The only thing to do was to accept Lord Malfoy’s offer and earn their own freedom. A laughable notion, for as long as Malfoy remained in power, Neville knew they’d have no true peace. Only the illusion of it. The Dark Lord would always demand something of them to prove their loyalty. He’d taken George’s eye, for fuck’s sake! George was used to it by now and seemed amused by his and Luna’s horrified reactions. Neville couldn’t imagine such a fate, unable to block the Dark Lord’s interference if he decided he wanted to see through him at any given moment regardless of what he was doing. And then there was the fact that he could somehow communicate telepathically with Hermione—would he find a way to impose that upon others? There was no telling what he might do, and it chilled him.