A/N: Warning: Mature rated scenes! At the end especially.
A/N2: I apologize ahead of time for the graphic nature of this chapter. I wanted to make it clear how serious the issues brought up here are. I want readers to know the full impact of such horrible acts. As for the punishment dealt to the guilty, it may not be nice or forgiving, and it does not set the best example, but I had to lash out. Forgive me.
A/N3: I know Neville is darker in my story than in the books. I can't help but to write him this way. He will still be clumsy, forgetful when nervous, have social anxiety, and be unconfident, but around Harry he will lower his guard and be slightly different.
Two of a Kind
Neville stared mutely, sitting in his own blood and leaning against the bathroom wall helplessly.
"You could at least thank me." Harry/Silas glared.
But Neville couldn't. He could only watch as Harry's sneer got more biting. His classmate turned and went to leave when he shivered and then blinked in confusion. He looked around before his emerald eyes finally fell on him. They widened and Harry dropped to his knees right next to him.
"Neville! Are you okay?" He cried worriedly. "What were you thinking? Oh, god. Look at all this blood. I'm going to get help."
"Harry?" Neville was confused. What was going on?
"Yeah?" Harry stared worriedly into his eyes.
Neville had never thought anyone would care if he died. Why was Harry so upset? It wasn't like they were friends. And who was Silas? Why had he called that name? Out of all his questions, he heard himself saying, "Just leave me alone."
Harry was floored, "But why? What's wrong? Why did you do this?"
"You'd never understand. Not you." Neville muttered, tears filling his eyes. He was incompetent even in taking his own life.
"What do you mean?" Harry whispered.
"You'd never understand what it's like! To be hated and made fun of every second of your life! To always be a disappointment! I'm a failure as a wizard, as a son, as a human being! Just leave me alone! Get out!" Neville was screaming now, but he didn't care. Didn't care about anything.
"Neville…" Harry bit his lip. "I… I do know what it's like."
"No you don't! Don't lie to me!" Neville shoved him away and grabbed the knife. He would finish this.
"No! Neville, don't!" Harry pleaded. "I'm not lying. Don't do this."
"You're a hero! You defeated the D-dark L-lord, and you're a star Quidditch player, and your smart, and everyone likes you! You're special and loved and your parents would be proud of you! My grandmother tells me how much my parents would be disappointed. She's glad they are crazy so they don't have to watch me dishonor them over and over!"
Harry had no idea what to do. He had never had to offer comfort to anyone before. But Neville had the knife and was going to try and kill himself again. He couldn't let him do it! So he thought back to Snape and Remus and how they had helped him. They had helped by caring and listening. So he really listened to Neville and felt pain because Neville felt like he did.
"I'm not a hero." He said quietly. "That's a lie, Neville. My parents would be disappointed with me because... I never face my problems. I run away and then I don't say anything when people give me credit for things I didn't do."
"Shut up, Harry!" Neville screamed. He dragged the knife across his skin, but it was only a shallow cut. "You protected the Sorcerer's Stone! You killed a basilisk and saved Ginny! Don't lie!"
"I'm not lying, Neville." Harry said and tears filled his eyes. "It wasn't me. I didn't do those things. It was Gabriel, alright! It wasn't me! It was Gabriel who did all that stuff and my mom who defeated Voldemort thirteen years ago! It's never me!"
Gabriel eased Harry In as his distress rose and looked over the teen before him. The boy looked shocked, which was an improvement since that meant he had forgotten the knife. He offered a smile and gently took it from Neville's limp fingers. "Hi. How are you feeling?" He asked gently, picking up the teen's arm to examine the healed cuts. He noticed there were a lot of old thin scars. Neville had cut before, had cut often.
"H-Harry?" The boy stuttered.
"Nope." Gabriel offered with a grin. "I'm Gabriel. Harry got a bit upset so I thought I should handle things from here."
"Oh." Neville squeaked, obviously confused.
"Look. Harry would be really upset if you killed yourself. So why don't you just lay off for a bit. We're dealing with enough now as it is. Maybe you could talk to Harry. You have a lot in common with him and it might make you both feel better. I know Harry sometimes feels lonely even with all of us Inside with him. I'll even give you some good advice. Don't believe what is said about The-Boy-Who-Lived. You don't know Harry at all."
"Okay." Neville answered shakily.
"Looks like Silas did a good job patching you up. Do you think you need more medical attention? I can take you to the Hospital Wing."
"N-no." Neville said timidly. He was really intimidated by Harry – Gabriel's – blunt manner and absolute confidence. "I'll be fine."
"And you're not going to do this again? Or at least not where Harry can find you?"
"No." Neville looked down in shame.
"Good."
