It was just another Opening Feast night on September 1, 1991.
Just another night for Neville Longbottom, a shy boy raised alone in a large manor. More like he fended for himself while his grandmother was slowly withering away despite her strict demeanor.
His grandmother. Every time he thought of her, Neville felt a throb of pain in his heart so intense that it was a surprise that he didn't outwardly show it.
He glanced at the head table shyly, nodding hesitantly in greeting to the professors staring intently at the new group of first years. Neville knew he would be placed in Hufflepuff- in fact he rather looked forward to it. Curiously, he turned his head to watch a handsome first year trip over a rock.
On an impulse, he stretched out his hand to the black-haired boy. The boy pushed up a pair of round framed glasses, his eyes a beautiful green. The boy hesitated before taking his hand.
"You okay?" Neville asked timidly.
The boy nodded slightly, before smiling awkwardly and turning to a tall red-haired boy next to him and jabbering off immediately. The two laughed, and the boy pushed back a curtain of black hair. Neville barely caught it, but his head snapped back towards the boy so fast he was surprised he didn't get whiplash. In fact.. it had appeared if there had been a lightning bolt scar on his head.
Neville shifted uncomfortably, rubbing the silver locket that was draped around his neck. If he truly is he.. This year is going to be more painful than I thought. he thought, unaware of the stern glare Professor McGonagall shot him for his cloak. Blushing at the reminder to fix his robes, Neville straightened his robes, a blush on his high cheeks.
Neville Longbottom was a curious sight; he had long ragged brown hair tied back in a low ponytail, with a boyishly round face and a lot of freckles. He was a bit skinny from trying to fend for himself, but he often thought he was quite chubby. Neville also had blue-gray eyes, the blue more pronounced when light hit it.
He stifled a yawn, gazing curiously as the hat gained a rip along the seam. And then.. it sang. Neville stared at the hat in shock for a bit, completely missing its song.
And then..
"Abbot, Hannah!"
A pretty red haired girl with hazel eyes bounced up to the stool, making Neville cock an eyebrow at first. It was a moment before the hat shouted,
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
It was a bit until they got to Neville's name, and during the duration, Neville was shaking slightly.
"Longbottom, Neville!"
Immediately whispers broke out as someone shoved him from behind, making him stumble. Snickers rang out as he fell and scrabbled back up. Red-faced from shame and embarrassment, Neville staggered up to the stool and jammed the hat on, concealing his furious blush.
"He's the boy that helped me up." he heard the boy he helped earlier speak quietly to his friend.
"Oh. It's you." The hat seemed to whisper in his mind, making Neville shiver slightly. "I've been half-expecting you dear boy after what happened when you were three."
Neville paled heavily, feeling his hands start to shake.
"The first were-bird hmmm?" The hat chuckled while Neville let out a slight meep.
"Yessir." he answered quickly in his head. He felt the hat smile genuinely.
"You were very brave fending the horrible bird off, dear boy. Therefore I must say..."
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted to the hall, and Neville collapsed off the stool, staggering towards the table with a pale face. Then he remembered the hat. Abashedly, he tripped and fell while he gave the hat to the professor. His face was ashen, blue-gray eyes haunted as he scrambled back to the table in a mad dash.
The Sorting went on smoothly from there, and to his shock, he found the boy he helped up had been Harry Potter.
There, he was pinned to a seat by a pair of red headed twins, full blown smirks on their faces. "Hi Nevvie-kinz~" the twin on his left cooed.
"I heard some... interesting rumors about you, firstie." The boy on his right murmured kindly.
"I-is that so?" Neville squeaked.
"Mhmmm." The two intoned together as they piled food on the Gryffindor first year's plate.
"Err.." Neville was slightly hesitant as he popped a peppermint humbug in his mouth. One of his favorites. Then he dug into his plate with fervor, eating his food in record speed as if he had hardly eaten in awhile. The twins glanced at him out of the corner of their eyes, looking curious. Neville blushed sheepishly, ducking his head as the two identical red-heads glanced at him with piercing gray eyes. There was something in them that was clouded, but Neville couldn't identify it.
Fred and George Weasley could smell the fear off of the first year in between the two, and their twin link opened up.
'What do you think, Fred?'
'I'm not sure. He smells like the fresh wind and rain. Not like us werewolves, George.'
The two glanced at each other, before leveling their gazes with the nervous firstie.
"Meet us outside of the painting at midnight. We wish to speak with you." George murmured in the firstie's ear.
"O-okay." Neville stammered shyly. The handsome duo shared looks again before smirking at Neville devilishly.
"So. Firstie. What's your name?" the other twin asked softly.
"Uh-uhm.. Neville. Neville Longbottom." the smaller boy timidly replied.
"Okay Neville-Neville Longbottom. I only have one first name, Fred Weasley." the first twin smiled kindly at Neville while George grinned sheepishly at the first year.
"George Weasley."
Neville seemed to shrink even further into himself if that was possible as the desserts appeared. He quickly nabbed a spoonful of vanilla ice cream and two brownies. Then drizzling caramel sauce and whipped cream on top, Neville dug into his dessert with fervor again.
"That any good?" Fred asked from his left.
"Yeah." Neville swallowed nervously, studying the duo with intense scrutiny. It was only then he spotted how to tell them apart. Fred had a little shape on the corner of his left eye in the shape of a star with his freckles while George had a crescent moon under his right eye. "U-um.. What are your favorite classes?"
"Potions." they grinned simultaneously. "We like to blow stuff up."
Neville smiled shakily. "I'm looking forward to Herbology." he admitted shyly. "We have thirteen greenhouses at the manor." His throat grew tight when he mentioned the manor, as if he didn't want to talk about his home life.
"Thirteen? Hogwarts only has seven!" George exclaimed, his blue eyes wide.
Neville grinned unabashedly. "I like plants. Our entire family has been very good at Herbology. Must be genetic." Then he grew quiet at the mention of his parents. "My entire family thought I was a Squib until I was five, when I was attacked by birds. My accidental magic made me heal a lot faster." He murmured.
The twins once again shared looks.
They would have to take young Neville Longbottom under their wings.
