"There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Miss Neve Longbottom."

I sat in complete shock as the entire Gryffindor table erupted into an explosion of loud cheering and clapping all around me.

Ten lousy points?

I had just sat listening as Harry, Ron and Hermione all got awarded a bucket load of points each for breaking the school rules by going on an after hours adventure after attacking a fellow student which ended up resulting in a teacher's death. Yet here's me who single handedly tried to stop them doing all of that and all I got was ten lousy points?

I hated this school.

*****

However, I still found myself back on platform nine and three quarters for yet another year.

At least I still had my Trevor.

And I had a good feeling that this was going to be the year that he would turn into my prince.

"Be good now, Neve," Gran said, patting me on the head. "And I don't want to hear anymore of that nonsense about coming home. Remember, you won the house cup for Gryffindor! My Neve, the bravest Gryffindor of all time."

"Gran," I said, irritably moving my head aside so she'd stop that infuriating tapping. "I didn't win the house cup. Dumbledore just tacked a couple of points on the end to make it look like he wasn't favouring Harry Potter!"

I was a bit upset when it came to Harry, actually. I tried writing to him a couple of times over the summer but heard nothing back. In fact, I heard from pretty much no one. I got birthday cards from Hermione and Seamus, but apart from that, nothing.

"Poppycock!" Gran bellowed. "Dumbledore should be proud to have a Longbottom amongst his army of students! Now off you go and show everyone what tough stuff we are made of."

Harry was nowhere to be seen on the train. I couldn't understand it.

"Ron's missing too," I informed Hermione who was hidden behind a Defence Against the Dark Arts book.

"Oh, that's nice," she answered without lowering the book at all.

No one seemed that bothered, in fact. Even the Weasleys seemed unperturbed by the absence of their brother.

"They'll turn up," one of the Weasley twins shrugged when I enquired for the second time that journey if they'd seen them yet.

In the end I settled in the compartment with Hermione who kept wittering on about all the extra curricular reading she'd done over the summer.

I managed not to lose Trevor until we arrived at the castle.

"Trevor!" I cried as he leapt out of my pocket and hopped up the marble staircase, making his way towards an open classroom door.

I heard the Slytherins sniggering behind me as I ran up after him.

"Merlin, even the toad can't stand that useless lump."

I am worth twelve of Draco Malfoy. I said to myself as I tried to ignore the stinging sensation that that cold drawling voice caused. I refused to allow that nasty bully to get to me this year.

"Trevor?" I called, running into the classroom where he had hopped through.

But as I entered, I realised the room wasn't empty.

"Oh! Sorry, I was just looking for-"

I stopped short at the sight before me. Dressed in robes of forget-me-not blue was a tall handsome wizard with wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes. He gave me a charming smile which showed off his shiny white teeth and caused a little twinkle to flash in his eyes.

"Trevor?" I gasped, my mouth hanging open.

Could it be? Had my prince finally come?

"Lockhart's the name, Professor Lockhart to you. Now who's this Trevor? A boyfriend?"

"He- he's my toad." I said miserably. "He keeps hopping away."

"A toad! How fascinating! These days it's all about the owls. But what good is a pet that you can't cosy up to at night in front of the fire, wouldn't you agree er... miss-?"

"Longbottom, Neve Longbottom." I said bashfully, not being able to help the smile twitching at my lips.

"Well, Miss Longbottom, I've no doubt Trevor will be on some exciting little adventure after his terribly long journey. I suggest we let him be whilst we make our way down to the Great Hall. We don't want to miss my grand introduction to the school now, do we?"

"Uh, no, Professor." I stammered, allowing him to sweep forward and usher me out of the classroom.

"Where did you get to?" Hermione asked as I eventually took the empty chair next to her at the Gryffindor table. "Did you find Trevor?"

I glanced up at the staff table where Lockhart had just taken his seat next to an irate looking Snape. In the background I could hear Draco beginning to lead another chorus of the Frog Song.

But I didn't care. Draco Malfoy couldn't bother me anymore.

"You know what, Hermione?" I sighed dreamily as our new professor flashed me a dazzling smile from across the Hall. "I really think I have."

*****

A/N: In case anyone is curious at to what the Frog Song is that Draco keeps singing, it is in fact a song called "We all stand together" written by Paul McCartney for an old British film called 'Rupert and the Frog Song'. I absolutely adored it as a child so I love that I have Draco singing it to Neve (even if it is out of cruelty!)

******