Neville rolled his eyes while Harry snarked out clearly, "Yes, ladies and gents; it's the Great Neville Longbottom and his friend, Harry."
That earned them, at least, a few smiles.
As the two girls were still in the infirmary with the other three, there was none of their friends sitting anywhere for whom they needed to look. With a twitch of his head and a mutter of, "Gryffindor," Harry indicated they should sit at the table of the Lions. They joined the Twins and the rest of the Gryff' Quidditch team.
"Morning," said Neville.
"All!" said Harry, as the pair of them sat. "Oh, no!" said Katie Bell with mock horror. "The twins have infected them!"
The twins just grinned at each other before bursting out with laughter. While Harry and Neville did the same.
The two quickly loaded their plates and set to eating as much as they could before they had to return to face the music in the infirmary.
"They're awake," said Neville.
"Who?" asked Angelina Johnson.
"Those petrified," said Harry.
"Good," said Oliver Wood. "So, why aren't you up there?" asked Angelina.
"It's breakfast time," said Neville.
"And, they yelled at us," said Harry.
"They - yelled at you?" she asked.
Both boys nodded.
"Why?" "It seems, they weren't happy," explained Harry "... that we went down into the Chamber of Secrets," explained Neville "We did rescue young Miss Weasley." "And, killed the basilisk."
"But, they still yelled at us for it."
"Stop that!" said Katie.
Both boys grinned again. The twins cracked up. They were only partway through eating their breakfast when they were approached by Professor McGonagall.
"Mister Potter. Mister Longbottom. The Headmaster would like to see you in his office."
Turning to look at her, Harry said, "It's a Sunday, Professor. My betrothed, and our friends, have only just been revived and we're expected back there post haste. To save valuable time, what is it that Mister Dumbledore wants?"
With an annoyed glare and pursed lips, she replied, "It's Headmaster Dumbledore, Mister Potter. And I have not been informed as to why he wants to see you."
"My apologies, Professor," said Harry. "I had not been informed the Headmaster had been reinstated to his position. Is this the case?" "Yes, Mister Potter, I believe so," she said.
"Fair enough, Professor," he said. "However, as I have already stated, I have another - far more important - engagement at this time. If it is a matter of great urgency, I and my magical guardians shall be happy to entertain the Headmaster in the infirmary in, say, fifteen minutes?"
"The Headmaster does not like to be kept waiting, Mister Potter," she said.
Harry sighed and said, "But its quite alright for a student to have three consecutive meals interrupted. Very well; I shall send a message to my guardians they're expected in the Headmaster's office immediately because he 'doesn't like to be kept waiting'."
Harry stood up and said to her, "Ready for me to knock your socks off?" Dropping his wand into his hand, Harry stepped over the bench and looked towards the double doors to the Entrance Hall. He raised his wand, gathered a bit of extra magic, focussed on his pleasant thoughts of kissing Daphne while holding her in his arms and incanted, "Expecto Patronum!"
A large stag surged out of the tip of his wand, and charged forward a few paces before turning around and trotting back. The Hall went silent. To it, Harry said, "Message to Lord and Lady Greengrass in the infirmary. Headmaster Dumbledore has just summoned Neville and me to his office through Professor McGonagall, interrupting our breakfast. Apparently, he does notlike to be kept waiting. So, as my magical guardians, could you please join us there as quickly as possible? Thank you." The stag turned and bounded from the room, out through the doors.
Harry turned back to a completely silent room. Everyone was staring at him in shock again.
"How's your socks, Professor?" he grinned.
Neville laughed. The message Patronus was something they'd been studying during search breaks the past three weeks. They thought it might come in handy when they separated and wanted to call the others to them. Harry was the only one who could do it, so far.
Harry and Neville walked side by side behind Professor McGonagall along the corridor leading to the Headmaster's office.
"Slow down, Nev," muttered Harry to the other boy. "We want to give time for Cygnus and Isabel to join us before we pass beyond the gargoyle."
Neville nodded and immediately slowed down.
"How's your Occlumency, Neville?" Harry asked louder.
"Quite good, actually," he replied. "Uncle Algie taught me and he say's I'm quite good. Why?"
"Well," replied Harry. "I've noticed, on a couple of occasions, that the Headmaster has this naughty habit of trying to use passive Legilimency to look inside my mind. So, I recommend you have your shields firmly up and set to hurt."
"Mister Potter," said Professor McGonagall, annoyed. "I do not believe the Headmaster would do such a thing." "Then, Neville and I having our Occlumency shields set to cause significant pain to anyone attempting Legilimency upon us, will make no difference whatsoever. Correct, Professor?" he reasoned back. "So, if the Headmaster suddenly grips his head in great pain, you will have learned your belief the Headmaster would not do such a thing will have been in error. Yes?"
Instead of answering, Professor McGonagall's stride just became more determined. Neville was just about to instinctively increase his own pace, when Harry reached out his arm and held him back their slower pace.
As they were approaching the gargoyle, Harry heard running footsteps coming from behind them. He stopped with Neville to wait. It was Sirius.
"Professor?" he called.
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