Chapter Eight – The D.A.
Neville went into his next Potions class in high form. He had taken the Relectum Potion in the morning. Neville realized that this was the first time that he felt happy to go to a Potions Class in all his time at Hogwarts.
This time, when Professor Snape flicked his wand and the words appeared on the blackboard, Neville looked right at them, instead of averting his eyes. Today they were working on the Laterum Potion, a potion that causes the taker to speak in nothing but lies.
Take three drops of Manticore blood and put in cauldron
Four cups of Beetle juice, stir counter clock seventeen times, then add three more drops of Manticore blood
Neville couldn't believe it. The instructions were making sense! He eagerly attacked his potion. An hour later, he was done. The potion wasn't quite like Hermione's, which was a light brown. His was more of a dark tan. But Neville knew it was better than he had done in a long time. Even Hermione gave him a discreet thumbs up.
"Who is willing to test out their potion?" Professor Snape asked lazily. No one raised their hand.
"Hmm..." Neville squirmed uncomfortably in his seat as Professor Snape gazed at him. "Yes, you'll do. Longbottom, we'll try your potion."
Neville gulped loudly. Slowly he stood up, holding the vial of his potion.
"Hurry up, Longbottom," Professor Snape sneered.
Neville handed Professor Snape his potion as he reached the front of the classroom. The Professor motioned for him to sit on a stool, facing the rest of the class. Professor Snape then poured some of the potion into another glass.
"Drink," Professor Snape ordered, as he handed the glass to Neville.
Neville took a tiny sip, and then finished the rest in one gulp.
"This potion is unlike the Certus potion. The drinker is required to answer every question that is asked," Professor Snape said.
Neville closed his eyes, hoping he wouldn't make too big of a fool of himself.
"What is your favorite class?" Professor Snape asked.
Neville felt a tingling over his mouth. Then without hesitating, he said, "Potions." The rest of the class burst out into laughter, as Professor Snape scowled.
"Who's your closest friend?"
"Draco Malfoy," Neville couldn't believe that these words were coming out of his mouth. He obviously had made the potion right for once.
"Have you ever snuck out of bed after curfew?"
"No," Neville had snuck out once, first year. He shuddered remembering that because of the good deed he tried to perform, he had to go into the forbidden forest.
Neville looked at Professor Snape; he had a look on his face he didn't like.
"Do you have a crush on anyone?"
"No," the Slytherins in the room started laughing, knowing that Neville did indeed have a crush on someone.
"Who'd want to date that tub of lard?" he heard Pansy Parkinson whisper. Neville's good spirits dropped. He had always been chubby, but had toned down in the last few years. Now all he had was his slightly round face and a bit of a belly.
"What house is she..." the bell rang, cutting Professor Snape off. "Write a roll of parchment on the differences between truth and lie potions," he told the class. "Oh, and Longbottom?"
"Yes, sir?" Neville asked meekly.
"You'll find I didn't regulate the portion out very well. I think I gave you enough for six hours. Have a good day," the professor said, then turned and walked to his office, leaving Neville sitting there with his mouth wide open.
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Six hours. Six hours of only telling lies. What a nightmare. Neville looked at the pocket watch that his grandmother had given his so many years ago. It was the one thing Neville didn't seem to lose, and for very good reason. It was his father's watch when he had been at Hogwarts. Six hours from now would be five thirty at night. He had two classes between now and then. He would just have to lay low, not speak to anyone and hope no teacher called on him.
He got through Care of Magical Creatures with no problem. They were studying Nogtails, which preferred silence. Right before he was going to head into his Muggle Studies classroom he heard, "Neville Longbottom."
Neville closed his eyes, it was the one person he didn't want to see until the potion wore off. Luna. He turned around. "Hi Luna," he said.
"Hello, Neville. Are you having a good day?" she asked serenely.
"Yep. I'm having a great day," Neville muttered.
"That's good," Luna looked down at her feet. "Would you like to eat dinner together tonight?" she asked shyly.
"No." Neville wanted to pound the wall with frustration.
"Oh, okay. I just thought..." her voice trailed off.
Neville looked at her face and had never been more miserable.
"Well, I better get going," she wouldn't look at him. "Good-bye," she said softly.
He didn't know how he got through the rest of his class.
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"Ask me a question!" Neville ordered Harry the second his pocket watch said five thirty.
"Huh?" Harry asked.
