Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert Chapter 47

Hogwarts: Neville's Insert Chapter 47

Neville grinned and hugged her briefly. "I'll try, Gran. See you at Christmas."

Augusta nodded, then glanced at Harry and Hermione. "You both as well—come over for Christmas."

Harry smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Gran. I'll be there."

Hermione smiled hesitantly. "I'll have to ask my parents first, but I'd love to."

After a few more farewells, the three of them stepped onto the train, Hermione walking beside them, her trunk already shrunken to fit in her bag.

As they moved through the corridor, searching for an empty compartment, Hermione frowned slightly. "So, what exactly happened back there with the Malfoys?"

Harry let out a laugh. "You saw that, huh? Well, Neville dropped Malfoy like a sack of potatoes—and then mocked his father."

Hermione's eyes flicked to Neville, unimpressed. "I honestly didn't think you'd get into trouble before term even started."

Neville crossed his arms, feigning offense. "Hey, it's not my fault he mocked my parents."

Hermione's expression shifted into concern. "He did?"

Harry nodded. "That was half of it. The other half? Neville used wandless magic."

Hermione whipped her head toward Neville, her eyes wide in shock. "Wandless magic?"

Before Neville answered, he slid open a compartment door—and spotted someone he had been hoping to meet.

….

Neville slid open the door to an empty-looking compartment, only to realize that it wasn't entirely unoccupied.

Inside, a lone girl sat by the window, small and slight, her long blonde hair falling past her shoulders in soft waves. She wore peculiar round spectacles, shaped like two wide owl eyes, the magnified lenses giving her an almost otherworldly look. In her hands, she held a magazine upside down, flipping the pages as if reading it that way was perfectly normal.

At their arrival, she glanced up, tilting her head slightly, her expression distant but curiously observant. Though her gaze seemed dreamy, Neville had the oddest feeling that she was seeing right through them.

Neville recognized her instantly—Luna Lovegood. She had always been one of his favorite characters from the Harry Potter universe. He smiled slightly and asked, "Hello there. Mind if we join you?"

Luna lowered her magazine, resting it in her lap. "Oh, yes, of course," she said airily. "I'd love the company." Her voice was soft and lilting, as though she was only half-rooted in reality.

Neville stepped inside, motioning for Harry and Hermione to follow. "I'm Neville Longbottom," he introduced himself, giving a polite nod. "These two are Harry Potter and Hermione Granger."

At Harry's name, Luna blinked behind her odd glasses, her expression thoughtful and curious.

"Harry Potter..." she murmured. "I've read lots of stories about you—my friend simply won't stop talking about them." She paused, studying him closely before adding, "You're not at all how the books describe you."

Harry frowned, confused. "Books?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "The storybooks. There are multiple books about you. Most of them are complete codswallop."

Luna nodded serenely. "My friend is a huge fan of them. She won't stop talking about you."

Neville chuckled, leaning against the window. "Yeah, I saw one where they had you fighting dragons and living in a castle like some kind of knight."

Harry groaned, rubbing his face. "Is that how the entire magical world sees me?"

Neville shrugged, smirking. "I think you can sue them. I'm not sure, but I don't think they can use your likeness without permission." He walked over to the seat near the window and settled down, with Harry sitting beside him and Hermione beside Luna.

Neville turned back to Luna. "So, are you a first-year?"

Luna nodded lightly. "Yes, and my name is Luna Lovegood." Then, tilting her head slightly, she studied Neville for a moment before saying, "You don't have that many Nargles around your head. That's a good sign."

Hermione paused mid-sit, frowning. "What's a Nargle?"

Luna sighed, as though she had been asked this too many times. " Nargles are mischievous creatures that like to steal things, especially shoes and jewelry. They tend to hide in mistletoe."

Hermione's frown deepened. "I've read about magical creatures in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them multiple times, and I've never seen anything about Nargles."

Luna shook her head, unfazed. "Oh, you won't find them in that book." She reached for her magazine, flipping to a particular page, before holding it up for Hermione to see. "They're in The Quibbler."

Hermione took the magazine, skimming through the pages filled with wild and bizarre topics. Her brows furrowed deeper as she muttered, "This is complete nonsense."

Luna calmly took the magazine back, completely unbothered. "No, it's not. My father is the editor."

And just like that, Hermione and Luna descended into an argument, Hermione firmly insisting that Nargles weren't real, while Luna staunchly defended her beliefs, stating that just because something wasn't documented didn't mean it didn't exist.

Neville, chewing on a biscuit he had pulled from his pocket, sighed before stepping in. "Hermione, we can't say for sure that they don't exist. There's a lot about magic that we don't know about."

Hermione huffed, crossing her arms, but paused, clearly thinking it over.

Neville turned to Luna. "Luna, you say you see Nargles, right?"

Luna nodded. "Yes."

Neville thought for a moment, then asked, "When you see them… do you actually see creatures, or just colors?"

