we could be the greatest thing that the world has ever seen || [n.l book two]

seven

The year just got worse and worse. The Carrows punished us beyond imagination almost everyday. They used us as attack dummies whenever possible. Alex was scared to walk the school hallways just because he was muggle-born, as was I.

It was October when we began to fight back.

"We need to fight back." I said as Neville, Ginny, Alex and I were sitting in front of the fire. Max was currently in detention for flinging rocks at Slytherins in Care of Magical Creatures today (even though Hagrid really didn't want to give her the detention, Snape did anyways), so she was currently doing something in McGonagall's room, my best guess is gossiping withe her about everything. Ginny was laying on her stomach next to me, Alex next to her, and I was laying in Neville's lap, him playing with  parts of my hair.

"What?" Ginny exclaimed quietly.

"Jenni's right." Neville agreed with me. "If we don't do something, they'll win."

"But what can we do?" Ginny asked us. I looked up at him and he shrugged.

"I got an idea." I said, smirking.

"And what is that?" Seamus said as he sat on the loveseat with Dean.

"Come on." I said and stood up. They all followed me, but Neville hesitated. I walked back and grabbed him by the hand. "Come on Longbottom." He smiled at me and I pulled him along. We quietly left out the portrait hole and shushed The Fat Lady as we did.

"Where are you children going?" She asked us very quietly.

"We don't know." Alex whispered back before we walked down the staircase. He held tightly onto Seamus's hand and I held onto Neville's, and I could feel his hand was sweaty, so he was insanely nervous.

We got to where everyone goes past at least once everyday. I pulled out my wand and whispered, "Accio paint." As I said it, a bucket of paint quietly skidded across the floor towards us. It came to my feet and I picked it up, pulling a brush off the side. I unhinged the top and dipped the brush in it.

"Watch and learn." I said, looking back at all of them. I walked up to the wall and stared up at it.

"Jenni, don't." Ginny said, but I paid no attention to them. I slid the brush against the wall vigorously. After I was finished, I stood back and admired my work.

Along the wall, in jet black paint, were the words, Dumbledore's Army, still recruiting.

"Let's go!" I said, pulling them down the hall and beginning to run down to corridor. We rounded a corner and saw Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, sitting there, staring at us.

"It's Filch's cat!" Seamus whispered and we all ran in another direction. We ran out of the school and across the courtyard, to Hagrid's hut, which had been rebuilt over the summer. Ginny knocked rapidly on the door, exclaiming, "Hagrid, Hagrid! Let us in!"

"Who is it?" We heard him bellow from inside.

"Ginny, Dean, Alex, Neville, Seamus and Jenni!" She said and he opened the door.

"What are you all doin' up so late? Yer s'posed to be asleep!" He exclaimed as he saw us all standing at the doorstep.

"Filch's cat was chasing after us!" Alex exclaimed as he walked in and sat at the table, petting Fang, Hagrid's dog.

"Well what are 'ye doin' up this late at nigh'?"

"We were-" Alex started, until Dean glared at him. "Just walking around."

"Just walkin' 'round?" Hagrid asked. He didn't believe us one bit.

"You'll see tomorrow." Seamus said and we all nodded.

"C'mon, I'll see ya back up to the castle." Hagrid said as we all left back outside. He guided us quickly back to the castle and told us to go to bed.

"Even Hagrid's gone haywire!" Dean said, throwing his hands up as he walked the path to the portrait.

"I can't believe he told us to go to bed!" I said. "He never did that before. It's odd, isn't it?"

"It's since Dumbledore died." Neville said quietly, making us all turn and face him. "I think he's trying to not get himself sacked, because we all know Snape hates him, and the only reason he hasn't yet is because McGonagall, Trelawny, Sprout and Slughorn won't physically let him without rioting. If Snape or the Carrows caught him letting us in his hut after dark, he'd be out of here in a second."

"Neville's got a point." I said as we approached the portrait.

"Password?" The fat lady whispered, leaning forwards a little.

"Perentium luminal." Alex whispered and she quietly opened up, letting us get into and shut quickly. We walked in and saw Max curled up on the couch under a blanket, looking at the fire.

"Hey Maxie." I said, sitting near he legs.

"Hi." She said gloomily, not looking up at us.

"What's up hun?" Ginny asked as she sat in the armchair next to us.

"I was talking to Professor Slughorn in detention, and he said that Professor Snape has been ordering those damned Carrows around because he's an ally of You-Know-Who!" She whimpered.

"What?" We all exclaimed. I looked at Alex and the look of horror spread across his face.

"Alex, baby, I think you should go up to bed." I said, rubbing his cheek before kissing the top of his head and he ran up the staircase.

"What do you mean, ally of You-Know-Who?" Seamus asked, holding Max's hand in his own.

"I mean that Slughorn heard them talking about it in his office one day!" She said. "He said that they were talking about when he shall return to kill Harry!"

"No!" Ginny said, cupping her mouth with her hands.

"They can't find him unless he's here." Max finished, her head hung low.

"Well I got an owl from your dad saying that Harry, Ron and Hermione were apparently spotted at the Ministry back in September." I said, motioning towards Ginny. "They're probably camping out or something. I hope."

"Yeah, you're probably right." They all agreed.

"Merlin's beard, I'm tired." I said, yawning.

"I'm gonna go to bed." Dean said, as he and Seamus left for their dormitory.

"Me too." Ginny agreed as her and Max left as well, Max dragging her heels as she went. Now all that was left was Neville and I, standing in the fire lit common room, the fire's light shimmering off the gold accents in the room.

"Well, I guess I better go to bed." Neville said awkwardly, pointing up to the stairs.

"Yeah, me too." I said, not moving. He began to walk away before I called his name. "Neville!"

He turned back and looked at me, and I hugged him tightly around his chest. He wrapped his arms around my neck and I whimpered.

"I'm scared Neville." I whispered into his blue shirt.

"I am too Jenn, I am too." He replied softly, before kissing the top of my head. We ended our hug and I retreated to the dormitory. Max and Ginny were already passed out, so I crawled into bed and followed their actions.