Courage {Neville Longbottom} (ON HOLD)

Chapter Fifty Three

Kefira was incredibly distracted by the idea of her tail, moving about to pounce on it like a young cub would practice their hunting skills. She had nearly caught it but it moved last second, leaving her to land in grass, causing a cloud of dirt to rise from the power of the lioness landing. Neville along with Bandile and the Walsh family continued to watch in amusement and astonishment. For some reason, in the back of Neville's mind, he feared that Kefira's animagus form would not reflect the lioness within her. He thought back to what Seamus had said about the girl becoming a squirrel or something of the sort, do to her distracted nature. But Kefira proved from the very beginning to that moment in time that she was indeed a lion at heart. 

She may not have been the brightest witch of her age or the Chosen One, but she was by far the most dedicated to a cause when she felt passionate enough about it. She would do anything to protect the ones she cared about and given the opportunity, she would put all her effort into a task in order to accomplishment. It was the reason as to why she had gotten so good at Potions, to prove Professor Snape that he was wrong. Her distracted nature in the class didn't make her stupid, just because she was hyperactive didn't make her less intelligent, it only proved that she had to learn in a different style. 

It had all paid off for Kefira, her hard work and dedication had paid off and Neville couldn't help but feel incredibly proud of her. He knew how much she had worked and even struggled through, especially the last part but she had done it and no one would be able to take that away from her. On days where she was feeling low, she could always remind herself that she had accomplished great things, mainly on her own. It had been a dark day for the two, worry running rampant through their minds, and facing challenges that no teen should ever have to go through. But they managed and Neville had to admit that he was proud of himself as well. 

During his time in the Department of Mysteries, he noted that he didn't feel fear when it came to his own well-being, he only worried over the others and was willing to do anything to help them. It began to make sense of what Kefira had been telling him all those years before. He had to find his inner roar, there had to be something that would finally push him to let it all out. He had his moments as he was growing older, but seeing Bellatrix, one of the Death Eaters that had ruined his parents' life, it filled him with anger and something else he couldn't describe. And while he didn't roar like Kefira did, he certainly had found his inner roar that day, willing to move past his own fears and stand against monsters that haunted him and his family. 

"Alright, Kefi," her father called out to her. Cardel's eyes were still wide and he seemed to be in the greatest state of shock compared to everyone. But a smile appeared on the man's face as the lioness lifted her head and gazed over at him. The same familiar green eyes met her father's and the man swore unlike the usual color of lions, he could see the tinge of red of red in her fur.

"Why don't you let out a roar for us?" Cardel requested bringing Bandile to laugh as he clapped his hands together.

She stared at her father for a moment before glancing down at her paws for a moment. Her claws were unsheathed as they scraped against the soft soil beneath her. She had never roared in her animagus form, Neville made note of that, he wondered if she was confused as to what to do. But if she was, she wasn't confused for long as a loud roar ripped through the air as her head lifted up. Her sharp teeth were exposed, they were able to see into her mighty jowls as they stretched wide. When the roar came to an end, she fell out of her animagus form and tripped back landing on the grass with a laugh.

Before Cardel or her family members could go to help her up to her feet, Neville was there first with his arms extended out to her. Cardel suddenly appeared lost as to what to do as he watched Kefira take the boy's hand and pull herself up. Alana could see the somewhat distraught look on her husband's face before she patted the man on his shoulder reassuringly.