Just Old Friends

Chapter 13: Neville

The morning hours soon flew by and Harry found that he fitted in rather well. He looked through some of the old case files, learning the ways of the Auror profession. But he found more than anything that he enjoyed being there.

He had caused a bit of a stir, but he had been expecting that. He hadn't spoken much to Remus but that would come over lunch but he had spoke to Dean Thomas who was also training up, then there were new people he was meeting.

First had been Jaclyn Young, a witch who had actually trained under his own father in this very department all those years back. Harry found that she had a few good stories of his father and Sirius when it came to them trying to help the newer Aurors.

The second had been a man who had actually trained his father by the name of Charles Tillbrook, and Harry had enjoyed talking to him. It was strange knowing that only twenty years ago his own father had stood in this building working with these people; and yet it felt like a lifetime ago, at least fifty years.

The place was filled with witches and wizards alike, of all different ages, and yet together they were a good team and Harry felt like this was where he belonged. So he had skipped the training almost completely and gone straight in at the deep end, but reading through the Auror books at home he already knew most of it.

"You ready to go to lunch mate?"

Harry looked up at Ron as he pulled his cloak on over his robes. Harry knew that he himself was underdressed and should have been in robes but he hadn't realised he'd be in work and felt more comfortable lounging around in Muggle clothes.

"Nearly. I tell you what, go on ahead and I'll meet you down there in a few."

Knowing that Ron would do anything for food he watched him run towards the lifts. Harry wanted to join him for lunch but he needed to see Neville, to speak to him and since it was unlikely he would see him in the pub now would have to do.

Looking around he found Charles standing over in the corner talking to a witch he knew to be named Tiffany.

"Charles, do you know what floor the Experimental Department is on?"

"Second floor, down the corridor all the way door on the left."

"Thanks."

Harry moved over to the lift and heard it clunking its way up to their level. Climbing in he waited to reach the second floor. When the cage door opened he noticed a few memos fly in as he left.

It was gloomy down here. There were torches on the wall giving it a creepy feel but he continued down the corridor until he reached the end. Looking on the left there was a sign that named the department and he opened the door.

It was a large room that reminded Harry of the way the science labs had looked in the local comprehensive in the muggle world. There were a few people around and it looked rather empty well except for all the plants everywhere.

Harry noticed a woman over in one of the corners she had long black hair and very pale skin, she looked almost vampire like, a bit further down was a man that looked like the muggle Einstein with hair flying all over the place.

There were no other's in the room except for Harry himself, however he noted that there were small offices off to the sides, he made out five office doors. Walking forward the girl turned to look at him.

"What do you want?"

"I'm looking for Neville, Neville Longbottom. I'm an old friend."

She pointed towards a door that stood ajar and he moved towards it. Knocking once he opened it and tried not to gape at what he saw. Neville was sitting in a wheelchair but he had been expecting that. It was the rest of the change.

His hair was short, very short in fact it looked like he had recently shaved it all off and it was only now growing back through. Just above his right eye was a small scar that shaped in the style of a semi-circle.

He didn't look as if he was happy within himself and Harry had to remember that this wasn't Neville, as he knew him. That this man wasn't in love with Ginny and not getting married to her; that in fact his entire life had changed.

Grey eyes looked up meeting green and a small snarl, or maybe a smile crossed the man's face.

"Long time no see, Potter."

"Yeah, you'd think I didn't keep my address book up to date."

To Harry's relief Neville laughed at this as he indicated towards a seat.

"So how are you then Harry? Getting into trouble yet?"

"How do you think, confused about everything."

"Heard you're an Auror though."

Harry nodded.

"Yeah, don't know what happened there."

"Well at least they wanted you, they have this thing were they demand you have at least one leg so that's me out."

Harry looked at the floor not wanting to reply but Neville didn't seem to care.

"Oh come on Harry, I'm use to it and it's not to bad, good excuse not to have to do some things. Plus, I love working here."

"What do you do here?"

Neville smiled and pointed at a plant in the corner; it was greyish in colour with small yellow flowers blooming in odd places.

"That's a new breed over there, we haven't named it yet, but it could hold the key to memory restoring. It's my job to run tests, make up potions and find anything useful that we can use it for."

