Synopsis: Saving Ginny Weasley's life, befriending the famous Gryffindor Trio, taming Peeves, brainwashing Draco, facing off with Dumbledore – just a number of things that an average Harry Potter fan had done as Neville Longbottom. Keeping his real identity covered, establishing an inter-house organisation, and dealing with actual feelings unexpected from reading the books, he continues his first year at Hogwarts.
All of Neville's recent problems seemed to have dissolved. The business with Norbert is done, the exams are finished, and the Council's mysterious end of year event is finally revealed. However, Neville had forgotten the one most important adventure in the first book of his favourite series…
Chapter 20 – Damn trolls.How am I supposed to know tonight is the night the Trio head for the Philosopher's Stone! Those idiots! Those enchantments aside, they know it's Voldemort we're dealing with here! Even if he is powerless at the moment, there is a fully-trained Death Eater that can kill them with a single curse that they don't even know the name of yet!
" Harry!" Neville burst into the sparse Gryffindor common room, panting from his mad dash up from the stadium.
" Neville? How were the tryouts? We thought you wouldn't be back till late sorting out the candidates." Harry gave the two beside him a look before putting on his shaky voice. This kid really has no talents for Occlumency.
" There's no need to hide the Cloak behind you Ron, I know." Neville weighted himself down on the couch in front of the Trio and held his head in his hands. He had still to decide whether it was a good idea to let them go alone, join them, or stop them altogether. Voldemort would never be able to get the Stone out of the mirror before Dumbledore got back, and who knew if Neville coming to this world would change the fact of these three coming out alive?
" You have Council stuffs to finish right? We were just about to go visit Hagrid. You can always come along next time." Hermione swiftly patched up the lie.
" So I'm not part of the Gryffindor Trio am I?" Neville frowned with a strong distaste in his mouth. " I know you guys are going after the Philosopher's Stone."
" I thought you had lessons with Snape to not get your mind read, not reading others' minds." Ron exclaimed incredulously.
" No Neville! That's not how we think! It's just that I don't want you to be put in danger as wel –" Hermione tried to explain but was cut off mercilessly.
" You know what? I'll give you two choices." Neville ignored Hermione's devastated look and stood up on his feet. " As the First Year Student Council President, I have full jurisdiction over your illegal actions. You can either forget this whole idea tonight, or convince me to let you go."
" Or we can just curse you and –" Before Harry finished his threat Neville pointed at the vase in a corner of the now empty common room.
" Reducto!" The vase was hit with the red streak of light and exploded. " I don't think so. I have every bit of confidence that you three together can't get past me – let alone whoever it is you'd wander into stealing the Stone."
" Neville! Voldemort killed my parents! If he gets the Stone, he'll return to power again, and then you might know exactly how I'm feeling right now when he murders you and your family!" Harry's Saviour Mode exploded and he also pulled out his wand. " Hogwarts is the best thing that's ever happened to me – No. I'm nothing without the wizarding world and I can't just let Voldemort ruin it."
" You think an eleven year old can stop the greatest dark wizard of all time?" Neville raised his wand. At least, not yet and without being extremely lucky. " Calm down and think. Dumbledore is the most powerful wizard in the world and he'll realise something's up very soon. By the time he gets back, the Stone will be safe."
" But how do you know Neville? What if Dumbledore comes back too late? The whole world is at stake here!" Harry raised his wand higher. I can't exactly say I read it from a book. " I don't have time to waste arguing with you! Are you getting out of my way or what?"
Staring at Harry's gritted teeth and those green eyes that bore into Neville's, there was something about his Saviour Mode that made him look… golden. Maybe it really was the mark of being the hero, maybe it was speeches and conflicts like these that made one a leader amongst others. Somehow, listening to him, Neville's absolute certainty that Voldemort would not get the Stone tonight wavered. Neville knew nothing was a hundred percent, and if Voldemort got the Stone, the whole wizarding world would be plunged into chaos by this one wrong decision of his.
