Chapter 8

Learning from the Best

Neville and a fifth year girl named Amber Isaacson made the Gryffindor team. Neville glowed with pride when Harry announced to the entire Gryffindor common room who he had chosen to be the new Chasers. The entire room filled with cheers as Neville had been hoisted onto Seamus and Dean's shoulders. Someone had apparently snuck down to the kitchens upon hearing about his spectacular performance. People offered Neville butterbeer as well as every single torte and chocolate candy imaginable. Harry grinned once more upon seeing Neville Longbottom in the middle of the attention as he chose a seat to the side of all the commotion. Soon Hermione and Ron joined him.

"Wow, that was some performance," Ron said, taking a long drink from his butterbeer. "Who knew Neville Longbottom had it in him?"

Harry remained silent, well aware that Hermione was looking at him intently. "Does this have something to do with his family, this achievement today?" she asked Harry quietly. Ron stopped his bottle as it was halfway towards his mouth as he listened.

"Yes," Harry replied. "He talked with me about it earlier this week."

"What about his family?" Ron asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Harry said. He didn't think something like what Neville had revealed to him would be good to tell anyone just yet, not even Hermione and Ron. They understood and remained silent.

"I still can't believe Neville did that," Ron said in awe. "And I always thought he would be doomed to his clumsiness all his life." Before taking another draught from his bottle, he couldn't help himself from saying, "Neville Longbottom, a standout Chaser for Gryffindor…" Harry grinned. Exactly what he was thinking.

At the end of Harry's next Auror session with Moody, the professor had a discussion with him. "You're doing well, Potter, very well indeed," he growled. "I've set up an appointment with Dumbledore and Longbottom tomorrow evening so you can hear what it's like to be attacked by Voldemort and his supporters." How did Moody found out about that? Harry thought. Hermione and Ron weren't seen by anyone.

"But, Professor I already know sort of what it's like," Harry retaliated. "I don't want Neville to have to tell me what happened if he doesn't want to."

"You've made narrow escapes. Longbottom almost didn't escape. Besides, he evidently came to Dumbledore just a couple days ago and said that he thought you might want to hear about it."

Stunned, Harry asked, "Why?"

"He knows you're training to become an Auror. He knows the prophecy. He knows what it's like to grow up without parents." Harry hadn't thought of that. "Plus this summer when our Auror guard was watching Neville, we saw him practicing tons of spells to deflect the Dark Arts extremely diligently after his seventeenth birthday."

"The D.A.," Harry said, proud of what he had started.

"Exactly. Longbottom remembers those spells you taught him, and he will definitely be an asset to our cause against Voldemort." Moody walked across his office and stared into his Foe Glass. Taking a deep breath, he turned around again to look at Harry. "Frank and Alice Longbottom were right up there in the top tier in the original Order of the Phoenix. They became friends with your parents especially after they all completed their training to become Aurors, and together the Potters and the Longbottoms were our greatest weapon. Unfortunately, Voldemort's Death Eaters as well as himself forced both couples into hiding: the Potters with their young son Harry and the Longbottoms with their young son Neville."

"Neville's parents were in hiding too?"

"Yes. Don't know how Voldemort found where they were, but he did and he tortured them until it caused permanent brain damage. He would have eventually killed them if I hadn't stepped in at the right moment." Harry could see a flood of emotion crossing Moody's face. He couldn't help but to feel sorry for the scarred Auror. "So tomorrow night then, Potter. 8:30 or so in Dumbledore's office?"

"Yeah. Sounds great." With that he left the room, feeling a bit sick to his stomach. He never really considered Neville's situation much until just then. Of course, he had seen a picture of his classmate's parents in their youth, and he had seen them in person as well in St. Mungo's only a year and a half ago, but it didn't really sink in what happened to them until Moody explained it a bit. Truthfully Harry did not want to go to hear Neville's story the next day. He knew it would dig up old memories for Neville of his parents and it would only remind him that they were permanently unable to do anything by themselves and would spend the rest of their life in St. Mungo's. Harry didn't feel at all special for surviving Voldemort's curse and losing his parents. He couldn't even remember them while Neville had to face the fact that Voldemort and his Death Eaters had ruined his life every day. Not feeling remotely better about himself, Harry found himself wandering in the direction of the library instead of towards the common room. He almost ran headlong into Luna Lovegood.

"Oh, hello Harry," she said wistfully. "Out for a nighttime stroll?"

"No, just getting back from an Auror session."

"Oh, I see." Harry realized her overly magnified eyes didn't even seem odd to him anymore. "You look distressed," she added.

"Maybe a bit…" Harry found himself explaining everything to Luna: including his opinions of Neville's situation. "…I mean I'm nothing special. I only survived that curse because my mum died to save me."

Luna listened intently as they wandered through the emptying corridors. She nodded understandingly. "You must remember, Harry, that the fact that you didn't die of that curse just because of your mother died out of love doesn't make you a helpless wizard. Take the D.A. for example. Look what you started just by teaching a few of us how to defend ourselves. Now it seems like practically half the school is trying to learn those charms and curses. You're bright, intelligent, strong, and determined. That should count for something."

Harry felt like a load had been taken off his shoulders. "Thanks, Luna," he said as she turned to walk through a door in order to get to the Ravenclaw common room.

"Anytime." She waved him off and proceeded through the door.