Author's Note: This is a story that takes place after book seven, but pretends that mini-epilogue never happened. Neville has to repeat his seventh year in school while making unlikely friends, avoiding his duties as Head of the Longbottom family, and falling in love with a girl he can never have.
Disclaimer: JK Rowling is the creator of this universe; I just like to live in it.
Standing in front of the huge stone castle, it's like the final battle with Voldemort never happened.
The courtyard, which had been piles of rubble when I had last seen it, is in pristine condition. Not just that, but it looks alive. The brick walls are splattered with aesthetic patches of peat moss. The small gardens bloom with auriculas, primroses, and polyanthus (which are a bit too yellow for my own taste, but Professor Sprout likes petals that remind her sunshine). Even the Black Lake seemed bluer than it ever has this close to dusk. But despite this overabundance of life, there are no students skipping stones across the water. No groups of girls stand gossiping by the flowers. And when I listen intently through the courtyard doors, the roar of the students waiting for the Start-of-Term Feast is nothing but dull murmurs.
Normally, I'd already be in there, walking through the Entrance Hall with whoever I had shared a carriage with from the train station. The last few years, this had always been someone from the DA. This year, I had taken too long to exit the train (which will happen when you carry a snarfalump). Even though all the students had gone ahead, there were still nearly ten empty carriages. I hopped in the nearest one, wondering sadly how many students had been taken by surprise with the thestrals' appearance this year.
My carriage caught up to the main group, but the other riders were either silent or whispering to themselves in their carts. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were right in front of me, but the titling of their heads and undertone words made it clear they were in the middle of a private conversation. So I tended to my snarfalump, Miranda, who had wrapped a tentacle around my neck to get my attention. Once Filch had checked me in at the gates, I caught Ron's eye, but only gave him a wave as I walked around the castle to the back courtyard. It didn't seem right to go in with them. At least, it didn't feel like I belonged at that moment.
It had been nice, standing out here; nature has the odd way of relaxing and invigorating me simultaneously. But the courtyard's clock states I have only five minutes until the firsties arrive. Not wanting to miss the sorting, I walk from the edge to the courtyard to the giant doors beneath the clock's pendulum. Before I can go in, Miranda wraps her lavender vine around my prefect badge and rips it off my clothes.
"That wasn't very nice," I reprimand her softly. Then I wince. I probably should have taken her straight to the dormitory. But after loosing Trevor for so many years, I tend to hold on to living things in my care a little more closely that I should. I guess I'll just find an an empty spot at the Gryffindor table and warn people to stay away.
I'm struggling to pin the badge back on when a soft voice from the door says, "There you are."
Luna comes skipping down the stairs, her radish earrings dangling merrily beneath her ears. I smile as I always do when she is nearby, but the grin gets lost in a hiss when I accidentally stab myself with the pin. She whips out her wand and points to the shinning golden "P" above my robe's Gryffindor emblem.
"Affigo."
The badge affixes itself temporarily to my robes. I blush, wishing I had thought to do the sticking charm myself. But knowing my luck, I probably would have accidentally done a permanent sticking charm instead. I don't even know if I should be wearing the badge; I only got it because Ron didn't show up for school last year. But it seemed wrong to leave it behind.
"I was getting worried," she says, her daydream tone conveying none of her concern. She pets Miranda, who curls her smallest tentacle around Luna's pinky finger like a dainty ring. "Is everything all right?"
"Just admiring Professor Sprout's work," I say, nodding to the well-tended moss and flowers.
"Well you mustn't stay any longer. It's frightfully bad luck to stand by moss at sunset."
"Nargles are attracted to them?" I hazard a guess.
"Blibbering Humdingers. You'll sing off pitch for days after being pecked by one of them," she corrects before grabbing my hand. She skips just as gaily as she came as I stumble after her, tripping on the stone steps. But as it always is when it comes to Luna, I just kind of go with the flow as best I can.
When we get to the doors to the Great Hall, I stop to look at the crowd standing in the Entrance Hall. It's a small group, but that's no surprise. Professor Flitwick, our new Deputy Headmaster, goes over the four houses and the sorting process. I catch two pairs of eyes that looked as terrified as mine when I was in their shoes. I'm able to give them each a smile before Luna drags Miranda and me into the Great Hall.
As I expected, there are large empty patches at the Gryffindor table, as well as the other three house tables. Shortly after the events of last year, the Hogwarts Board of Governors sent out notices to all families. Within it, they indicated Hogwarts would be open, but this year's attendance wouldn't be mandatory for continued enrollment. This was to give students time with their families after everything that had happened. I know Dean's family had elected to do this, as well as few of the younger members of the DA who I kept in contact with over the summer.
