Harry Potter and the Return of Dumbledore's Army

When Neville finally reached the kitchen, Harry, Ginny and Susan were sitting around the table having a snack. “Everyone else has gone to bed,” Susan told Neville as he sat next to her. “I just got off work a few minutes ago; it’s straight to bed for me after I’m finished eating. Today’s been very tiring,” she finished with a shy smile.

“It sure has,” Neville agreed, helping himself to a glass of pumpkin juice. He met Harry’s eyes. “I don’t know how you do it, Harry. I won’t have to keep track of one tenth what you do, and I feel completely overwhelmed already. Oh, that reminds me…” He pulled out his lists and handed them to Harry.

“Thanks, Neville,” Harry said. “I’ll have some of this here for you tomorrow afternoon. And don’t tell the others, but you want to know the secret of how I keep track of everything?”

“Uh…yeah, sure.”

“I don’t,” Harry said with a grimace. “I rely on all of you to help me remember. And even so, I forget stuff…I forgot to tell Lavender, Parvati and Padma to be ready for a full tour and a long talk tomorrow morning.”

“Oh. Well, I’ll tell them before I go to bed, if you want, since their room’s right next to mine anyway.”

“Thanks, Neville, that would be great. Tell them to be finished with breakfast by nine, all right?” Neville nodded, and Harry stood up, Ginny following him. “I said it before, but I have to say it again, Neville…I’m glad you’re here. Our best weapon against Voldemort is cooperation and teamwork.” He glanced at Ginny, who smiled. “You’ve only been here a day and you’ve already made a big difference. It’s because of people like you – and you too, Susan – that we’re going to win.” Smiling at the surprised looks on Neville and Susan’s faces, Harry bade them goodnight and headed up the stairs; Ginny went with him after waving goodbye.

“I’m going to bed right now,” Susan said after staring at her plate for a moment. “My brain’s too fogged to think any more.” She stood up, but hesitated. “Neville, I’ve been here for nine days; I’ve heard Harry talk to pretty much everyone in the Army, and he’s thanked all of them in one way or another. But I’ve never heard him praise anyone the way he just did you. I don’t know if you realized, but Harry really respects you.”

“He- what?”

“He respects you,” Susan insisted, “in a way that’s unlike anyone else, even Ron or Hermione. I don’t know everything you two have been through together, but Harry- he trusts you. More than he trusts himself, I think.” She smiled wearily at Neville’s gobsmacked expression. “Oh, Neville, I’m sorry…I’m exhausted, I probably sound like I’ve taken a Babbling Brew. Don’t take anything I say too seriously, okay?” She kissed Neville lightly on the forehead. “I’m glad you’re here, Neville,” she said softly. “Goodnight.”

“Good night,” Neville replied, and watched Susan disappear up the stairs. Then he turned back to the meal in front of him, his suddenly ravenous appetite a welcome distraction from the confusing emotions that had been uncovered. After a solid half hour of eating, Neville leaned back in his chair, stuffed and decidedly drowsy. He slowly stood, and was just contemplating what to do with all the leftover food when Dobby appeared with a crack, startling him. “H-hello, Dobby,” he said shakily.

“Hello!” Dobby squeaked in reply. “You is Mr. Longbottle, correct?”

“Longbottom,” Neville said automatically. “Er, but call me Neville.”

Dobby looked shocked. “Oh, no sir! A house elf is never calling a wizard by his first name, sir!”

“Why not? I mean, I’d prefer it,” Neville said. “‘Mr. Longbottom’ just sounds…I don’t know…old?”

Dobby wrung his hands nervously. “Harry Potter is Dobby’s master,” he said carefully. “If Harry Potter says Dobby can call you N- can call you your first name, then Dobby will.”

“All right,” Neville said. “I’ll ask him tomorrow. Er, what should I do with all this food?”

“Dobby will be cleaning up, sir!” Dobby said happily, immediately moving to start clearing the table. “Dobby was just waiting until sir was finished eating!”

“Oh…sorry, if I’d known I would have hurried! I didn’t mean to keep you up…”

“Oh, house elves almost never sleep, sir,” Dobby replied, loading his arms with far more than they should have been able to carry. “We is not needing to.”

