Chapter Text
The Platform was even more eerie than it had been in the summer. All of the parents stood on the platform seemed to hug their children right up until the final moments, and as Leo pushed his way through the crowded platform, being sure to keep as many of the on watch Death Eaters in view as he could, it made him think more about the day of Leo's first journey, and his Mother. She had been distracted from the moment they had gone through the barrier, and he had seen her and his Grandfather whispering frantically as he had taken his seat in an empty compartment, and he found out later on that that was because they had spotted Harry Potter.
He spotted Anna as he reached the far end of the platform, and immediately his good mood from the news of baby Teddy was lifted even higher. She saw him and ran over quickly, gripping him in a bone crushing hug. "You made it." She exclaimed.
Pulling apart, Leo nodded. "As did you." He said. "I did think for a moment you'd not be back."
Anna rolled her eyes. "If Mum had her way…" She sighed. "No, I'm here. It feels weird though, it doesn't feel like it's our last term."
Agreeing, Leo looked around, nodding politely at Patrick Bailey before noticing that the clock said it was quarter to 11. "Come on." He muttered. "We best get on and find Neville." He waited for Anna and her Dad to have a long moment together before they both stepped onto the train, thankfully finding Neville, Hannah and Susan Bones in just the third compartment they looked in. Settling down, the compartment was quiet for a while as the clock soon struck 11 and the train left the station.
It wasn't until the fields of Hertfordshire were all around that somebody broke the silence. "I didn't see Ginny." Neville said.
"She's safe." Leo told him. "But… Ron, he never really had Spattergroit. He and Hermione are with Harry and they got captured over Easter." He felt a hand tighten around his arm and looked to see Anna staring at him, horrified. "They're fine, they're safe too. They escaped with Luna and Dean."
"Oh thank Merlin." Neville breathed in relief, leaning back in his chair.
"But it was safer for Ginny and her family to go into hiding, now the Ministry know that the Weasley's have all been lying." Leo finished off, before he sighed, running his hand through his hair. "This term is only going to be harder without her." Silence followed, and though small pockets of small talk followed, mainly between the Hufflepuffs, Leo's focus was on the scenery as they moved through the countryside. The Trolley Witch came by as they passed Lincoln, and it was as they were passing Newcastle that Leo needed to step out of the compartment to find the nearest toilet, passing an empty compartment on his way. Once he had been, Leo looked at his reflection in the mirror. He could see his own face looked ragged and tired as he splashed some water to try and liven himself up before opening the door again, and coming face to face with Draco Malfoy in the process.
Without even a thought crossing his mind, Leo grabbed Malfoy by the jacket lapels and dragged him forwards, slamming him roughly into the empty compartment and throwing him down onto the ground, quickly managing to pull his wand out and lock the door and magic down the blinds by the time that Malfoy had his own wand out.
"Stupe…" Malfoy tried, but Leo was quicker.
"Expelliarmus!" The Gryffindor cried, and soon Malfoy's wand… or not as it turned out, was in his hand.
"What the hell are you playing at, MacDonald?" Malfoy asked derisively.
Leo was only seeing red however, as he threw Malfoy's wand behind him and pointed his own towards Malfoy, the point poking the Slytherin sharply in the neck. "Give me one good reason not to, I swear." He growled. "I don't care if we're apparently family, I would like nothing more than to throw you under this train right now for what you've done, and this time there's no Greengrass to stop me."
He was almost surprised at the reaction that followed, as Malfoy closed his eyes tightly and breathed deeply. "You'd be doing me a favour." He said, resigned.
"A favour?" Leo asked, incredulous. He took a step back before launching his spare fist into Malfoy's face, sending him sprawling across one of the seats. "A favour? You bloody coward." A kick followed, right into Malfoy's ribs. "How bloody dare you… I know what you did, Malfoy. I know what happened the other week. I know what you lot did to her!" Another kick followed, and Malfoy simply laid there, welcoming the punishment enough that Leo could only scowl down at him, the little respect that he had for the Slytherin vanishing in an instant. "You're pathetic, you know that? She is a hundred times the person you are…"
"I know!" Malfoy cried out, bringing his hands to grip his own hair tightly. "I still hear her screams…" He then began to hit his own head. "Please… just stop the screams..."