The Board had also notified that students had the option of retaking their previous year course load without risk of any demerits on their academic record. I had been so relieved when I had seen that letter considering I had failed every subject on my NEWTs, with the exception to Herbology. My grandmother… well, she wasn't too happy.
"You don't need to take the NEWTS to take your place as head of the Longbottoms," she had pushed. "You are at your age of majority and need to start taking on your responsibilities."
Thankfully, I had learned to stand up for myself somewhat and had convinced her to give me her blessing to go back to school. True, it was only after I crumbled and agreed to begin taking on my duties as head while I was attending, but I had her blessing, and I was trying to focus on that.
Luna tickles Miranda in the center of her tentacles before floating away to the Ravenclaw table. As soon as I set down the snarfalump at the end of the table, it begins grabbing everything in reach: goblets, plates, table centerpieces—nothing is safe.
"Calm down," I say, ducking as she throws a spoon toward my head. "You are being very rude."
I'm faintly aware of the growing laughter echoing around me, but I can't be bothered to care too much as I have more pressing matters to deal with. Like the butter knife currently heading straight for my eye. I flinch and block my hands in front of my face. But there is no impact. I hesitate, looking through a crack in my fingers with a squint of an eye. Ginny flips the knife in the air.
"Did you seriously bring a devil's snare to the Start-of-Term Feast?" Her tone is teasing and light.
"No, ah…" I grab Miranda quickly and put her on the floor as I try to gather my thoughts. "She's a snarfalump."
"Ah, yes, snarfalumps," she says, obviously having no idea what that meant.
I grin a bit foolishly. "They're mostly harmless. She's young and feels the need to touch and grab everything. But she'll be hitting puberty next month and should keep her hands to herself. Hopefully, anyway."
She chuckles and lightly hits me on the shoulder. "And here I was thinking you and Hagrid could begin bonding over your love for dangerous things that could kill you."
I wish I had something snappy to say in reply, but I don't. I try to stop smiling as my cheeks are beginning to hurt and I know my teeth aren't that great, but I can't. My shoes scuff the floor as I search for something to say. But all I can think of is how her long hair is almost the same shade of the Dwarf Pomegranate flowers I had planted for my grandmother over summer vacation. Almost. But not quite.
"Her name is Miranda," I eventually say.
She taps the pot with her toe, exposing her bare ankles and slip-on shoes from the folds of her robes. "Well, Miranda and I might have to 'talk' if she tries to stab you again."
"Thanks for that," I say quickly, wanting to hit myself that I didn't think to say it sooner.
She winks and the nudges me with her arm, "You owe me one."
"I'll give you two," I say on cue.
She turns to walk back to the empty spot beside Harry a few bench spaces away from my own. I rub my arm fondly.
The first time we exchanged those words was when I temporarily set her ankle after the Department of Mysteries. I had been shaking pretty bad, given Bellatrix had cursed me with… well… that. But I have had enough mishaps to learn at least a basic first aid. I hadn't healed it or anything—I'll probably never be that good—but she had sighed in relief and thanked me. After that, I can only blame the post adrenaline rush and the general thrill that I was still alive for my cavalier reply, "you owe me one." She had stared in a bit of a shock, before smiling back as wide as the pain would allow her before saying, "I'll give you two."
The next time it had happened, it was sixth year in the astronomy tower. Thorfinn Rowle had been casting Killing curses everywhere, and had aimed one for me. Ginny had yanked me out of the way at one point, causing the green stream of light to hit the Death Eater Gibbon. Then seventh year, we were saying it to each other constantly. When I warned her the Carrows had replaced her broom with a jinxed replica; when Ginny had helped me escape from the dungeons; and when I had stepped in front of her when Goyle tried to cast the Cruciatus on her.
The last had happened the day before the Easter holidays; the day before she had gone into hiding. Ginny had been forced to leave me with Goyle so she could hide the first year Ravenclaw who had been at the receiving end of Goyle's wand. I still remember the way Goyle had continuously cast the curse for maybe a quarter of an hour before Severus Snape had walked on the scene. He only dismissed the Slytherin and then said to me, "Ten points from Gryffindor for being out past curfew."
My pain-clenched lips refused to let me protest that prefects have no curfews.
I told the story to Ginny later that night, between the shakes and tremors I had gotten… well, not used to; you can never get used to the Cruciatus, but had learned to suffer through quietly until they wore off. She had looked at me quietly for a really long time. It was odd, that stare. And I remember that my shaking had gotten worse under it. I had said "you owe me one" as a way to lighten the situation. She eventually smiled, but then hugged me hard and said, "I'll give you a hundred."
