Neville's Concern
On his way to the dormitories to get his sports bag, Albus was caught up by Scorpius.
"Are you applying, too?" asked Scorpius.
"Yes, as a Seeker. That's where I have at least a minimum chance as a short, lightweight player."
"I think so, too. My dad has equipped the team with Firebolts. Unfortunately, he explicitly told Lestrange this shouldn't influence his decision." He pouted. "But I'm going to try anyway."
They had reached the common room door. Albus put his hand on the snake's head. "Good morning, Albus," the cobra greeted him. Albus, who had not yet got used to it, answered "Good morning," in a dither, then pushed open the heavy door and entered the common room. That's when he noticed Scorpius staring at him, stunned.
"What's up?"
"Did you speak Parseltongue?" asked Scorpius.
"I don't know. Actually, I just said 'good morning' because I ..." He broke off. Because I understood what the snake said.
"You are a Parselmouth! Wow!" Scorpius looked almost awestruck. "Are you all of you in your family?"
"I don't know. James isn't, as far as I know." Suddenly, Albus became aware that there was something in which he was ahead of his big brother, even something important, and he grinned inwardly. On the other hand, Scorpius' admiration was slightly embarrassing to him. "I don't care. Please, don't tell anyone else, some people find that kind of thing creepy." Albus knew they had avoided his dad for weeks because of it.
Scorpius made a gesture like closing his mouth with a zipper. The pair of them silently went upstairs to the dormitory, packed their bags, and headed for the Quidditch pitch.
On the spot, they found no less than fourteen Seekers candidates, and half of them were first-years. Julian thought for a moment, then decided:
"Of the first-years, only the best one will be shortlisted. So we're going to have a little pre-trial." He divided the first-years into two groups of three and four players, respectively. Then he raised a golf ball. "This ball is representing our Snitch. A real Snitch would be uncontrollable, so the trial could take months. Group winner is the first to catch the 'Snitch' three times. The group winners then play each other, and the winner is to compete with the older."
With his wand, he made the ball hover and then zigzag around so fast that the hopeful Seekers lost sight of it.
Albus turned out to be a much better Seeker than the others, for he had an eagle eye, maneuvered more skilfully with his broom and dared to dive just above the ground. More than once he even got spontaneous applause from the audience. In his group he caught the first three balls and won. In the group winners' duel, however, he needed five runs to prevail 3 to 2 over Scorpius. He won the following quarterfinal 3 to 1 over a third-year. But the semifinals was the end of the line for him, he lost 0 to 3 to a fifth-year.
"Great performance for a start," complimented Julian when Albus trotted off the court. "The best among the first-years and in the top four overall. If you keep this up, you'll be a hot candidate for next year," said he patting him on the back, and Albus, who had first been disappointed about his defeat, now felt pride.
On his way back, he met Neville Longbottom in front of the castle door; he seemed to have been waiting for him.
"Hello Albus, would you like to go for a walk?"
Albus hesitated, for he guessed what Neville was up to talk about, but it would have been grossly rude to refuse.
"Yes, of course, Professor."
Longbottom smiled benignly. "Forget the professor for now. I don't want to talk to you as a teacher, but as your friend."
They strolled down to the lake in silence. Longbottom seemed unsure how to start. Abruptly he asked, without looking at Albus:
"You know who was sitting with you at breakfast earlier?"
This was the question Albus had foreknown and been afraid of. Many people had suffered from the cruelty of the Lestranges, but Neville did to this day, and probably more so than anyone else. Since he had been a boy, he used to visit his now elderly parents once a month in the St. Mungo hospital where they were spending their lives in mental derangement, since the Lestranges long ago had tortured them beastly for days. For most people, the Death Eaters' regime was only distant history, but Neville, in a sense, was still being tortured by them. Once a month.
"Julian didn't pick his grandparents. I don't think it would be fair to hold it against him."
"It's not his fault being their grandson," Neville agreed with him, "but he is responsible for his attitude to them. Sure, he doesn't downright approve of the Death Eaters' deeds, but he does defend them, and especially his grandparents, wherever he can and as best he can. So much so that it looks confusingly like direct approval of their deeds as well."
"I'm sure it's not easy to come from a family like that," Albus said, uncertain how much he was allowed to reveal from the confidential conversation with Julian.
"His father, with whom I once had a long conversation, comes from the same family, but he has very reasonable views."
"Really?" asked Albus, startled. What Julian had told him sounded quite different.
"Yes. He is very sorry to see that his son seems to tend to Bellatrix' attitude."
"Maybe Julian's dad only believes he does because he's afraid to do so himself?" This was how Albus had understood Julian, but he wouldn't allow himself more than that suggestion.
Neville stopped and looked at him in surprise: "Are you into psychology? That would be a strange hobby for a boy your age."
"No, I just thought ..." Albus resorted to ambiguous mumble. "Um, does he know that ... I mean, about your parents?"
"No, and it's none of his business!" The unusually sharp tone made Albus cringe. "Only my closest friends know," Longbottom continued more calmly now, "and that's how I want it to remain. By the way, it's not only about Lestrange, but also about MacAllister. What do you think of him?"
