The Forgotten 7th Year

The Fight

Neville's POV

"Stupefy!"

Amycus easily blocked it.

"Stupefy! Stupefy!" My desperation was growing. Did you seriously think you could win?

"Crucio!" Amycus laughs as I scramble and trip in my haste to dodge. "Crucio! Crucio! Crucio! You can't dance forever."

Just long enough to let them get away.

An idea occurred to me, and I stumbled backwards away from him. The attacks stopped as he calmly watched my retreat.

"Where y'going?"

"Stupefy!" I turned suddenly, attempting to take him by surprise. With a flick of his wrist, he blocked that too.

"C'mon. Is that really all you can do?" He taunted. "Too bad your girlie couldn't have stayed instead. Think of the fun we missed."

I bit my tongue to stop a retort. I have never hated anyone as much as this man. Footsteps could be heard behind him.

"Brother, why are you here. Stun him and catch the others. We don't have all day." He let out an exaggerated sigh and faced me.  "Don't you want to keep going? To catch Ms. Patil or Ms. Abbott?"

I readied my wand, but it was no use. The red light struck me, and everything went black.

***

I woke up, unbound in the circular room. I tried to stand up, but it was as if all my energy had been sapped out. I ended up feebly pushing at the all too familiar stones that made up the floor.

I sighed, letting my head hit my chest. Why did it matter? I knew what was coming and it wouldn't change just because of where I was.

The door opened, and my eyes snapped up. Dread tied my stomach in knots, but it doubled when I saw who Alecto was dragging.

"No!" The word ripped itself from my throat before I could stop it. She looked up through a curtain of blonde hair that had fallen into her face.

I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry.

Her eyes were wide with terror, and her cheek was red as if she'd been slapped. The furry rose like a serpent, coiling around me and blocking out all fear.

I. Will. Kill. Them.

Alecto pushed her into the room, and she fell to her knees. Without giving her a moment to recover, she kicked her in the gut. I jumped to my feet, but Alecto crouched to her level and pressed a shining dagger into the hollow of Hannah's throat.

"Make a move. I dare you." Alecto's eyes met mine, and I noticed red scratch mark from her eye to just below her ear. At least Hannah hadn't gone down without a fight.

But that was probably why Alecto was being so terrible.

Alecto pressed until a small ruby of blood appeared on the silver knife. Her eyes stared into mine, as if daring me to resist. She pressed harder and Hannah whimpered. The ruby grew slightly.

I focused on deep breaths. She wanted a reaction. I couldn't give it to her. With a sigh of disappointment she placed the knife back into her robes.

The second the door shut, Hannah wheeled on me.

"Are you alrig-."

"What the hell did you think you were doing!? Sacrificing yourself like that. Of all the stupidly reckless things... I didn't ask you to do that for me... why on earth-." She began pacing.

I was momentarily stung by her words, but anger surged up, replacing the hurt.

"I didn't bloody do it for you! Seamus' injuries were slowing him down! T-they couldn't catch him twice."

"Oh..." She seemed stunned. "I just thought... well....."

"That you were the only person I cared this much about?" I finished flatly.

"No!" She shook her head emphatically. But she chewed her lower lip in that way she did when she was hiding something. She was lying. We both knew it. There was a pause.

"Fine, yes. Yes, I thought... something along those lines. Happy!?"

"No! Why would it make me happy that my girlfriend thinks I'm a friendless looser!"

She looked like I'd slapped her.

"Th-that's not what I said. N-not what I meant."

"Well, what did you mean?" I was suddenly very tired.

"I-I wish I knew."

"Well, why don't you tell me when you figure it out." My heart felt like stone, weighing me down and my blood was as cold as ice. I curled up into a ball, leaning up against a wall; the furthest I could be from her.

We spent what felt like hours in very tense silence. The only sound was the rustle whenever either of us shifted.

I wanted to talk to her so desperately that it was like a physical ace on my heart. But I didn't. So I stayed there in silence, wishing so much I wasn't.