Marked

Neville fell back onto the bed, one arm over his face. Then he moaned loudly--in a decidedly non-masculine, overly dramatic fashion--immediately attracting the attention of his roommates.

Harry grinned, recognizing the look immediately. "What'd she do?"

"You," Neville said. At the silence that followed, he opened his eyes and scowled at Harry. "She's upset with me because I won't tell her...you know," he said. His eyes darted quickly to Seamus and Dean, both of whom weren't bothering to hide their interest in the conversation at hand.

"You won't tell her your part in it or mine?" Harry asked. He walked closer to Neville's bed, conscious that Seamus seemed to flinch when he passed his bed. He would deal with that later. "I really don't mind, you know. As long as you don't spread the story through the whole school."

"Fine time for you to tell me that," Neville responded. He sat up on his bed and rubbed at the side of his head. "She was so cold to me last night, I think I've still got frostbite on my left arm. I don't know how you put up with it."

"Hermione isn't cold like that," Harry responded.

Neville chuckled. "I'll bet she isn't. Certainly not now." The boys shared a quiet laugh over that before Neville's expression became serious again. "She's dead-set on us not spending any time alone, especially for defense lessons," he said softly.

Harry nodded to let him know it was okay to talk about that in front of their roommates. "You'd think she'd want you to brush up on your defense skills."

The other boy rolled his eyes. "She doesn't take issue with that. She wants to know why I'm going to you instead of a proper defense teacher and why I trust you to begin with."

"I think we'd all like to know the answer to that."

Harry turned in surprise. He'd figured Seamus would've gotten bored and left the room by now, pulling Dean behind him so they could gossip like they had been all week. Instead, they'd stayed and were both coming closer now, followed by Ron who looked scared at the prospect of breaking up what might turn into a monster fight. Ron brushed past Seamus to stand between Neville and Harry, facing the other two friends as Dean began to speak.

"I think it'd be fair if you told us what's going on. You obviously had no problem telling Neville," Dean said.

"A fat lot of good it's done him," Seamus added. "Is Lavender afraid you're going to turn out like him if you keep hanging out with a murderer?"

"He's not a--"
"It's all right, Ron." Harry turned to face both boys fully. Remembering Hermione's advice from the night before, he tried to remain calm and clear his mind of all the angry retorts that flashed through it. If he could handle the temptation to sneak downstairs to curse Draco in his sleep, a cranky roommate was no more difficult a challenge than flying on a calm day.

"I don't care what you've heard," Harry began. He stopped and watched as Seamus began to look irritated. "I don't care what people are saying, what anyone claims they saw or what you think I'm hiding. I'm not a murderer. I'm not dangerous or crazy or stupid enough to believe you aren't helping along the rumors by talking about my...sleep trouble," he said.

Harry took a breath, realizing the only way this is going to stop is if he finally told them. It didn't matter if Professor McGonagall or Dumbledore got upset with him. He needed some peace of mind. "Snape was into something he shouldn't have been, I got in the way at the wrong time and I almost died because of it. End of story," Harry said. "It didn't make the papers because Professor McGonagall and the Minister rightly assume people don't want their kids to go to school where a professor tried to kill his stepson."

"By lighting you on fire?" Dean asked. "That's what you said the other night."

"I--" Harry stopped, realizing he was about to tell them far more than he wanted anyone to know. He wanted them to think he was less crazy, not more. "I don't want to get into it. In case you can't tell, it's not an easy subject. Even talking about it can give me nightmares. But if you're curious, I don't think they got all of the fire damage out of Snape's office, though they tried. Take a look if you want proof that what happened down there was dangerous."

He looked back and forth between Dean and Seamus, hoping he could fool both of them with this next lie. "What happened was crazy, but I'm just a student like you. I'm not capable of that kind of destruction on my best day. He wanted to hurt me and I got lucky because my godfather, an Auror and Dumbledore took the worst of the beating he meant for me. We were all lucky we made it out alive. It wasn't the first time he tried to hurt me and that's why Hermione and I spent the better part of last week holed up in Professor McGonagall's office. I'd appreciate if you didn't spread that around the school, as tempted as you might be," Harry added, trusting the rest of the school would have the story before the weekend was over. He was tired of the other students treating him as if he were contagious. "They kept everything out of the paper for a reason and McGonagall is still unhappy with me for being in the dungeons at all. I do not need to provoke her any more."