Neville looked up and watched as Harry's grin melted into a blank expression before becoming worried and flushed with upset. Harry's breathing got faster. He looked around before looking at Neville suspiciously. Neville offered him a nervous smile and Harry relaxed a bit, though he still looked really upset. Neville smiled more broadly, thinking 'join the club'.
"Are… are you alright?" Harry finally offered, eyes looking away.
Neville knew that expression. He wore it all the time. Shame. "I'm fine." He offered. "Are you?"
Harry nodded jerkily, "Can we… can we get out of here? All this…?" He gestured at the spilt blood around them.
Neville blushed and got out his wand. It took him three tries before the blood finally disappeared. His blush worsened. He should know this spell. He had done it hundreds of times. But he was incompetent, this was just further proof. Neville curled his knees to his chest and began to cry.
He felt Harry crawl up next to him and wrap his arm around him. He was grateful; confused as hell, but grateful. He sobbed out all his troubles. He wasn't sure why. Maybe Harry's strange behavior had shaken something loose in him. But he told Harry about his parents in St. Mungo; mindless because of being magically tortured the night the Dark Lord fell.
He told him how all his life his family thought he was a squib and had done horrible things to try and get his magic to manifest, and told him how it rarely did. He told him how his horrible grades only made his grandmother more upset each summer and how she was now only seconds away from kicking him out of her house. And he knew no one else would take in a failure like him. He'd be homeless.
He told Harry how after last night everyone was pushing him around for being so stupid and how he deserved it because his idiocy almost killed Ron and everyone else. He didn't deserve to be in Hogwarts. Everyone could see it. Everyone told him so. He had no friends and it was a joke he was in Gryffindor when he wasn't brave at all. He was always afraid and always screwing up and tripping over his own feet. The only thing he was good at was working with plants, and what good was that to anyone really?
As Harry listened to Neville's despair, he felt guilty. He let Neville go and wrapped his own arms around his knees. "I should have noticed how unhappy you were. We've shared the same room for two and a half years. It was wrong of us to leave you out. You were just so shy and… That's no excuse.
"I'd like to change that now. I know I don't deserve a chance to be your friend, but I'd really, really like it. I never thought anyone else would be able to understand me. I just smiled and kept my problems to myself. I never allowed anyone to see who I really was because I was scared. I don't deserve to be in Gryffindor either… Really… If it weren't for my condition, I'd be in Slytherin most likely."
Harry told Neville about growing up hated in the Dursley's house. He shared all his secret beliefs that he was as worthless as they had told him. He described his cupboard and Harry Hunting and the isolation and scorn even at muggle school. He explained he had believed his parents had died in a car crash until Hagrid came for him and explained he was a wizard.
Then Harry explained about Silas' birth and how he got into Gryffindor. He explained why Gabriel was born six months later, and how it was Gabriel who did all the things everyone thought he had done. Neville listened through it all. He didn't interrupt and didn't look at him with pitying eyes, so Harry whispered the truth about his summer.
He told him how much Snape had done for him and explained why he felt so guilty for still talking bad about the professor behind his back just to keep his secrets. Harry hesitated, but when Neville still offered no reaction besides understanding even when Harry brought up the boy's most hated teacher, he decided to tell it all.
Stuttering and crying, Harry managed to tell Neville about what happened with Lockhart and how he didn't even know until he merged with his alter Kit. "H-h-he thought I-I-I was so b-b-beautiful. The w-w-way I reacted. I would just l-l-lay there and let h-h-him… touch… me and… kiss… me. I just l-l-lost myself in the s-s-sensations. I can still h-h-hear myself m-m-moaning. OH GOD! I can't believe I did that! I hated it and I didn't want it and I was so afraid and helpless, but that was too far away and Kit just couldn't think of anything else because it felt g-g-good! He didn't even have to drug me anymore and I just stood there and let him open my clothes and…!"
Neville grabbed Harry into a bone crushing hug and the two boys cried on each other's shoulder. When Harry began to calm, breathing deeply as he was taught, Neville whispered hoarsely into his ear. "He… He t-t-touched me too. I couldn't tell a-anyb-body because I was too a-afraid they'd think I was l-l-lying because he was such a big celebrity and then I'd be an even bigger h-humiliation to my f-family for lying about something like t-that."
He couldn't breathe. As memories washed over him, of further weakness and humiliation and shame, he felt panic and despair swell until he thought he'd scream from madness. Neville groped for his knife and drew up his sleeve. He made a cut and felt the panic retreat as the small pain distracted him.
He made another and then a third. The memories were gone and he looked to see Harry's reaction, expecting rejection. The other boy was sitting with his knees tight against his chest and his green eyes were staring at him. But there wasn't horror or disgust there; just a pained understanding. Harry had torn himself apart and created alters. Neville cut himself. Both were coping techniques. Both were harmful.
