Neville sat in the Hogwarts express, a book in his hand. They had been travelling for a few hours now and finally, it happened. It was fine one moment and the next, there was this oppressive cold which seemed to chase away all warmth and happiness. He saw flashes of loss, his parents, his pets and even his sister. He wanted to escape this horrible situation. He would do anything to escape, even if it meant he would die… then, the cold was gone. The dementors, he knew, were gone.
Neville sat upright, snapping the book close and walked out of his cabin. Two cabins over, he found Harry, unconscious. Ron and Hermione stood over him, as did Professor Lupin. His patronus was still there, a silvery spectre, not corporeal but enough to chase off the single dementor. Harry was slowly regaining consciousness and Neville gave him -and everyone else- a chocolate frog, "eat this, it's supposed to help"
Lupin was surprised, "someone has been reading up on Dementors… I would give you house points but the year hasn't begun yet… still, great job. I'll be looking for the conductor. Eat up, it'll help"
"What- what was that?" Harry was still dazed, "who screamed?"
"Scream? I didn't hear any scream", Hermione shook her head.
"I didn't hear anything either", Neville's eyes were far away. Harry had heard his mother's dying scream, nasty things, those dementors, depression personified.
"No one heard it, it must've been-"
"In my head?" Harry spat bitterly, his eyes somewhere else entirely, "I know what I heard"
"I don't think Hermione means you are loony, it's just-"
"I don't want to hear it, Neville"
Neville bit down on his tongue.
The train screeched to a halt. They had arrived at Hogwarts. It was dark outside. The night sky was lit by thousands of stars, beautiful, unpolluted.
Steam curled through the cool night air, turning the lanterns into glowing halos. Neville breathed in deeply, grounding himself. The scent of pine and smoke filled his lungs. This was it, Hogwarts. He had been studying for this moment. He had Neville's memories of Hogwarts but seeing it himself was something different.
"Neville? Neville!"
"Huh- what?" His head snapped to Hermione.
"We have to take the carriages, not the boats"
Right, the first years took the boats. The older students would take the carriages, drawn by thestrals. The 'horses' were grotesque, skeletal with leathery skin. He could see them but why? He had never seen death or had he? No, not to his knowledge…
"You aren't that scary", he breathed out and the thestral in front of the carriage tilted its head. He reached out for it. He was drawn to it. His fingers were inches away from its skin when-
"Are you just going to stand there?" Seamus asked and Neville turned to climb on the carriage.
The carriage jolted forward, creaking softly as the wheels began to roll over the damp earth. The forest loomed on either side, shadows whispering through the trees. The air was cool, carrying the scent of moss and rain-soaked soil. Neville leaned back in his seat, the rhythmic rattle of the carriage almost soothing after the chaos on the train.
Across from him, Seamus was talking animatedly With Dean, still pale and trying to shake off the lingering cold from the dementor attack.
"I swear, mate, I could feel it in my bones" Seamus muttered, rubbing his arm, "like all good things, friendship, love, comfort, all of it just vanished. Gone, just like that"
Neville nodded quietly. He knew exactly what Seamus meant. The memory of that cold dread still clung to him, even after the chocolate. His hands were trembling slightly, and he clenched them into fists to stop it.
"Never thought I'd see a dementor," Dean said softly. "They shouldn't be allowed near a school train. What were they even doing there?"
"Looking for Sirius Black", Hermione's voice cut through the silence from the next carriage over, "they're guarding the school, that is what Professor Lupin said"
When Neville entered the great hall, it was just as magnificent as ever, candles floating, the four long tables, the enchanted ceiling mirroring the starry sky outside. He slid into his seat next to Hermione and opposite of Harry, who still looked pale.
"Are you alright?" Neville asked quietly.
Harry hesitated then nodded, "yeah, I just… that scream, it won't stop playing in my head…"
Neville didn't look away. "You're not crazy," he said simply. "You heard what the dementors wanted you to hear. They make you relive the worst thing that's ever happened to you… I saw my parents- they…"
"Don't force yourself… thank you Neville"
Hermione looked in between them, eyes glistening with worry but wisely keeping her mouth shut. The great hall was filling with the usual noise, soft murmurs and the occasional laughter from groups of students who had either not seen or not understood what had happened on the train. The ones who did had nothing to laugh about.
Neville glanced up at the staff table. Professor Dumbledore sat at the center, face calm but eyes sharper than usual as he spoke quietly with Professor McGonagall. Lupin had returned by then, looking tired but composed.
The first years were sorted without any incident and Dumbledore's speech wasn't that ground breaking either, new forbidden objects, reminders of the rules and of course, the hogsmeade weekends. Neville looked forward to those. Which potterhead didn't want to shop at honey dukes.
After his short speech, the food appeared and they ate like hungry hyenas. Most of them hadn't eaten since that morning. Roast hog, turkey, duck, potatoes of every variety, gravy, pasta, sausages and also salats(though few actually ate the salats).
Once they were filled with food, the Prefects guided them to their common rooms.
Neville fell into his bed, exhausted. It had been a long day but he couldn't be any happier… he was in Hogwarts, learning magic, actual magic! If he were to cast a patronus now, it would be magnificent.