Synopsis: The dimensionally-travelled Neville is in his second year of Hogwarts. Though the general flow of the plotline was still in place, his arrival had already caused ripples inside the school: Hogwarts now had a Student Council, with Draco as the vice-president; Hermione's crush on Ron is her and Neville's mutually shared secret; and, even if Neville was unsure, the fissure between Harry and Snape showed promises of not being a lost cause? Either way, the second year must go on!

The Council is already moving full speed ahead for the new year, and Neville's Occlumency lessons also resumed. A slightly altered history with Harry's meeting with the Whomping Willow somehow gave Neville the chance to give Snape a nudge. On the other hand, this change had also prolonged the argument between Hermione and Ron…

Chapter 27 – Busy first few weeks.

One of the best things about having the Marauder's Map was that Neville knew where the kitchen was. This was not only useful for getting snacks in between meal times, but Neville need not worry about missing weekend breakfasts like the other students. On the first Saturday back, during prime brunch time, found a yawning Neville tickling the pear that was the entrance to the kitchens.

" Hey Neville! These elves make some mean cottage pie." To his surprise, there were already people leaning all over his worktop of food. The house elves got into the routine of Neville coming down every weekend last year near this time and had correctly doubted Neville would have changed his habits over the summer.

" Fred, George, good morning." Neville let out another yawn and joined the two of them for brunch.

" Morning? We've been out in the pitch since dawn!" Fred exclaimed, tugging at his red and gold Quidditch robes.

" Before dawn actually. I really wanted to moon Wood for getting us up that early." George sighed after Neville raised an eyebrow at the subpar gag. " Sorry, we're just really tired right now."

" And hungry. That's why we're here."

" But the worst thing is, we didn't even get any practice in."

" The Slytherins and your good pal Malfoy came and ruined it."

" And even called Hermione a… well, you know."

Neville frowned as he gnawed on a piece of bacon. He did not remember this book scene until now, but would have thought better of Draco than to call anyone Mudblood after Richmond and summer camp.

" Yeah, we all know even thought Hermione doesn't mention it. She's really conscious about her teeth."

Neville shrugged with a small smile, thinking up a few good words to say in front of Lavender.

" Hey Neville stop inhaling all the food!" Of course, thinking only needed the brain and not the mouth or teeth.

" Seriously, do you love anything more than eating?"

After stuffing himself, and more jokes about Neville's eating etiquette from the Twins, he figured he had still to visit Norbert in the Dragon Room since coming back and see how big his secretly retained weapon had grown. Just as Neville pulled at the ringed handles to the Dragon Room, he once again saw that someone was in the room before him.

" Neville! You can't believe what just happened!" Neville gave Norbert a glance, and even though he could not talk to dragons, Norbert would probably tell him it was not worth being enthusiastic over compared to Norbert's massive growth sprout.

" Oh let me guess… This has something to do with Ron?" Neville ignored the jumpy Hermione, no doubt having told the entire story a dozen times already to Norbert.

" I know I said I won't go on talking about this topic with you… but he was so cool!" Hermione paused here, dropping her tone a little, " Well… apart from the puking slugs thing."

" His broken wand huh?" Neville took a piece of steak and threw it like a Frisbee to reward Norbert for not going insane listening to the love-struck twelve year old girl. " Broken wands could be a life-saver one day though."

" What sort of… Never mind…" Hermione dismissed his seemingly obtuse suggestion and continued to deluge the incidents on the Quidditch pitch. Neville gave her an ear while picking up random dragon-related books on the shelf for a skim, all the while recalling one of the main reasons Hermione fell for Ron in the books.

" So… Ron's almost like a knight, right?" Neville half joked, but immediately felt it had came back and stabbed him instead.

" Why a knight?" Hermione asked innocent, eyebrow slightly quizzical.

" Because he sticks his neck out for you without thinking – even if you haven't talked to him for days. He stood up to Draco when he badmouthed you about your teeth and it's sort of like… defending your honour and whatnot, right?"

