A Neville SI

A Neville SI Chapter 13

Snape glowered and opened his mouth to respond when Dumbledore interjected, "It seems that Professor Snape's judgment might have been clouded by anger during that particular lesson."

McGonagall glared at Snape, stating firmly, "He shouldn't let anger interfere with his teaching or impact students' grades. I would expect this sort of behavior from a new graduate, but not from a professor at Hogwarts."

Dumbledore stepped in again, "I'm sure Professor Snape won't let anger cloud his judgment in the future."

Snape merely glared at Neville, then nodded curtly before stalking out of the office, his cape billowing behind him.

Sighing, Dumbledore turned to Neville. "Well, that should be all. You may return to your classes, Mr. Longbottom."

….

Neville descended the spiral staircase from the Headmaster's office, his footsteps echoing softly against the stone walls. The encounter with Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape had been thoroughly vexing, but at least he'd managed to dodge detention with Snape. "Damn, stupid old man," he muttered under his breath. 'At least I won't be serving detention with Snape. Detention with Professor McGonagall is loads better than suffering one with Snape,' he thought.

As he stepped onto the seventh floor, Neville decided he needed to clear his head. Glancing at a clock, he realized Charms class was still in full swing, and there was at least another thirty minutes before lunch. "Might as well make good use of the time," he mused to himself. He headed towards one of the empty classrooms he used for extra practice. The corridors were quiet, the usual hustle and bustle of students absent as classes were in session.

Pushing open the creaky door of the deserted room, he stepped inside. The afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows, casting a warm glow across the classroom.

He placed his bag on a worn wooden table and drew his wand, rolling it thoughtfully between his fingers. he was going to continue practicing The Summoning Charm, and he was determined to get the hang of it this time.

"Right then," he said quietly, setting a quill on the far side of the room. Taking a deep breath, he focused his mind entirely on the task at hand. "Accio quill!" The quill wobbled uncertainly before skidding a few inches towards him. Frowning, Neville squared his shoulders and tried again, concentrating even harder. "Accio quill!" This time, the quill slid a bit further, inching its way across the floor.

"on come. on," he chided himself. Remembering that most magic was about visualising, he closed his eyes for a moment, picturing the quill flying straight into his hand. Opening his eyes, he pointed his wand with renewed determination. "Accio quill!" The quill lifted off the ground slightly before dropping back down.

"Well, progress is progress," he muttered with a sigh. Neville spent the next half-hour practising, summoning the quill with increasing success. By the end of his session, he was still unable to summon the quill into his hand. Sighing, he tucked his wand away. "At least I made some progress. Not too shabby," he encouraged himself.

As his stomach gave an audible grumble, Neville realized it was lunchtime. Gathering his things, he made his way to the Great Hall. The corridors were now bustling with students heading to lunch, laughter, and chatter echoing off the stone walls.

Entering the Great Hall, Neville spotted Seamus, Dean, and the rest of his classmates already seated at the Gryffindor table. He slid into an empty seat beside them.

"Hey, Neville!" Seamus greeted him, piling mashed potatoes onto his plate. "We wondered where you'd got to."

"Yeah," Dean chimed in, "you missed the end of Charms. Where were you, then?"

Neville chuckled. "Sorry, got held up. Had a meeting with the Headmaster."

At this, several heads turned. "That's right, you were called to Dumbledore's office," Parvati exclaimed, Lavender, leaning in with wide eyes. "What was that all about?"

Neville sighed, reaching for a slice of roast beef. "It's nothing serious. Snape complained about my assignments; he wanted me expelled."

Lavender exchanged a knowing look with Parvati. "I bet Hermione's going to say 'I told you so' when she hears about this," she said with a teasing grin.

Neville shrugged. "Wouldn't be the first time," he admitted, though he couldn't help but smile. Hermione was always nagging him about his assignment.

After a few moments, he glanced around. "Speaking of Hermione, has anyone seen her?"

Lavender tilted her head thoughtfully. "I saw her leaving Charms earlier, but I'm not sure where she went. Probably the library, knowing her."

Parvati nodded in agreement. "She must have gone there after class ended."

Neville nodded but thought to himself, 'She's probably off researching spells so she doesn't fall behind me, especially after seeing how far I was in spellcasting.'

Seamus nudged him playfully. "Oh, forget about studying for a bit. Did you hear about the Quidditch trials happening this week?"

Neville shook his head and joined in the conversation, discussing the latest gossip and the upcoming matches. Lunch passed quickly, filled with laughter and friendly banter.

As the bell signaled the end of lunch, students began to disperse to their afternoon classes. Neville gathered his belongings and headed towards the greenhouses for Herbology with Professor Sprout.

Inside Greenhouse Three, the earthy scent of soil and plants enveloped him. Rows of peculiar flora lined the benches. Neville took his usual spot but noticed the empty space beside him.

"Where could Hermione be?" he muttered under his breath. It wasn't like her to miss Herbology; she loved the subject.

Professor Sprout clapped her hands to get the class's attention. "Today, we'll be studying the properties of Puffapods," she announced cheerfully. "Now, pair up and collect a pod from the front."

