Author's Note: I do not own Harry Potter

Harry stood with some trepidation. The last time England had come this far in the World Cup was over 20 years ago, that year's team making it all the way to the Quarter Finals before being knocked out by a superior Welsh team.

This time, however, it was England versus Portugal, and Harry was waiting in the wings with the other six players as the nerves flooded over them.

All were silent as they contemplated the coming match, not least Harry Potter.

Sitting in the top box were Minerva McGonagall and Filius Flitwick, both refusing to stay away from their (favourite) student's important match. Back at home, the Great Hall was silent as the commentators began their spiels. Each student and Professor were sitting in the room waiting with bated breath as the names were starting to be announced for both teams.

The Portuguese players had taken to the sky already, forming up to their starting positions as they rubbed their hands together to keep warm in the arctic conditions of Northern Finland.

The line-up had been finalised now for the English side – training upon training, as well as a removal of certain people from the board of governors, had allowed for a side that refused the sporting corruption that appeared to have plagued the National side for so long.

A younger, more athletic team had filled the ranks of the English side. Untapped potential had erupted into the game, and Harry was at the centre of it all."

"Introducing, Norwich Dalley!" He was a little snooty, from old money apparently, but his skill as a Keeper was obvious to all. The oldest player on the team, he had a sense of superiority over Harry that reminded him of the Malfoy's of the world. Wood did nothing but sing his praises as his first-team player for Puddlemere, but Harry did not like the man all too much.

"Helene Vizsor!" A one-eyed, cheerful woman who reminded Harry a lot of the Weasley twins in her outlook and behaviour. Apparently, she had lost her eye in a drunken broom-jousting event a couple years back. At least that was according to the rumours. When Harry, being who he was, asked to a shocked audience how she came to lose her sight, she simply guffawed and said the rumours have more truth in them than some people realise.

"Leila Strauss!" A Viking of a woman. Blond, muscled, and always with hard eyes. Allegedly thrown off the Harpies for who knows what reason. Quiet and contemplative but seemed to have taken to Harry with silent approval. Though she said barely a word to anyone on the team, she seemed to enjoy Harry's company for the times they would end up in the same place. Harry had been shaking slightly when he told Fay and Neville of the first conversation the two had ever had. She was sharp with voice and deep with tone, but Harry had seen her smile when she had stood in rain, an injured, tiny bird in her hands being held so tenderly.

"Cole Drakon!" A boisterous, pudgy man who was more like to enjoy his mead and firewhiskey it seemed, than to be on the back of a broom. Yet as slow as he was on his Firebolt compared to the rest of the team, no one could doubt his throwing arm, nor his tackling ability. In a way, he reminded Harry of Neville, only with a lot more confident than his shy friend.

"Gordon Blue!" A bully. Harry knew bullies, and the swagger and arrogance of the Beater was definitely that of someone who took joy in the misery of others. More akin to a lithe Snape than to anyone else, Harry had discussed his attitude with both Tracey and Katie. Both had had the same reactions, and both told him to keep his distance when possible. Though Harry could remember when the bully bit off more than he could chew one training session, throwing heaps of abuse his way, only to forcefully meet the ground hard when Leila came up behind him with a rage Harry had rarely witnessed.

"Dominic Skarrow!" An unknown. He kept to himself and liked to hit fast moving balls with a wooden bat. Harry was unnerved by the enigmatic man who had spent his educational years at Durmstrang; there were rumours abound that the man was addicted to Dark Magic use, but Harry was unsure that the mill was correct about this one.

"Aaaaaaaaand Harry Potter!"

He could not hear the erupting cheers echoing throughout the halls of Hogwarts, but a part of him knew that would be the case. Cedric Diggory had forgone the Hufflepuff table for the day, deciding to take a seat with the Gryffindors. Harry was his friend, and he wished to sit with the Circle who knew him best.

The Gryffs were bedecked in red and white of the national colours. Even those who were not English had decided to show house unity towards the enigma that was Harry Potter. The Circle were the most vocal of all – it was only one person they truly wished to be there for and everything else was just a sideshow.

Tracey Davis wore across her shoulders an England scarf, the number 7 embroidered at the edges, just below the name 'Potter'. She did not care for the dirty looks some of the more diehard Snakes were sending her, not those of her head of house. Harry was her friend, though she would never say so to anyone but him, and she wished to show her support. A part of her wanted to shock them all by going over to what seemed to be a veritable party at the Lion's table but thought better of it.

