Chapter 12
Harry shadowed to Hogsmeade just as the other students who were returning to Hogwarts after Yule break were getting off the train. He joined a carriage with some older years who just ignored him.
Entering the Great Hall, he immediately makes his way over to Neville.
“Hey Nev, how was your Yule?” Harry greeted.
“Harry! What happened? You and the Weasleys just left.” Neville questioned in concerned.
“Mr. Weasley got injured so Dumbledore portkeyed us away to a safe house. I unfortunately was forced to go with them. I ditched them after a couple of days after hearing them planning to drug me again.” Harry informed him with a shrug.
“That’s...” Neville trailed off.
“Yeah.” Harry agreed. “Other than that, it was a productive holiday.” He informed the other boy thinking of Tom’s Diary he had safely stored at Garlot Manor.
“That’s good. Mine was the same as usual.” Neville looked away awkwardly and uncomfortable with the attention switched to his holiday break.
“Did you like your gift?” Harry questioned, curiously and hoping it would distract the other boy from whatever made him uncomfortable. “I wasn’t sure if you had one or not.” Harry had given Neville a variant of a Barnacle Tree;a tree that has barnacles that open on Ostara, revealing small, colourful songbirds. He had a few at Garlot Manor and knew Neville would take great care of it.
Neville beamed at him. “I loved it. Where did you find a small one?”
“I’ll show you this summer if you’d like?”
“I’d love that.” After a pause, where the other boy seemed to be gathering up his courage he spoke again. “So… Umm… The Prophet-”
“POTTER!” Malfoy called cutting off Neville as he walked up with Crabbe and Goyle. “Is it true?”
“What?” Harry asked, already knowing what the blonde prat was going to say.
“You’re a born bastard?” he smirked, looking at all the others who immediately focused on them.
Harry rolled his eyes. “No, my parents were married.”
Malfoy looked shocked at that before smirking again. “Didn’t you hear? That mudblood wasn’t married to your father and wasn’t even your mother.”
“Malfoy.” Harry gave an exaggerated sigh. “I have known for a while Lily Evans wasn’t married to my father. I know who both my parents are. Just because the paper and public are only finding out now doesn’t make it new news to me.” Harry gave him a pitying look.
Malfoy looked insulted. “Well, who is your mother?”
“Not any of your business. Now I suggest you go to your own table.”
“I will find out, Potter!” he declared haughtily before storming to his table, while others began to whisper different theories.
“HARRY!” was shouted as Hermione stormed up to the table, a Weasley on both sides.
He sighed. He hoped this didn’t become a routine thing.
“Where have you been!” She screeched.
“When?” Harry calmly asked.
“You know exactly when!” Ron snarled, angry that Harry ditched him.
Everyone around them was watching more than usual. When Harry had disappeared with the Weasley kids, people had begun to think that the trio had made up. However, this suggested otherwise.
“I don’t know why the headmaster sent me with you guys.” Harry shrugged indifferently. “I already had Yule plans.”
“What plans?” Ginny questioned innocently, attempting to flutter her eyelashes. She ended up looking like there was just something stuck in her eyes.
“Nothing that concerns any of you.” Harry answered. He was getting tired of people, of children, expecting him to tell them everything they wanted to know.
Dumbledore called everyone to attention, causing the three to sit down and shut up. Dumbledore began his welcome back from Christmas break speech.
A note requesting Harry to the headmaster’s office after dinner appeared next to his plate. Harry sighed; he knew he would be questioned but he didn’t like it, especially right away.
Ignoring the note for now, Harry chatted with Neville. They mostly talked about plants and classes. Hermione for her part tried to interject and join in the conversation but they just looked at her until she stopped talking then continued their conversation. She eventually just stopped trying. It probably helped that she never really cared for plants, especially non-magical ones.
After he finished eating, he informed Neville what he was doing and headed to the headmaster’s office, and if he walked slower than normal that was nobodies’ business but his own.
