This is an idea that I have been entertaining recently. I know that stories with a similar premise have been written so I will try to keep this as original as I can. No plagiarism intended. I do not own either Legend of Korra or Harry Potter. They belong to Bryan Konietzko, Michael Dante DiMartino, and J.K. Rowling.

-Line Break-

"Neville, are you feeling alright?" Susan asked.

"Yeah, it took Madam Pomfrey like a minute to fix it up," he replied, rotating his wrist. "She had me wait five minutes or so to check me over, but that's it. Merlin, that was terrifying!"

"I know," Hannah said from across them. "The way you just shot up like that. Bucking and twisting and tumbling. It was like the broom was trying to kill you!"

"Gran always said those brooms needed replacement," he answered. "Just my luck that I pick the most temperamental of them on my first day."

"Well the important thing is you're doing better," Hannah said, rubbing his shoulder.

"Oh no!" Neville suddenly exclaimed, jumping from his seat and patting down his robes. Fumbling through his pockets, his breathing became faster and shallower as he mumbled "Where is it? Where is it?!"

"Where is what?" Susan asked. "Did you remember something?"

"My Remembrall!" Neville blurted out, collapsing onto his seat, his face worn with worry. "Gran gave it to me just this morning and now I've lost it!"

Realization dawning on her, Susan reached into her pockets and retrieved a small glass orb ringed with gold. Holding it out she asked "You mean this?".

"Yes, that's it!" Neville answered, grabbing the orb and holding it tight. "Thank you! I must have dropped it during Flying class."

"I think so," Susan nodded. "It was actually Padma who found it. As Madam Hooch was leading you to the Hospital Wing, she picked it up and asked who it belonged to. We said that it was yours and she gave it to us so we could return it."

"Padma?" Neville asked, his eyes furrowing in thought as the Remembrall glowed a deep crimson red. "She's uh, in Gryffindor, right?"

"No, that's her twin sister, Parvati," Hannah replied. "Remember we had Flying class with the Ravenclaws, so that's Padma's House."

"Oh!" Neville exclaimed, slapping himself as his face reddened like the Remembrall.

"It's alright," Susan interjected. "They're identical twins, so it's easy to get them mixed up."

"No matter," Neville said, pocketing his Remembrall. "Anyway we better get back to class. Transfiguration's next."

Rising from the table, they made their way out from the Great Hall, joining their fellow Hufflepuffs on the way to class, merging into a pack of black robes with yellow badges. It was something of a House tradition, where the First years would congregate together to show their solidarity and loyalty to each other, and to provide support in case of trouble. Neville, positioned near the center of the group, was rather fond of this tradition, as it made singling him out from the crowd much more difficult, giving him a welcome reprieve from the whispers of his fellow students.

"Where is he?"

"Can you see him?"

"Which one is he?"

"The blonde kid with the scar."

He had heard those countless times as he tried to navigate his way through the corridors and stairways, people standing on tiptoes, or even doubling back when he passed, to try and get a look at him.

'By the Founders I'm a kid not a prize potted plant!' he thought, irritated at their antics. 'I'm trying to get to class!'

Adding to his exasperation was the layout of the castle itself: one hundred and forty-two stairways, all of different sizes and conditions. Some of these led to different places depending on the day of the week, or had a trip step that you had to jump over lest you find your leg caught in the floor. Then there were the doors, some of which would not open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in just the right way, or even were not doors at all, but sections of the wall disguised as doors. To make matters worse, everything seemed to move around a lot, making it even harder to remember where anything was.

'I became lost three times on the first day alone!' he recalled. 'And in my first week I nearly got caught by Filch and Mrs Norris trying to enter the Third Floor Corridor. Thank goodness Professor Quirell came by when he did.'

Fortunately, there were clues as to how to get around, if you knew what to look for. The color and texture of the wood. The sound it made when you knocked upon it. A notch or graffiti in the door or the frame. The position and contents of the portraits beside the door. The number of stairs you took to reach the door. Even, according to rumor, the scent of the doorknob to smell who used it last.

'Whoever came up with THAT idea?!' he thought, eyes rolling. 'Must have been the Weasley twins. They can be funny sometimes, but that's going too far!'

'Still that's another advantage to moving in a group,' he pondered. 'More people can find and remember the tiny details. And more minds to offer new or interesting ideas. Glad I was Sorted into Hufflepuff.'

As they entered the classroom, they found the Ravenclaws had already arrived and were busy preparing their ink-pots and parchment for the lessons ahead. Looking around, he saw a girl with long, lustrous black hair done in a plait topped with a gold and silver ornamental butterfly. Seeing the blue trim on her robes, he swallowed hard and headed for her while the rest of his House began seating themselves.

"Uh, excuse me, Padma?" he asked, trying hard to keep his nerves under control.

"Yes, Neville?" she asked, locking eyes with him.

"I-I just, just wanted to say, thank you, for retrieving my Remembrall," he stuttered. "I just got it from my Gran this morning and-and I thought I'd lost it in Flying class."

"Oh, you're welcome," she replied smiling. "Glad I could help. By the way, how's your wrist?"

"Oh it's fine," he said, rotating it. "Madam Pomfrey fixed it in like a minute tops. Amazing what magical medicine can do."

"Ahem," a voice interrupted from the front desk. Looking up they saw Professor McGonagall had arrived and was waiting for Neville to seat himself. With a look of sheepish embarrassment, Neville half-ran half-stumbled across the aisle separating the Houses, nearly bowling Susan over in his mad dash to seat himself.

"As much as I appreciate this moment of inter-House camaraderie," Professor McGonagall said while Neville clumsily pulled out a quill and parchment. "We do have a lot to cover and limited time to do so. As my first order of business, I reward Mr Longbottom and Miss Patil with one point each. Now if you would turn your attention to the board..."

As Professor McGonagall levitated a piece of chalk and began writing notes on the chalkboard, Neville stared down in disbelief as he realized that he had just won his first set of points for Hufflepuff.

'Not much,' he thought, looking up to the board to jot down his notes. 'But one point's better than none.'

-Line Break-

As he stooped over his textbooks reviewing for Potions, Neville heard somebody say "So, I heard you earned us some points". Looking up, Neville could see that it was Ernie Macmillan, a First year student from a prestigious Pureblood family like himself.

"Uh, yeah, just one," Neville stuttered in reply.

"Still that's something," Ernie said as he made his way toward him, the other students giving way before congregating around them. "So how did you do it?"

"Well, I, I talked with Padma," Neville stammered out, feeling the crowd pressing in.

"Padma? From Ravenclaw?" Ernie asked, disbelieving. "How does that equate to earning points?"

"Remember Flying lessons," Neville began. "Where I lost control of my broomstick and went on a rather harrowing trip before I fell and broke my wrist? During that I dropped the Remembrall that I got from Gran this morning."

"A remembrall?" someone, likely a boy, in the crowd asked.

"It's a glass orb that glows red when you forget something," a second voice, a girl this time, piped in.

"Does it show you what you've forgotten?" a third voice chimed in.

"Not the usual versions," the girl replied. "They tell you you've forgotten something, but not what it is that you've forgotten."

"Well that sounds rather useless," the boy quipped. "What's the point of that?"

"Well there are some that tell you what you've forgotten," a fourth voice, an older one, interjected. "But they're very expensive and highly restricted, especially to students. Imagine one of those on a test or homework."

"Still, knowing you've forgotten something but not what it is doesn't sound very useful," the boy replied.

"It's better than nothing," the older voice countered. "Simply knowing that you have forgotten something means you'll try to remember it, so it can be a useful trigger."

"Anyway," Ernie exclaimed, cutting off the debate. "So you dropped your Remembrall during Flying class, and Padma returned it?"

