What was the Muggle world like?
Before today, Neville had never had a clear idea.
Other than feeling unfamiliar, he had always found it somewhat frightening because of his grandmother's warnings and what little he knew about the witch hunts.
But now that he had actually stepped into the Muggle world, the chubby boy discovered something surprising.
It was a very joyful place.
Everything felt new. Everything was interesting. It was almost like another magical world.
There was only one thing that made him uncomfortable.
Many people in the mall kept smiling as they looked at him.
Some whispered to their companions. Others even turned back to stare after walking past.
"Dawn... why are they all looking at me?" Neville asked, shrinking behind him as more eyes focused on him.
"Because you look very eye-catching right now," Dawn replied casually, tugging his clothes back after Neville clung to them too tightly. "And you're pulling too hard."
"Ah—sorry!" Neville quickly let go.
Dawn shrugged.
Following his original plan, he led Neville through the mall and up to the top floor, where a cinema was located.
Although he had promised to spend the day with Neville, Dawn actually had no idea what they should do.
After thinking about it, he settled on the simplest plan.
Mall.
Movie theater.
Amusement park.
"Dawn, what's a movie?" Neville asked, staring at the sign above the theater entrance.
"It's like moving pictures," Dawn explained. "But they last a long time. Usually about two hours."
"Moving pictures?" Neville tried hard to imagine what that might look like.
Dawn led him to the posters and display boards outside the theater.
"Neville, what do you want to watch?" he asked out of courtesy.
"...Anything."
Exactly the answer Dawn expected.
So he started choosing on his own.
"Let's see... quite a few films were released in Britain in 1992. Bram Stoker's Dracula, Chaplin, Batman Returns..."
He paused while looking at the poster of a man wearing a bat-shaped mask.
For some reason, seeing Batman in a magical world felt strangely out of place.
Although the film had a good reputation, Dawn wasn't particularly fond of superhero stories.
After looking through all the posters, he finally pointed at one showing a snowy scene.
"Alright. Let's watch this one."
Neville followed his finger and silently read the poster.
A Christmas Carol.
Adapted from the famous novel by Charles Dickens. The story centered on a miserly old man known for his cruelty and greed.
Everything changes when the ghost of his deceased partner, Jacob Marley, appears.
"Is this okay, Neville?" Dawn asked.
The boy nodded obediently.
To be honest, he had actually been more curious about the strange man in the bat costume standing on rooftops.
But he didn't want to contradict Dawn's choice.
Once the film was decided, Dawn walked to the ticket counter.
The counter was too high for him.
He clicked his tongue and lifted the money onto the surface. "Two tickets for A Christmas Carol, please."
The distracted ticket clerk was startled when the hand suddenly appeared at the counter.
He leaned forward and asked, "Popcorn?"
"Of course. Two large."
Dawn took the change casually.
Naturally, the money he used had been created with Transfiguration. With his current magical ability, it would last at least two days before reverting.
He handed Neville one ticket and a large bucket of popcorn.
Then he followed the signs until they reached the correct theater.
The movie had not started yet.
The room was brightly lit.
As they walked down the aisle, a young man noticed Neville's outfit and whistled. "Whoa! Sherlock Holmes?"
Neville turned instinctively.
Not knowing what to say, he gave an awkward smile. The strange expression made several nearby people laugh.
Neville froze immediately, his face burning red.
He didn't even know where to put his hands. If Dawn hadn't pulled him along, he might have stood there forever.
Only after sitting down did Neville finally relax.
"...Thank you," he whispered again.
After sitting quietly for a while, Neville looked at the yellow-white pieces inside the popcorn bucket.
He hesitated, then put one in his mouth.
His eyes widened in delight.
He grabbed another piece.
But just as he popped it into his mouth, the lights suddenly dimmed and the screen lit up.
Neville jumped in fright.
The popcorn lodged in his throat.
"Mm—mmph!"
His face turned red as he choked.
Dawn sighed.
