"I think you shouldn't just listen to their side of the story," said Dudley. "You should find out what really happened from the beginning. For example, you should ask Harry."
Professor McGonagall nodded, agreeing that it was most important to understand the full story.
"Professor McGonagall! Potter is his cousin; he'll definitely take his side!" a student immediately protested.
"Then... Miss Granger!" Professor McGonagall said, her gaze shifting.
"The beaver girl and the big gorilla are in it together!"
Upon hearing this, Professor McGonagall couldn't help but frown. The nicknames 'beaver' and 'gorilla' were not at all pleasant. However, the group of five students couldn't care less. Now that things had escalated, they were determined to get rid of Dudley, even if it meant offending Professor McGonagall.
"I think we might as well ask someone else," Snape chimed in, speaking deliberately. His eyes landed on Neville, who had brought Professor McGonagall to the scene. "Like Mr. Longbottom here."
In that instant, all eyes turned to Neville. Under so many stares, Neville looked terrified. When they heard that Neville would be asked, many of the Gryffindors present sighed in relief. There was nothing to fear; Neville was a Gryffindor, one of them.
"I... I..."
Cowardly, fearful, and submissive to everyone and everything, Neville's image to others was of someone who was easy to bully. This was why he wasn't well-regarded in Gryffindor. Even the meaning of his surname, Longbottom, was "always at the bottom," which is why he was sometimes mockingly called "Mr. Bottom" in Gryffindor, just like "Miss Know-it-all." It might not sound like much, but it was full of sarcasm. For him to have the courage to go to Professor McGonagall today was a rare and shocking act of bravery.
"Hurry up! Tell Professor McGonagall that Dudley, the brute, attacked us!" the group of five urged, growing anxious when Neville hesitated to point fingers at Dudley.
Dudley just watched them calmly. Neville furrowed his brow, and his lips trembled. He seemed to be in the middle of an intense internal struggle.
"Speak up, Longbottom! What are you waiting for?!"
"Tell Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape that the gorilla attacked us!"
"How long are you going to wait, you cowardly kid?!"
"Longbottom, you don't want to..."
Seeing Neville remain silent, the group of five continued to press him, subtly threatening him and guiding him with their words. However, the more they spoke, the faster Neville's body trembled, and the tighter his fists clenched.
This isn't right... this isn't right at all!
Neville's memory wasn't great; he often forgot many things, even lessons he had just learned. But in the entire Gryffindor house, only Hermione would patiently tutor him. Even though she often went on and on about other things, it was a fact that she had helped him keep up with his schoolwork. And then Harry had given him a set of lab equipment and taught him how to use it step-by-step, which was the only reason Snape hadn't yelled at him in Potions class, even though he was still struggling during paired assignments. Dudley had also always greeted him warmly whenever they met, and only he had never called him a crybaby, instead respectfully addressing him as Mr. Longbottom. It was funny, but it was the first time anyone had ever called him that.
Neville remembered all these things, and his heart was filled with gratitude. They're all good people, so why are they treating them like this? Just because they don't fit in or because they're with Slytherin?
This isn't right, it's not right at all!
When they hid Hermione's shoes, Neville didn't speak up because he was timid and afraid. When they stole Hermione's textbooks, Neville didn't speak up because he didn't dare get into trouble. When they deliberately bumped into Hermione, Neville still didn't speak up because he was a coward. But when they cornered Dudley and Hermione, Neville couldn't take it anymore, so he went to get Professor McGonagall. But now... they were trying to force him to lie.
In that moment, a fire began to burn inside the round-faced boy named Neville Longbottom. It grew hotter and hotter until it finally erupted! Neville breathed heavily through his nose, glaring at his housemates who were trying to hide and twist the truth.
"It was you! You were bullying Hermione!"
"You were the ones who hid Hermione's shoes!"
"You were the ones who hid Hermione's textbooks!"
"And you were the ones who deliberately knocked Hermione over! I saw it! I saw it with my own eyes!"
Neville blurted out everything he knew. The things he listed were all the actions of the group of five students.
Silence. A profound silence fell over the room. Every student present looked at Neville in shock. Even Professor McGonagall and Snape were stunned. They had never imagined that the usually timid, fearful, and easily-bullied Neville would say such things.
Was Neville timid? Perhaps. Was he a coward? Maybe.
But even though his memory wasn't great and he forgot many things, he was more careful than anyone else. He remembered every person who was kind to him and everyone who had helped him. In his heart, Neville was stronger and kinder than anyone.
Neville knew that after speaking out today, he might also be ostracized in Gryffindor and treated just like Hermione. But he had to speak.
Courage isn't about rushing into every fight. Courage isn't the absence of fear. Courage is standing up when you need to, and it's moving forward despite your fear. That is true courage. That is a true Gryffindor.
Dudley looked at Neville with immense admiration. The first time he met him, he thought Neville should train with him. He felt that Neville was a perfect fit, and now... he felt it even more strongly. Neville's timid personality didn't matter. A person's character could change, just like it did today. Neville's courage proved that.
"Apologize... you should all apologize to Hermione, and you should all apologize to Mr. Dursley," Neville yelled at the other Gryffindor students around him. Since he had already said so much, what was a few more words?
After his outburst, the students who hadn't known what was going on looked down in shame. Whether their shame was genuine or something else, only they knew. All they did was lower their heads. Perhaps they felt a tiny pang of guilt, but it would likely fade quickly.
Apologizing and admitting fault also requires courage. It was a shame that even though they were in the House of Courage, many of them clearly lacked it. Dudley looked around at the Gryffindor students. Not a single one dared to meet his gaze, all of them looking down as they waited for the two professors to decide their fate.
It was boring... and disappointing. These were fake Gryffindors; they weren't worthy of the name. Neville was the only true Gryffindor. They owed him an apology, and they owed Hermione an apology.
How many people in the original story could truly be called Gryffindors?