All in the Hall were listening to the play-by-play, and most cheered when a goal was scored, booed when a player was tackled, or shouting when a penalty was given.

The room shook with delight, 3 hours and 55 minutes into the match, the commentator shouted for the country to hear, "Potter Catches the Snitch! This Match is Over!"

Lupin, Flitwick, and Dumbledore would meet later that evening, sharing drinks between them as their most prevalent topic arose in the comfort of the Headmaster's office.

Remus always enjoyed his time up here and not just for the company. Fawkes the Phoenix always set his mind at ease at the beast was soothed by his gentle trills.

"And once again, Harry has shown us all who he can truly become."

Remus nodded his assent at the Headmaster's words, finding agreement in them. "I know for a fact that James would be shouting to the hills right about now if he knew his son was an International superstar." He snorted amusedly into his glass as he sipped on his drink. "Lily I have no idea how she would react."

Filius gave an impish giggle at the thought of his old student. "Probably torn between immense pride and a sense of attempting to keep him locked under house and key. She always was a protective one was our Lily."

"I see her in Harry more and more every time I meet with him," Lupin wondered aloud. His face grew pensive as he gave a side glance to Dumbledore.

"A burning question can burn more than silence my dear boy," he said. "Come now, Remus. A problem shared is a problem halved as the Muggles are fond of saying."

Remus downed his drink, pouring from the bottle more into his now empty glass. "Harry has said something to me. Something I don't think he meant to say out loud but said nonetheless."

"Ah," the other two said simultaneously.

Albus gestured to Flitwick, who shook his head and busied himself with his own drink.

"Well," Dumbledore decided to speak, "I believe you may be referring to the disdain he feels towards his parents." He paused to gather his thoughts. "Well, maybe not quite his parents, but more adults in general. There is good reason I suppose, but I am aware that he is torn between respecting and loving his mother and father, and wishing to spit on their names, as it were."

"I do understand, or, well, I'm trying to. James was my friend and he loved Harry with everything he had. And don't get me started on Lily."

"How powerful do you think Harry is, my boy?"

Lupin blinked dumbly at the question. "Er, very? I'm sorry, Professor, what does this have to do with what I'm asking?"

"He's an exceptionally powerful Wizard, even at his young age."

Flitwick nodded along to his boss' words and decided to chime in with his own. "Magic is almost like a second skin to him. Sometimes there are prodigies who just understand what the requirements for it all needs. Will. Power. And a little bit of that Chaos of Magic. He has the natural Power of the Magic within his body. He definitely has the Will. And that Chaos…"

"He has come so close to death, Remus. More than once."

"Sir?" He did not like where this was going. There may not be much sleep that night if this goes the way he foresees it. 'I have no excuse for not getting involved with his life. None at all except for my own self-pity and misery.'

"The Chaos Factor is something that no one can see coming. It is unique in each person in a way that not even the best and brightest of us can interpret without it being dangled before us." Albus Dumbledore looked his age as he continued his own drinking, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders and indeed looking it. "Voldemort when he was but an infant. Striking him with a Curse so terrible it is known as 'The Killing Curse'. That must leave a mark, and not just with a scar. Then, what occurred in his first and second years, to take a life and exist in that horror… and the Dementor. Tell me, Remus. Do you know what his wand core is?" Albus took a hearty swig of his now refilled drink as Remus Lupin shook his head. "A Thestral tail hair. Thestrals are known as the physical representatives of accepted death. Creatures who are so pure, but so misunderstood. But so close to the other side. Harry's wand is that Chaos, and an example."

"But what does this have to do with James and Lily?"

"How many times can one come close to that door to death and not wonder what's on the other side? No, I have a theory as to his confusion. He does not know them. He cannot know them. All he sees and experiences are the events that occur around him, and he wonders at the stupidity of all. He wonders how, if he can use such skill in magic, his parents were unable to survive. And now he wonders how he can still live when being so close to death's realm. At least, this is how I understand it."

"But," Filius interjected, "In a way, he responds to life and all its joys even more. Have you not noticed? His wants and actions are beginning to align. He sees life for what it should be, and now he is coming into his own, he is living it to its fullest as he possibly can. Harry Potter is the duality of life."

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111

Harry did not know the boys. He had possibly spotted them about the castle in his day to day, but he could picture neither their names nor their faces.

