Bella
A.N This is a compilation story, every chapter is going to written by a different author, We are experimenting with this idea and I hope that you readers will help with ideas, advice and even complaints (though we would prefer if you didn't) Anyways, besides the technique being a bit of an experiment, the story is as well so please be gentle on us :P
Disclaimer: Harry Potter is own by the one and only J.K Rowling, this plot is our own however. If we did own Harry Potter we would be on Tiki-tiki island drinking tiki-tiki Bacardi coconut mixes and having men in skimpy underwear who look like Daniel Radcliffe (he looks very interesting without anything on) or Viggo Mortensen, or Johnny Depp, or Rupert Grint, or Tom Felton or...Prince Harry and maybe Orlando Bloom but he would have to be blond, like in Lord of The rings.
If you are a good reviewer I will reward you with cyber chocolate chip cookies.
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This chapter has been written by Meike, pen name LemoN-X-DroP
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Neville sank to the ground; exhaustion, depression, despair, loneliness and isolation engulfing him and bringing him down to the ground. He breathed tired and painful breaths as he was searching deep inside for the strength to stand. The spell had left him drained, weak. He must have blacked out because she had escaped him. But she wasn't far; he swore he could hear her disturbing screams of joy in distance. Her evil cackle. The sound made him feel more angry, furious and aggressive then he ever felt before. He had lost everything to her.
Flash
Neville reached out, his entire hand shaking. His bloodied fingertips grazed her smooth cold flesh, and it dawned on him that she wasn't breathing anymore. In shock he grabbled for her body, pulling it close to him. He pressed her beautiful face into his own, mingling her blood with his own tears. She hung limply at his side. "Luna," he whispered anxiously, "Luna, Luna." She was gone; his sweet, innocent Luna was gone. Neville looked up, scanning the area for her murderer. Nothing. Just an evil cackle ringing in the distance.
Flash
Neville dragged himself from the ground, stumbling as he did. His hand tightened around his wand as he took a couple of tentative steps forward. He found his balance, and on sturdier ground he headed deeper into the enclosing forest, following the screams.
Suddenly Fred Weasley burst from the bushes, smashing into Neville, sending them both colliding to the ground. Neville was being hauled up almost immediately; he came to face with a terrified Fred. Fred's eyes stood wide; silent screams were escaping them, "They've got giants, Neville, giants!" he said in a choked voice.
The world seemed to spin before his eyes and all he could say back was, "She killed Luna, killed her. She's gone." Fred took Neville's arm, "I'm sorry, but now we have to think of ourselves or we're going to die." The red head guided him in a hurried step through the trees. A big rumbling sound followed them, it sounded like really loud footsteps. Neville figured it must be a giant if what Fred said was true.
Fred was injured, Neville could tell, his step was irregular and having to haul him around probably wasn't helping. Neville had other things on his mind, he needed to find Bellatrix and kill her. Even if it was the last thing he did. It didn't matter now anyways, with Luna gone.
"Lemme go, "he mumbled, even speaking cost strength. Fred ignored him, tugging him harder as the rumbling appeared to be getting closer and closer. Neville had his mind set, and with the last strength he had he wrenched himself from Fred's grasp. Fred stopped in his tracks, making a move to grab him again but Neville put his hands up as if he was surrendering, "Just go!"
Fred hesitated, but as trees started to fall around them to make way for the giant's big feet he mouthed, "Sorry." and ran away. Neville took a big breath, and rolled himself into a near by bush, closely avoiding a big foot. He casted a quick spell which would rid him of his own scent, camouflaging him from the giant. Chances were big that the lumbering idiot would still stand on him.
The giant lurched forward, sniffing loudly. Neville prayed that Fred had the wit to erase his own scent too. The giant roared before lumbering forward clumsily, he had located his prey. Neville was torn; he could use what was left of him to save Fred or kill Bellatrix. Flashes of his parents flashed through his mind, an image of his murdered Grandmother sitting at her usual spot in the kitchen, blood dripping from her mouth and then last of all Luna sprang into his mind. Her eyes, her smile her kiss. Neville's mind clouded and he forgot all about Fred as he set out to kill Bellatrix.
