Into The Long Dark

DISCLAIMER: Not mine, never will be, and I ain\'t making no cash with it.

SPOILER WARNING: The events in this fic take place immediately after Book 6.

A/N: Thanks for all the wonderful reviews on AFFnet! It means a great deal to me! Hang on, things start to take off soon! --Wolfiekins


Saturday, 9 August 1997


~~~~~~FOUR~~~~~~~~\"TRUST\"~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Neville watched as McGonagall surveyed the kitchen at Grimmauld Place with obvious impatience. She had taken a few steps from the fireplace, and after a few brief glances here and there, her gaze once again fixed upon Harry.

Oh, here we go, Neville thought. The sandwich and butterbeer began to swirl about in his stomach when he noted the hard set to Harry\'s face. Bugger!

Seconds passed as centuries. Galaxies were born, stars blazed and died.

Harry continued to stand impassively, staring directly at McGonagall. With an exaggerated sigh, he pointedly folded his arms across his chest. He remained silent.

Neville thought McGonagall was close to spontaneously combusting. Her sharp old eyes opened a bit wider, and her mouth drew up into the smallest frown he had ever seen. Even Gran had never looked this angry! Neville nervously shifted his anxious gaze from Harry to the Headmistress and back again. Bloody Hell!

McGonagall had had enough. \"After six years at Hogwart\'s, I would have thought you had learned better manners than this, Mr. Potter!\" She all but spat Harry\'s name.

The last discussion between the two had not gone very well either. Neville\'s queasiness increased with the realization that this one was getting worse very rapidly.

Harry shrugged. \"Have a seat.\" He remained standing, arms folded.

McGonagall sighed, and seated herself at the table. When Harry showed no sign of moving, she sighed again, lowering her gaze for a moment. When she looked up at Harry once more, her mouth had relaxed, but her eyes were still blazing. \"Mr. Potter,\" then she paused. \"Harry. I would ask you to be so kind as to hear me out. This matter must be reconciled as soon as possible. I realize that you have suffered yet another great loss, but please realize that....\"

Harry cut her off so quickly, Neville started. \"Thanks for your concern, but there\'s nothing to reconcile. I wish you would be so kind as to stop pestering me about this same subject when you already know how I feel about it!\" Harry paused, and shifted on his feet.

\"I\'m not going back to Hogwart\'s!\" Harry\'s tone was dripping with sarcasm, and his volume had steadily risen until his last words were nearly a shout.

McGonagall\'s mouth was once again a hard line, and Neville noted with alarm that she had placed both of her palms flat on the table and was slowly rising from her chair.

Bloody, Fucking Hell. Not again! Shooting a glance at Harry, he saw a smile begin to creep across his friend\'s face. Neville had seen this before, and he didn\'t like it. This was a new part of Harry that seemed to be showing up more and more often.

Desperate to diffuse the situation, he cleared his throat loudly.

Two sets of eyes turned and bored into Neville. McGonagall looked slightly surprised, Harry\'s smile faded, and Neville saw that deep, inner anger turn in his direction. Well, the haggis is in the fire now! Best get on with it!

\"Harry, Professor, please! There\'s no need for us to behave like this! So much has gone on, so much needs to be done. Please, we must get along together, or else we\'re done for!\"

Neville was panting by the end of his statement. McGonagall was frozen, half-sitting, half-standing, looking at him as if he had sprouted baby skrewts from his forehead. Harry had uncrossed his arms, and looked as if he were about to speak, his forehead furrowed and his face flushing red.

Quickly, Neville moved towards him, and placed his hand on Harry\'s shoulder, squeezing it tightly.

\"C-c\'mon Harry, Professor McGonagall has made a simple request. Just hear her out. P-please?\" For me?

Harry\'s glance told Neville that he\'d pushed to the limit. He moved his shoulder out from under Neville\'s hand, and plopped sulkily down into a chair, re-crossing his arms and staring at the tabletop. \"Fine.\" he said tersely. \"For all the good it will do,\" was barely audible after that.

The Professor had reseated herself and was looking bemusedly at Neville. \"Thank you, Mr. Longbottom.\"

She then reached inside her green tartan robes, and pulled out two parchment envelopes, sliding one across the table to Harry. She then placed the second envelope on the table in front of the empty chair across from her, and motioned for Neville to sit down.

