Cheelalaucha: Thanks for the review. :) Glad you liked it!

Well sorry... this took some more time to update... what with school starting over and all. And I had to rewrite this ten thousand times in order to get Brave!Neville right. Ah well... I hope you enjoy.


CHAPTER THREE

The horizon was a dark shade of pink with a golden halo. The sunset light filtered in the chilly veranda by the large dusty windows which covered three walls of the room from floor to ceiling. Three long, white plastic tables were aligned side to side. They were crawling under various kinds of magical plants. Neville sauntered from one to the other, pouring water into the green pot of a leaping toadstool, cutting the dead leaves of a flitterbloom, and carefully feeding his precious mimbulus Mimbletonia. His blond hair floating around, Neville walked from a table to the other as if he hadn't had a care in the world. This couldn't be less true.

Suddenly, the earth exploded to meet the roof. A loud 'bang' was heard and then… silence. Neville was lying under a pile of broken glass, tables, pots and bricks. He rummaged through the mess in order to conceive an opening so he could breathe. It wasn't working. He was suffocating. This whole thing was simply incredible. With a moan, he got out his brand new holly wood wand and murmured an incantation. Immediately, the remains that had been covering him flew to the corners of the room. Though there didn't seem to be any room left. Neville sited up: "What the hell?" His blond hair was covered in dust and his shirt was full of mimbulus Mimbletonia's Stinksap. His cheek was cut open and a touch of red blood coloured his face. His stood up in a flash, breathing loudly. Gran! Neville ran through the house, having to jump at times over the detritus of what had once meant home to him. His heart was beating so loudly he was afraid it might jump out of his chest. Parts of the roof were falling around him and he had to be quick to avoid them. He passed between a couch caught on fire and gasped heavily. I hope she's alright. He ran a little faster. But where to look? The kitchen! She had been about to cook supper. Neville turned a corner so fast the wall almost took his shoulder off. He entered a smoke-filled kitchen with a heavy sense of apprehension. He took a step inside the room and stopped walking. Silence.

He took a circular glance around the room. His senses were in alert. He was wary to hear any sound that might help him. He slowed his heart beat "Calm down" he ordered himself. All of a sudden, he saw a touch of green in the right corner of his eye. He ran for it and kneeled down beside his grand-ma'. She was completely still. Her chest wasn't moving. A single tear drop rolled among the hill of his cheek. Neville bent his head down to his grand-mother's face. He stayed like that for a while, his eyes widening in surprise. That was a breath! He was definitely hearing a breath. A soft, hush, untroubled and quiet breath, but it was still a breath. He cautiously took the old lady in his arms. She felt light and weak upon his arms. He carefully began to make his way through to the living room to access the fireplace. He knew exactly where he was going to go.

He was almost there when a small, red-ish owl came bursting into the room through the broken window. Neville tried to drive it out with a gesture from his hand, but the bird wouldn't drop it. Neville angrily took the letter from the bird's claws. It flew away. Neville dropped it carelessly and took a step inside the fireplace, still holding his grand-mother close to his heart. With one hand he managed to take of a pinch of green powder from a cup on the chimneypiece and threw it into the fire. He then said loud and clear "Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry".

The room was completely empty. The wind, coming in from the broken window, was sending diverse pieces of papers flying around. A small yellow-ish envelope of parchment was shoved open.

Dear Mr Longbottom,

We have received intelligence that you have performed the Repelling Spell at fifty-three minutes past eight this evening.

The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has to be clear.

If you were to perform any magic outside the property of your school we would be forced to expel you from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and to destroy your wand.

Sincerely yours,

Mafalda Hopkirk

Improper Use of Magic Office

Ministry of Magic


REVIEWS! 3