Soot Boy
Once upon a time in a kingdom far, far away there was a lavish castle where a kind king lived and ruled over the land. King Xenophilius was good hearted, wise, and fair- if just a little eccentric.
The time had come for the king's only daughter, the crown princess Luna, to marry. The king loved his daughter and wanted only the best for her, he wanted her to be happy, to marry for love as he had done many years ago. The queen had passed away in a tragic accident when Luna was small, but they had shared many joyful years full of love and that was what King Xenophilius wanted for Luna.
So he had decided to throw a ball, the grandest, largest ball the kingdom had ever seen. Every eligible bachelor was to be invited and the hope was that the princess would fall in love with one of them and get her happily ever after. The king had spent months planning the ball and the day was nearly here, that very night the grand ball would finally be upon them.
The city below the castle was bustling with excitement; every well to do person as well as every boy- no matter his station- had received an invitation to the ball. You could practically feel the city vibrating.
One home however was quilted in an air of stiffness, there was no excitement being had here. It was a large manor on the edge of the city and held only three inhabitants- a young boy named Neville, his grandmother Augusta, and their house elf Dobby.
"But Gran," Neville pleaded softly, "why can't I go to the ball with you?"
Augusta sighed, "Neville we've discussed this, the ball is to find a groom for the princess and every man who shows up is considered a suitor and all suitors must do a spell to dazzle the princess. And you can't be doing any elaborate spells Neville, not after what happened."
"…I don't want to marry the princess Gran, couldn't I just opt out of the whole suitor business? It's just, I just thought the ball would be fun- you're going," Neville pushed.
"Only because of our station. Believe me I don't want to go Neville, but I have to and you have to stay here- that is final, do you understand?" Augusta said firmly.
"…Yes Gran," Neville replied dejectedly.
"Good boy, now go off and do your studies, I have to get ready," Augusta shooed Neville towards the library.
Neville trudged off with a weary sigh, he loved his Gran really, but she was so strict. At least with Gran gone he could practice some real magic, and at that thought Neville brightened slightly.
When he had been just a baby Neville's parents had tried to do a spell beyond their limits, it had driven them mad and left Augusta to raise Neville. She had become overly paranoid, overcome with the fear that Neville would use too much magic and she would loose him too. So she home schooled him, watched over him like a hawk. He would do his studies every day, but it was all bookwork.
The only actual magic he got to do was every evening after dinner when his Gran would loan him her wand and let him do a few elementary spells, just so his magic didn't build up inside him.
His Gran didn't know, but a few years ago Neville had found his father's wand. It had rolled and wedged itself behind a bookcase, Gran had always assumed his parents' wands had been destroyed in the accident. So whenever his Gran went out, which wasn't very often, Neville would take out his father's wand and practice some real magic spells.
He wasn't very good- but then he didn't have anyone really teaching him, he was only going off what he read in books- and theory and practice are pretty different things.
Neville spent the next few hours in the library, doing his studies for the day, before his Gran popped in. She looked lovely in a simple long black dress, her silver hair pulled up in a less severe bun than usual and all her best jewelry.
"Neville I'm leaving now, I might be back rather late. Dobby will make dinner for you, don't wait up," Augusta said softly, walking over and giving Neville a tender kiss on the head.
"Alright Gran, you look lovely by the way," Neville replied.
Augusta smiled softly and gave Neville's hands a quick pat before shuffling out the door and off to the ball. Not even a full minute after his Gran had left dobby poofed into the library and nearly scared the life out of Neville.
"DOBBY, goodness please don't do that!" he exclaimed.
"Dobby is begging the pardon master Neville, but there isn't much time," the small elf squeaked, his large eyes wide and alert.
"Isn't much time? Much time for what Dobby?" Neville asked in confusion.
"To get master Neville to the ball of course!" Dobby replied in delight.
"What? No Dobby- you heard Gran, she doesn't want me going to the ball, if she sees me there she'll kill me," Neville sighed.