" It's not like that…" Hermione bowed her head, her chocolate hair hiding what must be a cherry-coloured face.

" I'm just glad you guys are fine again." Neville pulled up the side of his lips.

" Me too," Hermione had composed herself again – or so Neville had thought. He watched in horror as she, seemingly absentmindedly, stretched her arm towards Norbert. Wait, don't tell me – she's going to pet Norbert?

" Are you an idiot?" Neville's roar was not even as fast as his movements as he lunged in front of Hermione half-stretched arm and grabbed hold of her hand. " It's a dragon! As you said, they're wild and bite anything within their jaw's reach! You want to lose an arm or something?"

" Neville! Calm down!" Hermione looked incredulously at him, but with a smile on her face. " Norbert lets me pet him."

" Oh don't – I said no!" Neville was too late this time, as Hermione purposely caught him off guard and her arm went over his shoulder. Just as he was fearing for the worst, a soft purring sound and the feeling of an exhale of warm breath behind him made Neville turn around. " This guy… really lets you pet him."

" Told you Neville. Relax." Just as Neville was about to marvel and celebrate the fact that his dragon was slowly starting to be tamed, forgetting he had almost no contributions to it though, Hermione teased, " I'm just glad Ron protects me only in the right circumstances."

" Right… Anyway, I just dropped in to check up on Norbert after summer. Nice work on the petting thing by the way… I should take a trip to Hagrid's and ask him about this too."

" Harry and Ron are still there when I left. You might see them there."

" Okay." Neville hurried away from the Dragon Room and made his way out of the castle. As he took a deep breath, walking briskly across the grounds, a gust of cool wind caressed his warmer than usual cheeks.

Hagrid's hut soon came into view, and Fang outside it, eating what looked something that Neville guessed was chicken. Sure enough, Ron and Harry were still there when Hagrid opened the door. Harry had always been close to the half-giant, being the person that brought him back to the magical world and all. Also Ron was feeling too unwell to move with his basin of slugs.

" Ah! Neville! Great to see ya! How's school?" Hagrid greeted and went to get another mug of tea from his kitchen.

" It's okay. Are you alright Ron? You sure you don't need to go and see Madam Pomfrey?" Neville asked, pointing his wand at the copper basin that was ready to overflow to vanish the slugs in it.

" Thanks. I guess Hermione told you, huh?" Without waiting for the answer, Ron hiccupped and a slug the size of his finger crawled from his nose. " Arugh."

" Yeah, hate it when that happens." Neville recalled from some of his wilder parties in his past life where alcohol flew freely.

" So you heard what happened at the Quidditch pitch this morning then?" Harry asked and Neville replied with a nod as he ripped the meat off a tasty chicken leg. " By the way, thanks for that potion Neville. So glad you gave it to me last night or else Wood would've been on my case for not being able to train."

" Actually, someone else gave me the potion to give to you." Neville felt a guilty pleasure as if he was going to watch someone slip on a banana peel he purposely put in the middle of the road.

" Can you tell me who it is so I can thank the person?" Harry asked, well-mannered unlike his future self in the books.

" Sure – It's just Snape."

" What?" Ron screamed, but that seemed to worsen his condition as another round of vomiting threatened to fill out the basin again.

Harry took a few, seemingly struggling, moments to chew on the revelation and harrumphed. " Very well. I will thank him… later."

" I wish I have something that can record what you said. Like a Dictaphone or something." Neville could not help but laugh at the look on Harry's face at that moment. I wonder if the stuff I stole from Filch's drawer last year is still safely stashed in the Shrieking Shack. Maybe there's something I can use there – after all, I bought a book on identifying magical artefacts and brought it with me.

" Good on ya Harry! That's the polite thing to do. I'm proud of ya!" Hagrid gave Harry a pat on the back that almost knocked the boy off his chair.