"No, she gave it to Susan," Neville explained. "And Susan gave it to me. I met her in Transfiguration class and thanked her for her help."

"And that was enough to warrant House points?" the boy from earlier asked in bewilderment. "You were just being polite. Are you saying we get points for basic decency?"

"Well Professor McGonagall said that it was for inter-House camaraderie," Neville answered, turning to the boy in question. Seeing a head of dark curly hair, Neville recognized him as Justin Finch-Fletchley. A First year Muggleborn who apparently was a shoe-in for Eton, some Muggle school that was supposed to be highly prestigious or respectable, similar to Hogwarts.

"Our Houses have been competing with each other ever since the Founders' time," he continued. "While the most intense rivalry has often been between Gryffindor and Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw have also competed with one another. But this rivalry got worse, a lot worse, in the years leading up to...You-Know-Who. Gran says that he used the rivalry to groom Slytherins for the upcoming war, as well as keep people from uniting against him. And since You-Know-Who was a Slytherin, and most of his followers were Slytherins themselves, many people associate being in Slytherin with being evil. Ever since then, Dumbledore's been trying to get the Houses to tone down the competition a bit and get along better."

"Then why keep the points system?" Justin asked. "If we're supposed to be getting along, why promote competition? Wouldn't it be better to just replace the whole thing?"

"A little competition can be useful," the older voice interjected, drawing attention to Cedric Diggory. Handsome, talented, athletic, and nice to everyone he met or spoke with, he was the kind of guy you just could not help but like. Neville, if not every Hufflepuff, looked up to him as a model for their House, someone who could shake off their reputation as talentless duffers.

"Competition can motivate us to do better, work harder, and improve ourselves," Cedric clarified. "But too much can lead to anger, hatred, and jealousy which in turn fosters war and revenge. If you think about it, too much, or too little, of anything, be it bravery, ambition, loyalty, or studying can be a bad thing. Excessively brave people often charge right into danger, even at the cost of their lives. The blindly loyal follow their leaders anywhere, even to their deaths. Ambition can drive you to do amazing things, but it can also blind you to the well-being of your loved ones, or even yourself. And study without actual experience can leave you ignorant as to how things really are. So the key is moderation, balance."

Seeing the students fixated on him, Cedric took a breath to gather his thoughts before stating "And that's really our greatest strength.". Seeing their confusion, he explained "Hufflepuffs may not be the bravest, or the most intelligent, or the most ambitious of people. But we are the most diverse, so we have plenty of unique talents and ideas to tap into. And we are the people best able to work together. If we apply ourselves, there is nothing we can't do. And when the going gets tough, we stay together and pull through. No matter what, Hufflepuffs stay together."

"Hufflepuffs stay together!" everyone replied, pumping their fists into the air. Cedric beamed at their enthusiasm while Neville simply smiled for having such great Housemates. Thinking back he remembered his first night at Hogwarts.

-Line Break-

It had been quite a shock at first, being Sorted into Hufflepuff after all. For a brief moment, the Great Hall was completely silent, with the only sound being the crackling of the fires. Then the Hufflepuffs erupted into ecstatic cheering while the others simply stared in shock and surprise. The notion that Neville Longbottom, the Boy-Who-Lived, the Vanquisher of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, being sorted into Hufflepuff, the House of the Badgers, the Duffers, just seemed too ridiculous for words.

Even Neville himself did not believe it at first. Turning up to Professor McGonagall, she simply said "You heard the Hat Mr. Longbottom. Hufflepuff awaits.".

In his excitement Neville jumped off the stool, tripping himself over his robes and falling flat on his face. As the Slytherins snickered cruelly, he pushed himself up and found himself staring into a black velvet darkness. His face reddening, he yanked the Sorting Hat off and handed it to Professor McGonagall before heading for the Hufflepuff table and seating himself across from Susan and Hannah amidst the near deafening applause.

"Everyone," a loud, thunderous voice echoed through the Hall, abruptly ending the celebratory applause. Turning to the Head Table, they saw Dumbledore standing from his throne-like chair, his wand pressed against his throat, magically amplifying his voice. "I understand your exuberance, but I am afraid that we must press on with the Sorting, so if you would please..."

As the Hufflepuffs sheepishly settled into their seats, Professor McGonagall resumed the Sorting, starting with Morag McDougal who was sorted into Ravenclaw.

While the Sorting continued, Neville turned to the Head Table and saw Professor Sprout, now his Head of House, smiling at him. Glancing to the others, he saw Professor Flitwick smiling as well, though with perhaps some disappointment in his eyes with the Sorting. Professor Snape simply held his customary sneer, his dark eyes showing only bored frustration at the whole thing.

Looking at Professor Dumbledore, however, Neville saw something in his eyes, a deep intense curiosity that seemed to penetrate into his very core. And in those twinkling eyes Neville could tell that Dumbledore was planning...something. But before he could think more deeply, he heard the Hat yell out "Slytherin!" followed by thunderous applause from the far right table.

Turning his attention back to Professor McGonagall, he saw a smirking blond boy, Draco Malfoy, saunter off to the Slytherin table. Neville felt a slight twinge of anger rise inside him, remembering Malfoy's cruel taunts on the train when he was trying to find his toad. Shaking those thoughts from his mind, he turned his attention back to the Sorting Hat as the next student was called.

Soon enough, the Sorting ended with Blaise Zabini heading for the Slythern table while Professor McGonagall collected the Hat and the stool and returned to her seat beside Dumbledore's. Meanwhile, the beaming Headmaster stood at the table, held his arms out wide, and said "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! Thank you!"

"Is he-mad?" someone asked.

"Mad?" an older boy replied. "He's an absolute genius! But with genius, it can be hard to distinguish from madness. Potatoes anyone?"

And with that, Neville turned to see the previously empty plates heaped with more food than he'd ever seen in one sitting. Without hesitation, he helped himself to a scrumptious dinner: mashed potatoes, roast beef, turkey legs, steamed vegetables, and all the pumpkin juice he could drink. Around him, he heard his fellow Hufflepuffs break out into conversation, much of it from the First years asking the older students questions about school.

"Do they always serve food like this?"

"Where do we go to class?"

"Where do we sleep?"

"What do you do for fun?"

"Are the teachers nice?"

"Oh they're alright," the older voice cut in, drawing their attention to a handsome teenager with brown curly hair and grey eyes. "Hello, I'm Cedric Diggory, and I'm a Third year student. I can tell you that most of the teachers are nice, so long as you behave and work hard. Though I must warn you; Professor Snape is SUPER strict about his topic, Potions, and will not hesitate to dock points over the slightest mistake. So don't fool around in his class."

Neville rolled his eyes at the statement, knowing full-well how nasty Professor Snape could be, having studied under him for over five years now. Turning to the others he caught snippets of conversations ranging from summer activities to school plans and family affairs.

"So, you're Neville right?" he heard someone ask. Turning he saw a First year staring at him in anticipation. "You're the one who defeated...You-Know-Who. So, do you remember anything about it?"

The whole table suddenly became absolutely still; no one moved a muscle or uttered a sound. It was as though everyone at the table had been Petrified. Sensing the sudden change in the atmosphere, he suddenly looked very ashamed of his words and tried to backtrack.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I..." he stammered.

"I would imagine you would be," someone, a teenager, spoke out. Turning they saw a girl with blonde hair and dark eyes staring him down like a child with their hand caught in the cookie jar. "We may like to be informal here at Hufflepuff, but we also try to respect each other's personal boundaries. I'll give you a pass, but if this happens again, it'll mean detention and lost points."