"I guess Gabriel was right. We are a lot alike." Neville smiled exhaustedly.
Harry merely nodded. They sat together in silence. Hours had passed and in less than half an hour everyone would be getting up and getting ready for classes. It was Monday. But Neville knew he wouldn't go. He was sick and tried. He'd lost too much blood. Harry looked horrible as well. His eyes were swollen from crying and there was a fragile air about him.
Neville couldn't believe this was The-Boy-Who-Lived. How had he missed seeing the truth behind Harry? Probably because Ron and Hermione were always all over him. It was hard to pay close attention when all three were together, and those two were always fighting spectacularly, distracting everyone from the small brunette. He had looked up to Harry for as long as he could remember and thinking about Harry being upset about not being his friend made him really uncomfortable.
"Don't feel bad." He spoke up and Harry looked over at him in confusion. "About not noticing me. I didn't really notice you either."
"I'll only feel alright if you don't…." Harry said hoarsely, his throat raw from all the talking and crying, and gestured to the deep scars on the other boy's wrists. The ones that would have killed him.
"I won't." Neville sighed and his lips twisted in a bitter smile. "I have a friend now, right? And I promised Gabriel I wouldn't hurt you."
Harry smiled tearfully and laid his head on the bigger boy's shoulder. Neville felt incredibly warm at that gesture. It was then he realized that his sarcasm had been truth. Harry Potter was his friend now. Harry would be there for him and could even understand him in a way that not even Professor Lupin could. He shifted so that he could lay his head on Harry's. For the first time in his life, he felt he wasn't alone in the darkness.
xXxXxXx
That week Neville and Harry were inseparable. And no one noticed. Ron was busy preening under all the attention he was getting over almost being murdered by Sirius Black. Hermione was always doing homework and hurrying from one place to another. And they were glad that they had some time out of the spotlight. They talked together and played games, basically they were learning to be friends.
Harry even let Neville ride his Firebolt. The boy was terrified he'd end up flattened on the ground, but Gabriel came Out and his confidence was contagious. He coached Neville into three laps, and the shy Gryffindor did them without mishap. Harry hadn't minded Gabriel's interference. He was glad his alters liked Neville and anything that helped the shy boy was worth any amount of time he lost in a black out. Even Silas approved of Neville.
Sometimes during Potions the Slytherin would come Out to mock Snape behind the man's back. It made the frightened Neville relax and erased some of the boy's terror of the dreaded Potions Master. And the best part was Snape couldn't be too nasty to either of them for fear Silas would do something that would humiliate him. He knew very well the Slytherin was not happy with him, so the two Gryffindors were in a fairly neutral zone. Neville made two potions successfully and Harry felt great as he watched his new friend smile honestly for hours afterward.
Neville was even able to help with Rose. Because Harry was beginning to push into her territory emotionally, the young alter became restless faster and wanted Out more often. Neville had the idea that if Harry paired with him, Rose could keep him company in Herbology. That way Harry wouldn't have her coming Out at an awkward time and she'd get the time she needed to settle.
Though, like Snape, he was disturbed by the girl's mannerisms used with Harry's body. He eventually got use to it and they worked well together. It was refreshing to be with someone who held the same love of plants he had. No one else could see the beauty he could. No one else could feel the life in nature. Rose was really talented and Neville didn't mind her silence at all.
It was the best week in Neville's life. He didn't cut once. And Harry had never felt so free, so accepted for who he was. He was beginning to understand where Silas was coming from when he claimed Ron and Hermione weren't good friends. Neville was so much more concerned and true than they were. But he still cared for them. They were his first friends.
That's probably why he got so upset when Hagrid called him and Ron down to his hut on Friday to chew them out for treating Hermione so bad. He told them she had been down to his hut several times in tears because Ron hated her and she was having such a hard time with her classes. Buckbeak stared at them with an angry gaze that made the lecture all the more frightening. Still Ron was too furious to bend, but Harry promised he'd check up on her more.
xXxXxXx
The next week Harry thought up a system. Silas would sneak Neville and himself out under their Dad's invisibility cloak and cast a spell to mask scent. That way they could get past the new security trolls and go to their secret therapy sessions twice a week. At first, Neville quaked in terror at even the sight of the huge creatures, but by now would only flinch. It was an improvement. Most of it was due to Neville not wanting to give Silas any more cause to sneer at him.
