Harry Potter and Unexpected Beginnings

Chapter seventeen

"Where have you been?" Ginny said as the three entered the bathroom. Harry shook his head in disgust, as he hurried to the caldron. "I thought I was going to have to send a search party to look for you."

"It's not our fault," Ron said, glaring at Hermione. "Someone had to cast a charm on the chandelier and make it dance across the room, blocking the door and shooting hot wax everywhere." Ron picked off the dried wax from his cloak as he spoke.

"Professor Flitwick told me to demonstrate the Musical Blocking Charm. It's not my fault Neville knocked my arm and sent the spell into the chandelier." Hermione's tone was furious as she turned an angry face on Ron.

"What's the Musical Blocking Charm?" Ginny asked Harry, softly.

"It's supposed to be more of a distracting charm, and Hermione was supposed to cast it on a lizard Professor Flitwick had there," Harry explained, glancing back to the two still arguing. "Neville got so excited and wanted to get a closer look, and in doing so, knocked Hermione's arm when she was casting the spell. It ricocheted off the chandelier, causing it to jump down from the ceiling and dance and whistle, while it blocked the door. Nobody could leave, and it sprayed wax everywhere."

"Poor Neville," Ginny said.

"Poor Neville?" Ron barked, peeling wax from his cheek and hair. "What about us? I have blisters all over my arms from trying to block the flying wax. I could be scared for life!"

"Stop being such a baby, Ron," Hermione told him. "Madame Pomfrey can heal your burns in a second."

"I'm not being a baby, Hermione," Ron growled again. "I just happen to like my skin in one piece, and not burned and scorched."

"Let's just get this potion bottled, and get down to lunch," Harry told them, unpacking several empty vials from his bag, and uncorking them. "Once we get Neville settled we can get you looked at."

"It's nice to know somebody cares about how I feel," Ron complained.

"Oh for heaven's sake," Hermione sighed. "I said I was sorry, what more do you want?"

"A little sympathy wouldn't be too much to ask for."

"Would you like me to kiss it and make it better?"

"That would be a nice start," Ron said with a frown. Hermione sighed, reaching up to his cheek, planting a kiss on a large red mark, where wax had been. He eyed her briefly, holding up his forearm, for her to kiss another burned spot.

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Ginny grumbled looking back to Harry, who shrugged his shoulders. "Have they been like this all day?"

"Pretty much," he told them, filling the bottles with the liquid that was now odorless and clear. "If they aren't yelling at each other, they're snogging. At least this way, they aren't fighting."

"I'm glad now, we didn't try that stuff," she told him, glancing at the potion he was repacking in his bag. Harry smiled, looking up at her under his long lashes.

"It wouldn't have worked on us," he told her softly, looking over his shoulder and watching as Ron continued pointing out spots for Hermione to kiss. "We don't have those inhibitions."

"Well, at least I don't," Ginny said. Harry narrowed his eyes, and smiled wickedly, tucking the small single dose vial inside his cloak.

"Watch out, Miss Weasley, you may be surprised one of these days."

"Promise?" she asked. Harry chuckled, turning to leave the room, rolling his eyes as they passed the other two, now wrapped in each other's embrace, lips locked together.

Harry and Ginny entered the Great Hall, looking at the Gryffindor table to where Neville was sitting alone, nibbling at his meal. Harry glanced up at the Professors table, seeing Snape in deep conversation with Professor Flitwick, who was pointing out several spots on his arms and face, no doubt relaying the story of the day's events with the chandelier. Harry felt sorry for Neville. He meant well, even if he was clumsy. He couldn't imagine what would have happened at the Ministry last year, if Neville hadn't been there. He showed great courage and put his own fears aside, to join them. Now, it was time for him to overcome the dreaded Professor Severus Snape.

"Hey Neville, how's lunch?" Harry asked, as he and Ginny took a seat across from him.

"All right I guess," Neville said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"You still thinking about what happened in Charms class?" Harry asked, knowing the answer before he even gave it.

"I didn't mean to cause trouble," the boy said, his eyes cast down to his plate. "I guess I'm just a born klutz."

"Well, Mr. Longbottom," Snape said as he stepped up behind him. "It would appear my class is not the only one you're destined to destroy. I wondered how long it would take, for you to bring the walls of Hogwart's crumbling down around you." Snape looked to Harry and Ginny, smirking. "Do try and arrive on time to class. I'd hate to deduct points from Gryffindor for tardiness."

"Don't listen to him, Neville," Ginny told him, as Snape walked away. "He's just a prat."

"He's right," Neville said sadly. "I am destined to destroy everything I touch."

"Maybe this will help," Harry told him, passing the small vial across the table to him.

"What is it?" Neville took the clear liquid vial with a frown.

"Liquid courage," Harry smiled back at him. "We found a potion to help you overcome Snape and all his torment."

"Do you think it will work?" Harry glanced to Ginny and smiled.

"It'll work, trust us. All you have to do is take it and enjoy an Snape-free potions class."

