Incendio

The weeks passed and Samantha decided it was best to speak to Lee only when she deemed necessary. She hated he'd held back the knowledge that everyone was fully aware her brother was a Death Eater. She was aware he thought he was doing what was right, but she couldn't help but feel betrayed. She kept herself impossibly busy, barely being at the warehouse unless it was to sleep, eat, write reports or run Potterwatch. They'd had three more shows and they really realized people were listening.

They'd had more leads, some trustworthy, other's not so much. It was tough weeding through them. One did pay off, in early September, someone in the order was tipped off that there was going to be some kind of break in at the Ministry. It was true, Harry Potter himself had been sighted, helping muggle-borns escape Umbridge. Samantha had camped out in a little muggle pub across the street when several people who worked in the Ministry had exited. One stopped in at the pub for a drink, and after a few drinks, had told Samantha everything. It was quite the story.

It was now mid October and she was following up on another tip she'd received. It was from someone who she suspected to be Hagrid. It had been a simple message, just that a Hogwarts informant wanted a meeting to give news from inside the castle.

They were to meet at the Hogshead in Hogsmead, a bit after closing. It was certainly risky, but she Apparated into the Hogshead late into the cool autumn night. The windows were all closed and shuttered. The barkeeper was waiting behind the counter. He was a worn old man with a long gray beard.

"Are you Rebel?" He grunted from behind the bar, he was wiping it down.

She nodded.

"He should be here any minute." He grunted again, "Drink?"

He put a dark rust colored drink in front of her, and Samantha sniffed it uncomfortably. It was strong smelling.

"It isn't poison if that's what yer worried about." The man grunted again.

She nodded before putting a few Knuts down. "Unless I owe you more?"

He shook his head but took the money.

She could hear footsteps coming from the stairs beside the bar. Neville's face came into view and Samantha had never run faster. He wrapped her into a full hug. She hadn't been happier to see anyone in maybe her whole life.

"Hey!" Samantha smiled as he held onto her. He kissed her cheek quickly and she couldn't ever remember him doing that.

"Sam?" He smiled widely letting go. He touched her face softly as if he was checking to see if she was real. "You have no idea how good it is to see you."

"I didn't know it was that kind of meeting kid." The barkeep barked looking between their closeness. Samantha had to admit it wasn't her normal greeting for informants.

"Sorry Aberforth." Neville chuckled and Samantha noticed he had a cut along his temple.

"Your face." Samantha commented and she could feel her voice crack.

He shrugged and took her hand. "It's nothing."

They sat down in the pub. Aberforth handed Neville one of the off colored drinks. Neville proceeded to tell her about how Hogwarts had changed. Snape was the new headmaster and the new teachers, The Carrow siblings, were worse than Umbridge could have ever been. They were openly torturing students in class. Most of the teachers didn't even give detention because it often meant the student was being sent for full on torture. Many muggle-born students had either been carted off to Askaban when they arrived, or they didn't show at all. Colin and his brother Dennis had thankfully fallen into the latter category.

Luna, Neville and Ginny were restarting the DA in rebellion towards the Death Eater's takeover. They'd started off by trying to steal the Sword of Gryffindor from Snape's office.

"Why'd you all do that? I mean of all optional protests you could have chosen, it seems a bit random." Samantha inquired after he finished the story, their hands were still intwined. She'd bewitched her pen to do the writing.

"Well, the sword was left to Harry, in Dumbledore's will. Ginny said so." Neville continued, he'd barely stopped looking at her for even a moment.

"Was that for stealing the sword?" Samantha asked pointing to his cut. She worried Luna and Ginny had suffered similarly.

"Snape sent us into the forbidden forest with Hagrid for the sword. It wasn't the worst punishment, we actually never see Snape much." He pointed to the cut. "This was for telling the Carrows off. They wanted us to practice the Imperius curse on those who had detention. I told them I'd rather kiss their mother." Neville chuckled almost slyly.

"Neville!" Samantha wasn't sure whether to be proud or concerned. "That's dangerous."

"So's helping with an underground radio station." He reminded squeezing her hand slightly. "Just meeting with me here tonight was dangerous Sam."

"I've been a terrible influence on you."

"Maybe, you've been the best one."

"I should clean that. Could get infected you know?" Samantha insisted as she turned to Aberforth who was still at the end of the bar. "Do you have any antiseptic?"

He slammed a bottle of strong whiskey on their table.

"Close enough." Samantha nodded before getting a towel and dabbing it in the whiskey. "It'll sting a little."

Neville didn't flinch, "When you wrote me that you were going to America, I never thought I'd see you again."

"I had to tell you that. To protect my family, we were hoping one of my letters would be intercepted."

"I've missed your letters. I've missed-" He stopped his words, "Well we all heard your voice on Potterwatch and I knew it was your project."

Samantha continued cleaning Neville's wound.

"So how's working with Lee?"

Samantha shrugged in response but felt a dig inside her heart. She pursed her lips and made a face. "We make a good team when it comes to the show at least. He's not my favorite roommate, but I'm surviving it."

Neville nodded, but she detected a small smile. Samantha finished cleaning up the wound. She tilted Neville's face. "There, you look much better. Not that you could ever look horrible."

"Those are kind words from someone who's known me nearly my entire life." He looked over to Aberforth who was walking himself up the stairs and took her hand back into his' again. It was different to be alone.

Samantha chuckled looking over her shoulder, "Interesting fellow. Makes nasty looking drinks."

"He's no potions master, that's for sure." Neville jokingly jested lifting his drink to toast. Neither of them had even touched their drinks. "I'll try it if you do."