" I know how you are Harry," Neville closed his eyes and dropped his wand. " You like having a normal, quiet, and happy life. I'm going to tell you straight. By not going tonight you have about ninety-nine percent chance of happily ever after to the one percent chance that Voldemort will get the Stone. Take the happy life you want and deserve."
" It's not about maths Neville. The eleven years I lived with the Dursleys was nothing compared to the one I lived in this castle. Nothing is more important to me than this world." Neville opened his eyes and saw his determined expression and really the only way to stop him was to curse him.
" Neville?" Hermione was in tears now, since she comprehended the major issues between their conversation, and called after Neville as he turned towards the dorms. " Where are you going?"
" The dorm. That Invisibility Cloak won't cover all of us. I have a potion." Neville glanced back at Harry sighed. " You've convinced me to let you go – with you."
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Neville had thought the enchantments put up by Dumbledore and co. were useless since even first years managed to get through. They were in the chess room now and thinking back, while watching Ron's brows furrowed in concentration, these three really did have some extraordinary talents inside them. Fluffy might be an exception, since Hagrid told them the trick, but not many wizards would remember the habits of Devil's Snare and be calm enough to derive from their first year Herbology how to drive it away while being strangled. Then catching the flying keys would either take ages, or just impossible if the wizard did not have the skills.
At least I probably can't win over this chess set that McGonagall transfigured to be in the 'Mind-Numbing' difficulty mode.
Neville answered a call from Ron and moved to the next square, and this room had been Ron's solo stage since they entered. Harry was marvellous in the last room to identify and commanded the capture of the key with the crumpled wings. All Neville did so far tonight was win an argument from Hermione to end up being the King piece, which meant absolute safety.
What I don't get is why all of us had to take place of a piece? Couldn't we have just put Ron as the King, win, and all go through together? Well… a bit too late now…
" It's the only way… I've got to be taken…" Ron's decision invoked a loud protest from the other two, but it was within Neville's predictions. So far, everything was going smoothly, just as described in the books. " That leaves Harry to checkmate the King."
" Ron! You can't! You saw how the pieces were demolished right? You can't!" Hermione started crying hysterically.
" Ron. Protect your head. At the moment of impact, jump back from the blow. Remember the right way to take a fall in jujutsu that I taught you a while back?" Neville practically instructed Ron how to sustain the least damage. As Ron said, his move was the only way for them to move forward.
" Neville! What're you saying at a time like this?" Hermione stomped her foot on the ground unreasonably. " If you're so good at taking hits why didn't you let Ron become the King? He was the one in charge of the game."
And I am so unsubstantial I can be heedlessly beaten to the other side of the room. Neville did not bother to quarrel with the girl and neither did Ron as he moved, his eyes fixed on the menacing white Queen that was about to distribute the devastating blow.
" Ron!" Neville had been glaring at Hermione and was fortunate for them that he had. Ron was sent flying to the side and Hermione foolishly, though most likely on impulse, was about to run after him.
" Stupefy!" If Neville had not shot the stunner, Hermione would have moved out of her square and wasted Ron's sacrifice. Damn it! This didn't happen in the books… Granted, I wasn't here in the books, and Hermione didn't like Ron this much at this stage… Damn it!
Harry did not linger around and ran to checkmate the King, who threw its crown in front of him and the door to the next room opened. Ron was lying to his side, but could be heard grunting lightly, and not completely unconscious. Neville dashed over to Hermione, who he made sure was not stunned too heavily.
" Rennervate!" Reversing the effect of his curse, Hermione immediately got to her feet and ran towards Ron without a glance at Neville.
" Ron! Ron! Are you okay?" Hermione screamed in Ron's ear, and probably much to his displeasure.
" Go Hermione! I'm fine! Hurry!" Hermione nodded and with one last glance backwards, ran towards the door where the other two were waiting.
In the passageway to the next room, Hermione had her head buried in Harry's arm, her mind filled with nothing but her injured object of affection in the last room. Of course, she did send a few icicle glares towards Neville, who brushed it off because he knew she was caught up in the moment. At least I'll be of some help in the Potions riddle next.