"I'll do anything, to make it through one day without a mistake." Harry and Ginny watched as he opened the vial, drinking the potion in one swallow.

"How do you feel?" Ginny asked, seeing the slight flush of color rising on his cheeks.

"Tingly, but otherwise no different. How do I know if it works?"

"We'll know when we get to the dungeons," Harry told him with a smile. "And speaking of which, we'd better get going before we get house points deducted for being late." Harry kissed Ginny's cheek, before standing to leave. "I'll see you after class."

"I wish I could be there," she told them with a sigh.

"Don't worry, we'll tell you all about it later." Neville and Harry hurried out of the Great Hall, meeting up with Ron and Hermione on their way down to the dungeons. They walked together down the stairs to the potions class, arriving just as Snape unlocked the door. Harry and Neville sat together at one desk, while Ron and Hermione took the one behind them. They quickly unpacked their caldrons and potions kits, while Snape wrote the day's lesson on the blackboard.

"I was going to start class with a review of last year's lessons, but after what occurred this morning in your Charms class I have changed our itinerary," he said, looking at Neville, who simply blinked innocently, while the Slytherins snickered and laughed. "I have decided to start with a Burn Healing Pulp. Since this is Double Potions, you have exactly two hours in which to finish this potion. For most of you, that will be more than sufficient time to complete the task, but for a certain few, we will be lucky if it's completed by the end of the week. I have an antidote for those who have difficulties following instructions. If it is made improperly, it can create burns, rather than heal them. Now begin." The room's occupants silently began assembling the ingredients necessary, uncorking bottles and gathering together scales and measuring instruments.

Bubotuber was measured and diluted in a beaker, then placed in the caldron along with Crushed Nettle, the fur of a Puffskein, the scales of a Plimpy and a silver Occamy egg. This was stirred with a wooden skimmer until clear purple, and then strained and the pulp remnants rolled into balls. Snape walked around the room, inspecting the different caldrons, complimenting Malfoy on his superior technique, scolding Lavender for not diluting the Bubotuber before adding it to the Crushed Nettle, and insulting Ron for the way he scaled his Plimpy. It wasn't until he reached Neville, that his smirk was replaced with a frown.

"Who helped you with this potion, Longbottom?" he demanded, looking at Harry's potion and eyeing the two with an evil snarl. "I would expect Granger to be your accomplice, but since she is not next to you to whisper the correct potion, I can only assume you've been conspiring with Potter."

"Hardly," Neville commented.

"I beg your pardon?" Snape growled, watching as Neville leveled his gaze with the greasy haired man in front of him. The room became deadly silent, with all eyes turning to stare at the suddenly brave young man.

"I said, 'hardly'. Harry did his own potion, and I did mine."

"Is that a fact? Perhaps we should try it out." Neville stood, picking up a ball of the healing pulp with the silver tongs, and held it up for Snape to inspect, who took it from the boy. Neville raised the sleeve of his robes without hesitation, exposing a spot on his arm where he had been burned earlier that day in Charms class. Snape smiled wickedly, placing the pulp on the wound, pressing it down with the back of the utensil. Neville stared at the man standing before him, his eyes narrowing slightly. Snape frowned, expecting Neville's arm to begin boiling, anticipating the screams of agony, but when this didn't happen he reached for the hem of his robes, savagely wiping away the concoction. Beneath it was perfectly repaired skin, no boils, no peeling skin, no odor of charred flesh, just a smooth, slightly pink arm. Snape narrowed his eyes again.

"How did you make this potion?" he demanded.

"I followed your instructions, Professor," Neville smiled.

"I expect there is more behind this then your sickening sweet smile reveals," Snape growled again, eyeing him and Harry suspiciously before making his way back around the desks.

"Hey, Harry," Ron whispered, poking him in the back once Snape's attention was on Lavender's potion, cursing her again for not preparing the potion as written. "Do you still have that bag Fred and George gave you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Let me have one of them, will you?" Harry silently reached into his school bag, retrieving one of the items the twins had given him, before leaving King's Cross. He handed it to Ron, keeping an eye on Snape who had turned his attention to Parvati. Ron unwrapped the elastic band holding the box of tubeworms closed inside his potions kit. He slipped the round green ball inside it, ignoring the disapproving look on Hermione's stern face, then aiming it, flinged it toward Pansy Parkinson's caldron. It splashed once, causing the pug-faced girl to look at the liquid next to her briefly. The room continued as normal, while Neville, Harry, Ron and Hermione watched the caldron change slowly from a purple liquid to a deep shade of green.

"Hand in your potions, and clean your mess," Snape ordered. Harry quickly wrapped up two balls of the Burn Healing Pulp, labeling both, and then hurrying to Snape's desk to turn in his work. He placed one wrapped ball in the pile, only to watch as Snape 'accidentally' knocked it off the pile and into Blaise Zabini's caldron, where it sank to the bottom of the purple liquid.