Once they were in the clear, Harry would come back Out and walk Neville to Lupin's rooms while he continued on alone to Snape's. After two hours, he would come back and pick Neville up on his return trip to the Tower. The sessions lasted two hours and they were always dragging the next day, but they knew it was worth it. Their teachers were helping them a lot.
xXxXxXx
Snape and Lupin decided that since the boys knew about each other and were growing close that they'd confront Lockhart on Saturday in two weeks time. They would have gone that weekend, but Dumbledore had scheduled it as a Hogsmeade weekend. The old wizard was always much more aware of who was where on such days since the students were less protected when they left the castle.
So they'd go the weekend after, as that would give them a higher chance of not being found out. Lupin would distract the headmaster, maybe invite Dumbledore off school grounds for tea or something, and Snape would sneak the boys out for three hours. He figured that would be plenty of time for the boys to face their abuser.
xXxXxXx
"Bye!" Harry called to Ron as the redhead left for Hogsmeade alone. "See you when you get back."
"What do you want to do?" Neville asked, standing beside Harry sleepily. "Want to play Exploding Snap?"
"I wish." Harry smiled over at him. "Unfortunately I think I'll head over to the library, give Hermione some company- even though she won't notice I'm there- and work on Remus' vampire essay. Wanna come or are you going to push it off till tomorrow?"
"I'll come." Neville shrugged. "Maybe Silas will even help us. Sometimes I think he knows everything."
"Flattery will get you started, but you'll need more than that to bribe him to help." Harry laughed as they made their way to the library.
"There is that." Neville grinned.
They found Hermione and took seats next to her. Harry said a brief hello and Neville echoed him. Hermione mumbled back, but never looked around. The boys shook their heads with exasperation as they took out their own homework. Neville frowned as he unrolled his essay, "So do they have to eat the garlic or does just being near it hurt a vampire?"
xXxXxXx
That night the two boys met Ron for dinner in the Great Hall. The redhead talked about all he had done and gave both boys tons of sweets from Honeydukes. They finished dinner and made their way up to the Tower, Ron telling them about pelting Malfoy in the face with mud for the third time. Neville rolled his eyes with a smile behind the redhead's back. Harry laughed, but pretended it was directed toward Malfoy. Ron didn't think anything of it and glowed with triumph.
They had just turned the corner to where the security trolls were pacing in front of the Fat Lady, who had returned after the knight's disgrace, when Hermione ran up to meet them. She had tears in her eyes. "Hagrid lost his case." She told them. "Buckbeak is going to be executed. He sent me this."
Harry took it. Neville and Ron read the tear-smeared message over his shoulder. "They can't do this. Buckbeak didn't do anything wrong. Everyone knows Malfoy pretended he was hurt worse than he was." Harry said dazed. He never thought it would come to this. He was sure Hagrid would win the trial. He was sure Dumbledore would take care of it.
"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it." Hermione cried into her hands. "You know what he's like. They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope… Nothing will have changed."
"Yeah it will." Ron spoke up. "You won't have to do it alone this time, Hermione. I'll help you with the case for real this time."
"Oh, Ron!" Hermione flung herself at the redhead.
Harry grinned and Neville blushed before they quietly slipped away to give the two privacy to make up. Harry was relieved that they no longer hated each other, but at the same time he was worried. It was always harder to hide his secrets from his friends when they were working together and not against each other.
Neville understood where he was coming from. Ron was Harry's friend, but he was also a hothead and would very likely make a mistake or say something at the wrong time that would spill Harry's secrets to the public. Hermione would diagnose and try to cure him, treating him like a test subject. Neither would help in the least. So he promised he'd help Harry keep them away from the truth.
xXxXxXx
The next day at Care of Magical Creatures Harry, Neville, Ron, and Hermione were doing their best to comfort Hagrid and assure him that the appeal scheduled in June would go much better. The giant had little hope of that, however, and kept bursting into tears all throughout class.
When they were dismissed, they were behind Malfoy and a group of Slytherins. The blonde was badmouthing Hagrid and gleefully describing Buckbeak's head being cut off. Hermione snapped. She marched right up to him, spun him around, and hit him full in the face with all her strength.
"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul – you evil…"
"Hermione!" Ron gasped, shocked.
Neville had grabbed her hand when she raised it to hit the pureblood again. Malfoy reached for his wand, but Harry already had his ready. Malfoy looked over the four Gryffindors and did the smart thing for once. He retreated. When they were alone, Neville let Hermione go and the boys stared at her in awe.
"Hermione." Ron said again, but this time he sounded impressed.
Hermione blushed and spun to face Harry with fury still burning in her eyes, "You'd better beat them in the Quidditch final! You had just better, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"
"We'd better go." Neville said carefully, wanting to distract the hysterical girl. She looked about ready to hit Harry! "We're due in Charms."
The four of them ran, but still didn't make it in time.
"You're late, boys!" Professor Flitwick scolded them as sternly as he was able to. "Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs."
