Neville Longbottom
Fanfiction HP Years 1-7
Book 1: The Philosopher's Stone
Chapter 1: Birthday Surprises
Neville Longbottom woke up on July 30, 1991 with a feeling of anticipation. He was a slightly pudgy boy, not fat but not skinny either. His hair was blond as well and he had blue eyes; he was only four feet ten inches tall despite being eleven years old. He also has very bucked teeth. In all appearances he looked to be a normal boy, except for a scar on his forehead. But Neville tried not to think about that scar because it reminded him of things that are better not to think of too often.
Today was his eleventh birthday, and eleventh birthdays are very special for young witches and wizards. You see, in the world of wizards that is when children begin their schooling. He suspected that today would be the day he got his letter of acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It would provide him with the list of supplies he would need to purchase for the year as well as telling him that the train would be leaving from platform nine and three quarters at precisely eleven in the morning September 1st. As all wizards know, Hogwarts is the best school if you want to get a proper education. That is where nearly all the wizards are educated, even though there are other schools available.
On his way down to breakfast he glimpsed the scar on his forehead while passing the mirror in his room. It was not a regular scar; he acquired it when he was attacked by a dark wizard with a killing curse. Yet instead of dying he was left with the scar that was shaped like a jagged bolt of lightning. Not even the same color as most scars, it stood out black on his forehead. Stock still, he remembered that today was not just his birthday. It was the anniversary of both his parent's deaths. The reason he lived with his grandmother. Deep down he felt the longing for his parents that he always had. He did not remember them since he was only one year old when they were killed. Although, he did have a dream that he thought could be a memory of his first birthday. Some nights he woke up from a nightmare of a high-pitched male voice laughing before a flash of green light illuminated the room. A woman was screaming at the top of her lungs and then there was silence, one of those silences that is too deathly quiet, like the lack of sound is in and of itself evil.
On 30 July, 1981 both of his parents were murdered because an evil wizard commonly referred to as He-who-must-not-be-named or You-know-who. Witches and wizards are still too scared to speak his name despite the fact that he has been missing for ten years and some believe him to be dead. The name the evil wizard chose was Lord Voldemort, but the only person who ever called him that was the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore. Birthdays had always been a bitter-sweet experience for Neville because it reminded him of his dead parents.
He got up his courage however and opened his bedroom door to go down to breakfast. Neville knew that he needed to be brave; it was just as hard on his grandmother as it was on him. She always told him that when he thought about his deceased parents he needed to remember that the past is past and cannot be changed. She also said that his parents were both Gryffindors, and she was too when she was at Hogwarts. "Neville, if Gryffindors are known for anything it is bravery. You are just as brave as your parents were. It takes a different type of courage to lose loved ones and continue on, knowing they aren't there. But that does not diminish the fact that it takes just as much courage as slaying a dragon would in its own way."
"Neville!" his grandmother yelled at the bottom of the stairs. "Breakfast is ready. Happy eleventh birthday. I've got something here for you at the table."
"Coming, Grandma!" he yelled back. If you have ever seen an eleven year old boy on his birthday, you know what I am about to describe. The pure excitement and anticipation is just oozing out of him. He can't wait to see what is on that table. He wondered if it was the letter from Hogwarts, or if it was a birthday present. And of course once he thinks about the words birthday present he starts wondering what his grandmother had gotten him. Could it be a new broom? Or an owl, that would be very useful for communicating with her when he went off to Hogwarts. Well, he hurried down the stairs as fast as he could so he could find out what was on that table.
"Good morning grandma." he said as he pulled out his chair and sat down in his usual seat. The room smelled of bacon and eggs and just then a sharp tapping could be heard on the window pane. There was a small package on the table waiting for him and a warm breakfast, but that tapping was what Neville had really been hoping to hear. It was the sound of a beak tapping against the glass of the window. He jumped out of his said and ran to the window. A dark brown owl with golden eyes was at the window with a letter attached to its left leg. He threw open the window and let the owl into the room. Quickly untying the letter that was attached with a piece of red ribbon, he scanned that side of the letter that was facing towards him. Sure enough, the Hogwarts school crest was there. It was his acceptance letter!
