Unofficial Portkey Archive

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.

Authors Note: Just some nice character moments and a little bit more on the Junior Death Eater in this chapter. Thanks for the reviews. Enjoy!

Chapter Nineteen

Harry was on his way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, having just left the Slytherin common room behind, where a large gathering of students were hovering by the notice board, reading and re-reading the large sign advertising the up-coming Apparition lessons for all students in the seventh year of Hogwarts. Blaise was the one who had pointed it out to him when he roused from his slumber, but in truth, Harry already knew it was there, as he had been out all night in Slytherin's chamber, trying to think of a way to get the memory from Slughorn. Harry remembered to act surprised and slightly happy about the news and glanced at it briefly before the leaving the common room.

Harry was excited about the prospect of learning to Apparate, but it just wasn't a big deal at the moment. He was too busy trying to figure out a way to get the memory from Slughorn and discover the identity of the Junior Death Eater. Harry hoped Heather Pritchard would get back to him soon, but he wasn't holding his breath.

Coming up the steps from the dungeons, into the Entrance Hall, Harry spotted Neville Longbottom coming down the marble stairs from the first floor. The slightly overweight boy seemed to have grown over the few weeks since he had last seen him and he was somewhat slimmer than Harry expected, but still the same old Neville. He held a bundle of books in one hand and was examining a weird looking plant that he held in the other, not even looking where he was going.

Harry saw what was going to happen before it did, but was never the less too late to stop it. Neville ended up treading on robes that looked a little bit too big for him and stumbled, his feet flying out from under him, the strange plant flying out of his hand and heading for the stone floor. Harry reacted instinctively, casting two spells almost simultaneously.

"Accio! Wingardium Leviosa!" One after another, the two spells hit, the first summoning the flying plant straight into Harry's free hand and the other stopping Neville from breaking his neck on the marble staircase.

Neville was hovering in mid air, hands covering his face, his books scattered below him in various states of disarray. Neville's breath came in ragged gasps, and when a few seconds had past and he hadn't hit the floor, he slowly moved his hands and stared around with wide, panicky eyes. His bulging eyes met Harry's and widened further.

"You okay Neville?" Harry asked, setting him down on his rump on the marble steps.

"Huh?" Neville blinked. "Oh, yeah, err... thanks." He said the last word rather stiffly.

"Here," Harry handed him the weird cactus shaped plant, "what the hell is this thing?"

"Oh!" Neville's eyes lit up with wonder, something Harry had never seen before. "This is my Mimbulus mimbletonia." He said proudly. "It's a really rare plant."

"It looks odd," Harry said, weighing it in his hands, "like a cactus, but without the needles."

"What's a cactus?" Neville asked eagerly.

"Never mind," Harry said, "here you go." And he handed the plant over to Neville.

"Yeah," Neville said, studying the grey plant again, "I guess it does look a bit bad, but it's not supposed to look that bad. It's been getting worse every day. The boils are supposed to be full of this really useful pus, but they've just hardened, it's like they've formed scabs all over the plant. I don't know what's wrong with, it's why I was reading up about them." He gestured to the scattered books.

"Wish I could help," Harry said, picking up a few of the books, "but Herbology really isn't my strong suit. Ask me to defeat a Dark Wizard any day, no problem, but don't ask me to look after a plant."

Neville smiled slightly. "Not as good as everyone makes you out to be then?" He asked a little coldly.

"I never claimed to be a genius," Harry said, "I can't help what people say about me. I really wish you would trust me Neville. We could be goods friends."

Neville laughed. "Yeah right," he said, colouring slightly, "why would you even want to be friends with me?"

"You really ought to work on that confidence of yours, "Harry replied, "it's what holds you back the most, you know. I happen to know a lot about you. We have a lot in common, but I can only share that with you once your let me past your defences."

"We don't have anything in common!" Neville said angrily. "I'm nothing like you! I don't care what you say, I know you're up to something."

"Do you really believe that?" Harry asked calmly. "Or are you just trying to make me the bad guy because you have feelings for Hermione."

"I...uh..." Neville spluttered, going red in the face.

"Listen to me," Harry said, "I understand why you're so angry with me, but you have to realise that Hermione will never like you as anything more than a friend. Do you even really like her that way? I'm not so sure, but if you continue to press this, it's only going to end badly. Worse case scenario, you lose Hermione as a friend, do you want that?"

"...No." Neville whispered.

"Then let it go," Harry said, "and try to give me a chance. I'm sure there's some girl out there for you Neville, but it isn't Hermione. You know that, don't you?"

"...I guess." Neville admitted.

"Right then," Harry drew himself up and stuck his hand out, "fresh start?"

Neville looked up at him from his perch on the marble stairs, then sighed, and reached out, taking Harry's hand. "Fresh start," he said.

"I'm sure Hermione will be pleased," Harry said, "she's being going spare over how you've been treating me, but I stopped her from having a go at you."

"Thanks," Neville muttered, blushing, as Harry pulled him to his feet.

"No problem," Harry said, "it's all behind us now."

"Yeah," Neville said, picking up the rest of his books with one hand. Harry handed him the rest.

"See you tonight in the Library?" Harry asked.

"Sure," Neville said with a small smile.

"If you still can't figure out what's wrong with your plant," Harry said, "bring your books along and we'll see if we can find anything out. After all, I'm sure three brains are better than one, especially when one of them belongs to Hermione Granger."

"Right." Neville said, grinning.

