Brave { Neville Longbottom}

Chapter One Hundred Fourteen

Neville was certainly curious to meet Bandile but there was nothing that would prepare him actually meeting Bandile.

They pulled up to another hotel to see an eccentric looking man waiting outside with several bags. The man had short cut black hair, a dark complexion similar to Cardel's, was slightly round in the stomach and had one brown eye and one blue eye.

"Bandile!" Kefira greeted the man, climbing out of the vehicle and launching herself at the man.

"Whoa there little lion!" The man laughed. "My goodness, look at how big you are!"

"You're like the only person who tells me that, Bandile." she chuckled happily as she was set back down on her feet. "No one understands how hard it is to gain a few centimeters of height in this family...it goes unappreciated so much."

"Well, prepare to feel tiny again since we're going to be around some giraffes all day apparently." Bandile said before going to load up his equipment into the vehicle with Cardel's help.

"It's good to see you, old friend." Cardel said bringing the man into a hug.

"You could see me more often if you visited more!"

"Well..I can't do that all the time!" Cardel told the man. "You know how much of a struggle it was getting the family all loaded up for this trip..."

Bandile went to respond when he caught sight of Neville in the car. "And did you steal another child along the way? Or did you and Alana decide to have another at some point..."

"No, Bandile, this is Neville, he's a friend of Kefira, who has been spending his summers with the Walsh family."

Bandile placed a hand on Neville's shoulders. "I'm so sorry."

Kefira and her father exchanged a look as Neville looked at the man with a blank expression unsure of how to respond.

Kefira walked over and climbed back into the vehicle before introducing the two.

"Bandile, this is Neville Longbottom..Neville this is Bandile the Crazy."

"And this is Kefira." Bandile pointed to the girl making her laugh.

"It's nice to meet you." Neville said politely. "I've heard a lot of things about you."

"Good I hope."

"Not really." Kefira responded sticking her tongue out at the man.

The group was all gathered in the car as Cardel and Bandile switched drivers allowing the man to drive them to the location where they were hoping to find some giraffes. 

"He's pretty cool isn't he?" Kefira said looking at Neville.

"Uh yeah, I..I like his eye colors...they're interesting."

"Mum told me once that when someone has different eye colors that it means they have good luck and are among the protected."

"Protected from what?" Neville asked in curiosity.

"Fairies or something like that. Although, I think that was about little girls..I'm not sure about Bandile, but he's something special."

"He certainly appears to be so."

When they arrived to a plot of land that seemed mostly deserted with no animals in sight, Neville was confused as the men started placing up their equipment.

"Why are they starting it now?" Neville asked. "There's no giraffes around here."

"We're going to have to walk a bit, Neville, we can't just zoom up on them in cars, it'll probably run off any animal."

"Oh, that makes sense."

She smiled. "Don't worry, Nevs, we'll see some animals, I promise."

"Kefi! Come here!" her father called her over. Kefira told Neville she would be right back as she skipped over to where her father was and helped him by holding some of the equipment in her arms.

"Neville, isn't it?"  Neville glanced up to see Bandile motioning him over.

"Yes?"

"Hold this for a minute." Bandile said handing him a large camera lens. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Longbottom, right?"

"Yes?" Neville eyed the man.

"Hmmm...your parents...Alice and Frank?"

Neville nearly dropped the lens in his hands as the man mentioned his parents' names. His eyes went wide and he took a step back from the man in alarm, hoping Kefira or Cardel would walk over shortly.

"How..how..."

"They were respected Aurors ..I met them briefly when I was younger working in the Ministry. I heard the name Longbottom and l remember they had a boy at one point...figured it had to be you. You look like your mother."

Neville swallowed. "So does that mean you're a ...."

"A wizard?" Bandile finished for him.

Neville nodded.

Bandile only winked at him before walking off in the direction of Kefira and Cardel.