hermione rushed over to help Neville. Hermione muttered the countercurse while asking what had happened.

Trembling, he answered, "Malfoy. I met him outside the library, he said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged. "Report him!"

Grian, who rarely agreed with Hermione, nodded furiously. Neville, on the other hand, shook his head.

"I don't want more trouble." He mumbled sadly.

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville! He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier." Ron, for once, said something smart.

Iskall gave Ron a small thumbs up from behind Neville and mouthed, "Good!"

The Hermits had taken liberty to explain certain things to Ron that he clearly didn't understand: like feelings. The redhead had asked for help after he'd nearly gotten Hermione killed (he wasn't the direct reason, but he felt pretty guilty). They'd explained how the way certain things were said could sound a lot more offensive than intended, which helped Ron not constantly make everyone want to punch/hex him in the face.

Wait, we've gotten off-topic again. Back to the now:

"There's no need to tell me that I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that." Neville choked out, taking Ron's words the wrong way.