He felt like a parent babysitting a child.
Quietly casting a Levitation Charm, he removed the popcorn. Neville thanked him again.
Dawn pointed at the screen helplessly, signaling him to just watch the movie.
The strange wonders of the Muggle world quickly captured Neville's attention.
Dawn leaned back in his seat and began watching as well.
The plot was simple.
The story took place in nineteenth-century London.
One night, the protagonist was visited by the ghost of his dead business partner, Jacob Marley.
Marley warned him that three spirits would come.
The Ghost of Christmas Past showed him memories of his lonely childhood.
The Ghost of Christmas Present revealed the suffering of his employee's family and the hardships of ordinary people.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come showed him his own lonely death.
After this spiritual reckoning, the miser changed.
On Christmas morning, he became generous and kind, helping the poor and improving the lives of those around him.
A rather conventional ending.
Dawn scoffed slightly at such sudden moral awakenings.
But while watching, he couldn't help thinking like a child for a moment. If there really were a Ghost of the Past, perhaps it could take him back.
Then he wouldn't have to struggle so hard to uncover his own history.
"Dawn, could Nearly Headless Nick do something like that?" Neville suddenly asked, thinking of the Gryffindor ghost.
"I don't know," Dawn replied casually. "You can ask him when school starts."
That reminded Dawn of the ghosts drifting around Hogwarts.
Honestly, wizard ghosts were rather useless. According to common belief, ghosts were supposed to possess supernatural abilities.
Possession.
Curses.
Something like that.
Neville wanted to discuss the film further.
But noticing people glancing at them, he remembered that talking was forbidden during movies.
He quickly fell silent.
Time passed as the images flickered on the screen.
When the film ended and they left the theater, it was already past noon.
Dawn stretched his arms overhead, his spine cracking. "Neville, what do you want for lunch?"
"I... anything is fine."
Neville rubbed his stomach. He wasn't very hungry after eating so much popcorn.
Dawn wandered through the mall's food court.
But looking at the pictures of food outside the restaurants, he felt no desire to eat there.
After thinking for a moment, he asked,
"How about French cuisine?"
"But there isn't a French restaurant here," Neville said, confused.
He quickly understood what Dawn meant.
Dawn led him into a bathroom stall.
Then—
Crack.
They Apparated straight to France.
Having magic made things incredibly convenient. If you wanted something, you could get it immediately.
French cuisine was far superior to British food.
Everyone knew that.
One country was famous for foie gras and baked snails. The other was proud of fish and chips.
There was simply no comparison.
Dawn and Neville found a good restaurant.
They ate beef bourguignon, bouillabaisse, and pan-seared duck breast.
Perhaps it was psychological, but Dawn felt the food was better than the French dishes served at Hogwarts.
He ate his fill.
Neville was less fortunate.
After Apparating back to Britain, he immediately vomited almost everything he had eaten.
Dawn had once again forgotten the side effects of Apparition.
By the time Neville recovered, it was already around two in the afternoon. Dark clouds covered the sky. The bright morning had vanished.
This time Dawn called a taxi.
They headed to Thorpe Park in Surrey.
It was an amusement park that had opened in 1979 and was well known in Britain. Especially for its roller coasters and water rides.
Dawn loved roller coasters.
The moment when the cart plunged downward made him feel as though everything inside him had been shaken loose.
It was exhilarating.
Unfortunately, Neville could only endure two rides before his face turned pale and his stomach churned.
Dawn sighed and eventually took him to the carousel so he could recover.
"...Sorry, Dawn," Neville suddenly said again beneath the colorful lights.
"Hmm?" Dawn asked, holding the pole of the wooden horse.
"Why apologize?"
"You seemed to really like the roller coaster, but I..."
"It doesn't matter," Dawn interrupted. "Today I came to spend time with you."
Neville stared at his back.
He tugged lightly at the detective outfit Dawn had bought for him. He wanted to ask something.
But after a long hesitation, he only whispered a quiet "thank you."
