The Misadventures of Neville Longbottom- Death Eater?
It was a lovely spring that year. Flowers in myriads of colors sprang up from the ground, all paying tribute to the blinding sun above. While unfurling leaves stretched toward the sky, foreign footsteps broke the revered silence and tramped over the sacred ceremony; crushed petals sprinkled down to the ground like great drops of blood. All in all, Neville decided, that was a rather morbid sign…
Naturally, mid-March of his Seventh Year found Neville moping about the greenhouses muttering utter nonsense regarding his upcoming N.E.W.T.'s ("Doom, doom-") under his breath to a captive audience of potted plants.
He sighed and dug his fingers into the bag of potting soil- how pathetic was it that he hid from his own friends to garden of all things? For Merlin's sake, he could have stayed in bed and slept in! …Well maybe not slept per say considering how loud Seamus and Dean's erm- wake-up techniques were. But he could have also gone to the library with Harry, Ron, and Hermione- though Hermione and Ron were almost louder than his dorm mates when it came to their 'arguments'. Harry wasn't much company either, only interrupting his teen-hero-must-save-world angst to snog with Ginny.
Neville paused and wiped his nose, leaving a streak of dirt from his soil covered hand- One, two, three, four, five…Yes, those were all of his friends. …Oh wait, he had forgotten Justin Finch-Fletchley! …Who had been sent home after a nervous breakdown?
Damn.
Finishing his re-potting, he groaned in frustration and buried his face in his hands. Good God, was there really nothing else to do? An idea bursting to the forefront of his mind, Neville situated himself next to the wall and crashed his head into the wood paneling.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
The repetition of it was almost comforting, he mused with a dreamy smile.
Bang. Bang. Ban- Scream?
Eyes popping open with a start he glanced toward the open door and noted with a certain amount of panic that the castle was on fire.
Goddammit, how did the castle get to be on fire?
…
Oh look, the Dark Mark. Ah, that explained some things.
Banging his head once more for good measure, Neville grabbed his wand and raced toward the castle to help out.
…Or he would have if a hulking bag of fertilizer hadn't chosen that moment to fall. As it was, he managed to fumble for his wand and take a hesitant step forward before it collided with his skull.
This was not a very effective was to play the hero, Neville noted wearily before blacking out. How did Harry manage it, he wondered?