"Dobby knows what the mistress said, Dobby also knows that the ball is masked- mistress won't even know it's master Neville!" Dobby answered with a mischievous grin.
"…masked?" Neville repeated, interested, "No- no, even if the ball is masked I don't have any proper robes, or a mask, and besides I'd have to preform a spell for the princess and we both know I'm bollocks at magic."
"Master Neville can do his animal," Dobby insisted.
"You mean my patronus? I guess I am somewhat decent at that one, but it doesn't do anything- not really," Neville answered.
"Not supposed to DO only dazzle, master Neville's animal is very dazzling," Dobby replied reassuringly, tugging Neville up out of his seat and over into the open area of the library away from all the desks and chairs and bookshelves.
Dobby looked at Neville, framing him in his fingers for a moment before giving a nod, his large ears flopping up and down. He pushed up the baggy sleeves on his oversized shirt, they immediately fell back down his stick like arms, and stuck his tongue out in concentration.
With a wave of his hands Dobby switched Neville into a fine set of dress robes for the ball. A clean cut suit with a high quality robe on top- all in a beautiful light blue fabric that Neville never would have chosen to wear but he looked quite wonderful in.
Dobby apparently had quite the eye for fashion, the inside of the robe lined in a sparkling deeper blue fabric, a pair of tall black boots with just enough room to tuck his fathers wand into the side, and a perfectly tied black bowtie finishing off the look.
"Oh!" Dobby squealed, "I almost forgot," he snapped and a delicate silver mask appeared over Neville's eyes.
"Perfect," Dobby nodded with satisfaction.
"Thank you Dobby- it's all lovely, but how am I to get to the ball?" Neville asked, wringing his hands nervously, this was suddenly feeling all too real.
He was actually going to the ball, he was going to meet the princess, and he was disobeying his Gran…
"Dobby can get master Neville to the ball, Dobby will take him there and Dobby will come back to bring him home. But master Neville MUST get home before mistress," Dobby answered solemnly.
Neville nodded and with that Dobby took his hand in his much smaller knobby one and instantly they were outside the castle.
"Now master Neville, Dobby will pick master up right here at the stroke of midnight- master Neville MUST NOT be late," Dobby said insistently.
"Midnight, got it- I'll see you then Dobby," Neville replied, turning to face the castle entrance and taking a deep breath- goodness that was a lot of stairs.
"Good luck master Neville," Dobby squeaked out before disappearing with a snap, leaving Neville all alone.
With another deep breath, Neville made his way up to the castle and to the ball. The doorman, a tall slightly intimidating fellow with greasy slicked back dark hair and a hooked nose, was asking names and after a slight panic he assured Neville that no one would be announced- it was a masked ball for a reason. The king wanted the princess to have the chance to meet the suitors and see them for who they really were, having not been influenced by titles.
But he did have a list he needed to check off, if you weren't on the list you weren't allowed in. Neville hesitantly gave his name and after a moment the doorman put a check on his paper, "Here it is, number 394," and gestured for Neville to enter.
The grand ballroom was indeed grand; it was practically bigger than Neville's house, which was saying something. All around people danced in fabulous dresses and dress robes. A footman of some sort ushered Neville to the end of a line that he realized led to the throne were he could just make out someone sitting. A man from the front of the line went up and pulled out a wand, Neville realized this must be when they were supposed to do a spell to dazzle the princess.
Neville pulled his father's wand from his boot and nervously rolled it in his hands as he went over the patronus spell in his head again and again as the line grew shorter and shorter. He would only have one shot and he didn't want to screw it up. Soon Neville was practically at the front of the line and he could feel his palms sweating, only three people left ahead of him.
The front most two boys walked up together, twins Neville realized as they bowed and he caught a glimpse of their matching faces and dual shocks of bright red hair. They both pulled out wands and in perfect harmony cast a spell that made fireworks bloom all in the air above the princess, it was spectacular and the princess seemed to enjoy it.