It was so tempting. The rage that Leo had felt in the moment of hearing what had happened to Hermione… the Cruciatus curse, the cursed scars… he wanted to inflict all that and more onto Malfoy now, but his temper was cooling as he saw the wreck that the once boastful Slytherin had become. Shaking his head, Leo spat down at the floor, causing Malfoy to flinch. He leant down, so that his mouth was inches away from the trembling Malfoy's ear. "I hope you hear her screams for the rest of your miserable life." He snarled quietly, before grabbing his left arm, the same one that Hermione had been attacked on and the one that proudly boasted the Dark Mark. Disgusted at the sight, Leo pointed his wand at the now exposed skin. "Diffindo." He focused, not wanted to completely cut Malfoy's arm off, but instead dragged his wand across Malfoy's forearm, causing a long cut to form from his wrist to his elbow that carved its way through the magically tattooed skin. Malfoy screamed out in pain, his legs thrashing around, though he didn't try and fight Leo off "This is just a fraction of the pain that Hermione received." Leo snarled again, before one of the darker books in the Black Library sprung to mind. "Cursum Insidiae." Malfoy howled in pain, as the large cut on his arm began to bubble as if the blood within was boiling itself. The curse promised that the wound would never leave Malfoy's skin, scarring his pale flesh with an ugly red line. "Wear that, like she will have to wear hers." Leo snarled one last time, before shoving Malfoy's arm back down to his body, watching it immediately be brought in to his chest as he nursed the pain, before Leo, with one final shake of the head, unlocked the compartment door and stepped out into the carriage. He took one breath to try and control himself and walked back to his own compartment, forcing a smile on his face as he entered.
"You were a while." Anna muttered, a newly emptied cauldron cake wrapper by her side. "You alright?"
He took a moment to answer, but he nodded. "Aye, never better." He said, taking his seat again and grabbing a Chocolate Frog, immobilising the animated chocolate as it tried to escape. He took one bite of its head before he saw the familiar face of Newt Scamander looking up at him. Grinning, Leo looked outside again as the countryside continued to roll away, wondering how Hermione's secret planning was getting on.
With the Hogwarts Express arriving on a Friday night Leo had the entire weekend to avoid everybody, from Slytherin's to teachers, and it wasn't a happy 17 year old that got out of bed on the morning of the 13th April to go to the first lesson of the term… Dark Arts. Thankfully it was still too early in the term for there to be any misbehaving students to torture and so the lesson was mainly used to brush up on theory, something that Leo was glad for given that after his defiance, Amycus Carrow liked to use every possibility to pick on Leo, though really, Carrow liked to pick on any of the Gryffindor's he could…
Making it through that one unscathed, Leo was less fortunate in Muggle Studies after lunch. Already on edge at being sat next to Daphne Greengrass after his realisations over the last few weeks, it didn't help when as Alecto Carrow was writing 'MUGGLE INFESTATIONS INTO WIZARDKIND' on the board, Daphne immediately turned to face him, her blonde hair covering her face from Carrow, and her cheeks just ever so slightly flushed…
"Astoria is furious with you." She whispered. "And I think I am too. What in Merlin's name were you thinking?"
"I don't know what you mean." Leo said monotonously as he retrieved his things for the lesson.
Daphne scoffed. "Attacking Draco like that? Scarring him? Do you want to get yourself killed?"
Leo shoved his book down on the desk roughly, drawing more than an eye towards his direction. "He deserved it." He muttered, the words barely a breath. "For what he did… for his family…" He could feel that anger bubbling inside him again and so he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "He got off lightly."
"Well I hope it was worth it when he sets the entire Inquisitorial Squad on you." Daphne rolled her eyes, before glaring at him again. "I've stuck my own head on the line for you… in the thought that you were smarter than just your average, dumb, Gryffindor."
Leo's head turned angrily towards her at breakneck speed, her words hitting hard, but before he could mutter another angry word Professor Carrow clapped her hands from the front of the classroom. "That's enough! Today's lesson is far too important for you to be nattering away. Listen, and pay attention." She slapped her wand against the blackboard, causing a handful of sparks to fly out the top. "The Muggle Infestation." Carrow began. "The noble Salazar Slytherin foresaw this… tragedy of modern affairs and was slandered for it, but one look around the world today and you see what he feared… the loss of traditions, the corruption of our history, the diluting of our blood." She gagged. "For years you have been taught incorrectly, that we need Mudbloods within our society and our bloodlines, but the facts speak for themselves! The greatest Wizards have always been those that have belonged to the most noble of families!"
"That's rubbish!" Neville called out.
Alecto had a dangerous look in her eye as she rounded on Neville. "You disagree?" She sneered. "Why, our four founders were all Pure Blood. Merlin and Morgana, Gellert Grindelwald. And the Dark Lord himself!"