He turned to Neville and offered him a lopsided smile. "I don't think it could help, but I'll talk to her if you want me to. Or get Hermione to do it. If Lavender is really worried, she could just watch us practice to know I'm not going to do anything to you."

"I've already told her you won't, but thanks for offering," Neville said. "Maybe that will get her off my back about it. I'm still not going to tell her the whole story."

"Which is what I'm still waiting to hear," Seamus said. "How was Professor Lestrange involved?" He turned to Neville. "And why do you need defense lessons from him if he almost got killed a week ago?"

"Because Snape had friends, like our former Potions professor, and they might try to come after Harry," Ron said. Harry turned to him in surprise. "An ugly business. We told him we'd help in case they do and he volunteered to practice defense with us. That satisfy you?"

"Yes," Dean answered, giving his friend a pointed look. "We'll let you get to it," he said, pulling Seamus towards the door. "I refuse to waste the rest of a reasonably warm Saturday in here arguing about this."

When they were clear of the door, Harry turned to Ron. "We're helping?"

Ron shrugged. "I figure it's easier to make sure you don't kill my friend if I'm in the room. Couldn't hurt to learn how you dodged Death Eaters for a few years with some free lessons either."

"Great," Harry said. "A believer and a freeloader. I really should start charging for these lessons."

Neville laughed. "You'd have more luck getting people to pay to hear you tell stories. That last one was something."

Harry shrugged. "It was mostly true. More or less."

"Minus the whole Death Eater conspiracy thing, but yeah. Sure," Neville said. "Care to tell me why you were so peeved last night you could barely talk? What happened with Dumbledore?"

Sighing, Harry sat on the bed, moving so Ron could sit on his other side. He looked down at his hands and said the words he'd been thinking all night. "I could kill Draco."

Harry stared at Hermione as if she were growing a second head. She stopped reaching to take off the crystal necklace and looked at Harry, her expression unreadable. "I'm not sure if I'll be back in time to join the first lesson, but I'm sure you'll be fine. You've got plenty of experience teaching, after all."

"That's not what I'm reacting to and you know it. What do you mean, you're going to see me off?"

She pouted. "Harry." When his own expression became a blank stare, she said, "I know your mother spoke to you about this a few days ago. The Minister found a way to...sort of...I don't know, fix what you've done?" Hermione sounded as unsure of what she'd said as Harry did upon hearing it. "That's not really the correct term, but since your time travel was rather a unique experience, I doubt there really is a fixed way of saying--"

"Hermione, spit it out."

"We, your mother and I, are going to the Department of Mysteries. The Minister has arranged for you, well not you, but--" She stopped babbling as he crossed his arms, growing more impatient. "Someone in that department has figured out what they consider a safe way to leave us with only one Harry Potter," she said quietly. "They've spent the last couple of days putting tons of memories in storage and the Minister is allowing both of us a few minutes to say goodbye before the whole thing is done."

Harry refrained from asking why she was sounding as if the world were ending that afternoon rather than her association with another version of him. After the week they'd had, he knew it was better not to ask. "What exactly are they going to do?"

Hermione avoided his eyes and instead looked around the empty seventh floor hallway. "He didn't explain it well. Something about a veil and a mirror universe alternate something or other. We won't even be allowed to watch. Just drop by and hug and whatnot and that's it."

"Is whatnot a nice way of saying goodbye kiss?"

Taking in his suddenly quiet voice, Hermione turned to face him again. She drew close to Harry and turned his face towards her, her frown mirroring his. "You can't possibly be jealous. Not after Thursday. And last night," she said. "And tonight," she added, hoping her small smile would draw one from him. "Harry, a few days ago you were worried that I wasn't over him. You got your proof that I'm not in love with--that I only want you. It'll be like saying goodbye to another life. And no, it does not mean a goodbye kiss. It means I'll expect you to brush up on Cheering Charms because I'll be a little sad by the time I get back."