Luna blinked. "Colors."

That caught Neville's interest. "Colors around people?"

Luna nodded again. "Yes, sometimes they're soft, sometimes bright, but always shifting."

Neville's mind raced.' Could this be like Ancient Magic in Hogwarts Legacy? Maybe she's not seeing creatures at all, but the magic itself—interpreting it as creatures because she's seen them from a young age?'

Hermione, still skeptical, folded her arms. "So, you're saying you can see them?"

Neville turned to her. "Hey, don't judge her, you know." He leaned forward slightly. "I actually think she is seeing magic."

That caught everyone's attention.

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Huh? What are you talking about, mate?"

Neville leaned back in his seat, explaining thoughtfully. "There are many magical abilities that only certain wizards have. Like Metamorphmagi, who can shape-shift at will without potions or Transfiguration. Or how some people can become Animagi and turn into animals without wands."

Hermione hummed, considering his words, before saying, "But I've never read about people being able to see magic itself."

Neville shrugged. "Hermione, we've only been part of the magical world for a year. We can't know everything yet."

Neville looked at Luna, his mind still racing with the possibilities. "I think you see magic, Luna," he said thoughtfully. "You might have been able to see it from a young age, so you associated it with magical creatures because that's how your mind understood it. Or… I could be wrong, and Nargles are real. Who knows?"

Luna tapped her chin, looking more thoughtful than usual. "I've never thought about it like that before… maybe you're right."

Neville hesitated, then asked gently, "How long have you been able to see them, Luna?"

Luna smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Instead, her expression turned distant and sad.

"Since I was nine," she said softly.

She looked down at her lap, her fingers gently tracing the cover of The Quibbler. "It was the day my mother died…"

The compartment fell silent.

"She was experimenting with a spell," Luna continued, her voice quiet but steady. "Something went wrong, and I was there when it happened. I… I blacked out. When I woke up, I could see these colors."

Neville's chest tightened. That must have been the moment she awakened her connection to Ancient Magic… He wondered if that incident had changed her, shaping her into the Luna Lovegood they all knew from the books.

Sitting beside her, Hermione didn't hesitate—she immediately wrapped Luna in a hug. "We're so sorry, Luna."

Harry, looking genuinely regretful, nodded. "Yeah… we didn't mean to bring up something painful."

Luna shook her head, smiling softly. "It's alright. You didn't know. And I'm not upset that you asked me." She glanced out the window, her eyes filled with a quiet sort of determination. "I still believe I'll see her again one day."

Neville exchanged a look with Harry and Hermione, then turned back to Luna with a gentle grin. "Well, Luna, from now on, you can count the three of us as your friends. If anyone picks on you, just let me know, and I'll take care of it."

Hermione, still sitting close to Luna, nodded firmly. "Yeah, if you need any help at Hogwarts, just come to us. We're here for you."

Harry nodded in agreement, offering Luna a reassuring smile.

Luna looked genuinely happy, her usual dreamy expression giving way to pure joy. "I'm so happy to have made friends on my first day," she said brightly. "Daddy will be thrilled when I tell him!"

Just then, the train gave a lurch and began moving forward.

Neville opened up the box of baked goods that Clinky had packed for them, and soon, they were all laughing and chatting, enjoying their snacks as they settled into the ride.

But their peaceful moment was short-lived.

The compartment door suddenly slid open with force, and standing there was Ron Weasley, looking both frustrated and relieved.

Ron stepped into the compartment, glancing at the others before focusing entirely on Harry. "Where the hell have you been, Harry?"

Harry, caught off guard, choked on his cookie, coughing violently.

Neville patted his back, helping him recover. "Hey there, Ron. Where have you been? We've been in this compartment the whole time."

Harry, still clearing his throat, nodded. "Yeah, we've been here. Where were you?"

Ron looked confused, then finally noticed Luna, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Luna simply smiled. "Hello, Ron."

Ron, barely acknowledging her greeting, frowned. "Huh? Loony? What are you guys doing with her?"

Neville, Harry, and Hermione all frowned at his words.

Luna, on the other hand, continued to smile serenely, as if she hadn't even noticed the insult.

Neville, however, wasn't having it. He pointed at Ron, his expression sharp. "Her name is Luna, Ron. Not Loony. Or do you prefer if people start calling you Ginger Idiot?"

Hermione crossed her arms, her tone firm. "You should apologize, Ronald."

Harry nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Ron, you shouldn't go around calling people names. Otherwise, you're no different from Malfoy."

Ron's face fell, guilt flashing in his eyes. He scratched the back of his head. "I didn't mean it like that—it just slipped. I'm sorry, Luna."

Luna, still smiling, tilted her head slightly. "It's alright, Ron."

Ron shifted uncomfortably, clearly feeling awkward now.

Neville let out a sigh, deciding to move the conversation along. "Anyway, what were you saying before? You asked where we've been? Well, we've been here with Luna this whole time. Where were you?"