As she sat down, everyone tried to resume their conversations, taking care to veer away from such personal topics. Neville glanced down to find that he had lost his appetite, the painful reminder of that night still echoing in his ears. In a bid to take his mind off of things, he glanced up to the Head Table to find the teachers deep in conversation with each other. Professor McGonagall was talking with Professor Dumbledore, and Professor Sprout was nodding in response to something Professor Flitwick had said. Scanning along the table, he saw Professor Snape leaning in toward Professor Quirrel, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, when suddenly he felt a twinge in his forehead.

It only lasted a split second, just enough for him to feel it, but not long enough for him to fully remember it. It was like something from a dream, where you can remember having felt something but not the full details, only a fuzzy picture of it. All he could remember was a sharp, hot sensation shooting through his forehead like fire, or lightning.

"Neville, you alright?" Susan asked. "You look like you've got a headache or something."

"Just a slight headache," he replied. "It's better now. Perhaps I should cut back on the sugar."

"Good luck with that," she said, pointing to the heap of desserts piled in front of them. Taking his own advice, Neville restricted himself to water and some fresh fruit. Seeing the concerned expressions of his fellow Housemates he simply said "I had a LOT of pumpkin juice, so I'm taking it easy on the sugar."

With everyone having their fill of desserts, they vanished, leaving perfectly clean tablecloths in their place as Dumbledore stood once more.

"Now that we are all fed and watered, I have a few start-of-term notices to give you," he began. "First years should note that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden to all students, hence the name. A fact that some of our older students would do well to remember in the future as well. Second, Mr Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to remind you that no magic shall be used between classes in the corridors. Third, Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Those interested in playing for their House teams should contact Madam Hooch to inquire on tryouts. And finally, I must inform all of you that this year, the third-floor corridor on the right-hand side is out of bounds to anyone who does not wish to suffer a most painful death."

At this Neville, alongside many of the students, did a double-take, eyes open and mouth agape.

'Did he REALLY say that?' he wondered. 'A most painful death? He's GOT to be joking, right?'

Before he could get much further, Dumbledore then led everyone in singing the school song, to which Neville only half-heartedly joined. Soon after, he and the other Hufflepuffs were led by a prefect, the blonde girl who reprimanded that boy at the feast, out of the Hall and down a flight of stairs before eventually coming across a set of large barrels piled high against a rather ordinary stretch of wall.

"This is the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room," the prefect stated. "To open the entrance you tap the second barrel from the bottom in the middle of the row with your wand like so."

Taking out her wand, she selected the specified barrel and rapped against it: tap-tap, tap-tap-tap. Shortly afterward, the barrel swung open revealing the entrance.

"Isn't that the name of our Founder, Helga Hufflepuff?" someone asked as the prefect climbed into the entrance.

"Ah, excellent observation Justin Finch-Fletchley!" she replied, glancing back with a smile. "Now, if you would follow me please."

The common room was circular in shape with a low ceiling, and a faint earthy scent wafted through the air. The walls were decked with yellow hangings and tapestries with black and copper tassels, and the sofas and chairs were decked in yellow and black, their cushions stuffed to the point of bursting. Along the walls, circular windows brought in a visage of a grassy meadow with dandelions rippling in the wind, a crescent moon shining above. At the center of the common room was a large mantelpiece, the color of honey with badgers carved into the woodwork, and atop it was a portrait of Helga Hufflepuff herself, smiling as the students clambered into the room.

"Alright, we all have a long day tomorrow," the prefect said. "So it's best that we get some sleep. The dormitories are through the rounded doors on the right side of the mantelpiece. Boys, you're through the left door, girls you're through the right door. If you have any questions, concerns, or just want someone to talk to, feel free to reach out to an older student, like our esteemed Mr. Diggory or Ms Tonks, a prefect, either myself, Brianna Breen, or Ted Turner, or even Professor Sprout herself. Her office is just to the left of the mantelpiece and all you have to do is knock. Speaking of which, I'll hand it over to Professor Sprout to give a few words before handing out your assigned beds."

"Thank you Brianna," Professor Sprout said, taking center stage. "For many of you this may be your first experience of being away from your homes and families for long periods of time, and as such this could be distressing for you. Homesickness, anxiety, fear, and shyness are perfectly normal reactions to situations such as this. Thus, you may see us as a surrogate family of sorts, with myself, your Head of House, acting as a parental figure, while the older students act as your older siblings. So don't feel bad about reaching out to talk or vent or ask questions. My office is always open, and the prefects are always available. Now, I'll assign you your beds and wish you all a good night."

After receiving his assignment, Neville soon found himself in his pajamas settling down in his bed. The sheets were so soft and warm, like the finest fur, and the mattress was so firm yet supple, like floating on a still lake. Just as he was about to drift off, he heard someone ask "Uh, Neville, are you still awake?".

Opening his eyes, he found the boy from the Feast sitting on the edge of his bed, worry and guilt written all over his face. Nodding in reply, Neville pulled himself up and asked "Did you want to talk?"

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for what I said at the Feast," he replied. "I wasn't thinking. I was just so excited to think that you would be in Hufflepuff that I didn't think about how you would feel. I deserve what Breen gave me, and I hope you can forgive me."

"I understand," Neville said after a moment of thought. While he never liked to be reminded of that night, he knew how people felt about meeting such a famous person, having seen it in the Aurors that accompanied him on his outings and in his tutors. "It's not the first time that's happened, and it won't be the last. So we're good."

"Thanks," he said, a small smile crossing his lips. "I'm Ernie Macmillan. It's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." Neville replied, before letting out a yawn. "Well, good night."

"Good night," Ernie said, his voice fading as sleep overtook them.

-Line Break-

Since that night, Neville's circle of friends had grown to incorporate Ernie and Justin as well as Susan and Hannah. The five of them were often seen studying or working together in the library or the common room, much to Neville's relief as he still had trouble with certain topics, particularly Potions. Hannah, surprisingly, was quite gifted at Potions, while Susan was very helpful in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and in return, Neville often served as their go-to guide on Herbology. Later, as they progressed in their studies, Ernie showed a surprising talent for Charms, often beating their Slytherin competitors in classwork much to their annoyance.

Most surprisingly of all, Justin became their informal history teacher, and not just because he was somehow able to withstand Professor Binns' monotonous droning voice that could put a rabid Cerberus to sleep. Justin actually came from a long, prestigious family in the Muggle world, with his ancestor having fought in the Anarchy, a war within Normandy and England after the death of King Henry I. Having fought for the Plantagenets, his ancestor was granted land and titles for his loyal service, and ever since his family had fought in some of England's most important battles, giving Justin a lot of historical knowledge that Neville found fascinating, even if it was Muggle rather than Magical.

But even Hufflepuffs can only work so hard for so long, so on weekends they often played games of Exploding Snap or Gobstones. Neville, it turned out, was utterly hopeless at both, getting more soot and liquid in his face than the others combined. Sometimes his wand failed to activate the cards quickly enough to stop them from exploding, costing him points, and eyebrows. Sometimes, his thumb would slip, sending the stones flying in the wrong direction and earning him a strong squirt in the face. Sometimes he was just too slow or too clumsy to get either cards or stones right in time.

'Not that I mind,' he thought, looking at his current game score. 'We have fun, and as long as that's true, who cares who wins?'

However, as nice as things were, Neville still had his fair share of problems, namely his bad memory. Neville had always been a forgetful person, sometimes forgetting to take his book bag, check his notebook, or even to tie his shoelaces. Within the first week he had forgotten his wand three times in the rush to class, earning him quite a few laughs at his expense. In response, he started packing his things the night before and checking everything in the morning before heading for breakfast. He still had his slip-ups, though, such as when he forgot the proper pronunciation in Transfiguration class and accidentally turned his matchstick into a cactus spine.

'That's when my gran sent me that Remembrall,' he thought. 'Thankfully it wasn't smashed during Flying class.'

