Love Potion #9

Chapter Four: The Hogwarts Express

SEPTEMBER 1, 1996 – The Hogwarts Express

Harry shared a compartment with Neville as the train pulled away from Kings Cross Station, and morosely stared out the window, while Neville looked into his latest Herbology text, a gift from Luna for his own birthday. Meanwhile, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Ginny, and Luna were all on prefect duty, with Ginny and Luna having been selected during the summer months as one-half of the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw fifth-year prefects. Harry thought back to his nights alone at Grimmauld Place as the rest of the summer ticked by, doing homework and continuing to read more about Animagi and Occlumency, while Sirius and Gwenog engaged in double dates with Remus and Tonks.

"Looking forward to term, Harry?" Neville asked about a quarter of an hour after they had left London, when their friends were about halfway done with their first rounds of prefect duties expected of them.

Harry turned and regarded him with a grimace. "Oh, I don't know," he said softly; Dean and Seamus had stopped by to say hello before going to a compartment alone to get in some snogging before arriving in Scotland. "I suppose I am a bit lonely, what with everyone pairing up recently. I guess I'm worried about being a third-wheel..."

"Or a seventh-wheel," Neville said, smiling sympathetically, given that Hermione, Ginny, and Luna had roped in Ron, Draco, and Neville for tea at Madam Puddifoot's during the first Hogsmeade weekend. "But you won't be, really, Harry. You know how much we all care about you... I mean, you do, right?"

Harry finally managed to give Neville a tentative smile. "'Course I do," he assured his friend, although he found he was still worried about Severus, now that term was about to begin, and he would now be 'Deputy Headmaster Snape', 'Professor Snape', or 'sir' once again. "You've all been great, especially now that I'm not staying with my relatives anymore..."

"Gran sounds like a saint after you told us what they put you through," Neville said quietly. "I'll bet you were also glad that you could just give the Wizengamot pensive memories, so that you didn't have to see them again."

Harry nodded emphatically at that. "You're right there," he replied.

Neville hesitated for a moment, before putting his book aside and leaning forward, clasping his hands together. "Look, you've been a bit distant since your birthday party," he said quietly, and not accusing in the slightest. "I don't want to pry, especially if you don't want to share anything about how you're feeling, but I do want you to know that I'm here for you, mate."

Harry blinked. "You've noticed?" he asked.

Neville nodded his head. "Of course I noticed," he assured him, "and so did Luna. We discussed it between ourselves, but didn't mention it to anyone else. I just thought you were worried about the trial, before we got word that you wouldn't have to face your relatives again, but Luna thought it was something else."

Harry sighed. "What did Luna think, then?"

Neville checked the hallway for a moment from where he sat and, once he was satisfied that no one was coming inside their compartment anytime soon, replied, "Luna thought that you were hung up on someone. I guessed that it was Cho, because you two did snog last year, but Luna said that the pair of you obviously weren't meant to be, because of...well," he said, scratching at the back of his neck awkwardly, "you know."

Harry nodded. "I do know," he said quietly. "And no, mate. I'm not hung up on Cho."

"But you are hung up on someone, then?" Neville asked.

Harry hesitated, turning to look out the windows at the water and trees they passed by at lightning speed. "You could say that, yeah."

"If you don't want to tell me, Harry, you don't have to," Neville said, and Harry turned back towards his friend, who smiled softly at him. "Really. Just know that, whoever it is, you've got my support."