Hermione looked at the boy in front of her, confusion washing over her. What was he doing here? Was he also looking for Professor Jack?
"Are you here for Professor Jack too, Neville?"
Neville Longbottom hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"P-Professor Jack told me to come after classes this afternoon."
Professor Jack told him to come?
Could it be... he's in the same situation as me?
Hermione looked Neville up and down as if seeing him for the first time.
"You didn't learn the Great Fireball Technique either?"
Neville shook his head, his round cheeks wobbling.
"Professor Jack said he'd teach me when I came to see him!"
Hermione was taken aback. He really hadn't learned it. Did that mean Professor Jack was going to teach Neville a new Combat Magic as well?
But why?
Was he some kind of genius?
Hermione racked her brains but couldn't recall any outstanding performance from Neville. Clumsiness, timidity, and a lack of confidence were displayed all too clearly in him.
She sometimes thought it was a miracle he'd been sorted into Gryffindor, the house known for courage, bravery, and daring.
But looking at him now, he seemed every bit the coward!
Maybe he has some quality I haven't seen?
Professor Jack must have a reason for this. Out of everyone, he picked Neville Longbottom.
Just like how, out of all the students in the school, Professor Jack picked me to be his class representative.
"Come on, let's go in together."
Neville, his hands clutching the hem of his robes, nodded. He ventured a cautious question.
"Hermione... you didn't learn the Great Fireball Technique either? Why didn't Professor Jack just teach us?"
Hermione was baffled. Neville didn't know?
"Didn't Professor Jack tell you? He's probably going to teach us a different Combat Magic!"
Neville froze. A new spell?
But the Great Fireball Technique seemed really good! Why teach a new one?
Does he think I'm too stupid, so he's going to teach me a weaker spell?
Neville knew his memory was poor and his talent lacking. Just learning the Doppelganger Charm had taken him an immense amount of time, practicing late into the night almost every evening.
He was far behind someone like Hermione, who had mastered the Transformation Jutsu just from listening to Professor Jack's explanation.
That kind of talent is truly enviable.
Professor Jack will definitely teach Hermione a more powerful Combat Magic. As for me...
Neville followed Hermione as she knocked on the door to Professor Jack's office. The Professor's voice came from within.
"Come in!"
The two pushed the door open and saw Professor Jack in his chair, playing with a palm-sized, black, four-legged creature. It looked like a tiny deer, but not quite like any deer they had ever seen.
Is that a magical creature? Hermione knew the wizarding world held many fantastic beasts, but she hadn't expected to see one in Professor Jack's office today.
Jack poured a cup of water and placed it in front of the little black creature. He had found it wandering the school grounds that afternoon; it had trotted right up to him, looking at him with pleading eyes.
The creature was clearly starved and dehydrated, so weak it could barely stand, its legs shaky.
Jack had simply brought it back with him, planning to ask Hagrid tomorrow if he knew where it came from.
He looked up at Hermione and Neville. "Have a seat, both of you. Hermione, please wait here for a moment. I'll teach you the Shadow Clone Jutsu later."
Hermione nodded, sitting to the side and opening a textbook, though her peripheral attention remained fixed on Neville Longbottom. She was curious to see what Professor Jack would teach him.
Neville sat gingerly on the very edge of his chair, hands placed properly on his knees, back straight. But his head was bowed, his eyes fixed firmly on the tips of his shoes.
His mind, however, was racing. So Hermione is learning the Shadow Clone Jutsu? What rank is that?
It sounds a bit like the Doppelganger Charm... maybe it's an E-Rank?
It can't be. Someone as talented as Hermione... the Professor must be teaching her a high-rank spell. A low-rank one... that's probably what he has for me.
As his thoughts spiraled, Jack spoke.
"Neville Longbottom!"
"Ah! Y-yes!" Neville's head snapped up to look at the Professor, but he immediately flinched and looked down again in a panic.
Jack looked at this child, who shared a similar destiny with Harry Potter, yet whose experiences were arguably even more tragic.
It seemed fated. He had almost been the "Boy Who Lived." He had almost been the hero who saved the wizarding world. He had almost been the "Chosen One."
Almost... almost...
Professor Trelawney's prophecy could have applied to two boys: the one born to parents who had thrice defied Voldemort, born at the end of July.
Both Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom fit the criteria.
Neville's childhood was more tragic than Harry's. He had parents, but they had been tortured into insanity.
He had a family, but their doubts about his abilities had wounded him deeply.
Harry had no parents, so he didn't have to worry about them constantly.
Harry had no warm home, and he didn't know he was a wizard, so he could simply resign himself to being "Dudley's punching bag."
And yet, despite his environment, Neville was the one who ultimately wielded the Sword of Gryffindor when it mattered most.
Jack greatly admired this young boy, especially his dedication to Combat Magic.
One had to remember that Neville had been affected by a Memory Charm; his memory was faulty, he was forgetful, and learning Combat Magic was far more difficult for him than for others. And yet, he had still become one of the thirteen who mastered the Doppelganger Charm.
"Neville," Jack began, his voice firm and clear. "You have performed exceptionally well. Far better than I expected."
/-\
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