Neville would have asked about Norbert's taming progress, though he really though it was only Hermione who could pet the fiery dragon, but would need to find another time to ask Hagrid. He did not forget the fact that Harry and Ron did not know about Norbert yet and it seemed like Hermione had also kept it a secret. Well for security reasons, the less people know about the Dragon Room and Norbert the better… It's not like it's just a secret between Hermione and me – Hagrid knows too!

" So why did Hermione go back to the castle on her own anyway?" Neville asked.

" We don't know. We were just chatting and Ron asked Hermione about what would a woman want the most for her birthday."

" Yeah, I forgot about my mum's birthday last year," Ron explained, though his previously white face slightly redder now with embarrassment. " Fred and George never reminded me on purpose and Ginny wasn't here last year. I marked it in my calendar a month early this year so I won't forget – it's October the thirtieth by the way Harry, but no, you don't have to get her anything – since this is the first individual present I get her, I'd wanted a girl's opinion on what to get."

Neville wondered if he should copy Harry and think about getting Mrs Weasley something too. He did stay at the Burrow during summer as well and he wanted to pay tribute… or politer put, stay on her good side. Then something clicked inside Neville's brain at this point and he took a deep breath.

" So… after you asked Hermione, she just left?" Neville dreaded to ask.

" Yeah." Harry answered simply.

" And she didn't even answer my question." Ron rolled his eyes, but was stopped half way by another slug attack.

The silly girl mistook him again! Hermione must have thought Ron was asking what to get her for her birthday! Oh this peace between those two won't last long… I'm out of this! I'm staying the hell out of this!

" Are you okay Neville? Your face looks as bad as Ron's." Harry observed, " Maybe we should head back to the castle now."

The three of them said their goodbyes to Hagrid but before they could even reach the castle steps, a small mousey figure came running towards them, much to the dismay of Harry.

" All right, Harry?" Colin Creevy levelled his camera to his eyes. " Oh! Harry in his Quidditch robes with his pals! I need a picture of this!"

This was not the first time Harry and 'entourage' were halted by the fan boy, but Neville could not bring himself to get mad at the innocent kid. Colin's bright eyes lit up whenever he saw Harry, and his naturally small height and innocent questions stopped Neville from strangling him whenever his camera's unusually bright flashlight burned its targets' retinas. Recalling how Colin had died in the last book, and having felt it was completely unnecessary and J.K. were just making up the numbers again, Neville vowed to keep the nosy, annoying, but endearing mouse alive.

" Seriously, can't you stop it with the phot – BLURGH!" Ron's slug vomiting seemed to increase whenever he got too emotionally excited about something.

" Let him be Ron," Neville's words seemed to be a benevolent act of God to Colin, as his gaze for Neville at that moment were nearly reaching the same brightness of sparkles as he did for Harry. " Being behind a camera might save his life one day."

Harry gave him a strange look but Neville dismissed it. Harry might have pursued if Colin had not asked him how he got his hair to be so stylishly messy all the time, can he touch his Nimbus, and if he liked the colour purple all in a very small space of time. Have I been slipping things like Colin and Ron out too much? Ever since that unexpected Whomping Willow divergence with Harry… But that snake really would've killed those people in the book if not for every one of them having a lucky break…

Just as the company set foot into the castle, Filch turned the corner and his eyes narrowed at the sight of Harry. " What do you think you're doing? Walking into the castle with those filthy clothes and that broom! Who'd you think slave away cleaning up your mess! Now! Off with you lot! And you Weasley! Remember your detention tonight at the trophy room!"

The kids scurried away and Neville wondered why they were ever so scared of Filch or getting caught in the books. Apart from not being optically pleasing, there really is nothing to be worried about.

When they were out of ear-shot, Ron groaned and coughed up another few slugs. " I just know Filch is going to make me polish that entire trophy room by hand!"

" Why by hand?" Colin piped up in his usual question-asking tone. " I thought wizards are able to use magic for everything!"

