The Lost Prince

9.

Professor Trelawney made tragic predictions of Neville's misfortunes.

"Beware of green color. It will be nice if you can stay outside most of the time but still avoid green color." She said in her misty voice.

Neville looked pale and his hands trembled.

"You can't stay outside Neville. Everywhere is green."

Finnegan snickered.

Neville became paler.

Everyone laughed at Finnegan's mocking. No one take Professor Trelawney word seriously so it was funny when Neville listened her prediction and believed it.

Hayden saw Neville's pale face and took a sympathy towards him.

Hayden moved his butt forward Neville who sat two table in front of him.

Hayden whispered Neville's name.

"Longbottom."

"Psstt.."

Neville turned his head and saw Hayden. He looked surprised at him.

"Come here." Hayden made gesture with his hand to make Neville move closer to him.

Blaise and Pansy who sat nearby moved a bit to let Neville crawled to Hayden.

"Prince?" Neville wasn't sure how to called him.

"Sit with us."

Hayden gave his seat to Neville and he moved to beside Draco.

Neville sat on their seat and asked about the matter.

"Hello." He said awkwardly.

"Don't be too polite. We are civil." Draco said indifferently.

"Don't mind him. He just bored." Hayden said.

Hayden elbowed Draco. He gestured him with his eyes to be kinder to Neville. Draco replied with a shrug.

"No.. N.. No.. Problem." Neville said timidly.

"Longbottom. Don't be nervous. We aren't biting. We want to be friends with you." Hayden said softly.

In his past, Neville was one of his genuine friend. Neville never took any advantage of him. He genuinely nice to him when no one had done so. So even now Hayden wanted to be friend with Neville. He kinded of fond of Neville. He wanted Neville to be with them. He knew Neville was alone and had no one since his departure.

"Prince? Why?"

"There is no why. I just want to. And they also want to." Hayden explained.

"But.. I'm Gryffindor and you're Slytherin?"

"Do you have any prejudice on us?" Blaise, as always piped in. The Italian boy liked to meddle with someone else's matter.

"No.. No.. Not like that." Neville denied quickly.

"So you agree to be our friend, right?" Pansy asked wittily.

"uhm okay." He had no choice. He felt pressure from Pansy's sharp eyes and Blaise's expectation gaze.

Hayden smiled at him. Draco only looked at him without any word but his gaze was kinder now after he agreed.

"Yo, Longbottom.. Stay away from green color. Don't be corrupted by the snakes."

Weasley shouted at him from his seat on the back.

The Gryffindor snickered.

The Slytherin didn't respond. They looked at Draco and when Draco gave bored expression to Weasley the Slytherin understood the latter didn't worth any attention. The Slytherin turned their eyes away from Weasley and back to their earlier activities.