"Oh?" The timid yet forcedly brave expression on Neville's face vanished.
In its place came a composure, calmness, and scrutiny that had never appeared on his face before. There was even a hint of lofty superiority. "What flaw was there in my shapeshifting?"
His bearing was that of a powerful being looking down from on high at a tiny ant.
Harry frowned, though not because of Neville's transformation.
When he had realized something was wrong with Neville, he had already formed a guess about this Neville's identity.
What bothered Harry was purely that expression. It reminded him of someone he disliked intensely: Snape.
During his first and second years, Snape had often looked at Gryffindor students with that same expression, his eyes full of loathing and contempt.
It made Harry really want to plant his foot in Snape's face. Of course, even Gryffindor, famed for its courage, did not possess that kind of courage.
And now, seeing that expression on Neville's face made Harry deeply uncomfortable too.
Still, remembering his earlier guess, Harry suppressed his irritation and said, "There really weren't any flaws in your transformation, but it was a little too perfect."
Harry pointed at his head as he spoke. "I have a special ability that lets me sense other people's emotional fluctuations. Unless they're powerful wizards like Dumbledore, who have mastered Occlumency to its utmost limits, I can at least sense a little something.
"But with this Neville you've become, I couldn't sense anything at all. Neville has always been very good at Occlumency, true, but he hasn't reached that level yet."
Hermione, Ron, and Ginny were also staring at Neville in disbelief.
Because, just as Harry had said earlier, Neville's presence here made no sense at all.
Yet none of them had noticed that before.
It would