A/N: Hello, lovely fellow writers! Well, I realize after reading HP # 5,
that this is extremely, extremely OOC. Just read, okay??? I've finally
gotten over writer's block and I present to ye the third installment of
this story. Anyway, Neville is a very pissed-off person in this chapter.
*shakes head* So much anger..Oh yeah, a bit of swearing and whatnot, so if
you don't like it, don't read it. Well, come on then.oh, one more thing:
the little *asterisks* denote his thoughts. (The prologue is 3rd person
omniscient and the rest is 1st person.) Any constructive criticism or
reviews are welcome.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and the Hate-The-World!Neville's evil, evil thoughts and some of the spells. The lovely J.K. owns it all and you know it!!! *sobs like Homer Simpson* Also, I think I may have borrowed some spells from Cassandra Claire's stories, so I just want to make that clear. If anyone else recognizes something, tell me and I'll be sure to give proper credit.
"I'm feelin' supersonic Give me gin and tonic, You can have it all But how much do you want it?"
-Oasis (Supersonic)
Descent Into Darkness (ch. 3): Midnight Musings
(Neville lay on his back, breathing in ragged bursts of air from the mad run back to Gryffindor Tower. His actions over the past 2 months had been extremely out-of-character. He stared blankly at the embroidered golden lions sleeping at the top of the red velvet canopy, wondering what his life would've been like if the canopy was Slytherin green instead. Neville's self-pitying musing drifted to Draco Malfoy's words at their midnight meeting. *I can't believe Malfoy actually took me seriously for once. I thought for sure he'd chuck my letter into the fire and that'd be it. I wonder what the tests will be like, though.* " Come on, Neville," he chided himself, " you can't be some stupid prat who lives with his Gran all his life. This could lead to something big and anyway, YOU wanted it, right?" Heavy snoring from Ron and constant mumbling from Seamus ("No more feathers!") distracted him. Neville sighed deeply and glanced at his magical alarm clock. "2:16 A.M." it read in swirling red and gold sparkles. *Good thing there are no classes on weekends. * He yawned loudly and turned over to his side, thinking about the upcoming graduation in June. Gradually, his thoughts slipped into the oblivion between sleep and consciousness, and he fell into a dreamless sleep, still in his crumpled school robes.)
I awoke with a start to cold, sopping robes and glaring sunlight. "What the fuck?!" I shouted. Someone had opened my curtains and apparently knocked over the silver water pitcher, which would probably explain the throbbing pain in my right leg and the searing headache. "I swear to Merlin." I muttered, fumbling for my wand. "No, don't bother to pick it up, it's only Neville..." I continued mockingly. "Evaporato!" I spat bitterly, and the water slid off my robes and blankets down into a puddle on the floor. I kicked at it and some of the water sprayed onto Harry's tidy bed. *Good! * I peeled off my dirty robes and threw them to the floor. *Let someone else worry about it.* I glanced at my clock while putting on my shoes. 8:42 A.M. "Well, I can still catch breakfast. Barely, though." I grumbled. I picked up my wand and stomped down to the common room, ignoring my leg pain, and pushed the portrait hole open forcefully. It hit the stone wall and swung back into place. "Well, I NEVER!!! Where do students get off thinking they can treat me anyway they want?! The rude little." the Fat Lady squealed indignantly. I had half a mind to tell her to shove it, there was no way I was going to take abuse from a PORTRAIT. I took enough from people as it was. "Whatever." I said and ran past her. "Hmm, well isn't someone a grumpy Gryffindor today?" she called after me. *Mad, all of them.*
I finally reached the noisy Great Hall, probably red in the face and still pissed off about this morning. " 'Ey, 'Eville! I 'ot 'our 'ail!" Ron said through mouthfuls of sausage and eggs. "What?" Ron swallowed and said, "I got your mail!", waving another expensive brown parchment envelope. *Oh, it's from Malfoy.* "Oh, um, thanks." I said, taking it from him. "No 'roblem 'ate!" Ron had gone back to stuffing his face again. "So.Neville, didn't you get a another letter like that yesterday?" Hermione ventured curiously. "Yeah, I SAID it was from my Gran, didn't I?" I said in a malicious voice. She looked a bit put out. "Oh, by the way," Harry spoke up, "I opened your curtains for you this morning. I didn't want to wake you, so I figured the sun could do it for me." *Wow, I didn't know "royalty" did things for their peasants. Thanks for the freezing bath, as well.* "Thanks," I said absently, tracing the wax seal insignia on the envelope with my finger. I wanted to open it now, but of course I couldn't without them wanting to know what was in it. *This could lead to a whole new world.* "Aren't you going to open your letter, Neville?" Hermione asked in her annoyingly prim and proper voice. "Um, I will later, okay?" I said absently, stuffing it hastily into my pocket. *What is with all the questions today? Since when do they take such an interest in my mail.or in me?* I grabbed a plate from the stack and piled on fried potatoes, bacon slices, and toast. I began wolfing it down as fast as possible so I could get away and read the letter. I felt eyes on the back of my head, and I turned to see Malfoy staring at me with his piercing storm-colored eyes, as if making mental notes about me. I finished my bacon, drained my pumpkin juice, and got up to leave for the library. I could still feel Malfoy watching me like a hawk as I left.
