CRIMSON TEARS | Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone [1]

𝘅𝘅𝗶𝘃 | 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿

That evening, the four of them sat in the corner of the common room, undisturbed for the most part. Still, no one wanted to talk to Gwen or Harry, and the only person that had so much as offered Gwen any kind of reconciliation after they lost all those points was George Weasley, who had actually sent her a smile when he and Fred had entered Gryffindor Tower that evening. She was surprised by the gesture, but grateful nonetheless. It had been a couple weeks since anyone had offered her any form of friendship since that night in the Astronomy Tower.

  Hermione was skimming through her notes, hoping to come across any of the enchantments that they might face. Harry and Ron didn't talk much, and Gwen was too focused on what they were about to do to try and make conversation.

  Eventually, people began to drift off to bed and slowly the common room emptied.

  'Better get the cloak,' Ron said in a hushed voice, and Harry rushed upstairs to the boys' dorms.

  'We may need to crouch,' he said when he returned. 'If Filch sees any of our feet running along--'

  'What are you doing?'

  The sudden voice made them all freeze. Then, from behind an armchair across the room, Neville emerged, clutching Trevor the toad in his hands. The little toad looked like it was struggling to break free.

  'Nothing--' Harry said quickly. Gwen moved to stand behind him so as to shield the cloak from view.

  'You're sneaking out again.' Neville said.

  'No,' Hermione answered. 'No, Neville, we're not. I suggest you go back to bed--'

  'I'm not letting you break more rules!' He ran across the room, blocking their exit.

  'We're not, Neville.' Ron said. 'You don't understand--'

  'I do! You're gonna lose us more points! I'm not letting you break more rules!' Even through his outburst, Gwen could hear the fear quivering in his voice.

  She tried to approach him. 'Neville please, this is important.'

  'No! I'll fight you!'

  Ron was exasperated. 'Neville! Get away from that hole and go upstairs!'

  'NO!' Neville was clearly steeling himself desperately. 'No! You're the one that told me to stand up for myself!'

  'Not against us!'

  Gwen could see no other choice. She pulled her wand from her back pocket. 'Neville,' she said quietly. 'I'm really really sorry about this.'

  Neville looked as though she were about to kill him. She pointed her wand at him, murmuring 'Petrificus Totalus!' and, with a thin stream of light, Neville's arms snapped to his side, his whole body going rigid; he fell forward, Trevor jumping out of the way just in time as his body planted face first onto the floor.