Neville Longbottom and the Philosopher's Stone

Part 14

"What happened to Ron?" asked Neville.

"He got bit," said Harry. "Got too close to Norbert. Luckily Madam Pomfrey doesn't ask too many questions." They re-entered the castle and took the long climb up to the top of the Astronomy Tower. By the time they got to the top Neville was utterly worn out. It was just after midnight and Charlie's friends were already there. They took the chest and flew off in a hurry. Harry and Neville stopped a moment to rest. Neville shivered. He always felt cold up on the Astronomy Tower.

After a short while they made ready go back down again and put on the invisibility cloak once more. They made their way carefully down the long winding staircase to the base of the tower. But when they got there they found someone waiting for them. It was Draco Malfoy, who was hanging about the entrance to the staircase as if on the lookout. "How did he know?" thought Neville. Under the cloak Harry made a motion to Neville to be silent and they tiptoed carefully past them. However, just as they thought they were past they heard another sound.

"Mr Malfoy, what do you think you are doing out here?" It was Professor McGonagall who appeared out of the gloom with a very strict look on her face. "I hope you understand the severe penalties for being out in the castle at night." She stood looming over Draco, peering over the top of her spectacles.

"But Professor," said Draco "I know for a fact that somebody else is out of their room tonight. I, er, came out here to report them to someone. He's up the Astronomy Tower this very moment. It's one of the Gryffindors. You'll see."

McGonagall eyed Draco dubiously. "Very well, we shall wait a short while. But I sincerely hope you are not lying to me Mr Malfoy. Professor Snape would be... most disappointed." Draco looked worried but defiant. Neville smiled to himself, but Harry nudged him and indicated they should get going. But as they set off, Neville clumsily stepped on the trailing edge of the cloak and tripped. The cloak slipped off him and he fell to the ground with a crash. Malfoy and McGonagall turned to see what it was.

From his position on the floor Neville looked up at the place where Harry would be. He felt sure he had rushed off, indeed he was hoping he had and would escape being caught. But to his surprise Harry appeared, throwing off his cloak and chucking it into a dark corner. He reached over to help Neville to his feet as McGonagall came rushing up.

The rest of the night passed in a bit of a blur for Neville. He vaguely remembered McGonagall's angry lecture and her docking himself and Harry 50 points each, plus giving all of them (including an incredulous Malfoy) detention. He remembered being taken in sullen silence back to Gryffindor Tower and settling into a fitful sleep. All the while Harry had been beside him. Harry had tried to take all the blame on himself, but McGonagall hadn't listened.

The next morning, Neville stopped Harry as they were about to go down to breakfast. "Why did you do it?" he asked. "You could have got yourself away."

"Hey, I wasn't going to abandon you to McGonagall," said Harry. "Besides, it was my fault you were there in the first place. I should never have persuaded you to come. I'm sorry I got you into this. Can you forgive me?" He looked genuinely upset and concerned. For the first time Neville saw Harry Potter in a new light. Not just the reckless troublemaker, but someone who genuinely cared.

"Sure," Neville replied. Harry clapped him on the shoulder and they left their room. Though Neville didn't realise it at the time, at that point all the quarrels he and Harry had had were forgotten forever.

At breakfast, it seemed that already the entire school knew what had happened. With a hundred points lost in the race for the House Cup, the other Gryffindors notably shunned Harry and Neville. When they sat down together opposite Hermione, she gave Harry a look that would have slaughtered an army if it could and promptly launched into a tirade directed at Neville about breaking the rules, getting into trouble, and especially about getting himself mixed up with the likes of Harry Potter. She said nothing to Harry the whole time but she made sure he heard the whole thing. Harry just sat with his face down and said nothing, before leaving early to retrieve his cloak.