In which one small change makes Neville Longbottom a hero far earlier. Or the one where Snape mentors Neville.
The Unlikely Mentor:
Neville did not say much of anything as professor Snape took him and Draco Malfoy to the hospital wing. He looked far too angry for Neville to want to say anything and somehow Neville knew that the anger was not directed at him. No it was at Malfoy who had publically taunted him and said things about his parents that were not respectable or proper. There were at least an hundred witnesses and Neville had snapped, he launched himself at the other boy and began to beat him up badly. The hall was silent but for the Draco's shrieks and the pounding he was getting. Strong arms firmly but gently had pulled Neville back.
"Alright, that is enough, come on now." It was Snape who had him.
"Have him…"
"Shut up Malfoy, not one word." Snape snarled, "come now!"
"Sir, he…"
"I know what he said Longbottom, let's see to your hands." Snape said.
They came to the hospital wing and Pomfrey went to tend to Malfoy while it was Snape who examined Neville's hands. Far more gently than anyone in his living memory had done, Snape tended to his hands, he had busted a few bones in his hands and Snape healed him. The head of Slytherin, hands wrapped and in pajamas Snape handed him a potion and Neville was out like a light. The next thing he remembered was his grand sitting by him looking grave and another woman there too looking far more pale than anyone. She was beautiful with honey blond hair and clad in high quality green robes.
"What I want to know is why he did not use his wand?" Augusta said.
"Well if you had properly matched him with his own he would be able to use it, this is Frank's wand is it not?" Snape asked holding up Neville's wand.
"Yes."
"Well, perhaps it was good he can't use this, because if he could Draco Malfoy would be severely hurt." Snape retorted, "I will see to it he is matched properly."
"Very well." Augusta said, "a good reward for defending his parents."
"Yes, I will pay for it, I am Narcissa Malfoy." Narcissa said, "my ex-sister, well I will pay for your new wand and my son will pay for his actions. His father will not question me on this, I am a Black after all."
"Am I in trouble?" Neville asked as McGonagall and the headmaster came into the room, "I know fighting is not allowed."
"Well, no points shall be taken, and two weeks detention with professor Sprout." McGonagall said.
"Mr. Malfoy is on probation, as the son of a governor it will send the right message that no-one is above the rules."
"Accept Potter." Snape said.
"He has two weeks detention with you for the chamber, he did save the life of the only daughter of the Weasley family, I was going to give him and Ronald a week each but Harry talked me into two weeks on himself. Do try to see if there is more Lily in him will you?"
Neville did his detentions with professor Sprout, but everyone knew he was having fun doing all the messy work she asked. Snape took him to get his wand and Narcissa Malfoy paid for it, along with a wand holder. Harry Potter came out of his detention a bit more respectful, thoughtful and hard working. He was going to take Ancient Runes, Arthmancy and Care of Magical Creatures, or suffer professor Snape's ire. Neville wanted to take these classes as he was really very bright and now he knew he had magic, he felt he had a right to those classes.
The next two years passed calmly for him, he grew in his magical strength and enjoyed making new friends from all houses. Blaise and Theo were down to earth sorts and though Slytherin alright in his books. Justin was a political powerhouse even though he was a muggleborn he knew all the ins and outs of the magical world, all he needed was a sponsor and Neville granted that. Su Li was a fountain of knowledge and, when Neville found out about Luna being bullied, he told Su who managed to put a stop to that. Then there were Dean and Seamus and the Weasley twins from his house.
When Harry had his name drawn from the goblet and Draco tried to make the badges that said "Cedric Diggory the Hogwarts Champion" and with a press of a button "Potter Stinks", somehow the "Potter Stinks" turned to "support professor Snape". Snape was livid but Neville knew how to look innocent and Snape was not going to murder his golden ticket as it were to turning the image of his house around. The year before he even helped Neville out in making decent potions and tutored him in creating a Patronus when the Dementors were giving him a hard time. Snape turned out to be a good mentor so much so that Neville's bogart changed to himself looking weak, but a simple spell had is image tap dancing after that.
