Hogwarts: Neville's Insert Chapter 79
Jibber's ears perked up at once. "Oh! Student must be hungry! It is already breakfast time, sir. Would Mister Longbottom like Jibber to bring something to eat?"
Neville glanced at his wristwatch and groaned. 8:30 AM. He muttered under his breath, "Bugger—Hermione's going to kill me."
He quickly shook his head. "No, it's alright, Jibber. Thanks again, but I'll head to the Great Hall myself."
Jibber gave a cheerful little bow. "Alright, sir! Jibber was happy to help!"
Pop! —and the elf vanished.
Neville slung the napsack over his shoulder and started walking toward the exit of the room, his mind still spinning.
'So the Hogwarts Legacy game is canon here, huh? Well… I don't really know much about it. Never actually played the game. I just some bit about it, well i remember ancient magic… a stronger version of magic and lets user see the magic itself. And the Vivarium…' He frowned slightly, trying to recall. 'i think the main character fight in some goblin rebellion or something? Damn… I really should've done a play the game.'
He pulled open the door and stepped out. Behind him, the door to the Room of Requirement shimmered, then faded cleanly back into the wall.
Just then, a voice called out behind him, a voice that he was familiar with.
"Hello."
…
Tuesday, 17th February 1993 – Seventh Floor, Astronomy Tower, Hogwarts
Neville jumped and spun on the spot, wand already in hand.
"Luna?" he asked, blinking in surprise. His shoulders dropped in relief, and he let out a breath. "Oh Merlin, you scared me there for a second."
She just tilted her head, her usual calm smile in place.
Neville glanced around, then back at her. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Oh, not too long," Luna said dreamily, as if his surprise was the odd part of this encounter. Her eyes drifted to the wall behind him. "You were in there," she said, motioning lazily toward the blank stretch of wall. "Weren't you?"
Neville rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Er… yeah. You… know about it?"
"Not really," Luna said, taking a step closer and peering at the bricks with quiet interest. "But I always felt like there was something behind the walls. And now I know why."
Neville opened his mouth, then shut it again. 'It's Luna,' he reminded himself. No point pretending with her.
He tilted his head toward the wall. "Hmm… does this wall look different to you? Stand out, somehow?"
Luna swayed gently on her feet, humming as if listening to music only she could hear. Then she nodded. "Yes. It glows. Just faintly."
Neville blinked. 'Huh. So she really can see the magic…'
Just then, Lumina trilled softly from his shoulder, as if to remind them she was still there.
Luna's eyes lit up with wonder. She stepped closer, staring at the bird with open curiosity. "Oh… and who might this be?"
"Oh—right," Neville said. "This is Lumina. She, uh… turned out to be a phoenix."
Luna's face softened. She reached out and gently stroked Lumina's head, her touch light and reverent. "She's beautiful," Luna said simply, her voice almost a whisper.
Neville nodded. "Yeah," he said quietly. "She is. But I think it's getting to her head a bit."
As if to prove his point, Lumina let out an indignant chirp and smacked the back of Neville's head with her wing.
"Ow!" Neville winced, rubbing the spot. "See what I mean?"
With a haughty trill, Lumina flapped her wings and took off from his shoulder—gliding over to Luna's instead. She settled herself quite proudly, chest puffed out as if to say this is where I belong now.
Luna giggled, lifting a hand to gently stroke Lumina's feathers. "I think it's alright for her to feel that way," she said. "She is rather magnificent."
Lumina gave a soft trill and rubbed her beak affectionately against the side of Luna's head.
Neville gave her a squinty look. "Brilliant. I've lost her to your side now, haven't I?"
Lumina let out what could only be described as a smug chirp.
Luna smiled faintly. "She knows where she's appreciated."
Neville rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Betrayed by my own bird."
He shook his head, then glanced back at her. "So… what are you doing up here this early? Didn't feel like breakfast?"
Luna tilted her head, her pale hair falling around her shoulders as she swayed slightly. "Just out for a stroll," she said softly. "The castle's lovely in the mornings. Quiet. Peaceful. I like to wander when no one's about. Sometimes you hear things better when it's quiet."
Neville blinked. "Hear… things?"
"Not voices, silly," Luna said dreamily, smiling a little. "Just… the castle. The walls settling. Portraits whispering to one another. Pipes humming. It's nice."
Neville gave a slow nod. "Right. I see."
Luna turned back to the wall beside them, still glowing faintly in her eyes. "So, is this… the Chamber of Secrets?"
Neville looked at her, then at the wall, and shook his head. "What? No. This isn't the Chamber. That's actually down below—somewhere beneath the castle. Pretty sure it's under the Black Lake. Or near it."
Luna nodded as if that made perfect sense. "Then is this a hidden room or something?"
Neville nodded. "Yeah, something like that," he said, glancing at her. "It's called the Room of Requirement. The house-elves call it the Come and Go Room. Fits, doesn't it?"
