Chapter 3

The next morning was Saturday, so Neville slept in and almost missed breakfast. He arrived into the Great Hall just as the morning post arrived. Just as he was pouring himself a bowl of cornflakes at the breakfast table, a large white owl arrived at the table, swooping majestically down to land in front of him. Neville smiled at the bird, and offered it a piece of toast. In return, the bird dropped the letter, and Neville immediately recognized Harry's writing. He'd suspected as much - he was pretty sure that the Potter's had a white owl. He remembered Harry's love for his white owl - Hedween, Neville thought she was called - during their school days.

Neville opened the letter, spilling his cornflakes in the process. He quickly cleaned up the mess and proceeded to read.

Dear Neville,

How are you? I hope you are keeping well, and I hope that our boys are behaving themselves in your classes.

It's been a while since we met up (all of a month, according to Ginny, but it seems much longer than that) and since I'm in Hogsmeade today (Saturday) I was wondering if you'd like to meet up? James and Al have gotten permission from McGonagall to meet up with me and I would appreciate it if you could walk out with them. You know what young boys are like, so easily distracted…They'd probably wander into Honeydukes or something, and I wouldn't see them for the entire day! Three Broomsticks at twelve? Hoping to hear your reply ASAP,

Hope to see you soon,

Harry

Neville smiled happily to himself. It was the second Saturday of the month, and he always met up with his grandmother on this day too, so he was getting all his visiting done in one go. He scribbled a reply to Harry on a scrap of parchment he found in his pocket, and watched as the owl vacated the Great Hall. Then, he reread his letter.

"Neville! I mean, Professor!"

Neville looked up from his letter.

"Morning, James," He said, smiling. James's warm brown eyes were full of mischief, and his red Weasley hair made him stand out in the hall. Though, Neville noted to himself, there were enough Weasley red heads in the school that it was very easy to get confused. From where he was sitting, he could see the red heads of many Weasley children, all of them situated at the Gryffindor table.

He could see Bill and Fleur's sons, Dominique and Louis, both handsome boys who'd inherited their father's red hair, their elder sister, Victoire, who was strawberry blonde, and as beautiful as her mother, Percy Weasley's fourteen year old twin daughters, Molly and Lucy, who were both vibrant red heads, and of course, Ron and Hermione's eldest child Rose, who'd inherited her mother's brains and prominent front teeth, and her father's hair. And next year, the Potter's daughter Lily would add to the mix.

"Did you get a letter from Dad then?" James questioned, nodding towards the letter that Neville held in his hand.

"Yes," Neville said. "I've to walk you and Al to the Three Broomsticks. Your Dad and I might have a drink."

James rolled his eyes. "You'd swear I was going to get lost or something."

"Mr Potter, you're lucky to be leaving the premises at all." Professor McGonagall interrupted, looking at James, severity in her expression. "Other than the fact that your father wrote to me and requested permission especially, you would not be leaving at all. And of course you will be accompanied by Professor Longbottom."

James grinned at Professor McGonagall, not at all perturbed by her speech, or by the fact he had just been scolded by the headmistress.

"Alright, Professor. Where will I meet you, Neville? I mean, Professor?"

Neville was shocked that James was so cool about being told off.

"Um…" He said, trying to remember what he'd been asked. "Meet me in the Entrance Hall at half eleven, then."

"Rightio," James said, and he headed back towards the Gryffindor table, whistling loudly.

Both Neville and Professor McGonagall stared after him.

"The similarities between that boy and the Weasley twins is unnatural," Said McGonagall, shaking her head in amazement.

Neville laughed and turned back to his breakfast. McGonagall was dead on - James even had the same grin that the twins had had - the same one that George still had.

Neville finished his breakfast, and since he had an hour to kill before meeting the Potter boys in the Entrance Hall, he decided to take a walk around the grounds.

It was a clear, bright autumn day, only a week into September. The Hogwarts grounds still held small traces of summer - wild flowers were growing at the edge of the forest, and the air would occasionally quiver as an abnormally sized bee or wasp passed Neville.

Even more obvious were the signs of autumn, the signs that winter was coming. The deciduous trees that edged the forest were beginning to shed - leaves of auburn red and gold littered the forest, and made the occasional crunch as Neville stepped on a stray one. He knew that by mid September, the trees would be bare, and the grounds brightly decorated.

"Alri' Neville!"Neville turned around. Rubeus Hagrid was coming towards him, grinning.

