Understanding (Neville Longbottom)

38

I was never a precise person. Organized, sure, but not precise: my books, notes, clothes, quills and other books lay on every surface of my room.
That day I had an empty slot in my schedule: for some reason I didn't have any class in the two hours before dinner. Whatever the mistake had been there, I wasn't going to complain; I would finally put my room back into shape.
It wasn't dirty, Merlin knew I didn't spend enough time in there to dirty it up, but it gave that impression.

So I decided to try some new spells and it was glorious: with a touch of my wand I took dust off of clothes, ironed them and hanged them; I piled all my books on the ground to return them to the shelves except for a couple of them, cleaned my quills from the old ink and piled my notes into a huge stack of parchment.
I was very proud of myself.
I decided to divide my notes by subject, but that wasn't something I could do with my wand. So I started sorting them, carefully.
I was almost done when someone knocked on the door.
"Come in" I finished putting in order the things on my tiny desk and then turned around.

I felt the smile on my face freeze when I saw who was standing in the door frame.
I stopped.
Neville looked at his feet, embarrassed by my reaction or by the situation.
Then looked up at me "Come to Aberforth with me"

"Why?" I asked with an incredibly neutral voice.

"Because I want you to. Please"

I didn't know what to say.
Why did he need me? Was something wrong with Aberforth? No, I would have known that.
He seemed uncomfortable in the door frame, so I decided on the spot it was better to just answer him quickly and let him leave.
I nodded.
He lowered his head in silent thanks and then backed out of the room closing the door behind him.
And I stayed there to look at it, confused, for five minutes straight.

When I realized I was still glued in place, I shaked my head and quickly put on a heavier sweater so as to not feel cold in the tunnel; I took my wand and stopped in front of the door to breathe deeply and compose my expression into neutrality, before turning the knob.
Neville was talking to Seamus under the already open painting; a few more people were going around on their chores but the room was incredibly almost empty.
I made my way towards them, looking for Luna with my eyes: I was sure she was behind this and if I ever got a hold of her, I would incenerate her with my eyes.

She wasn't around; the only person I had the opportunity to lock eyes with, was Ben coming out of the potion closet to go take a book from the shelves.
He smiled at me and then stopped in his tracks, confused by my expression. Merlin knows what face I had on in that moment.
I reassured him with a nod of my head and continued towards Neville and Seamus.
He followed my movements, curious,  but he didn't come any closer to me or the other two guys expecting me.
When I got there, I took the sacks Seamus was offering me with a satisfied smile and climbed into the painting right after Neville.

Whatever had possessed Neville and talked to me in a civilized manner, had left his body.
We made our way to Aberforth in complete and total silence.
I wasn't going to say a word: I didn't know why he had come looking for me, he could be on the verge of another explosion and I had no intention of giving him more ammo. He was capable enough to fabricate reasons out of thin air.

He seemed anxious.
And thinner.
And taller even.
I could feel his eyes on me at times, stealing glances. Maybe he had had a discussion with the old man and thought my presence would calm him. If that was the case, he didn't know Aberforth.
As we walked on, I realized just how much his presence bothered me, because even now I couldn't fool my body into hating him: like always he calmed me. It wasn't an easy calm like it had been before, when he could just touch my arm and settle my nerves; now it was like the quiet before a storm, because I was waiting for him to do something wrong, something hurtful... But my mind was quiet and still all the same.