Seating himself and scooting his chair in, Neville picked up the parchment envelope. There was the Hogwart\'s Crest, his name, and his Gran\'s address. He had known what the envelopes were immediately; they were their seventh-year Hogwart\'s letters. McGonagall watched silently as Neville tore his open, and began to read. Harry continued to stare at a spot on the tabletop.

\"Harry,\" McGonagall\'s voice was uncharacteristically soft. \"I am fully aware of your wishes in the matter that we are about to discuss. I need you to understand that I am deeply concerned that you do not desire to continue your education at Hogwart\'s. While I would in some ways desire to respect your decision and leave it at that, I cannot, in good conscience, allow myself that luxury. That is why I made the decision to come here this evening, even though I knew how adverse your reaction would be.\"

Neville peered over the top of his parchment at the Headmistress, who was gauging Harry\'s reaction. Harry had not moved.

McGonagall continued. \"Harry, I want you to understand that I have your best interests in mind.\"

Harry\'s head shot up at this. \"Do you?\"

She paused for a moment at his response, and with a sigh, continued. \"I know that even though you have been a member of my House and one of my students for six years, for some reason you and I have never really established any bond other than that. I must accept a certain amount of responsibility for this. In retrospect, perhaps, I see now how I could have been a bit more to you, but the past is the past. I cannot change it, any more than I can change myself, Merlin knows.\"

Neville was slackjawed. As far as he knew, no one had ever seen Minerva McGonagall talk like this. Apparently Harry felt the same way, as he was also looking at her with incredulity.

\"I do know this,\" she said, \"It is vitally important you continue your education and learn all that you can to prepare yourself for the tasks that lie before you. I know what it is you have to do! Harry, I give you my solemn oath that I will do all in my power to assist you in this. All I ask is that you give me the chance to earn your respect and trust. Give me the same chance you did Albus. Allow me to help you, Harry. I promise I will not fail you.\"

McGonagall sat back in her chair, and folded her hands on the table. Neville realized he was still peeking over his parchment as if it were a shield. Afraid of what he might see, he slowly turned his head to look at his friend.

Harry had sat up in his chair, and at the moment was fussing with his envelope, poking it and pushing it about the tabletop. When he looked up a McGonagall, Harry\'s eyes were far-off and unfocused. Taking a deep breath, which hitched in his chest, he turned his gaze back to his envelope.

\"No one could ever replace Dumbledore,\" his voice barely above a whisper. \"I will think about what you said. Thank you for coming, Professor.\"

Harry looked up, pushed himself away from the table and stood by his chair, his expression unreadable.

With a nearly imperceptible nod, McGonagall rose from her seat and smoothed the front of her robes, obviously disappointed.

\"I can ask no more. Thank you for your attention.\" She turned towards the hearth and took a few steps, turning around again to face them.

\"The new term begins September first. The Hogwart\'s Express will depart from King\'s Cross at the usual place and time. You know how to reach me, Mr. Potter.\" Her tone was once again formal.

Harry was still standing by his empty chair. He gave a small nod in acknowledgement.

McGonagall turned her gaze from Harry to Neville, who had finally put down his letter. He had been looking up at Harry, when he sensed the Headmistress\' stare. Neville\'s head spun to look at her.

\"Well, Mr. Longbottom? Don\'t you think you had better be going?\" McGonagall was gesturing toward the fireplace.

\"Um, go? No, Professor, um, Harry and I, uh,\" Neville stammered, \"Yes, Harry and I.....\"

McGonagall cut him off, wearily shaking her head.

\"Surely you haven\'t forgotten.....Oh Merlin\'s Beard! Mr. Longbottom, you have an appointment with Augusta\'s attorney this evening to sign the final papers for the estate. Come along, now! Mr. Tudbuckle will be there any minute. It\'s a good thing I decided to stop by here first!\" she huffed.

\"Sorry, Harry. I suppose I, um, forgot.\" Slowly standing, Neville picked up his letter and jammed it into his jeans\' pocket.

\"See ya, Harry.\"

McGonagall was gesturing for Neville to hurry. \"Come along now, son, we might have just enough time to change these dreadful clothes!\"

She placed her hand on Neville\'s shoulder and pushed him rather forcefully towards the hearth. His last sight was of Harry standing alone by the table as the kitchen at Grimmauld Place faded from view.