He found her at a stone alter in the middle of the Forbidden forest. Professor McGonagall was draped over the slab of stone. Bellatrix stood next to the table, her back turned to Neville. Neville decided to choose the opportunity and drew his wand, preparing himself for revenge at last. He steadied himself, and aimed slowly, as if hesitant.
"Avada Kedrava," he screamed, pouring all his hate and agony into the two words. The spell couldn't miss, her back was turned, it would finally be over.
Neville closed his eyes, scared to see what would happen. He never killed before. Silence echoed around him. Nothing. Then, breaking the calm, was a soft evil cackle. Neville eyes flew open in shock, and almost died at the sight that met him. Bellatrix had used McGongall as a human shield. He killed Minerva McGongall, he Neville Longbottom, killed one of the people he admired most.
Bellatrix tossed Minerva's body unceremoniously to the ground and started striding towards Neville, pulling her wand out whilst doing so. Just like in the movies, a bague unused part of Neville's brain told him. The distance was closing between them, he could see her lips starting to spell out Crucio when all of a sudden Bellatrix and Neville were both was thrown to the ground.
Neville scrambled back up, ready to defend himself. Bellatrix was not the position however to attack him. She lay flaccidly on the forest floor while from her body a white light radiated away from her. The light wavered for a moment, seeming to struggle taking a form. Finally a human face appeared amidst the rays, and a body. It was the face of young girl, maybe 14. She was speaking to him, her lips were moving hurriedly. She spared a worried glance at Bellatrix then turned to Neville, her eyes wide and scared. No sound came from her lips. She drew a vial from what appeared to be Hogwarts school robes and threw it at him. While it was flying through the air it took a solid form and landed with a soft thud at Neville's feet. Neville back away from it, the girl said another thing but yet again soundlessly, then the light was sucked back into Bellatrix, who sprung back up, full of life.
Bellatrix snarled at Neville, left unshaken from what happened previously. She lifted her wand en shot him a curse. Neville recognized it as an illegal curse but it wasn't Avada Kedrava or Crucio. He assumed it to be one of those nasty ones like skull breaker or vein popper. He shielded himself. Thanks to DADA his shields had become impenetrable. The curse rebounded.
Suddenly the world went white, and Neville's ear drums were threatening to pop as a deafening blast filled the air. A kind of rushing sound erupted all around him and as his eyes got used to the white light Neville could see the entire woods vaporising from a certain point, a blast of imminent death radiating away from it. Voldemort must have been behind it.
The small vague part of Neville's brain which wasn't panicking told him that unless he did something short of a miracle he was going to be vaporized along with Bellatrix Lestrange. The girl came to his mind, and the vial. Whatever the contents of the vial did it must be better then the faith that was about to meet him.
Neville dropped to the ground, grabbling for the vial. At last his fingers found it, and he brought it to his lips. The cool liquid spilled into his throat at the exact moment that the vaporizing blast met him.
If you'd combine the effects of floo powder, a port key and apperating it would be like this. A sort of spiralling, compressing, tugging sensation engulfed him and swept him away into the air, breaking him up into a thousand little molecules. Dimly he registered seeing the destroyed forest below him and Harry standing in an empty patch facing Voldemort. Both were still alive, Neville doubted if anybody else was. Sadness wasn't quite able to reach through because before he knew it his molecules were spinning rapidly, blurring the world. His entire life flashed by, going backwards.
He watched his life without realising that it was his own. He saw himself just a few minutes ago, then he saw himself with Luna, then at Hogwarts, after Hogwarts came his lonely childhood, small flashes of his parents passed, he saw himself being born, the he saw himself growing inside of his mother's placenta, then he saw how the sperm seed fertilized his mother's egg cell and everything went black. He didn't even exist yet. But he was obviously there. If not in flesh, his mind was certainly there. Was he dead now? Was this what it was like to die? Just to go all the way back to simply not being born?