"Very clumsy of you Potter," Snape said with an evil sneer, as the other students turned to see what had happened. "I have no choice but to give you a zero for today's assignment, since you have nothing to turn in."

"Then it's a good thing I have another sample, isn't it Professor?" Harry said, carefully setting it on the desk in front of him. Harry returned to his seat smiling at Neville, as they used a scouring spell to clean out the caldron and desk. They were repacking their potions kits and bags, when a loud whistle erupted form Pansy's caldron, followed by an array of sparks and a bubbling explosion of dark green goop. The room instantly filled with a loud melody and a putrid gaseous cloud, while everyone ducked the chunks of Burn Healing Pulp that began to shoot out of the caldron, hitting the walls and desks. Millicent Bulstrode was hit in the head with a large ball of pulp, knocking her to the floor, while Goyle was hit in the stomach and Malfoy was plummeted with a number of smaller pieces, messing up his robes and tangling in his pale blond hair.

"Get out!" Snape shouted, as the students ran to the door. Harry looked back in time to see Snape get hit in the eye with a piece of flying pulp, laughing as the class quickly emptied. Heading up the stairs, Neville, Harry, Ron and Hermione all snickering and making light of the joke, stopped short at the sound of Malfoy's angry voice.

"I am so sick of your antics," he snarled at Pansy, who was standing near the wall, her eyes cast down to the floor. "You have embarrassed the Slytherin House one too many times. Consider yourself under house arrest until I can clear this mess up with Professor Snape." Pansy walked silently out of the hall, followed by a solemn Crabbe and Goyle, while Malfoy turned and strode back to the dungeons.

"What is up with Malfoy?" Seamus asked, joining the group.

"He's been acting really weird all day," Dean said. "I heard he put Goyle on report for eating Hagrid's chocolate and disobeying him in class this morning."

"What do you expect, living with Snape all summer," Ron said. "That's enough to make anyone go mental."

"Speaking of mental, what's gotten into you Neville?" Seamus asked with a smile.

"Yeah," Lavender said walking up behind the boys. "I can't believe you stood up to Snape."

"I can't believe you got that spell right," Parvati added.

"So, what's your secret?" Dean asked. Neville glanced to Harry and smiled.

"I guess I just found some courage," he told them.

"I think it's really wonderful," Lavender said.

"I think it's very sexy," Parvati commented, with a wink.

"Um...thanks," Neville said with a blush.

"If you need help with that Charms spell, I'll be happy to meet you in the library after dinner," Parvati said.

"Okay, sure," he answered, swallowing hard when she smiled before turning and walking with Lavender up the stairs toward their common room.

"No way!" Seamus said once they were alone again. "First you stand up to Snape, and now you have a date with Parvati Patil. How lucky can you get?"

"Please," Hermione added. "Neville doesn't need those two airheads. He can get a decent girl, without even looking hard."

"I can?" Neville asked in surprise.

"Sure. What about Lisa Turpin of Ravenclaw, or Hannah Abbot or even Susan Bones of Hufflepuff? There's also Luna Lovegood, she's a friend and she's quite attractive."

"Loony Luna?" Ron asked, looking at the girl next to him. "Are you mad? She's a nutter."

"She's also a very good friend, Ron. She'd be perfect for Neville."

"I do sort of like her," Neville said with a warm blush. "I mean, we rode together on the Hogwart's Express. But I think she's got a thing for Harry, I doubt I'd stand a chance."

"She what?" Harry asked with a blush of his own.

"Haven't you noticed?" Seamus asked. "Everyone else has. She's always looking at you, always following you around. I'm surprised she hasn't asked to switch houses, just so she can be closer to you."

"But I'm with Ginny," Harry said. "I like Luna, but not that way."

"Have you told her that?" Dean said.

"Well, no, but..."

"Luna isn't interested in Harry," Hermione commented. "She's just..."

"A nutter," Ron added, supplying the word for her.

"Either way," Hermione continued, glaring at Ron. "I'm sure we can get Neville a date with her. Our first Hogsmeade visit is coming up in a few weeks, we can arrange for them to go together."

"How? I can't ask her," Neville insisted, feeling much like his old self, nervous, shy and awkward. "I get too tongue tied to talk about anything serious around her."

"Then we'll ask her for you," Hermione insisted.

"Oh brother," Ron said, turning to Harry. "Lets just go to our dorm, before Hermione starts matching up everyone in school."

"Ronald Weasley, what's that supposed to mean?" Hermione scolded.

"Nothing, not one little thing." Ron left with Hermione still nagging at him, climbing the stairs and disappearing down the hallway.

"Has everyone gone crazy this year? What's up with those two?" Seamus asked, once they were out of sight. Harry looked at them, shrugging his shoulders.

"They fell in love," he told them, as they followed the path the other two had just gone in.

"Oh," Seamus said. "That would explain it. You never really know a person, until you start dating them."

"Boy, that's for sure," Harry said, shaking his head as they passed the two who were now hiding in the shadows behind a large suit of armor kissing. You just really never knew.