Now it was fifth year and the toad had to go. He was livid such a creature was allowed here, his beloved dueling club that had the support of all the heads of houses was threatened and he would not let that stand. So there he was in an abandoned classroom not far from Snape's office with Fred and George. There was an unspoken agreement, all pranks had to be funny for all and not single out anyone to bully or else. They had never gone after a professor, but the package on the worktable showed that professor Snape was going to give them the green light on taking her down. Harry at least was keeping his head down and acting the perfect student in her class.
"We do this there is no turning back." Neville said, "if we are caught."
"We wont be." Fred said.
"No, even the house elves hate her." George replied, "she has to go and this will help, it can't be traced back to us."
"A certain professor has our back." Fred added.
"So we are safe to do this." George said, "I heard a rumor he would accept the insane but innocent and very ugly Sirius Black as defense professor over her."
"Alright then." Neville replied.
Over the next week Umbridge suffered strange symptoms. The cats in the plates in her office looked like toads but only to her. She lost her voice and could not teach. She started to see the students as animals, and the best part about this, if she was tested the potions would be out of her system before anyone would know to look for them. The students caught on and decided to be nice, like Harry was and did not act as if she was acting strange at all. None laughed at her or anything, she was so distracted she was not aware of several articles that were printed in the Quibbler on the return of Voldemort and what to do to avoid him and how to defend one's home.
Then there was the article on her, the one that stated that the ministry had sent Deloris Umbridge to Hogwarts in an effort to help her. But all it was doing was making her have a mental breakdown. Several students were interviewed and all stated they felt sorry for her and that it was not her fault. She was trying her best and they felt the ministry was trying to cause her to fail in how they put her in a post she had no training for. Then there were the articles on bribery in the ministry, the cuts to the Auror department and the plan to execute all muggleborns to boost certain pureblood families so they could bring back human sacrifice.
"Interesting article." Harry said, "I mean so far the Quibbler has been truthful."
"That it has." Hermione said, "but the article about house elves, is that true they love to serve?"
"Yes, Tizzy, Ally and Ebe are amazing." Neville replied, "I treat them well, like the people they are and they love to work hard. Tizzy and Ally take care of the manor and Ebe the gardens and greenhouses."
"Are they paid?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, but not in gold." Neville replied, "I pay them by willingly sharing my magic so they can boost it with earth magic and do wonderful things. That and chocolate and all the towels, pillowcases and sheets they could want to make into uniforms. They do refuse regular clothes and that is not my doing, if I give them clothes they would leave."
"Why?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know, but they are free to leave if they wish." Neville said, "now Ebe he came to me with a great idea and we don't' have trouble with gnomes anymore, they tend the gardens in return for a safe place to live."
"All we could do is teach ours to swear." Fred said.
"Mum went spare at that." George replied.
"Kreacher and Winky had elves last year." Harry said, "it takes a house elf a year to grow up, well mostly, they are not ready to have elves of their own until they are twenty or so, so anyway, if one wishes to they could come work for you, they are free and not for sale."
"Yes, I would like that, mum would love to have one, she would not want to buy one as she does not like slavery." Ron said. "The house elves here are free to come and go too."
"Oh I thought they were slaves, I mean, I am rather dense." Hermione said, "why do some families own them?"
Neville went on a rant that was not very nice about certain families. While they was going on, Umbridge was being carted off to St. Mungos due to a severe nervous breakdown. To replace her on such short notice was none other than one Sirius Black who came looking his charming self. He was clad in simple robes of blue fastened with a high collar at the right side with close sleeves and fitted to the waist flaring out from there to his heavy buckled dragonskin boots. He was wearing jeans and a tee shirt under them. Snape glared at him and Sirius stood in front of the great hall and all the students.
"Thank you for letting me come and teach headmaster." Sirius said, "I do need to clear one thing up before I teach, an apology."
"Oh?" Dumbledore said.
"To professor Snape, I apologize for my appalling behavior in school." Sirius said.
"I accept your apology." Snape said just as Sirius's hair turned a bright pink, "I think the theme for defense professors this year is pink."