"Morning to you too. Now before you open that letter I want you to sit down and eat your breakfast. The letter can wait, but the food is hot now." she told him sternly. Neville Longbottom's grandmother has a very distinctive look shall we say. It is difficult to find a word to describe an outfit that consists of a hat with a stuffed vulture on top and a bright red handbag. She has a gray shawl wrapped around her shoulders, plain black dress slacks, and a black sweater underneath the shawl. Augusta Longbottom is thin and bony, but she has certain toughness about her even though she is old. Anybody could tell you even if they had just met her, that she is a formidable person.
As his grandmother was telling him to sit down and eat his breakfast Neville was ripping open the letter. He had untied the ribbon that kept the letter attached to the owl's leg and the dark brown owl flew off into the morning sun. He had just opened the wax seal on the letter and was about to pull it out when he heard the words letter can wait and food is hot now. Reluctantly, he set the letter down on the counter and went to the table to eat his breakfast. "Yes, grandmother." he replied.
Neville wolfed down the delicious eggs and bacon breakfast and then drained his glass of milk in 4 gulps. He dabbed away his milk mustache with his napkin and then ran over to the counter and snatched the letter. The letter was addressed to Neville personally. Then he turned the letter over and grabbed the parchment that was inside. It was addressed to him by deputy headmistress Minerva McGonagall, who was also the Professor of Transfiguration at Hogwarts. In summation, it said that he had been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and was to board the Hogwarts Express sometime before eleven o'clock on the first of September.
He looked in the envelope again and saw the parchment that had his list of books and supplies to acquire and bring with him on the train. He would need:
UNIFORM:
First year students will require:
Three sets of plain works robes (black)
One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils= clothes should carry name tags
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also being an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
He gave the list to his grandmother and said excitedly, "I got accepted into Hogwarts. Here is the list of supplies I will need for the year. It has the uniform, books, wand, and everything else I'm going to need. I am already getting excited about finally going to Hogwarts." Augusta Longbottom scanned the list and then put it in her red handbag.
"Yes, starting at Hogwarts is a very exciting thing. We will need to go to Diagon Alley to buy all of your things. Your birthday present is on the table. Hopefully it will come in handy." Augusta Longbottom said. You could tell from the look in her eyes that she was happy for Neville. Being at Hogwarts was one of the best experiences of her life. A truly magical place.
"Thanks, Grandma. I had completely forgotten about the present on the table." he said with a smile. He untied the ribbon, ripped off the wrapping paper, and quickly opened the box. Inside was a glass ball that looked like it was filled with a white smoke. "What is it?" he asked.
"That is a remembrall. The smoke turns from red to white whenever you have forgotten something. Since you are going to be at Hogwarts, I thought it would be useful to make sure you didn't leave anything on the train or somewhere along the way. If you have that out then you shouldn't lose too many things." his grandmother explained.
"That's amazing! Thanks a million." Neville exclaimed. He ran up to his grandmother and gave her a big hug. "So when are we going to go to Diagon Alley to get all my school things?" he asked.
"I am thinking the second weekend in august. This coming week I am going to be too busy to take you there." she replied.
"Okay. I can't wait to get all my supplies. Do you think I could get an owl?" Neville asked.
"Hmm, I'll think about it." she said.
"Alright, thank you for breakfast and the remembrall. I am going to head up to my room for a while." he said.
"Sounds fine. I will be down here if you need me. Happy eleventh birthday!" she yelled.
"See you later." Neville said. Then he raced up the stairs to his room. He was going to get some more sleep. Though he woke up at the regular time, he was just a bit tired. For no reason at all that he could tell. Yet he was tired nevertheless. He drew the drapes over his window and drifted off into the land of dreams…