I'm so caught in the memory of that embrace that when I move to sit down at the Gryffindor table, I don't realize that Miranda has looped my shoelaces together. I fall down with a bang and the entire room begins laughing. I blush heavily, but smile too. It's good to hear the Great Hall sounding cheerful; even if it is at my expense.
The firsties walk into the hall shortly after. I make a point to wave at the small boy with cornrows and the freckled girl I had smiled to at the entrance. It seems to give them a little comfort anyway. By the time the sorting is ready to begin, I'm happy to see the Sorting Hat in one piece. It looks a little crispier after the battle, but at least there are no holes or tears.
When the brim opens, the Great Hall falls silent.
It's good to see so many here
After all that we've been through.
It's sad to think on what we've lost;
People dear to me and you.
Here at Hogwarts we will stand
Together in four quarters.
So even though I'll sort you out,
Know all are your supporters.
The Gryffindors are brave and true
And tend to be audacious.
But if you find yourself in need,
Their chivalry is quite tenacious.
A Hufflepuff is a loyal friend
Who will always be by your side.
When toil or strife cross your path,
They'll stick beside at every stride.
Ravenclaws are intelligent
And will hold your presence high.
For if you value wit like them,
Your limits are just the sky.
Slytherins are cunning folks,
Who know the road of survival
Don't let the men before deter you;
They are due for a great revival.
Not house is wrong, no house is right
Please ease your little minds.
For any place I sort you in
Claims masters of Wizard-kind.
So step on up and don't by shy
I promise I won't bite.
Just put me on your ickle head;
Your journey starts tonight!
My hands sting from my loud claps. It never ceases to surprise me how the Sorting Hat crafts the perfect pitch to match the tone of the times. The last thing these kids needed was a dose of fear or caution. I look to the two kids I waved at and see their faces have gotten less pinched and more excited. Good. I only hope the bit about the Slytherin house being due for a revival is true.
The freckled brunette, Portia Ollivander, is sorted into Slytherin and the boy in cornrows, Keenan Robinson, is put in Gryffindor. I clap for them loudly and smile when Keenan sits beside me.
"Why are you here by yourself?" He asks, probably wondering if I'm some sort of weirdo.
I point to Miranda. Whether or not it confirms or deny his likely worry, I'm unsure. "She tends to get a little grabby, so I'm keeping her away from the crowd."
He stares at Miranda's purple tentacles which reach desperately for the table. "What is it?"
"A snarfalump."
He blinks. "Is that like a heffalump?"
I blink back. "Err… I don't think so."
"It's a moogle thing," he shrugs, looking down at his hands.
"Muggle," I correct. I hand my spoon over to Miranda to give her something to play with. "So tell me, what's a heffalump?"
He shakes his head. "Nah, it's stupid."
"Go on," I nudge, pausing to clap as the final firstie, Gabriel Wood, gets sorted into Gryffindor. Huh. It seems like half of the first years got sorted into Gryffindor this year. I glance over to the Slytherin table. And besides Portia, only two others got placed in Slytherin. As I scan the table, my eyes widen to see Draco Malfoy sitting by himself. I thought he was under house arrest from the Wizengamot? As if feeling my stare, his eyes suddenly meet mine to give me the darkest of glares. I blush and give my attention back to Keenan.
"Well," Keenan says, even shyer when Gabriel comes to sit by us. "It's something from a Disney movie, so unless you…"
"I love Disney movies!" Gabriel says, her green eyes wide and excited. "I'm a half-blood, so I only get to see them when we visit my dad's parents, but I've watched every movie like eighteen times. My favorite is Aladdin. What's yours? Do you like Aladdin?"
I hide a smile at Keenan's dumfounded face. "What mover were you talking bout?" I ask, gently prompting him to speak.
"Err, movie. And I was talking about the heffalumps in Winnie the Pooh."
I never did fully get to understand what heffalumps or Disney move-ees were, as Gabriel's excitement took on sonic heights. Even Miranda's tentacles dropped the spoon and curled in on herself, as if trying to protect it's non-existent eardrums. Maybe it could feel the vibrations of her high pitch? Hmmm… that's something I would have to ask Professor Sprout about later. Maybe using a dog whistle would subdue it's actions if it became excessively grabby like it did with—
"Neville!" Ginny calls, just before a piece of bread hits me in the forehead. She laughs and points at the gravy dish beside my elbow that appeared sometime after McGongall's brief announcements, which I completely missed. "I think the firstie would like some gravy for his potatoes."
"Oh, right, sorry guys," I say. I pass the gravy dish down. But not before I secretly eat the piece of bread that had fallen on my plate. And not before I see Harry place a kiss on Ginny's cheek, causing my bread to go flavorless.