The Lost Get Found (Neville Longbottom Fanfic)

Chapter 5: (Defense Against the Dark Arts)

Chapter 5 (10 weeks ago)

I awake in my dormitory with Hermione, Lavendar, Parvarti, and Fawn still asleep. I get up, walking to the bathroom and strip before stepping into the shower. I step out five minutes later feeling refreshed before changing and slipping my glasses on. I brush my hair out then put it in its ALWAYS ponytail, putting a spell on it to make it appear pin straight like usual. I brush my teeth (braces included) before exiting and heading downstairs with my bag slung over my shoulder.

I walk downstairs and go to the Great Hall, sitting at the Gryffindor table. "Oh look, the hippo reappears from the swamp!" Malfoy's cold voice sneers. Like usual, I wince as the words hit me with a full, hard impact, my eyes squeezed shut. Then two hands are lain on either shoulder, and yank me off the bench so I fall on my back. I get to my feet, back to him when he begins to talk about my dad and how the rest of the Weasleys should be like him, dead.

As soon as that happens, something partially breaks in me. I spin on my heel and glare at him, being bolder than ever. "Oooh! The hungry, hungry hippo is mad now!" He taunts. I raise my fist and launch it directly to his face, a groan coming from him before he orders his two goons to grab me. Before I can run, Malfoy has shoved me back down to the ground, his legs now straddling my waist; everyone just waking up for breakfast, finding they can't get in.

"Get off her, Malfoy!" The twins and Ron yell; Seamus, Dean, Neville, Hermione, and Harry trying to get the spell to come down that he'd put up. He chuckles coldly as he sees me struggling beneath him. Being agitated, I flip my waist beneath him so hard, he smacks to the ground on his back. I go to get up, but two grizzly hands grab my arms and yank me to my feet, most likely leaving bruises. Malfoy gets up fast and socks me in the face, his two goons lifting me off the ground, giving me a secret advantage.

'You know, you're too fat to run. that's how we caught you easily. You're too dumb to-" I don't give him a chance to finish when I swing my body upwards, kicking him in the face as I do a front flip, managing to slip from Vincent's grasp as I do so, kicking him in the stomach, then flipping Gregory on his back miraculously. Malfoy stands and I wait til he's close enough before I knee him in the groin. I look to everyone and pull the spell down, putting my wand back into my pocket when the Gryffindors and Cedric surround me.

"Soph! You have a spilt lip and multiple bruises." Cedric whispers as he reaches me first. I shrug, my eyes watching as thee three boys are scolded and escorted out by Snape, who gives me a curt nod as he passes.

"Ms. Contralez," Professor McGonagall calls, my body pushing through the crowd around me until I am met with the woman I've come to admire. "No more, or I will have to punish you." She softly excuses, knowing it was pure self-defense. She walks off and I look around at everyone's bewildered face. We all just sit down, eating breakfast while Dean, Seamus, Neville, Harry, Ron, the twins, and Ginny all look at me with pride in their eyes.' If only that happened.

Finally, I arrive at Potions with my fellow Gryffindor friends who all worriedly greet me, hugging me as Malfoy and his goons pass by with satisfied smirks on their face. Thanks to their earlier actions, I have a split lip, bruised stomach and rib. I enter, sitting at an empty desk, Neville sliding into the chair on the right of mine. We all take out our books, ready to learn, but as I bend towards my bag, I wince. As Neville goes to grab my book from my bag for me, Professor Moody joins us, growling, "You can put those books away," as he enters the classroom, everyone scrambling to shove their books out of sight.

Alastor Moody. Ex-Auror, Ministry malcontent, and your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I am here because Dumbledore asked me. End of story, goodbye, the end! Any questions? When it comes to the Dark Arts I believe in a practical approach. But first, which of you can tell me how many Unforgivable Curses there are?"