Hey okay this next chapter... It's been about a year since I last posted… sorry. I just kind of stopped. But anyway I'm back. I really wanted to write about where Christine went and what happened. So this chapter will be that. Yay! And I don't on any HP stuff. Please Please PLEASE review! And I'm sorry if there are errors!
Christine quickly moved up to the door of the first car. She had been counting them down. She had only been up in the front car once before in her first year. It was when her life had changed forever. She had the same sickening feeling in her stomach that she had the last time. Only this time she really thought she might faint. For a good five minute she stared at the door. She knew in one of the compartments sat the man that she had possibly fallen in love with, without knowing more then basic information about him. It was ridiculous! How can this be happening! I don't even know who his favorite Quidditch team is!
But on the other side of the door as Christine was having her mental melt down, Neville Longbottom was giving himself a pep talk while he paced back and fourth in front of the door feeling that very same sickening feeling in his stomach. Come on Longbottom! It's a woman! It's not like she knows much about me. I barely even know the girl! Okay Neville calm down! You just have to go back to the compartment and ask her to come up to the front and talk. Yeah! That's all you have to say. Then Neville at the same time as Christine decided to slide open the door and walk forward. And in the next five seconds there was a crashing sound and a lone compartment door opened.
With it came Jason Kopal, the Head of Ravenclaw House and professor of Transfigurations. He was an unusually tall, thin man with thick gray hair and dark greens eyes and tanned skin. He was around sixty. He was very wise and didn't judge until he had heard the whole story. So when he popped his head out and saw Neville on top of Christine both with their faces bright red and trying to get up saying a number of apologies and other things that were said too fast to understand, he waited with a small smile and understanding eyes. When the two bright face professors got up they turned to see if there was anyone. Of course Jason was standing there. Christine put a hand to her face and cursed. Neville quickly spoke up.
"Jason I know what it looks like but it's not. We both wer-" Jason rose one hand in silence.
"There is no need to worry Neville. I am guessing that you and this young woman were coming to the door at the same time and you two must have collided. And since you Neville are larger then this young woman you fell on her. Is that what happened Neville?" Jason said with a calm, low voice that seemed to bring the stress level down from a nine to a one.
"Yes." Neville said embarrassed of the event.
"Well I think that must happen to everyone, once in their life time." Jason said, making Neville and Christine look at him. "Every person must have their personal bubble popped at a time they don't want it to be popped. I for one had mine popped in a similar event to yours. About thirty years ago, I was in hurry to get to the lavatory and opened the door in a huff. At the same time a very striking woman came running out a knocked me over. She landed right on top of me with her bosom quite near my face. She felt so bad that she bought a round of firewhiskey for herself and I. But then the rest of the night was sort of blur. But some pairs were quite memorable." Jason eyes drifted upward in memory.
"Well um, thanks for understanding Jason... I'll see you at the meeting." Neville said.
"Oh wait Neville." Jason said, still daydreaming. "Who is this young lady you knocked into. You seem to know her."
"My name's Christine Lewis. I'll be—" But Christine was stopped by Jason walking over to her a putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Christine Lewis? The only child of the Harper and Fredrick Lewis?" Jason questioned with intense and hopeful eyes, while still keeping his calm demeanor.
"Yes." Christine responded feeling awkward with Jason's hand on her shoulder.
"Okay." Jason said taking his hand off her shoulder and walking back into the compartment he had come from and shut the sliding door. Neville's eyes slowly moved over to Christine. She was standing very still, but her eyes were moving all around. Her eyes stopped when she caught Neville's gaze.
"What?" she asked sounding paranoid.
"Oh—nothing—you just look—umm—worried." Neville said nervously.
"I'm fine." She said folding her arms. "But thank you for asking."
"You're… welcome…" he said questioningly. A minute went by with no speaking. Christine's arms were still folded and Neville picked at his fingers. "Christine?" he asked
"Yes."
"Are you mad at me for knocking you over? Because if you are I'm really very sorry, I didn't realize there was someone on the other side. And I understand if you don't want to talk to me. I—"
"I'm not angry with you Neville." Christine said unfolding arms. "It was something that man said." She looked quite worried. Neville not thinking put a hand on her head and ruffled her hair. Christine flinched but eased a moment later. It was unusual having her hair ruffled by a man that was only a few years older than her. But she didn't really mined.
"Don't worry about Jason. He's a little out there. I got the same sort of greeting from him. I know how you feel." He took his hand off of her head.
"Do you really?" she said with edge on her voice. "Do you know how it feels to lose family?"
"Yes." He calmly said. "All of my family besides Alice is gone. Do you know what happened to my family?"
"No."
"Well my mum and dad were tortured into insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange. I was one when it happened. They were in the mental wing of St. Mungo's for the rest of there lives. They loved each other so much and they died together. I was supposed to come and see them that day. But you know they died together. They were always together… Even before Bellatrix came." Neville's fists tightened and his body stiffened. Christine took a step back from him. Neville looked up finding her eyes. They weren't scared, but worried. "I'm sorry." He said. "It's just every time I think about her my blood boils. You know I was left with my Gran, and that wasn't bad. She loved me and all, but I always wondered what it would have been like to have a mum to tuck you into bed or a dad to play Quidditch with. It just wasn't the same." Neville felt a tear rolling down his cheek. He lowered head wiping the tear away. Christine put a hand on his arm and gave it a small squeeze. Neville kept his head down.
"I know it's hard." She said. "How about we go sit down Neville." Neville nodded silently and walked to the compartment he had been staying in. He opened the door letting Christine go in first. She sat down on the edge of the seat. Neville sat down across from her. They sat there for a few minutes. Finally Neville spoke.