Entering the office, Dumbledore invited him to sit. “Lemon drop?”
“No, thank you, sir.” Harry declined.
“I called you up here, my boy, to find out how you were doing.” Dumbledore began in a soothing tone.
“Sir?” Harry questioned, wondering what the old goat was up too now.
“I wanted to tell you that your parents loved you very much. The prophet is being outrageous in their attack against you.” Dumbledore gave him a disappointed look. “Don’t take what they are saying to heart. Your parents, James and Lily Potter were married, and you are their son.” He stressed.
Harry was actually surprised the old goat thought he was that stupid and would believe him. Maybe a Harry on compulsions might but he was happily clean and not an idiot.
“Now to more pressing things. What happened during break?” Dumbledore’s eyes lost their twinkle showing barely concealed anger as he stared at him.
“I’m unsure what you mean, Headmaster. I had plans during the break, and once I was finished with that, I went back to Grimmauld. For some reason I couldn’t get back in, so I went home.” Harry lied, making sure his occlumency shields were up but allowing a false memory of trying to open the door at Grimmauld in front of the shields.
“My boy, what were your plans?” Dumbledore said in forced politeness.
“It's nothing that concerns you, Headmaster.” Harry waved him off, airily. He could see Dumbles jaw clench in annoyance and anger. “Was there anything else?”
“Yes. With Voldemort being back you will need to learn to protect your mind.” Dumbledore began. “I have requested Professor Snape to teach you. You will be expected to be in his office once a week for lessons.” His eyes twinkled again.
Harry was annoyed at having no say in this, especially since he knew Dumbles still thought he had the blocks that wouldn’t allow an occlumency shield. However, he knew arguing wouldn’t do any good.
“Was there anything else, headmaster?” Harry asked, not agreeing or disagreeing, watching the twinkle dim in the old man’s eyes.
“No.” with that, Harry was dismissed and headed to the Gryffindor common room.
--*--
Albus threw one of his desk baubles across his office.
“How dare, that brat! Sneaking off! Refusing to tell me! I am Albus Dumbledore! Lord of the Light!” He ranted.
“False light.” Phineas Black’s portrait corrected with a smirk.
Albus froze.
“The false light shall be seen by all.” Phineas quoted the line from the prophecy.
“I'm not the false light.” Albus denied. “I’ve done everything for the greater good.”
All the portraits snorted.
“You’re greater good. Not anyone else’s.” Dippet sneered. “I wish I saw the real you before I died.”
“I tried to warn you.” Phineas stated.
“I know.” Dippet looked mournful, but he had not trusted the other due to Dumbledore’s whispers.
“Everything I do is for the greater good for all. I admit I focus more on the many rather then the individual but that is a sacrifice I must make.” Albus acknowledged. “Now I have things I must do, so be silent.” He waved his wand putting them to sleep.
It was now time to speak with Severus about Potter’s occlumency lessons. He would finally discover what the brat is hiding.
*
Harry was eating breakfast with Neville the next morning, when Snape walked up behind him.
“Mr. Potter, I will see you in my office tonight at 7pm to go over the lessons the headmaster requested I give you and my expectations.” The man walked away without waiting for a reply.
Harry rolled his eyes. He never agreed and wasn’t planning on going. It’s not like they could actually force him. It was illegal after all to use legilimency on a student. As a last resort they’ll just discover he did have occlumency shields and the rest of his secrets will still be hidden.
Owls began swooping in the Great Hall. The morning post has arrived. Right away the front-page of The Prophet catches everyone’s attention.
MASS BREAKOUT!
The article went into details on who escaped and what their crimes were. They were going on about how Sirius No-Name was the first and that it shouldn’t be surprising that his former cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange, had now managed. The DMLE was going to speak with Mr. No-Name and find out how he did it.
“See this is proof!” Hermione shouted. “You-Know-Who is back and broke out his loyal Death Eaters!”