"Ask me a question I wouldn't lie to!" Neville barked.
Harry looked perplexed and shrugged. "Do you love Snape?"
"No!" Neville cried. The potion had finally worn off.
Neville walked as fast as he could into the Great Hall. Luna was sitting on the furthest end of the Hall, reading a book. Neville could barely see her. He walked down and sat across from her.
She didn't look up from the book. "I thought you said you didn't want to have dinner with me," she said sadly.
"Luna, I had Potions this morning. I had to drink a Laterum Potion. Do you know what that is?" he asked.
"A potion that make the drinker tell lies," she said flatly, still not looking up.
"I was still under the effects when I talked to you," he pleaded.
Luna sat still for a moment. She then looked up at him and grinned. "Does that mean not having a good day?" she teased.
Neville sighed a breath of relief and started to fill his plate with potatoes.
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Neville was standing next to Luna at the first DA meeting of the year. Neville was surprised as anyone when Professor Dumbledore said that he would like these meetings to continue. Even Professor Binns-Morgan, the History of Magic Professor's great granddaughter, who was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher, wanted to be involved.
Professor Binns-Morgan was talking quietly to Harry in the corner. The meeting had not actually started yet, but Neville had decided to get there early. Neville liked the new Professor. She was quite tall, with brown curly hair. One day after class, she over heard Harry, Ron and Neville complaining about her great grandfather. She happily joined in the complaining, saying he had been like that when she went to Hogwarts too.
Fifteen minutes later, the room of requirement was packed. Neville was dismayed to see that Draco Malfoy was there, along with his gang.
Harry stood at the front of the room. "Since we had the summer off, we're going to refresh our memories. Pair up and work on disarming each other."
Luna looked at him and Neville walked a few feet away from her. "You first," she said.
Neville looked around the room; already people were disarming each other.
"Expelliarmus!" Neville cried. Three seconds later, Luna's wand was in his hand. Neville looked at it for a moment, dazed. It had never been that easy for him to disarm someone before. He put the two wands side by side for a moment. His was at least three inches longer than hers. Her wand was very dark, almost black. He looked up only when Luna cleared her throat.
"Sorry!" he grinned at her as he tossed her wand back.
"Expelliarmus!" she cried. Neville tried blocking the spell, but she was too fast. She had his wand.
"You were close," Professor Binns-Morgan said in her slight Irish accent. "Try it again, will you?" she asked.
"Expelliarmus!" Luna cried again.
"There!" Professor Binns-Morgan said happily. "See how she moved her elbow out slightly before she said the incantation? That should give you just enough time to shield yourself. Try again."
Luna threw him his wand. She cried the spell one last time. But this time, Neville was ready; he had seen Luna give herself away with her arm movement. "Protego!" he cried, and he had protected himself from the spell.
"Good job," Professor Binns-Morgan said, moving on to the next pair.
The next hour they worked on shield charms and stunning. Neville felt awful about stunning Luna, but she seemed more than happy to stun him. Then Professor Binns-Morgan announced that it was time for everyone to go back to their common rooms.
Neville had just managed to work up the courage to ask if he could walk Luna to her room, when he heard Harry call him.
"Goodnight, Neville Longbottom," Luna said softly as she left the room. Neville swore softly under his breath. Harry had better stopped him for a good reason.
Everyone had left the room except Harry and Ron. Neville noticed that Harry was looking nervous about something.
"What's up?" Neville asked.
"I have a favor to ask," Harry started, looking down at his feet.
"Is everything okay?" Neville asked nervously.
"Last year, I started learning Occlumency," Harry said. "Do you know what that is?"
Neville shrugged. "Sure I've heard of it."
"It's supposed to help stop Voldemort from entering my dreams," Harry said, as Neville shuddered from hearing you-know-who's name.
"Is it working?" Neville asked interestedly.
"Kinda," Harry replied. "Here's the thing Neville. I want to learn Legilimency. And I need someone to practice on."
Neville looked at Harry and then at Ron. "Well, isn't Ron a better..." he said.
Harry cut him off. "I tried with Ron. I know him too well. I need some one who I'm comfortable with, but don't know like the back of my hand," he looked back down at his feet. "Will you help me?"
Neville pondered the request for a moment. He rather liked the idea that he could help Harry, even in a small way.
"Will it hurt?" Neville asked.
Harry grinned. "Only if I teach you Occlumency."