Ron blinked, as if just remembering why he barged in. "Oh! Right. We were a bit late to the station, but that's not what I was asking." He turned to Harry, his expression serious. "Why didn't you reply to any of my letters? I sent you loads! Me, George, and Fred even came to rescue you. We stole Dad's car and flew to your uncle's house, but you weren't there. We got caught by your uncle, and he said you'd already left with one of your friends."

Harry glanced at Neville and Hermione, unsure how to respond.

Neville stepped in. "Yeah, Harry was staying with me over the summer."

Ron frowned, his ears turning red. "And you didn't tell me?"

Harry let out a frustrated sigh. "It's not like we didn't try, but there was this house-elf, Dobby. He was stealing all my mail—even the ones I tried to send! Me and Neville only found out yesterday when we caught him sneaking off with more letters."

Ron looked skeptical, his brow furrowing. "A house-elf, mate?"

Neville nodded, leaning back. "Yeah. Apparently, the house-elf didn't want Harry coming back to Hogwarts, so he kept stealing his mail. And even mine—to both you and Hermione—when Harry was staying at my place."

Ron still looked uncertain. "But… a house-elf? They can't really disobey their masters, you know. Why would he not want you coming back to Hogwarts?"

Harry glanced at Luna, who was casually flipping through her upside-down magazine, then lowered his voice. "He said something about me being in great danger, and that someone has planned to kill me."

Ron gulped, his face paling slightly. "What do you think it could be?"

Hermione shook her head, arms crossed. "We don't know."

The conversation continued throughout the train ride, but the atmosphere between Harry and Hermione with Ron remained… awkward.

Neither of them knew quite how to act around him after neville had told them about his theory about Dumbledore and the Weasley's him. The easygoing friendship they had before felt a little strained, as though they were walking on eggshells.

Ron, for his part, seemed to sense the awkwardness but didn't bring it up.

The train came to a halt at Hogsmeade Station, the familiar hiss of steam filling the air as students began filing out onto the cool evening platform.

Neville, Harry, Hermione, and Ron had all changed into their uniforms, blending into the crowd of returning students.

As they stepped onto the platform, Luna drifted away, easily merging into the group of wide-eyed first-years.

Near the station exit, a large figure loomed, holding up a lantern and calling out in his booming voice.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here!"

Neville and the others walked toward him, spotting Hagrid standing near the lake, a familiar smile on his bearded face.

"Hey there, you lot!" Hagrid greeted warmly as he saw them.

Harry grinned, stepping forward. "Hey there, Hagrid! How've you been?"

Hagrid chuckled, adjusting his lantern. "Been fine! You four best be gettin' along before the carriages leave."

Neville turned to Luna, offering a small smile. "See you in the castle later, Luna."

Hermione nodded, giving Luna a small wave. "Yeah, see you inside!"

Luna simply smiled dreamily before turning back toward the first-years, following them toward the boats.

The four of them made their way toward the carriages waiting near the station. Unlike first-years, who traveled across the Black Lake, older students were transported to the castle in carriages drawn by creatures only some could see.

As they approached, Neville reached into his pocket, pulling out an apple. Instead of heading straight into the carriage, he walked over to one of the Thestrals, holding out the apple as he gently stroked its sleek, leathery snout.

Hermione, watching from the side, frowned slightly. "Neville… what are you doing?"

Ron, staring at what looked like empty space, raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, mate, you gone mad or something? There's nothing there—what exactly are you petting?"

Neville smirked, eyes gleaming mischievously. "Who said there wasn't anyone here?"

Before either of them could argue, the apple Neville had been holding seemingly disappeared, chomped down by something invisible.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron all froze, their eyes going wide with shock.

"W-what just happened?" Ron stammered, looking completely bewildered.

Neville simply continued petting the unseen creature, a knowing smile on his face.

"They're called Thestrals," Neville explained. "You can only see them if you've witnessed death."

Harry hesitated, reaching out toward where Neville was petting. His fingers brushed against something solid, a faint skeletal form beneath them. His breath hitched. "There's something here," he murmured.

Hermione, still in shock, asked, "But… how can you see them?"

Ron, shaking his head in disbelief, muttered, "You're pulling our legs, mate."

Neville shrugged, his expression unreadable. "I could see them last year… though I don't know if I could see them before I lost my memories."

A heavy silence followed.

Harry pulled his hand away, deep in thought, while Hermione looked like she was processing everything.

Ron, on the other hand, looked pale, as if he was debating whether or not he wanted to know who Neville had seen die.

Breaking the tension, Neville clapped his hands together. "Well, come on, guys. We should get to the castle."

With that, he stepped into the carriage, then reached out to help Hermione climb in after him.

Still processing what they'd just learned, Harry and Ron followed suit, the carriage rocking slightly as they settled in for the ride to Hogwarts Castle.

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