Neville ambled down the corridor aboard the Hogwarts Express, looking for an empty compartment. He found himself confronted by Draco Malfoy coming in the opposite direction. Draco seemed to tower over him even more than before as he grunted, “Move it, Short-Arse,” forcing himself past roughly. Neville said nothing, but glared at Draco as he went, as did Hermione behind him.
“Did you see he was at the Quidditch World Cup?” Neville asked Hermione after he’d gone. “With his father. I’ll bet they weren’t sorry to see what happened, if they weren’t involved themselves.” Hermione said nothing in reply. Neither of them had much respect left for Draco Malfoy after three years of taunts, insults and cruelty.
They found the next compartment full of purple smoke, through which could dimly be made out the outlines of four boys, apparently unconcerned. Neville and Hermione exchanged a knowing glance. “Let’s go in the next one,” said Hermione. “Venturing in there would probably be dangerous for our health.”
Fortunately the next compartment was indeed empty and they settled into the seats. “I’m not sure I like the idea of all this Marauder business,” said Hermione disapprovingly. “I mean, we’re supposed to be keeping Moony a secret. Is it really a good idea for them to go around reminding everyone of the Marauders?”
“I don’t think there’s anyone to remind that matters who doesn’t already know,” observed Neville. “As long as they keep quiet about Moony himself, it won’t be a problem. I’m interested to see what they cook up.”
Hermione gave a look which suggested she was far from being interested in the antics of the four troublemakers. “I still don’t like it,” she said, but didn’t press the issue and changed the subject. “How was the rest of your summer holiday?”
“Not great. Gran was mad when I got back from the World Cup. She had a long rant at Mr Weasley when he dropped me off about putting me in danger, though it was hardly his fault. She can get a bit overprotective, like last year, remember? I doubt she’ll be letting me go on any trips next summer. I had to spend the rest of the holiday inside the house. Funny thing was, she wasn’t surprised when she found out it had been the Death Eaters who’d done it. She said she always knew they’d be back.”
“The Daily Prophet has been keeping remarkably quiet on the whole thing,” said Hermione, taking a copy of the latest edition down from where she’d stowed it in the luggage rack. “You’d think the whole Ministry would be up in arms over the attack.”
“They are, actually, only they’re keeping quiet over it so as to not stir any panic. Apparently they’ve no idea how all their security measures were bypassed.” Hermione gave Neville a questioning look. “Ron owled me a week ago,” he explained. “He got the news from his dad.”
“I wish Ron would send me an owl occasionally,” complained Hermione, before realising she had spoken aloud. “I mean, I like to be kept informed,” she added.
Outside, the urban sprawl of London was slowly giving way to the open fields of rural England as the train sped northwards. Neville and Hermione heard a commotion from the corridor and a girl’s voice yell, “Fine, see if I care!” A moment later Ginny Weasley appeared at the door of their compartment. “Oh, hi Neville, hi Hermione,” she said. “Do you mind if I join you? No one who isn’t in their stupid club is allowed next door it seems.” She took the space next to Neville. “I swear they’re getting worse. Ever since the end of last term they’ve been obsessed with it.” Neville and Hermione exchanged glances. Ginny was not one of those who knew about Lupin. “So, what are you talking about?”
“The World Cup attack,” replied Hermione.
“Oh. Did they ever find out who cast the Dark Mark?” Hermione shook her head. “We were right there. It’s a shame we didn’t see who it was. We always seem to be caught up together in the middle of these big events, don’t we Neville?”
The three of them continued cheerfully chatting together throughout the journey. “I must say,” said Hermione eventually, “despite everything, you seem a lot happier than usual on your way to Hogwarts, Neville. I thought you’d be much more worried.”
Neville was worried, but no more than usual and as he pointed out, there was no safer place to be than Hogwarts. “Maybe the attack was just a one-off stunt to scare people,” he suggested. “They certainly didn’t hang around for long. Besides, you’re right. For the first time, I think I’m actually looking forward to term starting. After last summer, I really want to find out if I’ve go anything to offer.”
“Why, what happened last summer?” asked Ginny.
