Although Snape had aroused my curiosity, after what had happened that night, I had really had no time to discover anything. There was a real epidemic in the school and every now and then a student had to be sent to the hospital wing. At the same time, another rumour found its way around the school, and the young people started panicking. However, I somehow never managed to hear what they were talking about.

"I guess they're using one of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes to communicate without being overheard," remarked at some point Neville.

Even though one of the Weasley brothers was killed during the Battle of Hogwarts, the shop had never changed its name, and everyone still kept saying that they were going to the Weasleys. Well, true, for a while the twins' younger brother, Ron, had worked there, too, the very same man who was Harry Potter's best friend. However, he then had left Diagon Alley, since he had got a job as an Auror in the Ministry.

However, the shop was still widely popular, and sometimes the students could be seen unpacking what they had bought at the breakfast table. I was not quite sure whether it was legal, but until now nothing bad had happened. Besides, the students kept using them in a way that they were yet to be caught.

"Yes, I'm sure you're right," I said, then poured some tea for myself, glancing at the students sitting at the tables nearby.

As of late, I could only talk to Neville during the meals. Although until now he had usually sought for any chance to speak with me, even during the shortest of breaks, now he seemed to be avoiding me. Fortunately, though, the same was for Snape.

"Listen," I started after a moment, not really sure if I was not about to regret my question. "Snape suspected that the two of us are... up to something." I frowned and looked over at Neville, hoping to read anything from his face, but at that very moment, he was very busy with his breakfast. Maybe he was really trying not to look at me.

"He's always accusing people of plots," he answered finally, shrugging. "I thought you'd be the one to know that best."

I truly wanted to believe that, but even he, saying those words, probably was not quite certain they were true, because I could hear that little, hardly noticeable tone in his voice that usually appeared there when he was trying to lie.

"No, Neville, I am convinced that something happened when you two talked last time," I replied quietly, putting my fork and knife back onto the plate, because my hands were shivering way too much. "I'm not sure what you told him... or what he told you..."

Neville did not look at me, but at the same time he no longer pretended to be eating. He stared blankly at his plate, and I could notice his face slowly turning red.

"You'll be trying to stop me... persuade me not to do that... but I'm not having it, Darcie. That's why it's better if you don't know, otherwise you'll feel obliged to try to convince me."

His words terrified me. They sounded as if he was planning something really dangerous... and really foolish. Because he had got to know that I would never try to convince him not to do something that was necessary. But now, it seemed that it was all about something that could definitely be avoided... something that undoubtedly should be avoided.

I put the cup back onto the table and turned a bit in my chair to look at him. I was glad that there was such a bustle during breakfast, because this way our conversation could not be overheard. Or at least so I hoped.

"Then you really are up to something," I whispered. "Neville, you'd better tell me. If I don't know, I won't be able to protect you."

"But I don't want you to protect me, all right?" he splurted. I had never heard such a tone before, not from him, for sure. Neville had probably noticed that, because he then sighed. "Sorry... but you see, there are some things..."

He sounded just like Snape, and McGonagall before him. I wondered why no-one really wanted to tell me anything. Why people whom I trusted treated me as if I were a child. Because although I could expect such a behaviour from Snape, I could not when it came to Neville.

"Yes, I know. Things that are beyond me. Matters I know nothing about, which I should never, ever know anything about," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "And it would be best for me if I kept myself far from them, because they have nothing to do with me."

Neville seemed to be astonished.

"No, that's... not what I wanted to say," he mumbled hesitantly. "I just... don't want anything bad to happen to you, Darcie, and if... if you'll try to stop me, this is what might happen. This is something between me and Snape."

I did not answer. I had a feeling that I would need to get to know a bit more about this case in a slightly different way.

I knew I could not forget that I was no longer a student who could every now and then break some rules and simply be disobedient. Right now, I was expected to be the best example. And that was what I had been planning to do from the very beginning. But now, as such things were happening, I simply wished I could return to the times when I had been able to sneak out of my dormitory, even if that meant risking losing some points, just to explore some of the castle's mysteries. And the more I wanted that, the more often I reminded myself who I really was.

