Brave { Neville Longbottom}

Chapter Sixty

"So he just sends you all the stuff you'll need for the year?" Neville asked the evening before they were set to go to Hogwarts to begin their third year. His grandmother had sent him all of his supplies while Kefira had received hers earlier that morning, anonymously. 

"I'm pretty sure it's him." Kefira said sitting on her bed.

"How can you tell?"

"Well, when you open the box, everything else is scattered but the potions books are packed in nice and neat." she smiled. "I'm pretty sure it's him."

"But he doesn't like you. He doesn't like anyone for that matter."

"Maybe he does." Kefira said resting back on her pillow. "Maybe he just doesn't know how to show it because he doesn't have much experience with it. I can't honestly believe that he likes no one."

"I can't imagine anyone really liking him." Neville said.

"I like him." Kefira said.

"You do?" Neville's eyes widened.

"Not in that way, Nevs! That's just gross! It doesn't have to be romantic when you like someone, I think of him as a grumpy ...uncle if you will."

"But he's so mean to you."

"He's mean to everyone which mean he doesn't discriminate so that's good I guess."

"You said about the muggle-borns..."

"I don't think he holds a prejudice against muggle-borns, I think it's all a show that he puts on."

"Why would he do that?"

Kefira shrugged. "I don't know.  It's hard to get him to speak, he uses the shortest responses possible unless he's trying to insult me.

"Why would you want to be friends with someone like that?" Neville asked her with a shake of his head.

"Because everyone needs a friend. Even if they don't believe it." 

Neville sat beside her, the two of them quiet for a moment.

"I wonder who our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be." Neville thought out loud.

"I don't know, but anyone is better than Lockhart. Although, I'm still counting on Professor Chuckles."

"What could we possibly learn from a hamster?"

"Who knows? The possibilities are endless. I've always wanted to run in a hamster wheel. Oh yes! We could run around in hamster wheels and stuff."

"How would that defend you from the dark arts?"

"Never heard of a hamster dying from the dark arts, have you?"

Neville and Kefira giggled in amusement picture dark witches and wizards trying to fight an army of hamsters.

"You have a wild imagination, Kefi."

"Nah, I just like to think that the impossible is possible." Kefira said.

"Even when you know it's impossible?" Neville asked.

"I don't think anything is impossible. Some things are just more difficult than others and you have to work harder to accomplish them. That's all." 

The next morning, Neville stood patiently before the Walsh family as he and Kefira prepared to leave for the platform.

"I hope you had a good summer, Neville." Cardel said. "We enjoyed having you."

"I did...thank you all so much." he said offering a smile to everyone.

"Have a good year, Neville." Rosemary said.

"Yeah, and keep an eye out for this one." Nellie said pointing to Kefira who was talking with her a mother a little ways from the others.  "A close eye." Nellie said before winking at him.

Neville felt his cheeks grow warm but he wasn't sure why.

"And you're going to be experiencing changes with your body and while I won't be there in person, please feel free-'

"Mum." Kefira placed both hands over her mother's mouth and shook her head. "We are not having this discussion."

Alana pulled Kefira's hands away from her mouth. "Why not? It's perfectly natural."

"It's perfectly gross." Kefira scrunched up her face. 

"Kefira! You're becoming a young lady and-" 

Kefira clapped her hands over her own ears to drown out her mother's voice.

"LALALALA!"

Cardel walked over with an amused smile and took his daughter's hands. "Give us a kiss and go get on the train."

Kefira quickly kissed both of her parents on the cheek and then left to say goodbye to her sisters.

"Car, I was having a talk with Kefi." Alana sighed.

"Yeah, but it was perfectly gross." Cardel said mimicking Kefira's prior facial expression and voice to the best of his ability.

Alana smiled before pushing her husband along.

"Ugh talk about awkward conversations." Kefira huffed as she and Neville appeared on the other side of the barrier.

"What she talking to you about?" Neville asked.

"Trust me, Nevs, you don't want to know."

Neville glanced down at Trevor who let out a croaking noise, fully agreeing with Kefira that Neville did not want to know.

"Well, time to find the others and get this year started right!" Kefira said hopping up onto the train.

Neville took a deep breath before getting onto the train. He only hoped this year would be much quieter than last year.