Hogwarts: Neville’s Insert (A Neville SI)

Hogwarts: Neville's Insert Chapter 32

"Be warned, Potter, Longbottom—any more nighttime wanderings, and I will personally ensure you're expelled. Good day to you."

With a dramatic swirl of his robes, Snape strode off toward the staffroom, leaving the four of them standing in tense silence.

Once they were outside on the stone steps, Harry turned to the others, his voice low and urgent. "Right, here's what we've got to do. One of us has to keep an eye on Snape—wait outside the staffroom and follow him if he leaves. Hermione, you'd better do that."

"Why me?" Hermione asked, looking slightly put out.

"It's obvious," Ron said with a smirk. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick. You know…" He put on a high, mockingly sweet voice, "'Oh, Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong!'"

"Oh, shut up, Ron," Hermione snapped, though her cheeks turned slightly pink. "Fine. I'll do it."

Neville sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'll go with Hermione," he said reluctantly. He didn't want to interfere with Dumbledore's plan—he knew better than that. Dumbledore had already tried to erase his memories once, and Neville wasn't eager to give him another reason to do so. For now, he would have to play along.

…

Neville and Hermione stood quietly outside the staffroom, Hermione fidgeted nervously, glancing at the closed door in front of them.

"What are we going to do if Professor Snape catches us here?" she whispered, her voice tinged with panic. "What if we slip up and he finds out that we know? What if—"

Neville rolled his eyes, interrupting her frantic ramble. She's always overthinking, he thought. He leaned against the wall, keeping his voice calm. "Hermione, relax. Let me do the talking, all right?"

Hermione hesitated but eventually nodded, clasping her hands together to stop them from trembling.

After a brief pause, Neville decided to distract her. "So, have you mastered the Shrinking Charm yet?" he asked.

Hermione's face brightened slightly as the familiar topic of spellwork brought her some comfort. "Yes," she said with a nod. "I got it down while you were in the hospital. I've been working on the Banishing Charm, but I haven't mastered it yet. I would've gotten it by now if we hadn't been so focused on exams." She sighed. "I wish I could practice spells during the holidays. It's so unfair that we're not allowed."

Neville nodded sympathetically. "It's not fair," he agreed. "But you know it's for safety reasons."

Hermione sighed again. "I know, but that doesn't make it any better," she said, crossing her arms.

Neville rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, maybe…" he began, then looked at her with a small smile. "Maybe you could come over to Longbottom Manor during the break. You could practice a bit there."

Hermione's eyes lit up with excitement. Without warning, she threw her arms around Neville in a hug. "That's a brilliant idea, Neville! That would be amazing!"

Caught off guard, Neville wobbled slightly before regaining his balance. "I can't make any promises, Hermione," he said, patting her back awkwardly. "I'd have to ask Gran first and see if she agrees."

Before Hermione could respond, a low, deliberate cough echoed from beside them. Both of them froze, turning to see Professor Snape standing nearby, his sneer firmly in place.

Hermione quickly let go of Neville and jumped back, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for inappropriate behavior in the school," Snape drawled, his tone cold and mocking.

Neville rolled his eyes, 'Sure, Inappropriate?', he thought sarcastically.

Snape's gaze shifted between the two of them, his sneer deepening. "And what, pray tell, are the two of you doing loitering outside the staffroom?"

Hermione stammered, clearly flustered, but Neville stepped in smoothly. "We're here looking for Professor Flitwick," he said evenly. "We wanted to ask him a few questions, so we were waiting for him."

Snape's dark eyes narrowed, clearly unconvinced, but he didn't press further. "Wait here," he said sharply, his cloak sweeping behind him as he turned and entered the staffroom.

Hermione let out a shaky breath, her hands twisting nervously. Neville gave her a reassuring look but didn't say anything, keeping his focus on the door.

After what felt like an eternity, Snape returned, followed by a much more cheerful Professor Flitwick. "Here they are, Professor," Snape said, his tone curt and disdainful.

"Ah, thank you, Severus," Flitwick said, his tiny frame barely reaching Snape's elbow. He gave the Potions Master a polite nod.

Snape nodded curtly, sneering at Neville one last time before sweeping away down the corridor. His robes billowed dramatically as he disappeared from sight. Hermione watched him go with a worried look, then turned to Neville.

Professor Flitwick's cheerful voice broke the tension. "Ah, Mr. Longbottom, Miss Granger! I must admit I was surprised when Professor Snape informed me there were students waiting for me outside the staffroom. I thought you two would be outside enjoying the sun like the rest of the students."

Neville stepped forward, smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry for disturbing you, Professor. We just wanted to ask you a few questions before the summer break."

