Understanding (Neville Longbottom)

25

It was half an hour before I heard her running up the stairs to the dorms.
Sasha stormed back in and went straight for her trunk from which she pulled out a big, chunky gray scarf.

"Jo, here put this on" she draped it over me quickly and then she grabbed my hand and dragged me down the stairs

"Where are we going?" I asked as we got out of the common room and into the corridors of the school.

"Outside" she replied curtly, watching over her shoulder and careful not to touch anyone.

The possibility we could be followed was minimal since I hadn't moved from the tower in a while and Ginny was sure Sasha wasn't under surveillance, but I kept my mouth shut so nobody could guess who I was behind the giant scarf.
Sasha was still very scared, her hold on my hand was like a binding spell and she watched full of suspicion and terror, everyone who passed us.
We were rapidly going towards the lower floors of the castle; I almost thought we were going outside, when she took a left instead of a right, and brought us to a dark and deserted corridor few students had ever use of since it took out of the castle to the grounds behind the quidditch field and it wasn't very practical.
As soon as we turned the corner, I saw that someone was already hiding in the shadows.

"Neville!" I almost screamed as I threw myself in his arms.

"Josie" he whispered my name with urgency and relief while he crushed me, his long arms so tight around my waist I thought they would fuse with me.
But there was no time, he got a hold of my hand and pulled me back into the corridor from which Sasha and I had come from, and headed in the opposite direction.

"Where are we going?" I asked as I turned around to catch a glimpse of my friend, but she was already headed towards the exit; she turned once and nodded towards me before Neville made us take a left.

"Slughorn's office" he answered quickly "Ginny is already there, McGonagall has gone to Aberforth."

We stayed silent as we ran through the corridors, down and deep into the castle; his burning hand was warming mine to the point that it started to sweat, but I couldn't bring myself to break contact.
We finally reached the office and Neville knocked impatiently on it.
Slughorn opened it just enough to study who it was and then flung it open to let us pass
"Get in, get in!" he motioned

"Is she back yet?" I asked even if I could see for myself that the only people inside that office were me, Neville, Ginny, Slughorn and Professor Flitwick.

"Not yet my dear"

Ginny flew towards me and tied her arms around me in a quick urgent hug "Jo are you ok?"

"I'm fine!" I assured even if terror was clear in my voice "I just need to know what's hap-"
A loud crack interrupted me and I turned around to find the source of the noise.
"Gilly?"
My tiny house elf was trembling on the rug, her hands twisted with one another.

"Miss Josie" she spoke.

The last time I heard her voice had been so long ago, I was surprised it was so little and scratchy.
As I moved towards her and dropped to my knees I took in her big shiny eyes full of tears

"Gilly what are you doing here? Why aren't you at home?"

"Gilly had to come to you, Miss Josie"

"Where is uncle Oberon?"

Gilly seemed embarrassed by what she was about to say.
And of course I already knew what had happened, I knew the moment I saw her on the rug.
I still needed to hear it.
She took a deep breath "The masked men came to the house..."