"I wouldn't be surprised if he crucioed you in your sleep" Justin finch-fletchley sneered, looking over to Nev with a knowing glance. It made his blood run cold at the memory. 8th year was hard, harder than he thought and all the 8th years with their own house all mingled up sparked old rivalries. Seeing the new placements for dorms made him uneasy, sure he'd be with a friend, Harry, but there were two other Slytherins.
Nev wasn't all that worried about Malfoy, Harry could handle him, it was Nott that unnerved him. He was far more involved with the death eaters than Malfoy, it was all kept quiet and hidden but rumours spread like wildflowers.
Some say he only got away because there was no proof, others whisper that he crucioed his parents.
"you know, I heard he's got something wrong upstairs, like he's crazy. Miriam Gretchen says she saw him slice his arms like those people in St. Mungo's'' felicity, in her heavily accented voice, whispered. Justin and Lavender leaned in to hear and Nev felt sick.
Those people in St. mungo's weren't crazy, they were desperate and afraid and he knew that most of all. But it was just a rumour, no one could prove it.
"Eugh, who's to say he won't do it to us? I don't like this "Justin sneered again, that's when Nev caught sight of the boy, walking beside Malfoy with an indifferent expression. The blonde boy seemed paler than usual, his mask cracking to reveal only a faint hint of... fear?
Nev couldn't pick it up, Malfoy always hid it well. The two disappeared into the dorm. He sighed and lavender chimed in, "do you think they're planning to take over the school? I reckon they'd want to complete their precious dark lords work" she snickered, Nev frowned, what was the point of this conversation?
The two hadn't done anything yet, sure everyone was jittery and broken after the war but what was the point of starting another one? "I don't know... they don't seem to be doing anything other than minding their business" Justin seethed, scoffing as he waved his hand around as if it would do anything to prove his next statement to be true "everyone thought Malfoy was minding his business in 6th year, how'd that turn out?" To be fair... he had a point.
"It doesn't matter if they changed or reformed. They would hesitate to do the same thing their people did to your parents" that was a low blow, it knocked the air out of Neville's lungs. He felt something like barbed wire in his throat but Justin didn't stop, he kept sneering and spitting out statements
"well, maybe not. You wouldn't hold out like your parents you'd probably die" he snickered, Nev couldn't listen anymore he just... couldn't.
Justin was sitting there and joking about Nev's parents, about the horrors they endured. He felt pain lodged in his chest, rising to prickle at his eyes. Lavender harshly whispered to him to stop and Ginny was getting ready to hit the boy when she overheard it. Nev quietly slipped away, muttering 'excuse me' before getting up.
He let his muscle memory guide him to a safe space as his mind wandered. He remembered his mother, the way she hummed to herself, Neville a stranger to her. He remembered how she handed him that gum wrapper, a dazed look on her face that shook him to his core. His father who jumped at the slightest noise, fearful yet always quiet. He never spoke a word to Neville, only looked at him and sometimes he'd smile.
That was a fate worse than death, what the death eaters did, they ripped his family apart like pages from a book.
He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a bit scared of the two Slytherins, Nott especially. Who wouldn't? Now Malfoy he was familiar with, he interacted with him enough to know what he was like but Nott? He just showed up, it was as if he was hiding in a shadow for years and only now did he appear, and no one knew a thing about him. He didn't look kind nor welcoming, he only ever had the cold glare on his face that never faltered for a moment and it drove Neville insane.
He soon found himself in the greenhouse, the growing bulbs of nectarine blossoms smelling faintly of sugar and fruit. He sat between the potted plants, ferns covering him as if he was one of them. They wrapped around him and he sank, breathing deeply as poignant soil and newly sprouted flowers flowed to his nose, filling his senses with a comfort beyond explanation.
He felt at ease here, warm and comforted. He could get through this year, he'd gotten through the last 7 and he'd be damned if he gave up now.
The difference from 1st year and this was now he had real friends, ones who wouldn't call him an idiot or hang him upside down from the gargoyles for fun.
The Somnio Salvus reeds blew a soft aroma his way, bidding his mind into a state of fatigue. He didn't see anything wrong with sleeping here, he had no classes today so.. Why not?
A/N First chapters a bit short, the others will be a little longer, this is only meant to be a little story, nothing too big! :)
VOUS LISEZ
I Think I Like It When It Rains / TheoNev.
Roman d'amourTheodore Nott was used to being in the background, he preferred it really, saved him the unneeded attention. 8th year was much the same, save for harrowing panic attacks and cliches roads of self-discovery. who'd have known that one Neville Longbott...