" Filch tortures the students this way because he's a Squib himself. Human nature really." Neville answered, spotting Harry looking like he would snap if Colin asked another question.

" Filch is a Squib? Blimey, I never knew that!" Ron exclaimed.

" What's a Squib?" Harry asked.

" Someone who's born from a magical family, but can't use magic. Something like that." Neville was the one to answer again.

" But why would anyone ever want to live in a castle full of magical students when he can't do a bit of magic himself?" Harry questioned, and was probably going to express a few words of pity for Filch if he was allowed to continue.

" How dare you?" Filch's voice, probably back initially for another round of shouting, clearly suggested that he had overheard their whole conversation. " Oh the famous Harry Potter! Thinking he's all that and won't allow someone like – like me to be in the same castle as him! Don't think Dumbledore won't hear about this! And you too Longbottom! I don't know where you know this from but you'd better watch your mouth!"

Filch stalked away, metaphorical smoke blowing out of his ears. Harry was about to go after him and explain his good intentions, but Neville put a hand on his shoulder, knowing that would only make it worst. Colin chose this exact moment to take another photo to frustrate Harry.

" Tonight's detention is going to be hell…" Ron shook his head, looking as if a Dementor just kissed him. Or worse, Millicent Bullstrode.

Millicent and a small band of Slytherins approached the Gryffindors from the other end of the corridor and the huge girl, having received another burst of height after summer compared to the others around her, threw Neville a shudder-inducing wink. " Oh Nevi! Are you going to the meeting for the play? We can walk together!"

" You're in Draco's music and effects group right? I'm really sorry, but I promised – yes, sworn upon my life – that I would help Su with her group and the props and that. Look at the time! I've got to run! Bye guys."

Shuddering again as Millicent 'cutely' stomped the floor in her disappointment, Neville fled as fast as he could in the direction she came from, knowing she was far far behind him.

" Hey watch it!" Bumping into someone around the corner, Neville felt as if he had collided with a brick wall.

" Oh, it's you Neville! Great! Come along to my group's first meeting." It was Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. Seriously! What do these guys and Slytherins eat to get so tall through just a single summer! Damn my Longbottom genes! Damn them to hell!

" Sorry man, I said it before and I'll say it again – you're pretty much on your own as long as Millicent is there."

" Oh come on! It's just Millicent!" Draco's exasperated tone was cut by Neville's piercing and sceptical stare. " Oh, alright!"

" Allowing you in-charge of setting up the cheerleading club paid you back for this and a hundred times more!"

" Don't remind me – I was just there." Draco's face twitched, and his look turned vacantly distant. " It was like being stuck in a sea – no – ocean of girls and… drowning."

" Oh yeah, just rub it in." Neville grinded his teeth.

" No, seriously… Do you know what it feels like to be stranded in the middle of a marketplace, or stuck using one single Portkey for fifty people, or lost in a forest of Whomping Willows…"

" That look you're giving me right now is begging me to suggest you to a psychiatrist." Neville shockingly realised Draco actually did not enjoy the opportunity benevolently given to him.

" A what now?" Draco snapped back to himself and stopped trembling.

" Forget it. But you know. This cheerleading club is the best chance to spend time with Lavender and all that. I also made sure she joined your group for the play as well." Neville-the-wingman-Longbottom nudged Draco on the arm.

" Right… Well, after an hour of a club meeting that somehow involved shoes, something called Prada, and Maryanne Atkins using too much toilet paper, we've decided to host the cheerleading tryouts for two weeks from now."

I am so getting a front row ticket.

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" I feel sick…" Neville plunged onto the common room couch, but refused to turn his eyes up to look at his friends. It had almost been two weeks since Hermione mistook Ron's question, and Neville had still to find a way to let her down lightly. He had of course tried to tell Ron to get Hermione something nice for her up-coming birthday, but with his budget being a few extra Sickles left from his mother's gift, it was next to hopeless. He was supposed to have given her candy from Honeydukes last year! The most expensive selection box!