"When do you want to start?" Neville asked.
"Right now, if you don't mind. Ron will be here in case anything happens," Harry said.
"Yeah, don't worry Neville, if Harry flips his lid, I'll protect you," Ron laughed.
"Thanks," Neville said dryly. He looked at Harry. "What do I need to do?"
"Just stand there," Harry said. "If you were going to block my attempt, you could use your wand against me."
"But that would defeat the point of Harry practicing Legilimency," Ron joked.
Neville put his wand in his robe. "I'm ready," he said confidently.
"Legilimens!" Harry cried.
Neville was eleven. The sorting hat had just placed him in Gryffindor. Excited, he ran off to the table still wearing the hat...He was six, and asking his grandmother why his parents couldn't come home with them...Getting up the nerve to ask Hermione to the ball, only to have her turn him down...He was eight, the sensation of being pushed off the pier, then almost being suffocated under the water...
Someone was shaking him. Neville brought himself into reality and saw that Ron had his hands on his shoulders. Harry was clutching his side, panting. Neville wiped the sweat off his forehead, his hands shaking.
"You allright, mate?" Harry asked slowly.
Neville nodded. "You?" he asked.
"I'm fine. Your uncle really pushed you off a pier?" Harry said, hands on his knees.
"His way of showing he cares," Neville joked. It was a strange sensation, having his mind broken into. Half of the memories he had forgotten about. Neville felt slightly light headed. He had forgotten how awful he felt when Hermione turned him down. He didn't quite like that Harry now knew that as well.
"Did you see more memories than that one?" Harry asked.
"Yes, I saw lots. Why?" Neville asked.
"That's the only one I saw," Harry said, finally standing straight up.
"Really?" Neville asked. He felt quite better that Harry hadn't seen the Hermione memory.
"Not bad for the first time," Ron said cheerfully. "You should have seen him with me, Neville. He couldn't find a single bloody memory of mine."
"Can we try this again sometime?" Harry asked hopefully.
Neville thought about it for a moment. "Sure," he said finally, "Just not tonight."
"Yeah, one more time and Harry might just go mental," Ron laughed.
Harry silenced him with a look.
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A/N – Latere: to lurk, to lie hidden
Neville went into his next Potions class in high form. He had taken the Relectum Potion in the morning. Neville realized that this was the first time that he felt happy to go to a Potions Class in all his time at Hogwarts.
This time, when Professor Snape flicked his wand and the words appeared on the blackboard, Neville looked right at them, instead of averting his eyes. Today they were working on the Laterum Potion, a potion that causes the taker to speak in nothing but lies.
Take three drops of Manticore blood and put in cauldron
Four cups of Beetle juice, stir counter clock seventeen times, then add three more drops of Manticore blood
Neville couldn't believe it. The instructions were making sense! He eagerly attacked his potion. An hour later, he was done. The potion wasn't quite like Hermione's, which was a light brown. His was more of a dark tan. But Neville knew it was better than he had done in a long time. Even Hermione gave him a discreet thumbs up.
"Who is willing to test out their potion?" Professor Snape asked lazily. No one raised their hand.
"Hmm..." Neville squirmed uncomfortably in his seat as Professor Snape gazed at him. "Yes, you'll do. Longbottom, we'll try your potion."
Neville gulped loudly. Slowly he stood up, holding the vial of his potion.
"Hurry up, Longbottom," Professor Snape sneered.
Neville handed Professor Snape his potion as he reached the front of the classroom. The Professor motioned for him to sit on a stool, facing the rest of the class. Professor Snape then poured some of the potion into another glass.
"Drink," Professor Snape ordered, as he handed the glass to Neville.
Neville took a tiny sip, and then finished the rest in one gulp.
"This potion is unlike the Certus potion. The drinker is required to answer every question that is asked," Professor Snape said.
Neville closed his eyes, hoping he wouldn't make too big of a fool of himself.
"What is your favorite class?" Professor Snape asked.
Neville felt a tingling over his mouth. Then without hesitating, he said, "Potions." The rest of the class burst out into laughter, as Professor Snape scowled.
"Who's your closest friend?"
"Draco Malfoy," Neville couldn't believe that these words were coming out of his mouth. He obviously had made the potion right for once.
"Have you ever snuck out of bed after curfew?"
"No," Neville had snuck out once, first year. He shuddered remembering that because of the good deed he tried to perform, he had to go into the forbidden forest.