With another bow the twins departed and the last person left ahead of Neville stepped forward, a boy with shaggy dark hair and large round glasses and the most starling green eyes Neville had ever seen. He bowed and with a graceful flick of his wand produced- a patronus. Neville's heart fell; it was beautiful- a powerful, elegant stag that strutted around the princess before dropping into a bow alongside the boy, vanishing in a silver flash. And now it was Neville's turn, he could feel his heart about to beat out of his chest- he didn't have a backup, he was going to have to do his patronus spell. But after the green-eyed boys it was going to seem small and sad.
With a start Neville got his first actual look at the princess. She was stunning; she looked ethereal in a creamy white gown, which complemented her porcelain skin, with delicate beadwork that looked like petals fading into a flowing skirt. Her silvery white blonde hair was piled up atop her head and her dreamy silver eyes looked positively luminescent. Oddly, Neville noticed, her wand appeared to be tucked behind her left ear and she also had on earrings that looked like…radishes…though Neville had always heard the royal family was just a bit peculiar.
"Hello," Neville gulped, completely forgetting his manners and failing to bow, hastily doing so once he realized and nearly falling over.
When he rose his slightly pudgy cheeks were bright red and he fumbled with his wand for a moment before getting a proper hold on it. He expected the princess to laugh at his foolishness, though perhaps she was to dignified for that.
But she just smiled and said in a soft dreamy voice, "Hello."
Neville gulped and took a deep breath before casting his patronus. It went perfectly, the best he'd ever done it, but it still paled in comparison to the last boys stag. A small, nimble hare sprang to life from the end of his wand and hopped around the princess before fading into silver smoke. The princess's silvery eyes went wide and she gasped in delight when she saw the hare, clapping excitedly. Neville was speechless, why was she so overjoyed by his patronus he wondered. Perhaps she had a fondness for hares?
She stood up and floated down in front of Neville, grasping his hands, her face inches from his as she whispered, "Dance with me?"
Neville felt his blush deepen; he looked back at all the men still in line.
"Don't mind them, it's my ball isn't it?" the princess tittered, her eyes glowing and her lips pulled back in a bright smile.
"…Yes?" Neville mumbled.
The princess's grin widened and she pulled Neville off towards the dance floor, the men left in line muttering. They danced, for how long Neville wasn't sure, but he was certainly thankful for all the dance lessons Gran had made him take. 'A proper gentleman must know how to dance Neville' Gran had always insisted, this was the first time he'd actually put the lessons to any use.
After a while the princess said breathlessly, "Go for a walk with me?"
Neville simply nodded and let her pull him out into the garden. The cool crisp night air was refreshing and Neville instantly felt more relaxed without all those people staring at him, because that had been what nearly everyone was doing- staring at them. The princess sighed, spinning around and around in the moonlight.
"Don't you just love the stars?" she asked suddenly, grinning up at the sky.
"They are quite lovely princess," Neville mumbled, his cheeks flushing.
"Please- call me Luna," she said with a soft smile.
"…Luna…" Neville repeated hesitantly and she beamed.
"May I ask you something prin-Luna?" Neville caught himself.
"You may ask anything you like though I can't guarantee I'll have the answer," she replied with a wink.
"Why me?" Neville asked softly.
"What do you mean?" Luna said, her brow slightly furrowed.
"Why did you pick me? The boy in front of me had a much lovelier patronus and those boys in front of him did those incredible fireworks- so many amazing spells, yet you were so delighted by my simple patronus, why?" Neville questioned.
"Do it again," the princess whispered, leaning in close to Neville.
"Pardon?" Neville replied, leaning back nervously.
"Your patronus- do it again and I'll show you why I picked you," Luna clarified, looking expectantly at Neville.
Neville gulped and pulled out his wand. He had just started the spell, a silver hare hopping into existence, when he heard the clock strike. Oh no- midnight- Neville thought in a panic.
"I'm sorry I have to go," he yelled out, bolting away from the princess and back towards the entrance.
