Chapter 2: Change Has Begun

Neville knew his Grandmother was a wise woman who did not suffer fools lightly. A sentiment Neville could understand but also terribly dislike, due to having been on the wrong side of it one time to many. Lady Augusta Longbottom was a proud woman of many accomplishments, and she took the most pride in watching her family succeed. Unfortunately that also meant that she expected a certain amount of competence from her family as well. When her daughter-in-law Alice and her son Frank where incapacitated and in a permenant ward of St. Mungos, the wizard hospital, it fell to Neville to live up to the Longbottom name. To carry on and surpass his father, one of the best Auror's to ever make it through the Auror Academy, and bring glory and honor to the Longbottom name. In that regard Lady Longbottom seemed to be constantly disappointed. She did not seem to see that Neville was not his father and would never be. Now this did not mean Lady Longbottom did not love her grandson she just thought he could do more, could be better, and Neville wanted more then anything to prove her right.

Neville also knew his Grandmother was not one to suffer injustice lightly either and would fight for any wrong doing to be corrected immediately. It was on this thought that Neville brought his thought's to his Grandmother. "Grandmother what would you say if I told you that I had found a terrible injustice being done to a peer of our realm. If I could tell you that I have found that this peer had been denied his Heritage and has entered our world unwillingly ignorant of our ways, and could if this isn't soon addressed, get himself into an irreparable situtation in which he would not be able to extract himself?" Lady Augusta scruntinized her grandson and responded with the same solemnity she saw her Grandson using, "I'm going to assume you are talking about Mr. Potter when you bring this up to me, and yes Neville I will address him as Mr. Potter until he has shown to me that he deserves his title," She responded when she saw Neville about to protest her calling him Mr. Potter. Lady Augusta knew her Grandson well, and was very proud that he was stepping up to correct the travesty of Mr. Potter's upbringing. "So I have been right in thinking that he has not been intentionally sabotaging himself but is completly unaware of the social gaffs and mistakes he has been making?" Neville nodded to confirm his Grandmother's thoughts.

"Yes Grandmother I have spent the last two years watching Harry and he seems to have absolutly no knowledge whatsoever about anything to do with the wizarding world except what Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger have told him which isn't much. It actually seems like Ronald is purposely not telling Harry anything because he is jealous of the wealth that Harry has and wants to keep those reminders of Harry's wealth out of sight and out of mind to borrow a muggle phrase." Neville really had been watching Harry for two years, hoping that Harry would want to reach out and renew the friendship between their two houses. During this time he had realized that Harry would never do so because Harry didn't even know it was something he should do. Which brought Neville to his current delima, he wanted to help Harry and keep him from doing something irreparable yet he also knew that he would have to be cautious about it as it seems there was someone who was intentionally trying to sabotage the young Potter Lord.

Lady Augusta looked on her grandson with quiet pride, delighted that this meant so much to him and he was doing something about it. "Well Neville I suggest we invite Mr. Potter here for the summer to try to fix some of the damage that has been done to him and introduce him truly into the world that he belongs, after all the Potter's have always been friends of the Longbottom family and we take care of our own." Lady Augusta said having said her piece and made her opinion and decision plain. Neville grinned at his grandmother and ran off to write Harry and invite him to Longbottom Manor for the summer.

Harry Potter was having a very good day so far, he had escaped the Dursley's, had gotten his Hogsmeade form signed without hassle from Uncle Vernon, and he wouldn't have to deal with Marge Dursley this summer. He started back towards the Leaky Cauldron entrance to Diagon Alley trying to keep his head down so he wasn't noticed by everyone. Harry did not need to be mobbed by people at this time, it might alert someone who would notify Dumbledore that he wasn't at Private Drive, which was totally not what Harry needed at that moment. So he stuck to the walls and moved at a brisk pace towards the opening to Diagon Alley trying to remember the bricks Hagrid had touched to open the passage. As Harry headed towards the back alley he passed by Professer Severus Snape who was curious as to what the Boy-Who-Lived was doing going towards Diagon Alley with what looked like all his possessions. As Serverus had always been a very curious man, he left some Galleons on the table to cover his meal and got up to follow Potter. Harry Potter had always been a conundrum to Severus. Harry did not act or dress anything he had expected the Potter Heir to do, in fact Potter didn't even act like he knew anything about being a Heir at all.

