Disclaimer-Still not mine and never will be.

This is the sequel to Birthday Wishes. You should read it first to really understand the story. This story is AU after DH.

Power in all its Glory

Chapter 1: A Taste of Power

Power.

He had never felt anything like this before. He had actually humiliated Professor Snape. After seven years of being humiliated, himself, by the Potions master.

And it felt good. No more Neville the nice guy! Or Neville the doormat! Or Neville the guy who couldn't do anything right!

Actually, he still would be all of those things.

Why? Because no one could know it was him. First of all, he didn't want to get expelled. Second, he didn't want the wrath of Snape. Or Hermione for that matter. He shuddered. That girl could really scare him sometimes.

But most of all because he had plans.

Big plans.

He was finally going to get back at all those people who made fun of him: Malfoy, Parkinson-why not all Slytherins?

And of course, Snape.

What he had done so far was not enough, not nearly enough.

It fact, he thought, why not wreak havoc on the whole school? Fred and George were gone, and Hogwarts desperately needed someone to fill their shoes.

It was so easy.

People wanted to believe he was the klutzy boy who couldn't even brew a potion correctly. Were they daft? He had passed his Potion's OWL. That was when he realized he had a knack for potions. During his OWLs he didn't have Professor Snape brooding over him, and he had done extremely well. Then during sixth year, he had really paid attention.

Of course, he still let Hermione help him. Foolish girl. He could do it all by himself. He wanted to keep up appearances, though, so he still had the necessary accidents.

A certain phrase kept running through his head; revenge is a dish best served cold. It was so true, he thought. Professor Snape's recent humiliation was proof of that!

And now the school was at his mercy! Oh, how he was going to enjoy wiping the smile off Malfoy's face. And, although Snape was still his miserable self, he was perhaps a little less arrogant and a little more wary.

After Neville graduated, he would let them all know it had been him. But until then … he would be careful not to let them guess. Not that they would. They were all too stupid.

Except Hemione.

She wasn't stupid. She had always been nice to him. He felt like rewarding her for her kindness.

He remembered the reverse-love potion he had slipped to Professor Snape. It was obvious she was in love with the Potions master. Well there was no accounting for taste, he thought.

Still he would help her out. He could think of several ways to help her get Snape. Not that he wanted that greasy git to be happy and not that he deserved Hermione at all.

He didn't.

But she deserved to be happy and if, by some chance, Snape was embarrassed and humiliated even more, than so what? He definitely deserved it.

"Watch where you're going, fatso." Neville was knocked down as Blaise Zabini shoved past him.

Neville smiled to himself as he picked up all his books.

He mentally added Zabini's name to his list.

This was promising to be a great year!