Neville didn’t appear at lunch, but Hermione sat next to Harry during Charms, which the Gryffindors shared with the Hufflepuffs.
His hour of revision had helped a little—he managed most of the very basic charms they had learned in September, though clearly not with the same power or control as his classmates.
Problems arose when Professor Flitwick introduced the new charm of the day: the Levitation Charm.
The incantation was Wingardium Leviosa, which Neville got right after a single whispered correction from Hermione.
She assured him his wand movements were correct.
Despite that, the feather on his desk resolutely refused to move.
Unsurprisingly, Hermione was the first to succeed—her feather floated up gracefully and danced around the ceiling in response to her wand movements.
The small gaggle of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff girls (for whom Hermione had become something of a role model) clapped enthusiastically, and Flitwick awarded Gryffindor three points.
Across the room, Jim and Ron rolled their eyes.
Then Flitwick turned to Neville, who swallowed hard and stared at his feather as if it were a poisonous snake.
He raised his wand, cast the spell—perfectly, as far as Hermione could tell—and poured all his will into it.
Nothing happened.
But Neville didn’t release the spell.
Instead, without taking his wand off the feather, he concentrated harder and poured more and more of his magical power into it.
He gritted his teeth painfully, a bead of sweat forming on his forehead.
The feather trembled slightly.
His face contorted into a mask of concentration and even pain, alarming both Hermione and Flitwick.
Neville paid them no mind.
All his attention was bent on the feather, which had begun to rock as if struggling to lift off.
When Hermione called his name rather loudly, he ignored her.
He also ignored the tickling sensation just below his nose and the strange coppery taste on his lips.
Finally, as his vision began to blur, the feather slowly rose—one inch, two inches, three—before it suddenly burst into flame, causing him to lose the spell.
He sat back in his chair, exhausted and shaking.
Instinctively, he wiped his hand across his mouth and was startled to realise his nose was bleeding.
Then he looked up and saw the entire class staring at him, including a visibly shaken Flitwick.
“Are you quite all right, my boy?” the professor asked gently.
Neville swallowed deeply and wiped his nose again.
“I’m… I’m not feeling very well, Professor. May I be excused?” Flitwick hesitated, then nodded.
“Take as much time as you need. And if you don’t feel better soon, go straight to the Infirmary. Understood?” Neville nodded, snatched up his book bag, and fled the classroom. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Just before he walked out, he turned back.
Jim Potter was looking straight at him, smirking.
Then the Boy-Who-Lived mouthed a single word Neville didn’t need to hear to understand.
Squib.
Neville walked out the door and did not return to class that day.
Hours later, Theo Nott stepped into a restroom to wash his hands before dinner and was surprised to find Neville sitting on the floor in the corner, staring vacantly at his wand.
His face was clean from the earlier nosebleed, but it was obvious he had been crying.
Theo glanced around to make sure they were alone before speaking tentatively.
“Are… are you all right?”
Neville didn’t even look up.
“I’m fine. Just leave me alone.”
Theo started to leave but then hesitated and knelt down so he could make eye contact.
“Longbottom… Neville… has anyone… ever explained to you what a Rememberall is actually for?”
Neville stared comprehension. at him without “Oh dear,” Theo thought.
At dinner that evening, Harry was digging into cottage pie when Malfoy nudged him.
“Your Mudblood friend is making a spectacle of herself trying to get your attention.”
Harry glared at him.
“I don’t appreciate the use of that word, Malfoy.”
Draco glared back.
“And I don’t appreciate housemates with greater loyalty to Gryffindors than to Slytherins. And yet here we are.”
“It’s interesting that you’re so concerned about my loyalty to the House when you’ve worked so hard to isolate me within it, Malfoy.”
Before Malfoy could respond, a paper airplane landed on the table between them, narrowly missing the gravy bowl.
The words “To Harry! From Hermione!” were written across it.
“That’s it,” Malfoy sneered.
“Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy. We’re moving. It’s getting a bit too… muddy around here.” The four Slytherins relocated to the far end of the table.
On the other side, all the other first-year Slytherins except Theo moved as far from Harry as possible.
Harry frowned.
He had hoped to lie low in Slytherin a while longer and continue learning the House’s secrets before making any power plays.
Unfortunately, Malfoy seemed determined to force the issue.
A confrontation would likely come soon.
It was… annoying.
Harry turned his attention to Hermione’s airplane.
He unfolded it to reveal a blank page.
To his surprise, words in Hermione’s elegant script faded into view.
Harry, do you know where Neville is?
I’m very worried about him.
Tap the parchment three times and whisper your response, then tap it twice more to send it back to me.
Harry’s eyebrows rose.
He tapped three times and whispered, “I haven’t seen him since Herbology. How are you doing this?” A modified Switching Spell linking your parchment to the one I’m writing on.
It’s out of the third-year curriculum, though I think this adaptation is from fifth year.
Harry chuckled.
How these idiot Purebloods could even pretend to be superior while Muggle-born prodigies like Hermione roamed the school was a mystery to him.
“What is that?” Theo asked.
“Oh, just Hermione once again proving that everything Draco thinks about blood purity is bollocks. By the way, have you by any chance seen Neville recently?”
Theo coughed nervously.
“I saw him about an hour ago. He was in the first-floor boys’ bathroom. He was very upset.”
“Yeah. I heard something happened in Charms and he had to leave class, but I haven’t gotten any details.”
Theo chewed his lip.
“It was more than that. Harry, do you know what a Rememberall is for? Because Longbottom didn’t until I told him earlier. I… I realised he didn’t and thought he ought to know. I hope I didn’t make a mistake by telling him.” Harry was confused but suddenly concerned.
“Neville told me that a Rememberall lets you know when you’ve forgotten something important.”