Don't own Harry Potter!
It was a scream that jarred Hymn Cassidy out of bed, during the early morning hours, of July 31 1991. After blinking a few times to focus her vision to the dim morning light, the girl noted Neville sitting up in the makeshift bed on the floor beside her.
Her fingers traced the wall for a lightswitch only to squint her eyes once she'd managed to turn it on. Though she did seem to fare better than Neville, who was practically blinded when the light was turned on and would continue seeing spots for an hour.
Carefully, Hymn crawled on her hands and knees to a window where she could watch the quiet street in Surrey without being seen. Neville tentatively followed his friend's lead and looked out the window.
The Dursley's car -an ugly purple Vauxhall Chevette- came to a stop in front of 4 Privet Drive. The two watched as Dudley ran into the two story house, covering his bottom protectively as a bright red blush spread across his face.
Vernon and Petunia (who will probably go down in history as the only adults Neville refused to call 'Mr.' and 'Mrs.') quickly followed their son's lead and locked themselves within the house.
"That's weird, what do you think they've done with Harry?"
Hymn made eye contact with Neville, and the eleven year old boy was suddenly consumed by a feeling of apprehension. It wasn't unusual for Neville or sometime Harry, to become overwhelmed by whatever emotion Hymn might be feeling when she looked into their eyes.
That was the only way she could truly communicates with them, the only way she has ever communicated with anyone. While she could write (rather sloppily), it was rather annoying to carry around a pen and paper everywhere. So when she needed to, she could look someone deep in the eyes and convey her feelings.
Harry and Neville didn't mind and accepted their friends silence and ability easily. Just like how the girl accepted their abilities to speak to snakes and revive plants respectively. Though none of them found it that weird honestly, they were wizards and a witch.
Neville and Hymn came from magical families, so accidental magic wasn't something all that strange to them. It was after Harry set Dudley on fire at the age of seven that their pair explained it their friend.
They told him everything they knew, from what happen to his parents to where they'd one day be going to school.
"Hymn Cassidy! I want you at the table for breakfast in the next hour or I won't be sending you off to that bloody school with your father!"
Hymn couldn't help but roll her eyes, while Neville jumps, at the shrill voice that came from somewhere within the house.
~~Line Break
Aunt Justice was a strict but fair (for the most part) women. She had greying platinum blond hair that was permanently pulled into a tight french braid. Today was not an exception as she hurried around the kitchen in a dark red cloak.
Pots and Pans flew all around the room, before two large plates of black raspberry pancakes were dropped in front of Neville and Hymn. Both plates had a face of fruite decorating the top along with matching red candles.
It was Augusta Longbottom, Neville's grandmother, who light the candles with the tip of her wand.
"We'll be going shopping in an hour, so I do hope you two find the time to look presentable." Augusta looked down her nose at the two eleven year old. "First impressions can sometimes be the difference between life and death."
If Hymn didn't know better, and she did, she might have rolled her eyes at the grey pureblood for being so dramatic. The only thing stopping her, was the fact if (and she would) Aunt Justice saw her she'd be smacked upside the head with a wooden spoon.
Neville followed a similar train of thought, though he was less worried about Aunt Justice hitting him with a spoon, finding his grandmother's excenticisity annoying. Augusta was a very traditional women and that often clashed with Neville's desire to find his own way. He wasn't very interested in arranged marriages, or even traditional marriages (though when ever he said this Hymn would smugly smirk to herself).
"I've laid out the wash from last night's...accident if you need something from it." Aunt Justice explained, sharply glaring at Neville for a brief second before looking Hymn in the eyes. "Your father owled, it seems he won't be about to come shopping with you but has left money for you in an account. Seeing how Neville and you will be leaving for school, Augusta and I don't see a point in following you around all day so you'll be shopping by yourselves."
Saying Hymn was disappointed was an understatement, she didn't even have to look at Neville for him to know you upset she was. In the last six years she's spent maybe an hour with her father, and despite religiously sending letters once a week to him he rarely found time to writes back.
Finishing their food quickly the two went off to get ready, both praying that they'd find Harry (and he was okay) while they we're shopping. The three of them had been dreaming of they day they'd be able to get wands and hope the train to Hogwarts.
~~Line Break (In which Hymn is mistaken as a boy)
Hagrid hadn't been paying much attention before a flash of brown tackled Harry to the ground. They'd just left Gringotts, having picked up money for school supplies from Harry's volt and the package Dumbledore had requested.
Once he focused he noticed two children around Harry's age, one he knew was the son of Alice and Frank Longbottom.
Neville. if he remembered the name correctly, was a short and pudgy young man in a oversized blue button up with brown hair. He looked faintly like his father at his age, but not as much as Harry who was almost the spitting image of his father.
The other kid was the tallest of the three, but very lanky looking with greasy raven black hair pulled back. He didn't talk as Neville and Harry filled each other on about their day, instead he stood slightly off to the side with a knowing smirk.
It wasn't till Hagrid's eyes meet a pair him pair of pale lavender, that the half giant felt a welcoming aura englof him.
"Hagrid! These are my best mates Neville Longbottom and Hymn Cassidy. Today is each of ours eleventh birthdays. I'd been planning to go shopping with them, do you mind if they come with us?" Harry asked eagerly.
"I don't see why not!" Hagrid laughed, startling a few passersby with its volume. "You two can call me Hagrid, I work at Hogwarts."
"That's so cool, maybe you know Hymns father. He's a teacher there, Potions right?" Neville turned to Hymn who only nodded softly. "Severus Snape."
Hagrid almost fell over from trying to look at Hymn again, he didn't know that Severus (and he doubted anyone did) had a son. Though when he looked again he could see a resemblance, almost all their features matched except the nose and eyes. Hymn's nose was much more button like and eyes a beautiful unique warm color of lavender.
"That must be nice." Soon Hagrid fell into step with Hymn as Neville and Harry talked about school houses and classes. Though the silence that sat between the half-giant and Hymn wasn't awkward but help a comfortable understanding.
Two hours later the four had almost finished all the shopping uneventfully, excluding a funny moment when Hagrid realized Hymn was a witch not a wizard. Though Hymn quickly brushed it off after a cup of tea at Rose Lee Teabags and a hysterical apology.
As the day went their was a slow of people walking on the cobble stone street around them. The three had gotten everything on their list, plus a bit extra.
Harry had gotten a beautiful Snow Owl from Hagrid, some books on quidditch from Neville, and extra potion ingredients (and quills) that Hymn had felt he'd probably need at one point.
Neville had gotten a Toad, seeing as it took the least effort to keep alive and with the rest of his birthday bought assorted seeds that caught his eye. Hymn had gotten him a few books and plants, while Harry had simply gotten him a nice tray to plant his 'demon plants'.
Hymn had gotten a fair array of potions ingredients, most of which weren't on their list but for her own private stock. She ended up buying a midnight black Kneazle kitten, who had quickly taken to resting in Hymn's pocket. Both boys had gotten her broken things from the Junk shop, Harry a broken hand mirror and Neville a box of powdered rocks. While it didn't seem like a good thing, Hymn liked the items for unknown reasons.
All three would remember it as a fairly nice and quiet birthday, something they wouldn't experience again for years.