Neville did not get the chance to ponder the situation because his molecules started to reorganize themselves. His body started to take shape. He watched his fingers materializing in front of him. As if he was one giant jigsaw puzzle, the pieces started fall back into their place.
Then his heart starting pumping. The steady rhythm filled the darkness with sound. It was as if the thumps clouted the shadows away from Neville's eyes. A landscape started forming around him. Hills, forests, and a lake.
Rain pounded onto him, stirring him out of his dazed state. He blinked, realizing that he had eye lashes, and eyes. The scene came all too familiar to him. And as his eyes fluttered over the landscaping, looking but not seeing, they met something that made his heart jolt. Hogwarts.
A warm hand came to rest on his shoulder, Neville's head snapped around, his own hazel eyes meeting Dumbledore's light blue's. "Dumbledore!" he gasped, "You're alive!" Dumbledore smiled, and pulled Neville up. "Correction, I'm still alive."
Neville gaped at him, "Wait, what?" Dumbledore guided Neville down the hill. The rain didn't bother him. "It's sorting night tonight. 1973." He said. Neville choked. 1973. "But that's 24 years ago!" he gasped.
Dumbledore stopped, they were now standing under a tree. "Yes. You come from 1997. The contents of the vial which you drank made you go back in time because that is what you wanted. I was against it of course but you didn't listen to me." Dumbledore's words might have been harsh but they were said in a kind tone. Neville didn't understand though. "What are you going on about?"
Dumbledore sighed. "You've been here before. Back in time. Twice actually. The first time you cam back you were older. A dying man with many regrets in his life. 78 you were. You gave me a vial, which you told me to give to Bellatrix Lestrange. You're older self went back to his own time and I never heard of him again.
24 years later, you were trapped in a cave with Bellatrix and her former youthful self tore away from her older body and gave you the vial as she was instructed to do. As I had charmed her to do. No matter what happened. You drank the contents of the vial. It was clearly a different situation then. Since you don't know why you have the vial. Last time 14 year old Bellatrix told you what to do and just to drink it because you told her to tell you so. This might seem a bit confusing I understand (a bit of an understatement Neville thought, but he didn't point that out).
The point being. You are here back in time. And you're going to be here until after Christmas. The effects of the potion will wear out then. Maybe sooner, since the loop has played itself before and this potion, the one you drank was made by your other 17 year old self, not your 78 year old self so the quality might be different. You were never that good at potions and it is quite possible that your 78 yourself bought the potion. Your 17 year old self brewed it himself. "
Neville tried to process the information and was having difficulty doing so. "Why did my older self want to send me back into time? And why did he choose Bellatrix to give me the potion? I don't understand."
Dumbledore smiled softly. "He requested that I wouldn't tell you. What you do here is your own choice. But he, as in you, knows himself quite well I imagine. You might just follow in your own foot steps. You might be the one to break the loop, or you might not be."
Neville sat down, pressed his palms against his forehead. Trying to drive the headache away. "How do you know all of this?"
"Ah." Dumbledore laughed, "Our memory might not be able to resist time loops, but pensives certainly can. No matter what happens, even if time is changed, the pensive's contents will always be the same. Well, at least mine is like that."
Neville groaned. It was just too much to process. The rain kept on going, undisturbed. Dumbledore started whistling. Neville got up, and brushed the dirt of his pants. "What now?" he asked. Dumbledore stopped whistling and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Your name is Neville Lennon. Do you know John Lennon? I liked him. A good wizard. I heard from your other self that he died the year you were born. Murdered. Such a shame. You are 15 years old. You were home schooled but your mother got a job as a secretary and she now prefers you going to Hogwarts since she wont have the time anymore to teach you. You're father works in America. Your parents are divorced. You will be sorted into fourth year. I already in formed the hat that you were coming so he is going to put you into Gryffindor. You'll be in your father's year. I thought you might like that."
