Chapter 69: Neville

Phoenix made it back to the castle in time to see Neville hobbling down the halls. Now dressed in her school robes, she ran to catch up with him, sadly it wasn't hard.

"Hey Neville, what happened?"

Neville gave her an embarrassing look. She looked closer, noticing his legs stuck together, immediately recognizing it as the Leg-Locker Curse. 'I bet I know who did this. Well, at least I think I do. Many people like to pick on him.'

"Here, let me help you to this bench." Neville nodded, allowing her to help. "Now, what happened? Who did this to you?"

Letting out a sigh, Neville told her. After all, she was his fellow Gryffindor. "Malfoy," he said shakily, "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice the curse on."

"Why haven't you gone to Professor McGonagall?" The moment she said that, Phoenix couldn't help but laugh at herself inside. 'I tell Neville to go, and here I didn't go myself. What good advice will that do?'

"I want no more trouble, and if I go to her, Malfoy will find out, and it will get worse."

"Neville, you need to stand up to him. He will continue to walk over you if you don't."

"I know you are trying to say I'm not brave enough to be in the same house as you, to be a Gryffindor. But Malfoy has already done that."

"I didn't say that, Neville. Not everyone starts out as Gryffindors. They eventually evolve."

"You are not even from here and seem more of a Gryffindor than I."

"You forget the hat was taking its precious time sorting me. It didn't take that long for you."

"That is because he didn't know where to put someone pathetic as me."

"No, it's because he saw the Gryffindor in you. You will find it. It may not be until third year, or until seventh, you never know."

"How did you find your Gryffindor?"

Phoenix shrugged her shoulders. "Who says I have? Like you said, I'm not from Europe. I'm from the States. Maybe the hat put me in Gryffindor because I made such a terrifying move, going from a school in the states to a boarding school in a whole other country. It's a scary thing. Or maybe it has nothing to do with that at all. Who knows what the hat is thinking when it puts someone in a house. Think about it, don't you think Hermione should have been in Ravenclaw instead of Gryffindor? But, she faced a troll at Halloween and that showed courage. That hat works in mysterious ways."

'Plus, I fight demons and things that they probably only ever read here and never really see!'

Neville remained quiet, looking down at the floor, and going through every word she said. Phoenix reached inside her pocket and pulled out a chocolate frog Harry gave her. She grabbed Neville's hand and placed the frog in the palm.

"You are worth twelve of Malfoy, and I am happy to call you a friend."

Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog.

"Thanks Phoenix….. would you mind taking this curse off of me?"

Phoenix smiled back and performed the counter curse.

Looking down at the card, Neville asked, "Hey Phoenix, do you want the card? I think I'm going to head off to bed. If you don't, I think Harry collects them." He gave her the card and headed towards the Gryffindor tower.