I sat down at the same table as before, and waited to make sure Madam Pince was preoccupied with her Dusting Spells (to reach the higher shelves) before prying the creased letter open. I scanned the letter (this one longer than the last) and read in his tiny, elegant scrawl-
"Longbottom-
I have given substantial thought to your.request. However, seeing as you are both a Gryffindor and a "supposed" friend of the Wonder Trio, I will need to hold another of our midnight meetings to determine where your loyalties lie. I have reservations about this myself, but was told to go ahead with it only because you are of pureblood heritage. I presume you are familiar with Veritaserum or the Truth Spell, no? If all goes according to plan, only THEN can I inform you of the tests which you will have to endure. Meet me at midnight tonight behind the statue of Eviana the Eccentric on the 4th floor. Tap your wand to the cauldron that she's holding and say "Alethio." Don't be late or it's off, and I'll be sure to clear your memory of the entire thing. And you can't afford that, can you? It's bad enough already..
Reservedly yours,
Draco Malfoy.
P.S. Burn this letter.
I read the time and place again, memorizing it carefully, and whispered "Incendio." The letter crackled and twisted, and then was a small pile of ashes on the shiny surface. I quickly swept the ashes into my pocket with a backward glance and walked out of the library.
***********************************
A/N: Well, tell what you think so far. Too detailed? I love feedback. Also, if anyone could tell me the HTML for italics, it'd be much appreciated. Thanks for reading!
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot and the Hate-The-World!Neville's evil, evil thoughts and some of the spells. The lovely J.K. owns it all and you know it!!! *sobs like Homer Simpson* Also, I think I may have borrowed some spells from Cassandra Claire's stories, so I just want to make that clear. If anyone else recognizes something, tell me and I'll be sure to give proper credit.
"I'm feelin' supersonic Give me gin and tonic, You can have it all But how much do you want it?"
-Oasis (Supersonic)
Descent Into Darkness (ch. 3): Midnight Musings
(Neville lay on his back, breathing in ragged bursts of air from the mad run back to Gryffindor Tower. His actions over the past 2 months had been extremely out-of-character. He stared blankly at the embroidered golden lions sleeping at the top of the red velvet canopy, wondering what his life would've been like if the canopy was Slytherin green instead. Neville's self-pitying musing drifted to Draco Malfoy's words at their midnight meeting. *I can't believe Malfoy actually took me seriously for once. I thought for sure he'd chuck my letter into the fire and that'd be it. I wonder what the tests will be like, though.* " Come on, Neville," he chided himself, " you can't be some stupid prat who lives with his Gran all his life. This could lead to something big and anyway, YOU wanted it, right?" Heavy snoring from Ron and constant mumbling from Seamus ("No more feathers!") distracted him. Neville sighed deeply and glanced at his magical alarm clock. "2:16 A.M." it read in swirling red and gold sparkles. *Good thing there are no classes on weekends. * He yawned loudly and turned over to his side, thinking about the upcoming graduation in June. Gradually, his thoughts slipped into the oblivion between sleep and consciousness, and he fell into a dreamless sleep, still in his crumpled school robes.)
