Chapter 12: Neville Gone Rogue

Neville was surprised how good it felt to be in the Leaky Cauldron. Being back among magical people had a few advantages, even though they were from over one-hundred years in his past. Getting to Wembley was going to be a smaller problem than he had imagined now that he had access to magical means.

Two days passed while Neville sorted things out, but in the end, it was going to be fairly easy. There was a floo network fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron. There was also one in a pub in Wembley a short distance from Kendra's home. All that was necessary for him to do was to time his trip to the Wembley pub so he could hang out until it was time for her to come home from her muggle school.

After lunch, on his third day at the Leaky Cauldron he felt ready to go to Wembley. He stepped into the fireplace holding a fistful of floo powder.

"Pink Unicorn," he said as he threw to powder downward.

He was gone in a flash of green flame. A second later a push of air and soot shot out of the fireplace at the Pink Unicorn. Neville appeared in the fireplace of the Pink Unicorn.

Neville dusted himself off and sat down at a table with a butterbeer to wait until time to find her house. He inquired about the address. It was only a few blocks and couple of turns away from there, He was very pleased.

Just before time to depart, he cleaned himself up as well as possible. There was the distinct chance he might meet her parents. He wanted to make a good impression. Showing up with soot on him was out of the question. Then it was time to go.

He walked out of the Unicorn and down the street. A few blocks down he turned and walked over a couple of blocks to Ealing Road. He turned right and walked until he saw a nice house with an ornate 88 over the door.

"This is it," he told himself. "Be calm."

Neville tried his best to relax as he approached the door, but his nerves were eating at him from inside. He had no idea what was about to occur. He was hoping for the best.

Just as he got to the door, he heard footsteps behind him. He turned to see Kendra running his way.

"Neville," she said, giving him a hug. He was a bit overwhelmed by it. No girl had ever acted that way toward him before. "I have the best news. Wait until you hear it."

Kendra opened the door and they went inside. "Hello, Miss Kendra," said a woman in an apron who was cleaning the room.

"Hello, Millie," said Kendra. "Millie is our maid."

"Hello," said Neville.

"Hello, young master," she replied.

They went through the room into the parlor. Kendra closed the door behind them. She was obviously overflowing with the desire to tell her news to Neville.

"I got another letter and I'm going to Hogwarts," she blurted out. "The people from the school came here yesterday and talked to me and my parents. My parents were scared at first, but now they are excited about it. We can be in school together."

"Wow! That is great," exclaimed Neville.

"My parents are excited to meet you, too. I told them about meeting you at the exhibition."

"They want to meet m-m-me?" said Neville with nervous concern in his voice.

"They want to ask you stuff about the magic, school and to meet you."

"Oh, I guess that is okay."

There was a knock on the door. "Do you want tea and biscuits, Miss Kendra," said Millie.

"Yes, please," replied Kendra.

The door opened and Millie entered with a platter containing two teacups, a teapot, and a plate with several delicious biscuits. She sat them down and poured the tea, first putting two cubes of sugar and some milk in Kendra's cup.

"Cream and sugar?" she asked Neville.

"Yes, uh one sugar and some cream, please.

Millie prepared Neville's cup. "Is there anything else, Miss Kendra?"

"No. Thank you, Millie," said Kendra with a smile as Millie left the room, closing the door on her way out.

Kendra and Neville continued chatting, sipping their tea and eating their biscuits until there was another knock on the door.

"Kendra dear, can we come in?"

"Yes, mom. Don't be silly."

The door opened and in walked a lady who looked like an older version of Kendra in a professional-looking, dark blue and white dress followed by a sober-looking man with brown hair and glasses, wearing a dark blue suit with a big, gold watch chain.

"These are my parents," said Kendra, looking at Neville. "This is Neville. He is the boy I told you about."

"Nice to meet you, Neville," said Kendra's mother.

"Yes, Nice to meet you, young man," said her father. "Kendra has told us a lot about you."

"I am happy to meet you," said Neville, trying not to sound too scared.

He had never met a girl's parents before. He was not certain of how he should act.

They chatted for several minutes about the exhibition and other small talk items. Then the conversation turned to the school and wizardry and witchcraft in general. Neville tried his best to explain life at the school and how much fun it was to be a magical person. They were amused by the story of how his family finally discovered he was magic when his great-uncle dropped him out a window when offered some lemon meringue.

"I bounced like a rubber ball," he said as everyone, including himself, laughed.