Pushing the next door open, a stench rammed into Neville's face that almost made him fall over. A troll was lying in the room, and looked to be as large as a mini-aeroplane. Comparing this one to the one at Halloween, it was like comparing an elephant to a puppy. Fortunately it was unconscious on the ground, though Neville could not help but wish he did not see those green armpit hairs.
" We're lucky he's knocked out already. Let's go quietly." Harry suggested and they made their way across.
" I wonder if he got hit just like Ron did." Hermione threw a glare at Neville again while hissing.
" It is not the time for this." Neville whispered back, but he could feel something raising within him. It was a green disgusting acid that he would spit out any moment he lost his self-restraint.
" If you'd have only listened to me then Ron won't be hurt." Hermione knew deep down she should not be so childish or girly at this moment – but she felt so useless. Neville had used the Bluebell flames on the Devil's Snare, Harry caught the key, and Ron won at chess, while she deemed herself yet to do a thing. She was worried sick about Ron's injury, and coupled with her internal insecurities, she had chosen Neville as the easiest person to blame – even if he had acted correctly by stunning her.
" Be quiet." Neville whispered as the three of them stepped over the troll's leg.
" If anything happens to Ron –"
" Ron said he's fine."
" You knew the King would be the safest so you picked that –"
" Be. Quiet."
" Don't glare back at –"
" Ach – HOO!" Harry had really been trying his best to hold his sneeze in but Hermione's hair was brushing in front of his nose all the while she was self-righteously berating Neville.
The sneeze echoed through the room and the three of them fell deathly silent – much contrary to the troll. The noise must have woken him up and a loud grunt shook the air around them, the leg they had just stepped over stood up and the first thing its ugly head fell upon was the three of them.
" You two! Go!" Neville was the first one to break the trance and shoved Harry behind him.
" Oh! I – I'm sorry! It's all my fault! This is –"
" Hermione! You have to stay calm! Only you can help Harry in the next room! Now go!" Neville glared at the troll with his wand in his hand. The troll like-wise armed itself with the massive wooden club next to it.
" No Neville! We're in this together!" Harry pulled out his wand also, but was at a loss at what to do. After all, he was still to learn any brilliant troll-stopping curses.
" Run with us! First Ron, and now I can't lose –" Hermione's words were drowned out as Neville pointed his wand at her again.
" Depulso!" Neville had sent the two of them hurtling towards the next door with his Banishing Charm just as the troll's club smashed the ground that they were previously standing on to pieces. Neville had narrowly jumped away himself but was scratched by the various sharp flying rocks that exploded from the ground on impact. " I need to stay and keep this troll busy! Harry, take her away!"
Seeing the troll was about to run after the two of them, Neville transfigured the strayed stones from the broken floor into mice and sent them to crawl all over the troll's gray body. With a last desperate stare into Neville eyes, Harry nodded with resolve. Harry had not forgotten their main objective tonight, and placed his trust in Neville to not make him regret leaving another friend behind. " Be careful Neville!"
Having been given such a trust from Harry was a marvellous feeling, but even if Hermione did not, her tears for him soothed out Neville's heart as the last glimpse of them disappeared behind the door. In a burst of flames, the door was on fire and they would be separated from Neville before they solved the puzzle by the Potions master.
" Just you and me now buddy." Neville mentally prepared himself for a moment as the troll flattened the last of the mice he transfigured with its foot. Its eyes were bleeding red and stench blew out in its temper at the little wizard who was most definitely its next target.
With a war-cry the troll lunged forward with his club raised, Neville saw the place it was going to step on and casted a Blasting Curse. The troll tripped, giving Neville time to run to its side, and aiming at the weak spot under its arm, he sent it a Stunning Charm. Even if it was on target and a perfect hit, the troll only roared louder, and scratched the place it was hit. Well, it has to be thick-skinned to not care about smelling this bad.
