Mind Games

~~~(POV: Alexander Aevum)~~~

~~~(Location: The Grand Hall)~~~

~~~(Date: September 3rd, 1991)~~~

~~~(Time: 8:20 AM)~~~

I lift my head from my food and stare at Draco. He's waiting for a reaction, and I know just the thing.

"Daddy's boy."

Those two single words cause an angry redness to spread through his face. He's at a loss for words. He opens and closes his mouth, trying to find a response to that. He's never met someone who's said something so disrespectful to him.

I can see Neville's shocked reaction in my peripheral vision. Draco keeps inching his hand toward his wand, but he's using willpower to resist.

He leans over the edge of the table and meets me face-to-face.

"You're gonna regret that."

Geez, talk about a pathetic comeback. He leans up and turns around. Before he can, I stick my foot in front of him and trip him. He lands on the ground face-first. Marble versus bone, Marble always wins. A crack comes in from his direction.

"Argh! You son of a bitch!"

That's the first time I've seen a wizard use a muggle insult. He stands up in a hit fury with a bloody nose to follow.

It's turned and bleeding profusely. Before he can point his wand at me, a hand grips his wrist. I didn't make a move since I saw who was coming after Draco's cry of pain. Snape pulls Draco's hand back and takes his wand from his hand.

"Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you get your nose fixed before you get into any more trouble."

The monotonous voice comes from Snape, and Draco pulls his wrist out of his grasp. After a second of staring at one another, Snape gives Draco his wand back. Draco stares at me.

He leaves The Great Hall after seeing there is nothing left to do. Likely going to the infirmary. Snape turns to look at me and has an expressionless face.

"That's twice now; problems followed where you've been, Mr. Aevum. I trust this is unintentional?"

He used Legilimency to see Draco's memories of the events.

At least, that's what I'm betting.

He's letting me off the hook due to Draco starting. I nod my head, and Snape turns around, leaving. He wouldn't waste time trying to get past my mental defenses.

I turn and see a dumbstruck Neville. He doesn't know what to say. He's shocked by all the events. My treatment of Draco, brief interaction with Snape, and calm disposition to it all.

"Why are you like this?"

He asks me a question I wouldn't have expected from him. I look at him to be a bit more specific.

"Why are you so... Confident in everything you do? It's like you know you'll never fail... That you'll always win..."

I chuckle lightly to myself. I'll easily win against people who aren't mentally strong. People like Draco.

In the end, everything is mental. If you can overcome the doubts in your mind. The hurdles you create for yourself, you can do anything. Most 11 and 12-year-olds wouldn't understand this, which is why I'm different.

"Neville, this will be the best advice I'll ever give you."

He perks his head up and looks ready.

"When you can convince yourself, your mind, that you are better and you can win. You already have won. Conquering the doubts and voices keeping you from being great sets people apart."

He looks at me in a depressed way.

It'll be a while before Neville is at that point in his mind. He'll have to get tired of being the way he is. Get sick of being a pushover and weakling.

Only then will he have the mindset he needs. He'll have to be sick of being the current him, and when he's older and wiser. He'll change.

"I'm going to the library later today. You want to join me, Neville?"

Maybe he can learn something about being strong and confident by watching me. However, he shakes his head in rejection. He'll come out of his shell eventually, and when he does. He'll say yes to one of my offers.