Slytherin Princess | ✓

fifty-six

The corridors remained quiet and everyone walked with a destination in mind. Draco and I, on the other hand, walked slowly through the corridors, not wanting to get to our destination as no class was a safe haven for us: Dark Arts was torture, Transfiguration was awkward as I was sure Professor McGonagall hated us, Charms grew harder as Flitwick was tough on Slytherins, and Potions was an easy target for Gryffindors to slip things into my and Draco's cauldrons— there was never a lesson where our potions worked thanks to slippery hands. I had expected Alchemy to be nice as the teacher was a very lovable older woman, but our classmates weren't. The only solitude I had was mealtimes in the kitchens.

The days slowly inched towards mid-October, the leaves of the Whomping Willow falling off and the breeze dispersing them through the grounds. The first Hogsmeade trip was set for the weekend before Halloween, a little escape from the dark corridors of Hogwarts. It was a common feeling for third years and above, the small oasis that came in the form of a ffiteen minute walk to the neighboring village.

But my mood changed as I went through my trunk. My mind trailed back to my fifth year where Hermione Granger came up with a way for Harry's Defense Association to communicate with each other via fake Galleons. I had been checking how much gold I had for the trip when I found the fake Galleon; it wasn't as shiny or big as a normal Galleon. What really hit me was the date on the coin: 25101997. That was the date of the Hogsmeade trip.

During one of my breaks, I left Draco alone in the library as I wandered the corridors. Running the familiar way towards the Room of Requirement, I stood at the empty wall where the usual oak door sat almost once a day last year.

Harry Potter's defense lessons, I thought to myself. Opening my eyes, the highly polished brass handled door appeared on the wall. Looking around, I quickly opened the door to see that it wasn't empty, as I had expected it to be.

"What are you doing, Longbottom?" I said quietly.

He quickly turned around and pointed his wand at my chest, "how did you get in here?"

"You forget that I'm a D.A. member," I sighed, raising my hands in surrender. "I know how to get into this room."

"Leave, Ward. You're a traitor! You're a bloody Death Eater and have the nerve to call yourself a member of Dumbledore's Army," he seethed. "People like you are the reason why he's dead."

I flinched at the memory of watching Albus Dumbledore falling off the Astronomy Tower five months ago. He noticed my reaction and scoffed, muttering "weak."

"You know nothing, Neville Longbottom. I had no choice. I—" I cut myself off and shook my head, taking a shaky breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to torture you. Carrow chose you, not me."

"Regardless, it's still your fault. You had your hand in it," he shook his head.

Taking a hesitant step forward, I stared directly at his wand. One wrong move and he could curse me into oblivion. I hadn't taken my wand out because I wanted to talk to him and gain the smallest bit of his trust I could, though highly unlikely.

"I know what you're planning," I said slowly. "I found the coin and—"

"It's worse than fifth year! At least Umbridge was tame, the Carrows— We have no defense lessons, it only makes sense we start up the D.A. again," Longbottom admitted and lowered his wand slightly.

"I say do it," I said after a bit of silence, causing his eyes to widen in surprise. "You guys need to learn more defense. Round up the other members, those who want to be in it, and do it."

"And why should I listen to you? You'd probably rat us out—"

"Do you not remember what I said to Smith and Creevy at Hog's Head?" I snapped. "I am loyal to those who are nice to me and who I consider my friend. We may not be friends, or even on the same side, but the D.A. was something that was purely mine, not Slytherin's or... anyone else's. It was a place and time where I could excel with a peace of mind. I'm not going to rat out one of my only senses of happiness, the secret is safe with me."