A/N: This chapter is in 1974, where Neville is. This is James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, Severus, and Peter's fourth year, and Alice's (in my fic) 7th year in Hogwarts. It's also Frank's 7th year, but he's not at Hogwarts.
Also- The person Esor talked to is not the same person as Neville talks to in this chapter.
I do not own the Harry Potter characters I didn't make up, they are J. K. Rowling's. There is a quote from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in this chapter. It can be found in chapter: # 37.
DarkLordLongbottom: Thanks bunches for another review! You're correct, Esor is a lot like our dear Wormtail. But, there is something different between the two... brains. And yes, James & the rest will be in this story. They all are very very very very important to the end of the war, no matter if they are dead or living in the presant time.
Turning Your Time Around
This chapter is dedicated to: Anyone who has done a time-travel fic.
Chapter 10: "The Betrayer's Gaze"
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"The odd thing is Harry, that it may not have meant you at all. Sybil's prophecy could have applied to two wizard, born at the end on July that year, both of whom had parents in the Order of the Phoenix, both sets of parents having narrowly escaped Voldemort three times. One, of course was you. The other was Neville Longbottom."
Dumbledore's voice rang out in his dreams. Though, as Neville looked around, it wasn't really a dream.
'Oh come on. Why can't I ever have peace in my dreams?' Neville thought.
He saw Dumbledore and Harry through the crystal ball, talking about the prophecy. The same prophecy, in fact, that Neville broke in the Department of Mysteries.
'Stupid, Neville.'
He walked around the Divination class room that he was stuck in for the time being. He knew he couldn't leave until the dream told him too. He knew this because over the summer, he'd have the same kind of dream- ever since the battle at the Ministry. It always seemed to stop before Dumbledore could Finnish his talk with Harry, so he never heard his name in the prophecy. Well, until he talked to Professor Trelawney.
That had been his last day in his own time. That had been the last time he'd seen his "friends", apart from Ron. All the professors were probably wondering where he was. That, of course, left out his least favorite professor, Snape.
'I wonder if Snape told Dumbledore,' Neville thought. 'Oh.. right.'
He had just remembered what Merlin told them: Dumbledore is bad. Neville, himself, didn't really want to believe that. But, who would be the most trustworthy? Certainly not Dumbledore, the way he keeps everything secret until the "right" moment.
But... how well does anyone know Merlin? An unfortunate person came to mind. That person had told him that Merlin was the one who was acting against them.
The unfortunate person had been the one who had taken over his body, spoke through him, cursed, and chased him earlier. Why believe him?
'Everyone is contradicting each other! Who am I supposed to believe!'
Neville found only one way to let his frustrations out: He kicked the round table with the crystal ball on it. It rolled off and hit the floor with a thud. Neville clenched his fists and stood there, fuming.
"So," said a voice from behind him, "you could have been the great hero."
Neville heard the man's voice, but he didn't turn around, nor did his mood change.
"That must make you angry. You'd want to live up to your parents, no doubt."
The 24-year-old man's voice rang in Neville's ears, desperate to make him brake down and cry. The words did nothing of the sort.
As soon as the last sentence had come out, Neville bent down and grabbed the crystal ball. He spun around and threw it directly at the man with full force.
The man tried to move away, but the ball collided with his arm and the young man yelped in pain.
The man put his hand over the hurt arm and drew short breaths. He was trying to control his anger, but to no avail. The man leaped from his spot- straight for Neville.
Neville remembered their last talk, so he knew what to expect this time. Neville ducked and ran past the man. He kept running faster and faster towards the Great Hall. He wasn't sure why he was going there, but he figured it was as good a place as any to hide.
He was in the Entrance Hall when two words stopped him, and he turned around to face the man.
"What did you say?" Neville asked, panting.
The young man walked up, still holding his hurt arm. He had a look of sincerity on his face as he approached.
"I said I'm sorry," the man replied with true remorse.
Neville eyed the man warily, but as he studied his face, he found no smirk, sneer, or smile. He believed he was sorry, but that did not change his mood much.
"What do you want?" Neville asked through clenched teeth, trying desperately not to sound like he wanted to throw more things at him.