"Neville, are you okay?" Susan asked. "You seem pretty quiet."

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied. "Just thinking about how the school year's been so far. You know, like my cactus spine in Transfiguration class."

"That was...memorable," Susan said, smiling at the memory. "And better than mine at the very least. Professor McGonagall gave us homework to practice."

"Oh I almost forgot," Neville said, smiling sheepishly. "Our Potions assignment."

"That's right, we need to get to work," Justin said, putting the game away. "We have a lot of work to do if we want to improve our academic performance."

"You mean like our first day in Potions?" Neville asked ruefully. "How I got covered in that cure for boils and had to be escorted to the Hospital Wing? How my eyes swelled shut and I had to be led by the hand? How my skin was tenderized to the slightest touch? I felt like I was being rubbed raw the whole way!"

"Not to mention the surprise quiz he gave us," Hannah moaned. "I mean I know we were supposed to read the book, but those questions were just too hard. And he directed them all at YOU for some reason."

"I can't believe he did that." Justin said, shaking his head. "I've met some strict teachers before, but he's crossing the line. How is he still around?"

"Dumbledore vouches for him," Susan shrugged. "I've heard my aunt, Amelia, complain about the low number of Auror recruits ever since Professor Snape was hired. He only takes on O level students, so the number of recruits is low by nature."

"O level?" Justin asked.

"O means Outstanding," Susan explained. "It's the highest grade you can get on your OWLs, or Ordinary Wizarding Levels tests. To become an Auror you need at least five passing grades or OWLs, and Potions is often a requirement. But it's also required for other lines of work like Healer or Potioneer."

"So demand is high but supply is low," Justin concluded. "So why does he have such strict standards? If there's such demand for Potion brewers, shouldn't he be more accepting? The more students that graduate from his class, the better it looks for him, and the more respect and pay that he earns. That's what teachers at Eton do at any rate."

"This isn't Eton," Ernie stated bluntly. "This is Hogwarts, not a Muggle school, so things are different here. Now let's get to work."

-Line Break-

"Well, I think we did pretty well today" Justin mused as they made their way through the dungeons. "No surprise quizzes."

"No melted cauldrons," Susan added.

"And only one exploding potion," Neville said. "And it was mine, as usual. I just don't understand it. I follow the instructions to the letter. I make sure all the ingredients are properly prepared. So why?"

"I don't know Neville," Susan said, rubbing his shoulder. "Maybe the ingredients were old or tainted? Perhaps we should get fresh ones for the next class."

"We could ask Professor Sprout about it," Hannah chimed in as they neared the Grand Staircase. "I'm sure she'd have great ingredients. Perhaps she could present them in the Common Room the next time she does a presentation."

Just as they began climbing the Staircase, someone came barreling down towards them. Pressing against the rails, they saw a mass of brown, frizzy hair speed past them, with only a quick "Sorry!" to acknowledge their near-miss. As they stared back, they saw the person had a large full book bag hung over their shoulder, the leather strap straining against the weight as it swung wildly in their mad dash down the stairs and out the large double doors.

"Well that was rather rude," Justin remarked. "They should be more careful on the stairs."

"That was Hermione," Neville said, eyes wide in recognition.

"Hermione Granger, the brainy Gryffindor?" Susan asked.

"Well how many Hermiones are there?" Ernie asked sarcastically as he took the lead up the stairs. "Where's she going in such a hurry?"

"Did she sound...stressed or something?" Neville asked.

"Rushed maybe," Susan said. "Why? What makes you think otherwise?"

"Sometimes I see her in the library between classes, like on the weekends," he explained. "We sit and talk, and she goes on and on about how much she's learning and how exciting everything is. Over the last two weeks or so, though, I've noticed that her eyes are red, like she's been crying, and whenever someone speaks or laughs her voice cracks and she gets super excited, or nervous."

"Why would that be?" Hannah asked. "I mean she's absolutely brilliant. She easily nails all the spells we try in Transfiguration, getting it done easier and faster than any of us in every class."

"And word in the common room is that she's brilliant in all her classes," Ernie added. "With the exception of Flying that is."

"But I hear that she's not very popular," Justin cut in. "Word is that other students really dislike her, always raising her hand to answer questions, or lecturing people on the latest book she's read."

"And don't forget the way she looks whenever she's not chosen," Ernie added, pointing to Neville. "When Professor Sprouts calls on you to answer a question instead of her, she looks like you've stolen her spotlight. For a moment I thought that she was going to start breathing fire and burn everything down like an enraged dragon."

"I-I'm not trying to compete with her," Neville stuttered, surprised at the idea.

"She doesn't know that," Ernie replied. "She wants to show how smart she is, but that's making people angry with her."

"So she probably doesn't have many friends," Susan said, sympathetically. "I wonder why she isn't in Ravenclaw, with her brains and driving curiosity."

"Who knows how the Hat Sorts us?" Hannah shrugged. "In any case, it sounds like she's all alone and dealing with it by trying to cram as much into her head as possible."

Thinking for a moment, Neville breathed deeply and said "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to talk with her at lunch."

"What? Why?" Justin asked as they stopped outside of the library.

"I know she can be hard to deal with," Neville replied. "But she's a good person. She helped me look for Trevor on the train ride to Hogwarts. And she's given me great pointers in Transfiguration class, once she's completed her assignments that is. So I kinda feel like I owe her."

Mulling over his words, Susan shrugged and said "Alright, if that's what you think is best."

"I think it's a waste of time," Ernie said. "But go for it if you want. Now let's get to work."

-Line Break-

After a grueling hour of study in the library, Neville and the others were enjoying a filling lunch, mostly ham or chicken sandwiches with cheese, tomato, and lettuce. In-between bites, Neville scanned the Gryffindor table for Hermione, but found no trace of her anywhere. Looking to the doors leading out, he found no sign of her entering or exiting the Great Hall.

Finishing off his third sandwich, Neville turned to the others and asked "Where could she be?".

Shrugging, Ernie suggested "The library maybe?"

Chugging down a glass of water, Neville took one last look around and stood up, saying "I'll check out the library. If you spot her, please let her know that I would like to catch up with her. Thanks."

Without waiting for their reply, Neville departed from the Great Hall and climbed the Grand Staircase. Crossing the lip of the stairs, he took a turn onto the first floor, and came face to face with the last person he wanted to meet at the moment: Draco Malfoy.

While most of Slytherin House simply ignored Neville, apparently having written him off as a powerful wizard after the Sorting, Malfoy took to taunting and mocking him at every possible opportunity, that thin, pointed face and those grey eyes staring down at him like he was a House-elf. At first, he mocked Neville's Sorting into Hufflepuff, then moved on to his clumsiness, poor memory, his lackluster performance in class, and, more recently, his choice of friends.

'He called Ernie a Blood-Traitor and Justin a Mudblood,' he thought angrily. 'When I explained what those meant, he got spitting mad. Good thing he didn't understand it then, or he might have attacked Malfoy, and that would have been a disaster.'

As if Malfoy was not bad enough, he always had Crabbe and Goyle by his side. They were fat boys with dull, flat expressions and massive bulging muscles. While they were not the brightest candles in the Great Hall, their sheer size and muscle made fighting a terrifying prospect. Alone, they were intimidating, but paired with Malfoy's intelligence and cruel wit, they were a formidable pack.

"Hello, Long-bottom," Malfoy drawled out, making his ever-present shadows smile cruelly. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"I-I-I…" Neville stuttered out, making Malfoy smirk and his cronies start laughing.

"What, you're so stupid you can't even string a sentence together?" he mocked. "And to think that you're a Pureblood, and the one who vanquished the Dark Lord to boot. What an embarrassment!"