A heavy and accelerating swing of the club narrowly missed Neville's head as he ducked, but the wind from the attack actually knocked him over. Taking advantage of the time the troll took to recuperate, Neville proceeded to send five stunners at the troll from his lying position on the ground, but that only maddened it more as the troll kicked him in its fury. Grunting out a scream, Neville was sent flying towards the back wall, and the impact onto his back made him black out for a second.
Although he had blocked the kick with his arms, he was still convinced he had a few broken ribs – coupled with very sore arms needless to say. As the troll charged towards him, he ignored the pain in his arm and pointed the wand at its forehead. Eight stunners were fired in quick succession at a single spot, and finally that seemed to have caused some effect. The troll screamed and fell backwards, making a thunderous earthquake as it landed on its back.
Panting laboriously, Neville slid to the floor with his back against the wall, hoping this was his only retribution for changing the books tonight. If Hermione kept her cool as he told her to, she should be able to solve Snape's puzzle and come back here in a few moments. I really should shout at that girl more for treating me like –
Neville's thoughts were halted, and hopefully just halted and not eternally put to rest. He could not react fast enough to dodge the troll, who had previously merely been put out for a brief moment before returning Neville the favour with a left hook. Neville's side burned for a moment before he felt the hit of his head on the door leading to the Potions room.
He was sure he blacked out for a longer while this time because when he opened his eyes again, his visions were red and the troll's club was shadowing him above his head. In this life and death moment, his first and most adept spell executed itself magnificently to save his life. Shooting his arm vertically upwards and even without incantation, Neville shot a Blasting Curse at the troll's club and it exploded into a matchsticks in the air. The troll snarled as the sharp wooden needles jabbed into its hand, sick purple liquid dripping to the ground in splashes, and it backed away a few steps, glaring at its enemy.
Neville let escape a scream as half a dozen of those wooden spears also pierced onto his limbs from the sky. He realised the reason for his red vision was because of the blood from whatever massive gash he had on his head, and swiftly swallowed a few Blood-Replenishing Potion capsules from his combats pockets. He knew it would only be a matter of time though before he would faint from heavy blood loss. His gaze was already turning unfocused as the troll menacingly glared at him, sure that the next blow would be the last.
" No! Neville!" The door behind him opened and without turning back, he knew it was Hermione.
" You're too early damn it! The troll's still not down yet!" Gripping his wand tightly, he used his remaining strength to stand up.
" Th-there's so much blood – what? Neville, no, don't!" He had taken a step forward and as Hermione reached for his arm, he pushed her closely behind his back.
" Forget what I'm about to do. You're still a few years too young to learn this." Neville did not know if trolls were classes as part-humans by the Ministry, but he knew Hermione would not be able to defeat it if he fell now.
Ever since Neville's magic awoken, he had slaved away at various spells and charms, and could probably pass his NEWT level Charms and Transfiguration okay. His Defence Against Dark Arts, or Dark Arts, scores would be a bit above OWL level, where he had wasted some time to ponder whether he should learn the Killing Curse. He convinced himself it would be useful for killing misquotes and flies, but knew at important moments such as this, he was not above killing an opponent.
He also found out the reason why the Death Eaters learnt other curses instead of using the Killing Curse all the time. There were recoils for every magical spell, almost as if firing a gun. The Killing Curse was a powerful spell that took a lot of energy and focus to succeed, and the one time Neville practiced it he was physically blown back from the backlash. He also did not really put intent to it that time and the little spider managed to wiggle back to life.
Giving a glance back at Hermione's teary face, Neville knew he would mean it this time, even if she would not appreciate Dark magic. The troll saw his pry turning his head and charged forward with its arm raised, preparing to smash down on the two children like hammer to nails.
" Avada Kedavra!" Neville saw the green flash explode out of his wand tip and landed with a flare on the troll's forehead. Even a troll had to fall at the powerful spell performed with all of Neville's power. The backlash of the spell on him this time did not send him anywhere because he hit the ground without consciousness even before the troll had.