Flitwick's eyes sparkled, and he nodded enthusiastically. "Ah, I see! Eager to learn as much as you can before the break. That's a commendable attitude! Well then, tell me, Mr. Longbottom, Miss Granger, what can I help you with?"

Neville hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Well, Professor, I've been trying to learn the Protego spell—the Shield Charm—but I can't seem to get it right. When I cast it, all I get is a translucent white sheen, but it fades almost immediately."

Flitwick tilted his head, a look of understanding crossing his face. "Ah, the Shield Charm! A very advanced spell indeed, Mr. Longbottom. May I ask why you're so keen on mastering it? Does it have anything to do with… what happened in the forest?" His voice softened as he mentioned the forest, his gaze turning slightly sad.

Neville felt Hermione squeeze his hand. He nodded. "It's partly because of that, Professor," he admitted. "Though I started practicing it before the… incident." He made air quotes at the word, his voice laced with an edge of dry humor. "But yes, I can't help but think that if I'd been able to cast it properly, maybe the curse wouldn't have hit me."

What Neville didn't say was that he wasn't entirely sure Protego could block the Unforgivable Curses. The Killing Curse was definitely unstoppable, but there wasn't much reliable information on the other two. He couldn't outright ask Flitwick if the Shield Charm would work on them—that would raise too many questions, and Neville didn't want Dumbledore finding out his memory charm hadn't worked. Still, even if Protego couldn't block Unforgivables, it would be useful against other spells.

Flitwick nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry you had to go through what you did, Mr. Longbottom. But it's admirable that you're taking the initiative to learn spells to protect yourself." He paused, his tone becoming more instructive. "You should know, however, that the Shield Charm might not protect you from every dark curse. There are some spells, particularly more sinister ones, that Protego won't block."

Hermione glanced at Neville, her brow furrowed, but she didn't interrupt.

"That said," Flitwick continued, his voice brightening, "I think I might know why you're having difficulty producing a full shield. It's similar to the Summoning Charm—it's a spell we teach in your fifth year for good reason. Your magical core might not be strong enough yet to sustain it fully. However," he added, his tone becoming encouraging, "the fact that you can already produce a white sheen is very impressive. That tells me you might have the potential to cast it, though it may only hold against weaker spells for now. With more practice, I believe you can get there."

Neville felt a flicker of pride at Flitwick's words. "Thank you, Professor. I'll keep practicing."

"Good, good!" Flitwick said with a wide smile. "Now, why don't you show me what you've got so far? A demonstration would help me see where the issue lies."

Neville nodded, stepping back slightly and raising his wand. He focused his thoughts and called out, "Protego!" while making the proper wand movement. A white, shimmering plume of magic emerged from the tip of his wand and began to spread, but it faded quickly, dissipating into the air before it could fully form.

Professor Flitwick nodded approvingly. "Good, good, Mr. Longbottom. Your wand movement was precise, and your intent was clear. As I mentioned, you have just enough magical energy to attempt the spell, but only just. With a bit more practice, the shield will fully form. And when it does, it will look like this."

Flitwick raised his own wand and, with a quick, fluid motion, cast the Shield Charm. "Protego!" A glowing, transparent shield materialized from the tip of his wand, its surface shimmering faintly like a bubble in the sunlight. He held it for a moment, allowing Neville and Hermione to observe it closely before letting the spell dissipate with a small flick of his wrist.

Neville nodded, his eyes reflecting determination. "I see. Thank you for showing us, Professor," he said sincerely.

Flitwick smiled warmly. "You're most welcome, Mr. Longbottom. You're progressing well—keep practicing, and I'm confident you'll master it in time." He paused, then added, "Now, is there anything else you'd need help with?"

Neville hesitated, considering for a moment, but eventually shook his head. "No, Professor, that's all I wanted to ask."

Flitwick turned to Hermione. "And you, Miss Granger? Is there anything you need?"

Hermione quickly shook her head. "No, Professor. Thank you."

"Very well then," Flitwick said, his smile widening. "You should both get going and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts."

With a final nod of thanks, Neville and Hermione parted ways with Flitwick and began briskly walking down the corridor. They followed the same path Snape had taken earlier, their footsteps echoing softly against the stone walls. As they reached the end of the corridor, Hermione stopped abruptly, glancing around in both directions.

"We've lost him, Neville!" she said frantically. "Professor Snape's gone—where could he have gone?"

Neville shrugged, unconcerned. "I don't know. He's probably long gone by now."

Hermione bit her lip, her eyes darting nervously down the empty hallway. "What should we do? Harry and Ron are going to be furious with us."