Dong- two strikes. "Wait!" She called out after him.
Dong- three strikes. Neville kept on running.
Dong- four strikes. "Please, don't go," Luna called out, chasing after him.
Dong- five strikes. He was rounding the castle now, he just had to make it to the front and find Dobby.
Dong- six strikes. "At least tell me your name," the princess cried, trying desperately to catch up, but it was difficult to run in her dress.
Dong- seven strikes. Neville winced, he felt terrible, but he kept on running.
Dong- eight strikes. He had reached the front of the castle now.
Dong- nine strikes. He could see Dobby, waiting for him.
Dong- ten strikes. Neville ran as fast as he could, reaching his hand out towards Dobby.
Dong- eleven strikes. And as the twelfth strike was ringing out Neville disappeared with Dobby.
The princess came to a stop in the spot Dobby had been just a moment later, gasping. She noticed something on the ground and bent down to pick it up, a wand- his wand she realized.
"Whoever you are- I'll find you," Luna promised to the night, pulling out her own wand from behind her left ear and casting her patronus- a bright silver hare, "because we're soul mates."
Meanwhile Dobby and Neville had appeared back inside the manor, Dobby switching Neville from his dress robes into some pajamas with a snap. Neville had just settled himself in his bed when he heard the front door creak open- his Gran was back. A few minutes later the door to Neville's room eased open softly and Neville sat up.
"Sorry dear, did I wake you?" his Gran asked, the crinkles around her eyes deepening with her smile.
"No Gran, I couldn't sleep. How was the ball?" Neville asked gently.
Augusta lowered herself onto the edge of the bed and gave Neville's hand a pat. "It was alright, long and boring- you wouldn't have liked it. The princess spent most of the night with one boy."
"…Oh, really?" Neville replied, hoping his Gran couldn't hear his heart nearly beating out of his chest.
"Yes, I'm sure there will be wedding announcements soon enough- they looked very happy," she answered with a soft smile.
"They did?" Neville asked breathlessly.
"Oh yes, granted I've never seen the princess before, but she looked positively smitten. I happened to be near the king whilst the princess was dancing with the mystery man and he looked so happy…" Augusta trailed off with a wistful sigh.
"Alright, well then time for bed," she gave Neville's hand a final pat before shuffling out of the room.
Neville had lain back into bed with a sigh; he hoped his Gran had just been exaggerating- there was no way the princess was really smitten with him. He was sure she had found someone better after he'd vanished, though he did feel terrible about ditching her like that. He wondered what it was that she had been about to show him. Just as he was about to drift off to sleep Neville bolted up with a sudden realization.
"Dobby!" he hissed, the elf appearing by his bedside an instant later.
"Yes master Neville?"
"Dobby what did you do with my dad's wand?" Neville asked panickedly, a seed of dread planting itself in the pit of his stomach.
"…Master Neville did not have it with him when we returned to the manor…oh no…Dobby has made a mistake! Dobby will punish himself promptly master, many apologies," the small elf whimpered, tugging on his ears.
"No! No Dobby, no punishing- if I didn't have it when we got back to the manor that means I must have dropped it, it wasn't your fault," Neville said reassuringly.
"Promise me- no punishment Dobby okay?" Neville pushed.
Dobby just nodded, "Okay Master Neville…is there anything else Dobby can do?"
"No, that's all- good night Dobby," Neville responded with a sigh.
"Good night master Neville," Dobby replied before vanishing with a snap of his fingers.
The next morning Neville was a bit dejected, the ball had been fun but had it been worth losing his father's wand? At breakfast he told his Gran he was going to go visit his parents at the hospital.
"Alright, you know the way, do be careful Neville," she replied.
Neville didn't get to go out much, what with how protective his Gran was. But she had always let him go and visit his parents whenever he wanted and he was very grateful for that. He made sure to go see them at least once a week. He liked to talk with them, not that they ever talked back, but he liked to think that deep down in there somewhere they knew who he was and they understood him.
