Change of Lifestyle

Sophomore Year...

Neville barely avoided the Tri-Wizard Disaster that October but he sent her a letter months later, around May 24 1995 thanking her for insisting on him learning Karate as he nearly got kidnapped by he-who-should-be-dead, Barty Crouch Jr., one of his parents' torturers! He had been so angry he broke the guy's bones in places after he broke his wand, and the Professors had to pull him back because one; Professor Sprout and the other motherly teachers did not want a teenager to soil his hands with blood even if his anger was justified and two; they too, wanted answers from a supposedly-dead man, only to uncover a disturbing truth.

So upon dosing him with Veritaserum, they got this:

A year after he was imprisoned, his sickly dying mother begged her husband for her to switch places with her son so that he would be freed. Her husband reluctantly granted her, her wish as she had him in an oath that he would grant her what she wished after winning a game from him. So Barty Jr. lived under an Imperius for years, watched over by the family elf, until he fought off the Imperius and Imperiused his father back with a stolen wand, which he used to steal the Dark Lord's Statue, looking for ways to revive his master and when not even dark arts and potions worked, he wanted to lure the perpetrator, Reines by using the Prophet and Neville...only, both did not work. So this time, he would have kidnapped Neville as a hostage, and sent an anonymous letter to the prophet but he didn't expect Neville to fight back with his fists!

Because Neville discovered him posing as Mad-Eye Moody, they also learned what happened to the poor guy who was supposed to be the new teacher and then it dawned on all children, the faculty and their parents that a Death Eater has been teaching in Hogwarts for almost a whole year now, to their horrors. The mental image it cast alone, was terrifying and Madam Pomfrey insisted on medical check-ups on ALL students, particularly the girls out of sheer horror given what Death Eaters do in Voldemort's name...so she asked if he did anything to the students.

His answer was chilling. He systematically chose girls of his fancy regardless of age based on looks and figure, invited them to his office...for a little fun in his real form, under Imperius no less. The Professors and Neville were horrified and this became big news in the Prophet, courtesy of Rita Skeeter, making them all wonder how the hell is she finding this out.

It took Dumbledore rushing to the Prophet and to the Ministry to smoothen things over while hiring Healers to help Madam Pomfrey out.

The Longbottoms however, are out for blood. Literally and they want him really dead this time. Neville would have killed him himself, but the Professors held him back, and the pro-pureblood Minister put his foot down, causing a great change in politics and allegiances...in a bad way given previous prophet articles, making him look like he's protecting Barty Jr. Fudge, wanting to fix this blunder, decided he be kissed instead but the damages are done. The Neutrals and Light Families weren't too happy as it sent a bad message-a message that he's protecting child rapists. Due to Crouch managing to smuggle his son out, Visitations are now forbidden to avoid the same stunt from happening ever again. Even sending things are forbidden, period.

The last thing they want out by smuggling, is Bellatrix Lestrange of all people and so far, only her youngest sister Narcissa Malfoy visits her.

Neville's stunt had become infamous. Beating Barty Jr. till his arms, legs and rib bones are all broken in his rage that punctured some organs, and his family...sent a Howler of rage in how the Professors stopped Neville from exacting justice when the Minister had Barty Jr. killed later anyway, before the Howler spoke of how they were so proud about him avenging his parents and showing a 'filthy boot licker not worthy of being a pureblood' never to mess with a Longbottom ever again. That, and his allowance increased to 200 Galleons every month, and his Aunt Enid got him rare plant seeds from Brazil for him to add to his greenhouses for his daring, and protecting House Longbottom Interest!

The Potters were no better. Lily too, sent him a Howler, but like the Longbottoms, was so proud but 'she wished he at least has company to back him up, just incase' for his safety as one can never tell how a deranged psycho with more than a few screws loose will act, especially as he's buddies with a Lestrange and she sent him a pile of beef straight to Hogwarts Kitchens which will be in his personal meals until the stocks run out...forcing Neville to explain to his housemates just what kind of beef she sent him without revealing too much. The fact that muggles are willing to pay a damn fortune for a brand of beef, caused the hall to sputter in disbelief, triggering massive letters to home by Muggleborns for an inquiry.

And Reines?