I did not even have my dormitory friends with whom I could exchange my midnight thoughts. There was only a talking mirror, and I was under the impression that if I said anything about sneaking out at this hour, it definitely would not be happy. Besides, I could not be sure if it would not snitch on me to the Headmistress.

I sighed only, then turned onto my other side. It was not midnight yet, and I already had a feeling that I had been lying like this for hours. I heard the mirror's rhythmical breath nearby. So it was asleep... and if I left now, it probably would not even notice...

I had already chided myself for having such thoughts. I could not spy on my colleagues. I was an adult now, and Neville was definitely able to take care of himself. He was older than me, besides, he had graduated from Gryffindor, and this House was believed to be the best one. Some people even said that he was going to become the Headmaster after McGonagall.

Still, I could not get rid of such thoughts. I really believed that Neville was in danger. That I should at least check upon him before it was too late...

Feeling something a bit like remorse, I slipped out of my bed. The clock standing on my night-stand told me that it was half past eleven. Neville probably was not asleep at this hour – or at least so I hoped, because I really did not want to wake him. Holding my breath, I pulled my navy-blue dressing-gown, then put the slippers onto my feet. That was not how one would expect to meet his History of Magic teacher, but at this hour there would be no people in the corridors.

Once again, I looked at the snoozing mirror, and having made sure that it was not going to wake up, I softly pushed the painting that hid the entrance to my room.

All of the teachers' rooms were hidden just the way the Common Rooms were – the only difference was that no-one really knew where the entrances were. The students only knew the locations of the offices, but nothing besides that.

I walked as quietly as I only could, but I still could hear my own footsteps echoing across the corridors. Fortunately, the people in the pictures were fast asleep, so no-one had really heard anything. I would rather not ignite my wand, either, just so I would not try my luck. I also hoped that the Peeves was nowhere around.

I knew perfectly well where to find Neville's room, but it was the only room of which localisation I really knew; I had not got to know where the rooms of other teachers, or even McGonagall's were yet.

My room was situated on the second floor, in the west wing. So if I wanted to go to Neville's chamber, I needed to cross almost the whole castle, since he lived in the east wing. That was one of the reasons why this night wandering scared me a bit. On the other hand, was it really the first time I was walking across the castle by night?

Sometimes I needed to stop and hide in the empty niches, when one of the ghosts was floating around nearby. I did not want to be noticed by anyone, since I could not know what their reaction would be.

However, at this hour, the corridors in the castle were almost completely empty. Even though I had to hide and listen carefully, not sure whether the figures in the paintings were still asleep, I managed not to get caught. So when I finally got to the dungeons in the east wing, where I could find Neville's chamber, I sighed with sheer relief.

I stood in front of an empty wall and knocked on it quietly. The hidden entrance did not open – it would if I had knocked in the right rhythm – but I did not want to get in. I just wanted Neville to hear me.

Sooner than I had expected the door opened, and the man glanced at me in total astonishment. I could not help but notice that he was still completely dressed, a wand in his hand. When he noticed I had spotted it, he quickly pushed it into his pocket.

"Darcie? What are you doing here?" he asked, quite obviously agitated.

"I needed to make sure you're all right," I answered completely thruthfully. "Why were you holding a wand?"

Neville seemed to get even more embarrassed than before as he looked away. It was clear to me that he did not want to explain anything. He nervously scartched his hand, a deep blush upon his cheeks – just the same I had seen earlier that day.

"Ah... well... it's nothing, nothing really. I only thought that it was..."

"That it was whom?" I kept asking as soon as he had suddenly stopped in mid-sentence. I frowned when he kept avoiding the answer. "That it was Snape?"

