Nearly three years ago, Elina T. (a former contributer to this blog) and I were collaborating on a fanfiction that centered around Neville’s last year at Hogwarts. Our initial brainstorm for this story left us with a skeletal outline and great excitement at the prospect of writing. However, we never quite finished the story. Nevertheless, we do still have some material that I would like to share.

In a post on this blog titled “Neville’s Seventh Year Pt. 1,” Elina T. shared the first portion of our first chapter. In this post, I will share the next section (therefore, it may make more sense to read Elina’s post first :)).

I also wanted to note that we made some changes to the story, and that this contains spoilers for those who have not read the Harry Potter series.

As a disclaimer, both Elina T. and I absolutely love J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and in no way wish for it to be written any differently than it was. This was just a fun, exploratory project that we enjoyed–and we hope you do, too.

Ginny eyed the little plant that Neville had cupped in his hands. 

“Isn’t that poisonous?” She asked, gesturing toward the plant with her chin and scooting a bit away from it. 

“It’ll only harm you if you provoke it.” Neville replied, fondly stroking the very venomous-looking vines. “I’ve been wanting to show it to Harry the whole summer! I was thinking we could use it on Snape …”

“Neville–,” Ginny began. 

“Hello.” Neville and Ginny looked up to see Luna standing in the doorway, the latest edition of The Quibbler in her arms. 

“Oh, hey Luna!” they chorused. 

She wore a sky blue button-up blouse, a long paisley skirt, and an eccentric-looking oversized headband which boasted miniature models of a strange animal Neville had never seen before. 

Luna took the seat opposite Ginny next to Neville and set The Quibbler on the seat beside her. 

“Is that a Snargaluff?” She asked, leaning forward to examine Neville’s plant. 

‘Er, no. It’s Venomous Tentacula.” Neville replied.

“Hey, Luna, what’s that on your headband?” Ginny asked curiously, surveying the little animals, one of which Neville could have sworn he’d seen yawn out of the corner of his eye. 

“Blibbering Humdingers!” Luna said enthusiastically. “Daddy gave this to me before I left. They glow when they sense danger.” 

Ginny nodded comprehensively. 

Neville’s eyes shifted to the corridor, where he saw a group of Slytherins pass, Crabbe and Goyle among them. They seemed lost without their leader, as if Malfoy, who was now absent, had given meaning to their lives.

Neville glanced back at his friends. Ginny had noticed the Slytherins as well and was glaring at them. Neville wondered if she thought that if she stared fiercely enough, she would bore holes into them. 

Ginny shook her head, as if trying to rid the Slytherins from her mind, and turned back towards the other two. 

“I still can’t believe Snape is going to be Headmaster,” She said shrilly. “How could this have happened?” 

Neville nodded his agreement. He wasn’t quite sure of all the details, but after Dumbledore’s death at the end of last year, Voldemort and his Death Eaters had begun to establish power in the Wizarding World. Voldemort had control over Hogwarts but, though it was hard to be certain, as far as Neville knew, the Ministry was still intact. 

And what of the prophecy he and Harry had heard at the Ministry in their fifth year? “Either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives ….” This must mean that Harry must be the one to vanquish Lord Voldemort; he must be the only one with the power to do so. Neville frowned as he thought of the next line: “The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies ….” It had been nagging at him since that night at the Ministry. “… as the seventh month dies …” Neville had been born during that time …. Could it be possible that he may have been in Harry’s place?

A war was brewing, Neville was certain of it. It was as inevitable as him losing track of Trevor again.

-Mia T.