LOST ↝ G. WEASLEY [1]

30 | The Beginning of the End

"What does Ab need at this time of night?" Joey wondered, standing up from her spot at the table and wandering toward Ariana's painting.

"Someone from the Order's here, maybe?" Luna suggested.

"Or he could just be bringing food." Seamus said, a disgusted look on his face. "It's not the best," he added to the three Slytherins.

"I'll go with you," Neville offered, getting up from his seat at the table and following Joey to the painting, watching as it swung open.

"Lumos,"

"So what d'you reckon it is this time?" Joey asked Neville as they hurried through the tunnel, eager to discover what waited on the other side.

"Hoping it might be something interesting." he replied with a nervous grin as they neared the Hog's Head. "Here goes nothing..."

They couldn't help but stare as the door swung open to reveal who stood behind it.

"Well..." Joey muttered to Neville. "you did want something interesting."

Harry, Ron and Hermione.

"Neville," Harry said, his widened eyes darting back and forth between his two friends. "Joey. You two look-"

"Like hell, I reckon." Neville finished for him. "This is nothing. Seamus is worse. Hey Ab, we've got a couple more coming through." he said to the older man, who nodded slowly in return.

"Come on," Joey said, jerking her head back in the direction of the tunnel and watching them scramble up into the tunnel after them.

"Don't remember this being on the Marauder's Map." Ron mused, looking around the dark tunnel as they walked.

"That's because it never existed 'til now." Neville explained. "The seven secret passages were sealed off before the start of the year. This is the only way in or out now. The grounds are crawling with Death Eaters and Dementors."

"How bad is it with Snape as headmaster?" Hermione asked.

"We hardly ever see him." Joey explained. "It's the Carrows you need to watch out for."

"Carrows?" Harry asked.

"Brother and sister." Neville said. "In charge of discipline. Delightful punishment, the Carrows."

"Let's just say one Dark Arts lesson had us practicing the Cruciatus Curse on first years." Joey said. "We refused."

"Hogwarts has changed." Neville added. 

"Here we are," she said as they finally reached the end of the tunnel.

"Let's have a bit of fun, shall we?" Neville suggested, passing Joey to lead the group to the doorway and watching it swing open, Neville's tall figure shielding the rest of them from the crowd. 

The food had been put away once everyone was finished, the group having returned to their normal seats atop their sleeping bags, eagerly awaiting Neville and Joey's return. As soon as the painting creaked open, everyone turned to look in their direction, waiting for an explanation.

"Listen up, you lot," Neville told the group. "we've brought you a surprise."

"Not more of Aberforth's cooking, I hope." Seamus said with a chuckle. "It'd be a surprise if we can digest it."

Neville smirked, moving out of the way to reveal Harry standing behind him, and Neville and Joey jumped down onto the stone floor as everyone stood up, clapping. 

"Blimey," Seamus murmured, a huge smile on his face.

"Harry!" everyone chorused in delight as he jumped down from the tunnel, greeting everyone with hugs as Joey looked around to notice Ginny was nowhere to be seen.