I awoke with a start to cold, sopping robes and glaring sunlight. "What the fuck?!" I shouted. Someone had opened my curtains and apparently knocked over the silver water pitcher, which would probably explain the throbbing pain in my right leg and the searing headache. "I swear to Merlin." I muttered, fumbling for my wand. "No, don't bother to pick it up, it's only Neville..." I continued mockingly. "Evaporato!" I spat bitterly, and the water slid off my robes and blankets down into a puddle on the floor. I kicked at it and some of the water sprayed onto Harry's tidy bed. *Good! * I peeled off my dirty robes and threw them to the floor. *Let someone else worry about it.* I glanced at my clock while putting on my shoes. 8:42 A.M. "Well, I can still catch breakfast. Barely, though." I grumbled. I picked up my wand and stomped down to the common room, ignoring my leg pain, and pushed the portrait hole open forcefully. It hit the stone wall and swung back into place. "Well, I NEVER!!! Where do students get off thinking they can treat me anyway they want?! The rude little." the Fat Lady squealed indignantly. I had half a mind to tell her to shove it, there was no way I was going to take abuse from a PORTRAIT. I took enough from people as it was. "Whatever." I said and ran past her. "Hmm, well isn't someone a grumpy Gryffindor today?" she called after me. *Mad, all of them.*
I finally reached the noisy Great Hall, probably red in the face and still pissed off about this morning. " 'Ey, 'Eville! I 'ot 'our 'ail!" Ron said through mouthfuls of sausage and eggs. "What?" Ron swallowed and said, "I got your mail!", waving another expensive brown parchment envelope. *Oh, it's from Malfoy.* "Oh, um, thanks." I said, taking it from him. "No 'roblem 'ate!" Ron had gone back to stuffing his face again. "So.Neville, didn't you get a another letter like that yesterday?" Hermione ventured curiously. "Yeah, I SAID it was from my Gran, didn't I?" I said in a malicious voice. She looked a bit put out. "Oh, by the way," Harry spoke up, "I opened your curtains for you this morning. I didn't want to wake you, so I figured the sun could do it for me." *Wow, I didn't know "royalty" did things for their peasants. Thanks for the freezing bath, as well.* "Thanks," I said absently, tracing the wax seal insignia on the envelope with my finger. I wanted to open it now, but of course I couldn't without them wanting to know what was in it. *This could lead to a whole new world.* "Aren't you going to open your letter, Neville?" Hermione asked in her annoyingly prim and proper voice. "Um, I will later, okay?" I said absently, stuffing it hastily into my pocket. *What is with all the questions today? Since when do they take such an interest in my mail.or in me?* I grabbed a plate from the stack and piled on fried potatoes, bacon slices, and toast. I began wolfing it down as fast as possible so I could get away and read the letter. I felt eyes on the back of my head, and I turned to see Malfoy staring at me with his piercing storm-colored eyes, as if making mental notes about me. I finished my bacon, drained my pumpkin juice, and got up to leave for the library. I could still feel Malfoy watching me like a hawk as I left.
I sat down at the same table as before, and waited to make sure Madam Pince was preoccupied with her Dusting Spells (to reach the higher shelves) before prying the creased letter open. I scanned the letter (this one longer than the last) and read in his tiny, elegant scrawl-
"Longbottom-
I have given substantial thought to your.request. However, seeing as you are both a Gryffindor and a "supposed" friend of the Wonder Trio, I will need to hold another of our midnight meetings to determine where your loyalties lie. I have reservations about this myself, but was told to go ahead with it only because you are of pureblood heritage. I presume you are familiar with Veritaserum or the Truth Spell, no? If all goes according to plan, only THEN can I inform you of the tests which you will have to endure. Meet me at midnight tonight behind the statue of Eviana the Eccentric on the 4th floor. Tap your wand to the cauldron that she's holding and say "Alethio." Don't be late or it's off, and I'll be sure to clear your memory of the entire thing. And you can't afford that, can you? It's bad enough already..
Reservedly yours,
Draco Malfoy.
P.S. Burn this letter.
I read the time and place again, memorizing it carefully, and whispered "Incendio." The letter crackled and twisted, and then was a small pile of ashes on the shiny surface. I quickly swept the ashes into my pocket with a backward glance and walked out of the library.
***********************************
A/N: Well, tell what you think so far. Too detailed? I love feedback. Also, if anyone could tell me the HTML for italics, it'd be much appreciated. Thanks for reading!
