Hogwarts: Neville's Insert Chapter 80
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.
…
Tuesday, 17th February 1993 – The Hogwarts main entrance gates,
Augusta set a brisk pace down the sloping lawns, her cloak snapping lightly in the cold February wind. Neville had to lengthen his stride to keep up, the frosty grass crunching under their boots.
The wrought-iron gates loomed ahead, and Filch was already standing beside them, hunched against the chill with Mrs Norris twining around his ankles.
"Morning, Madam Longbottom," Filch rasped, fumbling with the latch. "Got your pass all signed, I see."
Augusta gave a curt nod. "Thank you, Mr Filch."
The gates swung open with a protesting squeal.
Neville glanced at him as they passed. "Morning, Mr Filch."
Filch gave him a long, suspicious look but said nothing. Mrs Norris stared up at Neville, her lamp-like eyes unblinking, before slinking back to her master.
The moment they stepped beyond the boundary, the gates clanged shut behind them with a metallic echo that carried on the wind.
They followed the narrow path a short way until the castle was hidden from view behind the bare trees. Then Augusta stopped, turning sharply to face Neville.
neville asked why are we stoping gran arent we heading to hodsmead
agusta nodded yes but We're Apparating straight to Hogsmeade. its a long walk other wise"
"now Take my arm," she instructed, holding out her gloved hand.
Neville nodded, stepping closer and gripping her arm just above the elbow. "oh good thingking, Gran."
With a loud crack, the cold Hogwarts air vanished, replaced instantly by the bustling sounds and scents of Hogsmeade village.
With a sharp crack, Neville and Augusta landed just outside Hogsmeade, their shoes meeting the cobblestone path that led into the village. The February air was crisp, and Neville's breath puffed out in small clouds.
"Come along, Neville," Augusta said briskly, setting off toward the main street.
Neville fell into step beside her, glancing around at the shop fronts and the few early-morning shoppers going about their day. It felt strange being out here after weeks inside Hogwarts' walls.
"Feels weird being outside the castle," he said, his eyes flicking toward the snow-dusted rooftops.
Augusta gave a small hum in reply.
After a moment, Neville asked, "Say, Gran… are there any other wizarding settlements around here besides Hogsmeade?"
"No," Augusta replied without breaking stride. "There used to be a few hamlets and smaller villages nearby, but over time they all merged with Hogsmeade. These days it's just the village itself… though there are still a few wizarding homes scattered across the surrounding hills."
"I see." Neville looked ahead, spotting the familiar inn at the far end of the street. "So… we heading to the Three Broomsticks again?"
Augusta nodded. "Yes. Why? Did you want to go somewhere different?"
Neville shook his head quickly. "No, the Three Broomsticks is fine, Gran. But… mind if we get a private room?"
That made her glance sideways at him, one eyebrow lifting. "A private room? Hm. Yes, there should be a few available."
They reached the tavern and pushed open the door. The warm air hit them immediately, bringing with it the smells of butter, spiced mead, and roasting meat. Madam Rosmerta looked up from behind the bar and smiled.
"Well, if it isn't Augusta," Madam Rosmerta greeted warmly from behind the bar. "Here to visit your grandson, I take it? What'll it be—some Firewhisky?"
Augusta gave a small nod in greeting. "It's good to see you as well, Rosmerta. It's been a while. And yes, I'm here to visit Neville. But no—bit early for Firewhisky. Could we get a private room?"
Rosmerta chuckled. "Of course. There's an empty one upstairs. What can I get you both to eat?"
"Shepherd's pie for me," Augusta said without hesitation. "And a mulled mead."
Neville, meanwhile. "Uh… can I get a Butterbeer, a burger with extra bacon, a side of chips, some sausages… and, extra bacon on the side, please?"
Rosmerta laughed. "Oh my, quite the appetite you've got there. Well, you two head on up—I'll send the orders along shortly."
Augusta nodded and started for the stairs. "Come along, Neville."
They climbed to the floor above, where a small private room waited. As soon as they sat down, Augusta fixed him with a sharp look.
"Honestly, Neville," she began, her tone clipped, "after I've told you so many times not to do something reckless—what in Merlin's name were you thinking?"
Neville winced, lifting his hands slightly. "Calm down, Gran, I can explain." He flicked his wand under the table, casting a Muffliato around the room.
Augusta huffed. "It had better be good."
Neville leaned forward. "How much do you know?"
"Enough to know you were being an idiot," Augusta said bluntly. "I know you and Harry went down to the Chamber and fought a basilisk." She paused, her eyes narrowing. "A basilisk. Of all things."
Neville sat back a little. "Well, first things first—do you know who the Heir of Slytherin was?"
Augusta shook her head. "We weren't told."
"It was Voldemort," Neville said flatly.
Augusta froze, eyes widening. "You mean… Voldemort?"
Before Neville could answer, a young server came in carrying their food. She set the plates down—a shepherd's pie and mulled mead for Augusta, a towering burger with bacon, chips, sausages, and a frothing Butterbeer for Neville—then left quietly.
