Opposites

After the night where Neville accepted his teaching position, he was forced to take the dreaded teacher training course. This consisted of what to do with rule breakers and curfew limits. It included some first-aid, but it was only a few simple spells, since Madam Pomfrey was there for emergencies.

-------

'I can't believe I am doing this,' thought Neville on just the second day of training. He was watching a film on the dangers of Herbology. The film was filled with true, but obvious facts. Some of these facts included: "If a student swallows a poisonous plant, they will be poisoned," and "Students who don't wear the correct safety gear may be hurt. If this happens, send for the nurse."

Neville inwardly groaned by the third safety film of the day. This one was about spells to use when accidents happened. Usually, they were simple, like the repairing charm, which Hermione Granger had already mastered on her first day at Hogwarts. The video often included how to revive an unconscious person. When this came up Neville couldn't help but feel a slight blush creep up his cheeks.

--------

With the first week of training gone by, Neville was more than ready for something exciting to happen, but not if that excitement meant something bad. Awful things had happened to Neville in the past several years. He had fought Death Eaters and those very Death Eaters had taken some of his friends. They'd taken Fred Weasley, who had had so much life still left in him. They'd taken Lupin and Tonks, making them leave behind their infant son Teddy.

Neville hadn't been used to death. Sure, his parents had never been there for him, but they weren't dead. They were still lying on their hospital beds at St. Mungo's. They were still there, not that they would be any comfort.

At that moment, Neville's grandmother slipped into his mind. It seemed to him she should still be here, but she wasn't. She had died several months ago. Neville still had not coped with her death. It seemed to him that she should come back anytime now, most likely scolding him for forgetting something. He laughed remembering the ridiculous vulture hat she would always wear.

------

Seventeen days into training, Neville was going mad. He tried to lightheartedly joke to Hermione about the bores of the "education" they were receiving, but much to Neville's surprise, Hermione said she found the training absolutely invigorating. "You don't like it Neville?" she inquired with absolute surprise in her voice. "I think it is genuinely wonderful, I'm learning to teach kids to the best of my ability. This training could mean the difference between someone getting an O or an E. I will try my hardest to get these students to know what they need to know."

"Oh, okay," replied Neville. Even with his raised confidence level, he wasn't one to argue with Hermione. He knew he would never win an argument against her, or anyone else for that matter.

-------

Slowly, but surely day twenty-one arrived. Neville awoke with a start knowing this bit of information. He couldn't resist but to do a small happy dance on his way to shower.

The day ran smoothly, Neville could almost make it through the day without being bored out of his mind. He watched the videos and inwardly laughed. He couldn't help but be giddy; surely teaching would be better than this.

That night they were to be presented with their teaching certificates, but first they had to take a test on all the information they learned. The test was fairly easy to Neville, who had never been fond of tests, and he emerged with an above average grade. Hermione, on the other hand, got all the questions correct. Not that Neville was surprised though. Had she ever got a question wrong? He seriously doubted it.

In the Great Hall all the employees had gathered to have a feast in honor of their newest Professors and to say goodbye to Pomona Sprout. Neville had to admit he was going to miss the old witch. She was short and unattractive, but she had been extremely nice to him during his stay at Hogwarts.

However, there was one surprise waiting in the Great Hall. And that surprise happened to be Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Neville was pleased to see them. Now that the two were Aurors he didn't really keep in touch with them anymore. Neville was greeted with a smile and a handshake by both Ron and Harry. Hermione, however, was greeted with a friendly hug from Harry and a full-out snog from Ron.

"Errhrrm," coughed Minerva McGonagall.

Ron and Hermione quickly separated, both of them blushing furiously. Ron cleared his throat while Hermione rearranged her robes. The four of them sat down at the table and began to feast. Harry, Ron, and Hermione reminisced about old times while Neville, talked to Pomona. He had only been with the trio in rough times really. And who wants to talk about bad things when change was occurring?