"I-I'm heading for the library," Neville managed to say. "I'm looking for someone."

"And who would that be?" Malfoy asked, pressing toward Neville. "The librarian Madam Pince? One of the professors? Don't tell me it's a student. Who would want to be with you?"

"It's Hermione," Neville got out, earning a look of shock and revulsion from the Slytherins.

"That Mudblood?" Malfoy barked out. "Longbottom, I know you and your family haven't exactly been model wizards and witches but...I'd never thought you'd stoop that low. So like your parents."

"Now look here, Malfoy," he snapped, standing tall and looking Malfoy in the eye. "My parents were among the finest witches and wizards you could find. They were brave, talented, and respected by the whole of Britain. They fought...Him. Not just his followers, but Him directly...thrice. The most evil Dark Wizard of all time, and they survived. Could I say the same for your father, a Death Eater?"

"He was under the Imperius!" Malfoy yelled out, his face turning beet red.

"For the length of the war?" someone called out, cutting him off. "If your father was under the sway of the Imperius for ten years, how weak-willed is he? And that Imperius was cast by a monster that was vanquished by a baby. So how powerful could...He be? And if He was that weak, what does that say about your father? And you say the Longbottoms are not model wizards and witches?!"

Glancing around, he found himself surrounded by Susan and the others. 'They must have followed me from the Great Hall.' he realized, smiling at their show of support.

Malfoy, infuriated at the slight to his father, turned his rage on Susan but Neville stepped up and declared "You want to hurt her, you must get through me.".

"You think you can insult my father like this?!" he yelled. "Think you're all that, do you? How about a Wizard's Duel? You and me, tonight at midnight, the trophy room. Crabbe's my second. Whose yours?"

"I am!" Justin called out before anyone could reply. "See you there! Don't be late!"

"Your second's a Mudblood?!" Malfoy spat as he and his cronies stormed off. "Will you never cease your downward slide, Longbottom?!"

"Justin, what were you thinking?" Hannah asked as the Slytherins rounded the corner. "We barely know how to fight, and you're running off to have a Wizard's Duel?!"

"I couldn't just sit there and let him talk smack to us!" he said. "After all, Hufflepuffs stay together."

"Yes, but a Wizard's Duel of all things?" Susan replied, her arms up in the air. "Going out past curfew is against the rules. And dueling's been illegal save for members of the Dueling Club, and that was disbanded in 1989. We're two years too late for that."

"It's alright," Neville cut in. "We'll talk it over with Professor Sprout tonight. I'm sure she can sort it out. Now, let's get to the library."

-Line Break-

"We've swept the library like three or four times already, and she's not here," Justin complained, seated at a table sequestered near a window. "You think she's in the Gryffindor common room?"

"If so, then she'll probably show up at the Halloween Feast tonight," Hannah said, eliciting a small groan from Neville. "Is something wrong?"

"It's just…" he trailed off, looking for the right words. "I'm not very comfortable with Halloween."

"Because you don't like crowds?" Justin asked, earning a double-take from Susan.

"Justin, isn't it obvious?!" Susan replied, "Remember what happened that night?"

"Well, yeah of course, it's in the books," he answered blankly. "It's a night when magic is at a peak, something to do with the change of seasons, or the length of day and night or something."

"I meant do you remember what happened on that night ten years ago." Susan explained, emphasizing the date.

Wracking his brain momentarily, Justin's eyes then lit up in recognition.

"Oh yeah, that's when You-Know-Who was vanquished!" he started excitedly, only to lose his spark as the ramifications sank in. "And that's when you…"

"When I lost my parents," Neville finished, his voice starting to crack.

"So when people celebrate Halloween…" Justin said, trailing off as he saw Neville's reaction. "They're forgetting about your parents. And to have it shoved in your face year after year. Oh…"

For a moment, nobody said or did anything as they thought about Neville's feelings. Given all that he had lost, how could they ever look at Halloween the same way ever again? The idea of stuffing themselves with sweets and candy, celebrating the night that Voldemort met his downfall, all the while forgetting that Neville lost his parents, and his chance to have a normal life with a loving family.

It just seemed so wrong.

"It's alright," Neville said. "If you wanna go, you should go. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Ernie asked. "I mean what are you going to do for dinner? And remember Hermione?"

"Oh, right," he said. "In that case, I'll grab a bite before seeing her about arranging a talk or something. After that, I think I'll turn in early."

"Alright," Ernie said as he stood up. "Well, we've got a while until the Feast, so for now let's work on any projects or assignments we have for upcoming classes. So to start off, any questions on Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

-Line Break-

'Well that was fun,' Neville thought as he entered the Great Hall. 'Susan really helped with Transfiguration. And Justin's bit on history was amazing. Maybe he should have Professor Binns' job.'

Smiling at the thought, he looked up and saw hundreds of jack-o-lanterns levitating high in the air, their candles burning hot and bright and their faces carved into a myriad of shapes and faces. Thousands of bats fluttered through the air, dancing around the carved pumpkins and making their candle flames flicker in brightness while more swooped down under the tables, making students whoop and yelp in surprise before flying back up to the ceiling, fading into the starry illusion of the night sky.

Along the walls he saw black and orange streamers interwoven around the window-frames and the torches lighting up the hall. Looking back, he saw the same streamers weaving in and around the doors and the giant hourglasses that kept track of the House points. Squinting hard, he tried to count them, but he found the hourglasses blocked by skeletons dressed in festive, wide-brimmed hats, holding musical instruments: a guitar, a trumpet, a flute or piccolo, and a pair of large rattles. These skeletons, apparently noticing his gaze, turned their heads, blank empty eye sockets locking onto him, and began dancing to a tune, one that he had never heard before. It was pretty upbeat, with the guitar producing a high-pitched vibrant strumming while the trumpet added a lower, deeper tone to the music. The flute accompanied the guitar, adding a soft, gentle tone to the music, and the rattles produced a fast-paced pattering sound, like swiftly falling rain. Just as he and some of the other students began getting into the beat, a flash of light from behind them hit the skeletons, making them fall still and silent once more.

Neville, annoyed at the abrupt end to the show, turned his attention to the tables where he saw golden plates and silver goblets set out for the students, some already piled high with food. On golden platters lay roast ham and beef, and wafting up from steaming cauldrons he could smell something like tomatoes. Here and there he saw silver pitchers, frosted with a Freezing charm, likely holding pumpkin juice. And in every nook and cranny he saw plates and bowls filled with all sorts of sweets: candied apples, lollipops, carrot cake, and others that he could not quite identify.

His stomach growling, he and the others seated themselves at the Hufflepuff table, helping themselves to ham with carrot puree and peppers, as well as a side of roast squash with tomato soup. The soup was rich, creamy, and spicier than expected, making him sputter and cough as he swallowed. Reaching toward his goblet, he took a large gulp of the ice-cold, sweet pumpkin juice, feeling the heat subside in his mouth and throat. As the icy drink entered his stomach, he turned once more to the soup, taking care to cool it down first before resuming his meal.

Taking his knife and fork, he sliced a piece of ham and skewered it with a small cube of squash, consuming them together. The ham was succulent, charred on the outside but juicy on the inside, and the squash had taken on the flavor of tomatoes while retaining its fibrous texture, its own juices mixing together with the ham's to make a delectable flavor.

After finishing off his soup, he turned again to the Gryffindor table, but saw no sign of Hermione, much to his shock and confusion.

'That's odd.' he thought. Looking around, he saw many students, and even the staff, eagerly digging into their food, with the sole exceptions of Professor Dumbledore, who simply gazed out happily at the Great Hall, and Professor Snape, who stared down at his plate with his usual sneer, and perhaps a hint of sadness in his eyes. 'It seems like everyone's here but Hermione. Guess I better ask the Gryffindors.'