Neville and Kendra became close friends over the summer. Her parents took him with them on their holiday to Brighton, and to several other events. The people from Hogwarts did everything to prepare Kendra and her family for her departure to the school. The trip to Diagon Alley for her school supplies was the most fascinating trip of their lives.

As Leaving Day to Hogwarts neared, Neville realized he did not have anything to take with him. He was not even sure they would accept him. He needed to get clothes and supplies.

He went downstairs from his room and entered Diagon Alley. He purchased all of the items necessary for a first-year student, and some general clothing to add to the bit he had already accumulated. He had money. He opted for a nice, barred owl, instead of a toad like he had been given by his grandmother.

The next morning came. He gathered his goods and made it to King's Cross Station. He met the Smiths near the entrance to Platform 9¾. They all entered the platform along with their guides from the school. The porters packed away their property as Kendra said her goodbyes to her parents. She got on the train with Neville, excited, but with tears in her eyes. She waved toher parents and tried to smile through her tears as the train left the station with two lights on behind.

The train ride was full of new and wonderful excitement. Other students were performing magic. They ate new and wonderful treats. Upon arriving, they were met by school personnel who ushered all of the first years onto boats.

Neville and Kendra sat together as she got her first look at the castle, all alight under the clear, starry night. "It's beautiful," she sighed, taking Neville's hand. He was also entranced. Hogwarts had never seemed so wonderful.

Once they arrived at the enormous front doors, they were gathered outside the Great Hall.

"You are about to be sorted into your houses," said a tall, stern-looking witch. "These houses will be your homes while at Hogwarts. Your good deeds earn your house points. Your bad deeds will lose your house points. When we go in, wait for your name to be called. Then you will be sorted into your house."

The first years were all led into the hall and cluster at the front of the room. Four long tables of students looked at them, trying to size them up and guess which of them would be entering their house.

"Azrael Proudfoot," said a pale-faced wizard with a list wearing a dramatic, long, black robe. He had smooth, dark brown hair and steely-blue eyes.

A boy near the front took a tentative step forward and froze, first looking at others, then at the wizard on the stage.

"Step up, son," said the wizard. "We haven't got all night."

Azrael stepped you and the wizard placed a strange hat on his head. The hat started moving and shouted 'Ravenclaw".

A table, presumably full of Ravenclaws, started cheering. Azrael was guided their way as a couple of students jumped up to welcome him.

A few more students were sorted. The came Kendra's turn. She stepped up and the hat was placed on her head. It stalled for a moment, commenting on her being muggle born and full of excitement. "Shall it be Slytherin or Gryffindor? I wonder. Plenty of ambition and courage here. Plenty of honesty, too. But where to go?"

It finally said 'Gryffindor' after a minute. Neville was almost as thrilled as she was as she was welcomed to the Gryffindor table.

The others continued to be sorted one by one. Finally, it came down to just him and another boy. "Percival Dumbledore," said the professor leading the sorting. He walked up and was a;most instantly placed in Gryffindor. The professor then looked at Neville, who started to step up.

"Who are you, lad?" asked the professor. "I have no names left on the list.

"I am Neville Longbottom, sir" he squeezed out, wondering if things were about to fall apart after all of this time.

"I don't see your name on this list. Did you get a letter? Are you sure you are supposed to be here?"

"Yes, sir," said Neville.

The professor looked at the others at the head table. They were all looking at the headmaster. "Longbottom is a well-established name in the wizarding world. We must consult the Book of Admittance", said the headmaster. "Maybe something is amiss."

Neville looked at Kendra, who was staring back at him. What was going on was on both of their minds. How could Neville not be welcomed here after all they had been through? He was obviously a magical person. What was the problem?

Several people from the head table got up and left. They returned several minutes later with a writing table on which sat an ancient-looking book bound in crumbling, black dragonhide. They presented it to the headmaster, who passed his hand over it. The book opened itself to a page. He looked at it with a curious expression.

He reached down close, almost but not quite touching the page, finding fresh ink rose up to smudge his fingers. A curious expression grew across his face.

"It seems your name is here, but in what appears to be fresh ink. That is most curious. How can you be here when this ink is so fresh?" puzzled the headmaster. "Still, the book never lies, and I sense no dark magic on it. It has always been correct for hundreds of years. Please step forward and be sorted into your house."

Neville stepped up and the hat was placed on his head. Within seconds, he was seated at the Gryffindor table next to Kendra.

"I thought you were already enrolled here," said Kendra.

"No. I was just practicing this summer. I was trying to act older."

"No matter, now," she replied. "We are here and together."