A/N: I am feeling especially fanficy today so I decided to update more than once; this one is dedicated to LunaLovegood1113, because she wanted Neville' sorting.
The Sorting of Neville Longbottom:
Neville stood there nervously, twittling his thumbs and keeping a firm grip on his slippery amphibian. The fascination with the lavish decorations he had felt earlier had oozed away in face of what was to come next.
The last conversation he had had with his Gran was replaying in his head like someone had put it on non-stop, he would flinch everytime he remembered the last sentence she had spoken to him.
Gran was fussing over his jacket, zipping it and straightening it when it was already fully zipped and stalk straight. She kept muttering things under her breath like, "Probably be in Hufflepuff," and "Such a disaster."
Everytime one of the mumbled sentences escaped his grandmother's lips he would flinch slightly, but not too audibly, he didn't want her to know he could hear her.
"Now," his Gran bent down to his level, locking him in a penetrating gaze, "remember," she seemed to be having trouble summoning the words to say, "even if- you are not in Gryffindor, I will still be-" She stopped her sentence and sighed staring off into space for a millasecond before looking back into Neville' eye'.
"I love you Neville, and nothing would make me more proud than for you to be in Gryffindor like your parents."
Neville swallowed hard, he fought back the tears that threatened to pool over his eyes and the pain that rose in his chest everytime his parent' were mentioned.
His Gran squeezed his shoulder firmly, "Don't dissapoint me."
Neville was shaken back to reality by the sound of his name echoing through the hall foreboodingly. The young man gulped and took a few steps toward the stool before he had to stop and collect his nerves. His knees were wobbling so badly they threatened to collapse on him and his palms were dripping with sweat. An image of his parents pushed its way into his brain and he opened his eyes and clenched his jaw, making his way to the stool.
He sat down, slightly more confident with the image of his parents still fresh in his mind. When the sorting hat was placed on the young boys head it was also the first image it saw.
"Alice and Frank Longbottom. You are their son, yes? Extrodinary wizards, they were." The sorting hats voice seem to be gentle as it recalled the memory of Neville's parents. Could the sorting hat, Neville thought, feel sympathy?
"You're very kind hearted it seems, but ashamed of it because of your upbringing. You are afraid of dissapointing the one you care about most..." The sorting hats voice seemed to drist off in Neville's head as if it were deep in thought, or moreso, deep in Neville's thoughts.
Neville allowed his head to droop a bit and his eyes to wander downcast at the sorting hats words. Everything was true, of course, but it still hurt to hear.
"But, I sense a great bit of bravery in you yet, Longbottom. Yes, I see it now, you have a bright future ahead of you. Very loyal too..."
Neville smiled a small smile, but a smile none the less.
"GRYFFINDOR!" The sorting hat reached its decision without a second thought.
Neville gasped with surprise and grinned in pleasure as he practically ran to sit down with his fellow house-mates.
There's still hope for me yet, Gran.
A/N: I really hoped you liked it! Reviews appreciated!