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Neville woke up to find himself on a soft bed. He looked around him, feeling slightly dizzy and recognised it was the Hogwarts hospital wing. His body did not feel as ready to wake up as his mind for once. He had bandages around his head and troubles breathing, but not that much pain. Digging out the Invigoration Draught capsules from his combats that they had luckily not changed him out of, he took a few capsules and forcefully got out of bed. He never liked hospitals much.
He brushed opened the curtains around his bed and realised it was night-time from the windows outside. Next to his was an empty bed that looked to have been recently occupied, and a pile of presents were stacked at its foot. Thinking back to the books, he realised it must be Harry's.
Popular as ever eh? Well, I'm just glad he's alive. Neville smiled and snatched a box of candy from Harry's pile and inhaled it in his hunger. Neville had thought Madam Pomfrey would have jumped him for getting out of bed, but the hospital wing appeared to be deserted. Shrugging and not wanting to be left in the site for a perfect horror movie, he headed to the kitchen for more food. As he got closer to the ground floor however, he heard a lot of ruckus form the Great Hall.
" Oh! Your Eternal Bottom-ness! Peeves is so glad that you have recovered!" Seeing the floating protagonist hiding something behind his back, Neville knew the castle had probably been subjected to many old pranks in his sojourn.
" What is happening in the Hall Peeves?" Ignoring whatever did not concern him, Neville tiresomely walked down the stairs nursing his arm. I wonder if having those wooden shards from the troll's club stabbing through me was Peeves's revenge…
" It's the end-of-year feast tonight my master!"
No wonder Madam Pomfrey wasn't in the hospital.
Neville had now gotten close enough to the doors to see the green and silvery decorations in the Hall, signalling that the Slytherins had won the House Cup – for now. Neville deemed it was completely unfair in the books for Gryffindors to have won at the end by Dumbledore's cheeky little additions. Then again, that came as part of the job for heroes I guess – benefits just like free dental care.
" …I award Gryffindor house sixty points." Dumbledore had now added Harry's points, ten more than Hermione and Ron, to make Gryffindor and Slytherin draw for the top. I thought Gryffindor won this year? Had I remembered wrong?
Su, who had sighed exasperatedly as the Slytherins were still top, and expecting to hear Draco's boasting at Quidditch practices tomorrow, turned towards the doors and spotted Neville. He would have silenced her with a charm but to his utter horror, his Wand Armband was empty. WHERE IS MY WAND?
" Neville!" In a flash everyone turned their heads at the newcomer who looked ready to turn and make a run for it. The three other houses apart from Slytherin were already jumping in joy at his appearance. Everyone knew Neville was with the Trio on that night and if they were awarded points, then so should Neville. In the Slytherin table, Draco was exasperatedly rolling his eyes, as if asking Neville why he had to come in at such a time. Even Millicent's eyes were dejectedly trained on the dinner table, just waiting for food to arrive and drown her sorrows of losing the House Cup in her first year.
" Ahem." Dumbledore's dry cough was even more effective than a Silencing Charm and the Hall waited expectantly. " I'd said I had a few last-minute points to dish out, but also… there are points to deduct."
Dumbledore's last words were lowered to his serious tone and Neville's fingers twitched. Once again verifying that his Armband was empty, he glanced at Hermione, who looked just as baffled as everyone else at Dumbledore's actions.
" From Mr Neville Longbottom… I will take off fifty points for worrying your friends, heedless use of a curse without verifying its effects, and naivety for thinking you can duel a troll alone."
Although a few on close terms with Neville, such as Ron and the twins, looked ready to protest, Dumbledore halted them with a stately wave of his arm.
" Then above that, also to Mr Longbottom… For standing by your friends even if they are too stubborn to hear your views, for protecting them from dangers despite heavy costs and lastly, for defeating a troll singlehandedly, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."
It was simple mathematics really and to the changing of the Great Hall's decorations to the red and gold of Gryffindor, the entire table rushed up to throw Neville in the air. You know, I was hoping more of a flying hug and a good long embrace with Penelope Clearwater, but heck.
" Now, now! I am sure we are all hungry – so let the feast begin!" The end of Dumbledore's speech made it possible for an outraged Madam Pomfrey to drag Neville by the ear away from the celebrating crowd and back to the hospital wing.
