Scarlet Taylor - The Secret Longbottom (Harry Potter FanFic)

Chapter 8 - The Unhappy Memories

Harry:

'Hello everyone. This is the first official meeting of Dumbledore's Army. Over the course of this year I will help to teach you skills for defending yourself against the dark arts.'

It was all so surreal. I had never taught anyone anything before, and now I was running classes. I didn't really have a clue what I was doing, but so many people had asked me for help that I couldn't say no anymore and we needed to be prepared, now that Voldemort was back.

'Okay, the first spell I will be teaching you is the patronus charm. This is a spell that when conjured correctly can protect you from dementors. All you have to do is think of a happy memory and say Expecto Patronum,' I carried on; everyone was staring at me so intently.

Everyone began and I nodded and smiled at the people around me trying to conjure the patronus. I was surprised by how many were actually managing, although it was much easier when you weren't actually being attacked by dementors.

'Remember happy thoughts,' I added walking round the room where everyone looked as though they were having a great time. All except one. Despite his best attempts, nothing seemed to be working. I walked over to Scarlet, who was happily producing a small kitten out of the end of her wand.

'Hey Scarlet, do you think you can go and talk to Neville for me? He looks quite upset.'

'Yeah sure thing Harry,' she replied. Her kitten faded as she walked towards Neville.

Neville:

'Hey Nev. Is everything ok?' The familiar voice asked me.

'Yeah I guess,' I replied.

'What's up?' Scarlet asked.

'I just don't seem to have many happy memories.' I replied, looking at the pitying expression spreading across her face. It was nice to know that someone cared, but it made me feel so pathetic and part of me just wanted her to leave me alone.

'Sure you do Neville.' She replied trying to make me feel better, 'What about your family? Surely you have some happy memories with them.' She asked. However much I told Scarlet, this was something that I had never shared. I'd never told anyone about my family.

'I don't really have a family.' I muttered, knowing that if there was one person that I could trust with this secret, it was her.

'What?' She looked shocked and her eyes almost doubled in size. She placed her hand on my arm.

'My parents are both in hospital.' I sighed, not wanting to start crying. But I could feel tears welling up in my eyes and knew that it was no use.

'How come you never told me Neville?' She asked a sympathetic look in her eyes.

'I've never really told anyone.' I replied 'It's not something I like to talk about.'

My parents had been in hospital for as long as I could remember. At first my Gran had just told me that they were very ill. But as I got older I knew that she was lying to me and eventually she told me the truth. They were tortured by death eaters, beyond sanity, for information that they never gave up. I'm proud of them in that sense. They had both been so brave, but what was I? Nothing more than a stupid coward who could barely do any spells. I felt like I was letting them down. Scarlet wrapped her arm around my shoulder and hugged me.

'You remind me of her you know?' I said.

'Of who?' She asked curiously.

'My mum. You have very similar hair, although hers was much shorter, and your eyes are the same.' Gran had given me a photograph of them when I was younger. They were so young, not much older than I was now, laughing and smiling. I kept it with me at all times; it was comforting to know they were with me, even if only as a memory. Although I didn't have any memories of them of my own.

'Neville, what happened to them?' She asked almost in a whisper.

'They were tortured by Death Eater's for information for Voldemort. But they never gave in.'

'I'm so sorry Neville; you don't deserve anything like that. No one does.'

'Thanks Scarlet,' I replied. It was nice having her as a friend. She always knew exactly what to say and although it wouldn't make up for what had happened, I felt a bit better about the whole situation.

Scarlet:

I had never known what hard things Neville had had to go through in his life. He had never told anyone until know and I swore to myself that I would keep his secret, until he was ready to tell everybody else about what had happened. I sort of knew how he felt, although not exactly. I'd never had parents of my own and I knew how hard it could be at times.

'So what about a happy memory?' I asked him, trying to change the subject. 'Maybe a memory from Hogwarts. What about the time when we played Quidditch?'

I laughed at the memory for it had been a very funny day.

'Yeah, that was a good day. A happy memory.' He replied, drying his eyes and standing up. He closed his eyes in concentration and raised his wand.

'Expecto Patronum.'

A faint silvery wisp came out of his wand. Although not a full patronus, it was good for a first attempt and I knew it must be hard for Neville.

'Very good Neville,' Harry encouraged him. 'Just keep trying.'

There was a certain buzz in the common room that night after the secret meeting. Dumbledore's Army was something that I knew I would always be looking forward to. I just wished that Draco was allowed to go, although I knew that my friends would never trust him with such a huge secret. Only seven more says until the next meeting.

I had made a promise to myself to make more time for Neville. To make sure that I talked to him more. It was obvious that he was hurting and I was sure there was so much more that he was hiding. So much more I knew he needed to share and I wanted to be there for him, the way he'd always been for me.