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"Hey, she's coming back. And this time she's got somebody with her…"
Harri quickly drew her gaze from the old barkeep, dark green eyes focusing on the painted likeness of Arianna Dumbledore as she made her way up the dusty path of her frame. Just as Ron had proclaimed, a figure was accompanying her into the foreground. The young girl came to a stop, a small smile flitting across her pale face as the frame slowly swung forward to reveal a small, dark tunnel.
Casting a furtive look at Aberforth, the three youths quickly drew their wands as a tall figure emerged. Hexes on the tips of their tongues, they each started in surprise at the sight of familiar sandy-brown haired youth in Gryffindor red.
"Bloody hell," Ron murmured in disbelief. "Neville…?!"
The other boy stared, his light eyes widening in disbelief. "Ron, Hermione…?" He turned, his gaze falling on the brunette witch behind them. "Harri…?"
She cast herself at him without a moment's hesitation, gripping his arms tightly as if to assure herself of his realness. She felt his hands tremble as he did the same. "You're alive!" she exclaimed hoarsely. "When I first saw your name vanish from the Map, I thought for sure—"
"Map?" he echoed.
Feeling Ron and Hermione's knowing gazes upon her, the brunette flushed slightly. She realized her nightly perusing of the Marauder's Map had not gone unnoticed, but she was not quite ready to hear their 'I-told-you-so's just yet. "Not important…" she muttered.
"Right," Hermione agreed, "Neville, tell us what's happened to you?"
Raising her head, Harri's eyes widened at the sorry state the boy was in. His uniform was dusty and torn in several places, and he sported several bruises, both young and old – including a split lip.
"Oh this?" He fingered his lip gingerly, shrugging his shoulders. "Detention with the Carrows."
"Carrows?" Ron echoed.
"Alecto and Amycus," he answered, a faint scowl touching his face. "Death Eater brother and sister – she teaches Muggle Studies and he teaches Dark Arts."
"Not 'Defense Against'…?"
Neville nodded, his face grim. "It's not about defense anymore," he said. "Just the other day they wanted us to practice use of the Cruciatus… on First Years."
Hermione let out a gasp of horror. "That's terrible!"
"I refused to do it," the fair-haired boy confessed, fingering his split lip again. "It's how I got this."
Harri shivered, almost wishing she knew where the Carrows were. She wasn't able to dwell too long on that thought however, for Neville had taken her hand and was gently tugging her towards the portrait hole.
"C'mon, guys," he was saying. "The others are waiting for us. Aberforth, we'll be sending some others your way."
"Others?" Hermione and Ron looked just as confused as her. The old wizard grumbled something at their backs, but did not protest as they all clambered in after Neville, quickly and quietly making their way through the tunnel.
"Do you remember there being a hidden passage letting out in the Hog's Head?" Ron mumbled from behind Hermione.
Harri shook her head, although she was uncertain if the redhead could see it in the darkness of the tunnel. She certainly didn't recall it being on the Map. Could it perhaps been one that her father and the other Marauder's had been unaware of?
"That's because it's new," Neville answered from up ahead, a smile in his voice. "And you won't believe where it lets out."
Before the others could question him, they came upon a small hatch. With a few short taps of his wand and a muttered spell, the hatch opened up into a large, brightly lit room filled with numerous of cots and hammocks. Several dozen students suddenly had wands trained on them, their eyes darting suspiciously to the newcomers before widening in a mixture of hope and disbelief.
"Harri…Ron… Hermione…?"
"Merlin's Beard, it's Harri! Harri Potter!"
"She's back! Can you believe it?"
"Where are we?" Ron exclaimed, staring around in confusion.
Hermione's keen eyes perused their surroundings, landing on a familiar bulletin board bearing in old group photo. "This is the Room of Requirement, isn't it?"
Neville nodded.
"It's been our base of operations the last couple weeks," Seamus, looking only slightly less battered than Neville, explained with a roguish grin. "Been bloody useful it has!"
"Base…? Base for what?"
"Ron!" A red blur came at them from the side, nearly tackling the tall redhead to the ground. Steadying himself, he let out a delighted laugh at the sight of his youngest sibling sobbing happily into his side.
"Ginny!" he exclaimed. "You're alright!"
The youngest Weasley stepped back, punching his arm lightly as she dried her eyes. "That's my line, you prat!" she sniffed. "We've been worried sick about you!"
"Same here!" Ron confessed, glancing over at the two witches beside him. "Gin, I'd love to catch up with you, but we've got something we need to--!"
"What is it?" Seamus asked, his expression eager. "We can help!"
"We?"
Ginny reached into her pocket, pulling out a familiar charmed Galleon. "Dumbledore's Army, of course," she answered, casting a grin over at fair haired Gryffindor standing beside Harri.
Harri's eyes widened in surprise, and she turned her gaze to the suddenly blushing boy next to her. "You guys restarted the DA?" she asked.
"It was Neville's idea. This way we've been able to look after everyone." Ginny further explained, smiling at the older witch knowingly. "He's been brilliant, Harri."
The dark haired witch let out a bright laugh, touching Neville's shoulder to assure herself of his realness. He really was amazing! "Neville, I could just kiss you!"
A whooping cheer went up from the other students in the room, causing the boy's face to redden enough to match his uniform vest.
Seamus jumped between them, a playful grin splitting his face ear to ear. "Save the smooching for later, kiddies," he crowed. "We've got a school to take back!"
~End