Disclaimer: All recognized characters ad elements goes to J.K Rowling
Neville rubbed his neck with his hand as he frowned hesitantly at Hermione, "I don't know 'Mione…"
The bushy haired girl sighed, "Look at what she's been teaching us! Just look at it!" the girl exclaimed as she waved a defense textbook in front of Neville's face.
The boy leaned away from the heavy text that was way too close to his face for his comfort, "I don't-"
The brunette set the book down and glared at him.
Neville hesitated and glanced at his redheaded friend for help. Ron shrugged and proceeded to shove a chocolate frog into his mouth while suddenly developing a suspiciously large amount of interest for the red and gold bed sheet he's lounging on at the moment.
"Well?" Hermione asked as she impatiently tapped her fingers on Neville's bed, which she's currently sitting on.
Neville sighed as he collapsed against the dark wooden headboard of his bead, ""Mione, do you really think that this is a good idea?"
"Yes it is!" the prefect said with conviction, "I know that Umbridge, I mean Professor Umbridge, is-"
"-A bitch." Ron cut in before once again shoving another chocolate frog into his mouth. Neville snickered but hurriedly covered it with a cough when he noticed Hermione's eyes twitch at the offending word. To the surprise of the two males, the girl didn't reprimand them for their crude but accurate description of the professor.
Neville studied his female friend carefully before speaking, "How do you know that I can do this? What makes you think that I would be able to teach a bunch of students defense? I'm only a fifth year…"
Hermione looked incredulous, "Neville! How can you doubt yourself? You're great at defense! You're the top of the class when it comes to practical!"
Ron nodded in agreement, "She's right mate. If anyone is to pull this off, it's you."
Neville's eyes darted between his two friends, "But why would people want to follow me?"
The two blinked owlishly at him.
"Because you're Neville Longbottom!" Hermione said at last.
Neville sighed, "Yes I know that 'Mione! But how is that going to a make a difference? It's not like I'm Potter."
He watched as his friend's face darkened at the mention of the other boy. "So? Thank Go-I mean Merlin, that you're not Potter." Hermione said sharply.
Neville couldn't' help but feel guilty for agreeing with Hermione's statement, he is thankful that he's not Potter…
"Anyways who cares?" Ron butted in, "It's not like being the boy-who-lived is a big deal after, you know, he came. You're the Longbottom Heir! Everyone knows what you've been doing for the past four years."
Hermione nodded her head vigorously, "Ron's right Nev, if it weren't for you no one would've figured out that it was Quirrell who had been allowing the dangerous creatures into the castle in our first year."
"Ginny would've, you know…" Ron said as his face paled at the thought of the close brush with death his sister had in their second year. Luckily Neville had stumbled across her crying one night right before the winter holidays; she had confessed to having regular blackouts and even waking up once with blood all over her.
The three paused and shuddered as they thought about what would have happened if Ginny hadn't confessed and Neville hadn't taken her to the Headmaster's office after realizing that the diary she had been writing in was a dark object.
"Sirius would've still been on the run and not our professor if you hadn't met him in our third year." Hermione added.
"And Potter would've died without your-"
"-Our." Neville muttered.
"-help last year!" Ron and Hermione ended together.
Neville quickly pushed the small bubble of pride down, if there was one thing his gran had taught him, it was to always be humble, "Well yeah but I couldn't have done all that without both of your help."
"Exactly! And we're still going to help you through this!" Hermione exclaimed as she bounced on the bed with excitement.
Neville glanced at his best mate seated on the other bed.
Ron shrugged, "We're the Golden Trio, we can do this."
The grin the two shared between them slipped off their face when they heard the girl clap and squeal in a rare moment of girlish excitement, "Oh I can't wait! C'mon you two, we have to go to the library and plan!"
Harry ran a hand through his messy raven hair as he silently moved through the empty hallways. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard the clicking of heels coming from around the corner. With practiced ease, the boy hunched his shoulders and ran his fingers through the thick material of his robes as he created a few creases to make his once pristine clothes look messy.
A sickeningly sweet smile curled on the bright magenta lips, "Mr. Potter, how lovely to see you!"
"He-hello Pro-professor Umbridge." Harry stuttered as he shuffled his feet to give off an aura of nervousness.