“Oh.” A thought occurred to Neville. “Dobby, would you be able to help me with the plants I’m going to grow? If Harry said it was all right?”

“Oh, yes, sir!” dobby said happily. “Dobby used to assist his old family with plants, before Harry Potter freed him, sir!” Dobby’s voice dropped to a whisper. “They was having Dobby grow many dangerous plants, sir! Often Dobby feared for his life!”

“It wouldn’t be anything like that,” Neville insisted quickly. “I’d be doing most of the work, and I’d handle the dangerous part. I just thought you could check on things late at night since you’d be up anyway.” Dobby nodded his head vigorously. “Great. I’ll ask Harry about that too. Thanks, Dobby.”

“Sir does not need to thank Dobby! Dobby is proud to help Harry Potter and his friends fight against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! Dobby is proud to keep Harry Potter’s secrets!”

“So am I,” Neville muttered to himself as he headed for the stairs. “I think.”

The problem, Neville pondered, was that he felt like a fish out of water. All around him his friends and classmates were getting on with what they had to. Hermione, of course, was born to research, and she and Ron were Harry’s closest confidants, so her role in the Army was clear to anyone. And Ron seemed to have gotten over being constantly in Harry’s shadow, and seemed to be taking care of his part with an efficiency that probably surprised even him. Even those Neville barely knew, like Cho or Pansy – Neville flushed a bit – were taking to their roles with certainty and confidence.

Confidence, that was the problem. Neville had never had any. It was only in the last few years that he’d begun to see how he wasn’t rubbish at absolutely everything. Oddly enough, it had been a Death Eater in disguise who’d said the things that had given Neville his first real feeling of competency, but two and a half years was hardly enough to erase a lifetime of certainty in only one thing; his own inadequacy.

Neville realized that Harry was the measure by which the rest of the Army measured itself. Harry went about his business with a determination that would have done Dumbledore proud. He was still Harry, but his focus seemed unparalleled. Neville knew that Harry had an insight none of the rest of them did, and it undoubtedly gave him clarity of purpose; but even so, Neville was certain he’d crack under the strain of responsibility that Harry had accepted.

In fact, in some ways talking to Harry felt like talking to Dumbledore. Somewhere along the way Harry had gained the same sort of calm, all-knowing air that Dumbledore had always given off. The only reason Neville didn’t feel completely tongue-tied in Harry’s presence was that he’d roomed with Harry for years.

As Neville reached the third floor he heard a strange sound. Looking around, he saw the first door on the right was slightly ajar. Knowing he shouldn’t, but somehow unable to stop himself, he crept silently over and peeked into the darkened room; what he saw was so unexpected he gasped aloud.

Harry and Ginny were inside. Harry had stripped off his shirt but still wore his jeans, and Ginny was in her knickers and a t-shirt. And Harry was curled up in a ball, clutching at Ginny with desperation as he sobbed brokenly against her, his tears dampening her shirt.

Harry didn’t even notice Neville’s gasp, but Ginny’s head snapped up and she glared threateningly at Neville, her wand appearing from nowhere, until she seemed to recognize him. Her own cheeks were streaked with tears, and her expression faded from shock to accusation at Neville’s intrusion on an obviously private moment.
Staring at the scene, Neville realized with shock what he was seeing. His perception of Harry as a positive, determined leader was the face Harry wore during the day. He showed a confident front to the Army; that was his role, the leader who knew what he was doing and would lead them to victory over Voldemort.

But in reality Harry was just seventeen, and had already suffered more than the rest of the Army combined. Whatever he may have been in public, in private he was just like the rest of them; scared and uncertain, perhaps even more so since he knew better than anyone what they faced.

Neville had two options. He could worry, panicking about their safety under Harry’s direction, and be afraid that Harry knew they were all going to die; or, he could accept that Harry was human, and once again show trust for the boy – the man – who’d befriended him six years ago and had never once given him reason to doubt that trust was deserved.

