Chapter Three – A Birthday Treat

"I'm home, Gran!" Neville yelled as he picked himself off of the ground after flooing from St. Mungo's. He looked into the dining room and was pleased to see a small pile of presents on the dining room table. So far, Neville was very happy with his birthday. The visit with his parents had been wonderful, he would have a nice meal with his grandmother tonight and he was going to spend all of tomorrow with Luna. It couldn't get much better than that.

He heard a snap and quickly turned his head to look into his grandmother's owl cage. Her owl was still out on a delivery. But Neville was slightly shocked to see Hedwig, Harry Potter's owl, taking a drink from the water bowl.

"Hi, Hedwig," Neville said tentatively. There was no letter attached to her leg. "Gran? Did the owl come with a letter?"

"It's on the dining room table," Neville's grandmother yelled from the kitchen. Neville took a deep breath. He could smell the Chicken Pot Pie, his favorite meal that his grandmother made. It smelled delicious.

Curious, Neville walked over to the table and picked the rolled-up parchment from the table. He scanned it quickly.

Dear Neville,

It feels a bit strange to be writing to you in the middle of summer. I know we've only really talked during school before, but I guess I just wanted to say Happy Birthday, especially after everything we went through last year. I hope you had a great time in Africa, and I'll see you September First.

Harry

Neville read the letter three times before folding it up and placing it into his pocket, next to the napkin his mother had given him. Already the events of last year were fading from his memories. Neville sighed, thinking again of the night of his parent's torture, where a memory charm had backfired, causing Neville's memory problems.

But then Neville sat himself down and made him think about the things Harry was talking about. If he thought hard enough, he could remember everything. The worst part was learning that he could have so easily been 'the one.' But then there were the good memories, such as realizing Harry had started to accept him as a friend.

He ran to the desk in the living room and found a blank piece of parchment to write back to Harry. Neville sucked on the tip of the quill while he debated what to write.

Hi Harry,

Thanks for the birthday wish. It's been good so far, and I hope you have a good one, too. Africa was amazing, I'll tell you about it at school. Hope the muggles are being nice to you. I'll see you on the Hogwarts Express. Happy Birthday.

Neville

He debated whether or not to add something about that it was nice to hear from him outside of school when his grandmother instructed, "Neville, dear, set the table."

Neville stood up and went into the kitchen. His grandmother was humming a song she used to sing to him when he was a small child. Then a thought hit him. A grin spread across his face as he took out his wand and pointed it towards the silverware drawer.

"What in Merlin's name are you doing, Neville?" his grandmother asked impatiently.

"Doing magic," Neville said innocently.

"Put the wand away, boy. You know you'll get in trouble," his grandmother ordered.

"I'm of age now, Gran. I can do whatever magic I like," Neville said happily. He said an incantation and the silverware drawer opened and the requested utensils appeared. Neville concentrated as hard as he could and levitated the silverware over to the dining room table. With one more flick of his wrist, the silverware set itself. Neville had been bored to tears, along with the rest of his class, last year when they learned household charms. But now he was beginning to see how they could be quiet useful.

The dinner his grandmother made was excellent. Then he was allowed to open up his presents. Uncle Algie had sent a watering can that never needed to be re-filled. Neville was worried about her grandmother's brother. He signed the card from Uncle Algie and Aunt Enid, even though Aunt Enid passed away three years ago.

His grandmother bought him some new clothes, along with the latest Martin Miggs, the Mad Muggle comic. Then his grandmother brought out one last present.

"I'm sure third time is a charm," she started, and Neville groaned inwardly. He knew exactly what it was.

Neville opened up the small box, and sure enough, a Remembrall was resting among the tissue paper. Though this one looked older.

"Neville, I know just looking at your grades and the way you carry yourself…" his grandmother trailed off.

"What, Gran?" Neville asked.

