The Lost Get Found (Neville Longbottom Fanfic)

Chapter 4: (First Day of Fourth Year)

Chapter 4: (12 weeks ago)

I walk beside Neville, having spent the entire last twenty minutes of the train ride with him, Seamus, and Dean. With a hundred horseless carriages awaiting us, Neville grabs my hand, running towards Harry, Hermione, and Ron who are waving us over. I laugh as I see how soaked all three of them are. Hermione shivering, I non-verbally and wandlessly dry all three of them before they slide in, Neville and I following, his hand releasing mine. "Thanks." All three mutter, still chilly from the lingering Scottish rain, I then turn one of the windows into a built in heater, all four passengers hugging me in gratitude.

When we get to the school, the trio jumps out too fast, the spell only casted on Neville and I, so we wouldn't get soaked as we run inside. We walk into the Great Hall, sitting across from Seamus and Dean whose eyes widen at our dry appearance. "How are you two-" I use the same spell and instantly the two of them are warm and dry.

"Of course it's Soph." Seamus mutters, pointing his wand at the Goblet in front of him. I stand to my feet, lean over the table, and push his wand to the table, shaking my head.

"No, no. it's the first night back. Let's not blow things up until tomorrow." Dean argues, saying it in a shrilly voice, trying to sound like a girl. I turn to him, narrowing my eyes before playfully sticking my tongue out at him. Neville, Seamus, and Dean burst into laughs as I roll my eyes, grinning at them, Hermione, Ron, and Harry join us moments later, Ron grumbling about being hungry when the first years walk in, looking absolutely petrified of their future adventures.

"Looks like you've got yourself an admirer, Soph." Seamus teases, nodding over to the Slytherin table where Blaise is shamelessly observing me. I turn back around with a groan and bang my head lightly against the table, making the three around me laugh.

I watching the Sorting go by, applauding when there was a new addition to either Slytherin or Gryffindor because even though I am mostly with Gryffindors, I still intend on being polite and supportive of Slytherin, after all, I am both. Dumbledore rises to his feet and grins, "I only have two things to say. Tuck in." Food appears on the plates before us when Ihear my cousin and my best friend loudly cheer, "Hear, hear!"

I shake my head at them before looking at the first years staring at their plates with awe. I push my glasses up the bridge of my nose before taking small helpings of multiple items. (Which I get yelled at by Ron for) "How was your summer?" Neville asks Seamus and Dean as they begin to serve themselves normal (and then some) servings of the food before them.

It's then, as he's helping himself to food, that I actually look at Neville. I mean, to me, Neville's plump body in first year never caught my attention, just the Slytherin's really. We had bonded over our personalities, both being shy, but me being an abnormal mute, him being just a social outcast, we had bonded. He's knack for Herbology and my knack for every subject and then some had just attracted us to each other, our body sizes never really mattering. But now, I see he's thinned out, whether it being him doing some more exercise or less eating, or just the growth having helped him, since he now nearly is towering over my 5'2 height. Not only that, but his cute, crooked grin is slightly straightened out, just the tiniest bit. But I think that is a factor that had drawn me to him; his adorable, crooked smile. Overall, I think I have just begun to see that my best friend is growing up.

I jump as a tap interrupts me and my thoughts. "Soph! Geez, we've been calling you for the past five minutes." Ron mutters, a blush heating my cheeks reluctantly as I realize just how zoned in I'd been. it's then that I notice the twins too were trying to get my attention.

"I'm never going to understand girls," Seamus shakes his head, looking at me with a frown. I chuckle before Hermione speaks up.

"I do," She begins, looking me over before smiling widely herself. "I think our little Soph has a crush!" She winks, making me blush WAY more than I should've. It is an instinctive thing to do for human beings.

"She does have a crush!" Harry gasps, giving me a look of 'I-am-your-best-friend-why-didn't-you-tell-me'. I look away from him and to the twins, making the worst mistake of my life. This is because, they wriggle their eyebrows at me, winking.

"So who is it then?" Fred questions, nudging me with his shoulder. I shake my head, turning away from him, to find Neville staring at me with a laugh upon his lips. "Come on, Soph. Just tell us. It's not like we're going to prank him or anything." Fred continues, nudging me, then playful pushing me forward, making me bump into Neville. I turn around after I squeak and shove Fred back, making him laugh as he runs into George. "Come-"

"So!" Dumbledore interrupts the twin's nagging, standing to his feet once more. "Now that we are all fed and watered, I must once more ask for your attention while I give out a few notices..." He discusses Filch's Forbidden Goods and then the reminder of the Forbidden Forest (which I turn to Harry and we share a grin before turning back to face him). "It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year." I look around the Great Hall awaiting the protests to come, shocked faces surrounding me. "This is due to an event that will be starting in October and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the time and energy-but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-"

But at that moment, there is a deafening rumble of thunder and I jump in my seat, Neville taking notice and grabbing my hand comfortingly. I close my eyes to control my fear when a flash of an angry silhouette stalking towards me, appears. "Fred, George, Ron, it's happening again." Neville whispers as I begin to shake.

"Hey, Soph, you're okay. We're here to protect you. It's only a dream." George coos as he pulls me to his chest, my hand slipping from Neville's, my eyes opening as tear begin to fall. I bury my face his chocolate smelling shirt, the two twins and Ron trying to get me to calm down.

The thunder and lightening stops, when George's heart skips a few beats, a gasp coming from him. "May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? Professor Moody."

"No way..." I listen Ron mumble about the man and I pull away from George, wiping the tears away with the sleeve of my robes. I slide back beside Neville, Harry coming to sit beside me at some point, so when Dumbledore begins his lecture of the Triwizard Tournament, I lean my head against Harry's shoulder and doze off.