THE UNTOLD WAR

Chapter One: The Journey to Darkness

Harry had not come back.

It didn't surprise Neville really; he supposed he hadn't for one moment actually expected him to return. But it was difficult not to hope, every time he poked his head into a carriage looking for spare seats, that he might see the heads of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger turning back to him.

He shuffled along the train in a kind of vacant melancholy, every so often jumping at snatches of conversations about Muggle-born students no one could seem to find. He passed a distressed Lavender Brown saying to Parvati, 'I don't think Dean's coming back, you know. Everyone knew he was Muggle-born, they'd never have let him back in...' Parvati was chewing her lip and staring at the floor, apparently at a loss for words.

It wasn't until Neville reached the very last carriage that he finally found not only space for one more, but also friends he could sit with – Ginny and Luna, both with Quibblers in front of them, Ginny's lain out in her lap and Luna's pressed up against her nose, hiding her face from view.

'Neville!' Ginny had leapt up at the sight of him. She gave him a hug that left him more breathless than usual. 'I was worried you wouldn't come – so many people have left...'

'I know,' he said. His voice sounded strangled, like he might cry. 'I heard some people talking; a lot of the Hufflepuffs have gone and by the sounds of things it'll be just me and Seamus in our dorm – if he's even come back, that is.'

'Wouldn't he?' Ginny asked, looking anxious. 'He's half-blood, isn't he?'

'Yeah, but you know Seamus.' He took the seat opposite the two girls and started rooting through his trunk. 'Have you seen this?'

Ginny leant forwards as he slapped an old copy of the Prophet in front of her, then she settled back again with a dejected sigh.

'I know. Our new Headmaster,' she added bitterly. Staring unpleasantly back at them from the front page of the newspaper was the man who had taught them Potions for so many years, now master of the school in his own right. But it wasn't in his own right, Neville thought angrily. He had killed for that job.

'It's very bad, isn't it?' Luna piped up, making Neville jump; she had been so absorbed in her magazine he had assumed she wasn't listening. 'He could be a very nasty teacher sometimes, I'm not sure Headmaster is the best position for him.'

Despite everything, Neville found himself laughing. Luna's summaries were enough to lighten anyone's mood, even against the backdrop of Snape's new regime and a darker, deadlier Hogwarts.

'No, I don't think he'll be much nicer,' he agreed, giving her a light smile. He was about to ask what Luna's father's views were on the matter, but stopped as their carriage door was opened again and a stocky, dark-haired boy squeezed himself in. 'Seamus!'

It looked like Seamus was trying to appear enthusiastic at the sight of them, but all he managed to respond with was a low sigh.

'Hiya. Harry's not back, then?'

At the name, a resigned silence overcame them all. Ginny slumped even further back in her seat.

'He was at ours in the summer,' she said miserably. 'Then the Death Eaters came and... he just disappeared. No sign of any of them after the wedding.'

'I thought Harry's disguise was very good,' came Luna's input in her conversational tone.

'And that,' Seamus went on as though he hadn't heard them, tapping a finger smartly on Snape's overlarge nose, 'put me off me dinner right away. Couldn't believe it. Dad told me and I nearly tipped my plate over.' He sat down next to Neville, looking around at them all with a furrowed brow. 'Reckon Dean'll come back?' he asked Neville in a hushed tone. Neville shook his head and Seamus, it seemed, decided not to discuss it further.

It was the least desirable ride to Hogwarts Neville had ever experienced. Nobody seemed to know what to say, besides Luna, of course, who continued to come out with some gems for the rest of the journey. But after a while, even she wasn't enough to cheer Neville up. He and Seamus attempted a game of Exploding Snap before a wordless exchange told them neither was enjoying it. Ginny and Luna continued to read, or at least, Luna did, telling them exciting titbits about Nargles and Crumple-Horned Snorcacks when they least expected it, while Ginny sat staring at the same page of her magazine or occupying herself with gazing gloomily out of the window in silence. Neville felt as though he could hear cogs turning in her brain.