Neville felt even weaker than before.
He wanted to ask whether the newspaper reports were true.
But he was afraid that if he asked, the warm and happy atmosphere would disappear.
The dreamlike day would end.
Just wait a little longer, he told himself. If this really was a dream, he hoped it could last until sunset.
The carousel continued spinning.
Children's laughter filled the air.
At one point, Neville saw a man performing tricks near a tent.
The man removed his hat and produced a flock of white doves that flew into the sky.
"Dawn, look!"
Neville cried out in surprise.
"How can he use magic in front of so many Muggles? Doesn't that break the Statute of Secrecy?"
"That's not magic," Dawn said. "It's stage magic. A trick. The doves were hidden in his sleeves."
"Oh."
Neville watched as the magician pulled a rose from the hat.
"So... tricks are like Muggle magic?"
"...You could say that." Dawn didn't bother explaining further.
Eventually the carousel stopped.
They moved on to a bowling alley.
The sky gradually darkened.
After Neville staggered out of a water ride completely soaked, it was time for dinner.
Even though Dawn disliked British food more than ever after eating French cuisine, he bought two hot dogs to avoid making Neville sick again.
Then he took Neville onto the Ferris wheel.
As the cabin rose higher, they ate while looking out at the distant lights.
Dawn had always liked eating dinner on Ferris wheels. It reminded him of certain childhood memories.
The cabin slowly ascended.
Dawn watched the glowing city lights. Then suddenly a soft white flake landed on the glass.
"Snow?"
He looked up.
Under the heavy clouds, countless snowflakes drifted gently down. The neon lights painted them with colors.
For a moment, the scene looked like something from a fairy tale.
Dawn's expression softened.
Although he had only planned to repay Neville, he realized he had enjoyed the day too.
Sometimes, forgetting magic, worries, and pressure for a single day felt wonderful.
Perhaps his original plan had been too cold.
Maybe there was a better way.
Just then, Neville spoke softly behind him.
"...Dawn. The sun has set."
Dawn frowned and turned around.
"Neville, many things have nothing to do with you. Wouldn't it be better to forget the worries and just enjoy happiness? Like today."
He looked at the boy twisting the edge of his coat.
"Didn't you have fun?"
Neville was silent.
Of course he had.
This had been the happiest day of his twelve years. Even better than receiving his Hogwarts letter.
Dawn treated him kindly.
He didn't mind Neville's clumsiness. He played with him. He showed him new things.
Maybe Dawn was right.
Maybe that was enough.
But slowly, as Neville repeated those thoughts in his mind, he seemed to hear his grandmother shouting.
"Neville! Your parents fought evil and justice! We are proud of them! The Longbottom family is proud of them! And you must be proud too!"
"I taught you what is right and wrong, didn't I?!"
Neville clenched his teeth.
For some reason, he suddenly remembered the candy wrapper his mother had given him.
He looked up stubbornly.
"But... I still want to know."
Tears filled his eyes.
Neville might seem clumsy. But sometimes he was surprisingly perceptive.
Dawn always avoided talking about his past. Which meant the newspaper reports were not entirely false.
Neville understood what his question meant.
The dream would end.
Even if it was beautiful.
The dream he had not dared disturb on the carousel had finally reached its conclusion.
Snow fell harder.
Dawn looked at the crying boy.
After a long silence, he asked quietly, "If everything in the newspaper is true... what would you do?"
Neville wiped his tears.
Then he said firmly, in the innocent voice of a child, "Then... I won't play with you anymore."
"...I see."
Dawn sighed.
Then, for some reason, he smiled slightly. The emotions that had stirred in his heart slowly faded.
They were never walking the same path.
Dawn looked away.
The red in his eyes changed. From warm like gemstones— to cold like blood.
The wind outside grew stronger. Snowstorm winds rattled the glass.
Dawn gazed at the dark sky.
Since Neville had made his choice... Dawn would continue with his original plan.
___________
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