"Because you--"
"Because, whatever else went on, we were great friends for years and while I'm in love with you, I can't just forget everything that came before us as we are now," Hermione said. "You have no reason to be jealous." She leaned forward and kissed him softly, her hands slipping to cup his jaw. "You have no reason to be jealous." She punctuated this with another kiss, moving away slower this time. "You have no reason--" He cut off the faint whisper by pulling her into another kiss, interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

Harry stopped himself from jumping as his mother stepped out of the Headmistress's office, pointedly looking at the wall above their heads. He removed his hands from Hermione's butt and approached his mother for a brief hug.

"How have you been coping?" Lily asked.

"I could ask you the same," Harry said.

She nodded. Neither of them needed to answer. They were both about the same as they had been when they'd last seen each other, only Harry had found a reason to smile in between the constant worrying.

"I hope today isn't too hard on you," he said. "Both of you," he whispered, turning to Hermione. She said nothing, but nodded at his mother before stepping past her and onto the stairs leading to the office.

Lily looked down at her son and ran one hand over his messy hair. "We'll both be fine," she said. "After today, it'll be easier for everyone to move on."

She looked away from him briefly as she said this and Harry began questioning what was proper at that moment. Comfort a mother who was losing her son or remind her that she had him? He wasn't all that bad, if Hermione's opinion was anything to go by. Harry settled for a brief squeeze on the shoulder which brought her eyes back to his face.

"Before I forget, your sister wrote to you," Lily said. She pulled the letter from her pocket and handed the thick mass of parchment to him. "She's been adding to it all week. She misses you so much she wants to know what you're doing every minute of the day and assumes you feel the same way."

"I'll be sure to write her back tonight. And tomorrow," he said, eyeing the pages.

"I'm going to send Hermione back with some memories of your time together. I think you should share as many of your sister's memories as you can," Lily said. "And don't worry about how you're going to view them. I'm going to stop in Diagon Alley on my way home and pick up a Pensieve and that broom you wanted."

"The Firebolt? Mum, you don't have to--"

"No, I want to get you something special." Lily leaned over and kissed her son on the forehead. She reached up to brush her lipstick from his skin, her fingers lingering over the angry red mark he wished she could wipe away as easily. "I think I'll get a couple of things for your sister too. She could use some cheering up." Lily sighed. "We're going back to Godric's Hollow tonight. I've kept her out of that house for too long and with Bathilda in the hospital, there's no reason for me stay away. None that your sister can see."

"Sirius--"

"Sirius has his own life," Lily said. "I have to get back to mine and you to yours." She paused and offered him a small smile. "When you write to your sister, think of writing to your old mum once in a while too, all right? We still need to get to know each other."

Harry was about to correct her about being old when she turned abruptly and hopped onto the staircase, leaving him standing alone in the hall.

Nothing like a girl to change her mind, Neville thought as Lavender snuggled up to his side. She kissed his neck again and he shivered, about two overly-friendly hand gropes from reminding her that they couldn't do what he was thinking about in the middle of the common room. Never mind that he wasn't exactly minding the attention. He had somewhere else to be in a few minutes. If she would just stop putting her hand on his leg like that--

"Lavender." It was a warning. Not as menacing as he would've liked it to sound. Begging. It sounded more like begging and he supposed he was. Either to stop torturing him or get to whatever she wanted. She was only this pushy where he couldn't do anything about it when she had an agenda. After forcibly clearing the fog from his brain, it wasn't too difficult to figure out she'd finally realized this worked better than tears or the silent treatment.

"Yes, Nevvie-poo?" Her girlish purr had been soft, but Neville could swear he heard a snicker from somewhere behind him. When an identical laugh joined it, he knew it was the Weasley twins. That unfortunate nickname would haunt him forever, damn the girl.

Neville stood abruptly, unaffected when Lavender frowned at his vacated spot on the sofa. "I have to get downstairs. Walk with me?"

"I thought we could stay up here," she said, smiling up at him. One hand drifted to the thin strap of her shirt, which she proceeded to play with. The fabric shifted invitingly. "Or we could go somewhere more...private."

She'd be in trouble if he took her up on that offer. He'd be in more trouble if he did and then met Harry for practice anyway. Neville smiled at Lavender and crooked a finger, letting her think she'd gotten him distracted until they were on the other side of the portrait that guarded the Gryffindor common room.

"Care to tell me what that little performance was about?" Neville asked. He shoved her hands away as she reached for his chest. "Don't."