"That is enough of that!" McGonagall said, "ye canno' think I will let ye set a bad example like this, I kin and will set ye both t' detention!"
"My apologies professor McGonagall, I was not sure what came over me." Snape said and a box of chocolate appeared, "chocolate?"
"Very well Severus, but try not to do that again."
"What about my hair?" Sirius said weakly.
"Well, considering what you did in school, I believe that Severus did accept your apology." Dumbledore said, "but no more, professor McGonagall is right, you both need to set a good example."
It was later that year, under good training from both Neville and professor Black, the battle of the ministry went very differently. Gambeson vests covered in basilisk skin and helmets and small shields made of mithril were worn by the students. To say the battle did not go well for Voldemort or his followers would be an under estimate. It was a slaughter on the side of the death eaters, Neville was better than his father and mother combined, it was as if their magic and souls were aiding him. He cut through the ranks of death eaters and faced Bellatrix himself, he threw off his helmet and faced her, a man of tender years, not even fifteen yet he stood tall and proud.
"Oh baby Longbottom has come to play." Bellatrix mocked.
"Cut the baby talk you evil wench." Neville said coldly, "you disgrace of a pureblood, you disgrace of a woman. Either you or I die today, I will avenge my parents for what you did, not your husband or his brother, they stood by and watched you do the deed and they will pay, but you, you I remember, I remember how you laughed at the pain you caused my parents, how sick and evil you were to think that was right to do."
"Oh such pretty words, tell me, who helped you memorize that speech, you are little better than a squib, you can't hurt me." Bellatrix shot back.
"Am I? I need no help in words of truth, I am but young, but you will pay." Neville said, "Expecto Patronum!"
The Patronus was a spell that was used by most who could weld it to drive away Dementors, but what is a Dementor? A demon and pure evil, this meant that those who soaked themselves in pure evil as Bellatrix had done would be effected by it. She snarled, this boy was no longer just a plaything, he was a warrior. Neville held his shield and wand well, Bellatrix only had her wand. She started to cast as did Neville. Even Voldemort had paused his battle to watch, he was not interfering, he wanted to see what this mer boy could do. The Patronus was effecting him as well and not in a good way, he decided to leave just as Harry threw a cutting curse at him and got him on the shoulder.
Neville battled the evil Bellatrix and the minister watched in awe as Neville was well on his way to getting revenge. He was hurt several times, but not badly but it was Bellatrix who took the most damage. She was not as strong as she thought and revenge was something that Neville deserved. Finally he managed to slip in a cutting curse and her head rolled to the floor. Neville dropped his shield and stood still, Sirius came up and put a hand on his shoulder and Neville wept. It was a very manly thing to do, after all he was grieving for his parents and the fact he had to take a life. His tears were one of strength not weakness as he had every right to be upset. Sirius steered him to a fireplace.
"I am taking him back to Hogwarts, you lot can piss off." Sirius said.
"Professor you should not swear." Neville said going for a joke.
"Well at this time it was needed." Sirius said.
"I-I will see you get an order of Merlin!" Fudge called after him.
Neville went to the hospital wing and was checked over and given a dreamless sleep potion. He woke the next morning to find Snape there getting tended to, he was shirtless and his back was a mess. Yet Snape did not seem to care he was hurt this badly and looked to him. The battle came back to Neville and he wept again. Snape handed him some chocolate and squeezed his shoulder in understanding. Neville ate it and ate the large breakfast that appeared on his nightstand.
"He was mad, wasn't he?" Neville asked.
"Yes, but this is not as bad as a certain curse." Snape said and hissed as madam Pomfrey cleaned the wounds then healed them, "that smarted."
"He is pure evil." Neville said, "I feel awful for killing her, I mean she needed to die."
"Shows you are human, most of the others felt the same way." Severus said, "I have killed, not on his orders, I saved some children, it was awful and well, when I was done there was little left of those who had harmed them, I too felt badly, guess I do have a soul."
"Of course you do sir!" Neville said. "Don't go back, please, there are other ways to get information."
"It is my duty." Severus said.
