Chapter33– The Second task, not hardly
.
We 'floed' into the Carriage to find three separate rooms awaiting us and enough furor to ask what happened.
"Madam Maxine quieted the room and waived the Dailey Profit. "You have definitely caused an uproar. First you run off with two of my students to a secret hideaway where you get half the world showing up in a fight. Then comely sashay to France and tell the papers that the world is afraid of a fraud that is at best a half-blood who murdered in this school."
"Your point is?"
"You actual said that?"
"Oh that and a lot more, like I will not fight for Magical England. If they want someone they can find someone who they have trained for the job. Me I know nothing of fighting."
I offered my arms to Gabi and Hermione and we departed for the welcoming feast. Madam Maxime had given us enough of an idea what our reception would be like.
Little did we know what we would find trouble before the Great Hall. The minute we entered the Entrance Hall Snape glided over. "Potter the Headmaster wants you in his office."
"Sure, tell him I'll be right there as soon as I can find my Head of House."
"No Potter you will come now!"
"Why don't you make an appointment for me and my Head of House, Old Boy."
He reached out to grab me. The girls had released my arms the moment he approached so I gave him the dismissed wave of the hand. He was forced to back up as the wave had a bit of magic behind it.
"You will address me as Professor or Sir; do I make my self clear Potter?" He was drawing his wand as he spoke.
"Sorry Old Boy, very unsporting of you and all that. Let try again, I am Lord Potter Black and you are?"
Snape must have had a really bad day and he screamed 'Sectumsempra' from about ten feet away. What everyone in the Entrance Hall saw was Harry Potter dismissively wave away the curse and seemed to throw a punch at Snape. They did see Snape's head snap to the side and his body lifted off the ground. It was a knockout punch from ten feet away. The problem was Harry was still standing with his girls and couldn't have punched Snape that far away. Harry did get applause and whistles from most of the students but that was from the girl kissing his cheeks.
"Ladies I believe the Feast waits after a quick chat with Professor McGonagall."
Dumbledore entered the Great Hall and stumbled when he saw Harry sitting at the Gryffindor table. Snape had been removed by Madam Pomfrey earlier.
"Mr. Potter you are required in my office immediately."
"Why would that be Professor?" McGonagall was interested how the Headmaster was going to twist this to get Potter in his office.
"No concern of yours Professor it a personal matter." Dumbledore replied.
"Sorry Headmaster I have no wish to discuss anything that is personal with you especially." I gave him my best smile.
He dropped the request rather than further air the tensions in the Great Hall.
We later told Professor McGonagall of our marriage, our bond and everything else. We requested permission for me to attend lessons with the Beauxbatons and informed her of our sleeping arrangements as we did not think that the Headmaster would approve of marriage quarter in Hogwarts.
That night two people received substantial shocks. Those were Dumbledore and Snape as they visited Griffindor's common room. To be more specific the Headmaster visited the boy's dorm that contained Harry Potter. Finding an empty bed and it being after curfew the castle was awoken for a search of a missing student. Professor McGonagall was especial upset losing her beauty sleep.
The next surprise was not finding Harry Potter anywhere in the castle. Professor McGonagall was still not happy about being awoken by Snape so she was not forthcoming with the location of Harry Potter.
While the castle was loosing sleep I was having a mini flashback, in my sleep, to my cupboard under the stairs. I always slept with as many of Dudley's clothes on so I could to keep warm. Even after I had moved up to Dudley's second bedroom I had clothes on so to be ready to leap up when Vernon or Petunia called. The clothes were rough and ill-fitting. Right now I had the most comfortable and warming attire on me than I could ever remember.
/Scene Break/
Breakfast that morning was almost too much fun.
"Mr. Potter you will report to my office immediately."
"And for what reason Headmaster?" McGonagall asked.
"For attacking Professor Snape."
"Sorry but you are under misinformation, please make an appointment and I will clear up the matter myself." McGonagall replied.
"Mr. Potter still needs to report to my office."
"And for what reason Headmaster?" McGonagall asked.
"For not being in his House after curfew."
"Sorry but you are under misinformation, please make an appointment and I will clear up the matter myself." McGonagall replied.
"Mr. Potter still needs to report to my office."