He scratched the back of his head. "Funny enough… this is where I found Lumina, remember that day? I've actually been trying to find it again ever since, but had no luck until today. Ended up asking one of the house-elves for help. They showed me where it was."
Luna tilted her head, eyes wide with curiosity. "Oh, I think Daddy mentioned something like that in The Quibbler once. He said there was a room in Hogwarts that appears only to people who are being followed by invisible whispering badgers."
Neville blinked. "...Right." He stared at her for a second, trying to work out if she was serious. Then he shook his head with a grin. "I'm not sure the room works exactly like that, Luna."
She didn't look offended. If anything, she looked pleased that he hadn't dismissed the idea entirely.
"But from what I do know," Neville went on, "the room changes depending on what you need. That day I found it, I was completely knackered—just wanted somewhere quiet to rest—and it gave me a bed. Then Lumina showed up not long after. I think the room knew I'd need her."
His voice dipped slightly, thoughtful. "I know it sounds mad, but I think the room might actually be alive. Like, aware of what's going on." He gave a shrug. "No idea how it works, honestly. Maybe Rowena Ravenclaw built it. Feels like something she'd dream up, doesn't it?"
Luna nodded slowly, as if that tracked with everything she already believed.
"Anyway..." Neville looked over at her more seriously. "Would you mind keeping the Room a secret? Just between us, Luna?"
Luna turned to him, curious but calm. "You think people shouldn't know about it?"
Neville nodded. "Yeah. I've got this feeling we'll need it later—and if what the house-elves said is true... there's something inside that's better kept quiet."
His thoughts drifted back to the Vivarium. if what Jibber said was true then there is A hidden sanctuary… filled with magical creatures long thought extinct.
"Actually, I think it's something you'd really be interested in," Neville added. "I'll show you later—when Harry and Hermione come along too."
Luna gave him a soft, dreamy smile and nodded. "Alright. I won't say a word. Secrets are much happier when they're shared with the right people."
Just then, Neville's stomach gave a loud growl. He winced. "Well… that's embarrassing."
"I was about to head down to breakfast," he offered instead. "Have you eaten yet?"
Luna shook her head gently. "No, not yet."
"Want to walk together?"
She gave a slow, thoughtful nod. "That would be nice."
Neville turned to Lumina. "Hey, how about you go stretch your wings for a bit? Maybe pop over to Hagrid's—see if he's got something for you."
Lumina gave a short trill and with a flap of her wings, soared off through the nearest window.
The two of them started walking down the corridor side by side, heading for the staircase.
After a few quiet steps, Neville glanced at her. "Oh—by the way. I'm heading into Hogsmeade later. Meeting my gran. Want me to bring you back anything?"
Luna gave a small hum, tilting her head. "If you happen to find any lemon-fizz marshmallow bombs—the kind that whistle when you chew them—I'd love one. Daddy swears they exist, but they're only sold during odd-numbered months with full moons."
Neville blinked. "I… don't think they sell those in Hogsmeade, Luna."
She nodded, perfectly serious. "No, I didn't think so either. But it's always worth asking."
Neville chuckled. "Alright then. If I can't find that, how about some chocolate frogs or pudding?"
Luna beamed. "Pudding would be lovely."
Neville nodded. "Sure."
…
They reached the entrance to the Great Hall, the warm scent of toast, bacon, and pumpkin juice drifting through the open doors. Neville pushed one side open and stood aside.
Luna gave him a small nod. "Thank you, Neville," she said softly, gliding in.
He followed just behind her, scanning the Gryffindor table. As expected, Harry and Hermione were already in their usual spot—Hermione with a copy of the Daily Prophet open in front of her, halfway through a slice of toast, and Harry across from her, polishing off what looked like a full English breakfast.
"Morning, guys. Sorry I'm late," Neville said as he slid onto the bench next to Harry. With a flick of his wand, he cast a quiet Muffliato charm around them, muffling their conversation from any nearby ears. He reached for the serving platters and started piling eggs, bacon, and sausages onto his plate. A cup of orange juice appeared beside it with a soft clink.
"Hello, Harry. Hello, Hermione," Luna said cheerfully as she sat down next to Hermione with her bowl of pudding.
"Morning," Harry mumbled through a mouthful of toast, giving them both a nod.
"Morning, luna" Hermione looked up from the paper and immediately narrowed her eyes at Neville. "There you are. We've been waiting nearly an hour. All you left was that note saying to meet you here. Where did you go?"
"Yeah, mate," Harry added, pushing his empty plate aside. "You vanish before sunrise and now you're just… here. What's going on?"
Neville gave them a sheepish grin. "Yeah… sorry about that. I sort of lost track of time."
Hermione's eyes flicked to Luna. "Were you with him, Luna?"
Luna shook her head calmly, spooning another bite of pudding into her mouth. "No. I just ran into him near the Astronomy Tower. The castle's lovely that early. Quiet. Peaceful."