About an hour later Neville stepped off the trolley at the fifth stop- only a block away from the hospital. He weaved his way through the hospital back towards the mental ward; he could walk this path with his eyes closed at this point. There was only one nurse around, Madame Pomfrey, a jovial older woman that Neville had grown quite close with.
"Neville!" she said cheerily, "Here to see your parents?"
"Yes Madame Pomfrey, do you know if they're awake yet?" he asked.
"Oh yes, have been for a while now…" she had a sly grin that Neville wasn't sure what it was about.
"…Is everything alright?" he questioned nervously.
"Oh yes! Everything's fine dear…it's just- your parents have another visitor you see," she said the last part in a stage whisper.
Neville furrowed his brow- no one ever visited his parents except for him and once a month, his Gran. Who could be visiting them? "…Who is it?" Neville asked, perplexed.
Madame Pomfrey just waved her hand dismissively, "You'll just have to see for yourself dear- good luck!" and with that she flounced off, leaving Neville alone and very confused.
He slowly made his way down the hallway towards his parents' room, last door on the right. He walked in, the door was open though that in and of itself wasn't unusual, and saw…the princess? Neville's heart caught in his throat, what was she doing here? He took a few deep breaths and reminded himself that he had been in a mask last night, the princess probably wouldn't know who he was. But then what was she doing visiting his parents? Her back was to the door, and she hadn't heard Neville come in, so she was just chatting happily with his mother and father.
They seemed very calm, they didn't usually do well with new people, but they seemed perfectly comfortable with Luna. She looked completely different from last night yet somehow also exactly the same. Her blonde hair was down now, falling in waves down her back, her wand still tucked behind her left ear. She wore a blue jumper and a skirt covered in a print of wands and potion bottles and spell books, tall rainbow striped socks and a simple pair of brown boots.
She laughed at something, Neville hadn't heard what she said, throwing her head back. Her laugh was lovely, like someone ringing a whole bunch of jingle bells. She noticed Neville then and he just froze when she smiled at him.
"Pardon me for a moment," she said politely to his parents, getting up and walking over until she was standing directly in front of Neville- so close that he could smell her shampoo, it smelled lovely, like strawberries and mint.
Luna looked him up and down with a soft smile, "It's you," she said dreamily.
"Ex-excuse me?" Neville stuttered, how had she recognized him.
She pulled something from a pocket in her skirt- a wand, his father's wand Neville realized with a start. "I believe this is yours? Or rather it's his," she nodded at his father, "But you were using it last night weren't you?"
Neville just gulped and nodded, lying to the crown princess seemed like a bad idea.
"What's your name?" Luna asked softly.
"…Neville, your highness." He mumbled nervously.
"Please- just Luna is fine. Neville…it suits you," she hummed happily, gently pushing the wand into his hands.
"Well Neville, your parents are lovely- it was a pleasure to meet them," Luna said sincerely.
Whatever response Neville might have had stuck in his throat in a lump and he willed himself not to cry. He had run out on her and yet here she was complimenting his mentally ill parents, he'd never known the princess was so kind.
"I do believe I was about to show you something, before we were…interrupted last night," Luna grinned, brows raised playfully.
Neville felt his face heat and managed a nod and a squeak. Luna smiled brightly and pulled her wand from behind her left ear.
"Expecto Patronum," she said clearly and suddenly a silver hare burst forth from her wand and hopped briefly around the room before vanishing.
Neville looked at her with impossibly wide eyes, "You…we…how?" was all he managed to sputter out.
"That's why I chose you at the ball Neville. Because you were sweet and endearingly awkward- you know almost no one else bothered to tell me hello, but you did. And then you cast a patronus, a patronus that matches mine- do you know what they say about matching patronus's Neville?" Luna asked, silver eyes sparkling.
"Soul mates," Neville whispered in awe.
"Yes!" the princess clapped in delight. "Neville, I chose you at the ball and if you'd like- I'd like to choose you forever."