"Oh, you're holding out now?" Lavender asked.

With a small measure of satisfaction, Neville watched as the sex kitten turned into the sulky girl who'd left him frustrated the night before. "No, but I'd appreciate if you talked to me instead of groping to get your way."

She frowned and crossed her arms, not responding to his invitation to talk.

"Fine." Without another word to Lavender, he turned on his heel and headed towards the nearest staircase. A few seconds later, he heard two sets of footsteps behind him, catching up just before the stairs began to move. "You in on this too?" he asked over his shoulder.

"She's just worried about you," Parvati said. "Can you blame her?"

"I'd like to think both of you would trust that I'm not a total idiot," Neville said. He didn't turn to catch their expressions as he hopped from the stairs to the landing of another set that was just moving into place.

"No one thinks that," Parvati said.

"Funny, but that's not the impression I got." Neville turned to face both of them. He was startled to see that instead of looking merely irritated at him, Lavender did look genuinely worried. The look was unnerving and he couldn't handle that any more than he could the tears that may have been real the night before. He moved to go down the next flight of stairs, hoping he'd make it to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom so he could let out his frustration on a few objects in the room before anyone else arrived.

Lavender cleared her throat behind him and he paused on the next landing. "I'm sorry Neville, but I don't want you meeting up with Harry in some classroom alone. I don't trust him."

Exasperated, he turned to his girlfriend. "Professor Lupin will be there to supervise." When Lavender's frown deepened he said, "Fine! Come with me. We're just going to do defensive practice. You'll quickly get bored." Lavender smiled at this pronouncement. Neville knew he had scored by letting her think she had worn him down instead of Harry telling him to invite her earlier that morning.

He motioned to where Parvati stood next to her. "You're welcome to come too. She'll just tell you everything anyway. Besides, Ron will be there." Neville grinned, having just caught the beginnings of a soft blush on Parvati's face before he turned away from the girls and began making his way down to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class again.

It was strange, this feeling. Strange but not unwelcome. Bellatrix wouldn't call it happiness, exactly. It was far too early in the plans to feel anything of the sort. But there was some...relief, a lifting of weight in knowing her master would be restored to his rightful place in short order.

She'd have to deal with that nephew of hers in due time, as well. She was torn between being appalled that he'd threatened not to give her information if she did not include him in her plans and gratified that Lucius and Narcissa had raised the boy with enough sense and cunning to make sure he wasn't left in the dark. She'd never tell him as much, but Draco had earned a small bit of her respect for that. The miracle of his finally managing to obtain the Key was enough for her to consider giving him some small role when Lord Voldemort returned--something even a boy of his skill could handle. Once he learned his place.

Bellatrix walked across the sparsely decorated parlor and stopped before the lifeless fireplace. Tentatively, her hand went out to touch the gleaming gold cup Draco had rescued from her desk at Hogwarts. It was subtle, but she was sure the cup pulsed with energy when it made contact with her skin, her master humming his approval at the progress she'd made so far.

With all she'd done, after all the time she had waited, there were merely days left until the potion was complete and the world as they all knew it would change. Drawing her fingers away from the cup and to her pursed lips, Bellatrix knew, in the end, the wait would be worth it.

Harry ducked as Neville fired spell after spell at his head, missing him by inches as he made his way across the open floor of the classroom. He was much faster than the nervous fighter Harry had left behind, though Neville had a long way to go before Harry would be comfortable standing with him in front of Death Eaters, let alone Voldemort. When Neville paused to take a breath, Harry raised the wand in his hand and quickly disarmed him, putting an end to their grueling first duel.

Neville grinned as he crossed the room, one hand extended to help Harry from the floor. "Not bad. For a kid who's had a bit of luck the last few years."

Harry smiled back as he brushed the dust from his pants. "I picked up a few tricks along the way. I hope my letting you get a few in helped build your confidence. I'm not going to go so easy on you next time," Harry said.

Neville laughed. "That's not what you were saying when you flew into that wall."

Harry rubbed at the back of his head. He was probably going to feel that one for a few days. "You're right. Everyone can get in a good shot once in a while. The goal is to be consistent. To do it because of skill and not luck."

