"Telepathy"
Chapter 15: Neville
"So," Harry asked on the train. "What will we do this year?"
"Definitely prank." Ron said.
School was about to begin. Remus had gone to convince the werewolves to join the light. Melissa was trying hard to find the cure. Spica had gone back to America to convince the American Ministry to help with Sirius. Everyone else was doing their own thing.
"I have it." Ginny said. "We write Draco Malfoy a really disturbing anonymous letter and have Athena deliver it."
"Better yet," Hermione said. "Make it a love letter."
"And then," Ron added. "Have Harry go up to him in ferret form."
"I have an idea." Harry said pulling out a quill and parchment from his bag that he got the previous day.
"Okay guys. Start talking."
"That's a…Harry!" Hermione reprimanded.
It was a Quick-Quotes Quill.
"I figured I could have some fun with it." Harry told her.
"Dear Draco," Hermione started.
"No." Ginny interrupted. "Dearest Draky"
"Draky?" The boys laughed.
"My heart yearns to touch your….how would you describe Malfoy's hair?" Ron asked.
"Your ferrety soft hair?" Harry laughed.
"We're having too much fun." Hermione laughed.
"Your Slytherinish qualities make may skin tingle." Ginny joked.
The car was in full out laughter now.
"Ooh." Ginny said excitedly. "I have it. Meet me next Hogsmeade weekend by the Shrieking Shack. There, I shall reveal myself."
"Huh?" Harry asked as he stopped the quill.
"Then Lightning comes out in ferret form and "attacks" Malfoy. Harry. You mentioned you can communicate telepathically now?"
"Yes"
Flashback
"Good morning." Lily said coming into the boys' room.
Both Ron and Harry groaned.
"Time for school" Lily sang.
"I don't want to."
"You can sleep on the train." Lily said turning on the lights.
She left to let them get dressed.
"I didn't say anything." Harry said.
"I heard you mate." Ron argued. "You said "I don't want to.""
"I THOUGHT that." Harry said.
Harry and Ron looked at each other in shock.
"Ron? Can you hear me?"
"Yeah." Ron said starring at Harry. His friend hadn't moved his mouth.
End Flashback
"You talk in your most convincing female seductive voice while in ferret form" Ginny said. "And…"
"It will freak him out so badly." Harry caught on turning the quill on. "I have it. Yours forever, Ferretta"
"Well?" Ron asked.
Dearest Draky,
Ever since I saw you last year, I've been yearning to stroke your ferrety soft hair. I tingle every time I think of your Slytherinish qualities that make you so attractive. Meet me next Hogesmeade weekend by the Shrieking Shack.
Yours Forever,
Ferretta
"I wonder if Dad ever did something like that to Snape?" Harry said as everyone else laughed their heads off.
"Anything from the trolley?" the trolley witch asked them.
"N…N….No." Ginny managed to gasp.
The witch shrugged and went on. After she left, Neville showed up.
"What is so funny?" he asked. "I could hear you guys laughing from the next cabin."
"A…prank…we're…going…to…pull." Ron said in between laughs.
"Oh. Okay." Neville said leaving
"Neville! Wait!" Harry called putting his glasses on.
Neville turned and saw Harry follow him out.
"We want you in." Harry said.
"Why?" Neville asked.
"Because…" Harry said. "Do I need a reason?"
"Not really." Neville said. "But you guys have never really taken much interest in me before."
"Neville. If you come join us, everything will make sense."
"Well," Neville hesitated. "I'd just mess everything up."
"That's why we're here." Harry said. "Neville, you can be a great wizard. You just need the confidence. Why else would you be in Gryffindor?"
Unknown to Harry, his conversation with Neville was being overheard by a redheaded man who was recognizing the conversation.
Flashback
"Hey Pettigrew!" James called. "C'mon. Join us."
"I can't." Peter Pettigrew said. "I'd just mess everything up. I'm no good at magic."
"That's what Remus, Padfoot, and I will be there for." James argued. "Pettigrew, you weren't placed in Gryffindor for nothing. You're a great wizard deep down. You just need the confidence."
"Do you really think so, Potter?"
"It's James." James told him holding out his hand.
"Peter." Peter Pettigrew said shaking his hand.
End Flashback.
James, in disguise, reminded himself to have a quick word with Harry as he watched Harry and Neville shake hands and go into the car. He heard another bout of laughter as Harry explained the prank.
James snuck up to the closed door and put an ear to it
"But where will you get the ferret?" He heard Neville asked.
"Leave THAT to me." Harry said.
Do I WANT to know? James thought
"Neville." Harry said. "What you are about to see, you can't tell ANYBODY. Understand?"
"Kind of." Neville said.
POP
"MERLIN'S BEARD!" Neville exclaimed
James knocked on the door.
POP
"Come in." he heard Harry call.
He entered to see the Golden Group sitting around and Neville was starring at Harry in shock.
"What's going on?"
"N…Nothing." Neville said remembering what Harry told him.
Yeah right James thought.
"Who are you?" Ron asked. None of them had seen James' disguise.
"I'm your new defense professor." James said before turning to Neville. "So you're Frank and Alice's kid? You grew up since the last time I saw you."
"You knew my parents?" Neville asked as Harry closed his eyes and relaxed.
"I was an auror with them." James said. "Dumbledore told me what happened."
"They'll be okay one day." Harry announced when he opened his eyes.
Everyone looked at him strangely.
"You might want to get dressed." James told the kids as he left.
"You had a vision?" Ron asked Harry.
"A what?" Neville asked.
"Shh." Harry said as he casted a silencing ward on the cabin. "This summer, I was walking in the park when I spotted a stag. I recognized it as my Dad's animagus form…."
TBC