The Stone

Chapter Thirty-Two

After dinner the four of them sat nervously apart in the common room. Nobody bothered them; none of the Gryffindors had anything to say to Harry anymore; after all. This was the first night he hadn't been upset by it. Hermione, with the help of Bella, was skimming through all their notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try and break. Harry and Ron didn't talk much. Both of them were thinking about what they were about to do. 

Slowly, the common room emptied as people drifted off to bed. 

"Better get the Cloak," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left, stretching and yawning. Harry ran upstairs to their dark dormitory. He pulled out the Cloak and then his eyes fell on the flute Hagrid had given him for Christmas. He pocketed it to use on Fluffy - he didn't feel much like singing. 

He ran back down to the common room. 

"We'd better put the Cloak on here, and make sure it covers all four of us - if Filch spots one our feet wandering along on its own-"

"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room.

Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom. 

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," Harry said, hurriedly putting the Cloak behind his back.

Neville stared at their guilty faces.

"You're going out again," he said.

"No, no, no," Hermione said quickly. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

Harry looked at the grandfather clock by the tower. They couldn't afford to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep.

"You can't go out," Neville said, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble"

"You don't understand," Harry said, "this is important"

But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate. 

"I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll - I'll fight you"

"Neville!" Ron exploded, "get away from the hole and don't be an idiot-"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" Neville hissed. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to us," Ron said in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing"

He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who lept out of sight. 

"Go on then, try and hit me!" Neville said, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"

Harry turned to Bella. 

"Do something," he said desperately.

Bella stepped forward.

"Neville," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this"

She raised her wand. 

"Petrificus Totalus!" she cried, pointing it at Neville.

Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board. 

Bella ran to turn him over. Neville's jaw was jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror. 

"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered.