Charmolypi

Chapter 21

The young quartet were sitting in the great hall studying; Thea and Hermione were sitting on one side reading and writing, while Ron and Harry were sitting opposite to them. Harry was attempting to read but kept getting distracted by Ron, who was playing with cards.

"Look at you, playing with your cards. Pathetic! We've got final exams coming up soon." Hermione hissed, trying to get her friend to work.

"I'm ready. Ask me any question." Ron said smugly.

Hermione didn't hesitate. "Alright. What are the three most crucial ingredients in a forgetfulness potion."

He thought for a second before answering. "I forgot."

"And what, may I ask, do you plan to do if this comes up in the final exam?"

"Copy off you." He said as if it were the most obvious choice.

"No, you won't. besides, according to Professor McGonagall, we're to be given special quills, bewitched with an anti-cheating spell." She told him.

The Marauders laughed at this, knowing that this is something that happens to them very often.

"That's insulting! It's as if they don't trust us!" Ron said offended, and Harry played along for laughs. Ron looked at the card in his hand, annoyed. "Dumbledore again!" He said as he threw it on the table. The card didn't land on the pile, instead it was thrown towards Thea, who picked it up and was about to start reading when a string of laughter coursed through the great hall.

Neville was hopping into the Great Hall, his legs locked together. Everyone laughed except for Hermione, who looked at him sympathetically, and Thea, who looked angry at whoever had done that.

Some people laughed in the hall, while others looked sympathetic towards Alice and Frank. The pair were looking sadly at the screen, seeing how their son was getting picked on by other students.

"Leg lock curse?" Ron whispered.

A second later, "Malfoy." Harry concluded.

Lucius puffed his chest, while Frank sent him a venomous look.

Neville hopped along the passageway until he reached the quartet. He leaned on the table, taking a breath. "You have got to start standing up to people, Neville." Ron told him.

The Longbottom boy looked at him in exasperation. "How? I can barely stand at all."

Seamus jumped up from his seat, wand ready. "I'll do the counter curse."

"No, that's all I need. you to set my bloody kneecaps on fire." Neville answered, sounding scared at the idea.

Seamus slammed his wand on the table. "I don't appreciate insinuation, Longbottom. Besides, if anyone cares to notice, my eyebrows have completely grown back." He turned only to reveal a bald spot in the back of his head.

Thea looked at the Chocolate Frog card, and her eyes widened. "I found him! That's why his name was familiar." she exclaimed. "Listen. Dumbledore's particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard, Grindelwald, in 1945, for his discovery of twelve uses of dragon blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel."

"I read it on the train the first day!" Harry told his sister who nodded.

The girls looked at each other before getting up and gathering their things. "Follow us." Hermione said to the boys. The group got up and made their way out of the Great Hall.

"Hey, wait! Where are you going? What about the counter curse?" Neville called as he stumbled backwards and lost his balance causing another wave of laughter to erupt in the Great Hall. Without turning back or making any sound, Thea performed the counter curse, and Neville's legs were no longer bound.