"I can see you've finally gained some confidence, Neville. And it does my heart good to see it," his grandmother told him. Neville looked at his grandmother in surprise. She was never was sentimental like this. But then Neville realized that this was probably his father's Remembrall at one time. And here would come the speech to take better care of it than you did Frank's wand.

"Thanks, Gran," Neville said quietly, waiting for the rest of his grandmother's speech.

"This was your mother's Remembrall," his grandmother continued. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind sharing it with you."

Neville looked up quickly. His grandmother had never given him anything of his mother's before. Neville took the Remembrall out of the box and let it rest in his hand.

His mother had used this very Remembrall once. Neville tried to find the right words of gratitude to thank his grandmother, but he couldn't find the words. He simply looked up and smiled.

Neville's grandmother smiled and started clearing the table. Neville looked at the Remembrall in his hand. It had, of course, started glowing red the moment he had touched it. What in the world could he have forgotten?

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"Where should we go first?" Luna asked excitedly, tugging on Neville's hand. He was pleased to see she was wearing the Turnish earrings he had made her for Valentine's Day.

Neville and Luna were spending the day at Diagon Alley to celebrate Neville's birthday. Luna also said that they were celebrating the year anniversary of when she realized that she had a crush on Neville.

"Are we going to be celebrating every little anniversary?" Neville asked fearfully. He'd never remember all those dates. "Like our first date and first kiss and such?"

Luna shook her head dismissively, causing one of the three braids she had to hit the side of her cheek. "Those aren't as important."

"Our first date isn't important?" Neville asked, confused.

"Of course those are important, Neville Longbottom," Luna said. "But we would never have had a first date if I never realized I had a crush on you. So I ask you, what's more important?"

"Well," Neville shrugged, "If you put it that way…"

"So where are we going first?" Luna asked again.

"I'd like to get my new wand," Neville told her. Luna nodded and led him to Ollivander's. Neville walked in fearfully. He was worried that Mister Ollivander would yell at him for breaking his wand only a year after buying it.

Mister Ollivander was polishing some wands behind the counter. "Back again so soon, Mister Longbottom?" he asked serenely.

"Yes, sir," Neville stammered. "A Jarvey broke it."

"Very odd creatures, those jarveys," Mister Ollivander said with a twinkle in his eye. "But I dare say that there ought to be another wand for you in here somewhere, Mister Longbottom." He scurried into the backroom, emerging several minutes later, holding four long boxes.

"How many wands did you have to try last time?" Luna whispered.

"Just three," Neville said proudly. "But I'm sure that means we'll be here for a while."

"Try this one," Mister Ollivander said, handing his a reddish looking wand. The moment it was placed in his hand, Neville felt a warmth throughout his body. Red and gold sparks emitted from the tip.

"Very first try," Luna said, jumping up and down, clapping her hands.

Neville looked at his new wand in amazement. "I didn't expect that to happen," he said honestly. He looked up and saw that Mister Ollivander was looking at him in a very odd way.

"Cherry and a phoenix feather. Ten inches exactly. I warn you, Mister Longbottom. This is one of the most powerful wands I've made in quite a while," Mister Ollivander said.

"Is that bad?" Neville asked. He was now looking at his wand almost fearfully.

Mister Ollivander shook his head. "I think we can expect great things from you, Mister Longbottom."

"Thank you," Neville said awkwardly. He took out his wallet and quickly paid for the wand. Something in the shop was making him uncomfortable.

The moment Neville and Luna exited the store, Luna threw her arms around his neck. "I told you!" she squealed.

"Told me what?" Neville asked. He stopped and rubbed his forehead. He had gotten another one of those headaches. Maybe it was time to go to a Healer about them.

"That you're powerful," Luna said happily. "And now even your wand agrees with me."

"I guess," Neville said uncertainly. He still was trying to shake off the odd experience that being in the wand shop gave him. He started to mention something to Luna, but she looked so eager to be out, and just so happy, that he kept his mouth shut.

They decided to get some ice cream before they went searching for school supplies. Luna insisted on paying for the ice cream and went up to the counter while Neville found seats. While he waited, Neville saw an old copy of the Daily Prophet and picked it up. He glanced at the front page, and saw a story to point out to Luna.

