Thin Pages

Quidditch

In This Chapter: Harry has his first game of quidditch where he nearly dies, but what else is new. The trio also get a new name to research: Nicolas Flamel  

"Well," Parvati got up. "This was fun, but I think we're going to go."

Lavender got up as well and the girls waved to the boys, who waved back. As the door shut behind Parvati and Lavender, Dean turned to Seamus. "Want to read eleven and twelve and be done with it?"

Seamus shrugged. "Sure."

The door opened and Dean and Seamus were expecting Harry or Ron, or even Lavender or Parvati again, but it was Neville. He looked miserable. He didn't even seem to notice Dean or Seamus as he slumped into the room and basically fell onto his bed.

"You alright there, Neville?" Seamus asked. Neville jumped and looked round at them. Then his shoulders sunk again.

"Oh. I thought you were downstairs with everyone else." Neville said.

"What's the matter?" Dean asked. Neville didn't answer so Seamus asked his own question.

"Where've you been all day? I feel like you haven't been around." he asked.

"Hospital wing." Neville said miserably. "I got hexed and jinxed several times. I think maybe some people were aiming for me in particular."

"Sorry about that, mate." Dean said. He thought about going over and rubbing his back but the truth was, he wasn't all that close to Neville. They were dormmates and even friends, but he thought rubbing the boy's back might be a little too awkward for where their friendship stood.

"Did you get anyone back?" Seamus asked hungrily.

Neville shook his head as he laid back down on his bed face first. He talked into his mattress so the other two boys had to strain to hear what he was saying. "I was too busy trying not to get hexed again to do any hexing myself."

"You were getting so good in the DA," Dean said and glanced at Seamus. Dean had previously gotten the permission of the trio to inform his best mate about what he's been doing and where he's been going. Seamus had an idea, as Dean tried to get him to go to the first meeting at the Hog's Head, but Dean hadn't been able to give any more details after that. Now he knew and they were both excited for their next meeting, whenever it was. "Maybe you just need some confidence..." Dean trailed off when Neville got up again and properly sat on his bed. He took his time kicking off his shoes before sliding back to lean against the back of the bed.

"I don't know. I don't think it was that, actually. My aim's improved a lot and... and I think I've gotten some of the spells Harry's taught us." Neville pointed out.

"So what do you think it is?" Seamus asked.

Neville looked hesitant to answer and embarrassed as well. After a moment of fidgeting he finally said, "I didn't have anyone to look out for my back, you know? It was pretty much just me out there. There were so many people, I couldn't block them from all angles."

Dean and Seamus looked at each other, suddenly feeling awkward and almost wishing they hadn't asked. There were five boys in their room. Dean and Seamus became friends the first day they were at school, Harry and Ron hit it off right away, too. They'd all found the second half of their own dynamic duos right away, but they were an odd number of dormmates. Neville never got the opportunity to get his right hand man.

They all liked Neville, he was a hard person to dislike. But Neville just wasn't anyone's first choice of someone to hang with... or second choice... or even third. It was nobody's fault, but maybe they could all work harder to include Neville. Even in the last chapter of the books, the narrative explained that Harry was glad to have Seamus as a partner because Neville apparently wanted to be partners with him but Harry did not. Before either Dean or Seamus could say anything, Neville kept going, his eyes carefully not watching either of them.