'Nevvie you get all the fun, no faaaair!' came the whine from the Howler. 'But now at least you're glad I insisted you learn combat skills back when we were kids, didn't you? It paid off real good and sweet didn't it? I told you there will come a time when it WILL be needed.' came the gleeful squeal with a giggle to match. 'I'll send you some fun stuff we had to fix a bit so it'll work in a place like Hogwarts, just you wait! Have fun with those!' and she did. She sent him a television, VHS Player and boxes upon boxes of anime VHS tapes that had to be put in the Gryffindor Common Room and needless to say, the Gryffindors are immediately hooked, watching anime when he does since he owned the things, and he placed security wards.

It was hard to keep Curfew with those tapes in Hogwarts, McGonagall was said to often check if everyone is in bed past 10 pm because of the shows...and given the 'genre for boys schtick', it was easy for stressed students to use it as an outlet in their upcoming OWLs and NEWTs that the Gryffindors are easily the most 'calm students' in OWL and NEWT seasons.

'Minerva, your lions seem to be comfy for those in their OWL and NEWT years.' Madam Pomfrey remarked. 'I haven't a visitation for Calming Draught from them at all!'

'Well, its because of that Television, VHS Player and numerous cartoon shows Miss Potter sent her cousin after he trounced Barty.' said McGonagall. 'Watching those shows removes their stress and can then study calmly afterward. I just have to make sure they actually study and sleep at ten since if left unchecked, they could go past midnight!'

'Really now?!' Professor Burbage gasped out.

'Seriously! Well, it helps me too in paperwork stress. I had to ask Mr. Longbottom to contact the Potters for me since I'm curious about shows for the female genre since what he's got is mostly boy-oriented, we have to work up a schedule to be fair and it does my lions well, and I got sent a television set and some tapes. I had to learn how to use those things! Well, I'm definitely happier myself!'

'Ooh, what did they send you?'

'Vintage Romance Cartoons! Thankfully in English!'

Needless to say, Neville got famous. But he knew this is just the beginning that he has to be more aware of his surroundings now, and trained hard in dueling at home. Not only that, when Summer came as Reines came home...she visited the Longbottom Manor.

'Hey Nevvie!' Reines greeted, coming in with her luggage.

'Reines! Is Summer there same time as here?'

'Well, slightly similar as we only have a month of Summer break unlike Hogwarts that has more weeks.' the blonde pouted. 'Anyway, your newfound fame opened a can of worms, and loads of attention, both good and bad are here. So I'm here to help train you until I have to go back.'

'Er, train me in what exactly?' Neville gulped.

'With permission from your still-rehab-ing parents and grandma, you'll be undergoing Intense Evasion Training. From all angles as not all enemies will be left-right-front, there will be those from the back, too. I learned this from a new friend so it will be really beneficial.'

'Er Reines, which friend from our school?' Neville sweatdropped.

'Oh, nobody from La Garenne.' said Reines airily. 'This guy is about four years older than us and he knows his stuff in this regard.' Reines winked. 'Prepare for Boot Camp! Meet me at that abandoned warehouse not far from the manor so wear your uniform. Because you'll be in Hogwarts with those baggy robes you have to adapt.' she said seriously. 'So for this summer, you'll have to endure training I'm afraid. Your plants can wait...for a bit.'

'Huuuh?!'

She shot him...and needless to say, Neville knew she meant business, forcing his body to dodge all her shooting, since she's shooting pure magical energy, not actual spells...

BUT!

'WHO THE HELL IS THIS FRIEND?! YOUR SHOOTING NEARLY GRAZED MY BUTT!'

'FROM A FRIEND WHO'S A MASTER SHARPSHOOTER AND KNOWS HIS GUNS, THAT'S WHO! NOW WORK THAT BODY AND INSTINCT IN DODGING!'

'WAAAAAHHHH!'

'TODAY IS DAY ONE, 35 DAYS MORE TO GO!'

'SERIOUSLY?!'

'OH, AND YOUR FAMILY APPROVES SO NO GETTING OUT OF THIS ONE!'

Neville cried tears of blood as he really is looking forward to raising the plants he's got for gifts and now most of his summer will be spent on dodging for his life!

xxx

'You know, we didn't have this training in the Auror Academy didn't we Alice?' on day 13, Frank, Alice and some of the other Longbottoms watched the training discreetly from afar.