She muttered the entire way about how he was in no condition to be out of bed and upon hearing about the overdose of Invigoration Draught, almost looked ready to keep him in the hospital wing forever by breaking his limbs periodically. After having a house elf bring up a good share of food from the feast and another dozen check-ups from Madam Pomfrey, Neville received his most feared visitor.
" Professor Dumbledore." Neville nodded his head to the headmaster, and even though both of them knew everything that had happened that night, he still reverted to his habit of avoiding Dumbledore's eyes.
" Neville. I hear your Occlumency training with Professor Snape is in its completion stages and yet, you are still showing these crude signs of the basics." Neville caught a brief glimpse of Dumbledore's joking eyes as he continued, " Now I know the House Cup means nothing to you but even from your first expression as you walked into the Great Hall, I assume you know the seriousness of your actions that night."
He withdrew from his long purple dress robes, obviously just out from the feast, Neville's wand. " Thank you." Neville reached out to take it but Dumbledore's hand did not let go.
" As smart a witch as Miss Granger is, she has still to identify the curse you used to defeat the troll. However, one as talented as you in spell-work should, contrary to what I've said in the Hall, know its full effects? You should also know that there is a charm to regenerate the last spell casted by a wand, yes?"
" I admit. I casted an Unforgivable Curse." Neville got to the point and snapped his head back to face Dumbledore. Much to his surprise, Dumbledore's eyes were marred with sadness.
" I am afraid Neville, the worst of the Unforgivable Curses. Do you know why they are called 'Unforgivable'? Because the Ministry, under no circumstances, even those under the threat of death, would not permit a wizard to perform such spells."
He can't possibly… Dumbledore's going to hand me over to the Ministry? Neville's back broke into cold sweat. Glancing down at the wand in Dumbledore's hand, Neville wandered if he was faster in snatching that than Dumbledore was at drawing the Elder Wand.
" Yes Neville, performing an Unforgivable Curse is an offence guilty of being sent to Azkaban. And also yes, you still have a lifetime's training in Occlumency just as the rest of us." The old fox twinkled his eyes and before Neville could act on his impulse and punch his wonky nose, Dumbledore had already raised Neville's own wand. " Tergeo."
" Eh?" Neville instinctively reached up but the traces of ketchup left from the corner of his lips were already cleaned by the spell. If he had used any one curse…
" One as talented as you in spell-work should know there is no common spell to regenerate the spell before the last one casted by a wand, yes? Also, you would probably be glad to know the Trace on underage magic does not apply for Hogwarts students during term-time?" Dumbledore flicked the wand over in his hand and held out the stub for Neville, which Neville instantly took. To this Dumbledore smiled sadly again and said in the least ambiguous manner in contrast to his normal speech, " I am turning a blind eye on this incident because it was a life-threatening situation for both you and your friends. I also understand it is not your primary intention to use the curse, or else you would not have gotten yourself injured to this degree. There is also the crunch of the matter – the spell failed."
The backlash is probably what rendered me on the bed for this long. The Killing Curse really was too powerful a spell for an eleven years old body.
Neville thought back to the meeting with Dumbledore over the establishment of the Council, where he feared Neville would turn into a second Vodemort and asked. " What's the catch for covering this up? A 'promise' never to use the curse again?"
Dumbledore was taken back by the question and laughed out merrily. " You're really not an ordinary eleven year old are you? I was just speaking to Mr Potter as he woke up yesterday in the bed beside you, and the two conversations are so entirely different."
" I'm going to tell you how I think, before you go jumping into conclusions again as you did." Neville doubted he would ever speak to Dumbledore with as much respect as Harry would. Then again, it was only now when he was rearmed with his wand that he could say this, " I don't think there is anything wrong with a particular type of magic. It is the user's intentions that defines the nature and rectitude of any spells."
