Professor Neville Longbottom (A Harry Potter FanFic)

Chapter Five - Brighten My Day

MOST OF THE CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK ARE THE WORK OF J.K.ROWLING, NOT MY OWN.

Chapter Five - Brighten My Day

It was, with a great sense of dread, that Neville realised that he still had to meet with Snape and Draco Malfoy tomorrow. He traipsed towards his room, needing to rest his tired eyes. Neville didn't look where he was going, his eyes following his boot cladded feet as they stepped on the cracked stone floor. He heard a yelp of surprise as he headbutted someone and landed sprawled on his back, his books scattered across the floor. Neville glanced up but couldn't clearly see who was being so clumsy as his hair had covered most of his face.

Neville brushed the strands aside and gazed up at a young woman, her hair was falling in silvery cascades down her back and perched on her nose was a pair of eccentric purple glasses. Her dress was coated with metalic feathers that draped down her flowing skirt and onto the floor behind her. It was as he looked up into her eyes that he noticed how beautiful she was. Her lips were bright fuschia and her cheeks flushed a pale pink. Her eyes sparkled as they were hit by candlelight, and that seemed to accentuate the icy blue of her irises.

"I'm so sorry sir! I Didn't see you, I was looking through my books you see..." The woman helped a startled Neville to his feet and brushed dirt off his jumper, which he was sure wasn't even there. Her voice sounded like tinkling bells and the laugh she gave was more of a giggle. "I wasn't concentrating, I'm really sorry, here, let me get your books for you."

The woman flicked her wand and the books rose up into the air, stacked ontop of eachother and settled into Nevilles outstreched arms. The wand was encrusted with small sapphires, each one surrounded by a ring of dazzling crystals. Neville glanced at the wand and saw it was almost as dazzling as its owner. The woman noticed him staring.

"Admiring my wand I see," She grinned "It was a gift from the late Fred Weasley, maybe you know of him?"

Neville was surprised to hear this beautiful stranger talking about Fred. Fred was a childhood friend of Neville, but had died during the great war. Fred didn't seem the type to be giving such extravagant gifts to such a stunning woman.

"Yes, yes I did know him. He was a great friend of mine. How did you know him?" Questioned Neville.

"Fred was... an old acquaintance of mine...he saved up for quite a while working at the joke shop for this wand, i'll say."

"I'm sorry," Neville uttered "I never caught your name." The woman seemed startled by this question, before remembering that they had never properly introduced themselves.

"My name is Rosalind Griffiths, I'm the new muggle studies teacher." Rosalind seemed proud of the title, but Neville knew that she was going to get a lot of hassle from the Slytherins by teaching them the subject.

"I'm Neville Longbottom, Herbology Teacher." Rosalind seemed to register the name.

"Oh, I thought that you were familiar, you were friends with the great Harry Potter weren't you? And didn't you fight in the great war?" Rosalind had a hint of awe in her voice as she asked Neville these questions. Neville was rarely recognised but this sudden recognition embarassed him and he knew that he was blushing.

"Umm, yes, yes I was friends with Harry. We fought in the war together." His eyes clouded as he spoke the last sentence and it was obvious that the memories were still raw and painful , so Rosalind put her hand on his arm to comfort him.

"It was great to meet you sir." She giggled before rushing off down the corridoor to talk with another teacher, leaving a slightly flustered Neville staring after her.

Neville was deep in thought, but was interupted when he was approached by the man he really wanted to avoid.

"Hello Longbottom." The man drawled  "I think we need a little chat, Don't you?" Neville knew that this was not an open question and was not up for discussion. He followed Snape into the office.