(----)

The Apparition Lessons started and despite the fact Harry found the instructor to be overly annoying, he did well. By the end of the first lesson, he had managed to move himself into the hoop placed before him. He was the only one to manage it, and Twycross made quite a fuss over him, whereas almost everyone else seemed to just glare at him, like it was his fault they couldn't do it. The only other exciting incident in the lesson was when a Hufflepuff managed to splinch themselves, leaving behind half a leg.

Lesson's continued over the next few weeks. Harry continued to improve, Apparating all over the place, whilst the other students steadily followed his example. The only one close to him was Hermione, who managed to Apparate successfully during the second lesson and improve greatly from then on. Neville had trouble, but with a little coaching from Harry during their study sessions, he soon got the hang of it as well, much to his own surprise. Draco wasn't too far behind Hermione, drawing level with Neville.

After a particularly exhausting Apparition Lesson that saw Harry attempting to Apparate to the top of the Astronomy Tower, Harry and Draco made their way slowly back the Slytherin common room. They where almost half way there when Heather Pritchard's voice reached their ears, and Harry slowed to a stop, Draco following his example more slowly.

"Harry," Heather came running up to him, before bending over, resting her hands on her knees and panting, "Harry, I did what you asked," she said, casting her eyes over Harry's shoulder to Draco. He smirked at her.

"Go on then," Harry said, turning and starting to walk again, though he looked keen to hear the news. Draco started ahead as well, keeping up a faster pace so Harry could have some privacy. He still didn't know what Harry had said to the annoying bint and he wasn't going to invade his friend's privacy over it, he respected him too much. Pritchard started walking again, rushing a little to keep on level with Harry.

"I did what you said," she said, her breath coming in gasps, "like you asked. That seventh year, Grimsby, the one you heard had a tattoo of your name on his arm. I kept cornering him and trying to seduce him, but he kept refusing me, at first. I assumed it was because you were right, and he really was a fag, but eventually he gave up. It took a while, but I saw him naked."

"And?" Harry asked impatiently.

"I don't know Harry." Heather said. "He had a bandage over his arm the whole time. I tried to get him to take it off, but he wouldn't. He said he was stung by a Zolam spider and that his arm was, like, inflamed or something. I'm sorry."

"Damn," Harry hissed under his breath.

"Sorry," Heather said again, batting her eyelashes at him, "but I can try again if you really want me too. You know I'd do anything for you Harry."

"Yeah," Harry muttered, "whatever." And then he sped up, leaving her behind. He could hear her yell something at him, something that sounded like a 'goodbye', but he couldn't be sure.

He caught up with Draco, drawing even with him. Draco looked at him out of the corner of his eye, wordlessly asking him what happened. He answered.

"Nothing then," Draco said with a sigh.

"Well," Harry said, "nothing conclusive. He suspiciously has a bandage on his arm where the Dark Mark should be. Also, apparently, he was bitten by a Zolam snake, which can cause irritation and a slight stinging sensation for months, which means he'll probably have the bandage on his arm for the rest of the year."

"Sounds like a pretty good cover for the Dark Mark, if you ask me." Draco said.

"Yeah," Harry agreed, "either way, the more we investigate this Grimsby, the more he looks like the Junior Death Eater. Still, I'd like some solid proof before I go to Dumbledore, but how the hell do we get it short of tackling him in the Great Hall and ripping his bandage off."

Draco chuckled. "Yeah, but seriously, I veto that idea. I really don't fancy being wrong in front of the entire population of Hogwarts."

Harry echoed Draco's laugh. "I wasn't being serious and you know it."

"I have an idea," Draco said, looking oddly thoughtful.

"Well?" Harry asked.

"Well," Draco said, deliberately echoing Harry, "we could dose him with Veritaserum and question him."

"How?" Harry asked. "You expect us to just walk up to him, shove the potion down his throat and then badger him in the middle of the Slytherin common room. I've been watching him Draco and his seventh year friends always surround him. Besides, how would we get the Veritaserum? I'm pretty sure Snape wouldn't give it to me, you know how dodgy he is around me, especially now that I can block him from my mind."

"Yeah," Draco said, shrugging, "that was a lame idea. To be honest, I'm just reaching. I really have no idea."

"And this isn't my only problem," Harry said, "I have to get that damn memory from Slughorn as well. I really don't have time to do both things at once."

"I could handle the Junior Death Eater situation," Draco drawled, "if you want?"

"Sure," Harry agreed, "that'd be great, but don't get yourself caught or anything Draco. No stupid stunts, okay?"

"Me?" Draco looked mock offended. "Stupid stunts? You wound me."

Harry smiled. "Just be careful okay? Need I remind you we're surrounded by a lot of Voldemort supporters, and they probably wouldn't take to kindly to you snooping around Grimsby."

"Yeah," Draco said, grimacing, "that wouldn't be a good situation. It's creepy enough having to sleep with Nott, Goyle and Crabbe in the same dorm, but if the entire Slytherin population knew I was against Voldie, that'd be rough. I just about get by under the excuse that I'm doing my father's will by being your friend."

"Hey," Harry said, stopping Draco with a hand on his arm, "it really means a lot to me Draco - you being my friend. I know how much risk being my friends puts you in, and I just want you to know - "

"Hey!" Draco said, raising his hands, eyes widening in horror. "Please, no girly moments."

Harry laughed. "Right," he said, then slapped Draco's arm in a manly show of affection, "let's head to Slytherin's chamber. I want a rematch from last nights chess game, and I'm so going to kick your ass this time."

"You're on!"

(----)

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