They scrambled to empty desks. Harry and Neville paired up, expecting Ron to pair with Hermione, but the redhead looked around and couldn't find her. Harry and Neville looked too, but she wasn't there. They all knew she was right with them when they had opened the door to come into the classroom. What had happened?
"That's weird." Harry frowned. "Maybe she went to the bathroom or something?"
xXxXxXx
Hermione wasn't at lunch either so they hurried to the Tower to see if she was there. They stared with a mixture of worry and confusion as they found her sleeping on an open text book by the fire. Ron woke her and she was horrified at missing a class. She ran from the room to talk to Flitwick before Divination. The boys shared a hopeless look and went back to class. Ron was loudly claiming that Hermione had finally cracked up. Harry and Neville silently agreed with him.
xXxXxXx
"There is something here!" Professor Trelawney whispered, lowering her face to Harry and Neville's crystal ball. "Something moving… but what is it?"
Neville glanced over at Harry and they shared an uneasy glance. Neither believed Trelawney had talent, but couldn't seem to dismiss the woman all together. Harry fidgeted with nerves, knowing whatever was coming wasn't going to be pleasant if his professor could see it.
"My dear. It is here, plainer than ever before… my dear, stalking toward you, growing ever closer… the Gr - "
"Oh, for goodness sake!" Hermione said loudly, scowling at the woman. "Not that ridiculous Grim again!"
Trelawney stared at Hermione in shock. Neville was leaning away from their teacher nervously and Harry was wide-eyed. Ron just looked awed again.
"I am sorry to say that from the moment you have arrived in this class, my dear, it has been apparent that you do not have what the noble art of Divination requires." Trelawney said spitefully. "Indeed, I don't remember ever meeting a student whose mind was so hopelessly mundane."
"Fine!" Hermione practically screamed. "I give up! I'm leaving! I have much better things to do with my time than allow a fraud like you to take up any of it!"
And as she marched from the room for the last time in her Hogwarts career Ron whispered, "Cracked. She's cracked."
xXxXxXx
"Hermione?" Neville asked. They were in the library. Harry was at Quidditch practice and Ron was in the common room playing chess. The bushy-haired girl looked up almost wildly. She had dark circles under her eyes and ink smudges on her cheek and forehead.
"Yes, Neville?" Her voice was strained and her eyes kept drifting back to her papers.
"Do you want some help? I could look things up for you or something."
She stared at him in shock for a moment before bursting into tears. Neville shifted uncomfortably and patted at her back, unsure why she was crying or what to do to make her stop. Fortunately, she stopped on her own. "Thank you, Neville. I really appreciate it. I just have so much to do, but I can't give anything up since I begged Professor McGonagall for all my classes."
"I understand." Neville smiled shyly. "What can I do? I've finished all my homework."
"Can you proofread my papers and essays?" She asked hopefully. "That would save me a lot of time."
"Sure. I can do that." Neville said gladly and settled in beside her.
xXxXxXx
Neville and Harry were still tense with nerves despite the strong calming potion Severus had given them. He said nothing about that and offered them the portkey he had spent the last two weeks making. It was a normal looking parchment with some class notes on it. Harry and Neville reached and touched the paper. Severus spoke the activating word and they were gone.
They arrived in a deserted alley in London. Neville had fallen backwards on his butt and Harry had staggered, clutching his stomach and panting for breath. Severus watched them with a blank face. He knew that such travel would have erased a good portion of the claming draught, but he had more should it be necessary. However, he didn't want them completely numb or this visit would be pointless.
"Are you alright?" Harry asked weakly as he pulled Neville to his feet.
"Y-yeah." Neville stuttered back and looked with wide, fearful eyes at the muggle building right across from the alley.
The sign read Purge and Dows, Ltd. It was an old-fashioned department store built with red bricks. Muggles stared at it with disgust or curiosity due to the "Closed for Refurbishment" sign that hung on the building's front door. Severus, wearing dark blue jeans and a white button-up shirt, made his way casually over to the old, dark building. Harry and Neville, also in muggle clothes, followed much more slowly.
Severus spoke to a dummy standing in the store's shop window and it nodded very faintly. He grabbed both boys and leaned against the window; looking both ways to be sure they didn't have an audience, before walking backward and through the barrier. Harry gasped in surprise, but Neville was very use to this. He came here often to see his parents.
Harry looked around and found himself in a reception area. There were two dozen chairs and less than half were filled with injured or sick witches and wizards. Severus ignored them and walked up to the front desk. The receptionist was a plump blonde witch with a perpetual smile.
"How may I help you?" She asked brightly.
"I have an appointment to see Mr. Lockhart." Severus said.
