Chapter Text
They don’t speak. Neville smiles politely at his uncles and allows his lone aunt to pinch his cheek, though he pretends not to notice when she tugs her hand away from a lingering zap on his skin.
Augusta does not unlock the greenhouses. He doesn’t need her to. A simple alohomora is all that is necessary to undo the work of a single key.
Hermione and Malfoy send gifts for his birthday. Hermione sends a book that can become any book he has knowledge of, something extremely useful. He doesn’t ask how she got it, or where she gained the knowledge necessary to do something so illegal.
Malfoy sends a black cat (that the boy has already jokingly named Toad) and an invitation to his home, along with Hermione, for the rest of the summer. Neville politely declines but insists that he would be more than open in later years.
Augusta accompanies him to Diagon Alley when he goes for supplies; not out of any concern for him, he doesn’t think, but more to keep an eye on the boy she’s learned not to trust. He is an angel, apart from the time when he magicks a worm into her vulture’s mouth without her knowledge and relishes in the giggles from passerby. He completes his animal collection with a small, harmless grass snake and a large Eurasian eagle owl which makes Augusta purse her lips. She doesn’t stop him, however, which means that she’s divorcing herself from his behavior.
He also browses a bookstore, determined to expand his knowledge of books soas to more effectively use Hermione’s gift.
Toad has been taught to defend his things from anyone who is not him, and his eagle owl, Medusa, can recognize him even under potions and disguising spells. His snake, he leaves among his potions ingredients in his trunk. He’s not bothered to be inventive with her name, so she’ll go by ‘Snake’.
On September 3rd, Augusta stiffly walks him to Platform 9 ¾ with an air of determined indifference, wherein he greets Hermione and Malfoy, spies Potter hanging about with the Weasleys but can’t be arsed to greet them, and boards the Express. At his compartment’s window, Toad spots Augusta watching the train and her mouth opens in a silent hiss.
Second year has begun.