"I could put you under protection of my house." Neville said, "you are worth saving."
Severus did not say anything and Neville did the only thing he could and had one of his house elves keep an eye on the man. He finally was as ready as he could be to go back into the school and face the rest of the school. He entered the great hall, no longer did he see himself as one of the children here. Sure he was a student but he was a man now, a warrior and he was here to protect. He felt a warm feeling from Hogwarts almost like a hug. He took a seat by Dean and scooped food onto his plate. The respect from the students far outweighed the fear and Neville was the hero of the hour.
Sixth year was quiet, Harry was off helping the headmaster with something to defeat Voldemort. There was Bill Weasley a master curse breaker with his team, three goblin curse breakers and five house elf curse breakers. They were going over the castle and once they were done dwarves came in and went to work. Neville knew they were adding protections but he was not aware that the whole valley was getting protections. If Voldemort came here he was never going to leave alive, nor would any of his followers. Neville had a happy year and enjoyed dating Su Li who was kind and sweet but he knew she had a ruthless streak underneath all that.
Seventh year started just as quiet, but around Halloween (or Samhain for many) Voldemort attacked. Yet he was not attacking unseasoned students, nor was he attacking a divided school. It was Neville, Harry, Su Li and Blaise that ran the battle. Su Li had been a surprise but her mind was unrivaled in battle tactics. No-one had seen that coming but she was very good at what she did. The adults were going to send all the students away but Harry stated they were far safer in the castle and that Voldemort would not win. The defenses over the castle and village were the best in the world.
"Is he mad?" Hermione asked, "this is a castle, a magical castle with the best wards and stonework, there are runic protections in every stone!"
"Yes he is, and evil and desperate." Severus said, he had decided to leave Voldemort as he was tired of the evil thing, "glad I was able to help."
"Yes, you did help me so much, the dueling club, the mentoring over the years." Neville said, "all that helped."
"The least I could do." Severus replied.
Neville liked Severus, he had become a friend, he could tell the man all his fears, his hopes and dreams and in turn Severus told him all about his life and mistakes. Neville did not judge, but then neither had his parents, for Severus had been good friends with him and, in another place he would have stayed distance from Neville for the pain of seeing him as he saw both his parents in the boy. Now after one fight he was not only a mentor but friend to the boy, no man, a man he had been ever since his first battle. He was more than ready for this battle, and what was more is that there were teams of goblins, dwarves and werewolves on their side. Voldemort had ticked off more than one group of people. A group of Veela under Fleur Delacour were there to fight as well.
The battle was not pretty, for Voldemort and his troops that is. It was a bloodbath and Dumbledore entered the battle and fought hard and well. He went against Voldemort and wounded him but was cut down. Harry screamed in anguish and charged Voldemort and battled him for two hours. At the end Voldemort lay dead and, thanks to Neville and others all of Voldemort's forces lay dead on the battlefield. What was interesting is who fought on their side, a bloodied weary but triumphant Draco Malfoy walked up.
"Great day to defeat evil." He said.
"Glad you were on our side." Neville said.
"Yes well I had a certain someone beat some common sense into me, so friends?" Draco said holding out his hand.
"Yes, of course, but don't ever act like you did before." Neville said, "I will knock you down."
"I would deserve it." Draco said.
Neville would never be a friend to Draco, they would be allies but nothing more. Neville had good friends and a good mentor. He was able to do one more thing for his mentor Severus Snape and that was fake his death with the help of Ebe. Severus Snape would not go to Azkaban just because the ministry wanted to be seen as "doing something" even when they had not. Harry, Neville, Su and Blaise were heroes of the hour, not one student life was lost. Harry was the greatest hero for defeating the evil dark lord Voldemort.
Neville thought back to how things had changed, and how knocking Draco down had led to him becoming the warrior needed for the hour. It was all due to one Severus Snape really. Now the battle was over Neville only wanted to go to his greenhouses and tend his plants. War was not something he enjoyed and just wanted to live in peace. His wish would be granted and he would live his days happy, with a large family and at peace on his ancestral lands.