"And for what reason Headmaster?" McGonagall asked.
"For skipping class before Christmas break."
"Sorry but you are under misinformation, please make an appointment and I will clear up the matter myself." McGonagall replied.
The students had stopped feeding, all except Ron, to watch the goings on, like a tennis match. It's a wonder afterwards someone didn't yell, "Point McGonagall".
/Scene Break/
February brought a cold like an Antarctic breeze but it was Hogsmeade weekend and nothing was going to stop the students from enjoying the town and frostbite. I had figured out the clue to the second task and couldn't wait for an Arctic swim in the lake. It was about as chilling as my love life. The girls dragged me to Honeydukes for their fix for the week when we ran into Ron Weasley. Surprisingly he kept his mouth shut as he passed.
Ron did say something from behind us, "Avada Kedavra".
I was sitting back having tea with Thanatos again.
"So do I get to move on to the next great adventure or do you have some more and devious plans for me?"
"The devious plans are more in line." Thanatos laughed.
"Look, adding up everything I can remember nothing is changing for me. I am being manipulated, I don't have a life of my own and recently my being loved is no different from my first ten years of life. I want to move on, it can't be worse than what I have been forced to live so far."
"Harry, you must understand that for some reason you seem to be caught in the middle of everything. Also there are many factors that enter into the scheme of things. There is the head guy and his council, the 'Fates' trying to carry out the plans, cupid and his stupid arrows of love and even human choice all interacting and making the big picture. I won't even try and explain the lunatic or evil forces. Just a minute I got a call on the hotline, I'll be right back." Thanatos jumped up and disappeared.
With nothing else to do I just sat and felt sorry for myself. Was there any other way to make me, abuse me or just have me attempt to carry out what the adults should be doing? If Voldemort and ten Deatheaters 'apperared' in Diagon alley and most of the adults there fired a 'Diffindo' there wouldn't be enough of Voldemort left to mop up.
"Change of plans Harry"
"Any chance of me moving on now?"
"No, but only a couple of changes will take place. You will be going back to the moment when you bonded with Hermione and Gabriella, there will be no bonding and Voldemort is still in wrath form. The next change will become obvious to you the minute that Gabriella touches the hand of Harry Potter."
"And, there always is more."
"Oh all right I don't suppose it will hurt to tell you. The attack on you by Ron Weasley was the start of an Alley wide assault. Two notables that were killed were Neville Longbottom and Ron Weasley. Neville Longbottom has been received here and will remain. Oh and your power to Anamigus transform is back. Have a fun life Harry Potter."
In a flash I was drowning in sensory inputs. My brain was telling me that my eyes were getting accustom to the light, I was in the Great Hall eating by the plates that were on the table, the buzz was students talking to each other. As I looked up I froze in shock. Petrified and unable to speak or yell by what I saw. Gabi was laying her hands onto Harry Potter's hands and not mine.
Panic was trying to overwhelm me. I slowly got up and forced a slow walk out of the Great Hall. Pass the doors I ran to the closest boys bathroom and a mirror, who was I? Neville Longbottom was staring back at me. I don't know how long I would have been frozen there but the mirror next to Neville's started taking. I dragged my eyes to that mirror and saw a laughing Thanatos. "Hi Neville, they decided to give you the laid back life you thought you wanted. Don't let curiosity kill the cat Lord Longbottom." Thanatos image disappeared.
/Scene Break/
Oh I got some serious sleep that night. What I got was a lot of thinking about more that just a new body and name. I had a wand that didn't work worth a Ron Weasley. I had an overbearing Grandmother that I would have to face because Neville Longbottom was going to have a drastic life style change. I needed muggle clothes and that meant money. Grandma held the purse strings so I would need to hit Gringotts and change my status. I wondered if Ron Weasley remembered who he was or thought he really was Harry Potter. Then the loss crept into my heart starting with Lora then Gabi and Hermione. I finally gave up and tried to lock away my feelings, what would happen would come sooner or later. This body was not worth a run from the Great Hall to the boy's bathroom without near collapse. No tomorrow starts a new page in the life of the new Neville Longbottom.
