DISCLAIMER: The ideas are mine, the characters are not. If they were, Dumbledore would have ended in Slytherin, Theodore Nott would be a much more important character, and Lily Evans would have dumped James at the earliest opportunity!


"LONGBOTTON, NEVILLE"

"- can't believe I stumbled again, in front of everybody, there must be a thousand people here"

"no, no, no more than a few hundred..."

"Hundred? Hundreds of people saw me hitting my jaw on the ground,- so careless-, couldn't keep one leg in front of the other to save my life-"

"Slow down young man! It was just a minor fall."

"Oh, Gosh, the hat, right, the sorting! What did grandmama said? I should say something..."

"Merlin's holly beard, you're so nervous Neville. It's been a while since I had a chance to probe any Longbotton's thoughts but I don't remember anyone so unsettled."

"I know-"

"And now you're disappointed!"

"It's just- I know my dad wouldn't be nervous. Grandma told me everything about him. He was all kinds of brave, that's why he ended up in Gryffindor. Of course he wouldn't be nervous, he was not afraid of anything, but I just- I just can't help it."

"Neville, only fools have no fear. And Frank Longbotton was many things, but not a fool. Interesting young man. Concious, self-aware. At eleven years old, his young heart was in the right place I'll tell you that!"

"..."

"Doubt. I see plenty of self-doubt in you, somehat stimulated by those never ending comparisons with your parents, unfair comparisons, is that not what you think? Indeed, they are a bit unfair, but also, I fear, inevitable."

"Look, you can't send me to Slytherin- I Couldn't-"

"- be in the same house as the people who- No, you don't belong there, Neville, I see no ambition in you at all, on the contrary I see excessive modesty! But where should I put you."

"I knew it! Grandma told me she'd die ashamed if I ended up in Hufflepuff, that the weakest students are there,..."

"Wait, wait, I don't think Hufflepuff-"

"I knew it! It's been what? One or two minutes? Nobody else's sorting took this long, there's no house for me, you've just read it in my mind that I do not have enough magical power and that it was a grave mistake to send me the letter, and Professor McGonagall will walk here at any moment and take the hat away, and oh- she's friend's with grandma, she'll tell her I stumbled and fell in front of everybody! And now you're just babbling in my head to distract me from the fact that I-"

"BABBLED? In my hundreds of years of existence I am not aware that I have ever babbled!"

"I'm sorry! But, but, but-"

"No but's young man! It's y turn to speak! I say Slytherin and Hufflepuff are out of the table and you assume you're taking the train back? Absurd!"

"But I- I'm not smart enough for Ravenclaw, I guess. And I'm sure I'm not brave enough for Gryffindor, so-"

"Not smart enough! Not brave enough! Ha! Laughable! Being a Gryffindor is more than being 'brave', young man. It's about having your heart in the right place, about being able to take risks, about weighing stakes and odds and choosing the course of action out of the passion of the moment. It's about everything that you have in abundance, Neville!"

"I do?"

"Yes! And even if it was as simple as a word, you'd be brave enough, if that's so important to you-"

"So you mean-"

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Gryffindor! So happy! Grandma will be so pleased! Same as my mom and dad! Dad's red and gold sweter! Gryffindor! At last, uncle will never! Lions and red and gold bands and-! Nobody will- anymore Gryffindor, yes, I'm a Gryffindor! And-"

"WOA! You are a Griffindor all right, but you'll fall again with me covering your eyes like that! Take me back!"

"Oh!"

"Quick, young man, quick, take me back now!"


AN: According to the book, neville was so happy at being sorted into gryffindor he forgot to take the sorting hat off! Typical neville behaviour, is it not?

Review, please! This is a seriously under-reviewed collection of stories!

Also, feel free to request any characters you wish me to sort.