Neville looked at Professor Snape; he had a look on his face he didn't like.
"Do you have a crush on anyone?"
"No," the Slytherins in the room started laughing, knowing that Neville did indeed have a crush on someone.
"Who'd want to date that tub of lard?" he heard Pansy Parkinson whisper. Neville's good spirits dropped. He had always been chubby, but had toned down in the last few years. Now all he had was his slightly round face and a bit of a belly.
"What house is she..." the bell rang, cutting Professor Snape off. "Write a roll of parchment on the differences between truth and lie potions," he told the class. "Oh, and Longbottom?"
"Yes, sir?" Neville asked meekly.
"You'll find I didn't regulate the portion out very well. I think I gave you enough for six hours. Have a good day," the professor said, then turned and walked to his office, leaving Neville sitting there with his mouth wide open.
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Six hours. Six hours of only telling lies. What a nightmare. Neville looked at the pocket watch that his grandmother had given his so many years ago. It was the one thing Neville didn't seem to lose, and for very good reason. It was his father's watch when he had been at Hogwarts. Six hours from now would be five thirty at night. He had two classes between now and then. He would just have to lay low, not speak to anyone and hope no teacher called on him.
He got through Care of Magical Creatures with no problem. They were studying Nogtails, which preferred silence. Right before he was going to head into his Muggle Studies classroom he heard, "Neville Longbottom."
Neville closed his eyes, it was the one person he didn't want to see until the potion wore off. Luna. He turned around. "Hi Luna," he said.
"Hello, Neville. Are you having a good day?" she asked serenely.
"Yep. I'm having a great day," Neville muttered.
"That's good," Luna looked down at her feet. "Would you like to eat dinner together tonight?" she asked shyly.
"No." Neville wanted to pound the wall with frustration.
"Oh, okay. I just thought..." her voice trailed off.
Neville looked at her face and had never been more miserable.
"Well, I better get going," she wouldn't look at him. "Good-bye," she said softly.
He didn't know how he got through the rest of his class.
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"Ask me a question!" Neville ordered Harry the second his pocket watch said five thirty.
"Huh?" Harry asked.
"Ask me a question I wouldn't lie to!" Neville barked.
Harry looked perplexed and shrugged. "Do you love Snape?"
"No!" Neville cried. The potion had finally worn off.
Neville walked as fast as he could into the Great Hall. Luna was sitting on the furthest end of the Hall, reading a book. Neville could barely see her. He walked down and sat across from her.
She didn't look up from the book. "I thought you said you didn't want to have dinner with me," she said sadly.
"Luna, I had Potions this morning. I had to drink a Laterum Potion. Do you know what that is?" he asked.
"A potion that make the drinker tell lies," she said flatly, still not looking up.
"I was still under the effects when I talked to you," he pleaded.
Luna sat still for a moment. She then looked up at him and grinned. "Does that mean not having a good day?" she teased.
Neville sighed a breath of relief and started to fill his plate with potatoes.
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Neville was standing next to Luna at the first DA meeting of the year. Neville was surprised as anyone when Professor Dumbledore said that he would like these meetings to continue. Even Professor Binns-Morgan, the History of Magic Professor's great granddaughter, who was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher, wanted to be involved.
Professor Binns-Morgan was talking quietly to Harry in the corner. The meeting had not actually started yet, but Neville had decided to get there early. Neville liked the new Professor. She was quite tall, with brown curly hair. One day after class, she over heard Harry, Ron and Neville complaining about her great grandfather. She happily joined in the complaining, saying he had been like that when she went to Hogwarts too.
Fifteen minutes later, the room of requirement was packed. Neville was dismayed to see that Draco Malfoy was there, along with his gang.
Harry stood at the front of the room. "Since we had the summer off, we're going to refresh our memories. Pair up and work on disarming each other."
Luna looked at him and Neville walked a few feet away from her. "You first," she said.
Neville looked around the room; already people were disarming each other.
"Expelliarmus!" Neville cried. Three seconds later, Luna's wand was in his hand. Neville looked at it for a moment, dazed. It had never been that easy for him to disarm someone before. He put the two wands side by side for a moment. His was at least three inches longer than hers. Her wand was very dark, almost black. He looked up only when Luna cleared her throat.
"Sorry!" he grinned at her as he tossed her wand back.