"Now, now, dear, don't be shy." Umbridge smiled at him as her beady eyes glittered with interest.
Harry felt his magic rear up at the toad-like woman's words. He stiffened as he felt his magic thrumming throughout his body, "I-I n-need to get to cl-class."
The pink clad woman cooed at him, what the fuck? Harry thought as he tried to un-hear the disgusting sound.
"Don't be shy to come to me for help Mr. Potter… I understand that you don't always get along with some of your dorm mates. I am always happy to help." Giving him one last sugary smile, the woman continued down the hall, her heels clicking away.
Harry didn't know whether his sudden urge to vomit was because of his magic that's starting to act up or the disgustingly bad attempt of trying to recruit him that he had just witnessed.
As he thought about the Ministry appointed professor, Harry's magic intensified its attempt to escape. Gasping in pain and fear, the prefect ran down the hall, not bothering to pull any façades up.
He rushed around a corner and ran headfirst into a person, or rather a group of people judging by the groans and complaints coming from around him.
"Hey! Watch where-Potter?"
Harry mentally cursed himself for his bad luck as he felt himself being helped up from the floor with the help of the Golden Trio.
Granger sniffed at him with disapproval, "No running in the halls. You of all people should know this Potter." Her eyes flickered to the prefect badge pinned onto his robes, identical to her own.
Longbottom and Weasely craned their neck around the corner where he had just come from as if looking for someone.
"What happened?" Longbottom asked as he and Weasely both drew their wands.
"Are the Slytherins bothering you again?" the redhead asked as he looked around suspiciously.
Harry shook his head and immediately stopped when he felt the pressure against his skull increase.
"Hey Potter? You okay?" Granger asked she looked at him; the usual glint of disproval found in her eyes was mixed with slight concern.
"Yeah." Harry gasped out before tearing away from the three and continuing down the hall.
After a few minutes of dodging students and teachers, Harry finally pushed open the door to only be assaulted by a ghost.
"Oh Harry!" Myrtle squealed as she dived through him causing Harry to shudder at the unnaturally cold feeling of a ghost going through his person.
"What's wrong Harry?"
"Not now Myrtle." Harry gritted out as he stumbled to the sink farthest away from the door.
"Open. Open. Damn it! Open!" Harry sucked in a sharp breath as he tried to calm himself and his magic before focusing in on the engraving of the snake on the side of the tap, keeping the snake in mind; he tried again, "Open."
This time his command came out as a hiss. The sink started shifting and soon enough a large tunnel appeared where the sink once was. Not bothering to summon the stairs that will allow him to walk down, Harry jumped into the tunnel and watched as the light disappeared as the tunnel closed behind him.
Drawing his wand, the boy struggled to cast a cushioning charm as the headache increased. Harry landed and bounced a few times as the charm thankfully worked.
Crawling a few feet away from where he had entered, the Gryffindor at last collapsed as his magic swirled out of his body and was once again free from its binds.
Neville looked after the retreating back of Harry Potter with confusion.
"Well… that was weird." Ron said at last.
Hermione huffed at him, "No really?"
The boy rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment, "I was just-"
"-Stating the obvious?"
Ron scowled at the girl before turning to the other Gryffindor, "Nev? Hey, Nev help me here? Neville!"
"What?" Neville snapped as he finally tore his gaze away from where the green eyed fifth year had fled.
Neville looked up to find Hermione studying him closely; she carefully backed away pulling Ron with her.
"What?" Neville asked as his eyes tracked the movement of their not so subtle retreat.
Ron's eyes shuttered between the two before he too reached the same conclusion as Hermione and allowed himself to be pulled back without any resistance.
"What is it guys?" Neville asked again with clear annoyance in his voice as his two best friends continued to back away from him. The whole time he was saying this; his eyes darted between the two and the now empty hallway.
"I know that look Neville Longbottom!" Hermione said as her eyes narrowed, "Wipe it right off, right now."
Neville felt his eyes narrow to meet hers, "No."
The two held each other's gaze for a few tense seconds before the bushy haired girl slumped slightly in defeat.
Neville grinned at the two victoriously.
Ron groaned in dread but Neville could tell that his friend was secretly excited at the prospect of having something to do other than schoolwork and Quidditch.
