Synopsis: Selfish, bold and equipped with knowledge of the future and his past life, Neville Longbottom settled into his first year of Hogwarts. Neville continued to change his future – and also the future of those around him.

Neville, with the influence of Hannah Abbott, stumbles upon the idea of creating a new organisation to match-make Draco and Lavender – but after more thought and planning, the influence of this project might be drastic to the future of Hogwarts. On the other hand, Hermione tricked a reason out of Neville for why he was angry, and he made up with the other Gryffindors.

Chapter 9 – Holiday with a vampire.

Hermione had missed Neville the most out of the Trio during their time at cold war. Harry and Ron were not stupid, but mostly it was Hermione teaching them and never the other way back. Being with Neville always inspired her to think things differently and learn knowledge outside of the classroom, whether it was related to magic or just normal every day life. Some of that knowledge were pretty useless though – like the ratio to separate a bun to make the perfect burger. Aside from that, Neville was her first real friend at Hogwarts, before Harry and Ron saved her from the troll. All this, coupled with her personality, boiled down to her talking most of their way back to London on the Hogwarts Express.

Neville was only listening to her with half a heart as he stared out the window at the snowy scenery. It was just the two of them in the compartment, but he did not feel comfortable at all, and fidgeted in his seat. They were nearing King's Cross and still he had not asked her for the reason why she thought it was Ron who sent her the chocolates.

Sure, Neville was absolutely relieved since he could not be mistaken as her imaginary secret admirer, and never would unless he or the twins burst the bubble. However, he did feel a slight injustice at the fact that his present was taken as to be from someone else. Plus, he was very curious in how the usually smart witch managed to deduct this blatantly wrong answer.

The red steam engine let out a whistle as it came to the end of their journey. Students had already taken off their hats and robes, looking just like normal muggles, most of their trunks and magical school stuffs left at Hogwarts, while they exited the gateway to the station lobby.

" Yeah, we should really talk more about the budget in the proposal," Hermione continued her earlier line of conversation about the committee, which Neville would forever remember as having started as a scheme to drag Draco and Lavender together. Imagine noting that in Hogwarts: A History.

The Trio's addition to the last meeting was like adding a hot iron to snow. It was just time wasted while Draco and Ron threw insults at each other. Goyle and Crabbe were even going to start a fight before Neville tripped them onto their faces. Hermione was a great addition though, since she thought of things in a reasonable fashion and complemented Neville's notions quite well. Harry had some good ideas too, but were always shot down by Draco as vice-president. Hannah became more active in the discussion, whether it was influenced by more people's presence or not, and she said she would contact Neville by owl during the holidays as she drafted the proposal to submit to Dumbledore.

" You can't contact me because you don't have an owl," Neville opened the train door and let her onto the platform. " I'll tell Trevor to fly over to yours for the holiday. It's an endangered species so keep it out of sight, but please take care of it."

" What? B-but it's your owl!" Hermione was about to decline but was countered by logic.

" I live in a wizarding family, there are other owls I can borrow at the house," Neville reassured. " My house does not have a telephone, or even a mailbox. It's settled. Just… don't let Trevor eat too much. He's big enough as he is."

" Like owner like owl," Hermione's joke was returned with a deep frown. Just as Neville was about to protest, a familiar voice called out his name.

" Neville! Oh Neville!" The two of them only saw a flash of a figure before Neville was embraced and embarrassed by his Gran, who moved exceptionally quickly for her age. " Look at you! Look how thin you've become! What're they feeding you at Hogwarts? Oh my poor Neville."

" Gran, my classmate. Hermione, my grandmother." Neville gave each woman a look individually: Gran's was to remind her that Hermione was watching; Hermione's was to tell her at least Gran thought he was not fat, and quite the contrary.

" Hello, Mrs Longbottom. It's a pleasure to meet you." Hermione greeted politely, and Gran looked absolutely delighted as she finally unhanded Neville.

" Why, hello dear. What a polite young lady. I hope Neville isn't causing you too much trouble."

" No, not at all. He's been helping me a lot in classes and outside too," Hermione realised then they were still standing on the platform. " I should get going now. My parents are muggles and can't come into the platform."

" Oh, then you'd better not keep them waiting. It was nice meeting you Hermione dear."

" You too Mrs Longbottom, goodbye." Hermione took a few steps away, turned and wave at Neville. " I'll send you an owl if I think up anything else about the committee. Merry Christmas!"

" Take care of Trevor! Have a nice Christmas." Neville waved back and watched her disappear through the gates before turning back to his Gran, ready for a fresh wave of assault.

