Nevilles Troubles CH2

Their rest, as peaceful as it seemed, was short lived. Unannounced to the two boys, Professor Snape re-entered his room. He groaned loudly before awakening the two boys, "Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Malfoy... Get your robes on, and get to my office immediately."

Neville shook in fear. He could barely remember the last fifteen minutes, and desperately needed to know why he was being awaken by Snape, naked in the potions dungeon.

Draco rubbed his eyes and ignored the instructor. 'I'll just have my father pay it off." He smiled smugly to himself as he stood up and pulled on his robes.

Snape flooed the head master about the situation, not wanting to leave the two teenagers alone.

"Head master, we have a situation with the Longbottom and Malfoy boys. I might need your guidance here..." Snape tried to keep his anger in check.

"Ah, yes. I assume that the boys were found... in the throws of some mature activity?" Dumbledore's blue eyes hardened, but his voice showed no sign of the outrage that he felt.

Snape nodded and replied a "yes" in a small voice.

"Well Professor Snape, you are the head of Mr. Malfoy's house, so you may decide what to do with him. I will contact Minerva and inform her of Mr. Longbottom's discrepancies..." Dumbledore rose from his desk and dismissed the fuming potions master. He knew, as all the instructors did, that acts of the sexual nature in Hogwarts typically strictly forbidden,and met with expulsion of both parties involved, unless there were the rare mitigating circumstances.

Neville and Draco stood behind the potions master, both shook slightly as they awaited what the man would say.

Snape retreated from the violently green flames, "Well well well, boys, it would seem that I caught you both at something... against school regulations." He glared at the Gryffindor boy and then the Slytherin. "Mr. Longbottom, You are to go to your head of house and talk with her about your punishment. If she so chooses, you might be able to continue your education here. Mr. Malfoy, I suggest that you go to your common room and await my call."

Neville threw an apologetic look to the blond,"Yes, sir." Neville looked away and started the long walk from the dungeons to the north towers where his head of house was more than likely going to tell him to never grace Hogwarts ever again.

Neville thought as he walked. His mind wandered back to the dungeons, and inan almost third person view, he remembered what he had shared with Draco. He had never meant for anything to come of his inheritance, though now it was too late. The sounds of his feet scraping the ground brought him back to his reality as he faced the gigantic wooden doors to McGonagall's office.

He hadn't even needed to knock, as the door seemed to open upon its own accord. A very stern faced McGonagall sat in a slightly high backed chair, her black hair that ws pulled up into a bun seemed to complete the look of an angered mistress of some huge estate. Neville adverted his eyes and took his place in a hard wooden chair.

"Well Mister Longbottom, what do you have to say for yourself? Hmmm? You as well as every student in this school know that sexual relations are strictly prohibited. So please do give me your explanation and you might be able to stay." Her hawkish glare reached his eyes and he froze. There was no explanation that he could give that would save him, "I... I came into my....my Veelan rights today....." he began, "I couldn't help it. Professor Snape left us in there, and... well...I... I just couldn't help it Professor, ma'am....I...allowed my self to fall into the frenzy..." Tears fell down Neville's terrified face.

McGonagall looked the boy over; It was hard to believe that there was a part veela in Hogwarts, most of them went to Beaubatons and Durmstrang, "Mr. Longbottom, Do you realize what could happen if you really are a part veela? We will of course be looking into it, it could sway my decision, but, as i was saying, it could have bad repercussions in our society. I only hope you did not mark him as yours...." She sat down and scratched her head, "I will need you to go see Madam Pompfrey, she'll get the results." The professor dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

Neville rose slowly as he glanced at his professor of seven years, not exactly understanding what she meant by marking Draco, but he kept his lips sealed as he walked for the door, "Professor.... I really am sorry..." He said as he pulled the heavy door open and started another long walk through the corridor.

The bell for the class change chimed as he opened the door to the infirmary, "Madam Pompfrey?" He called in to the ward.

The older, motherly witch appeared from her office, a flash of green inside told him that she had been talking to his head of house. "Yes yes, Mr. Longbottom, please have a seat." She said as she detoured to a cabinet, pulling out a cloudy white potion from her stores.

Neville did as he was told and took his seat at the bed closest to her.

"Give me you hand Neville." She ordered as she pulled out her wand.

He offered her his hand as he closed his eyes.

With a quick pricking spell she brought blood from him and allowed it to drip into the potion. She swirled it around and watched as it separated into a crimson base and a gray top. Madam Pompfrey nodded and smiled, "Well Mister Longbottom, you may head up to your room. I will talk to your head of house and she will give you her decision in a bit." She tapped his bleeding finger with her wand and stopped the flow immediately.

For the fourth time in a half an hour, Neville walked in the darkened halls, but this time he was headed to his room, a sanctuary from the pains he knew were yet to come to a head.