AN: Written for Light and Darkness Competition by Alicia Mirza. I used the prompts 'suspense, Power is always dangerous. Power attracts the worst and corrupts the best, drinking a cup of tea, stupefy, Neville Longbottom, eternity, satisfaction, and "I'm sure I will visit your grave," and lifeless pony'. I do not own Harry Potter.

…

It's as simple as drinking a cup of tea, Neville Longbottom tells himself, as he scrawls down the notes needed for his Arithmancy test. Just studying and memorizing. Neville is so into his work that he doesn't hear the classroom door open.

Strong hands grab him from his seat and tear him from his previous attention of class work, covering his mouth from protests. His classmates turn in their seats, horrified and shocked at the action in front of them. Their professor looks confused and almost powerless, asking what in Merlin's name the offending bullies are doing.

"Professor Carrow wanted him. Said he wasn't happy with something Longbottom did."

Neville wrestles his mouth out of the hand's grip for a moment. "I didn't do anything!"

The professor looks torn and when the bullies tell her that Carrow said it was urgent, she can do nothing but comply.

As they head down the silent corridor, Neville continues to struggle, thinking about a saying he had heard his aunt tell him once. Power is always dangerous, she told him. Power attracts the worst and corrupts the best. It's most certainly true in this case, Neville thinks.

They reach Amycus Carrow's classroom, who bids them entrance. They almost throw Neville forward onto the ground, but hold him back at the last second. Neville holds his head down, staring at the dark splatters on the floor nearly ingrained in the stone, as footsteps approach.

"Look up!"

Neville grits his teeth, keeping his head down, wondering if he can make a run for it. He can't, he decides, not with Crabbe and Goyle, directly behind him, ready to catch him at a moment's notice.

"Look up!" Amycus's bony hand grips Neville's chin and forces him to look up. "You insolent boy! I know what you've been up to." He orders Goyle and Crabbe to leave and return to their duties until they catch another student.

The moment the door closes, Amycus speaks again. "Sneaking out, writing on the walls, defying orders…my Longbottom, you are a problem. A problem that needs to be put in its place."

Neville doesn't like how that sounds. "Go stand against the wall," Amycus orders.

"What? No!" A hand rises too fast for Neville to react as it slaps him hard across the face, setting his cheek burning.

"Do it!" Amycus says, pulling him over by the collar and throwing him to the wall. Neville's hands connect with the stone in order to stop his head from colliding, stinging from the contact.

"You're getting on my last nerves, Longbottom. You think you're so high and mighty, filling in for Potter! But you're not! And now, you're to be punished, just like all your little friends! Crucio!"

The jet of light hits Neville squarely in the chest, sending an agonizing sensation through his body. He drops to the floor, his heart about to burst out of his chest, his jaw tightening trying to rid himself of the pain. Amycus chuckles while Neville groans.

"Not so high and mighty now, are we Longbottom? Come on, I want you to scream just like all your stupid friends!"

When the second 'Crucio' hits him, Neville wants to scream to no end. But he can't give Amycus the satisfaction. His heart beats so rapidly, he thinks it'll explode, as he waits for what seems an eternity for the right moment. The right moment to strike.

"Y-you're awful! Picking on…on children!" Neville sputters out, moving his hand ever so slowly to find his wand in the pocket of his robes. He finds the smooth wood in his fingertips, and closes his eyes. It's now or never.

"S-stupefy!" The jet of red light erupts from Neville's wand, and hits its mark. Amycus goes down with a thud, his wand rolling from his fingertips. He looks like a lifeless pony, the way his robes have settled onto the ground.

Neville tries to get himself off the ground, and manages to get up, slowly and painfully, his nerves still sensitive.

He stumbles toward the exit, wand in hand, and when he opens the door, the hallways are clear. He stays along the walls, holding on every so often for balance. The bell rings for lunch and students file out of their classrooms, looking at him in wonder and pity as they go by.

Silvery blonde hair comes up besides him carrying two bags on her tiny shoulders, now holding one out. "Here's your bag- oh Neville, what happened?"

Neville situates his bag carefully on his shoulder. "Amycus Carrow…he's on to us…probably has been this entire time. Used the Cruciatus Curse."

"Oh, Neville! I-"

"THERE HE IS! GET HIM!"

Neville looks behind himself, finding Crabbe, Goyle and a few traitorous Slytherins sprinting around the corner and down the hallway, causing students to leap, jump, and run out of the way.

"Come on Neville! This way!"

Luna grabs Neville's hand and pulls him down the hallway, the running sending Neville's body back in agony. He has to tell himself that he has to keep moving.

They turn down a deserted hallway, still hearing the shouts and yells from the Slytherins. There's a door off the side of one of walls and Luna drags Neville in. The room is like the Gryffindor Common room, almost a replica, with arm chairs, a chess table, a couch and a fireplace roaring in the corner. Neville realizes that Luna's summoned the Room of Requirement.

She leads him over to the couch, helping him lay down; then sets her bag on the wooden floor.

"Why do you do this, Neville? Everyone's backed off a bit," she says, looking at him with concern when he winces.

"Because something needs to be done, Luna! No one else is doing anything!" He leads her into a silence.

"Aren't you ever afraid of dying, Neville?"

"I mean, yeah, but it's for a good cause. I'd rather die for something worth fighting for than not at all."

"Well, I'm sure I will visit your grave, if that ever happens," she replies, her twinkling, airy voice ringing in his ears.

"I'm sure I'll visit yours too."

Luna looks around the room. "The Room of Requirement has done a nice job at recreating the Common room, wouldn't you think? It's almost like we could live here if we wanted."

Something in Neville's mind clicks and for the first time that day, he smiles. "Yeah Luna, I think we can."

….

AN: Can you figure out the reference in the last sentence? Thanks!