Neville's silence made me almost sure that I was on the mark, even though, to be quite honest, I had no idea why on earth Snape would come to Neville's room. Especially at this hour... There was no reason for the two of them to meet at all – they hated each other so much that they did not want to bump into the other during the breaks.

Unless...

"Oh God, Neville..."

When I was whispering his name, he raised his eyes and looked at me with some strange determination. I felt an unpleasant sensation around my stomach.

"That's exactly why I didn't want you to know," he answered, but this time there was no hesitation in his voice. "Because you'd have tried to convince me not to do that... but now it's already too late."

Neville moved me aside with surprising softness, then left the chamber. The entrance disappeared almost as quickly as it had previously emerged, leaving nothing but a plain wall, as if there had never been anything on it.

"But it's against the rules!" I kept protesting. "If someone catches you... I really don't mind Snape, but you... Neville, I really don't want you to get into trouble because of him! He doesn't deserve that!"

I followed him, trotting, while he quickly walked down the corridors. Almost as if he paid no attention to the fact someone could actually find him there.

"No, Darcie, but I do deserve my revenge. After all these years..."

"But he could kill you!"

No longer did I even try to be quiet. Neville's plans simply terrified me. If he really decided to duel Snape... good Lord, Snape had been a Death Eater! He knew black magic perfectly!

Neville did not answer. He only pushed the heavy door ahead; they led us to the store rooms which hid some of the books that were not available in the library. The corridors there were definitely much broader than in the other part of the castle, but not many knew about their existence. It was a dream place for a duel.

"Stay here," he whispered quietly, "I'll be right back."

I would never stay behind the corner while Neville was fighting Snape, but he apparently realised what my attitude was, because he soon pointed his wand at my ankles. Before I realised what was happening, a thick rope had appeared around them, making me unable to walk.

"You should be happy I didn't Petrify you," he added, frowning.

I swore under my breath when he walked away. Soon I could hear him greeting someone, his voice completly dry. So Snape had already been there. Trying not to listen to them, I reached for the wand I had in my breast pocket. I wondered if Neville had thought I had not brought it with me... otherwise he would not have tied just my legs.

I had to hurry. I had no idea who would be the first one to cast a spell, but as soon as that happened, it would already be too late.

With just one flick of my hand I cut the ropes around my ankles. I had to prop myself on the wall, because I lost my balance for a moment. I heard a familiar sound. So one of them had already cast the first spell...

"Surrender, you trash," I heard Snape, his voice full of hatred. "Nothing good awaits you here."

I made a couple of steps closer, then looked from behind the corner. Neither was hurt yet, but it was just a matter of time. One more bang, and this time it was Snape who had to jump aside to avoid the charm. However, this new position let him cast another spell. Neville let out a cry, and there was a deep cut across his cheek.

All of that happened as if in slow motion. I knew I should do something, but I still was not sure what exactly. Casting a spell on Snape when I remained hidden was simply not fair; besides, he would probably think that Neville had brought me there, worried that he would not be able to win. I could not let that happen. At the same time, though, I knew that if I did not came up with something really fast, something bad could happen to Neville.

"You should have died! Everyone wanted you dead!" shrieked Neville. Bang. Snape laid on the floor. Just the Shield Charm protected him from another blow from Longbottom's side.

I was not quite sure if he had not gone too fast. His round face had already got red as he shouted insults at his former Potions teacher, as if he was pouring out all of his regret that had accumulated during his school years.

"Neville, stop!"

Not being able to stand it any longer, and knowing that Snape was just waiting for the best moment to repay Neville, I ran from behind the corner to stand between the two of them. Yes, it was foolish of me, but I could not see a better way.

Snape made use of that opportunity, when my appearance distracted Neville.

"Sectumsempra!" he cried, and I at the last second managed to form an invisible shield between the two men. Unfortunately to me, at the same time Neville had decided to attack Snape.

I did not hear the formula he said; maybe he had cast a nonverbal spell... I only remember that I felt some excruciating pain in my whole body, and then...

...and then, there was nothing.