"So where have you been sneaking off to?" Hermione asked, her voice low but firm. "You did the same thing yesterday. Where exactly have you been going? Don't tell me you've been back down to the Chamber alone."
Neville opened his mouth, ready to explain—but Hermione's eyes flicked to the brown, leather-bound napsack resting on his lap.
"What's that?" she asked, eyebrows narrowing. "That bag—you didn't have it yesterday. Where did you get it? Don't tell me you found it down in the Chamber?"
Harry chuckled, leaning back a little. "Hermione, I think he'll tell you—if you give him half a second to speak."
"Yeah, calm down, Hermione—I haven't been down to the Chamber, I swear." Neville bit off a piece of sausage, chewed, then swallowed before continuing. "Remember that room I told you about? The one where I found Lumina that day?"
Hermione nodded, still eyeing him closely. "Yeah. What about it?"
"Well, I've been trying to find it again. That's what I was doing yesterday. Went out early this morning too. And I actually found it. Well… had to ask a house-elf for help."
"You found it?" Harry asked, sitting up straighter.
Neville nodded. "Yeah. Turns out the room's special. It's called the Room of Requirement. The house-elves call it the 'Come and Go Room'. It changes based on what you need at the time."
He gave the napsack a light tap. "And yeah, this was inside. A napsack with an Undetectable Extension Charm. The elf helped me find it—honestly, it's brilliant. You can literally climb inside."
Harry raised both brows. "Wait, you mean inside that little thing?"
Neville nodded again. "Yup. There's a whole room in there. Ladder and everything."
Harry smirked. "Well, at least we don't need to drag a dead basilisk out by hand now."
Neville snorted. "Yeah, thank Merlin for that."
Hermione frowned, curiosity now overtaking her suspicion. "But… I've never read about anything like that. Not even in Hogwarts: A History."
Neville shrugged. "Yeah, that's kind of the point. The room's secret—almost no one seems to know about it. I think it might've been built by Rowena Ravenclaw herself. Probably as hidden as the Chamber, but you know… less murderous."
Hermione narrowed her eyes slightly, clearly storing that bit of information away for later.
Neville added, "I'll show you lot the room later. There's something inside I think you and Luna will find really interesting."
Luna beamed. "I do like fascinating things."
Hermione leaned in. "What is it, then?"
Neville opened his mouth to answer—
But the tall doors to the Great Hall creaked open.
The usual chatter around the tables dipped as Professor McGonagall strode in, heels clicking against the flagstone floor. And right beside her was none other than Augusta Longbottom, dressed sharply as always with her signature vulture-feathered hat perched at a dramatic angle.
Neville blinked. "Gran…?" he muttered under his breath. Beneath the table, he gave his wand a quick flick and ended the Muffliato.
McGonagall and Augusta approached the Gryffindor table.
"Good morning," McGonagall greeted them crisply.
Neville stood up quickly. "Morning, Gran. Morning, Professor."
Harry nodded politely. "Good morning, ma'am. Professor."
Hermione straightened her posture. "Good morning, Professor. Lady Longbottom."
Luna gave a dreamy wave. "Lovely hat."
Augusta blinked, caught off guard by the comment. "Morning to you too," she said with a short nod. "Thank you, Miss…?"
"Lovegood," Luna supplied cheerfully, scooping more pudding onto her plate.
McGonagall turned to Neville. "Mr Longbottom, your grandmother has requested to take you out for the day. She'll be signing you out directly."
Augusta gave Neville a pointed look. "I've been informed of what you and your friends got up to. We'll be discussing it—thoroughly."
Neville rubbed the back of his neck. "Figured you might've heard…"
She gave a short sniff. "Of course I did."
She turned to McGonagall. "Then I'll be taking him, Minerva."
McGonagall gave a firm nod. "Yes, but please be sure to return him by curfew."
Neville hesitated, then glanced at Harry and Hermione. "Um… Professor? Gran? Would it be alright if Harry and Hermione came along? Just for the day?"
McGonagall raised an eyebrow slightly. "I'm afraid not, Mr Longbottom. Unless I have written permission from their parents or guardians, I can't authorise them leaving the school grounds under someone else's supervision."
Hermione let out a quiet sigh, clearly disappointed.
Harry just shrugged. "No worries. Catch us up after, yeah?"
Luna, still calmly eating pudding, gave him a small, dreamy smile and nodded.
"Yeah," Neville said, giving them a quick smile. "I'll get you lot something from Hogsmeade."
Then he reached down and nudged the napsack into Harry's hands. "Mind hanging on to this for me? Just for a bit. Be careful with it, though—seriously."
Harry took it and nodded. "Yeah, no problem, mate. I've got it."
Augusta was already turning toward the doors. "Well, it was nice seeing you three. I'll see you at the end of term." Her voice was brisk. "Come along, Neville. We've got business to discuss."
Neville gave his friends one last glance and hurried after her.
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