"Expelliarmus!" she cried. Neville tried blocking the spell, but she was too fast. She had his wand.
"You were close," Professor Binns-Morgan said in her slight Irish accent. "Try it again, will you?" she asked.
"Expelliarmus!" Luna cried again.
"There!" Professor Binns-Morgan said happily. "See how she moved her elbow out slightly before she said the incantation? That should give you just enough time to shield yourself. Try again."
Luna threw him his wand. She cried the spell one last time. But this time, Neville was ready; he had seen Luna give herself away with her arm movement. "Protego!" he cried, and he had protected himself from the spell.
"Good job," Professor Binns-Morgan said, moving on to the next pair.
The next hour they worked on shield charms and stunning. Neville felt awful about stunning Luna, but she seemed more than happy to stun him. Then Professor Binns-Morgan announced that it was time for everyone to go back to their common rooms.
Neville had just managed to work up the courage to ask if he could walk Luna to her room, when he heard Harry call him.
"Goodnight, Neville Longbottom," Luna said softly as she left the room. Neville swore softly under his breath. Harry had better stopped him for a good reason.
Everyone had left the room except Harry and Ron. Neville noticed that Harry was looking nervous about something.
"What's up?" Neville asked.
"I have a favor to ask," Harry started, looking down at his feet.
"Is everything okay?" Neville asked nervously.
"Last year, I started learning Occlumency," Harry said. "Do you know what that is?"
Neville shrugged. "Sure I've heard of it."
"It's supposed to help stop Voldemort from entering my dreams," Harry said, as Neville shuddered from hearing you-know-who's name.
"Is it working?" Neville asked interestedly.
"Kinda," Harry replied. "Here's the thing Neville. I want to learn Legilimency. And I need someone to practice on."
Neville looked at Harry and then at Ron. "Well, isn't Ron a better..." he said.
Harry cut him off. "I tried with Ron. I know him too well. I need some one who I'm comfortable with, but don't know like the back of my hand," he looked back down at his feet. "Will you help me?"
Neville pondered the request for a moment. He rather liked the idea that he could help Harry, even in a small way.
"Will it hurt?" Neville asked.
Harry grinned. "Only if I teach you Occlumency."
"When do you want to start?" Neville asked.
"Right now, if you don't mind. Ron will be here in case anything happens," Harry said.
"Yeah, don't worry Neville, if Harry flips his lid, I'll protect you," Ron laughed.
"Thanks," Neville said dryly. He looked at Harry. "What do I need to do?"
"Just stand there," Harry said. "If you were going to block my attempt, you could use your wand against me."
"But that would defeat the point of Harry practicing Legilimency," Ron joked.
Neville put his wand in his robe. "I'm ready," he said confidently.
"Legilimens!" Harry cried.
Neville was eleven. The sorting hat had just placed him in Gryffindor. Excited, he ran off to the table still wearing the hat...He was six, and asking his grandmother why his parents couldn't come home with them...Getting up the nerve to ask Hermione to the ball, only to have her turn him down...He was eight, the sensation of being pushed off the pier, then almost being suffocated under the water...
Someone was shaking him. Neville brought himself into reality and saw that Ron had his hands on his shoulders. Harry was clutching his side, panting. Neville wiped the sweat off his forehead, his hands shaking.
"You allright, mate?" Harry asked slowly.
Neville nodded. "You?" he asked.
"I'm fine. Your uncle really pushed you off a pier?" Harry said, hands on his knees.
"His way of showing he cares," Neville joked. It was a strange sensation, having his mind broken into. Half of the memories he had forgotten about. Neville felt slightly light headed. He had forgotten how awful he felt when Hermione turned him down. He didn't quite like that Harry now knew that as well.
"Did you see more memories than that one?" Harry asked.
"Yes, I saw lots. Why?" Neville asked.
"That's the only one I saw," Harry said, finally standing straight up.
"Really?" Neville asked. He felt quite better that Harry hadn't seen the Hermione memory.
"Not bad for the first time," Ron said cheerfully. "You should have seen him with me, Neville. He couldn't find a single bloody memory of mine."
"Can we try this again sometime?" Harry asked hopefully.
Neville thought about it for a moment. "Sure," he said finally, "Just not tonight."
"Yeah, one more time and Harry might just go mental," Ron laughed.
Harry silenced him with a look.
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A/N – Latere: to lurk, to lie hidden
