Awkward Advance

"So, what are you going to teach us at the next Legion meeting?" Parvati asked Neville- cursing herself for the inability to carry on a vaguely interesting conversation. It was horridly embarrassing to be incapable of a decent conversation.

It was Hogsmeade weekend. In an effort to throw off any potential attacks, the Hogwarts staff had taken to changing the Hogsmeade hours periodically so as to confuse Voldemort. This one had been scheduled for the evening. Snape had informed Neville that the next one would likely be in the early morning.

"Well, Professor Lupin recommended some rather ingenious shield charms that I thought we should all give a try." Neville said vaguely as he sipped his Butterbeer. "For those who pick them up quickly, we can try some extremely advanced summoning charms so that one can block spells with other things."

Parvati nodded, feeling rather dumb for some reason. They were on a date and instead of being romantic, they were acting like they did in school. She sighed and looked around the Three Broomsticks. Ron and Hermione were here as well, and they weren't being shy.

Finally, she decided to get her own romance moving. "Neville? Do you . . . like me?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Neville was caught off guard. He looked at Parvati's reddening cheeks and reckoned that to be a sign that he had indeed heard what he had thought he heard. "Well, you've been really nice and supportive of everyone in PL. Sure, I like you."

"Well I like you too."

"Oh."

The two teens both blushed and looked away. They had managed to put themselves in a corner and neither had any idea on how to get out of it. Did romance have to be so awkward all the time?

Any thoughts of romance flew out of their head when a third-year girl burst into the pub and screamed at the top of her lungs, "Death Eaters!"

....

Harry grunted as Bess and Tess magically tightened the breastplate that had magically appeared as soon as Harry and Bellatrix decided that they needed to go and personally defend Azkaban with their forces.

Tess knocked on Harry's chest to see what kind of sound it would make. Instead of the loud bang one would expect from the black lacquered metal that had been magically made weightless, there was just a dull thud.

"Excuse me!" Harry said reproachfully.

"Sorry, mate." Tess said. "Couldn't resist."

Harry looked down at the breastplate and made a silent prayer that it would at least block some spells or prevent him from physical injury. The silver phoenix that had been engraved into the breastplate shimmered strangely. It made him feel protected.

He looked over at Bellatrix who had just gotten her own breastplate on and blushed. It seemed to emphasize her chest quite a bit. As long as it works, he thought silently as Bess came over and draped a dragon-hide cloak over his shoulders.

Bellatrix looked over at him and grinned. "This ought to be fun. Don't forget to check your wands."

"Okay." Harry said. He quickly checked to make sure that his wands were in their appropriate holsters as Bellatrix did likewise. He drew the Black Ash wand from his sleeve as Bellatrix drew one of her Cherry wands.

"Let's Apparate." Bellatrix said.

...

"What do we do?" Ron asked Hermione desperately as everyone in the Three Broomsticks began to panic. "We're the only Order members here I think."

Hermione shrugged. "I have no idea. Let's find out where the Death Eaters are attacking from I suppose. Then maybe we can send a message to the castle to send some defense.

Ron and Hermione promptly stood up and made their way over to where the girl had been. Much to their surprise they found Neville and Parvati interrogating her as to the Death Eater's whereabouts. It seemed that he had decided to take charge.

"We're here, we can take charge now." Ron announced loudly.

"About how many would you say?" Neville asked the girl, not even bothering to acknowledge Ron's presence.

"Thirty, maybe." the girl said, her voice quavering.

Neville nodded thoughtfully and spoke to Parvati. "It only a minor attack then. We can probably take them on." He then motioned toward a pair of fifth year girls who had rushed in the pub to find him. They were both members of Potter's Legion. "Where is everyone else?"

"Lavender Brown is having them form a line of defense. The Death Eaters are moving slowly toward the village from around the Shrieking Shack." explained one quickly.

"Good." Neville said. "I want you two to go to the castle as fast as you can and tell Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape, and any other teacher that you can find. Be careful on your way, their might be Death Eaters stationed to prevent people from arriving at the castle.

The two girls dashed out the doors and in the general directions of Hogwarts and Ron chose to interject. "I'm the head of the DA and a member of the Order! You can just take charge like that!"

Neville looked at Ron imperiously. "I just did." He motioned to Parvati, "We need to help Lavender." The two then left Ron and Hermione standing alone in the pub.

.....

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