" Neville, now just between you and Gran, is that girl your new sweetheart?" Neville almost banged his head on the side of the train at the ridiculous question.

" N-no Gran… no. She is not." He straightened himself out and started walking to the exit. Who even uses the word 'sweetheart' nowadays? We're not that far back in the past. " We are both in Gryffindor, and she helped me out with some stuffs."

" Really." Without looking back, Neville knew the unconvinced face Gran was giving him. " Well, she is a polite little girl."

" Yes, she is." Neville gave a tone of formality and continued. " Gran, how have you been for the past few months?"

" Oh, the manor gets awfully quiet when you are away. I call Griselda over whenever I can and we have tea by the fireplace. Though I see she'll be awfully busy when the OWL exams come around."

" How's old Al… I mean, great uncle Algie?" Neville still remembered the benefactor of all his magical artefacts, and hoped he was still live and kicking enough to remember not to murder Neville again.

" Oh, you'll see him soon. He's coming with us to Romania." Gran stopped for a moment while she remembered something. " Oh, we'll have to head to St Mungo's now if we're to visit your parents before Christmas."

Neville waited for it, but realised it was a lost cause. " So… why are going to Romania?"

" Oh didn't I tell you?" Neville did not know Legilimency but saw that Gran was just forging innocence. There must be a scheme behind this trip that she was hiding. See if old Al is planning to do some sort of magic excavating again… " We were invited to spend Christmas with your second cousin's family. One of Count Vlad Drakul's old castles actually. I've been there when I was younger and it's very nice."

" …Did you say Dracula?" We have a vampire in our family?

" Yes, yes, the muggles mispronounces it all the time. Don't know why the ministry over there doesn't cover up the existence of vampires in Transylvania."

This has to be something to do with Algie! Just wait and see how I'm going to throw him down those Dracula castle steps!

" When are we meeting great uncle Algie?" Neville smirked sinisterly. He was already convinced Algie was planning to get his blood sucked out, mix it in with some potion, and make him drink it again to multiply his magic power.

" Oh, we'll meet him in Romania. I've booked a Portkey for us already for tomorrow."

Complying with the wizened old guard, Neville and Gran went through the portal and into the masses of Londoners. Not far away, he could spot Hermione's wild brown hair with who he would presume were her parents and watched her walk away, mouth moving wildly, talking about all the extraordinary points of Hogwarts no doubt.

" Are you sure you don't fancy your little friend there Neville?" Gran actually had a very wicked looking smile on at that moment, which unnerved him tremendously.

" Yes. I am just wondering if Trevor can fly overseas. I haven't been using him much and he's getting grossly overweight."

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Neville had never been to Romania even in his past life, and was actually quite excited that he could go on an overseas trip out of expectations. Plus, in the books, vampires were not really described at length. They were categorised as Non-Wizard Part-Human creatures, like goblins, who were not allowed to use wands, but Neville could never see them as such. This also tied in with the query about Veelas, since he was not sure if they were categorised the same or not. Half wizards and such were allowed to use a wand though, Fleur Delacour a prime example, and with Dracula having died so long ago, Neville figured his distant relatives were probably like Fleur.

" Oof!" Neville stumbled forward as his feet hit ground again after feeling like being shot out of a gun barrel. He and Gran, with some other passengers, unhanded the gardening glove that was the Portkey. " Why do wizard transport always leave people disorientated afterwards. This Portkey, the Floo Network…"

" What Neville?" Gran also composed herself and picked up the luggage she dropped by her side.

" Nothing." Neville looked round at the other passengers and his surroundings. So this is like the airports eh? Just, for Portkeys. I must say, very much faster and less hassle. No flight delays, weather conditions… too bad there aren't any hot air hostesses.

" Six o'clock from London!" A bored looking wizard, wrapped in fur because of the cold weather, bellowed as he checked his pocket watch and parchment.

The Portkey took Neville and his Gran to a clearing in a forest, probably surrounded by Muggle-repelling charms, with many other stone platforms identical to the one they arrived on. Each circular platform had lit torches surrounding its circumference, and a flight of short stone steps leading to the middle of the clearing, where a huge bonfire blazed. The bonfire had a strange green glow, providing most of the warmth and light for the clearing, and reminded Neville of the Floo powder flames.

His suspicions were correct as Gran hurried him towards it. " Come on now, this'll take us to the town centre. Really, to think we have to make another trip just to get to somewhere with hot coffee – that's why I hate travelling."