Not only that, but just two weeks into the start of term and Neville was running around the castle as if he was Tarzan in the jungle – not the swinging from branch to branch way, but the never having a moment on his ass way. Though he left Draco with starting the cheerleading club, after getting the news, about three people would come and bug Neville about starting a new club every day – and all of them a waste of time. Seriously! As much as I like bikinis, I don't think Hogwarts is the most suitable place to start a Bikinis Appreciation Society – we're in freezing Scotland.

There was one other club that got the go-ahead from Neville though and that was the 'Hoglake' club. Some seniors approached him one day and said they had been playing Ron's birthday version of chess during summer with some friends and thought it was brilliant. Neville had a bad feeling the chess club would complain sooner or later, but there were no other oppositions from the other Council members. The reason they called it Hoglake is the same for the name Quidditch… To think some people really had the time to think about these things.

There was also the coordination of the theatre production of Onyx Black and the Seven Muggles. The most important thing was for Hannah's group to finish the script, since that would set the main direction for all the work. An audition should be scheduled sometime next month – at least that was the plan. Unfortunately, some of the group's random members, Ron for example, really were not good at making up stories. It did not help with Lockhart popping in now and then, causing havoc by forcefully changing the story with one of his story-writing quills. So much work… maybe the Council should audition for extra help as well…

Apart from the Council work, Neville also had his normal school work. Hannah had resumed her habit of screaming at him again in Herbology, and Neville's hopes of her changing that throughout summer was lost. Occumency lessons with Snape continued whenever he wanted, and through all that, Neville also needed to make time for his own selection of spell practices, identifying the use of the pile of once-confiscated items at the Shrieking Shack, and keeping up his physical fitness regimes.

" Neville, you look really tired. Take it easy, okay?" Hermione offered him a piece of Cauldron Cake and he stuffed it in his mouth eagerly.

" Thanks, you're a life saver. Anyway, I'm going to be off in a sec since Snape's got another Occumency lesson lined up for tonight." Neville spotted the fidgety Harry from the edge of his vision but was too lethargic to comment upon it.

" But you just came back from overseeing the Hoglake club's meeting!" Ron shook his head incredulously, ignoring Hermione's frown at him for using this as an excuse to leave the homework he should be working on.

" A man's got to do what he's got to do." Neville sighed.

" Oh you got that right!" Fred and George once again interjected into the group's conversation out of nowhere. Seriously! How do they just do that?

" There are perks for being President of the Student Council Neville." George said in a sing-song voice.

" Like getting front row seats for the cheerleaders' tryouts tomorrow!" Fred put an arm around Neville. " Don't think you can hustle a few up for us too can ya?"

" Yeah, those tickets go for a good twenty Sickles now under the tables." George's comment drew a gasp from Hermione.

" Seriously! Inflating the prices for some lousy seat just to see girls… well, cheerleading. Why?"

" Hermione, have you seen the robes they newly modified?" Ron rolled his eyes. Not to be out-done by his brothers no doubt… I thought Ron cared nothing of girls until book four or something. Oh, I know this is my fault again…

" Ron! You too?" Hermione did a double-take and deepened her frown. " Don't tell me you plan on going to watch the cheerleading tryouts tomorrow."

" Well… I did get a ticket for a good seat when it was cheap…" Ron avoided her eyes.

" Ronald Weasley! I can't believe you!" Hermione idly shook her head as if someone had just told her she did not get full marks for a test.

" Actually… I'm really sorry Hermione. I really hope you understand and can forgive me… I promise I'd make it up to you later." Ron's apologetic tone seemed to be the perfect bane to Hermione's frown since she immediately softened her expression.

