As Cassius started to practice his occulmency, having read the entire book in about an hour and thirty minutes, he was summoned to dinner. "Wow I thought Hogwarts food looked good!" he gaped at the large display of food, nothing he recognized as typical Christmas food for muggles but all delicious. He happily sat down next to Neville and dived into the food with everyone else.

However, half an hour into the meal, someone else arrived. A man, older and slim, with a rather average looking face. "Who's this, Augusta?" He said, cold and bored, looking at Cassius.

Cassius stood, knowing from Neville's pictures who his was. "You must be Algie!" Neville must have sensed something as Cassius approached the man. He almost bolted to Cassius but he was too late, and Cassius squeezed the man's hand, twisted it back and kicked out his knee. A knife flew to Cassius' hand, and he held it at Algie's throat. The room filled with terror. "I hear you pushed Neville into a lake, and threw him out of a window simply because you wanted to test his magical potential?" The man shivered. "Tell me, why shouldn't I test your powers?"

"Please, I just-" Algie coughed out.

"Did nothing but hurt your nephew for no damn good reason!" His tone turned metallic, cold and hateful. He turned to a terrified Augusta. "And you, you allowed it. You deserve the same punishment. Neville is an amazing and powerful person, I can feel magic, he is more powerful than any of you. Even if he wasn't he would deserve a million times better than you all. If I ever hear of you hurting him again, I will personally deal with you!"

Neville, sighing, approached. "Please, don't kill them." he sounded bored as he looked at Algie with nothing but hate. "No matter how much he deserves it." He moved the knife from Algie's throat, then kneed the man shattering his nose. "I am done being your chew toy. Grow up, all of you."

They both laughed at the terrified expressions on Augusta and Algie's face. "You really brought this on yourselves."

And like that both boy, having eaten their fill,marched to Neville's room. The moment they were behind closed doors Neville broke out into deep laughter. "That was so satisfying. How'd you do that, summoning the knife?"

"I was angry, it moved."

"Maybe we should learn wandless magic?"

They both shared a devious look at that.

Not even ten minutes later, someone knocked on the door. Slowly, hesitantly, Augusta walked into the room. " May I enter?"

"You may." Neville said.

"Cassius, why did you... do that?"

"He hurt Neville, and you allowed it. You have proven that magical skills are more important than Neville's survival. If had no magic, he would have died when Algie dropped him out of the window."

She sighed, shivering but before she could say a word, Neville piped up. "Would you rather me be dead than magical?"

Her eyes went wide. "What no! I just... wanted, you to be... well, like your father."

Neville growled. "I am not Frank, I never want to be him. Did you ever care for me or am I just his replacement?"

She shivered again, his powerful magic filling the air with cold excitement. "No... yes... I am not sure. Either way, I never should have treated you so poorly. I am sorry. truly. Cassius thank you for caring for my Grandson when I failed to even try to help him... Algie is gone, I banished him from the family, as I should have so many year ago. I will not fail you again."

Neville sighed. "Do better, and I might forgive you... are we going to visit my parents?"

She nodded. "Is Cassius coming with us?"

"Yes, he is my family too..."

Cassius' eye may have been rather wet at that.

"Very well... let us depart."

One apparition later and they were approaching a Hospital, St. Mungos. " Neville." Cassius said. "Why are your parents here, what am I about to walk into?"

Neville sighed. "After the Bloodwar ended, my parents were attacked by Bellatrix Lestrange and Barty Crouch Junior. They tortured them into insanity... they've been like that since that day..."

Cassius grabbed Neville's hand. "I truly, entirely, am sorry. For both of you and for them."

They both looked tired, both Longbottoms. A soul deep exhaustion that so little could compare too... and all Cassius could wish was that he could help them.


Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

This was a lot of fun.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.