Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me.
Pairings: Harry, Neville (Implied Harry/Neville and Harry/Neville/Luna) (Holding of hands between Harry/Neville and chaste kiss between them)
emeraldfaith once asked for Harry and Neville, looking to the future. I decided to place this in the dimension traveling AU I'm writing. I've only written one-shots in this universe, with the planned fic coming at some point in the future. What you need to know: after the Final Battle, Harry, Neville and Luna travel to another dimension, one where their families are alive. This one-shot basically deals with a shell-shocked Harry and Neville lending an ear. The war in the original dimension was not canon-compliant and instead, was quite devastating and deadly.
They've only been awake in this strange new world – filled with the dead, filled with people they had never dreamed of meeting, never mind talking to and welcomed into the family – for a few days. They have all been acting as automans; the war may be over, but wartime reactions are ingrained into their being. Harry thinks it will be a while before he can stand being in crowds of people without Luna or Neville (or both) at his back. He knows they feel the same.
It is strange, having a future. It is not something he ever saw for himself, at least not once the war began and Voldemort and his Deatheaters removed what little mercy they even pretended to hold. The prophecy meant he had to be the one to kill Voldemort and he just always assumed he would go down with him. Finding out differently was a surprise – a pleasant one, but a surprise none-the-less.
This new world they've fallen into is so very different than their old one. Voldemort dead and gone in '81, vanquished after killing both this world's Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom. The Potters are alive, the Longbottoms, sane. This is only the tip of the differences. Harry is just grateful the Hogwarts term ends soon - he doesn't think he or Neville or Luna can take seeing friends and enemies alike alive and pale echoes of their counterparts.
"Thought I would find you here," Neville says as he approaches. Harry smirks wryly.
"I'm getting that predictable, huh? Alastor would have my head."
"Not predictable, really. Just when you really want to think, somewhere quiet, you come here. Only those who know you best would realize," Neville comments as he takes a seat next to Harry. "So what's wrong?"
"That obvious, huh?" Harry sighs, staring into the lake.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Neville looks at him with concern, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"I never thought I would survive, you know? Figured that when it came down to it, I might be able to take out dead old Tom, but he would also get me. I mean, he had over 50 years more experience than me! I couldn't see how I could still be alive after killing him again, considering all those rituals and what not he went through. I know the prophecy said we were equal, but he just had so much more knowledge than me." He pauses, trying to get his thoughts in order. Neville simply takes Harry's hand in his own and offers silent comfort. "After it all, here we are and suddenly, I don't know what to do. Pretty ironic, huh?"
Neville can sympathize. While not under the same destiny as Harry, the war had been such - the losses each side had suffered such - that he too had doubted he would survive to the end. This new world feels like a dream, one from which he has no wish to waken. He has his parents here and Harry and Luna and that is really enough. "Well, what do you want to do?" he asks Harry, ever practical.
"I want to live quietly," Harry immediately answers, which isn't too big a surprise in retrospect. Harry has always abhorred the fame and notoriety that seems to go hand in hand with being the boy-who-lived.
"Well, we certainly brought enough money with us that that is more than possible," Neville informs Harry.
Harry snorts. "I'm not one to sit on my ass." Neville laughs at this. It was so true. Harry's the complete opposite of a young pureblood of his pedigree. As Lord Potter-Black, with the immense fortunes he commands, he has no real need to actually work. But Harry is nothing like the useless pureblood lords of old, content to believe that as long as there are no overt threats, they can sit easy. It drove all three crazy. War comes unexpectedly, and if no one is prepared, one can't stop the destruction and death before it gets out of hand. None of them really believe this world truly has no threats, no matter how much Albus and their parents assure them. War is too ingrained into their psyche for them to believe it over, even if they are in a new world.
"We probably could get our masteries," Neville muses.
Harry pauses for a moment to think. Neville is right; each of them probably know enough to earn a mastery in a number of subjects. "Which subjects are you thinking?"
"Well, Herbology and Defense naturally." Harry can't help but agree with Neville's assessment. Neville has always had a green thumb and the war didn't stop that. The war had also ensured they all master the most difficult of spells because otherwise, they were dead.
"What about Transfiguration or Charms? You're not bad in either subject."