"Yeah," Neville said, once the door shut again. "Voldemort—back when he was at Hogwarts—went by the name Tom Riddle. He's the one who got Hagrid expelled fifty years ago. This time, he was possessing Astoria Greengrass."
Augusta's frown deepened. "Possessing? How?"
"Through a diary," Neville explained. "It was cursed. I think it had a piece of his soul in it."
Her brows drew together sharply. "A soul fragment? Neville, that's dark magic on a level most witches and wizards can't even imagine."
"Yeah… well, he was trying to come back to life. Me, Harry, and Hermione figured out by the end of Christmas term that the Heir was Voldemort. We'd even worked out where the entrance to the Chamber was."
Augusta's gaze was sharp. "And you didn't tell anyone then? Why didn't you go to a professor if you'd figured out where the Chamber was by Christmas?"
Neville gave her a look. "Gran… do you really think Dumbledore doesn't know where the Chamber is? If three second-years could piece it together, then you can bet every professor worth their salt could too. The problem was, we didn't know who he was possessing, and we weren't sure the professors would take us seriously."
Neville replied, leaning forward, "Like I said,we didn't know who he was possessing. But when we saw the writing on the wall saying he'd taken two people into the Chamber, we knew he was trying to come back to life. Probably through some kind of ritual. Why else would he take them inside? Before that, he was perfectly fine with just petrifying students. That meant he already had everything he needed to fully return—and we didn't have much time to act."
He sighed. "We couldn't just let Voldemort kill the GreenGrass sister's and come back alive, Gran. So we split up—Harry and I went down to stall him, while Hermione and Ron went to fetch a professor. Since Lockhart's office was the closest to the entrance, Hermione went to him… but it turns out Lockhart was a fraud. Tried to Obliviate both her and Ron. Ron took the hit, and Hermione barely managed to get away."
Augusta grimaced. "Yes… I heard what happened with Lockhart."
Neville nodded. "Yeah. because of that it took her longer to get help, and by the time she came back with the professors, Harry and I had already killed Moldyshorts… and the basilisk. We were already making our way out of the Chamber by then."
Augusta snorted. "You're the only one I've ever heard call him Moldyshorts."
Neville grinned, spearing a chip with his fork. "You should've seen his face when I made fun of him in the Chamber. It was hilarious."
Augusta's expression shifted, paling slightly. "You… faced him? Directly?"
Neville nodded. "Yeah. He was almost fully revived by the time Harry and I got into the Chamber, but luckily it was a younger version of him—fifth year, I think. Wasn't as strong, especially since he hadn't been fully revived yet. He really liked to yap on, though, and that gave us the chance to destroy his diary." Neville smirked faintly. "We threw it straight into the basilisk's mouth. Stopped him from coming back alive. So yeah… that's what really happened, Gran."
Augusta stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. "What you did was reckless and stupid."
Neville didn't argue—just stayed quiet, poking at his food.
She sighed, then nodded slowly. "I suppose I can see why you didn't run to the staff… but that doesn't change the fact that you were reckless. Truly living up to the name of Gryffindor." She shook her head, then fixed him with a searching look. "So—how exactly did you manage to defeat a basilisk?"
Neville's grin returned. "Well… that part was all Lumina."
Augusta blinked. "Lumina? And what, exactly, could she do against a basilisk?"
Neville chuckled. "Why don't you see for yourself?" He turned slightly in his chair and called out, "Lumina!"
A burst of blue fire swirled into the room, and a moment later Lumina appeared, perching neatly on Neville's shoulder.
Augusta's eyes went wide. "A phoenix."
Neville nodded. "Yep. Turns out Lumina's a phoenix chick—and a really rare blue one, at that." He tore off a strip of bacon from his plate and held it out. Lumina took it and let out a happy, musical trill that filled the room.
Augusta stared at the bird for a long moment, then exhaled slowly. Reaching for her mug, she took a long sip of her mulled mead and muttered, "I'm going to need something stronger than this."
Neville chuckled under his breath at that, and Lumina trilled again, almost as if she agreed.
Setting her cup back down, Augusta fixed him with a sharp but curious look. "Where on earth did you even find a phoenix egg… and a blue one at that?"
Neville shook his head, stroking Lumina's crest gently. "I didn't. She was given to me by the Room of Requirement."
"The… Room of what?" Augusta asked, frowning.
"Room of Requirement," Neville repeated. "It's a hidden room in Hogwarts. The room changes based on what the person inside needs at the time. And… Gran—keep the room a secret, please."
He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "I think it's actually sentient. Like… the castle itself wanted me to have Lumina. To help protect it."
Augusta's expression softened just enough for her to reach out and stroke Lumina's feathers. Her voice was quieter now. "You do realise this is going to put a big target on your back, don't you? Having a phoenix is rare enough… but a blue phoenix? I've never heard of one before."
Lumina let out a pleased trill at the touch.
Neville nodded. "I've already thought about it. We could just tell people she's a Jobberknoll. She does look like one—just bigger. And if she doesn't use phoenix travel, no one will know she's a phoenix. I've already asked my friends to keep it secret… well, most of them. Haven't asked Luna yet—slipped my mind."