Neville decided not to inform Gran about muggle flight connections or bus transits and quietly followed. He walked through the fire, without a need to call out because it only led to one place, and was spun around as if he was on a funfair ride. Once again stumbling on one foot, he looked up to find himself in a big hall, not unlike the arrangements of the Atrium at the British Ministry of Magic HQ, apart from the absence of a fountain. On the floor was a painting of the flag of Romania, with some sort of epic battle on it that must be in a history book somewhere. There were a huge row of elevators along one wall, which no doubt transported them up to the muggle world.

Just as he was following Gran towards them, he passed another fireplace, whereby with a great whoosh of green flames, a figure shot out of it and crashed into Neville. The both of them fell hard on the floor, the figure clearly brought too much luggage and it all strewed about the floor around them. That's probably why they crashed into me in the first place… don't they charge extra for excessive baggage in the wizarding world?

" Hey! Watch where you're going!" Before Neville could even pick himself up, the person was already screaming in his face. This was all in Romanian though. " What sort of idiot walks in front of the exit of a fireplace?"

" Miss," Neville figured from her tone at least that she was not happy about this predicament. I guess she thought it more important to shout at me before standing up. " Can you please get off me now?"

" I hate idiots," the girl muttered in English, finally allowing Neville to get up from the previously disgraceful position.

The girl looked to be just two years or so older than Neville, and with the way she was haughtily dusting herself as if she had just came into contact with some smelly disease, she could not be that old. Her fur robes looked expensive though, swishing around her ankles like it was magically enchanted to do so, and it matched her raccoon cap. Two swirls of curly dark hair, just like those old exaggerated royal princesses, hung down either side of her cheeks. The girl's still young, but I'm positive she'll grow up to be a beauty – the wild vixen type that liked to wear black leather.

" Where are you going? How rude!" Neville had turned to go, but was halted as she pulled out her wand. " You're not even going to apologise after running into me like that?"

" Well technically… heck, why do I even bother," Neville flicked his wrist and his wand was at hand.

" So you want to duel?" A smirk appeared on the girl's face, and looked Neville up and down as if he was some clown in a circus.

" Neville! Put that wand down! We might be on the other side of the continent from the Ministry but that doesn't mean I'll let you use magic!" Gran, who saw what happened, tried to pacify things. In truth, she was just afraid Neville would get badly hexed.

" I'm just going to help pick up her stuffs." The thought of duelling some random little girl never occurred to him for one bit. As much as he disliked her attitude, he was not prepared to pick on some strange little kid just for that. " Mobilisaccus."

The girl's bags around them, under Neville's wand movements, gathered back at either side of her feet. She only snorted and shook her head though. " Foreigners. To think they can show off with tiny bits of magic like this."

Once again using the ignoring tactic, Neville turned to leave.

" Hey! Foreigner! You still owe me an apology!" That bossy voice and east European accent would really drive selective men wild.

" Miss, it's Christmas Eve," Neville explained in a tone reserved for children. " Everyone here is wanting to get home quickly, so let's round this up so we can all be on our way."

Without her noticing, this dispute had drawn the attention of most people in the big hall. Neville was of course unafraid, since there were bound to be people who saw what happened and would tell her that she was originally at fault.

" Stupid foreigner! You're not getting away today without giving me an apology!" Just like a kettle with boiling water, she pointed her wand at Neville and shot out a pink coloured curse with a Bulgarian incantation.

" Hey!" Neville ducked out of the way just in time for it to shoot past his face. Unfortunately for the big guy behind him, who was caught off guard, within a few seconds his face was turning purple with green boils all over it. Even with these magical additives, it was quite clear the big guy was furious. Big and furious.

Maybe it was more unfortunate for the girl since she was on the verge of tears with fear, the big man advancing towards her, mouth full of foul Romanian insults. Gran saw the situation could only get worst and stepped in, quickly performing the counter-curse on the big man.

" Sir, she is but a girl," Gran patted the big man on the arm. " It's just a little squabble between kids. Let's just forgive and forget. It's Christmas Eve as my grandson said, so let's all just go home to our families…"

After a few moments the crowd cleared away, leaving only Gran, Neville and the girl who resumed her glare on Neville. The girl was ready to chew his bones off, as if her almost getting squashed like a pancake by the big man was his fault. At this moment, a familiar voice came from a newly arrived elevator.

" Neville! What kept ya? We came down to get you when you still haven't come up the elevator for so long!" It was old Al, who was wrapped like a bear from the cold – or he had just picked up a few pounds.

" Mummy!" The girl gave a victorious smile at Neville and rushed to a woman who came out behind old Al from the elevator.