"He's cool," Albus replied without thinking twice. "Frankly speaking, I think they're both cool, but MacAllister a little more so."
Neville scowled. "Thank you for the straight answer, that's what I was afraid of."
"Why?"
"Because most Slytherin boys, especially the younger, adore MacAllister. The girls rather adore Lestrange. Which doesn't really make a difference, for they've been inseparable since their first day at Hogwarts, and together with their friends, they have a," – he faltered –, "fatal influence."
"Well" – Albus tried to express himself cautiously – "I think what he says makes sense, and the students from the other houses seem to have a lot of respect for him, too."
"Indeed, he is very intelligent," Neville reluctantly admitted. "A fool would hardly have that authority."
"He's not only bright, he also stands up for his schoolmates and cares for us."
"You think he cares for everyone the way he does for you?" asked Neville.
"I think so; I heard him last night defending Malfoy against Patricia and later comforting him. Because Malfoy was afraid of getting into trouble."
"Did he?" Neville looked astonished. "Well, be that as it may: MacAllister talking to an 11-year-old for almost an hour is something I've never seen before."
"I think it's because I am still struggling with being a Slytherin and I am avoided by my brother and all the Weasleys. He wants to help me settling in."
Longbottom gazed thoughtfully across the lake.
"Albus, I think there are a few things you should know. Slytherin is a special case. It's the house from which Voldemort came, and the only one with a majority on his side. Since Voldemort's death, that house has been searching, well ... for a way to go, an attitude, a self-image. Do you understand?"
"I think so. They want to fully belong again, or still, to the wizarding community, but without believing anything evil of their own families who were on the wrong side during the war."
Neville seemed impressed: "You put it very cleverly in a nutshell. To belong again to the community – really, not just in a formal sense –, they have to break with that past and anything associated with it. It isn't enough to reject Voldemort and his methods, they must also banish all his ideas from their house, if necessary even at the cost of making their own parents or grandparents look bad. Some of the Slytherins are willing to pay this price to fully return to the wizarding community, some are not."
Albus marvelled: This was basically what Roy had said as well, just looked at from the opposite direction.
"Let's call the two parts," Neville continued, "the new and the old Slytherin. Roy MacAllister and Julian Lestrange, with their friends, are the hard core of the old."
"But Roy is Muggle-born," Albus countered, "so how can he think pure-blood wizards are more valuable, and Julian is his best friend. I mean, would a Death Eater have chosen, of all people, a Muggle wizard as his best friend? I cannot imagine them thinking like Death Eaters, it doesn't make sense at all."
"Voldemort was a half-blood, but praised pure blood, and the pure-blood Lestranges were, in spite of his descent, his most fanatical supporters. Those who did not grow up in the wizarding world, like Voldemort, may even have a special need to prove their loyalty to it, so your argument doesn't really hold water. Of course, on the other hand you can't simply consider their views and attitude to be like the Death Eaters' – at least MacAllister's aren't, though I'm not so sure about Lestrange – but they refuse to take the consequence to adopt the opposite views. This would mean to recognize that there is no fundamental difference between wizards and Muggles, as well as between wizards and other intelligent beings, that is, for example, goblins, elves, and centaurs, and that therefore we have to overcome outmoded boundaries and prejudices."
For a moment, Albus thought about it. "But people like the Gryffindors, who can't even overcome their prejudice against Slytherin – are they really credible when teaching others to get rid of their prejudices against Muggles, goblins, and elves? Shouldn't everyone start with his own prejudices?"
Neville stopped and pondered. It seemed he hadn't thought of it that way before.
Albus continued: "And is it really true that they should just think the opposite? MacAllister says that the mere opposite of something wrong needn't necessarily be right, and that you only need to carry something good to extremes to turn it into something bad."
"That's just like MacAllister," Neville grumbled. "With his damn intelligence, he is twisting and turning everything until he has proven that black is white."
They were now on their way back up to the castle and were silent for a while.
"Anyway, as a friend of your parents and also as your friend, I advise you to be on your guard against them. Of course, they are not simply Death Eaters, but they are – dubious, inscrutable. And as your are a Potter, you are valuable to them. I'm afraid that they want to involve you in something you have no idea of. That they consider you their – well ..."
"... poster Potter they need as an alibi," Albus added.
"You are surprising me with your quick perception today. Slytherin really made a good catch with you."
"Thank you," Albus beamed. He was vain enough not to let Neville know that he owed part of his quick insights to talking with Roy and Julian. "And thanks for the warning, too."
They had reached the entrance hall, and it was time to separate.
"I know you told me as a friend and I will thoroughly think about it."
They shook hands. Albus was already turning to leave, but then paused and said hesitantly:
"However, please understand one thing: I'm starting to feel comfortable as a Slytherin, and that's also due to MacAllister. Maybe his views are wrong, but this needn't mean that there is anything wrong with his character."
He waved goodbye to Longbottom, then headed off for the Slytherin common room. Neville glanced after him long and thoughtfully. Then he shuffled back to the Great Hall.