Hogwarts: Year Seven

Part 1

The Hogwarts Express exhaled a puff of steam as it slowed to a stop at Platform 9 ¾. In past years, Neville had welcomed its arrival, eager to rejoin his friends and return to the school he loved. This year, his seventh year of school, many of his friends would not be joining him. Any "Muggle-borns" who hadn't fled had been rounded up and sent to Azkaban. That left the "pure-blood" students, except that many of their families had kept them home, fearing for their safety. And of course there were Harry, Ron, and Hermione. No one knew where they were.

Neville was scared. Not nervous or uncertain like he had often felt – but truly scared. Neville told himself not to think about it as he stepped onto the carriage and looked back at Gran. He wondered when he would see her next. Or if. Really, nothing was certain anymore. He turned and started down the corridor of train compartments.

He was lost in these and other gloomy thoughts when an unseen hand reached out from a compartment and pulled him in. He didn't react quickly enough to resist, but instinctively he had pulled out his wand.

"Ginny!" he cried out, relieved. As they hugged, Neville heard the door close behind them, and he turned to see Luna.

"Hi, Neville," she said in her faraway voice.

"I'm glad so glad to see some friendly faces," Neville said. "How are you both? Are your families alright? Have you heard from Ron?" he asked all at once.

"No." Ginny sighed. "Do you know who else will be here this year?"

"Not many of us. Seamus, I think," Neville replied. He heard the whistle blow and felt the train move beneath them.

"I saw the Patil twins at the station," said Luna.

"You know our friend Malfoy will be here," Ginny said darkly. "The Slytherins haven't lost many members. And you've heard about the Carrows?"

"I have," Neville said. Alecto and Amycus Carrow were taking over Muggle Studies and Defense Against the Dark Arts this year. The latter was particularly ironic, as the Carrow twins were known Death Eaters. "They're bad news, those two."

"Bad news that we need to do something about," added Ginny.

"What do you mean?" asked Neville.

"Well, with Snape and his fellow Death Eaters in charge of Hogwarts, the students are in real danger," said Ginny. "And we need to be ready to protect them."

"You're right," Neville agreed. "But what can wedo? I mean, if Harry were here–"

"He's not." Ginny interrupted him. "We're here, Neville. So, it's up to us."

"I... I mean I want to help. I'm ready to help!" Neville said. "But we need more than that. We need to be able to organize others. We need a leader. And that's not me!"

"It is now," Ginny said matter-of-factly.

"It helps me if I try not to think about what I am," said Luna, softly. "Instead, I think about what Hogwarts needs me to be."

Neville and Ginny were quiet for a moment. Neville looked out the compartment window. He almost expected the world outside to match their current circumstances, complete with ominous, dark clouds and barren earth. Yet the lush, green landscape that rolled by seemed indifferent to Neville's gloomy meditations.

Neville took a deep breath. "Right then," he said. "Hogwarts needs us. So we'll be whatever it needs us to be."

"And what's that?" asked Ginny.

Neville pulled a Galleon out of pocket and studied it for a moment. He held it up to show the others. "Dumbledore's Army."