Emotion Prompt: Overwhelmed
Characters: Neville Longbottom
Summary: Neville can't believe that he just won his house the house cup.
Disclaimer: Any dialogues you recognise belong to Rowling, and are from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.
The Great Hall was packed for the end-of-year feast. Students were alternating between keeping absolute silence as the headmaster spoke, and cheering (or booing) as the house points were announced.
Neville sat, looking extremely down in the dumps and completely unnoticed among the hoard of Gryffindor students. Professor Dumbledore had just announced the house standings, and Gryffindor was at the bottom position, with only three hundred and twelve points. Neville knew that this large setback of points was due to their midnight adventure a few months back, and he had a rather big role in that. And judging by the ugly looks he was getting from some of his his seniors now and then which made him wish he could sink down into the ground, there were many who had remembered that as well. The sight of the Slytherins celebrating was sickening.
"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."
Startled, Neville looked up. The hall had gone deathly silent.
"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…
"First — to Mr. Ronald Weasley…"
Neville watched as Ron went purple in the face,
"… for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."
Neville couldn't help the loud cheers that escaped him along with the other Gryffindors. There was hope yet!
At last there was silence again.
"Second — to Miss Hermione Granger… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points." Neville's eyes were wide with delight. He cheered on as the Slytherins' smiles faded to an even greater degree.
"Third — to Mr. Harry Potter…" said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."
Neville gasped. This was unbelievable. He wasn't too good at sums, but if the passing exclamations were correct, then they had exactly the sane number of points as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup. At that moment, through the joy, Neville felt a twinge of disappointment — if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point...
But then, Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.
"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. Neville stared. Where was this going? Weren't all the points already meted out?
"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."
Neville blinked. Everything seemed to stop; only Dumbledore's words kept echoing in his head. He had won ten points. He had won ten points, which meant... which meant that Gryffindor had won. He had hardly got a couple of seconds to process that, when he was suddenly at the bottom of a pile of people, all hugging and congratulating him.
"Congrats, Neville!"
"Way to go, Longbottom!"
"Well done!"
The congratulations, the hugs and the thumps on the back kept raining. But Neville sat still in his seat, too overwhelmed to move. He, Neville Longbottom, who had never earned anything more than scoldings and disappointed glances and scornful looks, never getting so much as one point ever in his school year, had won ten points which had led his house to victory. He, a nobody, was being held as a hero. He couldn't believe this.
He hardly heard the cheers of his housemates and even the students of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, or Dumbledore's announcements about changing the decorations. He hardly noticed how the large snake on the banner turned into the golden lion, how all specks of green and silver were wiped in a wave of red and gold, and how the Slytherins looked various shades of outraged, disappointed and sick. He just sat there, trying to grasp the enormous truth of it all.
He, Neville Longbottom, had achieved something for the first time in his life.
-o0o-
As the Hogwarts express moved into the King's Cross station, Neville stumbled out to the platform. People were still grinning at him, congratulating and high-fiving him. There was no longer any bitterness when they stared st him.
He found his grandmother waiting near the Barrier.
"Well," she asked in her usual brisk way. "How was your school year?"
Neville looked at her, and his face split into a goofy grin.
"I won Gryffindor ten points."