"Yes, of course." She smiled and began searching for a paper. "Isn't it great that he's made such progress? The spell damage would have been permanent had the wand used in the casting not been broken. He's made great progress in these last three months."
"I am aware." Severus said icily. The witch's smile didn't disappear, but definitely had a suddenly nervous edge.
"Sign here please."
Severus did so and led the boys past the reception area and toward an elevator. Harry looked over the directory posted beside it. Anything to keep him from thinking about what would happen in the next few minutes.
Ground Floor: Artifact Accidents (Cauldron explosion, wand-backfiring, broom crashes, ect.)
First Floor: Creature-Induced Injuries (Bites, stings, burns, embedded spiders, ect.)
Second Floor: Magical Bugs (Contagious maladies, e.g., dragon pox, vanishing sickness, scrofungulus.)
Third Floor: Potion and Plant Poisoning (Rashes, regurgitation, uncontrollable giggling, etc.)
Fourth Floor: Spell Damage (Unliftable jinxes, hexes, and incorrectly applied charms, etc.)
Fifth Floor: Visitor's Tearoom and Hospital Shop.
They stepped into the stairwell and began to climb. They ignored the chattering portraits of medi-wizards and witches. They were just passing the second landing when Neville finally spoke up.
"Where are w-w-we going, s-s-sir?"
"Fourth floor, Jonas Hectare Ward." He answered calmly.
"He was in my p-p-parent's ward last s-s-summer. I saw h-h-him." Neville was shaking and Harry took his hand tightly in his. His own green eyes growing more panicked.
"He was." Severus agreed. "But just before school started they removed him from the long-term ward because he showed signs of recovering. It was reported the wand used to Obliviate him was broken?"
"I don't know." Harry shook his head rapidly, his breathing quickening. Neville was now pressed right up against his side and he didn't know who was comforting whom.
Severus reached into his robes and brought out a mild calming potion. The boys downed them without question and slowly their breathing evened. He decided it would be better to distract them and keep them from dwelling in their memories. "Lockhart has his memories slowly returning to him. The bulk of his childhood and his personality has become accessible to him. The healers predict he may be free from any memory loss in seven months time."
"Does he remember…" Harry couldn't finish his question and shut his eyes tight.
"He has random bits and pieces of his adult life. It is impossible to know what he remembers until we ask him." Severus answered.
Gabriel opened his eyes and stood straight, confidence and strength radiating off him as it always did. Neville smiled in gratitude as the protector wrapped his arms around his shoulders affectionately. Severus glared fiercely.
"This isn't working." Gabriel glared right back, unafraid and obviously just as angry. "Harry is upset and Neville looks about to fall apart!"
"Of course they are upset! This isn't a happy family reunion." Severus snapped. "But they will continue to be upset for the rest of their lives if they don't do this. Now go away, Gabriel."
"No." Gabriel said simply, his grip on the trembling Neville tightening. "I'm walking him to the room and Harry can come Out then. The wait is just too much for him."
Severus glared and turned to march up the stairs once more. Gabriel backed away from Neville and smiled into the boy's terrified face. He took Neville's hand and began to lead him up the stairs calmly.
"You can do this, Neville. Both you and Harry can. That bastard can't hurt you again. Snape won't allow it. And even if he did, Silas and I would kick his ass. You have nothing to be afraid of. Enjoy it. Kick him in the balls for me!"
Neville laughed weakly, tears falling from his eyes. They stepped onto the fourth floor and turned to see Snape waiting for them impatiently. Gabriel stuck out his tongue and Neville laughed again. The boys followed after the dower man without speaking anymore. Neville wondered if he could stop by to see his parent while they were here. He'd never gotten to visit them without his grandmother looming behind him, her stern and hard gaze never leaving him.
All too soon, they reached the Jonas Hectare Ward. Severus opened the door and the three of them stepped inside a long, straight, white corridor. Witches and Wizards wearing green robes were walking here and there. Most went in and out of the rooms that ran to either side of the hall. Severus went forward and they saw names outside of the doors. Almost at the end, they found the one that had the name Gilderoy Lockhart outside it.
"Alright. We're here." Severus looked darkly at Gabriel.
"You'll do fine." Gabriel said confidently to the boy beside him. Neville nodded jerkily. "Watch out for Harry for us. We've got your back."
"O-o-okay."
Gabriel shook his shoulder and then relaxed. Harry blinked and instinctively huddled at Neville's side when he saw the door. Neville leaned against him. Severus sighed and lifted his wand. He cast a weak cheering charm before opening the door. He stepped in and grabbed both boys by their shirts and pulled them in after him before shutting the door firmly behind them. Neville was relieved to see he didn't put up his wand.