Leo wanted to laugh at that, knowing what he knew, but his slight movement caused Daphne to glare at him to be quiet again, and he held his tongue. Neville, however, did the exact opposite. "Albus Dumbledore! He was a Half Blood and proud of it!"
"Albus Dumbledore, was a crackpot fool." Alecto barked out a laugh. "It is largely his fault that the world is as it is, polluted by filth!"
"If muggle blood makes us weaker wizards." Neville called out. "Then you must have loads in you to get shown up by Nifflers… how much muggle blood do you have, Professor?"
Time froze inside the classroom as the entire class tried to digest exactly what Neville was implying. Leo was among the first to snort in amusement, and that was quickly followed by Seamus, Anna and Lavender attempting to stifle their laughter… but the dam quickly broke and almost the entire class couldn't help themselves from bursting out into laughter. Leo's sides were hurting as he almost fell off of his chair, watching as the shrill woman's face grew redder and redder until she screamed. "THAT IS ENOUGH!" Her wand was soon pointed at a defiant Neville's face. "You, Longbottom, clearly haven't learned your place despite everything."
"You don't scare me." Neville bit back angrily. "You can torture me as much as you like, and I'll get back up every time!"
Leo felt a surge of pride in his friend at those words, but that pride was quickly turned to horror as a beam of white light shot out from Carrow's wand and struck Neville in the face. He cried out in pain and fell down by his chair, and the Gryffindor's in the class all rose to their feet in unison.
"YOU HAG!" Leo roared, his own hand immediately reaching for his wand, only to be struck by a beam of red light, and it all went dark.
By the time he was revived, the classroom looked as if it had been involved in a battle. Desks were splintered, the chalkboard was torn in two, and one of the glass windows had been smashed. Cupboards were on their sides too with classroom equipment lying all over the floor. Groggily, Leo sat upright, noticing that stood over him was Professor McGonagall. "What happened?" He asked.
"I was hoping, MacDonald, that you could tell me that." Professor McGonagall retorted, her tone angry.
Leo looked around again. Half of Lavender's face was covered in blood, while Parvati beside her was nursing her shoulder. Anna was standing closely to Professor McGonagall too, her cardigan showing numerous rips within it. "Neville?" Leo asked. "Professor, Carrow…"
"I know full well what Alecto did to my student, MacDonald." Professor McGonagall stated angrily. "My confusion comes from why, in the name of Godric Gryffindor, did the four of you turn Muggle Studies into a battlefield?"
"We weren't just going to let Neville get killed Professor!" Anna exclaimed.
"She was vile!" Parvati cried.
"Nonetheless!" Professor McGonagall called out, holding her hand up for quiet. "You have all put a large target on your backs. I shouldn't need to explain to you that the Carrow's, along with their chosen favourites, have been granted additional scope for punishments… as much as I loathe it, there is nothing I can do. You have all been chosen for a week's worth of detentions, starting tonight." Leo frowned. A week seemed… lenient, almost. It was clear very quickly that Professor McGonagall knew what he was thinking as she cleared her throat. "I wouldn't feel too buoyant, MacDonald. They believe, rather unnervingly I might add, that a week's worth of punishment will be enough to discourage you all from defying them any further. I must urge you all, as my senior students, to please, be careful."
Her voice was the most unnerving thing, she sounded frightened. Her words however, didn't sit right with Leo one bit. "We can't just lie down and take it, Professor." He said, rising to his feet. "If we let the Carrow's, the Death Eaters, whoever, if we let them get away with it, then the school is lost. And as long as I have breath in my lungs, I refuse to allow that."
Through the Professor's glasses Leo saw watery eyes. "That, Mr MacDonald, is exactly what I'm afraid of."
That Muggle Studies lesson was just the beginning. With their timetables how they were there wasn't a day's rest over that week where Leo and the rest of the 7th Year students outside of Slytherin weren't put under the Cruciatus Curse for their part in what was being dubbed 'The Battle of Muggle Studies', and by the Wednesday it was noticeable that a few of the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw's were skiving off Dark Arts and Muggle Studies lessons… only to be publicly shamed during meal times as they were led away, not to be seen for a couple of hours when they would return with more cuts and bruises, along with the now familiar tremors that followed the Cruciatus Curse.
What surprised the Carrow's however, was how defiant those in Dumbledore's Army showed themselves to be. Neville led from the front, continuing to be a disruptive influence in and out of class as he was the main instigator of duels in the corridors, sending both Alfie Runcorn and Pansy Parkinson to the Hospital Wing with bald heads as he struck them both with Instant Scalping Hexes as they were in turn terrorising a group of Third Years. That, of course, earned him a full night in a cage hanging over the Astronomy Tower as Fourth Years were tasked with terrorising him during their Astronomy lesson.