Clearing his throat, he turned behind him and asked the first student he saw "Excuse me, but do you know where Hermione is?"

The student turned and simply shook his head as he replied "Sorry, I don't know."

"Are you looking for her?" another voice chimed in. Turning, Neville saw a girl that he at first mistook for Padma, only to remind himself that he was looking at the wrong table.

"Yes, I am looking for her," he replied. "Do you know where she is, Parvati?"

"Lavender and I ran into her in the girl's bathroom, first floor I think" Parvati answered. "She'd been crying and she wanted to be left alone. Lavender and I offered to help, but she just shrieked to be left alone, so we left. I think she's still there, and will probably be in a similar mood."

"Thanks," Neville said. Turning to the others, he sighed "So what should we do?"

"Hannah and I can go check on her," Susan said. "It shouldn't take too long to find her. If she's still crying, we'll see if we can help out. If not, we'll come back and let you know."

Grabbing a couple of pumpkin pasties, Susan and Hannah rose from the table and exited the doors, stalling briefly near the hourglasses long enough to trigger another bout of dancing, only for a flash of light to silence them as before. Tracing the light to the head table, Neville saw Professor Snape quickly pocket his wand into his robes, his jaw tense and his eyes hard as he stiffly turned his attention back to his plate.

'Guess he doesn't like Halloween much,' Neville thought as he skewered another piece of ham. 'But then again, he doesn't seem to like anything much.'

After finishing off his ham and soup, Neville began eating a candied apple, listening as his fellow students were moving on from dinner to dessert. Behind him, he heard the Gryffindors talking about the upcoming Quidditch match.

"Too bad we don't have a decent Seeker."

"Yeah, ever since Charlie graduated Gryffindor's been a joke."

"We still have great Chasers, and superb Beaters."

"And Wood's no slouch at the goal-posts."

"But what good is all that when you don't have a good Seeker?"

"Sounds like Slytherin's in for another win at the Quidditch Cup."

'They've been on a winning streak for a few years,' he thought gloomily, imagining a smirking Malfoy hoisting up the Quidditch Cup. 'Just once, I'd like to see Hufflepuff win the Quidditch Cup. That'll show them. But I'm sure the other Houses feel the same.'

Turning his attention to the table in front, he overheard the Ravenclaws discussing their Quidditch team's latest developments.

"That reserve Seeker is really something isn't she?"

"She's taking to Quidditch like a dragon to flame."

"At this rate, she'll be playing full-time by next year, if not earlier."

"Maybe next year it'll be OUR turn for the Quidditch Cup!"

Finishing his apple, Neville reached for a pumpkin pasty before turning to Justin and Ernie and asked "How long have the girls been gone for?"

"I don't know," Justin replied, furrowing his eyes in thought. "Ten, maybe twelve minutes. They're probably just talking it over. I'm sure they'll be back soon."

"Yeah, probably." Ernie agreed. "So what do you think of the upcoming match? I've never seen the teams in action, but I hope Gryffindor comes on top."

"What's this Quidditch sport?" Justin asked. "I've heard people talking about it, but all I know is that it's played on broomsticks and there are a bunch of balls involved."

"Well, there are seven players, with four positions," Ernie began. "Three Chasers, two Beaters, one Keeper, and one Seeker. There are four balls, one Quaffle, two Bludgers, and one Snitch. The Chasers pass the ball between them and try to shoot it into one of three hoops at either end of the pitch to score points, while the Keeper guards the hoops."

"So it's like football on brooms," Justin said, earning a confused look from his companions. "A Muggle sport, where you pass a ball between players and try to kick it into a net while a goalie, their version of a Keeper, tries to stop them."

Taking a bite of carrot cake, Ernie nodded in understanding and said "Yeah, something like that."

Sipping some juice, he continued "Anyway, the Bludgers fly around trying to knock players off their brooms, while the Beaters use bats to try and keep them away from their team and redirect them back at the opposite team."

"And lastly, there's the Seeker," he finished, polishing off his carrot cake. "Their job is to catch the Snitch, which earns their team 150 points and ends the game."

"So as long as the Snitch remains free the game goes on?" Justin asked. "So how long can a game last? Days? Weeks? Longer?"

Just as they were about to discuss it further the doors flung open and Professor Quirrell ran in, his turban askew as he screamed "Troll! In the dungeon! Troll in the Dungeon!"

As he slowed to a stop near the head table he muttered "Thought you'd ought to know" and promptly fainted onto the floor.

Soon the whole Hall erupted into panicked screaming, as all the students ran for the double doors, desperate to escape from the Troll.

"SILENCE!" a powerful voice cut through the uproar, freezing everyone in their tracks. Turning, he saw Professor Dumbledore had stood and amplified his voice, cutting through the pandemonium like a Diffindo curse through vines.

"Prefects, lead your Houses to your dormitories immediately," he rumbled. "Teachers will accompany me to the Dungeons."

"Hufflepuffs, follow me!" Brianna called out, heading for the Double doors as her House-mates formed a cue behind her. Checking for signs of trouble, she and Terry led the Hufflepuffs out the Great Hall, their wands out and senses sharp. Stopping frequently at corners and doorways to check for signs of the Troll, they quickly made their way to the lower levels, the older students forming a mobile perimeter around their younger House-mates, eyes wide, muscles tense, and wands at the ready.

Soon enough, they reached the barrels outside their common room, but just as Brianna was about to tap out the password, they heard a scream from the floors above. The prefects, briefly glancing at each other, ran back the way they came, yelling "Diggory, Tonks, get these children inside now!".

Nodding, Cedric and Tonks, a Seventh year, turned to the barrels and tapped out the password, revealing the passage into the common room. "First years inside, now! Second years behind!" Tonks yelled, waving her arm to beckon them inside. Frantically the First years began filing into the entrance, some of them pushing and shoving to try and get through. Taking charge, Cedric proclaimed "No pushing or shoving! You're all going to be fine, just stay calm."

Behind them, a scream broke out followed by a bellowing roar, and a horrible smell, like old socks left for weeks in a stopped-up toilet came wafting downward, growing stronger and stronger. For a moment, everyone froze, but then someone whispered "Troll."

Instantly panic gripped the group, the First and Second years trying to beat each other in a mad dash through the entrance, sometimes smacking each other into the walls or tripping one another inside. Cedric and Tonks, along with the older students, tried to restore order, even setting off magical firecrackers, but the noise and the panic were simply too much.

In the midst of the alarm, Neville, Justin, and Ernie were separated from each other, with Neville pressed up against the wall and the others up against the barrels. Over the din they heard a pair of voices yell out "Stupefy!" followed by a roar of rage and a shriek of terror. Immobilized by the mob of students trying to escape, Neville could only stand back against the wall when he heard a voice scream out "Help!"

'That's Susan's voice!' he realized, frozen in shock and fear. Just then, another scream echoed from above, snapping him out of his immobility and setting off a furious battle within his mind.

Over the years, his grandmother, uncle, and Remus had told him plenty of stories about trolls. Their massive size, especially in their legs and chests, sported huge muscles that could easily rip a man limb from limb. Their long arms and fingers gave them considerable reach, like snakes with hooks for heads. And despite their looks, they were surprisingly fast runners and had frighteningly strong kicks thanks to their thick, tree-trunk sized legs, wrapped in stone-crushing muscle. And with their thick, almost rock-hard skin, damaging them was almost impossible even for a fully trained wizard, let alone a First year like himself.

Hearing the cacophony of enraged roars and furniture being smashed, he desperately wished to be in the common room as fear gripped him anew. Then, he heard Susan scream once again, crying urgently for help.

Susan, his best friend.

