Chapter 4: A Change for the Better. Part 3

Neville was laughing at Harry's expense, and Hermione's lips twitched with mirth while bearing a conflicted countenance. Her principles overtook the hilarity of the situation and she narrowed her eyes while hiding any sign of mirth. Harry felt shivers going down his spine. Well, time to get out of this with my body in one piece.

Hermione continued glaring at Harry and Neville finally noticed that their female companion is about skin Harry alive. He let and audible gulp and quickly held his tongue, lest she bears her fangs at him. Not getting petrified this time. No sir! It is all you Harry good old chap. When he finally stopped, Hermione huffed and crossed her arms. In a low tone, she asked, well more like demanded, "So, care to explain why you have enslaved someone you freed from a vile pureblood bigot?"

Harry took a deep breath and forced every bit of his fear down. Blimey, was there ever a time when she was not a fierce lioness?

"Hermione do you know of what happens to house-elves who are not bound to a witch or a wizard?"

Hermione held her gaze and shook her head. Harry nodded, "Quite simply, they die within few years if they are not bound to anyone."

Hermione's eyes grew wide and looked towards Dobby to confirm the truth of what Harry said. Dobby gave her a somber nod, "Ms. Granger, house-elves need the magic of a witch or a wizard to survive. Without your magic, we will be dead within years. Sometimes even within days or weeks. We cannot generate our magic as other magical beings do."

Hermione tilted her head slightly. "Then why would you seek freedom."

Dobby sighed wistfully, his eyes starting to glisten with tears. "Some fates are better than being enslaved to a vile human being such as Lucius Malfoy. He tortured my poor mother and fed her corpse to the dogs. Voldemort tortured my father when he was at the Malfoy residence in a fit of anger. Tell me, Ms. Granger, what fate do you prefer, death or being bonded to the being whose sole existence ripped almost everything near and dear to your heart?"

Hermione could not take it any longer, she leaped towards the elf and pulled him to one of her trademark hugs. Harry walked over to them and gently embraced the two of them into a hug of his own. Neville stood behind them, his visage stony and morose at the tale of the young elf.

Dobby conjured a handkerchief and wiped Hermione's tears. "Ms. Granger, when Dobby spent the year trying to protect Master Harry in his foolhardy way, Dobby finally thought maybe Dobby has a chance at living. When Master Harry freed Dobby from the wretched Malfoy, Dobby could not believe his luck. Dobby was willing to wait for Master Harry to take Dobby as his elf. When Master Harry asked Dobby what he wanted the most yesterday, Dobby told him that Dobby wanted to be his elf. Now here we are," Dobby gently comforted the bushy-haired witch who was still shedding tears.

Hermione hugged the poor elf tighter. "But it is so wrong for you to be enslaved! Everyone should be free! It is not fair!"

Dobby shook his head, and Harry separated from them. Dobby pulled back slightly, cupped her cheeks, and gently said, "Life is never fair Ms. Granger. There those who are prey and those who are predators. There are wars and there are orphans. There are the rich and then there are the poor. There are the magical and the mundane. Life is not fair Ms. Granger. We house-elves have powerful magic, but our magic comes at a great cost."

Hermione continued to hold on to Dobby for a few minutes and she let go, still slightly downcast over Dobby's revelations. Dobby gave her a sympathetic glance and blinked away. Harry took her hand and gently held on to it. Neville let out the breath he was holding on to and wryly chuckled. "Never a dull moment with you a lot for sure."

Harry gave a chuckled of his own. "Quite. Although I would like a dull moment or two. You reckon Diagon Alley has a few of those for sale?"

Neville quirked, "You might even be able to find some at Knockturn Alley. Who knows, you might even get a nundu for a pet cat. Or even better, you might fall through a hole to some wonderland."

Hermione tilted her head slightly, "Like Alice and the Wonderland?"

Neville shrugged, "Dunno what that is, although we do have Mary and the Lost Paradise. Any similarities?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and shrugged.

Harry remembered the second topic he wanted to address. "Speaking of misadventures, I changed my electives yesterday from Divination to Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. I am still Creatures of Magic though. I was wondering what you are talking next year Neville?"

Neville replied with a thoughtful expression, "Divination as well. Although, Ancient Runes and Arithmancy might help me more in Herbology. Any ideas on that Hermione?"

Hermione scrunched her brows in thought for a few seconds. Her eyes widened slightly. "Taking those two might help you do a lot more with Herbology. From what I read, Runes and Arithmancy can be useful in supporting plant growth."

Neville nodded, "That's what I thought. Thanks, Hermione, although I do not know if I can keep up with those classes."

Hermione interjected before Harry could get a word in. "Nonsense Neville. Yes, your wand work may not be the best, but you have good theory scores across the board. The only reason why you score Acceptable is due to your wand work. I even heard Professor Flitwick tell so to Professor McGonagall. He even told that if your wand work were slightly better, you would be scoring at least Exceed Expectations."

Harry's eyes widened at that revelation. I did not even know that, and I shared a dorm with this bloke for six years. I knew his wand was wonky, but this? Blimey, what the fuck else did I miss. Now to sneak in the little tidbit about his wand.

"Speaking of which Neville, is there something wrong with your wand?" Real fucking smooth Potter. Might as well accuse him of impotency. Harry Potter, Master of Inconsistencies.

