Neville seed to calm down when Harry started to speak to him. "T-Trevor. His na is Trevor, and my na is Neville, Neville Longbottom," he said, looking around the compartnt.
Looking up, Harry gave the girls encouraging smiles, which they seed to pick up on. Sitting forward, Hannah and Susan both introduced themselves.
Once they had done, Harry smiled and introduced himself, "Pleased to et you, Neville, my na's Harrison Potter."
Neville spluttered and tried to say sothing, but no words ca out. Deciding to save him, Harry smiled and said, "I know, I know - Boy-Who-Lived and all that rubbish, but really? I'm just Harry."
Susan, who had watched this, laughed, "I see what you an, Harry. I bet it does get tiring being treated like that all the ti."
Neville seed to shrink in on himself for a mont before he realised they were not laughing at him, sending Harry a hesitant smile.
"Do you have the scar?" Neville asked hesitantly, reminding Harry that Neville was a true Gryffindor. The girls instantly stopped their quiet conversation to look at Harry with interest.
Sighing, Harry moved his fringe and showed them before brushing his hair back into place.
"Does it hurt?" Hannah asked tentatively.
Harry smiled at the girl. "No, not usually. However, sotis it can ache after I have dreams."
Susan frowned. "Dreams?" she asked.
"I think they're of that night," Harry paused to shrug, "I'm really not sure, and sotis it just aches in general," he said, wanting to spread this story for when his scar ached in Quirrell's presence, if it did this ti around.
"Oh," was the quiet reply he got.
"Well, that was depressing," Harry said, trying to brighten the mood. "Before you got here Neville, we were talking out the four houses. Do you know which house you want?"
Neville seed to shake himself before he smiled. "My gran thinks I destined for Hufflepuff," he said sadly.
"And what's wrong with Hufflepuff?" the girls demanded simultaneously before they giggled.
"N-nothing," Neville said, scared for a mont he had insulted them.
Harry laughed. "Ignore them Nev, they're both proud descendants of mighty 'puffs," Harry said.
"What about you, Harry?" Neville asked.
"Honestly there's a chance I'll be in Slytherin I think, but I want Ravenclaw," Harry said, shocking them.
"S-S-Slytherin?" Neville squeaked.
"Sure," Harry said happily, ignoring their horrified looks.
"Do you really think that's possible?" asked Susan.
"It's the house of ambition and cunning," Harry said, "and I think that I'm ambitious."
"But, well, You-Know-Who...." Hannah trailed off.
"I don't think that an entire house should be judged just because of what happened in the last war. I an, not all dark wizards are in Slytherin, there are dark wizards in any house, just like there are light wizards in any house, including Slytherin," Harry said.
Susan nodded. "You're right, Harry."
"Anyway, I think I would prefer Ravenclaw, so I'm going to ask the hat for that."
"Ask the hat?" Neville asked.
Harry realised his mistake, rembering how wizards all tried to keep it a secret how you were sorted. "Oops," he said sheepishly, looking around the compartnt.
Hannah and Susan shared a look and laughed.
"It's okay Harry, we know how it works," Hannah said.
"Yeah, my aunt Alia told us because we were worried," Susan continued, whispering conspiratorially.
Neville just looked confused. "I don't get it," he said making them all laugh again.
"It's okay Nev, don't worry," Harry said.
"You never did say where you wanted to be placed, Neville," Hannah said after she finished laughing.
"Oh, well, I think I want to go to Gryffindor," Neville said. "My parents were in Gryffindor, but, well, I doubt I'll get in...."
"Don't be silly, Neville," Harry said. "I think you would do great in Gryffindor."
"Really?" Neville asked eagerly.
Just then the door to their compartnt opened, causing them all to turn and look.
"Can we help you?" Susan asked.
"Can I - oh, it's you," ca the derisive voice of Hermione Granger.
Seeing her look, Neville turned to Harry. "Do you know her, Harry?" he asked.
"We t briefly in Ollivander's. Miss Granger, yes?" Harry said, saying her na as a question.
"He was very rude to actually," Hermione said. "Didn't your parents teach you not to be rude to people?" she added snidely. Harry couldn't believe his luck - with that comnt she had dood herself, not just to him, but to everybody who heard it.
The silence that followed was consuming. Harry had to bite his lip to keep from laughing, which made the situation for Hermione worse as it looked like he was trying to contain his sadness, not his laughter.
"Get out," said Neville, his voice so soft and deadly that even Harry was shocked for a mont.
"I beg your pardon?" Hermione said, shocked by his tone.
"I said leave," Neville said, standing.
"But—"
"You heard him," Susan added, also standing and giving Hermione a withering stare.
Looking around, Hermione stuck her nose up and turned, slamming the door in her haste to retreat.
Silence fell before Hannah hesitantly spoke. "Are you okay, Harry?" she asked.
Taking another mont as he feared if he opened his mouth he would break out in laughter, Harry shut his eyes and centred himself. "Yes," he said softly.
Turning to Neville, he smiled at the boy, who was still standing and looking shocked. "Thank you, Neville," Harry said. "Thank you all," he added to the girls.
"It's okay Harry, that's what friends are for." His hesitant use of the word friend made Harry sad; Neville never seed to have real friends until he was older and, thinking back on it, that made Harry feel guilty as Neville was a true friend when given a chance. "She had no right to say that to you about your parents," Neville added after seeing Harry's smile.
"I don't know what I did to her - in the shop, I an. She just seed to hate as soon as she saw ; when I entered she made a snide comnt and when I ignored her she started to argue with ," Harry said, adopting a confused expression.
Susan sat back and shook her head. "She's probably muggleborn," she said before quickly adding, "Not that I have a problem with muggleborns or think purebloods are better or anything, no, it's just that sotis when they first enter our world they feel like they have sothing to prove. Then again, she could just be a terrible person."
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