"If there is a prophecy it kind of begs the question why you weren't being trained before." Neville said thoughtfully.
"Dumbledore mumbled something about giving me a childhood when I asked him in one of the lessons he gave me." Harry explained. "Personally, I think that's a load of rubbish but…well, he is helping now so…" he paused and his eyes darted up from his mug to meet Neville's again. "I don't trust him anymore since I found out he was the one to leave me with the Dursleys. I mean, I've forgiven him but…" he sighed, "I can't forget it."
"I don't blame you." Neville said firmly.
He didn't know too much about what had happened with Harry's previous guardians but from what little he had observed of Harry at Hogwarts (the awful muggle clothes, how scrawny Harry was and how he disliked the attention and the Boy Who Lived thing), what he had verified that Summer (the lack of Harry's knowledge about the wizarding world and his heritage), and from what little he could guess (neglect and emotional abuse), he could understand some of Harry's resentment of the Headmaster. In some ways, it probably mirrored his own resentment of his Gran.
He loved his Gran and knew that she loved him but she'd also spent every year of his life prior to that Summer comparing him to his father; looking at him with a faint air of disappointment every time her eyes fell upon him; allowing his Uncle to put him through dangerous tests to see if he had any magic; never once telling him she was proud of him for what he was good at…the Summer had changed things for the better and she'd finally started to see him as Neville, to treat him with respect and open affection, but Neville could understand Harry's resentment of things past even if things had changed.
There was a noise outside the kitchen door and Harry took down the bubble quickly. The door opened to reveal Remus.
"Sirius sent me a patronus message." Remus explained succinctly. "How are you boys doing?"
Neville mumbled a 'fine' at the same time as Harry.
"What happened exactly?" asked Remus, sitting down beside Harry.
Neville explained as Kreacher popped in and organised a mug of hot chocolate for Remus. Remus looked worried when he'd finished and the older wizard reached over and gave Harry a one-armed hug.
"Whoever it is just narrowed the list of suspects." Remus said comfortingly. "We'll be able to cross a few people off just because they weren't attending."
"Hermione said something similar." Harry admitted.
"Where is Hermione anyway?" asked Remus, glancing around the kitchen as though Hermione had gotten lost in a cupboard.
"She, uh, got cross with me when I complained that I might not be able to go to the World Cup anymore and stormed out." Harry said sheepishly.
Remus's eyes widened. "Ah."
"Sorry for ruining your evening." Harry rushed out.
"I was just at the DOM doing some research on the papers Sirius found in his grandfather's study." Remus said. "So the evening is hardly ruined. How was the party before the excitement?"
"It was going well, I think." Harry said. "People were enjoying themselves and everyone was polite to Simeon and Anna."
"Good…"
Another set of voices outside the kitchen door had Remus rising, his wand in his hand.
Andromeda walked in, Hermione trailing behind her. Hermione looked as though she'd been crying and Harry's eyes widened in surprise before filling with guilt.
"Remus, good; you're here. I'm going to take Hermione home." Andromeda said crisply.
Harry got up and approached his best friend warily. "Hermione, before you go, I just want to say I'm sorry about before…"
Hermione waved him off. "It's OK. It's just…I worry about you, Harry." She sprang forward before Harry could do anything and hugged him. "I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you!" She mumbled low enough that Neville had to strain to hear her. She let him go as abruptly as she'd hugged him and moved back to Andromeda's side. "Andy's going to take me home. It could be a while before Sirius and Simeon get back and I don't think we're going to be allowed to go back to the party anyway."
Andromeda placed an arm around Hermione. "Nope, you're definitely not going back."
It went unsaid that whoever had gotten their house elf to leave the threat was there; Longbottom Manor wasn't safe.
"I'll see you soon, Harry; Neville." Hermione said her goodbyes and left with Andromeda.
Harry sat down heavily in his chair, an unhappy frown screwing up his lips.
"Don't worry, Harry. It looks like she's already forgiven you." Remus said.
"I made her cry." Harry said, pushing a hand through her hair.
"I think the stress of the situation made her cry." Remus contradicted him gently. "I'm going to the library – I brought some books back with me. Why don't you boys get something to eat and then come and join me?" He departed the room before they could reply.
Harry called Kreacher and a few minutes later they were both eating fried egg sandwiches, Neville's drenched in brown sauce while Harry had his plain.
"Remus is right." Neville said in between mouthfuls of runny yolk and spicy sauce. "Hermione overreacted to what you said. It wasn't you just…everything, I guess." He swallowed hastily. "How much does she know?"
Harry took a moment to erect the privacy bubble again.
"I haven't told her about the prophecy." Harry said. "You're the only person outside of Sirius, Remus and Bertie Croaker who knows I know all about it. Dumbledore knows I know there is a prophecy but not that I know what it says."
Neville was stunned. He was in awe that he was the first to be trusted.
Harry changed position and motioned with a piece of the bacon. "I figured if anyone deserved to know about the prophecy, it was you. After all…"
"It could have been me." Neville concluded, picking up another sandwich. "Are you going to tell Hermione and Ron?"
Harry shook his head. "You saw how she was and this is me getting threats anyway."
"She'll go nuts when she finds out and you didn't tell her though." Neville pointed out. "What about Ron?"
"I don't know," Harry said, "I want to tell them, and I know they'd back me up no question, but the more people who know about the prophecy, the more likely it is that the entire thing gets back to Tom so…probably no?"
"Thank you for telling me." Neville said, understanding just what a risk Harry was taking. He finished his second sandwich and coaxed Harry to eat his. "Shall we go over the business plan again?"
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