Brave { Neville Longbottom}

Chapter One Hundred Fifty One

Now that things were squared away with finding dates for the Yule Ball and getting over the worry of asking someone, Neville and Kefira were back on regular terms. While both of them were disappointed that they wouldn't be attending the ball together, they were happy to know that they were making two other people happy. Ginny would be able to attend the ball as a younger student and Bisera was able to attend the ball with someone she was comfortable with. The saving grace was the reminder that they would be able to see each other and spend time in the company of one another throughout the evening. 

In the meantime, the two were working together every day to prepare for the final classes before Christmas break. Some professors like Professor Flitwick had been kind enough to the students to just let them fool around and enjoy the final days of class before the break. The students were able to play games and enjoy some free time to themselves. It was during that time while others were playing, that Neville helped Kefira develop her hair serum formula as they were piecing together the ingredients that would work best.

While Professor Flitwick was kind and had mercy on the students, the other professors did not hold the same. In fact, between Professor Binn overdosing them on notes of the goblin rebellion and Professor McGonagall and Professor Moody keeping them busy to the point where Kefira was mixing up the two classes, it seemed the students were going to end up cracking before the end of the first part of the term.

But if they thought those professors were dealing a lot, the worse came when it came to Profesor Snape's class. Since Kefira's outburst in the corridors calling him disgusting for making Hermione cry, the two didn't say anything to each other, but Professor Snape was at his worst. The dungeons were cold, to begin with, but with the added nasty glares that the man gave to all of them, it felt chillier than normal. 

She was surprised that he didn't give her detention after the outburst with Hermione, but she wasn't going to question it either. In fact, Kefira played it smart and kept quiet in the classroom to avoid any confrontation with the man. She had never grown to hate someone in her life, but Professor Snape was building up a strong dislike in Kefira with how nasty and cruel he was to her peers. She had established that before with how he treated Neville, but it seemed the man couldn't get enough when it came to personally attacking students and feeding off of their insecurities. 

Of course, to make matters worse, he told them on the last day of class that they would be having a test on the poison antidotes that everyone seemed to be struggling with before he dismissed them. 

It set Neville into a panic as he requested Kefira to help him study. She readily agreed, hoping to set the boy's mind as ease, but as they were heading back, they came upon the scene of Fred standing in the corridor with a very angry looking Hufflepuff before him. 

"I think he chose the wrong badger to prank," Neville whispered to her. Seeing the upset look on the girl's face before she turned on her heel and left, Kefira gave a shook of her head.

"I don't think that had to do with a prank, Nevs," Kefira said. "And I certainly don't think we want to get in the mix of that, let's go!"

The two tried to get some studying in, but it seemed everywhere they went, the Yule Ball had reign over everything. Girls were either giggling, crying or looking extremely pissed off. Boys were looking cocky or terrified and it seemed to get messier by the second.  Unable to escape it, Kefira just sighed and rested her chin in her hand as she and Neville were in the common room by the fire. She was lying on her stomach, the two of them enjoying the company of Trevor who decided to return inside as the weather became far too cold.

The toad was resting on Kefira's head, while she stared into the fire. Hermione came in a short while before looking angry as ever.

"I wonder what made her so upset?" Neville whispered to her.

"I'll give you two options," Kefira said holding up her fingers. "Ron...and Ron."

Neville snorted loudly before he quickly clapped his hands over his mouth to contain his giggling.

"This whole Yule Ball has everyone going mental...and it's messing with my work," She grumbled.

"You mean the potions stuff?" Neville asked.

"What? No, don't be silly, Nevs. I'm talking about Dean and Seamus. Did you hear Seamus is taking Lavender to the ball? I mean honestly, half the things he's said about her being loud and obnoxious and then he asks her. I could just smack him sometimes. Dean's not going with anyone now..and ugh..."

Trevor let out a loud croak making her laugh as he leaped into her hands.

"Trevor understands, don't you, Trevor? You know, we should get him a little set of dress robes and bring him."

"I can't imagine he would be very comfortable in dress robes," Neville said.

"If I can get through an evening wearing a gown, I think Trevor could manage the robes."

"You're really opposed to the idea of wearing a dress, aren't you? Why? I bet you'll look just as gorge-" Neville stopped himself as both teens turned red in the face.

Kefira smiled down at Trevor unable to bring herself to look up at Neville at that moment.

"Well, there's just a lot of rules when it comes to dresses in my opinion," She explained. "At least, that's what my mother made it sound like. You have to sit a certain way, you have to wear the appropriate shoes, you can't climb trees, what fun is that?"

"Good thing the Yule Ball takes place during the evening, so you won't be too concerned with wanting to climb trees," Neville began, " besides, of all the parties I had to go to with Gran over the years, the women never keep their shoes on for long."

"Apparently, I need to attend more parties with you and your gran."

"They would certainly be a lot more fun if you came. They're only ever really fun if Uncle Algie shows up. You need to meet him, he really seems to like you. Mainly because you sent Gran a howler."

The two laughed at the memory as Trevor seemed to croak again in agreeance.  

"Say, why don't we give this a break?" Kefira suggested pushing the potion book aside. "We'll end up just becoming frustrated if we spend too long on it."

"What do you want to work on? The serum?"

"It's like you're a Seer, Neville."