"…What do you mean?" Neville asked breathlessly.
"I need a king, someone to stay by my side, and I'd like it to be you," she replied softly, gazing expectantly at Neville.
"I.." Neville choked, this was so much to process- the princess was asking him to marry her.
But he looked down at Luna, looked at how peaceful his parents seemed around her and remembered how she had treated them, remembered her spinning around in the castle garden- marveling at the stars. And he decided maybe she really was his soul mate.
"…I would like that very much."
Luna beamed and pulled Neville into a hug and she fit perfectly in his arms and was warm and smelled of strawberries and mint and Neville was certain he had made the right choice. He had never been so certain about anything in his entire life. And now- now he was going to have to tell his Gran.
First he and Luna sat and chatted with his parents and she fit so perfectly in the moment that Neville wondered how he hadn't felt her missing before. A few hours later they left, hand in hand, Madame Pomfrey squealing like a six-year-old girl when she saw them and giving Neville the worlds least subtle wink.
They pulled to a stop in front of the manor, Luna's personal carriage having transported them back instead of riding on the trolley. Which Neville was grateful for because they would have been sure to get a lot of stares aboard the trolley.
"Gran?" Neville called out once they had walked through the front door, Dobby having opened it for them and Neville holding a finger to his lips when he squeaked at the sight of Luna.
"I'm in the dining room having some afternoon tea Neville dear," his Gran called out.
Neville quietly led Luna into the dining room, his Gran's back to the doorway so she didn't see them walk in.
"Gran…" Neville began tentatively, "I've got some news…"
Augusta turned around in surprise at that, her eyes going impossibly wide at the site of Luna standing there, holding hands with her grandson.
"Gran this is Princess Luna," His Gran interrupted, aghast, "Neville what are you doing with the crown princess? How did you…" she trailed off and by the distasteful pursing of her lips, a look like she had just sucked on the worlds most sour lemon drop that she always got when she was especially displeased, Neville knew she realized what he had done.
"You went to the ball last night didn't you?" she gasped suddenly, "You were the boy that danced with the princess, the one in blue- but then…" her shoulders sagged, as she seemed to realize the full magnitude of the situation.
"You're getting married then?" she asked softly, sounding for the entire world like she was broken.
Neville stepped forward and gingerly took her hands, "Yes, but Gran you won't be losing me. Luna and I discussed it and you're to come live in the castle with us- I wouldn't just leave you. And I am sorry for disobeying you, but I'm not sorry about what happened," he smiled gently at Luna who beamed back at him.
"You really care for each other, don't you? I saw it last night at the ball- I almost couldn't believe two people could be so close so quickly, but the way you look at her Neville…the same way my Frank used to look at your mother," Augusta sighed.
"We're soul mates," Luna added dreamily, giving Neville a tender smile.
"…Soul mates?" his Gran parroted in confusion.
"We have matching patronuses," Luna answered warmly.
His gran inhaled sharply and looked over at Neville.
He winced, "…I found dad's wand a few years ago…I'd been practicing some spells in secret, whenever you went out. I'm sorry- I know how much it scares you, but Gran I know my limits."
Augusta sighed wearily and looked back and forth between the two of them, tears welling up in her eyes, "Oh Neville dear, I've been so harsh- I've held you back for so long- can you ever forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive," Neville answered firmly, "I know you were just afraid of losing me Gran- it's alright, I promise you never will."
Augusta smiled and shakily rose to embrace her grandson and his new fiancé. Over the next couple of days Neville and his Gran, and Dobby, all moved into the castle. Xenophilius had been delighted to meet Neville and even more delighted when Luna had told him about their matching patronuses. He got along wonderfully with Augusta and even moved Neville's parents into the castle, hiring Madame Pomfrey to provide them with full time care, and Neville had never been happier. Neither for that matter had Luna. The two of them were promptly married in a lavish wedding that was celebrated over the entire kingdom and they lived happily ever after.