Brave { Neville Longbottom}

Chapter Forty Four

"I guess I should have stuck around a bit longer." Kefira said as she sat on the Hospital Wing bed across from Neville, who had several bruises. Apparently, after the pop quiz in class, Professor Lockhart had unleashed hell upon the classroom in the form of Cornish Pixies. While Kefira was bummed that she didn't get to witness the creatures, she was absolutely furious with Lockhart for unleashing the creatures.

Neville had been hoisted up by the mischievous little creatures by his ears, and hung onto the chandelier, only to fall moments later. Earning him yet another visit to the Hospital Wing. Once Kefira had been informed by Seamus and Dean, she quickly made her way to keep Neville company.

"It wasn't that bad." Neville said as he rubbed his ears. "I mean, at least I didn't break anything this time."

She smiled. "Yes, that's looking on the bright side." she laughed. 

"Where did you end up going?"

"I went to the potions classroom." she informed him.

"Snape caught you then?"

"No. I asked to go. Anything would have been better than sticking around in that class." Kefira said. "I did find out something really cool though!"

"What's that?"

"Flying Seahorses exist! Isn't that amazing?"

Neville grinned. "I can tell you something even cooler."

Kefira waited, eager to hear what Neville had to say.

"I know where we can actually see them."

Her eyes widened. "No way!"

"Yes, they're here at the school." Neville told her.

"How did I miss flying seahorses?!" Kefira jumped up.

"They are in the Black Lake."

Kefira scrunched up his face in confusion. "In the Black Lake...but how? It's a lake and they are seahorses."

"Uh...magic?" Neville answered.

"Oh yeah..you're right. That's awesome! I want to see them!!" she jumped up and down. "Ooh I want to see them!"

"Well, you can go down to the Black Lake while I stay-"

"What?" she immediately turned her gaze to him. "No way. I'm not going without you."

"But I have to wait until Madam Pomfrey gives me the okay to go."

"And I can wait.' she smiled at him.

"You don't have to." he said. "I don't want to hold you back, Kefi."

She gave him a strange look. "Hold me back, what are you talking about Neville?"

"I mean...we're nothing alike Kefira."

"Well yeah for started, I'm a girl and you're a boy-"

"That's not what I'm getting at. It's just that you're so brave and you can do all this adventurous stuff without being scared but I can't do that...I'm always getting hurt. I mean don't you remember the mandrake lesson..."

"Neville that wasn't a big deal. No one remembers that."

"I do."

"So you fainted, it doesn't matter. It could have happened to anyone."

"But that's just the point, Kefi. It didn't happen to anyone else, it happened to me. So I don't want to hold you back if you want to do things-"

"Neville..." she sighed after covering his mouth. "Honestly, you should never think that you're holding me back. You're brave too, you know and you're not always getting hurt. Sometimes accidents happen, but you're never holding me back. You're my best friend, so I'm going to wait right here until Madam Pomfrey says you're all set to leave. So in the meantime, I need to ask you a very important question, Neville."

"What's that?"

"How does one catch a flying seahorse?"

Kefira stood at the water's edge of the Black Lake while Neville looked around nervously, unsure if they were allowed to be so close to the lake without supervision.

"Relax Neville, if anyone asks, it was my idea and I forced you to come."

"How did you force me?"

"I don't know, tell them I threatened to punch you in the gut or something." she shrugged.

Neville's eyes widened.

"You're not really-"

"Oh come on, Neville I would never hurt you." she giggled. "I'm just saying if we get caught, just let me take the full blame."

"But that wouldn't be fair!" Neville said. "You would get in trouble and not me-"

"I'm used to getting in trouble. I'm not sure how you were do in detention with Snape." she said kneeling down by the water's edge.

Neville shuddered at the thought. "Me either and I don't want to find out."

"So how do we get them to fly?" she asked.

Neville knelt down beside her. "Well, you have to provoke them to emerge from the water so I think some splashing to startle them should do the trick."

Kefira's eyes scanned the water as she waited for some of the seahorses to appear.

"Oh look, there's some!" Neville pointed out excitedly.

"Where?!"

"Right there!" Neville said leaning forward.

"I don't see any!" Kefira pouted.

"But they're right there!" Neville continued to lean forward and almost instantly Kefira saw him lose his balance. She went to grab him by the back of his robes to pull him back, but Neville was heavier and her and pulled her forward.

The two of them fell into the lake water, becoming instantly soaked.

Much to her pleasure though, Kefira witnessed the seahorses flying as they had disturbed the creatures with their splashing.

Seamus and Dean were sitting the common room trying to work on Lockhart's bizarre homework assignment when Kefira and Neville returned later on that afternoon.

"Well there you are!" Seamus said. "Why are you two dripping wet? Where have you two been?"

"Fishing!" Kefira said happily as her shoes squeaked.