Neville rolled his eyes. "There's no point looking for him," he said. "Snape's not going just to stroll back this way. Let's head back to the third floor and see if Harry and Ron are still there."

Hermione nodded reluctantly, and they hurried off toward the third floor. When they arrived, the corridor near the trapdoor was eerily silent and completely empty—there was no sign of Harry or Ron.

"They're not here," Hermione said worriedly, scanning the area. "Where could they be? They said they'd stand guard here."

Neville shrugged again, glancing around but finding nothing unusual. "Maybe they went back to the common room," he suggested. "They might've decided waiting here wasn't worth it."

Hermione frowned, clearly not satisfied with that answer. "But they wouldn't just leave without telling us…"

Neville sighed. "They'll turn up, Hermione. Let's just head back and see if we can find them."

Hermione hesitated, glancing once more down the empty corridor, before nodding. "All right," she said quietly. Together, they turned and began making their way back toward Gryffindor Tower

They made their way back to the Gryffindor common room in silence. As they stepped through the portrait hole, they immediately spotted Harry and Ron sitting by the fireplace. The warm glow of the flames highlighted their tense expressions as they looked up.

Harry's eyes narrowed. "What are you two doing here? Where's Snape?"

Neville shrugged. "We lost him."

"You lost him?" Ron exclaimed, his voice rising. "How could you just lose him? Weren't you supposed to be tailing him?"

"we're sorry, Harry!" Hermione said quickly, looking distressed. "Snape came out and asked us what we were doing, so we said we were waiting for Professor Flitwick. He went to fetch him, and by the time we were done talking with Flitwick, Snape was gone. We don't know where he went."

Neville, looking annoyed, crossed his arms. "What did you expect, Harry? We're not ninjas who can just blend into the shadows and go unnoticed by someone like Snape. If you wanted us to pull that off, you should've at least lent us the Invisibility Cloak."

Harry frowned, but before he could respond, Neville added, "What are you two doing here anyway? Weren't you both supposed to be on the third floor?"

Ron scowled. "We were almost caught by Professor Sprout. She shooed us away and told us to get back to the common room."

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said, his tone sharp with frustration. He stood abruptly, pacing in front of the fireplace. "I'm going out there tonight, and I'm going to try to get to the Stone first."

"You're mad!" Ron said, staring at him like he'd grown a second head.

"You can't!" Hermione said, her voice a mix of panic and disbelief. "You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted, his voice echoing through the nearly empty common room. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it—or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see?

"Do you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the House Cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well... I'll just have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there. It's only dying a bit later than I would've anyway because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight, and nothing you three say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

He glared at them, his chest heaving with frustration.

Neville rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. He fought the urge to snort aloud at Harry's dramatic declaration. 'The Stone's probably a fake,' he thought, 'and even if it's real, the Elixir of Life doesn't bring people back from the dead. It just extends their life while leaving their bodies frail and weak.'

"You're right, Harry," Hermione said quietly, her voice almost trembling. Her agreement surprised harry, who blinked at her.

"I'll use the Invisibility Cloak," Harry said quickly, seizing on the moment. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover all four of us?" Ron asked, frowning.

"All—all four of us?" Harry asked, his eyes widening.

Neville snorted, his tone dry. "You'd get yourself killed if we let you go alone."

"Oh, come off it," said Ron, rolling his eyes. "You don't think we'd let you go alone, do you?"

"Of course not," Hermione added briskly, her usual practical tone returning. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and look through my books—there might be something useful."

Harry hesitated, his determination faltering slightly. "But if we get caught, you three will be expelled, too," he said, looking at them with concern.

Neville shook his head, annoyed. 'Yeah, like Dumbledore's going to expel you,' rolling his eyes. 'I'm afraid you're the center of his plans, Harry, so don't worry about that, And as for us, he probably wants his golden boy to have a few friends who can help.'

Neville sighed, leaning back against the armchair and rubbing his temple. "Anyway, Hogwarts isn't the only magical school in the world. If we get expelled, we'll just have to apply somewhere else. I've heard there's a school in France."

Ron looked at Neville like he'd grown a second head. "You're joking," he said flatly.

Neville shrugged. "I'm not. It's called Beauxbatons. There's another one in Eastern Europe somewhere—Durmstrang, I think? Hogwarts isn't the be-all and end-all of magical education, you know."

Hermione looked thoughtful, but Harry still looked unconvinced. "We're not getting expelled," she said firmly. "We're going to stop Snape, or whoever it is, from getting the Stone."

Neville sighed again, running a hand through his hair. 'This is going to end badly,' he thought. "Fine," he said aloud,

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