"So what happened to them?"
"What?" she asked.
"Your family. What happened to your family?"
"Oh." She said looking out the window. "Well… They were murdered when I was eleven. I was called up here and Dumbledore was standing at the front of this compartment with the sorting hat in hand. I was so confused. Without saying a word he had me set on the ground he put it on my head. The hat said that I was loyal and just but that would be tested. Then after a minute I was put into Hufflepuff. I was so happy. My whole family had been in Hufflepuff for generations. I thought that I was up in the front because maybe he thought I was special. But then Dumbledore took hold of me with a hand on each shoulder and said 'They're dead.' But don't think I was unaware of what he was talking about. I knew about them being in the Order. They were in it even before they were married and when Harry's parents were in it. That's how mum and dad met. But I was still shocked. Because it just wasn't mum and dad it was everyone on each side of the family. Thirty two people all captured and brought to the Malfoy's home and murdered by Voldemort. Some how the Prophet never found out. So it never got out that some little girl was left alone without anyone in the world. But anyway Dumbledore then asked me to take hold of him. I did and then in a spilt second I was in a graveyard with thirty two caskets over thirty two holes in the ground. It was then that Remus Lupin approached me he said I had to ID everyone to make sure they were all mine. At first I just stood there clutching onto Dumbledore. Remus finally had to prey me off of him and then with a pop he was gone. The whole time I hadn't cried but then I started. Bless Remus he picked me up like I was his own and just rocked me back and fourth until I was ready. When I was 'okay' he put me down and took me around all of them. The whole time he held my hand. And with every name I gave a charm was cast and their name was put on the gravestone; cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents... The last two caskets were mum and dad. All the people there knew who they were but there was nothing on their gravestones. But instead Remus conjured up my wand and said that I should do it." Christine for the first time while telling the story smiled. "But you know I was eleven so the others had their wands out. The only one that didn't have their wand out Remus. He had put his away. He gave me the name of the charm with a smile and a pat on the shoulder. And to everyone's surprise– including my own– I inscripted my parent's gravestones. Remus was so surprised had he just picked me up and hugged me. And then again the two of us popped away before any danger came to me. We were in Dumbledore's office. And in the end he told me that I would go live with the Diggory family. Mum and Mrs. Diggory had been good friends and they were willing to take me in until I came of age. And that was that. I went on with a memory of my parents and the rest of family and the Diggory's got a new child. But I was never Cedric. I knew I never could but they tried hard not look at me and wish I was him. They loved me. They even joked when the two of were still kids that the day I came of age my parents and them were going to make me and Cedric get married." Christine chuckled lightly.
Neville let a small smile creep onto his face. Christine looked over at Neville and said. "That's it really. I went on to be top of my year and was Quidditch captain for three years. And we won it the three years I was captain. But of course Ginny and Harry weren't at school anymore. Hufflepuff even won House Cup in my seventh year. That was great."
"That's great." Neville said. "Do you think they were proud?"
"Who the Diggory's? Well yeah they were– oh you mean... well I think they were. They said that when they were in school one of the years they were in school they won the house cup. So yeah I think they were really proud."
"That's good." Neville said looking down at his thumbs. He had his father's thumbs... and hands and ears. He had his mother's eyes and nose and mouth.
"Do you think your parents are proud of you Neville?" Christine asked. Neville looked up and smiled and let his head fall back down.
"Yeah. My Gran said after the end of my fifth year was that my parents would be jumping all over me hugging me and throwing some really ridiculously huge party for me and would invite everyone on the whole planet." He chuckled while Christine let a smile come across her face. "I just wish I could have seen that."
"Maybe Alice will do something like that and you'll be able to see for yourself. She is after all the daughter of Neville Longbottom." Neville let out snort.
"Yeah clumsy, nerdy Neville Longbottom."
"But you're brave, kind and loyal. Alice seems to have taken on those good traits from you."
"Thanks Chris." Neville said blushing slightly. Suddenly the train's whistle blew and the pair jumped from their seats. Then the door slid open and there stood Minerva McGonagall with a smile.
"Ah Neville I see you have met Miss. Lewis." She said sweetly.
"Yes Minerva."
"Well very good. But I must be off. And if the two of you could please get the first years into the boats and into the castle I would very much appreciate it. Hagrid is going to be a day or so late. He had some sort of business to attend to." Minerva looked at Christine. "Do you mind Christine? I am sorry to do this to you on your first day."
"Oh not at all Minvera. I haven't been on those boats in ages." Christine smiled remembering that Dumbledore had promised her that she could go next year if she wished and was surprised when Hagrid came to her that very next year asking if she wanted to come.
"Very good, very good. And thank you to the both of you. So if you two would please, in a few minutes go to the exits and get ready to get off and grab the first years, I would be so delighted."
"Okay." Christine and Neville said, as Minerva slid the door shut.
"Chris you should go get your stuff and move it to baggage compartment. I don't think you want to take anything with you on the lake." Neville said.
"Alright Neville, I'll be back in a few minutes." Christine responded. As she walked out the door she turned and gave Neville a small short wave. Neville returned it with a smile.
After five minutes or so Christine returned. Neville rose with a smile.
"So did the kids give a hard time?" he asked.
"Not really. When I went in there they were all just talking and when I came in all fell silent. But beside that James said hello to me I returned it and walked right back out."
"Oh good. Well are you ready to go?"
"Yep." she replied and then turned and then walked out the door with Neville in tow, ready for the chaos that was about occur.
Hey thanks for reading! I hope it was okay 'cause I'm never sure... Please review! PLEASE! :) Well I'm going to hopefully have the next chapter up in about a week.