"Not sure. Have to see what's required before I decide." He shrugs. "I'm not bad, but I also struggle a bit with them. Don't have your natural talent for them. What about you?"
Harry bites his lip in thought. Neville wants to kiss him, soothe the mark with his tongue, but knows Harry needs to work through whatever is bothering him before he can convince him to relax. Brooding Harry is always a sexy Harry, but both he and Luna had noted that if they interrupt his brooding, he gets tetchy. Safer for them all to let Harry have his mood – he always makes it up to them when he's done.
"Defense obviously. Probably Transfiguration and Charms. Maybe Runes and Warding." Neville nods in agreement. Like his own ideas on which masteries he'll try for, Harry has chosen those subject areas in which he's strongest.
"What about afterwards?"
"I suppose we can teach," Harry says doubtfully, turning towards Neville with a crooked smile before they both burst out laughing.
"Maybe for the Aurors then," Neville comments. The three of them are far too high strung to teach children. Best not to risk it.
"We can be the next generation of Moody."
"Except we're far prettier." And it's true. By some miracle, they have managed to make it through the war without losing any limbs. They have scars, but none that are disfiguring – or least their scars are not visible except when they are unclothed.
Harry snorts. "There is that." He sighs before grabbing Neville's hand and playing with his fingers. "I just keep thinking this is all too perfect and something is going to come and ruin it all."
Neville smiles gently. "I think we're all think that. I know I do. I mean look at us – it's as if we got everything we ever wanted by coming here. Your parents and Luna's mom are alive; my parents are sane. All of them seem to want to adopt us and take us into their families. And here we are, barely 21 and completely unused to living a normal life."
"Lily keeps trying to mother me; I haven't had the heart to tell her I grew up with her sister and that is why I dislike being touched," Harry says abruptly. "She thinks it's because of the war."
And with this, Neville suddenly realizes why Harry is so jittery. It had taken a while for Harry to open up about his childhood to Luna and him. Harry's relatives didn't hit him often, but they did neglect him, emotionally and physically. He was completely unused to gestures of affection and only really accepted them from a small list of people. "Just give it time Harry. Eventually we won't respond to every sudden move with a spell on our lips." Neville doesn't want to point out Harry's issues, since Harry is very well aware of them. "But you know, you're going to have to tell them at some point, right? I mean they aren't pushing, but none of us can hide the personal stuff forever. Eventually they're going to ask how you liked growing up with Remus and Sirius."
Harry wrinkles his nose. "Damn. I forgot about that. Oh, that's going to be a fun conversation, I can already tell." He sighs as he brings Neville's hand to his lips. He rotates it so he can lay a soft kiss on the palm. "I was thinking we should ask for a few months to acclimate, just the three of us."
"Mmm… that sounds nice. Where though? I don't think our family will take kindly to us simply disappearing."
"No, they probably wouldn't, would they?" Harry asks ruefully. "Well we certainly have enough funds that we can simply purchase a place."
"But then we need to furnish it."
"True."
"What about one of the Potter properties? There was that one in the Lake District that was rather nice. Had enough room but was secure enough that no one could sneak up without warning."
"You mean the one in the middle of nowhere, with the nice gardens?" Harry smiles in remembrance of the fun month they had spent there in the middle of the war. Despite the war's escalation they had all enjoyed the time spent there – it had seemed a haven in the midst of the death and destruction.
"That's the one. Of course, who know if your family still owns it."
"I'll ask the Potters tomorrow, provided Luna agrees."
"Yes, can't forget that. Remember last time we made plans without her?"
Harry grins as he recalls Luna's revenge. When riled, she was worse than the Marauders. After the first time, neither he nor Neville dared to make plans without having Luna's input.
"So feeling better" Neville asks after a few moments of silence.
Harry twists so he faces Neville. "Yeah, thanks." He takes Neville's hands in his own and pushes forward, giving him a chaste kiss. "Come one. Time to stop brooding. It's almost time for dinner and Luna will never forgive us if we leave her alone."
Neville smiles as he helps Harry stand, clasping a hand in his as they walk back towards Hogwarts. This new world is strange and different and exhilarating. But together with Harry and Luna, he's more than willing to embrace the future and all that lies ahead.
/fin