The choice was so easy it wasn’t even a choice. Harry had shown his trust in Neville was absolute and true; Neville would be damned if he’d do any less.

Meeting Ginny’s eyes, Neville pursed his lips, and holding her gaze he nodded; trying to convey with a look and a gesture that he understood, and still believed. And that for the sake of Harry, and the rest of the Army, he would take this secret to his grave.

Ginny stared at Neville a long moment before he saw a bit of tension fade around her eyes. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly in a smile that looked almost painful, and she nodded slightly at Neville, acknowledging and thanking him for offering what he could. Neville smiled slightly in return, and backing away he pulled the door silently closed behind him.

As Neville trudged down the hall, he realized that if anything his faith in Harry had risen. Seeing Harry like that, knowing how terrified he was, and knowing that he’d go on in spite of that…Harry had said it himself: “Courage isn’t doing what’s right without fear; it’s doing what’s right despite your fear.” By that definition, knowing what he obviously did, Harry must have been the most courageous person Neville have ever met.

Neville was so lost in thought that his hand was on his doorknob before he remembered he was supposed to tell Lavender, Parvati and Padma about their morning meeting with Harry the next day. He slipped over to their room, and hoping they wouldn’t be too upset that he’d woken them, knocked lightly on the door. He waited, and was just wondering if there was a two-way Silencing Charm on the room when the door opened a crack and Parvati’s head appeared around it, looking slightly flushed. “Neville? What is it?”

“Hi, Parvati,” Neville said quickly. “I’m sorry to wake you…”

“Oh, you didn’t,” Parvati said with a little smile that Neville didn’t understand.

“Hey, who is it?” a voice – Neville thought it was Lavender’s – called from inside.

“Neville!”

“Well invite him in, then!”

Parvati turned back to Neville with an evil smirk. She reached out to grasp his hand, and right then Neville noticed that he could see all the way up over Parvati’s shoulder to her neck, and there wasn’t a sign of any clothing. Before he could react, Parvati yanked him forward, opening the door just enough to pull him into the room and shut the door behind him.

Padma was laid out on the enormous bed, completely naked. Lavender, wearing nothing but a pair of lacy white knickers, was kneeling in front of the bed between Padma’s legs with two of her fingers working themselves languidly inside Padma, who was rocking against Lavender’s hand and moaning. Lavender half-turned when the door closed, and smiled placidly. “Hello, Neville. What brings you to our door?”

Neville’s jaw worked, but he found himself unable to form a sentence. Even his ability to think vanished when Parvati, who was wearing absolutely nothing, walked around him to climb up on the bed, grasped her sister’s head and kissed her deeply; Padma wrapped her arms around her twin and pulled her closer, still bucking her hips against Lavender’s fingers. “Neville?” Lavender prompted teasingly, leaning her face toward Padma’s soaked folds (and wiggling her hips at Neville in the process). “Cat got your tongue?”

“I, uh, no,” Neville babbled, “Harry, he asked me to tell you, he wants to meet with you all tomorrow morning, he said be done with breakfast by nine…” he trailed off as Lavender began running her tongue over Padma around her fingers at the same moment that Parvati clamped her mouth over Padma’s right nipple. Padma grabbed a handful of Lavender’s hair; she arched off the bed and thrust hard against Lavender’s mouth and fingers, shoving her other hand in her mouth and biting down to muffle her scream as she came.

Parvati slinked down over Padma’s body, lifting her leg so she was straddling her sister’s face, and nudged Lavender’s head out of the way. She leaned forward and tasted Padma deeply, before looking up at Neville. Parvati’s and Lavender’s lips were shiny with Padma’s juices, and Neville was so hard it was hurting him. “Well, Neville, thank you for telling us,” Parvati said; from the slight halting of her voice, Neville could tell that Padma was returning the favor. “Now why don’t you come and give us a hand?”

“Or some part of you anyway,” Lavender added with a smile.

Neville swallowed. Can I even do it three times in one day? Is that even possible? “Uh, thanks, but I can’t, I really should, um, I have to be up really early for work, I should get some sleep. I’ll see you all tomorrow,” he finished rapidly, and bolted out the door, pulling it closed quickly behind him.

