Disclaimer – For a little part of this chapter, dialogue from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is used. I think you'll all know where, and hopefully can understand why I've chosen to use her words. There simply is no point in trying to improve upon JK Rowling's perfection.

Chapter Two – Diagon Alley

"Longbottom?" repeated Bellatrix. Neville looked at her face, truly alive for the first time this evening. So this was the woman who had stolen Neville's parents from him. "Why I had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy..."

The smile was more than Neville could bear, "I DOE YOU HAB!" Neville screamed. He was in agony; blood pouring freely down his robes. He wanted to hurt her, like she had his parents...

"Somebody stun him!" A masked Death Eater yelled.

"No, no, no," Bellatrix said, "No, let's see how long Longbottom lasts before he cracks like his parents..."

Neville desperately tried to escape his captors. But their grip was too strong for Neville to fight them off.

Bellatrix raised her wand, a truly evil smile upon her lips. "Crucio!"

Neville was on the floor, slithering in agony. His insides were on fire. His screams only escalated the pain...


Neville Longbottom woke up with a start, his heart racing. He briefly glanced around him, and took a deep breath. He was in his bedroom, he was safe. Neville had had that same exact dream almost every single night since he had fought along side Harry Potter in the Department of Mysteries.

He looked at the hourglass on his bedside table. He didn't have to get up for another two hours. Neville knew there was no way he would be able to go back to sleep after that dream. It was so vivid. He almost could feel traces of the Cruciatus Curse when he had the dream.

Getting up out of bed, he walked over to the small desk that he had made for himself years ago. He smiled. One of the legs had been too short so his grandmother had let him use a copy of her Witch's Digest Weekly to balance the desk.

For the first time in a long time, Neville wished he had someone to talk to. Someone who he could tell about these dreams that he had been having. He was sure Harry would understand. But he and Harry had never had that kind of confiding friendship. Out of the five sixth year Gryffindor boys, Neville had been the one left out.

Dean and Seamus were best friends, just like Harry and Ron. Neville was friends with them all, but was no one's closest friend. Right now that was what Neville needed. He needed a best friend. Someone that would listen to him describe the dream and say, "Sorry, mate." Someone who would suggest drinking a cup of dreamless sleep before going to bed. Someone who would try to make him laugh, to help him forget about the dream.

He couldn't tell his grandmother. She had been beside herself when she had found out what had happened that night. Neville couldn't really blame her. His father had been her only son. Neville, her only grandchild. He didn't want to cause her anymore worry.

Taking out his quill, he flattened a piece of parchment onto the desk. He sucked the tip of the feather for a moment. Neville started writing down all of his feeling about that night. Seeing Bellatrix, watching Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Luna become badly injured and his thoughts about his parents.

When he was done with the parchment, he folded it up and tore it into as many pieces as he could. He felt like a tiny weight had been lifted off of his shoulder.

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"Neville! Time to go to Diagon Alley!" his grandmother cried.

It was hours later and Neville was up, dressed and ready to go. He loved going to Diagon Alley. He was very excited about the trip today; he would be getting a new wand. Stifling a yawn, he ran downstairs. His grandmother was standing by the fireplace, holding the box of floo powder.

"Ready?" she asked, straightening her vulture-topped hat.

"Ready," he told her, taking a handful of powder. Neville threw the powder over the flames. Stepping inside the fire, he yelled "Diagon Alley," clearly. When Neville was younger, he once stuttered while saying the word and ended up in a very strange witch's house. She made him stay for tea and make a doily before she would let him leave.

Neville didn't particularly like traveling by floo powder; it made him very dizzy. But there was no other way for him to get there, so that's how he traveled. Neville misjudged the exit and banged his head on the mantle on his way out.

Rubbing his head, he saw his grandmother appear before him. "Let's go to Ollivander's first," she said.

"Right," Neville replied following her lead.

They walked in silence to the store. His grandmother would nod or say "Hello," to someone every so often. Finally, they reached the store.

Mr. Ollivander was behind the counter when they entered. "Come to get your own wand at last, Mr. Longbottom?" he asked.

"My grandson broke his father's wand. It was beyond repair," his grandmother said, shaking her head.

"A great loss, I'm sure. But I did warn you that Mr. Longbottom would not excel without a wand of his own, did I not?" Mr. Ollivander asked quietly.

His grandmother looked insulted. "Neville was proud to use Frank's wand for the last five years, weren't you Neville?" she asked directly to him.

Neville mumbled, "Of course." He saw that a tape measurer was taking his measurements.

"Let's see what I can find you, Mr. Longbottom. Now your father's wand was ebony and dragon heartstring, 12 ½ inches, was it not?"