Susan, who had seen him sweat after a rigorous tutoring session.

Susan, who had met him tripping over his own feet walking across a flat floor.

Susan, who would patiently remind him of their itinerary during their visits.

Susan, who had accepted him as Neville Longbottom, and not just as The-Boy-Who-Lived.

Gritting his teeth, Neville began sliding against the wall, making his way out of the basement, briefly glancing at Cedric and Tonks, who had their hands full trying to keep the frantic Hufflepuffs calm on their way into the common room. Noticing his movements, Justin and Ernie shared a quick glance to each other before they started shadowing him, wincing every time one of their House-mates bumped into them or tread on their toes, but never faltering or wavering in their decision.

Inch by inch, they made their way along the walls, the sounds of battle and cries for help echoing through the basement and growing louder and more distinct. Turning the corner and coming into the Entrance Hall, they were hit with an overpowering stench, forcing them to their knees, tears welling in their eyes, and hands over their mouths as a wave of nausea swept over them. After shaking their heads clear, they looked out toward the staircase and saw a troll as large as Hagrid swinging a massive tree branch as a club, roaring as flashes of light peppered against its skin.

Looking around they saw smashed chairs littering the floor, and hanging from the walls were the wrecked, empty frames of portraits, their canvas torn and their inhabitants fled. Mixed in with the splintered wood and ripped canvas were pieces of broken marble, the staircase itself a victim of the troll's monstrous strength and bloodlust. Near the double doors, they saw the prefects Breen and Turner casting spells at the troll, but all it did was make the troll angry.

Seeing no sign of Susan, or anyone else in the Entrance Hall, they cautiously moved to try and look out beyond the staircase. Despite taking great care to avoid stepping on the smashed wood and marble, Neville seemingly slipped or stumbled over every second or third item, forcing him to walk between Justin and Ernie so they could catch him in case he was about to face-plant onto a razor-sharp splinter or fragment. Fortunately, the din of battle covered even Neville's clumsy approach, and soon they could search the other side.

Huddled against the opposite wall were Susan, Hannah, and between them a head of frizzy, brown hair.

'Hermione,' Neville realized. 'So, they did find her. But now what?'

Surveying the battle, he saw that the troll was so focused on the prefects that, in theory, he could dash behind it and reach the girls, and from there he could lead them away from the battle, maybe up the stairs or into the dungeons.

In theory at least.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he whispered "Justin, Ernie, I'm going to make a dash for the girls. If I can reach them, I'll try to get them away from here. You guys watch the troll and distract it if it tries coming after them or me."

"Distract it?! How?!" Justin asked, terrified at the prospect of facing a troll.

"I don't know!" Neville replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Lumos? Flipendo? Levitation? Song and dance number? Anything, just give me time and I'll take care of the rest."

Just as Ernie was about to argue, Neville began tip-toeing behind the troll, eyes darting in every direction, trying to watch the troll, the girls, and the debris strewn about his path. Nearing the staircase, he saw that the stairs were surprisingly clean, and so he jumped onto the stairs, gaining a safer, faster path across the hall.

Nearing the opposite side, he grabbed the rail and swung his legs over it, landing with a soft grunt just as the troll roared once again. Ducking on instinct, he heard the troll's club slam against something, causing it to stagger back into the staircase and break the nearby rail.

'That was too close!' he thought as the troll rushed into the fray once more.

Turning to the girls, he saw that they were terrified but could see no blood or obvious wounds, much to his relief.

"Oi, it's me," he whispered. "Listen, I'm going to get you out. Should we go into the dungeons, or up the stairs? Which is safest?"

"W-where'd the troll come from?!" Hannah asked, her eyes fixed on the battle.

Taken aback by the question, Neville furrowed his brow, trying to remember what Professor Quirell said back in the Great Hall. Then he noticed something nearby.

Splinters of wood, and a broken door hanging from its hinges over an open door-frame.

Then he remembered.

"Professor Quirell said that it was in the dungeon," he answered. "Do you think we can get up the stairs?"

Just then, they heard a heavy crash of wood on stone. Turning, they saw the troll's club clatter and roll downward with a loud cacophony before getting stuck between the pillars, blocking the staircase. The troll, having lost its main weapon, charged straight at the prefects bringing its arms down to smash them from above.

Thinking fast, the prefects cast a Shield charm, stopping the troll and pushing it back, though the troll's momentum was so great the shield actually buckled, forcing them back a peg. As the troll crashed onto its back, it looked around and saw Neville and the girls, a hungry look in its eyes as a wicked smile cracked its drooling mouth.

"Run!" Neville yelled as he and the girls made their way to the stairs, only for him to trip on a large piece of marble. As the girls stopped to help him up, the troll rolled over and got to its feet before launching itself at the students. Just as Neville managed to regain his footing, the troll was upon them, its arms raised and ready to crush them like insects.

"Fumos!" Susan yelled, swirling her wand and producing a thick cloud of smoke right in the troll's eyes, blinding it. Taking the opportunity, she and the others ran across the Entrance hall, tripping and stumbling over the debris in their dash to escape while the troll coughed and swung wildly to try and grab its elusive prey. Just as Susan neared the other side of the stairs, Neville stumbled yet again, landing on his stomach and smacking his head on a piece of marble, making him grunt in pain.

The troll, hearing him, roared as it came bearing upon him, only to be struck between the eyes by a large piece of marble, knocking it back. Turning, they saw Ernie pointing his wand at the troll while Justin aimed at the debris, yelling out "Wingardium Leviosa!" and lifting a splinter of wood into the air. Seeing this, Ernie yelled out "Flipendo!", striking the troll in the face and spraying its eyes with tiny wooden slivers.

Neville and the girls, seeing their chance, broke out into a final run, reaching Ernie and Justin just as the troll gave off another roar and ran at them...

...only to suddenly take a massive pratfall, landing on its face with a mighty thud. Grunting, the troll tried to push itself up, only to find it was stuck to the floor, unable to lift or move its arms or legs. All it could do was lie there splayed out, one arm in front and the other behind, with a large piece of stone stuck to one of its feet. It might have been funny if only it was not snarling and desperately trying to rip itself off the floor.

"What happened here?!" a voice called out from behind, making Neville jump. Turning, he saw Tonks burst through the door and promptly fall flat on her face, much to her annoyance. Cedric, not far behind, stopped to help her up before crossing the threshold.

"What-what is this?!" someone called from behind the stairs, a strict, no-nonsense voice that they all knew from Transfiguration. "Another troll?! Mr Turner, explain the situation!"

"Professor McGonagall," Ted Turner panted out near the double doors. "Brianna and I were escorting the Hufflepuffs into the common room, when we heard and smelled the troll in the Entrance Hall. We, the prefects, headed out to investigate and, if necessary, try to contain the troll, while Diggory and Tonks ushered the students into the common room. When we got here, we found the troll threatening three girls so we attacked, trying to distract it so they could escape."

"Who were these girls?" Professor McGonagall asked as she and three other professors, Flitwick, Sprout, and Dumbledore emerged from behind the stairs.

"Susan Bones, Hannah Abbott, and a Gryffindor, Hermione Granger I think." Brianna answered. "I don't know why they were here instead of their common rooms, but while we were distracting the troll, they froze instead of running, so we kept up the attacks to protect them. At some point, Neville arrived and began escorting them behind the troll. The troll attacked them, but someone used the Smokescreen spell to blind it. As they were running, Justin and Ernie used a Levitation charm and a Knockback jinx to throw debris at the troll. We finally managed to cast a Sticking charm on the floor, causing it to trip and stick to the floor, as you can clearly see."

Turning to the First years, Professor Sprout asked "And why were you not in your common rooms?".

