Out of the corner of his eye, Neville saw a flash of wild, black hair disappear through a doorway. Without even stopping to think, he ran after the all too familiar woman, his heart pounding and his hand clenched tightly on his wand.
He knew exactly what he had to do, yet his usual self-doubt rolled over him in waves. Shaking his head, he knew if he was going to do it he had to do it now. Gritting his teeth, he raised his wand and pointed it at Bellatrix's retreating back.
"Crucio!" He bellowed, and a flash of red erupted from the tip of his wand. It hit Bellatrix between the shoulder blades and lifted her an inch in the air, before she crumbled on the ground, horrible blood-curdling screams echoing around the other-wise empty room.
He walked over, and stood above her, pointing his wand at her face. She smirked, looking at him like she was the one who stood above him.
"Neville Longbottom." She smirked, "I knew your parents well." With that she laughed a cruel, high-pitched laugh.
Neville felt his self-doubt begin to creep back over him. He knew he had to finish this before he became his usual cowardly self again. She used this seconds hesitation to dive for her wand, and her hand was just brushing it, when Neville came to his senses.
"Expelliarmus!"
The wand flew 10 feet in the air, and landed with a clatter. Bellatrix turned back to him, her smirk gone and replaced by the sort of smile a lion might give its prey.
"This is from Alice and Frank Longbottom." Neville declared, his wand pointing directly at her heart, his own swelling with pride.
"Stupefy!" He yelled, and a burst of red erupted from his wand and hit her directly over the heart. Her eyes went wide with shock and her entire body grew limp. He had killed Bellatrix Lestrange.
Neville woke with a jolt, and blinked to clear up his vision. He found himself staring at the high ceiling of the Gryffindor dormitories, the sheets of his bed tangled around him.
His eyes filled suddenly with tears as the realisation that he had been dreaming washed over him. For he only ever held courage in his dreams.