" Ah, Elena! I'm glad you got home safe." The woman who wrapped her arms round the girl was in her thirties, but had an air of elegance about her. The woman surprisingly turned back to Neville the next moment, " And I see you've met our guests."

" Guests?" Elena turned her head back round quizzically to stare at the direction of her mother's gaze. Now that Neville gave a good look, Elena's fang teeth did look a little oversized, which had matched too perfectly with her mischievous trouble-picking attitude. The hue of her eyes, now turning from confusion to disbelief, was a dark crimson.

" This is your second cousin, Neville Longbottom." Her mother introduced to hit the final nail on her coffin. Or rather, mines.

" What?" Elena's scream echoed around the big hall.

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There was an awkward atmosphere inside the horseless flying carriage. Gran and Mrs Drakul were making polite conversation about long unseen family members while giving the two children reproachful glances. Old Al was asking Neville about school, which he only answered half-heartedly because Elena was snorting or laughing at whatever he said. Just from the few glares and frowns, their mutual dislike was very apparent. Neville did try to ignore her on the way to the carriage, watching the unique Romanian carol singers about the street, until Elena pulled the last straw by tripping him, magically, into a pile of snow.

" Oh look! We're here! It hasn't changed one bit!" Gran was the first off the carriage, ushering Neville behind her, and put as much distance between him and Elena as possible.

Neville was pleasantly surprised at the medieval architecture of the town they left from, since he was into knights and dragons sort of things when he was younger. The ancient castle in front of him however, basked in the early moonlight, curtained by a faint wintery haze, made his lips curl up satisfactorily. The castle was, of course, situated on high grounds and around them were snow covered forest and cliffs for all he could see. The orange roof tiles, the cracked stone walls, the artsy little windows, all contributed to the theme.

Another dry laugh next to him ruined the mood though. " It looks like you haven't even seen a castle before. I can't believe you are a Longbottom."

" There're a lot of truths I don't want to believe in either," Neville grinned back mirthlessly. " But I do believe you will regret annoying me one day."

" Okay! Let's hurry inside! No point in standing out in the snow!" Mrs Drakul clapped her hands together and led the group to the front door. Elena gave a last harrumph to Neville and stuck herself to the hem of her mother's dress.

" Heh heh," old Al gave a hearty chuckle. " What a meeting, you two."

" Hey, great uncle Algie," Neville fell back and pulled Algie down to speak in a lower voice. " You're not planning anything with this trip right?"

" P-planning? Don't be ridiculous!" Neville was convinced he was planning something now.

" Spit it! Are you trying to put me in some life-and-death situation again to draw some magic out of me?" Neville hissed. If old Al was trying to kill him again, it was only natural not to speak in his usual nice polite tone.

" What? No Neville, you can do magic already! There's no need for all that again." Neville still could not trust old Al's words, but the man did look rather relieved. Am I wrong? But they must be scheming something.

" Welcome! To Count Drakul's castle!" Mrs Drakul waved her arm to her side, gesturing for us to enter. I'm sure I heard Dracula! I'm sure! Did Mrs Drakul work in a theme park or something?

" Well isn't this just –" Before Gran could continue with more of her pleasantries, a clashing noise of metal emitted from the left door beside the huge staircase.

With a bang, the door was thrown open and a suit of armour, one hand with a lance and the other an axe, charged towards Neville. Bewitched armour. And the weapons are sharpened!

Not having time to think of anything else, like why would a piece of armour suddenly attack him, Neville already armed himself with his wand. Thanked to his suspicion of old Al, he did not even skip a beat in choosing a spell. " Reducto!"

The spell hit the carpet under it and sent the suit of armour flying back in the air, its helmet and gauntlets all scattered across different parts of the foyer as they landed. Neville could have used the Blasting Curse, but he did not want to hurt old Al that badly if it really was him. Turned out it was not.

" Hoho! Not bad young Longbottom!" Immediately looking up, Neville saw a shadow jump down from what would be the second floor banister. The shadow's cloak swished behind him, and all Neville could see were two crimson eyes getting closer and closer.

" Oh quit it!" Mrs Drakul's voice seemed to have been the turning point for this scary movie to turn into a comedy. She must have used some sort of banishing curse, which hit the side of the shadow, making him let out a very wimp-ish cry of pain as he smashed into the wall above the front door.

" Daddy!" Elena ran up to the figure whimpering on the ground. Mr Drakul looked every bit like a vampire: the fanged teeth, the slick back hair, the massive black cloak et cetera.

