They had asked Neville Longbottom if he could bring the Sword of Gryffindor with him to use as a prop in his picture. No, he couldn't bring the bloody sword with him, for Godric's sake! Somehow, he didn't think trying to get it to appear, in order for it to be on a Chocolate Frog trading card picture, would count as a "worthy" need. And who the hell calls one of the most important magical relics of all time a prop?
Wankers.
Hannah had mused, "You should wear your best dress robes," as he stared into his closet the weekend before the photo shoot.
His grandmum insisted, "You look so warm and approachable in one of your sweaters," when he told her.
Neville opted for something in between the two, purchasing himself a new black three-piece suit which he paired with a red tie. His tie-tack was a golden lion. He wore his dad's ruby cufflinks.
The photographer had caught him unbuttoning his suit-coat, then placing a hand in his pocket. He looked up into the camera and gave his usual half-smile, half-smirk. The one that Hannah said made her weak in the knees. Something about the picture niggled at his brain. He felt like it was a damn remembrall; the photo was making him feel funny, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.
He read the blurb written to commemorate his deeds. The list of the battles he had fought in, starting with the Department of Mysteries. His role as leader of the Resistance inside Hogwarts that final year. Destroyer of a Horcrux. Celebrated Auror along with Harry and Ron. Hogwarts Professor of Herbology.
Neville wondered what his parents would think of it all, if only things could have been different. Would they be proud of him? Was he as brave as them? Should he bring cards for each of them to have in their room? His mum tended to like hard candies - how would she respond to being offered chocolate? Would Alice recognize him in the photograph? Would his dad notice the cufflinks Neville had chosen to put on in honor of Frank?
He stared at his picture wondering all of these things, when it hit him. In his picture, he was the Gryffindor version of Draco Sodding Malfoy.