An Eye Opening Experience
Chapter 1
Advice From Padfoot
From the first time that Neville set his eyes on Harry Potter, he knew exactly what true love was. When nobody else in their year paid him any attention, Harry did. When Harry smiled, Neville's heart lightened. When Harry was upset, Neville found himself in a rut that he just couldn't get out of, unless of course, Harry smiled.
The problem was that Neville knew Harry fancied Cho Chang. Neville hated seeing the two of them together. After sharing a dorm with Harry for four years, Neville felt like he had absolutely no chance with him. Not to mention, everyone in school thought Neville was just a big joke, and even if Harry did end up liking him back, he'd never want to be seen with the biggest joke of the wizarding world.
Neville knew it was ridiculous to obsess over Harry. When his marks in school started to get worse and worse, Neville just kept telling his Gran that the work was getting harder, but in reality it was because Harry made him so nervous he couldn't concentrate.
Potions was the worse. Not only did Snape give him a hard time, but Harry sat near him. Neville was sure if he didn't have so many classes with Harry, he'd be a much better student, but he also hated to think that Harry was a bad influence on him. Neville just wished Harry wasn't so blind to things.
One night after returning to the common room after yet another unsuccessful D.A. Meeting (at least for Neville), Neville went up to the boys dormitory to get ready for bed. When Harry hadn't come to bed right away, Neville climbed down the stairs to find Harry speaking to the fire. He couldn't hear whom it was that Harry was speaking to, but he heard Cho's name come up. Whenever he mentioned her, Neville couldn't help but feel upset.
Neville thought the was fully prepared to run back up the stairs at the first sight of Harry, but realized he must have been lost in thought. Harry's body suddenly brushed Neville's on the stairs.
"Oh, sorry Neville, I didn't see you there. I thought everyone was in bed."
Neville looked to the fireplace. He could see that the person Harry had been talking with was none other than the fugitive, Sirius Black.
"Oh, right, I think I've left something down here."
"Right. Well, goodnight Neville."
Neville knew that Sirius Black was innocent. His Gran was in the Order with him, so he knew it would be safe to talk to him. Neville also overheard that Sirius was Harry's godfather.
Running down the stairs, he could see that Sirius was still in the fire.
"Sirius...Sirius Black, right?" Neville wasn't quite sure what to say to him, but his brain was telling him it might help if he talked to somebody who was close to Harry, who also didn't go to school with him.
Sirius' face looked concerned as he heard the voice of somebody who wasn't Harry, Ron, or Hermione.
"Don't worry, I know you're innocent, I won't tell anyone I've seen you here, I just want to talk to you."
Sirius took a moment to survey the boy in front of the fire. Recognition clouded his face.
"Longbottom, right?"
Neville nodded his head. "Yes, sir, my name's Neville."
"Ah, your parents were, are, good people."
Neville looked away quickly. "Er, thanks." A moment passed before Neville remembered he had been talking to Sirius.
"So, Neville, did you need to speak to me?"
Neville suddenly got nervous again.
"I was just wondering, sir, you're Harry's godfather, right?"
Sirius nodded.
"So you know a little bit about him then?"
Sirius nodded yet again. "What do you want to know about him, Neville?"
"Well, I was just wondering if you knew...well, do you know whats going on between him and Cho?" Neville blushed a deep crimson color.
Sirius smiled at Neville. "Ah, am I sensing a bit of puppy love? I can relate to you. When I was in school I suddenly found myself in love with one of my best mates. It took me a little while to gain the courage to talk to him about my feelings. I had been under the impression he was in love with the beautiful Lily Evans--"
"Harry's mum, right?"
Sirius smiled at him, "Correct!"
"So what happened? How did you tell him? What did he say?"
Sirius laughed at Neville's enthusiasm. "I suggest you go to Harry, tell him how you feel about him. You've got to be honest about it. As far as I know, he and Cho are finished. My suspicions are that you might be surprised after talking to him. I'd better be going now. I'll leave you with this: You might find that all Harry needs is for you to open his eyes for him. He probably hasn't even noticed that you've always been right in front of him. Best of luck."
"Thanks Sirius."
Turning from the fireplace, Neville made his way up to the dormitory, where he spent a good hour or so planning how exactly he was going to tell Harry. As the night went on, Neville finally dozed off.
A/N: So far this is the longest chapter I've written on this story. I'm not done with it by any means. I was originally going to just have this be one big story, but I just decided to break it into smaller chapters, just because I can, and because I want to get some of it posted so I can get some feedback as I'm writing, because at this point I have no idea exactly how this story will end up.