Severus was not one who liked being misled or lied to and what he had been told and what he had observed about Harry Potter where two completely different things. Severus didn't truly hate Harry Potter, though he did detest the boy's complete lack of respect for authority and following the rules. He however was a spy and had to maintain an image around the children of Voldermort's followers. Unlike most of the wizarding world Severus knew that Voldemort would return some day. Voldemort had seemed to have an unconcerned air about being killed or defeated, that had nothing to do with his confidence in himself, not that you could differentiate Voldemort's confidence with insanity at theend of his reign. His conversations with Dumbledore had only seemed to verify the fact that Voldemort wasn't gone, that he had found some way to cheat Death. From what Severus knew about Death however was that it very much did not like being cheated and that it always had a contingency plan, which at this time seemed to be Harry Potter. The same Harry Potter that looked like an orphan in rags, and did not inspire confidence in those around him except for his extraordinary ability to survive circumstances that most others his age would not.

Severus watched in amusement as Harry Potter seemed to get more and more frustrated as it seemed he could not remember the pattern to gain access to Diagon Alley. He decided to take pity on the boy, maybe it would also give him a chance to observe Potter and see what the Potter Heir was made of. "Allow me Mr. Potter," Severus said inwardly amused as he saw Potter jump in suprise and panic breifly before both feeling were ruthlessly squashed and Potter seemed to make himself forcibly relax.

Harry himself was still panicing as Professor Snape was someone who could let Dumbledore know where he was and then the whole escape from the Dursley's for the summer would be ruined. Harry mentally shuddered to think of what Vernon would do to him if he returned before next summer. He watched silently as Professor Snape tapped the pattern into the bricks memorizing it for future reference. "Thank you sir," Harry said politely, with Professor Snape it was always better, in Harry's mind at least, to be extremely cautious in what he did and said. Professor Snape inclined his head and then asked him, "Mr. Potter may I ask what brings you into Diagon alley with all of your belongings?" Indicating Harry's trunk and owl with his hand. Harry looked at Professor Snape suspiously for a moment and answered, "I made a deal with my Uncle for us to avoid each other for the summer Professor." Harry told the Professor hoping he didn't inquire more, giving the Professor anything less would probably have seen him right back at Private Drive, which is exactly what Harry didn't want to happen.

Potter's answer was not exactly what Severus had been expecting but then Severus didn't know what he had expected Potter to say in the first place anyway. Knowing caution was the best route to take here as Potter looked like he was ready to bolt, which he would not doubt he would do if Potter felt threatened enough, he said, "Well Mr. Potter I would suggest taking better precautions so as not to get noticed in the Alley, There are those who would not be pleased if something happened to you." Then Severus walked off knowing if he tried to stick around any further Potter would run off, better to leave now and follow the boy then try to get him to accept his company. He had a long way to go before Harry Potter would ever trust Professor Severus Snape the so called greasy potions master. So he disappeared into a shop and then pretended to browse waiting for Potter to pass by. He did not need to talk to someone to learn about them after all, observing someone often told much more then people willingly wanted to reveal.

Harry was very confused and frustrated, Professor Snape had acted nothing like he had expected him to and had even been polite to him. Harry decided to push the encounter to the side for now and continue on his way, he could think over what happened more later, when he wasn't exposed to the world. Harry would give the Professor one thing tough he did need to disguise himself or he would be finding trouble where he did not need it, it wasn't like he didn't attract enough of it as it was, something upon which Hermione constantly commented. He put his head back down and proceeded to make his way towards Gringotts. If Harry wanted to get anything done he would need money first after all it is what got you help when you needed it. Nothing in the world was for free and as long as Harry followed the status quo he would be fine or so he thought.