"Hello, Hagrid!" Neville said, grinning at the huge man, who was smiling broadly at him, his beetle black eyes crinkled in his smile. "Enjoying being back to work?"

Hagrid nodded, still smiling. His wild hair and beard were beginning to grey severely now, but he looked as happy as he had always done.

"Sure, the school's dead quiet in the summer time, s'not natural!"

Neville grinned. He always stayed with his grandmother during the two months when Hogwarts was unoccupied by students, but Hagrid was one of the few teachers and staff who remained there all year round.

"Little Al Potter… not a bit like the other feller, is he?" Hagrid said, obviously comparing James and Albus.

"Not at all," Neville said. "I'm bringing them into Hogsmeade to see Harry today - I got an owl this morning."

"Harry? Really? Cheek o' him, I didn't get no owl!" Hagrid sounded indignant, but he was still smiling.

"Busy man, though, is Mr Potter," Neville said laughing.

"He is n'all…" Hagrid trailed off, looking thoughtful. "Don't seem like that long ago that I was takin' Harry in Diagon Alley for the first time. Only a little feller, he was. And you and all… lost your toad, din' you?"

Neville laughed as he remembered the trouble he had had trying to keep track of Trevor all the time.

"Yeah, you found him just as we got off the train!" Neville squinted as he remembered. "God, it seems so long ago."

"Does," Said Hagrid gravely. "Well, gotta be goin', I'm headin' over to tidy up around Professor Dumbledore." Hagrid indicated to the white tomb near the shore of the lake.

"See you, Hagrid," Neville said, but Hagrid didn't hear. He was already heading towards the tomb, muttering to himself.

"Great man, Dumbledore, great man…"

Neville turned around, and his eyes rested on the marble tomb of Albus Dumbledore - in his opinion, the greatest wizard who ever lived.

"I got detention," James grumbled as he and Albus greeted Neville.

"What for?" Neville asked, grinning at James's grumpy expression.

"Threw a piece of kipper at Scorpius Malfoy."

Neville fought hard to restrain a laugh, and almost failed. "Why'd you do that?" He asked, his tone flat in his attempts of not laughing.

"He was looking at me funny," James said as the three of them walked down the school steps.

"Dad's gonna be really chuffed." Said Al, his quiet voice rather sarcastic. "He warned you to leave Scorpius alone."

"Don't you dare say a word, Al!" James said, rounding on his little brother.

Albus shrugged. "He's probably going to find out anyway."

"I swear to Merlin -"

"James, that's enough," Said Neville, his tone slightly sharp.

Both boys shut up for a few moments, but resumed their chattering.

"He's so slimy, it's no wonder Dad didn't like his dad." James was saying, still talking about Scorpius.

"I have potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts with Scorpius," Al said. "I really don't mind him that much."

James scoffed, but didn't say anything.

By the time they reached the Three Broomsticks, James and Albus were in the middle of a fully fledged row.

"Shush," Said James abruptly, as they opened the door into the welcoming, but very quiet pub. "Dad."

However, Harry was not yet in the pub, so the boys resumed their bickering.

Madame Rosmerta, who had aged considerably since Neville's school days, peered over the bar to the two boys.

"They don't look like sixth years, Professor," She said. "And I didn't get any notice of an upcoming Hogsmeade weekend. Come to that, they don't even look like third years."

"They've special permission from the headmistress, Rosmerta," Said Neville.

"Alright, then. Just don't want to be getting into trouble with Minerva. You know yourself." Rosmerta rolled her eyes. "Now what can I get you boys?"

"James, Al? Would you like a butterbeer?"

The boys nodded and grinned their thanks.

"Three butterbeers, please."

Rosmerta bustled off behind the bar. Albus was looking around the bar with interest.

"I've never been here before," He stated.

"I have," Said James, before glancing at Neville and flushing red. "I mean, I've been somewhere similar -"

"It'd be just like you to figure out the secret passages before I'd even shown you the map," Said a familiar voice.

"Dad!" James and Albus said in unison, and Albus stood up to embrace his father, not looking at all embarrassed. James however, shied away uncomfortably - something that surprised Neville.

"Harry!" Neville said enthusiastically, standing up and shaking hands with his friend.

"Hello, Professor," Harry said grinning.

"How're things?" Neville asked.

"Things are great. Anything new with you?"

