fantasia_mod (fantasia_mod) wrote in fall_fantasia, @ 2008-09-08 08:56:00 |
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Entry tags: | fic post08 |
Fantasy #8 For alisanne
Title: These Small Beginnings
Author: angela_snape
Recipient: alisanne
Pairing: Neville Longbottom/Bill Weasley
Rating: R
Word Count: 3500
Summary: Neville solves a mystery. Or two.
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.
Highlight for Warnings: *m/m oral sex *
AN: Thanks to M for encouraging me along the way. Thanks to my betas, who will be revealed at the appropriate time – any remaining mistakes are mine alone.
Neville Longbottom, Professor of Herbology at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, was trying to solve a mystery. Well, two mysteries, actually. The first involved his Mimbulus mimbletonia, which had developed a rather large, purple boil near its base. None of the standard Herbology texts even covered the unusual plant, and Madam Pince had been unable to locate any texts that did focus on it. The search had led Neville to the second mystery, the new rare bookshop in Hogsmeade. Called The Sneaky Scroll, it was open at odd hours, and between Neville’s class schedule and required after-hours patrols, he hadn’t made it inside the new shop yet.
Neville volunteered to chaperone the upcoming Hogsmeade weekend, although he’d done it the previous time, in the hope that he’d get his chance to visit the village’s newest business establishment. After the usual admonishments to students about behaviour and not overloading their pockets at Honeydukes, Neville set off for The Sneaky Scroll. It would soon be Hallowe’en; the sky was clear and the air was cool and crisp. Neville enjoyed his walk down Hogsmeade’s main street, before rounding the corner that would bring him to his destination.
The Sneaky Scroll was located across the street from the Hogs Head, so Neville decided to drop in on Aberforth first and see if his old friend knew anything about the bookseller. He perched on a stool at the bar, sipping at a butterbeer – it wouldn’t do for him to have firewhisky on his breath when he was supposed to be supervising students – while he waited for Aberforth.
“Neville, it’s good to see you. How goes the teaching this year?” Aberforth was wiping a grimy-looking glass with a grimier-looking towel – another good reason to have chosen butterbeer, which came in its own bottles.
“Quite well, thanks. It seems easier this year, now that I’ve done it once. I’m actually working on updating the curriculum this time. Last year I just used Professor Sprout’s notes.” Neville drained his butterbeer before asking, “What can you tell me about The Sneaky Scroll?”
“Not much, I’m afraid. The owner hasn’t been seen around town. He keeps to himself, and lives in rooms at the back of the shop.” Aberforth set the glass he’d been polishing on a shelf, and proceeded to wipe down the top of the bar.
“Well, I’m hoping he has a book that will help me cure my Mimbulus mimbletonia, or knows where I could possibly find one. I’ll see you again, Aberforth.” With that, Neville slid off his stool, and pushed out through the Hogs Head’s swinging door. Neville blinked at the sunlight after being in the dimly lit pub. He looked over at The Sneaky Scroll, and crossed the street.
The door to the Sneaky Scroll creaked on its hinges as Neville opened it. Inside, the shop was a warren of shelves, each one full of old, leather-bound books. There didn’t seem to be a particular sorting system, either, so Neville headed towards the back of the shop in search of the owner. He rounded the end of the last bookshelf, and collided with a solid body.
“Oops, sorry mate,” Neville exclaimed, and then gasped as he looked up into the bluest eyes he’d ever seen.
The owner of those eyes had silvery scar tissue on his cheek, and dark auburn hair that flowed past his shoulders. An earring dangled from his left ear.
“Bill?”