Augusta exhaled slowly, then gave a short nod. "That might work—if they don't look too closely. Jobberknolls are rare in their own right. You could say she's an unusual subspecies. But you'll still need to keep her away from people."
She reached into her robes, pulled out her wand, and pointed it at Lumina, with a flick and a muttered incantation. The edges of Lumina's feathers shifted, now resembling the speckled pattern of a Jobberknoll.
"There," Augusta said, lowering her wand. "That should help. Now she looks more like a Jobberknoll—just… much bigger. You could say she's a rare subspecies. From what I remember, they're mostly silent, don't make much noise at all. If she starts trilling, people might start asking questions. And you'll have to make sure she doesn't flame into places or appear next to you in public—that would give you away immediately."
Lumina twisted her head all the way around to examine her altered feathers, then fluffed them experimentally, letting out a short, approving chirp.
Neville smiled faintly. "Yeah… she does look more like one now."
He leaned back slightly. "I've read up on Jobberknolls too. You're right—they don't make much noise… except when they die. I might have to keep her in the Room most of the time. Or maybe she could just fly around the castle, keeping away from students. That could work too."
He gave a small shrug. "So far, only my roommates, Harry, Hermione, and Luna know. The staff know as well, but I don't think they'd say anything… well, except Snape."
Neville leaned back slightly. "Speaking of Snape, Gran… do you think there's any way to get rid of him? Honestly, he's the worst professor."
Augusta shook her head. "There's been a formal complaint lodged against him before, but Lucius wouldn't have let anything come of it."
Neville frowned. "Wait—wouldn't? Why? Isn't he still on the board?"
Augusta shook her head again. "No. He's no longer a member. He was kicked off for threatening the other board members."
Neville's eyes narrowed. "He threatened you, didn't he? That's why you signed Dumbledore's suspension order. He said he had all twelve governors' signatures."
Augusta didn't reply at first, her lips pressing into a thin line. Finally, she sighed. "Yes. He did threaten me. But don't worry about it—everything's been handled. He's been kicked off the board and barred from returning."
Neville didn't say anything, but his jaw tightened. I really need to make that bastard pay. Even in the original, he gets away with everything—bribing his way out, even after the war.
Augusta cleared her throat, clearly choosing to change the subject. "Well… anyhow, yes—passing Lumina off as a Jobberknoll might work. What have you been feeding her? I doubt worms are enough for her now."
Neville sighed. "Can we buy food for her while we're here? I don't have much to feed her with. She's been hunting mice, and I've had to get some from Hagrid."
Augusta nodded. "Yes. There should be a Magical Menagerie in Hogsmeade. Best if we don't bring her with us, though."
Neville turned to Lumina, holding out the last sausage from his plate. She took it with a trill, then vanished in a burst of cool blue flames, leaving Neville and Augusta alone again.
They ate in silence for a moment before Augusta set down her fork. "So… why did you ask to meet? I doubt it was just to explain what happened in the Chamber."
Neville gave her a sheepish look. "Er… well, there is something I need your help with, Gran."
Augusta sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Why do I have a feeling you're about to say something ridiculous?"
Neville scratched the back of his head, giving her a sheepish grin. "Well… you see, Gran… could you help me sell a basilisk?"
She just stared at him for a long moment, her expression flat. "Really? You want to sell the basilisk?"
Neville leaned forward slightly. "It's just sitting there. It's going to rot eventually. I figured we could get something for it, you know? Dumbledore only gave us a few measly house points for killing the thing. We should've been given an Order of Merlin—at the very least! Instead—points and a pat on the back."
Augusta raised her glass and eyed him over the rim. "And your bright idea is to sell it? Who exactly do you think is going to buy a basilisk?"
"Well…" Neville began, "Couldn't we just sell it to a potioneer? They use basilisk parts, and the venom alone sells for more than a thousand galleons for a tiny vial, doesn't it? And they can use the other parts for potions too, right?"
Augusta set her glass down and gave him a flat, unimpressed look. "And they'd call the Aurors on you the moment you walked in. It's a XXXXX-class creature, Neville. You can't just turn up with it in a sack."
Neville frowned. "Alright… what about Gringotts?"
Her eyes narrowed, the look on her face practically shouting, 'Are you an idiot?' "Do you think Gringotts is some kind of magical butchery? It's a bank, Neville. A bank. They'd have the Aurors on you faster than you could say 'galleon.'"
Neville nodded slowly, thinking, All those dumb fanfics about selling it to the goblin king… absolute rubbish.
"So there's no way to sell it, then?" he asked.
"Not through anyone respectable," Augusta said firmly. "The only people who'd buy a basilisk without reporting you are black market dealers."
"Like in Knockturn Alley?" Neville asked.
Augusta pointed a finger at him. "Don't you dare set foot in Knockturn Alley on your own, mister." She sighed, then her tone softened slightly. "But… I can see you're not going to let this drop. I'll ask your great‑uncle Algie. He might know someone, but I'm not making any promises."
Neville's face brightened. "So… a maybe, then?"
She shook her head in disbelief. "Just finish your burger, Neville."
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