Neville shook his head. "No. But I'm going to see Gran today," He said glumly.

Harry laughed. He knew all too well what Neville's grandmother was like.

"Boys, why don't you two take a wander up to Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes?" Harry suggested, handing the boys some money. George had bought what had once been Zonko's Joke Shop and had converted it into a second WWW. It had turned out to be a raging success, both in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.

"Yeah!" The boys said enthusiastically, before running out the door.

"Boys been behaving themselves?" Harry asked, taking a sip of whiskey.

"Well, Al has," He said laughing.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "And James?"

"Well, James is James," Neville said grinning.

"Meaning he's already gotten detention?"

Neville laughed again and held up his hands. "I'm not saying anything."

"What'd he do?" Harry said, a grin on his face.

"Threw a piece of fish at Scorpius Malfoy."

A strange look crossed Harry's face before he burst out laughing. "I warned him, but he just doesn't listen to a word I say! Draco'll be delighted when he gets a letter from his precious son…"

Neville and Harry spent over an hour doing what they always did when they got together - reminiscing.

When Al and James had returned, they listened to the conversation with interest for a while before becoming bored and engaging in a very noisy game of exploding snap. As the pub began to fill up for lunch, Madame Rosmerta's filthy looks became more and more frequent until Harry told the boys to shut up and Neville decided it was time to go.

"You okay to walk them back up to the school?" Neville said. "I'm heading over to Gran's now."

"Yeah, thanks Neville." Harry said. "I've to talk to McGonagall 'bout something anyway…"

"See you, Harry," Said Neville, standing up.

"Oh, Ginny said I've to ask you now, so that no one else does - will you come to ours for Christmas?"

Neville laughed. "Harry, it's September!"

"Yeah, I know! That's what I said, but she said ask anyway." Harry shrugged, obviously not getting why she'd ask so early.

"I'd love to come!" Neville grinned. "Gran won't be so impressed, but it saves me from having to go to Uncle Algie's!"

Harry laughed, and the two said their goodbyes. Neville headed outside to apparate just as Harry and the boys were ordering lunch. Neville watched them for a moment, and felt a pang of jealousy towards his friend. He really had everything… Neville knew he was incredibly lucky to have his job, and he loved it, but he couldn't help but envy Harry, who seemed to have everything - a great job, a gorgeous wife, three kids…

Neville shook his head and concentrated on apparating. He had splinched himself once before, and it wasn't an experience he wanted to repeat.

When he arrived at his grandmothers, the house he had grown up in, she immediately started fussing around him.

"Oh, Neville! Oh, good boy! Oh, I miss you so much when your gone!"

Neville snorted inwardly. His Gran had gone soft in her old age.

"I miss you too, Gran," He said, kissing her on the cheek and trying to pull off his cloak.

"I've cooked some tomato and basil soup especially for you, I know it's your favourite…"

"Thanks, Gran," Neville said, handing her the bunch of posies he had bought from the florists in Hogsmeade.

"Oh, thank you!"

Neville was really surprised. What was up with her? She hadn't been so nice to him since he had killed the basilisk during the war…

It soon became evident what had made her so happy.

"Neville, I have something to tell you," Mrs Longbottom started to speak just as Neville was dipping his bread into his soup.

"Yeah?" He said, his hand stopping mid-air.

"I - I've met someone."

Neville was so shocked that he dropped his chunk of bread. It landed on his robes and left a big red stain down his front.

"Oh - oh here, let me -"

"I can do it myself, thanks." Neville said rather sharply as he pointed his wand at his robes and muttered the spell so violently that his robes were smoking for a few moments after.

"His name is Paul Rewn."

"Jesus." Neville said.

"Language, please!"

"Sorry. That's great, Gran, I'm really happy for you. Look, I better get back to school."

"What - but you just got here!"

"I know, but I - I promised I'd give remedial classes to a student today. Thanks for the soup and everything."

He stood up and backed away from the table, droplets of sweat forming on his upper lip. The room was shaking slightly; he knew it wasn't a good idea for him to apparate but he had to get out of there.

"Bye, Gran," He muttered, and concentrating extremely hard on the cobbled streets of Hogsmeade, he disappeared.

Apologies, apologies for it being so long! The winter is nearly here now, and I have lots more time to write and I fully intend to! I really hope you've enjoyed this chapter... Let me know what you thought of it! :) Press the review button...

You know you want to..

:D

Love,

Lily! X