After some trepidation, Susan replied "Hannah and I were looking for Hermione. We heard that she had been crying in the girl's bathroom so we wanted to check on her."

While Susan paused for some air, Hannah interjected "After a short discussion about school stuff, the three of us decided to head for the Halloween Feast, but as we descended the stairs, we were overcome with this awful smell, then we heard a door smash apart, revealing a troll. We ran for the Great Hall but it overtook us and we ended up running toward the dungeons just as the prefects appeared. We-we were just so scared of the troll that we froze. I'm sorry."

"That's perfectly alright my dear," Professor Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "A full-grown mountain troll is frightening enough for even a fully-trained wizard, let alone a group of First years. The important thing is that you are all safe."

"Well that explains you and Miss Abbott," Professor McGonagall stated before turning to the boys. "But why were you three out and about instead of in your common room?"

"Uh, well…" Neville stuttered before he glanced at Justin and Ernie, trying to find the right words while they merely shrugged.

"Mr Longbottom, I asked you a question," Professor McGonagall snapped, the boys wilting under her gaze. "Why were you, Mr Macmillan and Mr Finch-Fletchley not in your common room? I understand that memory is not always reliable, but surely no one would forget those instructions."

Swallowing hard, Neville answered "I-I heard Susan scream, and I went back to check on her. I-I wanted to see if-if I could help. I-I just wanted her to-to be safe."

"We-we followed him," Ernie added, to which Justin nodded vigorously. "We couldn't just...leave him to face a troll by himself. After all, Hufflepuffs stay together."

While the professors mulled over the First years' words the troll continued its fruitless attempts to free itself, snarling and grunting to no avail. Rolling his eyes, Professor Dumbledore swished his wand at the troll, freezing it solid, save for its eyes which darted quickly to and fro as its tiny brain tried to understand what had just happened. Meanwhile, Professor McGonagall turned to her colleagues to discuss how to deal with the situation, the First years anxiously awaiting their decision.

Eventually Professor Sprout turned to Neville and said "Well firstly, Mr Longbottom, I must admonish you for your recklessness, putting yourself in danger like that. Same with Mr Macmillan and Mr Finch-Fletchley. Thus, you three will each lose five points for your antics, and you must write "I will not endanger myself" fifty times before turning into bed tonight."

While the boys nodded glumly, Professor Sprout turned to Susan and Hannah and said "As for you two, I admire your efforts to look after the well-being of others, namely Miss Granger's. Not only did you offer emotional support, but you stood by her in the face of a fully grown mountain troll rather than abandon her. Thus, five points will be awarded to each of you."

'So we lost five points tonight,' Neville thought as he ran over the numbers. 'And we've got to write lines. Still, at least no one was hurt.'

"Tonks, Diggory," Professor Sprout said. "Escort our stray Badgers back to the common room while I and my fellow faculty take care of things here."

"Miss Granger, please return to your common room," Professor McGonagall said, dismissing her missing student. "I'm afraid you missed the Feast, but you'll find food delivered when you arrive, so help yourself."

"Oi, Granger!" Tonks chirped in, her hair turning a bright yellow and her eyes flashing brilliant blue as Hermione left for the stairs. "I know a shortcut to the Gryffindor Tower. Much faster than the stairs and less strenuous. If you just follow me."

"Yes please," Hermione replied, smiling as she followed Tonks entering a side passage while Neville and the others left with Cedric back to the common room. Upon entering, Neville found everyone sitting on couches, mats, cushions, or rickety chairs, helping themselves to the Halloween sweets from the feast. Picking up some apples and a carrot cake, he and the others sat down on a series of cushions and began to split the treats among themselves.

"Hey, where were you guys?" someone asked. It was Wayne Hopkins, a First year student with curly, blonde hair and bright blue eyes. "We did a roll call when everyone was in but you didn't respond, so Cedric and Tonks ran out to look for you. We looked around but we didn't find you anywhere."

"Susan and I left the Feast early to check in on a friend," Hannah replied. "Not knowing about the troll, we left to rejoin the Feast when we encountered it in the Entrance Hall. We ran for cover when the prefects showed up and started fighting it. They were trying to distract it so we could escape but...we froze."

"Neville went to check on things, and Ernie and I followed him," Justin added. "He snuck behind the troll to get the girls and managed to get them going, but the troll went after them. Susan used the Smokescreen spell to hide themselves while Ernie and I used debris from the battle to drive it off. At some point the prefects used a Sticking charm to trap it on the floor, and that's when Tonks, Cedric, and the faculty found us."

"Wait, wait a minute!" Wayne exclaimed, his eyes wide. "You snuck behind a troll?! An actual troll?!"

"Yes, an actual troll," Justin replied. "Twelve feet tall, legs like tree trunks, long arms, a head the size of a coconut, and stunk to high Heaven."

"And all to save your friends?" Wayne asked, to which Neville and the others nodded.

"Yes," Neville said. "After all, Hufflepuffs stay together, right?"

"That's right," Tonks said, smiling as she grabbed a jug of, what else, pumpkin juice. "That's what makes us Hufflepuffs. We stay together."

"Hufflepuffs stay together!" everyone exclaimed, toasting with cups, plates, or even apples, lollipops, and pieces of cake.

Despite the near-death experience, Neville felt that this was the best Halloween he had ever had.

No awkward or painful talks about the war or his parents.

No Uncle Algie to look him over or check his magical status.

No Moody randomly shouting "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" in-between bites.

Just him, his friends, his Housemates, warm, fed, safe, and together.

'Yes,' he smiled. 'This is truly my best Halloween yet.'

-Line Break-

Author's Notes: Once again thank you for your patience and your feedback. I thought this was a good time to catch up with what's happening with Neville and Hogwarts, so you can see that there are still some things that happen as in canon like the troll, but we are seeing more divergence as the story progresses. There will be a few more canon stations, but soon we'll be travelling down a very different set of tracks.

As for Neville and his friends, I did their personalities and specialities based on their appearances in the books as well as my own inferences. Neville's obviously a shoe-in for Herbology, and Hannah became a Healer which requires an E or higher in Potions, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts, but since Hannah messed up her Transfiguration OWLS, I figured that she would be better in Potions. Susan's aunt is head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, who was able to hold off Voldemort himself, and as much of Susan's family was killed in the war, she's been a strong influence in her life thus far. Ernie was able to produce a corporeal Patronus by the Deathly Hallows, one of the most difficult magical feats in canon, so he's clearly talented in Charms. As for Justin, he was once up for Eton, which is a very prestigious school, and he has a double-barreled surname, so I imagine him to have a long, prestigious family history in Britain, making him something of a history nut. All that's missing is Transfiguration.

Also, I'm pondering how to proceed on Korra's part of the story, which has been accelerated; Korra arrived at Republic City three years earlier than canon, and there Amon stated that he had to accelerate his plans. Here's what I am thinking: a) Amon make an earlier entrance onto the scene, say riding off the rampage of the Triads, so his arc finishes much as it did in canon by the equivalent of the First year of Hogwarts; b) I have Amon make a "deal with Koh" to appear on the scene earlier but still in a strong position as he will not have had as much time to build up his forces; or c) I introduce a filler character to soak up the next two years until Amon makes his canon debut. Personally I'm a fan of b) as it will allow me more time to explore the world and flesh out the whole build-up to Harmonic Convergence, and so much has changed that Amon should as well. I appreciate your reviews and comments, and I'll be posting a vote on about this question.

BTW on the schedules I've been consulting a tool released for fanfic writers on Google Drive. Here's a link to the tool in question:

r/HPfanfiction/comments/b93g9f/harry_potter_and_the_hogwarts_class_schedules_a/

file/d/1F910O7npn15loHVgTjTu1_ZMYDD8r_RE/view