And so by the following Monday it became necessary to travel around the castle in groups for protection and for wands to be easily accessible. Leo ate his breakfast that morning with one hand, as his other one was firmly gripped around his Ebony wand staring up at the teachers table, just waiting for one of the Carrow's to make their way over to their next victim. He ached everywhere from all the Cruciatus exposure, and the stinging above his eyebrow told him that he would have another scar by the time the cut from Astoria Greengrass from when the Fifth Years had been tasked with torturing those in detention, had healed.
His focus was lost when Neville stormed into the room, his face looking more furious than he had ever seen it. "What's up?" Leo said, his grip on his wand tightening as he was ready for a fight to break out. A quick glance at the teachers table showed the Carrow's in heavy, quiet conversation with Professor Snape, with all three of them looking over towards Leo.
Neville however just slammed a letter down on the bench. "They went after Gran." He growled. "The bastards!" His voice was raised slightly.
"Shh." Anna hissed, taking the letter and reading through it. By the time she had finished she had a wide grin on her face. "That's lovely!"
"It shouldn't be needed!" Neville exclaimed. "She's not young, Anna, she can't be going on the run!"
Leo took the letter then too, reading through and really feeling the pride pouring from the page. "Mate, she's fine." Leo tried to soothe. "It'll take a stronger man than Dawlish to take your Gran out… it's you we need to worry about now."
"Huh?" Anna asked, confused.
Leo simply gestured towards the teachers table. "Dinnae look." He said, his accent really coming out as the worry built up within him. "The Carrow's are planning summat." He could see the amusement on Anna's face at his accent slip, but a sharp glare stopped her. "I'm not joking. Neville, you need to be careful."
Neville nodded, a grim determination solidifying on his face. "Don't worry about me mate." He said, gathering the letter and rising back to his feet, starting to move before he stopped and looked back, a smirk on his face. "Keep an eye on the coins." He said, before briskly walking out of the room.
He wasn't in Muggle Studies that morning, nor did Neville appear in Dark Arts after lunch. What really got the school talking however was dinner that evening, as Professor Snape stood up and called his name out. When Neville couldn't be found in the Great Hall, the Gryffindors along with Hannah Abbott were all kept behind as the Headmaster paced by his lectern while all the Professors were sat rigidly in their own chairs. "I will keep this blunt, so that every Gryffindor here can understand, completely." Professor Snape began, his usual slow drawl grating on Leo's ears. "Where, is Neville, Longbottom." Nobody said a word. Leo looked over at Hannah who had an extremely frightened expression on her battered and bruised face, and he desperately hoped that she wouldn't be called upon any further. "One of you must have seen him." Snape continued. "Step forwards now, or every single one of you will be subject to detentions until the end of term."
"He was here at breakfast." Leo said boldly, causing everybody to audibly look at him. "Other than that, nobody has seen him."
Snape's boots echoed in the otherwise silent Great Hall as he neared Leo, with the Gryffindor doing his all to keep his breathing calm and his mind cleared. "Do you expect me to believe that, MacDonald?" Snape asked.
"Aye, I do." Leo bit back, not looking Snape in the eyes. "Because it's the truth. If you've lost him, Headmaster, then that should tell you something about how you run the school, should it not?"
His housemates couldn't help themselves as the majority all tried to stifle their giggles, but Leo just continued to not look at Snape's face as the Headmaster leered over him. "Every day you grow more and more like your insufferable, arrogant Father, MacDonald." He muttered; his voice laced with disdain. "Quick with your tongue, less so with your brain. Neville Longbottom has not left the school, which means that he is here, hiding. If that is the very best that the cubs of Gryffindor can muster, sheltering cowards, then you disgrace the very name of the founder that you wear on your clothing." He held a hand up to halt the incoming onslaught of abuse. "Or, as I very much suspect to be the case, this is another one of your little games, then the punishment due to Longbottom for intentionally missing classes will be doled out to each and every one of you sitting here." He looked down at Leo again, who kept ensuring that he wouldn't be looking the Headmaster in the eyes. "And seeing as though you can't keep yourself from opening your mouth, MacDonald, we shall see what else it is that you have to say about the matter." The loud footsteps resumed as Snape moved towards the main doors. "Bring him."
In an instant Leo was hauled to his feet by both of the Carrow's. "Professor Snape!" McGonagall complained, as the rest of the Gryffindor's all rose in protest, but Leo didn't resist, simply making sure that Hannah saw him nod towards her before he was dragged away to the Headmaster's Office.
