Of Constellations → 𝘥. 𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘧𝘰𝘺

xxxii. strange meeting

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

chapter thirty two

strange meeting

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

Harry, Ron, and Hermione's presence at Hogwarts meant revolution. We knew we needed to get there as soon as possible.

We were instructed to Apparate to the Hog's Head. 

Dean was the only one of the three of us who could Apparate well enough to get there, so we decided he would take me using my wand and Bill would take Luna.

With trembling hands, I took Dean's arm and tried to keep control of my breath. Immediately, familiar twisting and pulling began, along with the inundation of flashing lights. When it stopped, we were left standing in the dingy, dusty pub in the outskirts of Hogsmeade. The barman flinched when he saw us and narrowed his eyes.

"Hello, Aberforth," said Bill to the barman. I widened my eyes. Aberforth...as in...Dumbledore? "We were told to Apparate here."

"All right, come with me, then," said Aberforth gruffly. He walked out from behind the bar, to the back of the room, and through a door that opened onto a flight of rickety stairs. We followed closely behind him as he whispered to himself, "My bar ain't a bloody rail station."

We ended up in a small sitting room with an old, dirty rug and a tiny fireplace. Sitting above the fireplace was a large oil painting of a girl with a sweet smile.

"You go through there," Aberforth said, pointing to the painting. We all stared back at him in confusion. He took a great sigh and swung the painting out, revealing a long passageway hidden behind it. "To the castle."

Though I was dubious, I climbed up onto the mantelpiece anyway, following after Luna. Bill stayed behind, telling Aberforth he was rounding up the rest of the Order of the Phoenix before the crackling noise of Dissaparation echoed against the smooth stone walls.

There were brass lamps illuminating our way, and the earth floor crunched underneath our feet as we ran.

The passage got narrower and narrower and steeper and steeper. It was quiet. I could hear my heart beating in my ears. But, finally, we made it to the end. A small flight of steps led up to a door and Luna pushed it open.

Behind it was a huge gathering of people. I realized, suddenly, that this was a tunnel into the Room of Requirement. But it didn't look like I remembered it. The room was bigger, airier. Hammocks hung from the ceiling like a canopy and the walls were wood-paneled, decorated with tapestries for Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. But not Slytherin. I felt a little jolt of sadness—I'd been secretly hoping Theo would try to join.

"We got your message, Neville! Hello you three, I thought you must be here!" Luna said to the trio joyously as we stepped into the room. Everyone turned to look at us. They were all worse for wear with deep cuts and huge bruises that were even worse than I remembered.

Seamus, whose face was so puffy it was hardly recognizable, gave a roar of delight and nearly sent me tumbling to the floor as he ran over to throw his arms around Dean's neck. Dean staggered back—both boys had beaming smiles.

"Hi, everyone! Oh, it's great to be back!" Luna said.

The electric atmosphere began to simmer down when Harry told us he wasn't here to help us fight the Carrows. Instead, he had to do something related to defeating Voldemort. Something we couldn't help him with. Of course, everyone began to argue with him, but we didn't get too far when the door to the passage opened once again.