People scoffed at her, though a few did look thoughtful.
Harry noticed Neville had gone pale. He quickly left the Great Hall and Harry followed him.
“Hey Nev, are you okay?” Harry asked when he caught up to the boy.
Neville kept walking but slowed his pace allowing Harry to walk next to him. “Do you know what happened to my parents?”
“No.” Harry answered honestly.
“Bellatrix Lestrange. She tortured them.” Neville’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. “She tortured them to insanity. Then she left them.” Neville took a breath. “I visit my parents in St. Mungos, but they don’t recognize anything, not even their son.”
“I’m sorry, mate. That’s awful.” Harry grimaced. That was horrible and he wished he could help… and actually he might be able to. There was ancient magic that seemed lost to this modern age that might work. Harry would have to find out exactly what ails the Longbottoms. He didn’t mention anything to Neville just in case he was wrong.
“Yeah…” Neville solemnly agreed as they reached his destination, Greenhouse 6. “I think I’m going to work on my plants for a while.”
Harry nodded, understanding that Neville would like to be alone. “I’ll see you later.”
--*--
Neville sighed softly as he put his gloves away and ventured out of the greenhouse. He was so thankful Professor Sprout allowed him to use the greenhouse whenever he wished. He found tending to the plants calming.
He did as Harry suggested and began looking into his family history over Yule break. He had indeed found that the Longbottoms indeed did have many Masters of Herbology. It was only the last couple of hundreds of years that it changed. The plant nursery that Henry Longbottom created had tripled the family’s wealth. It however mysteriously burned to ashes in the 1750s and the Longbottoms stopped being Herbology Masters.
“Blaise, come on.” A voice brought Neville out of his thoughts.
Looking around Neville spotted two Slytherins walking seemingly towards him.
“Theo, he’s probably not even there. It’s daytime.” Zabini points out walking with Nott.
Neville frowns at that. He wondered what the two Slytherins were up too.
Nott sees him and then actually walks over to him, Zabini following with a blank face.
“Longbottom.” Nott greets when he’s closer.
“Nott. Zabini.” Neville inclines his head. He didn’t really know the two, but they never did anything to him.
“Have you noticed anything different about the plants in the forest?” Nott questions immediately.
Neville startles. He didn’t realize anyone knew he went out there.
“We aren’t going to say anything, Longbottom.” Zabini flashes him a smile.
“Oh. Uhm.” Neville blushes and thinks for a moment about how the plants have been acting. “Yeah actually. They are more… magical?” He frowns at his answer but can’t think of a better word to explain it.
“See He’s affecting the ecosystem, which means that if he has been here before, it’s been a long time.” Nott explains looking at Zabini. “So maybe he only shows up during a certain time or to protect certain people.”
“Uh, who?” Neville asks, confused.
Nott and Zabini look at him before sharing a look. “You can’t tell anyone Longbottom.” Nott states sternly as Zabini puts up an anti-eavesdropping spell. “I wouldn’t even tell you, but I need your plant expertise.”
“Okay…”
“There’s a new creature in the Forbidden Forest.” Zabini says bluntly.
“What?” Neville asks.
“We have no idea what it is.”
“It saved my life the first time I met him.” Nott begins. “I was in the forest and got caught by a troll. He came out of nowhere and roared at the troll and the troll turned and ran. He then took me back to the school.”
“I went out with Theo, and he was showing me the spot. He then showed up and escorted us back to the castle.” Zabini added.
“What does He look like?” Neville questioned. Not many creatures could scare a troll.
“Well…” Nott seemed hesitant. “It's like a giant, aquatic lion.”
“A giant, aquatic lion?” Neville repeats.
“Meet us, tonight.” Zabini tells him. “Right here at, let’s say, one a.m.”
Neville nods confused. Not sure if he is actually agreeing or not.
“See you then.” And with that both Slytherins leave.
Neville wanders back to the castle lost in thought and indecision.