Neville had been sitting on his bed. He looked out his window. Funny, a nice day when everything is so messed up… Well, suppose I should make the most of it, shouldn't I? He knew his grandmother was making breakfast downstairs. He wished she wouldn't get up so early. Though it was nice to finally be up to her standards, praise was a nice change from her normal disappointment, she would often repeat his father and mother's feats. Normally he loved to listen to these stories. He would ask for her to repeat them when he was little. The list seemed endless, their achievements and childhood stories, but now in such a dangerous time he really didn't want to be given anymore ideas of how he could be killed.
Neville took his usual route when he wanted to avoid the kitchen and made his way outside. It was sunny with a cool breeze. Spreading out flat onto the grass, he thought about his friends and the D.A. All last year, he and Luna had been waiting for those galleons to heat up, to call them to another lesson. Hermione, that genius girl always helping him, had made those brilliant coins. He kept it with him at all times. Never was the coin to be mistaken for a real galleon. He improved tremendously when Harry was teaching. To finally achieve stunning and disarming! He never thought he would live to do that. Then again, he never was one for self confidence.
But everything had changed. He learned so much from his friends. That first year he learned to stand up for himself. Dumbledore even acknowledged it at the end of the year feast, ultimately giving Gryffindor the points they needed to win the house cup. He emerged from being the quivering, untalented, worried boy into the Gryffindor he was and would continue to progress to be. He would always remember that moment. Every year had its challenges yet he got through them.
Last year… Neville shuddered to think about it. The Dark Mark above the astronomy tower, that cursed barrier preventing him from helping his friends, Bill getting bit… and Dumbledore dead. Nothing could ever go wrong if Dumbledore was there but now that he was gone… But no, thought Neville, We've still got a chance. The Order of the Phoenix is still here. And the D.A… surely Harry has to continue lessons now, given the circumstances? We can fight this! He cheered at the thought. With everyone behind us nothing can go wrong. We'll get through this somehow… We'll take down Voldemort and his Death Eaters! His friends Ginny, Luna, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, they would never let him down. They would stick together, just like at the Ministry, just like last year, and pull through.
Soon Neville would be on that train for his final year at Hogwarts. He didn't like the idea of it being his last. Today, after breakfast, he would be going to Diagon Alley for school supplies. Maybe he'll see his friends at the shops. Surely they would still go to Hogwarts? After all, what place safer than Hogwarts with teachers guarding the school, thick walls and enchantments, and talented students. Safety in numbers, right? He longed to see them. The carriages with the thestrals, which he now knew were harmless, the classes, Herbology in particular, and the same adventures they would have, dangerous and otherwise, were to be expected and he was excited no matter what happened. Of course, the whole my-next-step-might-be-my-last-step thing really sucked. Then again, how was this situation any different than the others they've faced? I've made it this far… And Gran… she can take care of herself. He smiled at the thought of her taking down bad guys with a single swoop of her wand. They won't know what hit them. Nobody does with her anyway.
Figuring Gran was done with cooking, he leapt to his feet just as she yelled for him to come in. Probably eggs and bacon again…