Breathing deeply, willing his massive erection to go away and quit telling him how stupid he was, Neville realized he could no more tell anyone about this than he could about Pansy. I just ran out on…three girls. They’re all gorgeous, and two of them are twins! Fred and George would never forgive me!

I don’t think I need to bother with growing those aphrodisiacs.

Neville wondered about the extreme behavior he’d witnessed – and been subjected to – since he’d arrived as he tiredly trudged to his room. It must be the fear, he decided, the thought sobering him. Everyone’s so scared, they feel desperate to live.

“Or,” he muttered to himself as he reached his door, “there’s a curse on this house that drives everyone completely nutters.”

There was one more surprise waiting for Neville that night; as he entered his room he was shocked to find Susan, dressed demurely in a long, practical nightgown, asleep on his bed. The sound of the door shutting woke her with a start, and she sat up quickly. “Neville! I’m so sorry, I fell asleep, I didn’t mean to…”

“That’s all right, Susan,” Neville said, dropping his things by the desk and walking over to sit next to her. “But what are you doing here?”

“Oh, I…” Susan reddened. “I just wanted to…Oh, it’s so silly, never mind…”

She made as if to stand, but Neville took her hand. “Susan, after all the things I’ve seen in this house today, nothing you have to say could sound silly. You can’t possibly be crazier than the rest of the Army.”

Susan smiled nervously. “Well, it’s just…Hannah is my best friend, and she’s all the way over in Canada. And most everyone I knew really well is either away or so busy worrying about their future…I just don’t know anyone here at all!”

“Oh,” Neville said, finally understanding. “You’re feeling left out?”

“No, not left out,” Susan insisted. “Everyone’s been very friendly – well, except for Pansy – and I’m getting to know them all, slowly, but I’m so lonely…” She swallowed, and a single tear trailed down her cheek. “And you’ve been such a good friend, I was hoping…” she trailed off embarrassedly.

Neville drew Susan to him and laid her head on his shoulder. After a second she wrapped her arms around him to pull him closer. The held each other for a while; Neville was vaguely surprised to find he’d apparently interpreted Susan’s unvoiced request correctly. He didn’t say anything, not wanting to break the peaceful mood, but after a bit Susan sighed. “This is nice,” she said softly.

“Harry did say that cooperation and teamwork were our biggest assets,” Neville pointed out with a slight smile. “But I would have done this for you anyway, you know that, right?”

“Of course,” Susan answered, squeezing him tighter. “Thank you, Neville. I’ve only been here for a little while, but I feel so overwhelmed, all the time.”

“So do I. All the others feel the same way, I’m sure of it.”

“Of course they do. But I couldn’t very well walk up to Ron and tell him I need a hug.”

Neville grinned. “I don’t think that would get you on Hermione’s good side.”

“No, definitely not,” Susan said with a chuckle. “Neville, can I…? Merlin, I feel so childish asking this…”

“Nothing could sound silly, Susan.”

“Right. Well, could I…stay the night with you? I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since I got here, and I thought maybe…”

Susan stopped in surprise when Neville sighed in relief. “That’s funny, because I’ve been worried I wouldn’t sleep well either. This’ll be the first night in maybe nine or ten years that I didn’t sleep either at my gran’s house or at Hogwarts. My first night at Hogwarts I didn’t sleep a wink.”

“Me either.” Susan paused. “So that’s a yes?”

“This is the first time today I’ve felt at all relaxed,” Neville told her. “Well, except for in Fred and George’s closet this morning. So yeah, that’s a yes. And thanks, Susan.”

“Um, for what?”

“For reminding me of something,” Neville told her. “With everything that we’re doing, all the apprehension and fear and- and craziness, because I’m convinced everyone in this house is utterly mad, it’s nice to remember what we’re really here fighting for.”

“Oh, yeah? So what are we fighting for, then?”

Neville pulled his friend closer and smiled contentedly. “For each other.”

FIN

Part Three of the Harry's Seventh Year series: http://hp.adult-fanfiction.org/story.php?no=544207045