"That's right," Neville's grandmother answered for him

Mr. Ollivander walked out of the back room holding several boxes. "Please hold out your wand hand." Neville complied. A short wand was placed in his hand. His grandmother's hat squawked.

Mr. Ollivander shook his head and placed another wand in Neville's hand. This time a few drops of rain fell on Neville's head. "No, not the one," Mr. Ollivander said under his breath.

Then Neville was given a very light colored wand. The moment it was placed in his hand, Neville knew that this was his wand.

"Excellent!" Mr. Ollivander said as a flash of red light emitted from the tip. "Walnut and a unicorn hair, 10 and ¼ inches. This was from one of the more gentle unicorns I have ever come across. Would have given me ten more hairs if I had asked!"

"Thank you," Neville said softly, his eyes not leaving his new wand. He couldn't wait until he could try it.

Mr. Ollivander simply bowed, while Neville's grandmother went up to the counter to pay.

When they left the shop, Neville's grandmother surprised him. "Would you mind if I left you here to do your own shopping?" she asked him.

"Of course not, Gran. Is anything wrong?" he asked worriedly.

She shook her head, "No, nothing's wrong. I'd like to go to dinner with Griselda. This is one of the only nights she's free."

"Okay." Neville tried not to look too excited. He had never been able to wander around Diagon Alley by himself before!

"Be home by eight," she warned. She handed him some money, "Now this is for your supplies. There's a little extra in case you want an ice cream."

"Thanks, Gran," he told her, giving her a light kiss on the cheek. A moment later, she apparated out of sight.

Neville didn't know what to do first. It was hot out, an ice cream didn't sound so bad. Neville smiled, he knew he should pick up his school supplies first. He fished his book list out of his robes and took a look. He only needed a couple of new books. Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six, and Why do Muggles do That? for his Muggles Studies class. He had only signed up for Muggle Studies because he had heard Hermione was going to take the same class. Little did he know that she would drop out after third year.

As Neville walked into Flourish and Blotts, he saw something that made him stop in his tracks. Draco Malfoy was in the store with his mother. Remembering that he was going to start standing up for himself this year, he walked inside with his high up. Last year, he would have turned right around and not gone back in there for at least an hour to make sure Malfoy was gone.

Neville went to the Muggle section and noticed that Malfoy was whispering something to his mother. She nodded and Malfoy started walking over to him. "The Ministry of Magic was just a warm-up, Longbottom. You'll be in St. Mungos with your crazy ol' parents before long," Malfoy whispered through clenched teeth.

The sound of Bellatrix' laughter echoed through Neville's mind. He turned and faced Malfoy. He was pleased to see that he had finally grown taller than him. "Don't ever talk about my parents again, Malfoy. You're not even worthy to speak their names." Neville grabbed the book he needed and headed towards the counter, leaving Malfoy standing there with his mouth open.

Quickly, he paid for his two books and ducked into another store. He needed a moment to catch his breath. He couldn't believe it! For the first time in his life, Neville had said exactly the right thing at exactly the right time! He couldn't wait to tell someone from the D.A.

His elation stopped there. Telling someone what he had said would mean having to tell that someone about his parents. Neville simply wasn't ready to do that yet. He thought for a moment. He would tell Harry when the time seemed right.

Neville wandered around Diagon Alley for a few more hours. He bought some potion supplies, and a new tie for his uniform. He always liked to have an extra for when he lost one. And with Neville it was always when, not if he lost one. He saved the best shop for last. "Henrietta's Herbs and Plant Shop," was Neville's favorite store. He knew if he had the chance, he could spend hours there. His grandmother never let him spend a lot of time there when she was with him. Today he had all the time in the world. He looked down at his watch, well, he had three hours and seven minutes.

Two hours and twenty-two minutes later he exited the store. He had bought two huge shopping bags worth of seedlings and plants. Professor Sprout had promised Neville that he could have his own section in the greenhouse this year. He would be able to grow and raise whatever he wanted. Neville checked to see how much money he had left. He had just enough for a small ice cream.

Neville went over to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream parlor and ordered a small peppermint cookie ice cream. The sun was still out, so he settled himself at a table outside, where he could watch the crowds go by.

After a few minutes, he saw Harry, Ron, Ginny, Fred and George Weasley, with a woman who had fought at the Ministry with them. The crowd stopped briefly to say hello, but didn't stay long since they were going to The Finer Miner's Diner. Neville wanted to shout out and tell them all what he had said to Malfoy, but held his tongue.

A few minutes to eight, he headed back to the fireplace that had brought him here. Looking at his watch, he realized that there were only sixty- three hours left until he would be on the Hogwarts Express.