" Well… It's okay Ron. I forgive you." Hermione's acting was really bad since she posed absolutely no real indication of reluctance in what she said at all. " It's not like tryouts will last the whole day tomorrow and we'll still have time to –"

Neville exchanged a few glances with the twins, who were looking on in glee. Oh God no! Hermione, needless to say, the thing Ron wants you to forgive him about is not that he doesn't have time to celebrate your birthday tomorrow… I'd really better stop this here.

" Good, good. Well now, look at the time. Hey Ron, let's go take a stroll. You can walk me down to Snape's." Neville got up on his feet, determined to divert the Ron asteroid from its collision course with planet Hermione.

Ron gave Neville an 'are-you-crazy?' look and sealed his own fate. " Why would I ever want to go near Snape while I'm here slaving away a homework for his class. Plus, I need to get this finished or else I won't have time to go to the tryouts tomorrow. I spent the money for Hermione's birthday present for the tickets you know."

Bruce Willis. Why aren't you here to save me?

" What did you say Ron?" If the feeling of doom was a rock on Neville's chest, then Hermione's stoical expression as she said this was a hammer that shattered it.

" You forgave me right? I said, I'd make it up to you – I'll definitely get you a birthday present later when I get the money."

Just as Neville exited the common room wordlessly, he heard the sound of a slap resonating even over the noisy Gryffindors. Frankly, as immature as Ron was, he really deserved that one. Neville turned the corner to head down to the dungeons a bit too quickly and bumped his chin onto a very hard forehead. Just as he was about to whine about it not being his day, he realised the kid he bumped into was about to fall backwards from their impact and down the stairs.

" Hey! Watch it!" Reflexively wrapping his arms around her, pulling her body close, the two of them fell together backwards onto the landing.

" You! You have the nerve to tell anyone to 'watch it'!" Ginny immediately shoved herself away from Neville and dusted her robes as if she had just been contaminated. So much for my goodhearted warning. " As I said. Every single time I meet you –"

" Nothing good happens, I know!" Neville ignored the timid first year friends of Ginny's and gave into the worry on the back of his head. " Listen Ginny, can I ask a favour from you?"

" Neville. You just almost pushed me down the stairs." Ginny stated flatly, but the impression she wanted to convey was ruined because she was unconsciously rubbing the sore spot on her forehead.

" Seriously Ginny. I'll get you some chocolates later, so please?"

" Oh alright. I know this is important to you if you use food as a bribe."

Restraining the urge to strangle the little girl, looking nothing like how a possessed person should, Neville asked, " You know Hermione, right?"

" Yes, the girl that's friends with Harry." Ginny's tone wavered a bit here.

" No worries on that front, Ginny. Spend a day with her and you'll know her sights are not on Harry." Neville's words provoked Ginny's friends to giggle and her face to glow bright red.

" Oh just tell me what it is you want me to do!"

" You see, Ron got her pretty angry and she's probably hiding out in her dorm. You know how your brother is sometimes –"

" An insensitive prat." Ginny efficiently summed up, already on the side of Hermione.

" Not my choice of words, but I see you understand. Anyway, I just want you to go and talk to her a bit. Not just this time, but in the future as well. With Harry and me not allowed up to the girls' dorms and all, and Hermione not having many girl friends, it'll be nice for you two to badmouth Ron together – well, not badmouth him but – Anyway, she's also really good with school and knows lots of things so you'll find her pretty fun… well, educational at least. I hear she'd read Quidditch Through the Ages –"

" Neville?" He did not miss the twitch of her lips and he knew something was wrong. " Why are you so concerned about me being friends with this girl?"

" She might be your sister-in-law in the future." Patting Ginny on the head, taking advantage of the shock she received from the news, Neville made his escape. " I gotta go see Snape. Run along now children."

To think an eleven year old girl can try and trick me – I doubt you can even get it out of me what I'd like to eat for dinner. But putting Ginny with Hermione is a very good move here: Hermione benefit from having a female friend earlier; and Ginny having someone to turn to instead of Riddle's Dairy. But this still hasn't solved the issue with Ron and Hermione… seriously that… that… that 'prat' – courtesy of Ginny.