The man was now only a few feet away from him, and Neville could see his features more clearly. He was tall and his short, dark brown hair was messy and it covered a lot of his face. The eyes though, they looked strangely familiar. They had the same worn-out, tired look that made him seem so much older than twenty-four. It was as if he was back in Potions class, and those eyes were boring into his all over again. The Potion master's eyes had only resembled this man's once before, or at least for Neville, and he could remember the exact day. That day, Malfoy had said something about the wizard hospital and the people inside it- and the special ward for people who'd been spell-damaged and the like. He'd tried to fight them, but Harry had pulled him back with Ron and the Potions Git had found them fighting each other. Sure, he'd gotten told off, but when he'd made the potion of the day, he had seen the Potions Master himself staring... at him. The two looks were exactly alike, and he'd never forget them.
A hand was being waved in his face and he heard someone talking.
"Hello? Are you still there?"
The man voice brung him back to reality and he jerked his head away from the man's gaze, not bearing the thought of his most feared professor. Too many bad memories for him.
"Are you okay?" the man asked.
"Why? Do you care?" Neville asked, his intentions clear that he did not like the man.
The man drew back his hand and straightened. Without answering his question, the man said, "You can call me Rotiart. I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to tell you before."
"Oh you mean in the Toss Room where you took over my body? Or when you got in my mind and threw curses at me?" Neville replied hotly.
The
man Rotiart sighed, and Neville started to walk away.
Before he
could get too far though, Neville heard the man speak again.
"What's wrong?"
Neville didn't turn around but answered, "Nothing."
The man huffed and walked to face him again. Rotiart looked Neville right in the eye.
"There is something wrong, don't you think I can't see it. What is it? Your girlfriend left you? Did you get in a fight? What?"
Neville shook his head and looked to the floor, but Rotiart waited patiently. Neville finally spoke, but it was a low whisper that Rotiart could hardly hear.
"I don't want to do this."
Rotiart gave a puzzled look and asked, "Don't want to do what?"
Neville sighed this time and said in the same tone of voice, "I don't want to be the one to help Mer- uh... him. I'm no good at this, or anything for that matter. Why does it have to be me? I'll mess everything up no matter what.. I always do."
Rotiart shifted his feet when Neville nearly said Merlin's name, but he didn't go anywhere, or throw a curse like he had done in the Toss Room. This time, he put his hand out and steered Neville's chin so that he was looking him in the eyes again. Neville gave a shy, upset look but did not turn away from him.
"Listen to me, kid. You're only as good as you let yourself be. And right now, all you're letting yourself be is ashamed. You're ashamed at yourself but you have no reason to be. Think positive, and be happy. All right?"
Rotiart's strong, mentoring voice made Neville give a small smile and nod lightly.
"Okay."
Rotiart nodded also and said, "Good. Now, do you believe me when I say 'I'm sorry'?" He asked with just a touch of pleading in his voice.
"Yes," Neville said softly.
"Good," Rotiart repeated.
They started walking down a hall, not saying a word. It was the first bit of peace since he'd gone back in time. Before, he'd have way too much free time, alone and bored. But, now, he just couldn't get enough of it.
Neville wanted to thank Rotiart for giving him that and a break from his crazy Merlin-dreams. Though, he thought it would be best if he apologized for hitting him in the arm.
But, when he turned back around, no one was there. And now he could feel himself waking up from the great contentment-filled state of mind.
Neville sighed because he knew exactly who'd be there, yelling at him to wake up.
'Oh well, at least it was nice for a little while,' Neville thought.
-
Lily Evans came walking into the Hospital Wing right after Care of Magical Creatures, and when she got there, she found Neville sleeping with a slight smile on his face.
Lily sat softly down at his bedside and watched him for a few moments. Then, she very gently shook him to wake up.
"Neville," Lily said softly.
The smile faded off his face immediately and he gave a sigh. He muttered, "At least she was gone for a little while."
Lily withdrew her hand from shaking him and frowned. Was she really bothering him? Unsure, she dared to shake him again. This time though, pushed her hand away and muttered, "Go away, you stupid girl."
That was something he'd never said, and although Neville wasn't aware he'd said it, or wanted to for that matter, she took it seriously.
She got up quickly and walked out of the Wing, a look of total hurt on her face.
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A/N#2: I know you've been given a lot of info and questions so far in my story, but soon, someone will get mad (in the story) and demand answers. Can you guess who? cough-Snape-cough. That should be fun. And, if there is something you aren't understanding in the story, let me know please.
Also, there will be some action in the story soon, and by the time Neville get's back to the presant, Harry won't be the only one who hates the word "freak". I haven't forgotten about Bella either...