She brought back a scoop of Butter Almond for him and Sunshine Sherbet for herself. They started eating and Neville pointed out the article.

"Draco Malfoy's finally been released from Azkaban?" Luna asked, sounding surprised.

"He's been in there since January," Neville said. "That's a really long time."

Luna scanned the article. "Look, he's going to testify against his parents and some other Death Eaters."

"That won't make him a popular Slytherin," Neville said. He couldn't quite believe it, but he thought he might be feeling something that could possibly be described as sympathy towards Malfoy. It must have been hard, being in that place for so long.

"Let's think about happier thoughts," Luna said. She only ate half her sherbet. As she waited for Neville to finish, she unbraided her hair and piled it on top of her head, securing it with two colored chopsticks.

When every spoonful of the Butter Almond was gone, the pair headed towards Flourish and Blotts to pick up their school books. Neville felt a sadness he couldn't explain when he realized that this would be his last year of getting school books.

"I'm going to miss you next year when I go to Hogwarts without you," Luna said, obviously thinking exactly what Neville was.

Neville smiled. "Well, I'll see you at Christmas, and we can write each other lots of owls…"

"Lots of owls."

"A ridiculous amount of owls."

"So many owls that they'll tell us to stop writing so many owls."

"Poor owls."

"But," Luna said brightly. "That is something to think about another day. I still have one year left with you by my side."

"Unless I fail."

"You won't fail," Luna said dismissively.

"I know I won't," Neville said seriously. And the odd thing was, he knew he wouldn't. Years ago he would say something like that and mean it completely. Now that comment was used as a joke. It was a nice feeling.

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Two little days later, Neville stood in the elevator in the Ministry of Magic and tried to convince himself to get off. "It's just Apparation," he muttered to himself. "It can't kill you." But the problem was, if done incorrectly, Apparation could indeed kill someone.

The elevator doors started to close, forcing Neville to make his decision. Without glancing back, he jumped of the elevator, barely keeping his leg from getting caught in the door. The training room was right outside the elevator, and Neville could see several people already sitting down.

Taking a deep breath, Neville walked inside. Sitting down already was Hannah Abbott, talking to Seamus Finnigan. Mandy Brocklehurst was talking animatedly to Justin Finch-Fletchely. Neville sat down next to Seamus, glad that at least one of his dorm mates was in this session with him. Seamus said that this was the reject class. That so many students signed up that they had to add an extra class, this one.

Within the next few minutes, much to Neville's dismay, Crabbe and Goyle walked in. Luckily, they seemed to be without Theodore Nott. Neville had learned that they weren't nearly as menacing if they didn't have someone to tell them what to do.

An older looking man with a shock of white hair came into the classroom. "I am Nathan Quirke," he said warmly. Just then, the door opened and a rushed Padma Patil came running in, apologizing as she sat down.

"Together we are going to study Apparation," Mister Quirke told the class. "I like to have a good time just as much as anyone else, but it is absolutely imperative, for your own safety, that you concentrate and not goof-off while you are in this room."

Neville gulped. Already, he was feeling quite nervous. "Many first timers believe that it's a complex spell that enables Apparation," Mister Quirke said. Neville looked around and saw Mandy and Seamus nodding.

"That is absolutely not the case. It is not a spell at all. It requires the witch or wizard to mentally take themselves to another place. You'll become a light switch. Off is the location you're in and you just have to flip the switch and find yourself in the location you want to be. It's a different form of wandless magic."

Mister Quirke continued talking, and gave them booklets to read before class next week. The teacher made the theory sound so effortless that Neville was ready to try right then and there. But then Mister Quirke told the class that they wouldn't be doing any practical study this week, only learning the theory.

But when the teacher announced that, Neville had just stumbled over a list in the booklet describing every single solitary thing that could go wrong while apparating, Neville was more than happy to wait another week.