Harry nodded and sat looking around the room. It was filled with plants of all kinds and he was sure he saw a Devil's Snare over in one corner. The silence was intense something that he had learned was becoming common with people he was meeting.

"You didn't come here for this did you Harry?"

"Yes, I wanted to see you, talk to you. I just want to try and learn what happened while I've been well dead to the world is properly the best way to describe it."

"You want to know what happened between me and Ginny don't you?"

"Well, if you want to tell me!"

"Not really but... It just didn't work out. The war changed us all and the thought of her having to be with me like this was too much. I couldn't put her through it, not for the world. So I decided never to tell her about the engagement ring and let her live her own life."

"And how'd she feel about all that?"

"She cried for a while, but she's okay now. Says she never wants to fall in love again though, doesn't want to cause the poor bloke heartbreak. She lost a lot more than me during the war with her own injuries."

"What happened to her, Hermione told me something happened but wouldn't tell me what."

"It's not for us to say, if Ginny wants you to know then you'll know."

Harry nodded this seemed to be a common answer and he supposed it was fair enough he wouldn't want people gossiping about his problems although they were, he'd already seen numbers of articles in the Prophet.

"Hey Nev, I heard about you and a girl named, oh what was it?"

"April!"

"Yeah, so come on then, you have to fill me in on that one."

Neville smiled truly for the first time that Harry had seen in years. His smile lit up in the way it use to when Ginny was around him, but this time it was for another woman.

"Well she's a trainee Healer. I met her when I went to visit my parents she works on that ward, or she was at the time anyway. We got talking and then she managed to break through my defences managed to get at my heart something I had been blocking people out of."

"So you love her then."

"Yes, not the same way I love Ginny. Ginny will always be with me in my heart will always have a part of me because she was my first love, the woman whom I thought I was meant to be with, you know like you and Luna."

Harry nodded, it was weird this, he was the same as he had always been with Harry and yet he had been warned that Neville was the most changed, the one who barely spoke a word to anybody.

"Nev, can I ask you something?"

"Just did, but go ahead."

"How come you can talk so freely with me and not the others."

Neville's eyes glazed slightly for a moment as he began to consider the reasoning and then he smiled.

"You've lost as much as I have Harry. I lost everything in the war just like you did. You don't know what's happened since and you deserve to. I think I just feel drawn to speak to you. After all we've always had pain in common."

That was true, both had a lot in common Neville was a day older than Harry, their parents had been friends. They had both lost their family because of Voldemort, Harry's by the man himself and Neville's parents well they were tortured to insanity by his followers.

It was true that they had suffered a lot and then they had both lost the women they loved because of the war.

Harry looked at his watch his lunch break was almost over he'd have to be back within five minutes. He stood and put his hand out to Neville.

"It's been good Nev, but I have to get back to work."

Neville took his hand shook it and smiled at his old friend.

"Yeah we'll have to do this again soon."

"Come out tonight, look I'm being dragged to the Three Broomsticks because I can't go home there's a baby shower going on, come with us."

Neville looked as if he was trying to get out of it and then just shook his head.

"Fine, what time?"

"Straight after work, we'll meet you in the atrium at five."

"See then Har."

Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing, I love hearing from you all.

Elmire don't worry about your English its great, I love the fact that there are so many nationalities on here and it always surprises me how well most people's English is. I'm Welsh so I'm British and my English can be horrible sometimes.

Maiden-of-hope Thank you so much, I actually only started this story because my friend Lisa asked me to write a Ginny/Harry one since I don't normally go for this pairing, and I'm really enjoying the back story at the moment. Looking at everything that has happened before we even met Ginny. Thank you so much you made me blush with your comment.

Emma-Lizzy-Black I'm guessing you're enjoying this story, thank you for your review.

AnniePADFOOT hello there mate! Yeah I'm glad your reviews are working again but I'm not getting any author alerts now, yes Ron late for work its something I can see him doing you know and then just saying something like his foot got stuck in a lift or something.

chica91 I'm enjoying Harry meeting everyone again its really fun to write I have a great Snape chapter next one with like Annie said drunkenness which will be great. As for your question I hope this chapter has helped since its based around Mr. Longbottom.

Well thank you everyone and a big thanks to Annie for beta-ing this, you should all check out her new story Blood in my Eye the link is on my author page

Kris