Dumbledore took his time to respond. He stroked his long silvery beard and looked far away into his own memories. Neville knew what he said was bold, and could be taken in a completely evil way depending on the ear, but that was truly how he thought. Dumbledore sighed and said, almost as if to himself, " The young and the intelligent always stray down that path… Neville. Do you know that even I have once dabbled in the Dart Arts when I was young?"
" Dark Arts is just a name headmaster." Neville replied earnestly.
Dumbledore once again remembered his conversation with Harry just yesterday about saying Voldemort's name and laughed out again. " You are half a step ahead of me here Neville, I applaud you. Well, I never thought we would dive into such philosophical discussions when I only came to return a wand. It is getting a bit late and old men do need their sleep."
Speak for yourself you old fox! And you were definitely here to give me a warning not to use Dark Arts again.
Standing up to leave, and either party not expecting a 'goodnight', Dumbledore turned back round for one last question. " Are you not interested in the whereabouts of the Philosopher's Stone that you worked so hard to protect?"
I knew you're still suspicious of me! I knew it! I knew it!
" I assure you I have no plans in gaining world domination, immortality or the title of being the strongest wizard in magical history." Neville tiresomely drawled, truly ready to go to bed after the frustrating conversation.
" Well? What is it that you would see in the Mirror of Eris?" Dumbledore asked, somehow believing Neville knew about its functions as well.
" I don't know, did you break it? Maybe the mirror-me will be in bed with a couple of half-veelas?"
Dumbledore was rendered immobilised at the spontaneous answer and howled in laughter a few seconds later. " You're really not an ordinary eleven year-old Neville."
" I know."
Dumbledore gave a last chuckle and left the hospital wing. He still had to make another visit before retiring for the night. Knocking on the doors of Snape's chambers, Dumbledore heard a soft 'enter' and shone like a bright light in contrast to the dark and damp bedroom.
" Wine Albus?" Snape was currently sitting on a tall-backed chair facing the covered up windows. The only light in the room was a tiny flame from an old yellow wax candle standing on the end table beside him.
" Yes, that would be lovely Severus." With a wave of the wand, Snape conjured another glass in thin air and sent it floating towards Dumbledore as the wine bottle raised from the end table to pour its contents.
" To what purpose do I owe this visit? If it is related to the results of the House Cup then I have no objections." Expectedly, Snape's voice was a bit forced near the end.
" Oh? Why that is very nice of your Severus. You have certainly been more lively since Harry arrived this year. He knows of your year's diligence in protecting him now – I assume he heard from Quirrel."
" I have no interests in anything related to Potter, Albus." Snape snapped truthfully, as Neville had been sneakily doing that enough in their Occlumency lessons.
" Then what about Longbottom?"
" What about him?" Snape sneered. If it was not for the boy's sudden appearance tonight, Snape's house might have won the House Cup for the seventh year running. " I know from looking at the troll the curse he used on it. And it is because the spell is too powerful for his young body that the troll was not killed. You should have sent him to the Ministry."
" No, Neville's intentions… were pure." Dumbledore swirled the wine in his glass and spent a few moments diving in his memories. Then he got back to business. " For ones so innocently young Severus, it is easy for them to take a wrong turn and it is our job as their elders to keep that from happening to the best of our abilities."
Snape gradually looked up at Dumbledore's face and recognised it. It was just like the face he had before asking Snape to give Neville Occlumency lessons. Whatever new idea Dumbledore had, Snape knew it was not something either he or Neville would like.
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A/N: The thing about the Trace for under-aged wizards… I thought the Ministry was supposed to know every time a kid casts a spell and what spell it is… but in the case of Draco in HBP, he obviously casted an Unforgivable in Hogsmeade and got nothing. Though the Ministry could not say it was Draco who casted it, but the fact that an under-aged wizard casted an Unforgivable should've raised a ruckus… So I set some conditions here. Anyway, this is a long chapter, just because I couldn't find a good stopping point mid-way.
Thanks for the reviews and next chapter would be the last of the first year. Can't believe it's been over 100000 words already. I wonder if has a cap on number of chapters. Now a Merry Christmas to all and have a good holiday.