The Seventh Year

Cruciatus in Detention

Luna was in her dormitory, finishing her Muggle Studies essay, when a small paper rat appeared at the foot of her bed. Curiosity swept over her as it scurried about the sheets and lay still on her pillow. Her pale, cold hand wrapped around its body, and she gently unfolded the paper. 

Ginny's message was scrawled on the paper:

Check your coin's date. It should be recent. Don't reply.

A jolt of excitement shot through her, and she began to hum a song she had heard on the wizarding radio the day before; it was called O Children. Collecting herself, she set off for her classes that day. 

Her first class was herbology with the Slytherins. They learned about a plant used for potions: Fluxweed. Professor Sprout continued her lesson for about an hour, and the students were given the remaining time to observe its properties and decide the best way to pick the plant from the pot. 

The bell rang, and the students rushed off to the Great Hall for lunch. Hungry herself, Luna walked in to find Neville and Ginny sitting together eating french onion soup with slices of bread. She began heading in their direction when Colin Creevey walked up to her.

"Did you get it, too?" he asked non-specifically.

"Yes, I did!" Luna answered cheerfully. "But be careful where you talk." She nodded her head toward Alecto Carrow, who was sitting in her seat at the staff table. Colin did not look over, but he nodded to Luna and walked out of the Hall. 

"—what do you mean you want to back out? Come on. I'll help you if you can't do it yourself!" Ginny whisper-yelled at Neville. "And Luna can help, too. Wouldn't you, Luna?"

"Wouldn't I what?" she whispered back, perplexed. 

"Neville, here, doesn't want to run the D.A. by himself. I think he would make an excellent leader, but he's decided," she said, annoyed, "that he won't do it unless one of us helps him." She shot him a look as the last words left her mouth. 

"Oh, of course! I'd love to help if it'll encourage Neville." She grinned at Neville; he gave an awkward smile in return. "Neville, remember the hat sorted you into Gryffindor. What if he foretold this moment and knew you would find the courage to do this. Maybe, you were meant to be brave this year, with Snape and the Carrows, too."

Neville took these words to heart and blushed because Luna had never said anything so wise before. Ginny saw this but didn't mention it. 

To steer the conversation back to Dumbledore's Army, she said, "So when should the first meeting be? We should make it soon. People are already losing hope, and we'll need more optimism to get through the year."

"I think we should do it tomorrow. The sooner, the better, right?" Neville said confidently. Both Luna's and Ginny's heads bobbed in agreement. 

"So it's settled, then. Tomorrow at..." Ginny checked her watch, "eight o'clock."

"Wait, I've got my last detention with Carrow tomorrow. The day after, alright? Don't get into trouble, please!" Neville pleaded with them. The girls agreed and began devouring dinner.

Neville reached for his galleon as dessert appeared and changed the date and time: 09.25.97 / 8:00. Writing this gave him something to look forward to. Maybe he would get through Carrow's detentions after all. 

----

Neville walked into Professor Amycus Carrow's room with his head held high. Whatever today's torture was, he could handle it. What were two more detentions to him? He'd already survived a week of them! The previous night he watched a Slytherin boy take a horrendous beating for talking out of line. Having been there from the last Wednesday, Neville was already beaten twice and used as jinx practice the other four times.