This first chapter is a little rough because it's almost entirely taken from my drabble fic Being Born Again. All other chapters will be smoother and longer.

The Great Hall was bursting with students. The four long tables were lined with breakfast food and students were chatting loudly with each other over their meal.

It was nearly a week after the Great Troll Scare of Halloween and everyone was still talking about it. Everyone except the three people most involved.

"Oy! Nev! Over here!" Ron said spewing half-chewed food all over the table. The redhead was sitting in his normal spot beside his best friend waiting for Neville to make it to breakfast.

Harry laughed loudly and waved too. The normally very shy boy smiled back and walked over to snatch the seat across from Harry and Ron.

Ever since Halloween, there had a been a rather distinct change in the three boys who encountered the mountain troll. Harry and Ron had been friends before the incident and they had both been friendly with Neville but afterward, the three had been closer than ever. Someone people suggested it was the bond of surviving the mountain troll's wrath that brought them together. Others suggested it was the trauma of the detention they served with Professor Snape for "acting like complete dunderheads and getting close to the beast." No one knew the true story.

It involved three boys sitting in the dormitory after the particularly brutal detention of scrubbing cauldrons with cups of some of Seamus' smuggled in fire whiskey in front of them. All it took was a drink and Harry, Ron and Neville become something, or rather someones, more.

"Hey guys," Neville said in greeting. Harry grinned widely with a mouth full of food and Ron shoved the plate of bacon toward the other boy.

"Better eat up before Harry gets a hold of it," Ron cautioned. Neville shot a look at the dark haired boy who looked up with his cheeks puffed out a bit from the huge bite he had just taken.

"Right," Neville said scooping several pieces of bacon onto his plate.

"So what's the plan for today?" Neville asked grabbing for the gravy boat.

"Exploring!" Harry chirped.

"Yeah, I remember the twins talking about some secret passageways," Ron told the sandy haired boy. "It'll be-"

THUNK

"RON!" Hermione shouted. The frizzy haired girl was right across from the redhead. She had been buried in one of her school books but when Ron's head met the table she had snapped it shut.

Harry laughed loudly and Neville joined in. "It's fine Hermione," Neville assured her. "It's just a thing he does."

"Is he sick?" The muggle-born girl asked worried.

"Nah, Ace is just sleeping!" Harry told her still giggling.

"Ace?" The girl asked curiously, letting her curiosity overtake the concern since the boys didn't appear to be worried.

Neville slapped a hand over Harry's mouth before the younger boy could answer. "Nickname! It's our nickname for him," He explained looking somewhat nervous.

Hermione looked unconvinced so Neville pushed on. "Ron and I call Harry Luffy and they call me Sabo!"

"Sabo? Luffy? Those are strange names aren't they?" Hermione said wrinkling her nose.

"Hey! Sabo is a perfectly good name," The normally shy and quiet boy said in protest.

"Shishishi," Harry laughed stealing a slice of bacon from under Ron's forehead.

The young witch gave the three an odd look. "You three really changed after Halloween," She said.

Neville grinned and shot a look at Harry and Ron. "Yeah we did," He admitted.

"You haven't told anyone what really happened that night," Hermione said nosily.

Harry and Neville nodded. "Yep," Neville agreed.

"Why?" Hermione demanded.

"We're men!" Harry said with a wide grin. "Men keep secrets!"

"Yeah!" Ron said sitting up with a loud yawn. "Secrets! So butt out!"

"Hmmpf!" The girl pouted. "How rude!

Neville rolled his eyes at this brother and shook his head. "Sorry Hermione, it's something we are keeping just between us," He explained.

"Fine! Be that way," the frizzy-haired girl said gathering her books.

"I'll just figure it out on my own," She declared as she stood from the table in the Great Hall her books gathered in her arms.

"By the way, Ronald," Hermione paused. "You have egg on your face."

"Whaaat? Where?"