/Scene Break/
I had lost nothing that I could determine other than gaining an out of shape body. I had my Karate, wand-less magic and my new wand from Knockturn Alley showed I had my old power levels. I got my Head-of-House status and was now Lord Longbottom. I had been loosing fat and been replacing it with muscles but it was an ongoing project. On my morning run I ran into one of the Quittage chasers, she was out for a morning jog. By the third morning I got shown proper Quittage showing techniques prior to all our morning of sex. My life was moving along nicely.
Harry Potter's life was falling apart. He, whoever he was, acted like the swash buckle hero deserving of his rightful place in life and expected a loving audience. That of course sent Gabi and Hermione running. He got the Patil twins then Lavender. Soon he had no one except the fame seekers whether they be male or female. He had his yes men and girls but shallow was an excellent description of them. This however took quite a bit of time to form. My suspicions was that Ron Weasley was occupying my old body which almost gave me the heaves like the first time I though that. I couldn't understand his throwing away his family for a little fame but it fit Ron's mentality. Ron was shunning and bad mouthing the Weasley family especially Ginny at every chance he got. Furthermore, I never had such bad table manners as Harry Potter.
/Scene Break/
The weekly staff meeting at Hogwarts:
"Minerva how are your classes running and have you noticed any problems?" Dumbledore asked his stock opening question.
"Albus I am highly impressed with young Longbottom. His improvement recently is phenomenal."
"I too find him improving at an astonishing rate. His decking young Malfoy was a sight well seen." Flitwick commented.
"Yes well I must inform you that Potter has become the most arrogant stuck-up disgrace I have ever encountered, he…"
"Well you always wanted him that way and you have your wish Severus." McGonagall snidely added.
"He exceeds his father's arrogance and boastfulness he…"
"Yes Severus we have heard your opinion of Harry many times. So, are there any problems heading our way... None... Fine…until next week I bid you all peaceful classes, this meeting is adjourned."
/Scene Break/
"What do you mean you are not going to St. Mungo to visit your parents? Neville Longbottom you parents would be very sad indeed about the way you are acting."
"Well Gran why don't you have Mom and Dad pop over here and give me what for. Visiting them at Christmas is downright depressing. I have important things to take care of this break so schedule a visit sometime in the summer." I hated to be so rough but this yoke needed to be broken, no more bashful shy Neville.
"Young man report to your room. You will remain there until your attitude changes."
"Not happening Gran, I have Christmas presents to buy and friends to meet."
"I will not allow you one Knut from now on, you will do as your told or else."
"I see you are going to be a season spoiler. Tell you what you keep my room and I will rent a room downtown for the break. Oh, and if your looking for me, do look under Lord Longbottom, emancipated Head of House, Toddle Pip". I 'apperated' away to the Leaky Cauldron.
I did get a message later in the week asking if I could join Gran for Christmas dinner to which I acquiesced. That dinner set a new tone between family adults in the Longbottom family.
St. Mungo long time ward would have me as a permanent patient if I tried to say things like, "Hay I'm Harry Potter in Neville's body and that Harry Potter is an imposter" or "Hay Gabi its your Harry in Neville's body". I did wonder how I ended up with my invisibility cloak and Marauders map but I figured silence is golden and the golden boy could kiss my…
/Scene Break/
While I am driving my new body into shape I am also watching from the side lines. Poor dumb, shy Neville. Nobody pays any attention to the klutz. Well that wasn't entirely true. A lot of the girls were starting to notice in the physical way. I am no expert but I found two types of girls. One wanted a real relationship and the others didn't but then again it could have been my fault. I preferred being the ignored, shy dummy so my relationships didn't last very long. I was definitely not looking for a girl friend or wife; I had lost enough in the emotional field of love. Snogging and sex was definitely on my teenage body's mind but where I was heading was anyone's guess.
I did have one hobby and interest in my current life, Snape. The Potion Master always ragged on me because of my father and always played batman around Neville. Now he continued to rag on Harry who couldn't brew a potion if he tried but the new Neville Longbottom's potions were perfect. I had not lost what 'the thing' had seeped into my mind when I was with Thanatos. What I did do was when Snape snuck up on me and scared me into dumping an ingredient in wrong or when the Slytherin's sabotaged my potion was to insure the resulting explosion was aimed at Snape.