Hogwarts: Neville's Insert Chapter 86
Harry gave a long whistle. "So you're basically trying to bring electricity to the wizarding world."
Neville just grinned, pride flickering in his eyes. "Something like that."
Hermione leaned forward, the book Pomfrey had given Neville half-forgotten on the armchair. "Neville, this is… honestly, it's brilliant. Practical applications alone—if you could get them stable enough to mount on walls…" Her eyes lit up. "You could transform the entire wizarding world, really."
Neville tapped the switch, and the little metal plate stopped glowing. He leaned back with a small sigh. "Just have to figure out how to mass-produce it," he muttered to himself.
Harry shrugged, unimpressed. "Still just looks like light to me." Then he looked at Neville with a grin. "Well, if you're done with your tinkering, how about a spar?"
Neville glanced up, one eyebrow raised. "Again?"
Harry was already rolling his shoulders and drawing his wand. "You won last time. I want a rematch."
"Mate, I've won every time, but..." Neville let out a theatrical sigh and slid his wand from his sleeve. "It seems you really don't learn, do you?"
Hermione groaned, setting her ladle down with a little shake of her head. "Honestly, boys…" But there was a faint smile tugging at her mouth as she stepped aside to watch.
…
Wednesday, 30th June 1993 – Room of Requirement
Neville stood with his wand at the ready as a heavy trunk floated carefully down the ladder, inside the napsack. Just as the trunk fully entered the napsack, Neville flicked his wand and cast "Leviosa," allowing the trunk to slip neatly into the napsack.
Neville called out to Harry, "I've got it! Harry, you can let go!"
Harry released his hold, and the trunk floated the last foot under Neville's control. Then, Neville used his wand to maneuver the levitating trunk around the space, There were around thirty trunks lined up inside the knapsack.
Neville positioned the levitating trunk next to the others and canceled the spell. He let out a sigh and wiped the sweat from his forehead, muttering, "Ah, all done."
Turning around, Neville climbed up the suspended ladder of the knapsack.
Harry stood outside, looking down at the open knapsack as Neville's head popped out of the opening.
Seeing Harry, Neville extended his hand and said, "Give me a hand, mate."
"Yeah," Harry replied, taking Neville's hand and helping him out.
Now fully out of the knapsack, Neville let out another sigh and said, "Thanks, mate," as he turned around to close the knapsack.
Neville stood up with the napsack in his hand and said, "Come on, let's go find Hermione before we leave."
As they walked toward Alric's library, Harry shoved his hands into his pockets and glanced sideways at Neville. "I've been meaning to ask you," he began.
Neville looked at him curiously. "Eh, what is it?"
Harry nodded toward the napsack. "Why are you so interested in selling all that stuff? The creature parts, horns, and eggshells—you've been cataloging them for weeks." He hesitated before adding, "I mean, aren't you rich? Like really rich? It's not like you need the money or something. You're already… well, pretty loaded, aren't you? So why are you so keen on selling them?"
Neville scratched the back of his neck, a faint smile tugging at his mouth. "That's true. The Longbottom estate is well off. But… it's not just about me being rich."
Harry frowned. "Then what?"
Neville glanced at him. "Because war costs money, Harry."
Harry blinked. "War?"
Neville glanced at him, expression grim. "What do you expect when Voldemort comes back? It won't just be one-on-one duels. It'll be war."
Harry walked in silence for a few beats, staring at the stone floor. "You really think it'll come to that?"
Neville nodded, voice low but steady. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. When he returns, he won't just pick fights here and there—he'll start a war. Better to be prepared when it happens. We'll need money—for supplies, potions, everything."
as they walked into Alaric's library
A voice cut through their conversation. "War?"
They both turned. Hermione stood next to one of the tall shelves, a book half open in her hands. She looked from one boy to the other, with a confused look. "What war?"
Harry glanced at Neville, then back to her. "Neville says that when Voldemort returns, we'll have to fight in a war."
The book slipped slightly in Hermione's grip. Her eyes widened. "What?"
Neville scratched the back of his neck, suddenly wishing he'd kept quiet. "Yeah, well… when he returns, we are going to be at war. It was the same last time—it'll inevitably come to that again."
Hermione swallowed, shutting the book with a soft thud. "Is it really going to come to a war?"
Neville shrugged, "It's the most likely outcome. He'll want control of everything."
Harry's brow furrowed. "Can't we stop him before it comes to that?"
Neville hesitated, then sighed.. "I don't know, Harry. We don't know what the prophecy's about yet."
There was a beat of silence before Hermione looked up at him again. "Is that why you've been so focused on magical healing these past months?"
Harry turned his head sharply, eyes narrowing in curiosity.
Neville rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly sheepish. "Well… part of it."
