The Rest of the Prophecy | Harry Potter

The Brave

She made her way back over to the group. They had just finished the last round of the game and were starting to all head off to bed. Victoria knew, even if she went to bed, she wouldn't be able to sleep. Everyone said their goodnights and went off to bed, everyone except Neville.

"Not tired, Neville?" Victoria asked him while moving closer to him. He was just staring into the fire.

"No, having trouble sleeping lately," Neville said in a quiet voice.

"Me too," Victoria said with a sigh. For a moment neither of them spoke. They just stared into the warm, blazing fire.

"Victoria, can I ask you something?" Neville asked while turning towards her.

"Of course, Neville. Anything." She gave him a small smile for reassurance.

"Do you think I'm in the right house. I mean do you really think I'm brave?" he asked.

Victoria was taken aback. The sound in his voice was enough to make Victoria want to just get up and hug him. The truth, Victoria thought Neville was beyond brave.

"Neville, can I be honest with you?"

Neville nodded his head, clearly thinking she was going to say something he didn't want to hear.

"I think that you are one of the bravest people I know." Victoria smiled at him as she said it.

Neville gave a small scoff and said, "Yeah, right. You are dating Harry Potter for crying out loud."

Victoria nodded and said, "Yes, Harry is brave, but you, Neville, you are brave in your own way. Everyone fights their own battles and the kind of braveness I see in you is one that shows you aren't afraid to be yourself. You are unapologetically special. The love you have for everyone around you radiates any room you walk in. To be that vulnerable and true to yourself, that, that requires true bravery."

Neville looked down at his hands, he didn't say anything for a minute. Victoria noticed it seemed like he was thinking about saying something else, but didn't know how to say it.

"Did something happen, Neville?" she asked.

"My parents," Neville said abruptly. "Your Aunt Bellatrix used the crucio curse on them until it drove them mad, they don't remember me anymore because of it."

Victoria felt the tears coming back into her eyes. Just more pain that her family had caused.

"When you first came to Hogwarts and helped me look for my toad, I was shocked to hear your last name. To learn of who you were. When I found out that you were a Black, I wanted to kill you." Neville said looking down at his hands still. His voice was almost a whisper.

Victoria froze. She didn't know that Neville had not liked her, especially to that point.

"But then I got to know you, and I saw something in you. You were able to go against your families wishes, be kind to everyone you met, and still care about people who had wronged you. My image of bravery was changed when I got to know you. I thought being brave was acting like you or Harry. There was no other brave in my mind," Neville said. He was looking at her now. Victoria still wasn't sure what to say, that was one of the nicest things anyone had ever said to her.

"Neville, everyone is brave in different ways. Hearing you say those things, makes me grateful to have you as a friend." Victoria said with a smile. She felt a tear fall on her cheek. 

He looked over, just as the tear was falling and said, "Oh gosh Victoria, I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you upset." A look of worry had spread across his face.

Victoria shook her head no, "You didn't make me upset Neville. You just reassured me I was making the right decision. Thank you." 

Neville just nodded and looked back into the fire.

"Neville," Victoria said. He turned and faced her.

"I am sorry about your parents, I didn't realize... If you ever want to talk, I'm always here," said Victoria. 

Neville gave a small smile and nodded. They both continued to sit in silence, a comfortable silence just staring at the fire, until Neville spoke again. 

"Would you come with me to visit them? Gram always goes with me, but I want you to meet them. They won't know who you are or anything, but if they ever had the chance they would have really liked you," Neville asked Victoria. 

"I'd be honored, Neville," said Victoria in a soft voice. It warmed her heart to know Neville trusted her so much. She only hoped she would continue to live up to his standards and be as brave as he is. 

Shortly after that, Neville went up to bed, leaving Victoria in front of the fire. Her mind was racing with Draco, Neville, and Neville's parents. So many things had come at her at one time, it was difficult to process it all. Instead of thinking she decided she would just close her eyes, and wait for Harry to return.

She wasn't woken up by Harry though, rather a whole crowd of students, running. There was chaos ensuing outside the common room walls.