Neville shifted uncomfortably for a few minutes. Hermione also looked at Neville curiously, while slightly narrowing her eyes at Harry. Welp, that tells me that I will get a lecture sometime soon. Me and my big mouth. "My wand belongs to my dad, Gran refused to buy me a new wand."

Hermione gasped loudly. "That's why your wand does not work for you. Your wand is not a match for you!"

Neville looked disheartened at the revelation. While thought it was unfair that his Gran did not get him his wand, the wand is the last physical thing he has of his father. Maybe is the wand accepted him, he thought that his dad in someway accept him. To hear the wand is not matching for him slightly broke his heart.

Harry noticed the changes in Neville. He understands perfectly of what Neville is going through. Harry had spent a good portion of his life wondering what his parents would think of him. He walked towards Neville and grasped his shoulder. "Neville, it is not that your father does not accept you. You are not just a product of your father, but also your mother. I think picking a wand about who you are, not just your parents alone. You much more than just Neville Longbottom"

Neville nodded and took a few shaky breaths. Harry let him gather himself. He looked towards Hermione and she walked over and gave Neville a gentle hug. "Oh Neville, I did not mean to hurt you. You are your wizard and you deserve your wand. I was caught off guard by you owning your father's wand."

Harry gently smiled. I wonder when the last time I had a conversation like this with anyone but Hermione. It feels good, even though the topic may not be the most pleasant. Besides Quidditch and our misadventures, I do not think I have had an honest conversation with Ron. Ever.

Hermione stepped away from Neville and stood beside Harry. Neville gave them a light smile. "Thank you. As much as I want to be my father's son and make my Gran proud, I am also my mother's son. I want to say I am much more than that, but I think I must take baby steps. Starting with getting my wand."

Harry interjected, "You know, I haven't gotten you a birthday gift. Maybe we can plan to meet up this summer to go get you a wand."

Neville's eyebrows rose in surprise, and Hermione had a pleased expression plastered across her face. "Harry I can't possibly- "

"Nonsense. Shut up and take my gift. I have been told that it is rude to reject a gift. Particularly coming from some as handsome and distinguished as myself."

"I will admit you are all that when hell freezes over."

"Maybe it already has?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "You two dimwits can stop being such boys and stop your unflattering attempts to sound remotely intelligent or out peacock each other," the said dimwits looked right abashed at her accusation. Pleased with herself, she continued, "You know Neville, maybe going with Harry to get a wand would be a good way to get a wand. You said your Gran refused to get a wand. Well, this way, you can get the wand you should have had, without you having to ask your Gran."

Neville nodded cautiously, obviously still pondering the implications of going against his grandmother's wishes. Harry sighed inwardly. Maybe I might have to find some way to confront her. Then again, would she even listen to a snot-nosed brat?

"Right then! We can't be in this room all day. There is much to the day than just talking about serious stuff all day, "Although I don't think I would be able to stand Sirius's preening if he found out that we were talking about 'Sirius' topics all day. "Let go and walk around the castle for a bit!"

Without waiting for a response, Harry grabbed their hands and pulled them towards the door. They walked around the castle a bit, and Harry took it upon himself to make a ludicrous story about every wonky portrait they found. Neville found this hilarious, giving his additions and even giving his renditions at times, contradicting Harry's ridiculousness with his twist at times. Hermione fondly rolled her eyes and laughed along with the ridiculousness of it all. Their interplay reminded her a little of A bit of Fry & Laurie that her parents love to watch. The jovial atmosphere among the trio came to an abrupt halt when they heard whimpering.

Their eyes widened and being the Gryffindor's they are, they rushed to check what was going on. When they approached the corridor where they heard the noise, the trio froze, and their blood boiled at the sight. They saw a tiny golden blond-haired girl whimpering and her face leaking with tears, seemingly a first year Ravenclaw indicated by robes, cornered by several other girls, some older and of her age. The girls seem to be looking at her with sneers across their faces. Harry's eyes widened. Luna!

Before Harry could even step forward, Neville yelled, "What on Merlin are you doing! Leave her alone!"

The bullies turned towards the direction of the noise. One of the girls, Mandy Brocklehurst, Harry recognized, smirked at the trio, "And what does a squib like you think can do against us, Longbottom? Potter and Granger may be competent, but you are heavily outnumbered here. Leave, this is none of your business. This little bitch needs to be taught her place."

That is when pure Armageddon broke out. Harry felt the hair at the back of his neck stand, and he saw Hermione's eyes widen comically. Neville raised his hand and all the suits of armor and statues in the surrounding corridor coming to life. Gargoyles and dragons were the first to enter the corridor, striking an awe-inspiring visage but a fear-inducing one for those who they were targeted at. The very air seems to crackle with energy and as a one trained unit, the suits of armor stepped down from their pedestals as one with a resounding thump.

All surrounding portraits froze when they saw what's transpiring and the bullies froze in fear. This. Who the fuck can even call Neville a fucking squib? This is maybe closer to the magic that I exerted to chase away the dementors in my third year. He fucking animated every inanimate statue and armor and without a wand! And he seems to be in control, despite this being some accidental magic. What the actual fuck. And the professors were unable to unearth this. What on Merlin's saggy balls. Or tits. He may have had man tits.

Neville stood tall and with an expression of absolute fury. He spoke quietly, but his words oddly enough echoed loudly through the corridor, "Leave, or I will make you leave. And before you leave, make sure there are not any repeat performances. You would not want to know what I can do."