Chapter 9: The Power of Youth! A Wizard Way Emerges!

Neville Longbottom wandered the grounds dispiritedly, his wand hanging listlessly in his hand, as he bowed his head and wondered if there was any place lower than his current situation to which he could sink.

Mr Longbottom, kindly do not reveal that you cannot even perform a simple switching spell in front of anyone from Durmstrang. Professor McGonnagall had instructed him imperiously after yet another elementary mistake which had the entire class laughing at him.

It's all right, Longbottom, everyone understands, Professor Moody had said to him after that Defence class when he had had to witness the spider writhing under the Cruciatus curse, some wizards are born with greatness and others…are not. And there's no help for it. And after what you've been through, everyone understands perfectly well.

When are you going to start showing signs of you father's talent, Neville? By your age he was top of the class in every subject he took. His exasperated grandmother had demanded of him that summer.

You know Neville, everyone else has gotten used to these trick steps by now. Harry had said as he pulled Neville free.

Everyone knows I'm almost a squib. Neville had said that about himself, back when the Chamber of Secrets had been opened. And everyone had recognised the truth of it too well to contradict him.

He was unfit for Gryffindor. He was unfit only for Hufflepuff. The only notable thing he had ever accomplished was getting ten points for being immobilised by Hermione. His only half decent subject was Herbology. He had no real friends. He was a loser, a failure, a disgrace to the memory of his mother and father. He didn't belong here.

Neville raised his wand, and held it stretched out in front of him, "Relashio!"

His wand fizzled a little at the end, but other than that nothing happened.

Neville waved his wand, "Protego!" again nothing.

A fly buzzed lazily past him, and Neville aimed at it, "Petrificus Totalus!"

The fly just kept on going.

Neville's whole body sagged, he felt himself starting to sob with frustration.

Fat little crybaby. That was Pansy Parkinson, even she was right about him. The Slytherins were all right about him, right about everything.

"One hundred and forty eight! One hundred and forty nine! If you cannot do two hundred kicks then it is five hundred squat jumps, now come on! One hundred fifty!"

Neville looked up, to see someone leaping at the Whomping Willow, dodging the swinging branches as they attempted to land kicks on the trunk that sheltered behind the lethal limbs. He recognised it as one of the ninja staying in the tower, the one with the thick eyebrows and the pudding basin haircut, but he couldn't remember the name. The Ninja didn't have very much to do with him. Why should they, nobody else did not even in his own year?

The ninja kept on going, leaping away from every blow the willow aimed as he tried to get close enough to touch the tree trunk with his feet, and every time he managed it he yelled out the number of times he had managed it. When he was on one hundred and fifty five however, one of the limbs of the willow caught him a glancing blow and he was flung backwards through the air, amazingly managing to land on his feet as he skidded backwards at least ten feet, kicking up dust as he went.

"I will not stop," though the ninja was clutching at his ribs with one hand he gave no sign of being seriously injured, "I will keep on going no matter what and I will always do my best." He started to charge the whomping willow again, "And I will not be defeated!"

Neville couldn't believe his eyes. What was this person thinking? Not only attacking the Whomping Willow, but after getting away lightly with a taster of it's strength, actually attacking it again?

"Are you mad?" he yelled, "That tree could kill you."

"If I can be bested by this thing," the ninja said, "it only shows that I am not yet strong enough, and must take my training to new heights if I am to succeed."

"Who are you?" Neville asked in disbelief, just as another thought struck him, "And why aren't you using any special powers, like the others have?"

The ninja, who was dressed entirely in green save for orange leg warmers round by his ankles, leapt backwards and somersaulted into position standing opposite Neville, "I am Rock Lee, handsome devil of the Hidden Leaf Village, and I do not have either ninjutsu or genjutsu. Instead I rely solely on taijutsu, straight martial arts, to see that I become a splendid ninja."

"So, you can't do anything the others can?" Neville said, "Then, how can you compete with them?"

"With hard work, passion, and the power of youth." Lee said, "The same ingredients by which anyone can achieve greatness. Now, if you will access, I must return to my training." and he threw himself once more upon the Whomping Willow.

He's so weak compared to all the others, and yet he doesn't seem to see it as a disadvantage. He doesn't have any of their gifts, but he keeps on trying all the same. Is it really possible, that someone who doesn't have any of the advantage can actually compete with someone who has them all? Could I actually become as good as Malfoy, or Harry? Could I rise to their level? Is there hope for me after all?

"Wait, Lee!" Neville yelled, "I still want to talk to you?"

Once more Lee leapt clear of the tree to land close by, "Then perhaps, you should give me your name first."

"Neville, Neville Longbottom." Neville said, "Lee, do you really believe that it's possible that someone who doesn't have the same talent, who wasn't born with the same skill,"

"Someone who is a failure?" Lee said.

"Yes." Neville said, "How did you-?"

"When I was an academy student, my instructs despaired of my ability to master even the most basic jutsu. Clones, transformation, substitution, all were beyond me. I was the only student ever to graduate with only taijutsu, and everyone told me that without ninjutsu or genjutsu I could hardly call myself a ninja at all. But there was one person who believed in me. Guy Sensei. He told me that with enough passion, hard work, and healthy competition, even I could become a great ninja some day.

"I have on my team the most gifted genin seen by the Leaf Village in a long time, Neji Hyuuga, a true Genius and a master of the kekkei genkai of the Hyuuga clan. For years I dreamt of defeating him, but every time we fought he always bested me, and he told me that hard work would never be a match for true genius. But when I began to believe him, Guy Sensei showed me that I was a genius at hard work. And so I keep pushing myself each day, following my ninja way until I become a ninja every bit as splendid as a genius like Neji or Sasuke."

He's just like me. And that means that there is hope, and more than hope, a good chance, if only I can find my…my Wizard Way. If I keep on training myself, and pushing myself just like Lee does, then there is no reason that I cannot become a splendid wizard just like Harry is. Perhaps I am a natural failure, perhaps I am not born with great talent, but that does not mean that I cannot achieve greatness anyway with enough hard work. I will do it! I will show how splendid I truly am and prove them all wrong!

Neville raised his wand up in the air, "I promise that I, Neville Longbottom, will become a splendid wizard and a worthy Gryffindor, and make my parents proud of me. With unbridled passion, and the flaming power of youth!" Neville's eyes blazed as silver sparks shout out of his wand, followed by flames mimicking the effects of an Incendio.

Rock Lee gave him a thumbs up, and his teeth sparkled, "And we two failures will stand tall in the midst of all the others when we have reached our goals. Good luck, Neville Longbottom!"

Neville returned the thumbs up, though his teeth didn't sparkle.

From now on, I follow my Wizard Way. He thought as he made his way back up to the castle to begin his new training regime, And I will make my parents proud of me. I will be the son that they deserved.

Mum, Dad, for a long time I was almost glad you didn't know what you had to be ashamed of. But no more. From now, I'll only be sad that you can't see what you have to be proud of.