Both Hermione and Harry dropped their gazes to the floor, thoughtful and heavy with unspoken worries.
Neville clapped his hands softly, trying to cut through the gloom. "Hey—don't worry about it. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Just then, Lumina flew over with a thrill. She landed on Neville's shoulder and looked at Harry and Hermione, noticing their somber faces. She thrilled at Neville as if asking why they looked so down.
Neville reached up, stroking her feathers. "It's nothing, girl."
He swung his sling bag off his shoulder, unbuckled the flap, and pulled out a small wooden box. Flipping it open, eight vials neatly slotted into carved holders. One of them is empty.
Neville drew out the empty vial and turned to Lumina. "Think you can give me another one, girl?"
Lumina tilted her head, then trilled softly and gave a little nod.
"Thanks," Neville murmured. He held the vial up carefully to her eye
Lumina shed some tears into the vial, and when the vial reached 70 percent, Neville pulled it away, corked it, he then slipped the vial back into its slot, closed the box with a snap, and tucked it into his bag. Then he pulled out a small treat and held it up. "Here you go, girl."
Lumina snapped it up, feathers fluffing as she trilled happily
Hermione glanced up at the clock on the far wall. Her eyes went wide, and she clutched her book to her chest. "It's nine! We have to leave or we'll miss the carriage!"
Neville waved her off casually. "Relax, Hermione. We've still got time. There will be carriages until ten."
Hermione huffed, clearly unconvinced.
Lumina fluttered her wings and let out another cheerful trill.
Neville looked at her fondly, then sighed. "Yeah, you're not coming with us," he said firmly.
Lumina froze, then let out a sharp, indignant cry, feathers ruffling.
Neville winced. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not leaving you here, either. When I get home, I'll call for you. You can phoenix-flame straight to me—no need to explain to anyone why a bright blue phoenix is hanging around Hogwarts students, we kept you a secret so far i dont want to ruin that."
Lumina cocked her head, trilling again, a stubborn note in the sound.
Neville raised a brow. "What? Fly to Longbottom Manor on your own?"
She gave a high, confident trill.
Neville pinched the bridge of his nose. "You don't even know where the manor is."
Another trill—louder, insistent.
Neville sighed, then glanced toward the perch beside the armchair where Hedwig sat, watching the exchange. He turned to Harry. "Think you could let Hedwig fly with her? Show her the way to the manor?"
Harry shrugged easily. "Sure. Probably better that Hedwig stays with you, anyway. She'll just be locked up at the Dursleys."
Neville walked over to the perch, lowering his voice slightly. "Hedwig… would you help Lumina get to my home? Show her the way?"
The snowy owl blinked once, then gave a low, affirmative hoot.
Lumina flapped her wings in delight, trilling a melody that echoed around the room.
Neville chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, don't get too excited yet." He rummaged through his sling bag, pulling out a small silver clip etched with runes and some of lumina treats.
He offered one to Lumina first. She snapped it up happily, giving a softer, satisfied trill. Then Neville turned to Hedwig, holding out another. "Here you go, too. Thanks for helping out."
Hedwig snapped the treat neatly from his fingers, gave a low hoot, and clicked her beak
Harry frowned. "What's that for?" pointing at the clip
Neville held it up. "This? Something I made. It'll let me track her location."
Lumina let out a sharp, offended trill, as if to say she didn't need any help.
Neville shook his head. "Oh, don't start. I'm not saying you can't handle yourself. I just don't want to take chances. Show me your leg."
Reluctantly, the phoenix extended one taloned foot, glaring at him all the while.
Hermione came closer, curiosity sparking in her eyes. "Wait—did you say track her location?"
Neville nodded, carefully fastening the clip around Lumina's ankle. "Yeah. It's linked to a map I've got. If she's ever got lost or Merlin forbid, poached—I'll know exactly where she is. And I'll be able to find her."
Hermione stared at him, impressed. "Neville, that's… brilliant."
Neville grinned smugly. "Of course it is. I thought of it, after all," as he finished fastening the tracker on Lumina's leg
Hermione swatted his shoulder, smiling despite herself. "Prat."
Harry said, "Alright. We should get going before the train leaves without us."
Hermione was already halfway across the room, scooping her bag off the armchair. She tucked the heavy book she'd been carrying inside and swung the strap over her shoulder. "He's right. Come on—if we're late, we'll end up crammed into a compartment with half the second years."
Neville grabbed the napsack from the floor. "Right. Let's go, then."
The three of them stepped out into the corridor. Behind them, the door to the Room of Requirement seamlessly blends back into the blank stone wall.
No sooner had they taken a few steps than Lumina gave a sharp trill and launched herself from Neville's shoulder. and out the open window with a thrill
Hedwig hooted once and took off after her,
Neville watched them go, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Well, that's them sorted."