All five were bigger than him (not that that was difficult) and definitely older than him. Their robes were laid with green and silver denoting their house allegiances, and their faces were twisted into some kind of brutish horror that had Harry's skin crawling.

He was on the floor, now placed in a sitting position after they had barged passed him, knocking him to the ground in a rush to get to wherever it was they were heading.

"Sorry, Potter!" one shouted, snickering from the others following. It appeared as though they may not have been as apologetic as the excuse gave.

Neville was the first to get to him, just coming out of the dungeon stairway and onto the ground floor from their Potions lesson. "C'mon, Harry, up you get," he uttered quietly.

"Cheers, Nev." Harry bit back a small smile, already seeing the Slytherins of his own year coming out of the Dungeon Corridor, smirks on most of their faces. "Maybe we should get going."

"A perfect place for you, Potter. On your knees before your betters!" It was Nott who sparked the flames. Laughs followed him as the Snakes' pace slowed, following both Harry and Neville at a leisurely rate. "Aw, not going to answer me? A pity really."

"Hah!" Malfoy was always there waiting for his opportunity. "Two Blood Traitors walking astride. Makes sense really. I bet they share stories and cry about their parents! I suppose they have at least that in common."

Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass snorted as they practically hung off of Malfoy's and Nott's arms, releasing evil little giggles at the words. Harry half turned to his friend, having to move his small legs twice as fast to keep up with the almost running Longbottom. Any words from the Slytherins were drowned out in the noise of the students and air as they moved through door after door in a chase only they were a part of.

"Nev, slow down! I can't keep up!"

"Leave me alone, Harry!" he shouted back, worrying the last Potter as his friend had never shouted at him like this before.

Harry glanced behind him, the Snakes were long out of view now, but echoes in his mind shone with the individual words that seemed to cause pain in Neville as they were being shouted.

"Lard!"

"Parents!"

"Waste"

"Bell-"

"Strange!"

The last two appeared to set him off worse than anything, and it was minutes into the foot chase that Harry was forced to give up, when Neville was near sprinting in a haphazard way, no sense of direction in his feet. Harry thought that he was near the Ravenclaw Tower but with the way the two ran it would have been impossible to recognise exactly how they got there.

"Nev," he whispered to himself, concern rolling off him for his wayward friend.

Later that evening, after Harry had searched all throughout the castle for him, he wound up seated on an armchair in the Gryffindor Common Room with his knees up to his chest, staring directly into the burning fireplace. Katie and Alicia were sat on the long sofa, each nursing a hot chocolate as they talked about what happened.

"I don't understand it, one moment he was helping me up, the next he was running away." Harry seemed lost and unsure of himself as he spoke. Neville was a frequent target of the bullies in the school, but this reaction was new.

"Hmm, maybe it was something they said that set him off," Katie mused. She blew on the drink in her hands and took a thoughtful sip, seating herself right into the back of the comfy chair. "What exactly did they say to him?"

"I can't remember everything. I think they called him strange? That might have been it, but we were too far away by then."

"Are you sure it was strange they said?" came a voice from behind them. The three of them turned their necks to see who it was that spoke. An older boy, whose name Harry was unsure of, was the one who had piped up. "Are you sure it wasn't Lestrange?"

"It… could have been?" Harry said.

"Ah, then that would explain why Longbottom ran off. Wouldn't blame him to be honest." The boy shrugged as his tone was uncaring.

Harry perked up, now kneeling on the chair facing directly at him. "How come? Can you tell us why?"

"It's not really my place. He's your friend, it should be him that should be doing that, not me."

Harry, Alicia, and Katie exchanged a look between them, and collectively removed themselves from their positions and headed to the portrait hole as one. Harry said a polite thank you to the boy as they other two exited, before following them out into the castle at large.

They started their search in all the likely places that Neville would go to. First with the Greenhouses, then to the kitchens and everywhere in between.

"He can't have gone far," Alicia said, panting lightly. It was getting too close to curfew. They needed to find him quickly.

"He's got to be somewhere," Katie muttered. "He can't just have walked out of into thin air. Think. He wouldn't have left the castle- he's petrified of the Dementors and Sirius Black, so he wouldn't go out there on his own. So where could he be?"

"Sprout?" Harry questioned. "Or maybe Professor Lupin can help. We haven't tried a teacher yet. I bet one of them will help us."

