Hermione and Neville were sitting next to each other, in Defence Against the Dark Arts class, learning about curses.
Hermione watched the spider, under the Imperious Curse. She didn't really mind it. She hoped that he would not do the Cruciatus Curse, for Neville's sake and the spiders.
"Anyone know another one?" he asked. "Another illegal curse?"
Hermione raised her hand, wanting to give Advada Kadavra, but Neville raised his hand too.
Professor Moody looked straight at Neville. "Yes?" he said.
"There's one – the Cruciatus Cruse," he said, very nervously.
"Your names' Longbottom?" he said.
Neville nodded.
Moody reached into a jar and pulled out the next spider. "The Cruciatus Cruse needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea. Engorgio," he said, pointing his wand at the spider.
The spider grew bigger. Hermione was glad that Ron wasn't here, but at the same time really wished Neville wasn't.
Moody pointed his wand at the spider. "Crucio," he said.
Hermione did not even look at the sider. She just looked at Neville.
Neville was soon staring at the spider, his hands clenched atop his desk, frozen in terror.
"Stop it!" Hermione yelled.
He did.
"Pain," said Professor Moody. "You don't need knives or thumbscrews to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse … That one was very popular too.
"Right … anyone know any others?"
Hermione was so upset that she didn't even bother to raise her hand. She just looked at Neville. She wanted to comfort him, but she feared that if she tried she might accidentally startle him, or draw unwanted attention to him.
She thought about how Neville would sometimes comfort Jane, and she figured it was unlikely that anybody would notice or care if they just held hands. She carefully reached out and stroked his hand.
Neville grabbed hers, tightly.
Hermione was pretty pissed at Professor Moody, but something he said minutes later made her feel a little better about him.
"You've got to know. You've got to appreciate what the worst is. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where you're facing it. Constant Vigilance!"
After class, Hermione and Neville got stopped by Professor Moody.
He looked at Neville. "It's alright soony," he said. "Why don't you come up to my office? We can have a cup of tea?"
Hermione glared at Professor Moody.
"I won't frighten him again," he said. "I know it seems harsh, but you've got to know. No point pretending … well…. Come on, Longbottom, I've got some book you might like."
Professor Moody put his hand on Neville's shoulder and steered him away.
Hermione went into to great hall, where she was approached by Jane.
"Where's Neville," Jane asked.
"Um… Professor Moody asked him to have tea with him," she explained. "I'm not sure why." She was pretty sure that he was going to apologize to Neville, at least she hoped so, but she did not tell Jane that. She didn't want to have to explain what happened to Jane, as she doubted that would do anyting but upset her.
Neville sat down across from Professor Moody. He then reached into his pocket and petted Trevor for comfort.
"Are you Frank and Alice Longbottom's son?" Professor Moody asked.
Neville nodded.
"I guess you might have already known about the horror of the Cruciatus curse, without having to see it, although that could also mean that you most had to see it."
"You might be right about that. Please, don't be mad at Hermione."
"Does she know about your parents?"
"Yes."
"Then I'm not mad."
"You're not going to show the curses to the third-years are you?" Neville asked.
"No. I don't think third-years could handle that. I might simply tell them about the curses, but if I do it won't be until later in the year. Why?"
"My best mate, Jane's, a third year. I don't think she'd have as much of a problem with the Cruciatus curse as me, but she would be upset by it. When Jane gets upset, she gets really upset. She can probably handle hearing about them though. She's known my parents were tortured to insanity since she was like ten."
"Oh yeah. I think I've had her in a class earlier, but I haven't really gotten to know her at all yet. She seemed pretty quiet."
"Yeah, Jane's kind of shy, although I am too."
"You're probably tougher than you think. Look at who your parents are?"
"Neville hesitated and then spoke. "I'm proud to be their son, but does that even say anything about me, and who I am?"
"Who wouldn't it? You were sorted into Gryffindor after all."
"Does that mean anything?" he asked. He knew plenty of other people who were in the same house as their parents, like Luna and all of the Weasleys, but was thinking of Jane. He paused, realizing that he probably shouldn't tell him about Jane speaking parseltongue. "Hermione is the best witch I know, and she's a muggle-born. Jane is a pretty good witch too, and she's the daughter of a muggle and a squib."
"Well, I guess genetics only play a small role, but it's still something, or maybe not. Still, your parents must have inspired you in a way."
"In a way, yeah, especially when they do things to show that they still feel a bond with me."
"Professor Sprout mentioned that you have a knack for Herbology, which is a bit surprising because I don't think anyone else in your family did."
Neville blushed a little. "Well, that can happen. I just find plants fascinating."
"I have a book you might like," Professor Moody said, getting up and pulling it off the shelf.