After what seemed like forever, the turrets of Hogwarts began to rise before them.

'It used to excite me, that,' muttered Ginny, taking out her school robes and beginning to put them on, not worrying about the two boys opposite her. 'You know – seeing Hogwarts for the first time. Every year I look out for it. Never thought I'd wish we weren't going back.'

'Put that ugly git away,' Seamus said to Neville, nodding at the newspaper that had slid to the floor about a mile back.

Neville stuffed it back in his trunk as the train ground to a halt.

Luna's doe eyes appeared from behind her magazine.

'Are we there?' she asked.

'Not yet,' said Seamus, looking bemused. 'Nearly, but they wouldn't stop this far down...'

There were squeals from the other end of the train. Ginny and Neville jumped up, wands immediately in their hands.

'What's going on?' Ginny said as their carriage door slid open once more and a tall Ministry wizard stepped through.

Luna and Seamus had gotten to their feet as well. Seamus had raised himself up to his full height, squaring up to the wizard, who glared back at them all under thick, bushy eyebrows.

'Names?' he said brusquely, taking out a clipboard.

'What's this for?' Neville said angrily, gripping his wand harder. 'We're all registered, we're all OK to come back!'

'You,' said the Ministry wizard, ignoring him and nodding instead to Luna, whose radish earrings, it seemed, did not faze him. 'What's your name, girl?'

'Lovegood.'

'Any relation to the Quibbler nutter?'

'His daughter,' Luna said dreamily, apparently unperturbed by the insult.

'Look,' Neville said fiercely, copying Seamus and thrusting his chest forward in a botched attempt to make himself look more impressive, 'he's not here, all right? You really reckon Harry Potter's going to sidle on to the school train? He's got bigger fish to fry. Like getting rid of your boss, for one.'

The wizard's already narrow eyes became slits as he surveyed Neville. A derisive smirk was playing at his mouth. Ginny and Seamus were looking at their friend with shocked admiration.

'You're tough,' the wizard said quietly. 'That's good. The Dark Lord approves of tough wizards, even scrawny ones like you. What's your name?'

'Neville Longbottom.' The smirk deepened.

'Longbottom, hmm?' He tapped his clipboard and Neville and Luna's names both appeared there. 'I had the pleasure of meeting your parents, Neville. Not long before they lost their minds. In fact, I'd say it was... not that long before at all.' He gave Neville a distorted smile, showing crooked teeth. Neville's hands were shaking.

'You're sick,' Ginny spat, seemingly incapable of putting away her wand. It was near enough pointing directly at the Death Eater, whose smile widened.

'Pretty girl,' he leered, 'what's your name?'

'Weasley,' she said, drawing herself up and looking contemptuously back at him, 'and you can call me a blood traitor all you like, it's a lot better than what you are!'

'And what am I, little Miss Weasley?'

'Scum,' snapped Ginny. 'That's all you are. Dirty, filthy scum. And Harry Potter's not on this train so you might as well get off right now!' She sounded close to tears.

'You all seem to know a lot about where Potter is,' said the wizard, giving them each a scrutinising look. 'Maybe I should have you taken in for questioning...'

'Be better than Hogwarts,' muttered Seamus, before resigning to giving his own name as the wizard's malicious gaze snapped to him. 'And I'm a half-blood, before you start asking questions. Ministry's approved me.'

'Well,' the wizard said brusquely, waving his wand at the clipboard and making it disappear before their eyes, 'you all appear, as you put it, to be Ministry-approved. I will be warning the Headmaster to keep an eye on you, Longbottom.' He cast a mocking glance back at Neville as he turned to leave the carriage. 'Enjoy your school year – and if anyone hears anything of Harry Potter's whereabouts, you might be reminded that it is against the law not to inform the Headmaster or the Ministry of Magic.' He looked around at them all again, with the same contemptuous smirk, before sweeping out of the carriage. They were left in silence until the train picked up motion again.

'We should change,' Neville muttered, turning his back on the girls to allow Luna her dignity, as Hogwarts loomed ever closer, looking more foreboding than he remembered it ever being before.