Hermione crossed her arms and huffed at the two but the curiosity was clear in her bright brown eyes, "If we get into trouble…"
Neville carelessly slung one arm over Hermione's and the other over Ron's shoulders as he steered them towards the library where they had originally been heading, "Trust me 'Mione, we're already going to be getting in trouble for attempting to teach defense, why not add one more to the list?"
"Whatever you say Nancy Drew." Hermione muttered.
Neville and Ron shared a look of confusion before shrugging it off, must be a girl thing.
Albus Dumbledore popped another lemon drop into his mouth and he closed his eyes to savor the sweet artificial taste.
"Albus. Albus!"
The aged wizard opened his eyes and twinkled at his deputy and his resident potions master.
Minerva McGonagall glared at him and Albus chuckled, "Yes my dear?"
"Do not 'my dear' me Albus." Minerva said sharply.
"Of course." He settled himself into a more comfortable position and looked at the two before him, "Now, Minerva, Severus, how may I help you?"
The man in his late thirties clad in full black abruptly stood up, "This is a waste of my time Headmaster, you have called me here to discuss something urgent. Yet you do nothing, I am leaving now."
Albus sighed, "Not yet Severus, I do indeed have something urgent to discuss with the two of you." He stared at the Head of Slytherin until the man sat down in his seat stiffly.
"Well?" the man snapped darkly.
The two looked expectantly at him.
Albus clasped his hands together and leaned forwards, "I am sure the both of you know what-"
"-No we do not, now get on with it."
Albus refrained from frowning at the potions master; he couldn't help but wonder which unlucky student was the one to cause Severus to be in such a bad mood, "As I was saying, this is about Harry Potter."
Minerva's lips thinned at the mention of the boy, meanwhile Severus' face became startlingly blank.
"Clearly I have… made a mistake." Albus winced as those words passed his mouth, "I believe that Harry may very well not be the one the prophecy speaks of."
Minerva nodded though her lips were still pinched.
"So you believe that the one the prophecy speaks of is the Longbottom brat?" Severus asked coolly.
Albus nodded gravely, "Alas, this burden has fallen upon young Neville."
Minerva let out a small sigh, "I cannot say that I am relieved, but it does allow me to rest easier knowing that it is Mr. Longbottom, rather than Mr. Potter, that is destined for this."
"But what of the mark?"
Albus furrowed his eyebrows, "What do you mean Severus?"
The former Slytherin glared at him, "The part of the prophecy, 'and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal'."
"Ah yes. I believe that the mark that the prophecy refers to does not have to be a physical mark like the one that Harry bears. Neville is also marked, emotionally, by the Dark Lord."
Minerva looked puzzled while Severus' was looking at him as if he had grown a second head.
Albus twinkled at them, "You have to understand that an emotional mark is in fact more dangerous and lasting than a physical one." He twinkled even more when he saw Minerva nod in agreement though Severus just raised an eyebrow, "And seeing as how Voldemort-" they flinched "-had marked Neville emotionally through the loss of his parents, he falls under the requirements of the prophecy."
"But Mr. Potter does as well." Minerva pointed out.
"Yes he does. But he does not have the power that he knows not." Albus explained.
"And the Longbottom brat does?" Severus spat.
"Of course." Albus said, "He had saved the school many times."
Minerva pursed her lips but she was still nodding in agreement. However Severus just snorted, "You are delusional Headmaster. I will be leaving now." Without another word, the man swept from the office.
Albus looked after the man, a part of him couldn't help but feel that Severus knows more than he's letting on. Pushing the nagging feeling to the back of his mind, Albus turned to the deputy headmistress, "Lemon drop Minerva?"
The cat animagus looked at the sweet with barely veiled contempt, "No thank you Albus. Now, I have a class to prepare for, goodbye."
Shrugging, the aged wizard popped the candy into his mouth as he hummed a random muggle tune he had picked up the last time he was in the Muggle World.
Coming up next: an understanding, some explanations, an army
I need help. I'm not sure who I should pair Harry with. At first it was going to be no pairings but now I'm not so sure... suggestions? Also, for everyone else should I stick with canon pairings? I'm fine with all pairings, but no slash, OC, or anyone that's way too old.
Review!
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