Dumbledore looked at the boy. This was not the shy, clumsy, introverted boy.
Dumbledore had seen this look before.
The fire in his eyes.
There was no hesitation; only a deep rage consumed by revenge.
Such a young boy and so much hatred. Still, Dumbledore understood the source of this emotion.
How could a boy who lost his parent to madness stay still while the culprit roams freely?
Dumbledore remembered his birth.
Just like Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom was another child who ticked all the boxes for the prophecy made by Sybill Trelawney. Dumbledore remembered it word for word.
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Suddenly, a thought struck Dumbledore.
For years, Dumbledore had analyzed the prophecy with Harry Potter as the Chosen One. But now, as he looked at Neville and considered the recent event involving Harry Potter, Dumbledore started doubting himself.
What if he had been wrong?
He began to review the prophecy carefully.
<
The Longbottoms had defied Voldemort three times, just as the Potters had. Frank and Alice Longbottom had been among the bravest of the Order, standing determined against the Dark Lord's forces even as the odds increased against them.
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Neville Longbottom had been born on July 30th, a day before Harry.
But it was the next line that had always solidified Harry in Dumbledore's mind as the one destined to face Voldemort.
<<…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... >>
The lightning-shaped scar on Harry's forehead was Voldemort's mark, given during that fateful night at Godric's Hollow. The scar had always been the clearest sign, concrete proof that Voldemort had chosen Harry as his equal.
But what if the mark wasn't literal?
Dumbledore's eyes flicked back to Neville, and a new line of thought began to form. A prophecy was a delicate thing, a fragment of the future wrapped in riddles and metaphors. What if "marking him as his equal" referred to something less tangible, less visible than a scar?
What if it were about something different, like the scars on Neville's emotions, inflicted not by Voldemort directly but by his followers?
Or simply, what if this prophecy has not yet been realized? It could be that if Neville truly begins to fight and later on takes on Voldemort and survives, then maybe Voldemort will announce something that could mark Neville.
As for the part about power Voldemort knows not, it could be applied to either of the two.
A surge of uncertainty coursed through him, something he had not felt in years. He sat up straighter, his blue eyes narrowing as his brilliant mind worked through this new possibility.
For the first time, he considered the implications of his decisions. His focus on Harry as the Chosen One had shaped so many lives and dictated so many paths.
What if, in his singular belief, he had overlooked another possibility?
But Dumbledore realized that it was still not too late. He could use this thirst for revenge to guide Neville into becoming someone who could face Voldemort in the future.
"Neville," Dumbledore said slowly, his voice gentle. "You are far braver than you realize. Perhaps braver than anyone has given you credit for."
Neville flushed slightly but did not look away.
"You are certain you wish to fight?"
"I am," Neville replied firmly. "I'll do whatever it takes."
Dumbledore rose from his seat and circled around the table as he started talking. "I have no doubt of your resolve, Mr. Longbottom." Albus was now standing just in front of Neville, and he put his hand on Neville's shoulder. "But you must know that if you ever decide to target Bellatrix, that would mean you are directly challenging Voldemort and the other Death Eaters. Are you prepared for that?
Neville was not used to hearing someone so casually say the Dark Lord's name. Like many other students and even adult wizards, just the name of the dark lord brought fear to their core. He did not want to remain in such fear throughout his whole life. He wanted to become like Dumbledore and like his parents. Someone with the courage to take his name freely, someone who did not care about their own but instead was ready to defeat evil.
"If it means stopping her... if it means making sure no one else suffers as my parents did... then yes. I'm ready."
For a moment, the room seemed to grow quieter. Dumbledore studied Neville intensely for a while. Neville felt uncomfortable under the headmaster's eyes, but he did not avert his eyes and continued to fix Dumbledore.
"Very well," Dumbledore said, at last, accepting the boy's determination.
"If this is the path you wish to walk, I will personally help you to ensure your safety. Your training will not be easy. You will need to strengthen not just your magic but also your mind and body. I will push your limits, and if at any point I find you weak, unable to continue, we will stop the training, and you will forget about this revenge of yours."
Neville's jaw tightened. "I won't stop. I'll prove to you, and to everyone, that I can do this."
Dumbledore's lips twitched into the faintest hint of a smile. Neville was consumed with emotion, and this was the perfect moment to shape him into the ideal fighter.
Neville watched as Dumbledore moved his hand, and the objects around the office followed his movement, sliding gracefully to the wall, creating an open space.
"Wand out; we will begin your training immediately."