In Kent, Augusta Longbottom wasn't sure who she was more disgusted with her grandson or her old friend Minerva McGonagall. She looked out the dining room window at the mid November landscape and sipped the tea the house elves brought her.
Neville was so shy and he would be easy pickings for people who wanted to use him. That the Potter heir had made such a strong impression on Neville on the train didn't say a lot either way for the boy. That he stayed with Neville said that a) either he wasn't a strong wizard and wanted to have easy followers his being in Slytherin might indicate this; or b) he was exactly what he presented himself to Neville as, a lonely boy connecting to the one discernible tie he had concrete record of. Augusta unlike many witches and wizards didn't assume all Slytherins were dark. One of her favorite cousins who had had a dismal home life had been in Slytherin, Josephine had been cunning because she'd had to be. It was possible the Potter heir was like that, his behavior after the train ride seemed to indicate this. Augusta wanted to meet him herself before making a final decision.
She was disgusted that Neville was writing to her asking how he should help his friend. She wanted to tell him if he's your friend stand up and be counted as such and tell everyone else they should stick their opinions where the sun didn't shine. Longbottoms stood up for what they believed they didn't give into pressure. But Neville had come out of the attack on his parents so traumatized, Augusta believed he had suppressed his own magic due to fear of what magic had done to his parents. She'd wanted to kill her brother in law, Algernon, when he'd dropped Neville out the third story window and forced him to display his magic. She never could see what her sister Enid saw in that man. Thank Merlin the two of them didn't reproduce. But Neville had made it into Hogwarts, and much to her surprise into Gryffindor. Which meant the boy had to have the courage to live up to the family name in him somewhere. But he was so infernally shy and retiring it quite drove her out of patience especially when Minerva's letters informed her the boy was being bullied and he was letting it happen.
Minerva, there was another rub. They'd been year mates eons ago. Minerva was foolish, always was, always would be. She was the quintessential Gryffindor lead with her heart not her head. Stand up for her beliefs but never ask if they're the right ones. Minerva had ignored the proper match her parents had arranged for her. John Peasgood had eventually married another. Why? Because Minerva McGongall ignored the gossip of the older folks about the handsome, charismatic, heroic, young(comparatively at the time) transfiguration teacher and fell in love. A love she was still waiting to have returned. Minerva had as an impressionable second year fallen stupidly, irreversibly in love with Albus Dumbledore.
The man had never recognized it, never appreciated it, but took almost full advantage of it anyway. As a teacher he had impressed upon Minerva how wonderful her talent with transfiguration was. He had mentored her all the way through her mastery. Because he was a teacher she became one. Even now sixty years later Minerva waited, doing whatever task he assigned to her, wanting words of love from Albus Dumbledore although she had confessed to Augusta "I don't think he sees me that way. But he appreciates me, and I mean more to him than any other woman." Minerva seemed content with that. August still couldn't fathom why her old friend put up with it. Instead of being the cat of her animagus and demanding to be worshiped and adored, the woman was a spaniel kick me and I'll come and cringe at your feet where that man was concerned. Especially since the man in question took advantage of her friend and had her do a good share of the work that by rights should be his and she never stood up to him even if he was wrong.
Augusta didn't kid herself many in the wizarding world thought the sun shone from Albus' backside, her own son had made that mistake. Granted he had ended the conflict with Grindelwald. Granted He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had feared him. He was the most powerful sorcerer alive at the moment. He always reasoned everything out but kept information that others could use to himself. He said he always believed in second chances but he wasn't above holding what he knew about others over their heads to make them do as he wished. He wielded vast political power but he was a user not a giver. He played the political games and said the right words and easily fooled most wizards. Of course most wizards were fools.
As headmaster, Albus had the services of Fawkes, which made most people believe the bird was his familiar. She knew better, one of her ancestors had been Headmaster. Phineas Black and Armando Dippet had been such dark wizards Fawkes had retreated to the forbidden forrest, but Fawkes was tied loosely to the Headmaster position and only a few knew it. Fawkes had left the school before and returned when a "light enough" headmaster was named to the position.
Albus wasn't all bad he had good intentions. He made an error common to people of great intelligence and ability, he thought that because others weren't as intelligent or skillful he didn't need to consult them never mind that they would be affected by the decisions he would make as well. She had seen enough of his methods she didn't entirely trust him, of course the same could be said of ninety-five percent or more of the ministry. Albus talked a good talk but he was very little action. He preferred to move behind the scenes as he put it. He talked equality for the muggleborn but there was next to no action to make that a reality. He talked inter house unity. Well if what was happening to Neville was anything to go by the Headmaster was just as much action on that topic.
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