“Er, well, I found out I might not be as bad at magic as I thought,” said Neville vaguely. “And apparently I do belong in Gryffindor.” It was probably that last point which gave him the most satisfaction.
“Why ever wouldn’t you belong in Gryffindor?” said Ginny, surprised. “You’re just as brave as the rest of us, if not more so.” Neville thought that was a patently ridiculous claim, but Ginny seemed serious. Maybe she was just trying to flatter him, but he couldn’t think why.
When at last they got to Hogsmeade station, Ginny tried to make a point of ignoring the Marauders, which didn’t really work as they hardly noticed. Everyone piled into the ornate carriages that took them up to the castle. Again, Neville got a brief shock at the sight of the strange skeletal winged horses that pulled the carriages, which seemingly only he could see. He found he’d almost got used to them by now, but they still reminded him of how he was set apart, of how there were some ways in which he was always different. He’d always meant to find out more about them, but never got around to it. Taking out his Remembrall in customary fashion, he resolved that this time he would try to remember about them.
Walking into the brightly lit Great Hall of Hogwarts felt more than ever like coming home to Neville. The stars twinkled in the enchanted ceiling and the walls were festooned with brightly coloured banners. On the Gryffindor table Neville met up again with Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan and the rest of his year. Everybody swapped stories of what they’d been up to over the summer while they waited for the Sorting Ceremony to begin.
Eventually the side door of the Hall opened and in filed Dumbledore and the other professors, taking their places at the teachers table. Flitwick struggled to clamber up into his seat; Hagrid, who gave a cheery wave to the Gryffindors, was allocated a special large reinforced seat at the end of the table. Snape looked even more sour-faced than usual. Taking the seat next to Professor Burbage was a new teacher Neville didn’t recognise.
This newcomer certainly stood out. He was an old gnarled-looking wizard with a stiff walk. His face was pockmarked and part of his nose seemed to be missing. But the strangest thing about him was his right eye. It had a bright blue iris and was so large that it seemed to protrude out from its socket, from where it swivelled manically and independently of his other eye, scanning the Hall. It looked it was spending a lot of time focussing on Snape, further down the table. “Who is that?” Neville asked.
“Blimey, it’s Mad-Eye Moody,” answered Ron, sitting across from Neville. In response to some of the blank looks around him, he continued, “He’s an Auror, or was. Best there’s ever been, supposedly. Caught more Dark Wizards during the war and after than the rest of the Auror department put together, so they say. Most of them single-handed. Completely bonkers on top of all that as well.”
Any further information from Ron was curtailed however, as the main doors of the Hall opened and McGonagall led in the first-years. Reaching the front, she collected the Sorting Hat and placed it upon its ceremonial stool. The brim of the Hat cracked open, and it began to sing as it always did on this occasion. Only this time its message was somewhat different.
“A millennium and more ago,
When these lands were divided
And wizards shared no common bond,
Unaided and unguided,
The greatest four from out of them
Conceived an epic scheme:
A place where magic had a home,
For, lo, it was their dream
That the youth of wizardry should come
In fellowship together
And build a strong community
To withstand any weather.
To this great task the Founders brought
The talents they possessed.
For each had skills unique to them,
With which they had been blessed.
Brave Gryffindor, of heart so true,
Brought courage, strength and daring.
Kind Hufflepuff thought most of all
Of loyalty and sharing.
Bright Ravenclaw had knowledge, skill
In learning and tuition.
Wise Slytherin put his own faith
In cunning and ambition.
Together they did build this school,
That all might share its wonder.
But all too soon their harmony
And friendship split asunder.
Now all that’s left are Houses four
And me, who must divide you.
So put me on your head right now
And I will look inside you.
But heed my words, for though I’ll say
In which house you belong,
When darkness comes, as darkness will,
And evil seems so strong,
The school must be united
As it once was meant to be,
And each House must bring its talents
For the good of wizardry.”
The song caused much animated discussion on the four House tables as the Sorting began. “What was all that about?” asked Seamus. “It sounded kind of like a warning.”