She lifted her drink and they both shot the drink back. It tasted like rusty nails and Samantha's nose hairs burned. They both began coughing and laughed together after the choking subsided.

"Ok, I only have two questions left." Samantha said softly noticing his eyes had returned to her face since they stopped laughing.

"First, how are you here?" Samantha asked looking around the pub. "You said all the secret passageways had been blocked and you can't Apparate in or out of Hogwarts.

"Well, I was in the Room of Requirement the other day, after I asked Hagrid to get a message to you, and I thought that I needed a place to meet you. Then a passageway appeared between here and the school. Ginny and Luna both said they'd come if I couldn't, but they aren't of age and I thought they shouldn't be put in this kind of danger again."

Samantha nodded realizing he even looked a bit more gaunt, like he hadn't been eating right. "That makes sense. Tell them I miss them though."

"What's the second question?" He asked touching her face with his free hand. He'd never been so incredibly comfortable with her before. She wondered if facing the unknown of this year had changed something inside of him.

"Will I be able to meet with you again?" She asked as little butterflies turned in her stomach.

"I hope so." He nodded with a big smile. His hand still touched her cheek. His face contorted into concern. "Sam, you are turning red again. You haven't been near any Venomous Tentacula right?"

"No." She knew exactly why she'd turned red.

"You two almost finished up? I'd like to be getting some sleep and I can't with all your chit chat." Aberforth leaned his head down. Neville took his hand off of her face.

"Sorry Aberforth." Neville called back, laughing a little. "We will meet again. Next month? Here?"

She nodded and smiled letting go of his hand. "Yeah. Try not to get too cut up before then."

"I'll do my best." He looked forlorn as Samantha gathered her things. "Don't get yourself in too much trouble with Potterwatch."

"I'll do my best." She responded before standing up and moving to the middle of the room. She smiled at him one more time before Apparating back to the warehouse. She couldn't stop smiling as she went straight to her typewriter. Nearly everyone, but Lee, was asleep. He was sitting up, tinkering with his equipment.

"Hey beautiful." He greeted nonchalantly as she began her work.

"Hey." She mumbled.

"So who's this Hogwarts informant?" Lee asked leaning against her desk. "Ginny I assume?"

Samantha shook her head. "No. She's underage, didn't want to involve her."

"Then who is it?" Lee looked even more curious.

"They want to stay anonymous." Samantha insisted sharply but she could feel a rush of color in her cheeks thinking of how Neville had touched her face.

She looked up at Lee. He was stitching his eyebrows, like he knew exactly who it was. She hadn't missed his jealousy even a smidge.

"Well, since you are back. I think I'll head to sleep." He nodded before backing away.

Samantha watched him go up to his room in a huff. She didn't mind if he was upset, she'd done nothing wrong.

The next afternoon she presented her latest news from Hogwarts to Kingsley, Fred and George.

"How'd you get this stuff?" George asked.

She shrugged. "Years of practice."

"You've only been doing this a little more than two months, and yet you've uncovered so much." Kingsley announced proudly patting her back.

"They tried to steal the sword of Gryffindor." Fred laughed reading over George's shoulder. "Is it because it was left to Harry?"

Samantha raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, but I thought it was best to leave that out. Don't want the Death Eaters knowing anything they don't already, right?"

"Who cares why they did it anyway? It was obviously a well done protest." George took the papers from Fred."It's impressive. Who were the students?"

"Luna Lovegood, Neville Longbottom and Ginny were the students."

Fred smiled widely. "I should have known our sister would cause trouble. Maybe just mention them as three brave students though, and not by name. Mum might have a field day"

"Good idea!" Samantha nodded with a smirk.

"Where is Mr. Jordan today?" Kingsley asked looking around, "I had an opportunity I wished to discuss with all of you."

Lee had been mysteriously up in his room the whole day.

"He's not feeling well." George lied raising his eyebrows at Samantha, "Hasn't been since last night."

"Oh that is a shame. I will ask your opinions then, I'm sure he won't mind if you make the decisions." Kingsley offered to the three.

"Well, he will have to be alright with it." Fred agreed before turning to Sam and George, "Right?"

They nodded.

"Remus has offered his services to us. He wants to help with Potterwatch." Kingsley announced.

"Why the sudden interest?" Fred asked before popping his collar, "Not as though we all aren't interesting here, but doesn't he normally work with the werewolves?"

Kingsley explained with a small smirk on his face, "He is looking for something to help the order, but still remain close to home. Tonks is pregnant you see."

Samantha jumped up and clasped her hands. "That's wonderful news."

"He awaits your answer, so what will it be?" Kingsley asked, sounding briefly like a real politician.

"Yes is our vote." Fred admitted with a nod to George.

"Mine as well." Samantha agreed heartily.

"Then it's settled, Remus and I will both be here for the next broadcast in a few days time." Kingsley announced with a flare before heading for the door.

"Good thinking on your part George." Fred patted his brother on the back. "Best not to tell Kingsley that Lee has decided to be a simpering sod."

George clasped his hands and mimicked Lee, "Oh I'm Lee and I'm upstairs pouting. I have it in my mind Sam had a date with someone who wasn't me." George blurted out quickly before putting his hand to his head.

Samantha sarcastically rolled her eyes, "Oh and dating is obviously at the tippy top of my priorities right now."

"Which is what we told him." Fred agreed with a tilt of his head. "It's the bloody end of the world for all we know. We could all die tomorrow."

They all stopped and stood silently.

"Thanks for that illuminating thought Fred. Really brought the mood up." George joked causing them to laugh.