They went to Sprout's quarters first, and she could only shake her head at her lack of knowledge on the subject. "I'm sorry you three." She performed a quick Tempus to see the time. "It's beyond curfew now, but I suppose this is an exceptional case. Come with me, we'll go see Remus. Neville appears to enjoy his company as much as your own, Mr Potter, so it stands to reason that he may be able to assist us in this matter. At least with me you will not be unduly punished for being out of bed this late. Can't have England's star Seeker get a detention before match day now, can we?"

They followed their Professor through the castle, thanking whoever was listening that she had decided to tag along as they ran into Argus Filch halfway to their destination.

"Remus are you in here?" she knocked on the door lightly. "I'm looking for Neville, we were hoping you had seen him."

The door opened to show a bedraggled Remus Lupin. "Ah, perfect timing you lot, come on in, he's just inside."

The four walked in slowly to an unblinking Neville, staring directly in front of him. Tear tracks littered his cheeks, his eyes were red and puffy, and his clothes were ruffled.

"Nev," Harry stepped forward carefully. "Nev? Are you okay?" 'Stupid, of course he isn't.' His breath hitched as he put one foot in front of the other at steady intervals.

"Harry?" his voice was hoarse. It held a scratchiness to it as it crackled through his puberty-laced squeak. "I didn't mean to worry you."

"It's okay, Neville. Remember what we talked about." Lupin jumped in quickly, a cooling presence that appeared to assist the boy in calming down. "Just breathe in and out. Regular intervals. You are not at fault."

Harry knew those words. Though the person saying them to his friends was not the one to say it to him, it seemed all to eerily familiar when he listened.

He walked so he stood next to his friend, Alicia and Katie trailing behind. Sprout was next to Lupin as the door closed behind her.

"It all started with Bellatrix Lestrange and her husband," Neville began. The others took conjured seats facing him, close enough to reach their friend if they needed him. To Harry, he saw in Neville a reflection that he had many a time. "I was really young, one, I think, when they came to our house. Four of them." He paused. It was heavy, thickening the air around them. "It was right after You-Know-Who went missing and they came to our house. Mine. My mum's. My dad's."

"Nev," Harry whispered. He did not know this story. The two adults shared sombre looks, but he felt at such a loss. He did not like where this story was seeming to end up.

"I don't remember it 'cos I was so young, but sometimes it's like I can remember their screams…"

Harry visibly flinched. 'What words could I say to him? How can I possibly respond?' He reached over to Neville's arm with a trembling hand. Lightly he touched him, bringing a startled Neville Longbottom to look into Harry's moist green eyes. "I'm here. You don't have to keep going if you don't want to."

There must have been something in him that Neville took pause at, but he took a deep, rattling breath and carried on.

"They used the torture curse on them. Four Death Eaters, His servants, barged right into our home. Gran never told me why they did it, 'Insane' she called them… I guess they are." He glanced across the room, taking in his audience as they stared at him, pity in their eyes. Except Harry. His were of understanding. Not of pity, but of empathy. Harry understood him so much more than anyone else could and he was going to show his friend that no matter what he was going to be there for him. "They got caught, one of them died, apparently, but the other three. They're still locked in Azkaban. It hurt when Malfoy said those things. Those words. He's her nephew, did you know? His mum is her sister, so I bet he knows everything."

Harry did not know that, but that at this moment was inconsequential. Malfoy was nothing to him right then. Only his friend was. Only Nev.

"My mum and dad… they're in St. Mungo's. It's the wizarding hospital. They're stuck there. They lost their minds with what happened to them…and…and…"

Harry got there before the girls. His arms came around the shoulder of his best friend as he shook and wept and cried and cried and cried until his voice was gone and the tears had dried up.

And Harry was there for him as the boy slept and regained his look of innocence.

Harry was there for him until the morning sun rose up in to red dawn sky and it was only them two left.

And Harry did not weep.

Harry only cared.

Author's Notes

So you may be wondering why I've given the strange exposition for the Quidditch team and how Harry has come to know them. It's just a way for me to show that Harry's mental state has changed so much so that he is able to get to know these people. People who he hasn't had a few years of getting to know slowly. Harry is maturing and getting better. He is becoming someone who is very different to when he walked through the doors of Hogwarts for the first time.

Also I know people enjoy the Quidditch aspect of this story so thought Id give a bit more to those who wanted it.

Next Chapter: A Sirius Problem