Upon arrival Leo was immediately shoved into a chair, his wrists bound tightly by Amycus Carrow. Professor Snape had beat them up to the office and was standing with his back to Leo, staring up at the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, a sight that angered Leo all the more. "He would be ashamed of you." Leo growled.
"The horrors of mine own blood." Phineas' portrait cried out. "Headmaster, please do teach the boy a lesson! He shames me!"
"You shame yourself!" Leo called out, looking around at all of the portraits in the room. "Is this what any of you wanted Hogwarts to become? A bigoted prison?"
"Silence!" Professor Snape roared, hushing all of the paintings as well as Leo. With one swift movement he uncorked a small bottle and walked over to Leo. "Hold him." Leo's head was wrenched to one side as his jaw was held open, and a few drops of liquid poured into his mouth before his jaw was clamped shut, and Alecto Carrow cast something on him that forced him to swallow.
Grimacing, Leo looked at Snape with venom. "This is immoral…"
"This is the current situation we find ourselves in, MacDonald." Snape countered. "Longbottom is a delinquent and now a fugitive. His Grandmother has resisted arrest, and as such he is wanted for questioning over her disappearance, and that of Harry Potter." Snape looked down his hooked nose at Leo. "As it is your birthday tomorrow, you should wish to make this as easy as possible in order to get back for your celebrations, safely. Tell me. Where, is, Longbottom?"
"I don't know." Leo said honestly, more surprised that Snape knew his birthday than anything else.
"He's lying." Amycus snarled.
Snape's eyes met the male Carrow's and narrowed. "Are you suggesting, that I brewed the Veritaserum, incorrectly?" It was fascinating to watch Amycus Carrow almost shrink in the glare of Snape, and the Dark Arts Professor could only shake his head, waiting for Snape to redirect his attention back to Leo. "What about Potter? Are you aware of his location?"
Again, Leo shrugged. "I don't know." He answered, and the questions then came at him thick and fast.
"When did you last see Longbottom?"
"This morning. At breakfast."
"Has Longbottom spoken of meeting with Potter?"
"Not to me."
"Where did he go?"
"Out of the door…" That one earned him a smack around the head from Amycus. "I don't know where he was walking too…"
"Is he hiding in Gryffindor Tower?"
"Not that I know of…"
Alecto Carrow growled, frustratedly. "This is pointless, Severus! Just curse the blood traitor and be done with it!"
"I leave the punishments to you, Alecto." Snape stated slowly. "I am merely after information that the Dark Lord seeks." He stared down at Leo, who did his very best to keep his mental shields intact. "The boy is as stupid as his Father, and knows nothing. Go through each Gryffindor in their next classes. If any of them have an inkling of where Longbottom went to after Breakfast this morning then bring them to me." Snape then looked down at Leo one final time. "Your… altercation, with Mr Malfoy on the train. How do you reverse that curse?"
"You can't." Leo said, a satisfied grin on his face. "Perhaps Professor Black up there might be more help there, but I was very thorough in my research."
Snape's expression was hard to read, and Leo didn't get the chance to read it further as he turned away again, stopping in front of Dumbledore again. "Take him to his Common Room." He commanded. "Though… make sure his disrespect tonight goes punished."
Alecto cackled greedily. "With pleasure." And Leo's restraints were lifted, but he was hauled up again. "Come on, traitor. I've got a surprise up my sleeve for you…" That surprise, unsurprisingly, turned out to be a night in the same cage that Neville had been hoisted up into as the 2nd Year Astronomy students were the ones to punish him during their lesson.
By dawn Leo was drained of all energy, needing to be spoon-fed his breakfast by Anna as his House wished him a happy 18th, with Neville among the well-wishers on the DA Galleon, explaining at the same time that he had found refuge in the Room of Requirement. His struggles on the morning of his birthday unfortunately had the added effect of delighting the Carrow's looking on, but the benefit of that day being a Tuesday was that double Transfiguration was the first lesson followed by a double free period. Professor McGonagall while usually a strict teacher no matter a student's House, thankfully allowed Leo some leeway after his ordeal, wishing Leo a very happy birthday and allowing the 7th Years a more relaxed lesson as they went over some revision, something that also allowed the Head of Gryffindor a chance to fret over the state of him. After a quick once over, she also allowed Leo to just fall asleep during her lesson after praising his courage to the class and gifting Gryffindor 25 House Points, a nice touch, Leo thought before sleep immediately claimed him as he leant forwards on his desk.