'Yes, we never did this at all!' Alice harrumphed. 'It would have been useful years ago!'

'Well how about we propose this in the next Wizengamot Meeting?'

'Are you crazy? Lily told us about the downsides of being a witch and wizard...we have gotten so physically lazy because of magic there's no way we'd survive,' Frank cried, pointing at the kids. '-that! Neville can survive that as he's done loads of sports and lived in the hills as a kid! He has the physical fitness most Aurors DON'T have! If we have the same training he did but we're still under rehab, we can do that too you know! Look at those stunts he's doing and picture US trying to do that!'

Indeed, Neville did many dodging stunts that seemingly combined dancing, poses, and because he was PUSHED so hard, he even had to bend and dive, do backflips and tumbles, jumps...there's no way they can do that!

'You know what? You're right...'

xxx

Day one up to day nine...Neville's body is all sore, his lungs are burning from oxygen deprivation, he's super-sweaty and hot, that every 5 pm onwards, he recuperates with the family healers who heal his sore body while Reines is exhausted from running around to shoot him, and magically-drained.

Drainage of energy means they eat a lot of food to recover and eat food enough for six people each, before falling asleep a tad too fast.

However, benefits came eventually. Neville learned how to dodge, Varia-style and all that shooting forced Reines' body to adapt and magically grow, increasing her magic reserves. Winter break however, she's with her mother so she mostly 'makes his life hell' every summer.

Fortunately for Neville, this ended after two summers, dammit. She deemed him 'passable'.

For Neville, he sarcastically thought she meant he's way above Death Eaters now and its up to him to fight back while having good instincts and dodging skills.

Said skills proved useful to him later in Hogwarts.

xxx

For College...

Reines chose Claremont McKenna in America as she really regretted choosing to go to High School in China when she's pretty sure Japanese High School Life is much more fun than Chinese school Life.

Ugly uniforms, and an overly strictly-suffocating and extremely competitive every-man-for-himself atmosphere!

There's no such thing as friends. Only silent rivalries, trying to outdo whoever's better than them out of fear of what awaits them at home, and fearing the Infamous 'Walking School'. Its competition from start to finish, that she researched the best college for a fun life months in advance, and prepared accordingly and she found Claremont.

Upon submitting requirements as an International Student applying for Biochemistry as an Undergraduate Major, she was one of the rare few students who did not require Financial Aid, capable of paying everything in full, being very wealthy and securing herself a place in Auen Hall, a single airconditioned room. First come first serve, damnit. She also made Room Furnishing Requests. However, everything else, she must bring herself and she has sole liability for her other personal things. Such as TV, VCD Player

Not only that, months before graduating High School, she used numerous vanity potions on herself, and days after she graduated, she quickly flew to Tokyo to buy new clothes for herself as she wasn't confident of American Clothing Sizes, being on the slim-slender but shapely side. She chose outfits based on american trends as she wasn't sure how her loli-based clothes will be received in America even if Japanese Culture is getting popular recently even overseas through anime. She's a big fan of Charlotte, Lady Georgie, Little Women, Alpen Rose, Sailor Moon, Yu Yu Hakusho, Ghost Sweeper Mikami, Magic Knight Rayearth, Saint Tail, Wedding Peach, Cooking Master Boy, and Pokemon. She has a vast, complete collection of these things by VHS Tapes, taking up one heck of a space in a few wooden shelves.

Well, she made a name for herself in Claremont.

She was known as the Beauty of Auen Hall, known for being beauty and brains, her personality and obliviousness when she really doesn't notice courting attempts from other boys, since she was more focused on having fun, being very active in extracurriculars as well.

However, unknown to her peers, she wasn't oblivious. She was feigning obliviousness as she doesn't want to make wrong harmonizations. She has yet to find the right people to be her guardians and she never found any. In La Garenne, in Japan and in China. Utter failures. And that was her suppressing itself but when she let out, still nothing.

Squalo taught her that Guardians naturally gravitate around a Sky.

Nobody gravitated around her at all.

She was a lone Sky.

Maybe if she went to the Magical Community, she'd find some, perhaps?

Wait, bad idea.

She'll wait a li'l while longer.