Neville didn't see why Dumbledore had to look thoughtful. Clearly he already had everything planned out for him.
The rest went in a bit of a daze. Dumbledore took him inside and he had to wait with the first years. Neville to say the least was a bit disgruntled with the situation. A couple of girls pointed at him and giggled. One, with blond hair that was braided, stepped forward and asked in high voice, "Aren't you a little old to be sorted?" Neville ignored her, remembering his first night at Hogwarts. He had lost Trevor, and McGonagall...he gulped. McGonagall's lifeless eyes flared up before his own.
A younger McGonagall came forward, although she was still middle aged. She shooed the first years into the Great Hall, she shot a glance at Neville. "You wait here." Neville nodded. He felt strangely calm, considering the nights events.
The turn of events certainly made him forget Luna for a moment. He felt instantly guilty. He leaned against the wall. He looked down onto his clothes. They were normal, he figured. He wore denim pants and a white chemise, with a black sweater over it. He had lost a lot of weight since his Grandmother's death; you could almost call him skinny. A Hogwarts meal will take care of that, that annoying part of his brain reminded him. A whole year without Hogwarts had been too long. Neville found comfort in this older version.
He heard the hat sorting people. A name that jolted his memory quite clearly came up. "Narcissa Black…….Slytherine!" Neville sprung up. Poor Narcissa, she had no idea what future was ahead of her. Draco and Neville had tried to save her that night but they were too late. Draco killed himself shortly after. Neville regretted that he never got the chance to get better acquainted with his new friend.
The other names were unfamiliar, an occasional future Death Eater popped up now and then. As the list of names ended, everything went still for a moment. Dumbledore was probably having a little speech now. Soon it would be Neville's turn. He examined his appearance in a near by window. He looked alright, if not a bit wet. He looked at his sleeve, it was blood stained. He wondered to whom the blood belonged. It wasn't his own. It could be Fred's or Luna's. He took out his wand and cleaned his sleeve. He also took away the grass stains and some stains of which the origins were unknown.
The doors opened again. McGonagall beckoned him too come. Neville shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. She stepped aside, allowing him to pass.
The Great hall didn't change. Not one bit. Doesn't Dumbledore ever get bored with it? It was however eerily silent as everything single eye was turned to him. He stuck his chin out, a habit which he took over from Luna, and walked towards the sorting hat. Dumbledore smiled cautiously at him. Neville nodded at him and waited at the side of the three legged stool.
Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Witches and Wizards. Today we are sorting a bit of an interesting case. This is Neville Lennon. He has always been home schooled and now due to turn of recent events his parents decided to send him to Hogwarts since they no longer have the time to teach him the do's and don'ts of the wizarding world. I hope that you can all be acceptant towards him and that his new house members try and make him feel at home. Now Neville, if you would, place the sorting hat on your head." Neville smiled at the Hall, why he didn't know. Knowing teenagers, he wasn't going to have it easy.
He placed the hat on his head, and immediately felt another presence in his mind. "Neville Longbottom, or should I call Mr. Lennon? I see so many different things inside your head, so many memories. You are definitely a Gryffindor, although you doubted yourself the first few years. Your knowledge is excellent, you could go into fourth year Ravenclauw if you'd prefer. Your mother is in that house. Or do you prefer to be with your father?" Neville felt torn, he did not want to choose and so answered cryptically, "Whatever you think is best, hat." The hat grumbled, well, as well as one can grumble into another's head. "GRYFFINDOR!"
Neville pulled the hat from his head, he did not enjoy having another person in his mind, he had experienced it before, and that had led to terrible things. The Gryffindor table broke into hesitant claps. Neville glanced at Dumbledore. There was a reassuring twinkle in his eye. Everything was going to be alright.