Knocking and entering Snape's office, Neville stopped himself from sighing at the same old face of the overgrown bat. " Good evening Professor Snape."

" Always stay alert! Legilimens won't give you a chance to arm yourself. That is the nature of their magic Neville – Legilimens."

Neville gasped and he pointed his wand straight at Snape instinctively to defend himself from the sudden spell. The thought never really having gone through his tired brain, Neville bellowed, " Protego!"

Before Neville knew it, images flashed through the front of his brain. His view was from an aerial spot on top of where he recognised as the Hogwarts Lake, and it was clear enough to see the seaweed at the bottom. It was evening time, and under the gentle swaying of the waves, dozens of small boats carried little children wearing pointed witch hats towards the castle.

" Oh? A Mudblood?" A particular ear-offending exclamation drew Neville's attention to one of the boats and sitting there were four children. One of which was familiar enough with the scowl and crooked nose alone. The witch sitting beside Snape, with a face gradually getting redder, looked as if there was an exceptional brighter aura around her than her surroundings. The give-away were her green eyes though – Lily Evans.

The witch that exclaimed seconds before would have continued if Snape had not drawn his wand. " Take that back."

" But she is a Mudblood isn't she?" The jeering witch snorted in Lily's direction.

" I don't know what that means, but I can guess it isn't a good word. Just ignore her Severus." Lily put a hand on Snape's arm and the young boy's face turned a never-seen-before reddish tinge.

" I can't believe I'm on the same boat as a smelly Mudblood on my way to Hogwarts." The Slytherin-bound witch sneered and Snape reflexively stood up due to inexperience. No one with a sane mind would make such a sudden movement on such a crowded small boat – but Snape was probably far from sane when it came to Lily.

The boat overturned and a distinctly younger Hagrid quickly rowed his boat back over to help. Snape was flapping like a featherless duck in the lake, clearly unable to swim. Lily was not much different though and Hagrid motioned to pull her out first.

Through all the splashing, first years shouting, and Hagrid bellowing, a sharp request in the voice of Lily made it to Neville's eardrums like a bell in the morning. " No! Save Severus first!"

" Longbottom!" In a fraction of a second Neville was back in the dungeons, his wand pointing at the tip of Snape's. " You should know better than to use the Shield Charm!"

Gathering his wits about him again – well, almost, Neville explained. " I'm sorry sir, but you just threw a spell on me so suddenly I wasn't fast enough –"

" I've overestimated you Longbottom! I'd thought you can react accordingly after reminding you to be on constant guard the moment you stepped into this room!" Snape expression at that moment looked as if he was debating if killing Neville now was worth the hassle.

" But I'd thought you were an imposter! You never called me Neville!" Neville protested, making sure his arm was not an inch lowered.

" And do I need your permission to be in a good mood Longbottom?"

" Why were you in a good mood?" Neville knew he had cut the line when Snape had carelessly leaked out his uncharacteristic behaviour. The two had also realised that the scene of a student and professor, wands pointed at each other, debating over moods were far too awkward and strange at that moment.

" Get out! OUT!" Snape's roar thundered through the dungeons as Neville fled for his life at top speed.

That scene… no bets that memory of Snape's was jotted back to the front of his mind by Harry on the first day back. Then again, with how clear that memory was, anything related to Lily were probably never far from his daily thoughts. Now why on Earth was he in a good mood?

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A/N: Sorry for the wait, but it might now be possible for me to start weekly updates again – possibly more this week depending on my group's report progress.

Quidditch was taken from the sport's place of origin – which is a 'ditch' near the area of 'Quid' something or other. Hoglake comes from Hogwarts Lake by the way. Just for those who didn't understand.

And now really – spoiler – just for those who couldn't guess. Snape was in a good mood because Harry carried out his promise of saying thank you for the potion for his arm. I'm never sure to what degree constitutes to over-hinting something…