(no subject)
Author: Aramintalupin
Title: Something to celebrate
Rating: G
Ship: Neville/ Hannah
Words: 499
Neville had no idea how it had happened. One minute he was going about his business, keeping his head down, hoping he’d scrape through this dreadful year with at least one NEWT in Herbology and the next minute he was leading a rebellion against Snape and the Carrows.
No matter how many times he tried to shake off the responsibility, people were starting to look to him to show the way.
“What are they celebrating?” hissed Ginny one evening as they sat down to dinner. The Great Hall had been transformed as usual for Halloween, puzzling the majority of students who were just beginning to get used to the new rules and privations that had come into force since September. They had all expected the feast to be cancelled.
Up on the top table, the Professors looked similarly confused, but Alecto and Amycus Carrow seemed uncharacteristically buoyant, toasting each other with full goblets either side of a very irate Professor McGonagall.
“To victory! To The Dark Lord!” they shouted in unison, knocking McGonagall’s hat askew.
Beside him, Neville felt Ginny shiver. “I hope they choke,” she said venomously.
Seamus looked around furtively before whispering, “You don’t think they’ve captured H-?”
Neville glared at his friend as Ginny whimpered in fear. Her knuckles had turned white.
It couldn’t be true. Neville’s eyes searched the Hall frantically for Luna, whose calm disposition instantly reassured him. If there had been any news, she would have received it from her father.
“Harry’s safe” said Neville, squeezing Ginny’s hand. She nodded tightly, regaining her composure.
“Neville, we have to do something to wipe the smiles off their ugly faces!”
Up and down the table, Neville was aware of other students looking at him, leaning in, waiting for his instructions. He hated to be the centre of attention.
“It’s too dangerous,” he mumbled out of the side of his mouth, determinedly avoiding their disappointed gazes as he angrily speared a Yorkshire Pudding and dropped it onto his plate.
He didn’t know why they trusted him. He wasn’t brave, clever or funny like his friends and however desperately he wanted to help Harry, he was no strategist: he felt powerless, stuck within Hogwarts’ walls, keeping his fears to himself.
By chance, his eyes flickered up and between the rows of students he caught Hannah staring at him. She smiled and lifted her goblet inches from the table.
“To Harry” she mouthed silently.
Neville grinned. He knew he’d pay dearly for this later but right now he needed to give his friends some hope. Shaking his wand from his robes, he angled it in his lap towards the row of carved pumpkins floating directly above the Carrows.
“Expulso!”
Orange pulp flew everywhere, drenching the professors and most of the students. The Carrows looked murderous but McGonagall was smiling.
“To Harry!” Neville shouted, raising his goblet, hearing his toast echoed by the rest of his house. He’d give them something to celebrate.