The Chosen One [#Wattys2016]

CHANGING TIMES

Neville whiled away his days at the Potter Mansion mostly by reading and caring for their garden. Only Lily had a green thumb and between James and Alice, the garden remained uncared for, until Neville took the responsibility.

Whenever he saw Neville reading, Harry would joke that he had caught the Hermione bug. But it hard to get him to even smile.

Neville got on well with everyone, but it was Sirius who actually understood what it meant not having a family. Lupin knew what it felt like to be an outsider and was often the voice of reason when guilt struck Neville.

Celine was unable to give birth, but that didn't mean she would stop wanting a child. She treated Neville as her son and often insisted Sirius to legally adopt him. After Sirius forbade her from pressuring the kid anymore, she became even more adamant.

Sirius knew what it meant to have a family where you didn't belong. His entire childhood had been a struggle in trying to fit into a miserable household. He didn't want to pressurise Neville into accepting two people as his parents, whom he might or might not like. But the more he denied Celine, the more enticing the hope for a child became.

The forbidden zone is always paradise for humans. We follow what we are denied and deny the obvious, even more so when it's in front of us.

Diagon Alley was slightly less crowded than usual when Sirius took Neville to buy a new wand. Remus was feeling the effects of a full moon adventure and was laid up in bed while James was busy with his work as an Auror. The Ministry was in an uproar and it was all Dumbledore could do to stop Aurors from surrounding the school, as added security.

Neville tightly held on to Sirius' hand as they apparated to the Leaky Cauldron. Sirius led Neville to Diagon Alley through the pub. Although he had never travelled to the souk this way, he was disinterested in looking around. He had only agreed to come because he did, indeed, need a wand. His grandmother would have wanted him to do well.

They entered Ollivanders, the wand shop, which was empty of customers at the moment. But the shop owner was worth a hundred spectators in the way he peered at Neville.

Mr. Ollivander was a tall, thin man with wide, silver eyes. He blinked less than a normal man, which was slightly disturbing.

"Hello" Neville said awkwardly. Ollivander beamed at him.

They tried a good number of wands. The more the number increased, the happier Ollivander became.

"Tricky customer, eh? Well, well, not to worry. We'll find something for you."

He passed through the passageway between two sets of shelves at the back of the shop and picked up a box. The wands on this shelf were different. Many were temperamental, others distinguished. But they all chose a wizard who was destined for great things. They contained an odd selection of cores – vela hair, phoenix feathers, manatees tail hair, griffin hairs and other thing that were hard to procure.

Dusting the box, he opened it in front of Neville and allowed him to wave it with a flourish.

Golden sparks erupted in the same moment that Neville felt warmth in his hand.

"Curios, very curious!" Ollivander said.

"What's curious?" Neville asked. He felt strength surge through him. The warmth slowly spread through him and he felt renewed. But most of all, he felt hope.

Mr. Ollivander spoke in a voice that was indicative of a man speaking with years of collected wisdom –

"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Longbottom. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave just one other feather — which is the core of another very powerful wand. Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember. . . . I think we must expect great things from you. . . . After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things — terrible, yes, but great."

On this ominous note, they paid for their purchase and Sirius steered Neville away.

"He can't be serious!" Neville said.

"Of course he can't be. I am Sirius," Sirius replied, chuckling at his own joke. Neville rolled his eyes.

Neville sat in the ice cream parlour enjoying his favourite caramel chocolate chip-peanut butter ice cream. Sirius left to answer a fellow classmate when a young girl with straggly waist length, dirty-blond hair walked past him. From her side profile, she looked just like his old friend.

"Brittany!" he shouted.

He was glad to see her. Pushing a teenager, who yelled indignantly after him, Neville tapped the girl's shoulder. The girl turned, staring at Neville with protuberant blue eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look. She had very pale eyebrows and wore what looked like radishes in her ears.

"Oh sorry!" he said sheepishly, "I thought you were someone else."

"It's quite alright," she said sweetly.

"Yeah, uh, sorry," he said and got ready to sprint away.

"I'm Luna Lovegood!" she said, offering her hand to Neville.

"Neville Longbottom," he said, shaking her hand.

Her eyes widened and she wrung his hand excitedly.

"Luna!" someone called. She beamed at him. The smile was too big for her face and Neville was sure her jaw would hurt.

"See you at Hogwarts," Neville said as Luna departed, her enthusiasm infectious.

That day, he smiled.

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Two more chapters to go!!! I can't believe I finished the book so soon. I'm happy but sad at the same time. I'm gonna miss writing it. It was a great experience for me.