" Oh! My dear daughter Elena! You've finally returned to Papa!" Mr Drakul hugged his daughter and pated her on the back of her head. " Oh, we father and daughter has a lot to catch upon. But first, I must test out the strength of young Longbottom here."

Without even time for a cry of surprise, Mr Drakul flicked his wand and a stream of white light was fired at Neville. Gritting his teeth, unable to get accustomed to how Romanians greeted people, he dropped and rolled under the spell. Of course, Mr Drakul did not let him off that easy, and almost like a combo, another spell was shot at the place Neville would soon roll onto.

" Protego!" Neville really did not have much confidence in the Shielding Charm, seeing how even qualified wizards had problems mastering it. Though knowing it was a critical spell for duelling, he had tried extra hard to learn this first. Of course, this was one of the spells that he practiced wrongly from the period his magic powers were locked, and he had much difficulty trying to correct it. Nevertheless, the white curse was deflected from the front of his face, telling him his diligence paid off.

" Daddy!" Elena squealed in glee. Her father was helping her teach the ignorant boy a lesson and let out some of her steam. She saw that Neville was on one knee, and would be finished if Mr Drakul was to fire another curse now. Her wish was not granted though.

" I said to quit it!" Before Mr Drakul could do another spell, his victorious expression was contorted into pain as he was hit on the head. Mrs Drakul had levitated a random piece of the smashed up armour and halted her husband from losing her more face.

" B-but darling!" Mr Drakul recovered and was on his knees, eyes watering and pleading. " I must test out the strength of the one who – blewh!"

" I'm so sorry Neville dear," Mrs Drakul was all smiles as she apologised. Neville could only give a weak smile back at the woman who had just cursed her husband to vomit out green slugs. " Please ignore my husband. He's a bit strange and doesn't know how to greet guests."

Seeing how the last two words were filled with venom and coupled with a glare that made Mr Drakul whimper again, Gran immediately stepped in again to mediate. I really wonder how the original Gran in the books would react to these things. Surely the old Gran Longbottom would not wear such a peaceful expression – ever.

" No one was hurt! No one was hurt! It's all good!" Old Al was the only person laughing naturally as he repeatedly patted Neville on the back. " Neville here is without a scratch! Absolutely UN-harmed! I'm telling you, that was one spectacular Shielding Charm he did there!"

In truth, Algie was just incredibly happy to see Neville being able to take care of himself magically, compared to how he was worrying about him being a squib just a few years back. Algie was one of those still to do a perfect Shielding Charm and never even heard of it when he was at Neville's age.

" Great uncle Algie, you can stop now." Neville hissed as old Al patted him stronger than the old man realised during his joy. " Did you tell Dracula to try and kill me? Didn't you say you weren't doing this anymore just outside?"

" What? Mr Drakul wasn't trying to kill you! Don't be ridiculous!" Old Al explained while others were unmindful of the two. Gran and Mrs Drakul were still apologising to each other while Elena was fretting around her father. Dracula looked even paler than before as more slugs were coughed up from his throat.

" Then why did he attack me? I doubt it was Romanian tradition." Neville figured this out even if Dracula was definitely a person with some loose screws in his head.

" Oh, Drakul is a proud man Neville – from his vampire blood if it is racist for me to say so." Neville believed old Al on this one entirely. Just look at his daughter. " Didn't he say… or tried to… Well, in one word, he's just trying to test you to see if you were worthy."

" Worthy of what? Does he have some uber sword that I can use to save the world?" Neville frowned deeply at old Al, who was starting to become nervous again.

" Hey! Enid! My dear wife! So glad to see you again!" Great aunt Enid walked down from the stairs, and was a bit astonished to see her passionate husband running towards her in his fleeing speed.

Neville just sighed, knowing something must be going on around here. He was experiencing just as much life-threatening dangers as Harry Potter, or presently, even more. Just as he pumped himself up to practice the Shielding Charm in a session later, his vision crossed over Dracula's direction. Elena was now glaring at him with menace, as if Neville had murdered her father.

" Gran? How many days are we staying here again?"

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A/N: From the 6th book, we know the Ministry can detect magic at a place, but not necessary by who. That was how Voldemort got off from murdering his father. Parents are supposed to be responsible for forbidding underage wizards of course. Since Neville's out of the country, let's say his family was not fussed about him using magic.

Oh, yeah, and the Dracula family are OCs never in the series (first ones to appear in the story as far as I noticed). I doubt the Longbottom family had a vampire relative, or Neville a second cousin, but it's all imagination. Realise these characters might not follow cannon stereotype – like say, if vampires have green eyes in the HP universe, not in this story. I'll try not to deviate though, as best to my knowledge.