With that, the three of them continued down the corridor, boots echoing faintly on the stone steps as they made their way toward the grand staircase and the entrance hall below.
...
Neville slid open the door to an empty compartment and stepped inside. Dropping his napsack onto the rack above, he flopped down by the window with a sigh.
"You know," he muttered as he settled in, "I really think taking the train back to London is a waste of time. Why can't we just leave by Floo or something?"
Hermione followed him in, sitting opposite with her bag tucked neatly at her side. She gave him a familiar exasperated look. "Because it isn't practical, Neville. Do you know how dangerous it would be if hundreds of students tried Flooing all at once? Not to mention—it costs a fortune, and people have gone missing just for mispronouncing the destination. Not every household is even connected to the Floo Network."
Harry ducked in last, closing the compartment door behind him before dropping down beside Neville. "She's got a point, mate," he said with a shrug.
Neville waved a hand dismissively. "Then they should've invented something safer. Even if not every house has a Floo, you could still send students straight to Diagon Alley. Their parents could collect them there. Same result as King's Cross—just a lot faster. Instead we're stuck on this train for eight hours when we could already be home."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Neville, sometimes you sound like you want to rebuild the entire wizarding world from scratch."
Neville grinned at that, unbothered. "Maybe I do."
Before Hermione could reply, there was a knock at the door. The compartment door slid open, and Luna stood there, rain-damp hair clinging to her cheeks.
"Hello," she said dreamily. "Mind if I sit with you?"
"Of course, come in," Hermione said warmly, shifting her bag to give Luna space.
Luna sat down with a serene smile.
"You're soaked," Hermione noted at once. She pulled out her wand, gave it a flick, and a warm gust of air swept over Luna, drying her hair and robes in seconds.
"Thank you," Luna said calmly, as if being blow-dried by magic was the most ordinary thing in the world.
Neville pulled a small tin box from his sling bag, flipped the lid open, and revealed neat rows of sausage rolls and a few other parties. "Hungry?" he asked, passing them around.
Luna selected a chocolate croissant, tilting her head as if examining its shape, "Thank you. "
Harry leaned forward quickly and grabbed one of the sausage rolls. "You're a lifesaver, mate."
Hermione picked out a pain au chocolat with a polite "Thank you, Neville."
The train gave a shudder and began to move, the steady rhythm of the wheels filling the silence between their chatter. They had just begun talking idly about summer plans when another knock sounded at the door.
Harry stood to open it. On the other side stood Daphne Greengrass with her younger sister, Astoria.
"Daphne?" Harry blinked, a bit surprised.
"Potter," Daphne greeted with a polite nod. "May we come in?"
"Er—yeah, sure. Come on in." Harry stepped aside.
Neville swallowed the bite he'd been chewing. "Oh—hey, Daphne. Astoria."
Hermione looked up from her book. "Hello, Daphne, Astoria. What brings you here?"
"Hello," Luna added, giving a little wave.
The Greengrass sisters stepped inside. Daphne inclined her head briefly to each of them before turning to Neville. "We're here to see you, Longbottom."
"Me?" Neville blinked, then smacked his forehead lightly. "Right—I nearly forgot."
He rummaged in his bag and pulled out a polished wooden case, flipping it open to reveal neatly slotted vials.
"Eight vials—just like I promised," Neville explained, holding the case out to Daphne. "That should be enough to last until the end of summer."
Astoria's eyes went wide with wonder, while Daphne accepted the box with careful, steady hands. "Thank you, Longbottom. Truly. Our family is in your debt." She closed the case gently and tucked it away.
Astoria stepped forward shyly, holding out a small parcel. "Here—please accept this."
Neville shrugged, waving off their gratitude. "It's not a problem. Really—I'm glad to help. Eh, what's this?" he asked curiously as he accepted the bag Astoria held out.
Neville blinked, taking it. "What's this?"
"Treats for your phoenix," Daphne explained.
Neville's face lit up. "Right—she'll be thrilled." He set the parcel aside, then pushed the tin of pastries toward them. "Oh—where are my manners? Want one?"
Daphne, however, shook her head. "No, thank you."
Astoria hesitated only a second before reaching in and picking out a chocolate croissant. "Thank you," she said, biting back a small smile.
Daphne gave her sister an incredulous look. "Astoria…"
Neville chuckled, amused. "Don't worry about it. You're welcome."
Astoria took a bite, her eyes lighting up. "It's really good."
Daphne sighed.
Hermione closed her book halfway, smiling. "You're welcome to stay and join us, if you'd like."
Daphne shook her head with polite finality. "We need to find our friends. But again—thank you, Longbottom. Good summer to you all."
The sisters inclined their heads and slipped out into the corridor.
As the door slid shut, Neville leaned back with a long breath. "Well. That's sorted."
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