“It seemed like no more than general good advice to me,” said Hermione. “Unless the Hat knows something we don’t, and I doubt that.” Neville said nothing, but he was intrigued by the song and the reference to darkness coming half-stirred the memory of the prophecy Trelawney had spoken to him a few months before: A second darkness shall fall and the end of the beginning shall be at hand.
The only highlight of the Sorting that Neville took any notice of was Dennis Creevey, the younger brother of camera-mad Muggle-born Colin, being Sorted into Gryffindor. Dennis bounded happily over to join his brother just up the table from Neville. At the end of the Sorting Dumbledore immediately introduced the feast, and Neville hungrily tucked in. Whilst his Gran’s cooking wasn’t exactly bad, there was nothing quite like a Hogwarts feast in his experience. Between mouthfuls he listened to Fred and George’s boasts for their plans for mayhem in the upcoming term and Harry discussing the Gryffindor team’s chances in the Quidditch season.
At the end of the feast, Dumbledore got up from his seat to deliver his customary address. “Welcome, all of you, to Hogwarts, both our new intake and our returning students,” he said warmly. “I have a few notices to give, and then a very important announcement to make. Firstly, remember that the Forbidden Forest is strictly out of bounds and no magic is permitted in the corridors. Our caretaker, Mr Filch, has revised his list of banned items, and copies of the list will be posted in each common room.
“Secondly, I would like to welcome our newest member of staff, Professor Alastor Moody, who has signed a one year contract to be our new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Professor Moody has extensive experience in combating Dark magic, and I am sure you will all find his insight most valuable.” There was a polite round of applause but Moody made no acknowledgement; his roving eye merely continued its analysis of the Hall.
“Lastly, the important announcement to which I referred. I’m afraid to say this season’s Quidditch tournament will not take place.” There were loud groans from all parts of the Hall, particularly, Neville heard, from Harry just behind him. Dumbledore however raised his hand for quiet. “This is because this year will see the revival of one of the greatest and most prestigious competitions in the Wizarding world: The Triwizard Tournament. This tournament was held for centuries between the three pre-eminent magical schools in Europe: Hogwarts, the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and the Durmstrang Institute. It was abandoned over a century ago due to safety concerns but thanks to successful negotiations it is to return with Hogwarts as the hosts.
“For those unfamiliar with the tournament, each school puts forward one champion to represent them, and these champions compete in a succession of extremely arduous magical challenges. It is considered a great privilege to be chosen. Representatives from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at Halloween, when the champions will be chosen, and I expect you to extend them every courtesy as our guests. The Triwizard Tournament is an opportunity to bring diverse witches and wizards together, to foster strong ties with our friends from across the continent. It should prove to be a most interesting and exciting year.”
As soon as Dumbledore had sat down, excited chatter broke out amongst all the students. Apart from a few disappointed at the lack of Quidditch, everyone was eagerly anticipating the tournament. There was much debate about who the Hogwarts champion might be; Ryan Llewellyn, the new Head Boy, was an obviously common guess, or Roger Davies, the popular Ravenclaw Quidditch captain. The Marauders all immediately declared their intention to put themselves forward, except Ron who did his best to distance himself from the crazy idea.
Many, including Hermione, were interested to learn about Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, about which nobody seemed to know much at all. A few knew of them by reputation, but little else. “It’ll be interesting to get a different perspective on magical learning,” said Hermione, with her typical academic curiosity. Neville, whose sense of curiosity was more general than Hermione’s, but no less strong, was also interested in discovering more about the Wizarding world outside Britain. Also, though he never enjoyed playing sport, he knew he would be an avid spectator.
However, back in the fourth year dormitory in Gryffindor Tower that evening, Neville was the only one not still discussing the tournament. Remarkably for him, he was reading his Charms textbook, in anticipation of the classes beginning the next day. He wasn’t necessarily understanding much, but he was trying. Regardless of the Triwizard Tournament, Neville intended to make this year an interesting one for him.
Some things didn’t change, however. He’d already forgotten he’d meant to find out about the winged horses.
Neville Longbottom and the Goblet of Fire by Sonorus
Chapter Notes: In which Neville travels to Hogwarts, and Dumbledore announces that the Triwizard Tournament is to take place.