Seeing that Hermione wasn't here yet, Neville had hoped to pair with Harry but noticed that Ron had already teamed up with him. He ended up partnering with a Hufflepuff named Justin Finch-Fletchley. As they worked together, carefully handling the delicate pink pods, Neville kept glancing towards the door of the greenhouse, hoping to catch a glimpse of Hermione's bushy hair, but to no avail.

"Everything alright?" Justin asked, noticing Neville's distraction.

"Yeah, just wondering where Hermione could be. It's not like her to miss a class," Neville replied.

Justin shrugged. "Maybe she's feeling under the weather and went to the infirmary."

"Maybe," Neville murmured.

After Herbology, Neville decided to swing by the library before their next class, considering it was closest to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. The grand hall of books was quiet, save for the soft rustling of pages and the occasional whisper. He wandered between the towering shelves, peering down each row, but Hermione was nowhere to be found. With time running short, he hurried off to Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Entering the classroom, Neville scanned the seats. Hermione's usual spot was empty. He took his own seat, a knot of concern gnawing at him. Professor Quirrell shuffled in shortly after, his turban slightly askew and his nervous stutter as pronounced as ever.

The lesson was as unengaging as ever, Quirrell's quivering voice doing little to capture the class's interest. Neville found his mind wandering, replaying the day's events. Where could she be? he wondered. It's not like Hermione to miss classes.

As soon as the lesson ended, Neville decided to visit the Hospital Wing. "Maybe Justin was right; perhaps Hermione wasn't feeling well and had stayed in the infirmary," he thought. He made his way to the infirmary, and not finding Hermione there, he approached Madam Pomfrey.

The matron looked up from her paperwork as he entered. "Yes, dear? Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, I'm fine, ma'am," Neville assured her. "I was wondering if Hermione Granger has been in here today."

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips thoughtfully. "No, I haven't seen Miss Granger. Is something the matter?"

Neville hesitated. "Uh, no, ma'am. I was just looking for her and haven't seen her since this morning. Thought she might have come here for something."

She gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm sure she's fine. Perhaps she's resting in your common room. Some students do get overwhelmed and need a bit of quiet from time to time."

"You're probably right," Neville conceded. "Thanks anyway."

As he made his way back towards Gryffindor Tower, a nagging feeling persisted. Something didn't add up. Hermione wasn't the type to skip lessons or hideaway. From what he knew of her, she wouldn't miss classes without a good reason.

Reaching the portrait of the Fat Lady, Neville muttered the password, "Caput Draconis." The portrait swung open, and he stepped into the cozy common room. The fire crackled warmly in the hearth, casting a golden glow across the room. A few students lounged on the sofas, chatting quietly or immersed in their homework.

He glanced around but saw no sign of Hermione. he saw a few first-years huddled over their homework, but there was no Hermione. Neville sighed, dropping into an armchair. Maybe he was overthinking it, but he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling.

Looking up the staircase leading to the girls' dormitory, he hesitated for a moment. Maybe she's sleeping, just as Madam Pomfrey suggested, he thought.

Deciding there was little else he could do, for now, Neville headed up to his dormitory. He placed his bag at the foot of his bed and took a quick shower before dinner might,

Dressed and feeling somewhat refreshed, he lay on his bed and picked up one of the books his grandmother had sent him, the very one he had lent to Hermione. Flipping through the pages, he smiled as he read the summaries Hermione had written for him, minutes slipping away unnoticed.

It wasn't until he saw his dorm mates grabbing their robes and heading out that he glanced at the clock. "Is it time for dinner already?" he exclaimed. Quickly setting the book aside, he went down the stairs, thinking, 'Maybe she'll be in the common room now.'

But upon entering the common room, he found it emptier than before. Not seeing any of the girls around, Neville thought they might have already gone ahead to the Great Hall.

He joined Seamus, Dean, Harry, and Ron as they made their way down the tower to the Great Hall.

Entering the Great Hall, Neville's eyes immediately sought out the Gryffindor table. The girls were already seated—Lavender, Parvati, and a few others—but there was still no sign of Hermione. He sat down, a sense of unease settling over him like a heavy cloak.

"Hey, Neville," Seamus said between bites of pie. "Who are you looking for?" he asked, noticing Neville scanning the hall.

"Have any of you seen Hermione?" Neville asked, glancing at his classmates. "I've been looking for her everywhere but can't find her. Did she stay back in the dormitory?"

Lavender looked up from her conversation with Parvati. "Haven't you heard?" she said, lowering her voice conspiratorially.

Neville tilted his head, puzzled. "Heard what?"

Leaning in closer, Lavender whispered, "Hermione's been in the first-floor lavatory all day, crying her eyes out."

"What? Why?" Neville asked, alarmed.

Parvati sighed. "Apparently, Ron Weasley said something awful to her after Charms. She's been upset ever since."

Neville felt a surge of anger and worry. "She's been crying all day?" He shot a glare down the table at Ron, who looked uncharacteristically guilty, while Harry was giving him a pointed stare.

Lavender nodded. "We tried to talk to her, but she wouldn't come out."

Neville's mind raced. Suddenly, pieces began to fall into place. First-floor lavatory... Halloween... the troll! His eyes widened as he remembered the events from the first book.

"Shit," Neville muttered under his breath.

If you wish to support this story and have access to 10 advanced chapters, please join me at patreon.com/Tilct 

please contribute some power stone's