Harry crumpled to the ground, slamming his back against the door. He was rocking and sobbing, whispering he was sorry and he'd do better every few seconds. Severus knelt beside him and whispered reassuringly to him. He promised Boy he was safe and that he wasn't mad. Neville was shocked. He'd never seen this alter and watching Harry cry in fear and pain, like a tortured animal made him want to sick-up.
"What's the matter?" Lockhart asked as he stood and came toward them.
Severus ignored him completely, focused only on Harry. Neville spun around and stared at the man who had hurt him. He had confused blue eyes and his thick golden hair was no longer wavy. He must have forgotten he was supposed to use curlers. Neville chuckled a tad bit hysterically at the thought. Lockhart's eyes widened and he stopped coming closer.
"Should I call a nurse? Are you patients here?"
"No." Neville whispered hoarsely.
Lockhart took a sharp step back…. a classroom in a castle, approaching a boy, anticipation…. He shook his head. What was that? He frowned and looked away from the disturbing boy to the man and hysterical child. The child seemed to be slowly calming. That was a good thing. Wait. Was that Severus Snape?
"I know you." He said and stood straighter with pride, brushing off his lavender robes. "We worked together?"
Neville glanced backward, but Snape was still busy so he answered for him. "You w-worked together at H-hogwarts."
Lockhart looked back at the boy reluctantly and was surprised to see the brown-haired and brown-eyed boy crying silently. His shoulders were shaking and his hands were trembling violently as the boy wrung them in front of him. "What's the matter? Are you alright?"
Neville shook his head… in a bathroom and the boy was backing, shaking his head with quiet tears rolling down his round cheeks, turning and spelling the door locked, coming forward as the boy shut his eyes tight and stood shaking…. Lockhart shook his own head and clenched a hand in his hair.
"What are you doing here?" He meant all of them, but it was that haunting child who answered.
"I-I-I… I am h-h-here to t-t-tell you someth-th-thing."
"What is it?" Lockhart snapped angrily.
Harry slowly opened his eyes. Snape was kneeling beside him and looked very worried. He tried to straighten out of the uncomfortable ball he was curled in and realized he was in a strange room and his clothes were sticking to him uncomfortably due to his now cold sweat. He felt shaky and reached unconsciously for Snape. The man grabbed him into a loose embrace as he helped him to stand.
Lockhart wanted all of these people to leave immediately. But his angry expression melted as his eyes looked passed the offending child. Neville turned to see what he was looking at and was relieved to see Snape helping Harry to his feet. He ran to him and Snape wrapped an arm around his shoulders as well. The two boys huddled against his sides and looked back at Lockhart.
"Who are you?" He asked, looking back and forth between the three. "What do you want?"
Harry moaned in fear. Lockhart had asked him that, purred it too him, before playing with him… What do you want? Do you like this? Is this what you want? You're so beautiful, Kitten, so beautiful… The questions, the violations all came back and he began to cry. Snape was whispering to him, telling him to be strong, to face this, to yell his denial at the one who hurt him. Snape begged him not to let Lockhart hurt him anymore.
Lockhart was also remembering… thin pale thighs naked, a sturdy oak desk under the young soft skin, his own manicured hands running up that yielding flesh, spreading the knees, bending to lick and suck, lifting his eyes to see a naked sweaty chest heaving in gasping breaths, foggy brilliant green eyes and wild black hair soft as silk, delicious moans coming from a perfect little mouth… He staggered backward. He was horrified and painfully aroused.
Neville knew that look and felt acid burn the back of his throat. He followed the monster's gaze to his first and only friend and felt something in him burn to life. He shook so hard Snape was having a hard time holding on to him as opened his mouth and roared "DON'T LOOK AT HIM! YOU'RE A SICK MONSTER! YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO TOUCH ME! LEAVE US ALONE!"
"Wha---" Lockhart said shakily… pulling the robes from the boy's shoulders and draping it neatly over the bathroom stall, undoing the pitifully crying child's pants, gently shushing the brown-haired boy as he turned him around and had him bend slightly over the bathroom sink, pulling the shirt free and slipping his hand over the boy's round, clenched bottom, smiling as he watched the boy's face in the mirror fill with pain, fear, and shame as his fingers pushed in and out… "Merlin." He groaned in revulsion, unable to deny the growing lust stirred by the memories.
"SHUT UP!" Neville screeched. Harry's wide green eyes watched in awe as Neville overcame the man who hurt them. "YOU'RE WEAK! YOU CAN'T HURT ME! YOU'RE PATHETIC AND SHOULD SUFFER FOR WHAT YOU DID!"
"Wait." Lockhart pleaded. "I don't know…"
"DON'T LIE TO ME! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID TO US! YOU CAN'T HIDE THAT!" Neville gestured viciously at Lockhart's crotch were his purple robes were obviously tented.