"And was I skilled? Before?" Neville asked, lowering his voice. He glanced quickly to where Lavender stood with Ron and Parvati, watching their every movement.

Harry hesitated and then nodded. "It took a few weeks, but you weren't completely hopeless," he said with a smile. Straightening his face, he added, "I am glad you're a stronger fighter than before. I have a bad feeling we'll be fighting Death Eaters before long."

"Do you really think the Minister is holding some information back from you?"

"I'd put money on it," Harry responded. He pulled his face into a fake smile as Professor Lupin walked towards them. "I intend to find out what it is soon, though," Harry added, just before Lupin reached them. He held out the wand in his hand. "Thanks for letting me borrow yours."

Lupin accepted the wand with a smile. "I admit, you had me worried when you asked to borrow it. Especially after you said you'd have trouble fighting Neville with yours. I'm glad to be getting it back in one piece."

"And I'm glad to get Neville back in one piece," Lavender added, coming up behind him. Brushing past the professor, she moved to Neville's side, slipping her arm around his. "You were fantastic."

"I know," Neville. "Now you can stop worrying that Harry's going to blow me to bits one day."

Blushing lightly, she frowned at his words. "You can't say I don't have reason to be worried. After everything--"

"Stop. Please," Neville said. "If he was going to hurt me, he could've smothered me in my sleep if he wanted to."

"Your other roommates would defend you," Lavender stated.

"She must not know what your socks smells like," Ron said. Neville threw a half-hearted punch in his direction that connected with his arm lightly. "If you're so afraid Harry's going to hurt Neville, join in the practice next time. I'll duel with Neville and you can put the fear of the vengeful girlfriend into Harry."

"I would not be vengeful if something happened. If it was an accident," Lavender added.

"Right," Ron said. "I know there are curses that break things off so they'll never grow back. And I know you've got at least one memorized."

"Parvati!"

The other girl shrugged and smiled. "He asked if you could defend yourself. That is defense, of a sort. Half the girls at Hogwarts know a curse the boys here should be very afraid of."

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear any of this," Professor Lupin said. With a quick wave of his wand, he finished putting the desks and chairs back into their customary places. "Now, if I hear one of you is missing parts in the next few weeks, I can't be quite as politic about it."

"None of us will be cursing anyone," Harry assured him.

"Speak for yourself," Lavender whispered. She chuckled softly and Neville shook her arm from his. "What?"

"You need to stop," he said softly. "I know you're not kidding. You can't keep threatening my friend like that."

"I don't know why you can just accept it as concern for you," she said. When Neville stared at her silently, she pulled her lips into a pout and turned a wary gaze on Harry. He took that as his cue to leave.

"Let me know when you're ready to go again, Neville," Harry said as he walked towards the door. "I've got to arrange things around my Quidditch schedule."

Just as Harry reached the door, it was opened from the outside. An older woman stepped inside and immediately frowned down at him. The bulk of her gray hair was pulled back into a severe bun, with a few small wisps left to float around her face as she moved forward. Harry didn't know whether to frown or laugh as Augusta Longbottom stepped further into the room, nodded once at him and then moved to where her grandson and his friends stood. Harry stopped at the door to listen to the exchange.

"I received your letter not too long ago, Miss Brown. Who exactly are you afraid is going to hurt my grandson? Neville, why aren't you listening to her?" Harry resisted the urge to turn around and see the expression on Neville's face. He was sure he'd hear all about it from his roommate later.

"If McGonagall cannot keep order at this school, I may be forced to educate you at home myself. Or take up a position at the school," Augusta finished.

Before he was forced to defend himself against whatever Lavender had written, Harry quickly ducked out of the classroom door and up the nearest set of stairs, not slowing until he reached the painting that guarded Gryffindor Tower. Hermione was leaning against the wall next to the Fat Lady, wiping at her eyes with the bottom of her shirt. A large box was next to her feet.

He pulled her into his arms without asking questions, not even sure if he'd want the answers if he were brave enough to ask. After a few minutes of silent weeping, Hermione pulled back and looked into his eyes.

"You do know I love you. I just didn't think saying goodbye would be this hard," she said, her voice breaking on the last word.

Harry said nothing as she pulled him down for a kiss. He was just glad she wasn't going to leave him alone for the memory of something she'd never have again.