Brave { Neville Longbottom}

Chapter Six*

Picking up the toad in her hands, Kefira lifted him up until they were face to face. 

"What are you doing running around all the time? You're going to get stepped on that way," she said.

The toad rested contently in her hands until Kefira sat down in an empty compartment. She slid the door over and allowed the toad to hop around in the safety of the closed space.

She was certain it was the same toad from Diagon Alley, as it came to a halt in front of her shoes and glanced up at her. It was a brown toad, a little large in size than most toads, Kefira had seen in her lifetime. His little black eyes seemed focused on her.

'Are you lost or something?"

Suddenly, the compartment door opened and two boys poked their heads.

'Do you mind if we sit with you? A lot of the other compartments are full," One of them said.

"Sure," Kefira said. "But be careful." She noted the toad on the floor.

The two boys glanced down and carefully made their way into the compartment stepping around the toad.

"Is it your toad?" the boy asked. Kefira glanced over him, his dark complexion was similar to her fathers, with a head of black hair and a seemingly long neck.

"No, I found him on the train."

"Now that's something you don' see every day!" the other boy laughed. He was pale skinned with sandy brown hair, and his Irish accent was thick.

"I'm Dean Thomas." the first boy introduced himself.

"I'm Kefira Walsh." she looked to the Irish boy.

"Names Seamus. Seamus Finnigan."

"Are you two first years as well?" Kefira asked as they sat down.

"Yeah, didn't even know I was one until this summer," Dean told her.

"Same here," she said. "Are you a muggle born too, then?"

"I don't know." Dean shrugged. " I don't know much about my dad, he could have been a wizard. I guess that means you're a muggle born?"

She nodded. "The only one of my family so far." 

"Nice," Seamus said. 

"And you?" She said looking to him.

"Half. Mam's a witch," he answered.

"It's a little weird when you find out isn't it?" Dean said. "You go your whole life not knowing this stuff and exist...then one day..boom!"

Kefira enjoyed her time with Seamus and Dean on the train, Seamus was loud and Dean was funny, exactly what she needed in friends. They also didn't seem to be bothered by the fact that she was a girl as they carried on conversation after conversation.

She had a feeling she was going to love her new life as a witch.

Suddenly, the compartment door opened and a girl with brown bushy hair and rather large front teeth poked her head in.

"This may sound odd," she began," but have any of you three seen a toad?"

The three in the compartment exchanged glances before looking down to the seat the toad currently occupied.

"Yes actually," Kefira said nodding her head in the direction of the toad.

"Oh!" The girl seemed actually surprised to see the toad calmly sitting. "Well, I'll be right back."

"Who was that?" Seamus asked.

Dean and Kefira shrugged.

Shortly after, the girl returned with a boy in tow.

"Trevor!" the boy exclaimed excitedly as he saw the toad. "Where did you find him?"

"He was taking a casual stroll through the train," Kefira told him. "At least that's what I think."

When the boy looked at her, he immediately averted his gaze down to his feet. "Th-thank y-you." he stammered.

"No problem. He's a pretty wicked toad." she smiled.

The boy only nodded in response before awkwardly standing before the other children. He had a round face and soft looking blonde hair. She had only caught a glimpse of his blue eyes before they darted away.

"Well, we know your toad's name, aren't you going to tell us what your name is?" Kefira said.

He peered up at her, a shy expression evident on his face.

"N--Neville." he answered.

"Is that your whole name? Only Neville?" she teased him playfully.

"No...Longbottom. Longbottom Neville. I mean, Neville Longbottom."

"Nice to meet you, Neville, I'm Kefira Walsh. This is Dean Thomas and this is Seamus Finnigan." she looked to the girl.

"Hermione Granger."

"Now that we're all acquainted," Kefira said, " are you going to join us?"

Hermione politely declined, claiming she was already sitting with a few other people. Leaving Neville alone with the three.

"Well, don't be shy. Sit down." 

Neville looked to her and then with a slight nod, sat down in the closest seat to him. Trevor the toad, took the opportunity to slip out of his fingers and jump to the floor.

"Did you happen to lose him in Diagon Alley at some point?" she asked him.

"Y-yes."

"I thought so." She grinned at Trevor. "So we have met before."

Seamus leaned into Dean. "Is it me or is she talking to the toad?"

"It's not you, she's talking to the toad."