"It's not like that." The blonde wizard said in a desperate rush.
Powerful magic began cackling in the air and Severus looked down at Neville in shock. The boy was literally growling and his eyes were wild. Lockhart gave a cry as he was knocked backward. He slammed into the wall and then was thrown forward. He made a weak cry of pain as he was pressed to the ground. There was a snap of a rib. Lockhart chocked out a scream.
"I HATE YOU!" Neville yelled hoarsely and fell to his knees, the magic disappearing as he sobbed.
Severus let go of Harry to crouch by the boy. He praised him in a warm voice over and over again. Harry looked down on them and turned tearful eyes to the man slowly bring himself to a sitting position. He didn't look frightening or powerful anymore. His golden hair was a mess and there was blood trickling out of the corner of his mouth. He was crying and clutching his side.
"You're weak." He said softly, speaking his thoughts out loud. "You're a horrible, weak man."
Lockhart stared at him pitifully. Harry ignored him and went to Neville's other side. He dropped to his knees and hugged his friend tightly. When he lifted his head to look in Lockhart's eyes, he was no longer shaking with fear. He just looked tired. "You can't hurt us anymore. You're nothing."
"Nothing." Neville repeated vehemently.
"Indeed." Severus drawled and pulled the boys to their feet. "You've done what you've had to. You see the truth of the man before you. Let us go and leave him forever behind."
Neville nodded and held Harry's hand firmly in his as he opened the door.
"Why don't you go to see your parents?" Severus said gently. "They would be very proud of you, Neville. I'll come get you in a few minutes."
"Thank you, sir." Neville said quietly, never looking back, as he and Harry left.
Severus smiled darkly, a cruel glitter appearing in his eyes, as he turned to Lockhart. The man whimpered and crawled backward into a corner as Severus walked ever so slowly over to him. He screamed, but by then it was too late. Severus was already upon him. Lockhart threw up his arms to protect his face and the Potions Master drew his wand tip down the screaming man's arm in a gentle caress.
Lockhart arched back, eyes bulging, his mouth hanging open as a long, low whine of agony rose from his throat. Forever it went on and then he came aware to a deep silky voice soothing him, a hand brushing his sweaty hair off his face. He whimpered and leaned into the gentle gesture. He was exhausted and still twitched with the echoes of pain. Dumbly, he opened his eyes.
"Yes." Severus said gently. "Wake up. That's good. It's not time to dream."
"Help me." Lockhart begged tearfully, reaching for the kindness the man was offering.
"Oh, I will." Severus promised oh so softly as he brought his wand up to the man's temple. "I will help you suffer for your sins."
He began to chant and Lockhart felt something enter him. He screamed and scratched at himself as something slid under his skin, searching. Eventually it found a place to settle deep in his head. It sat there and he whimpered, feeling like his brains were being pushed into his skull to allow room for the creature inside of him. The wand left his temple and he slumped, exhausted. Sleep pulled him under.
"Yes. Now you can sleep." Severus stood with cold satisfaction burning in his dark eyes. "You will know torment equal to what you inflicted on those children."
He turned and walked out of the room. The silencing charms fell as he left the room and he could clearly hear Lockhart's terrified screams. Witches and wizards ran to the man's room, but they wouldn't be able to help him. Severus had made sure of that.
Chapter end.
A/N: I received a very passionate review that demanded to know whether Dumbledore knew Harry was being hurt. As for the Dursleys, he knew they would neglect him, but didn't know of nor expected the extremely violent turn the abuse took. As for Lockhart, you will have to wait and see.
I do promise you, however, that IF he did know of Lockhart's illness, Dumbledore will face serious consequences. And even if he didn't know what Lockhart was doing, he will face mild consequences for not doing his job as Headmaster to protect and watch over his charges. But Dumbledore will not be confronted immediately. I haven't yet found the perfect place to have that scene. I ask for patience.
A/N2: The same reviewer was passionately against Harry returning to the Dursley's. I promise he will not. At the very least, Severus would take him back to his "hidden house".
A/N3: Someone asked why Neville's grandmother sent him a Howler if she knew he had been abused. "Doesn't he have enough to deal with?" My answer is this: She does not know what Lockhart did. Remus was discreet when he was at their house and respected Neville's wishes that she not be told. She sent the Howler in response to finding out that he was responsible for letting Black into Gryffindor Tower due to writing that week's passwords on a peace of paper and then loosing it.
A/N4: There were some worries that the focus of the story would no longer be on Harry. I promise that Neville will not overshadow Harry or become the main character. Harry will always be the focus of this story. Neville, Severus, Remus, and others are just main supporting characters.