Herbology Yesterday

Written for astronauts's The Legitimately Challenging Challenge on the HPFC Forum.
Pairing: Teddy/Neville
Format: One-shot
Genre: Family
Prompt: Insidious
Wordcount: 1,236

Neville tossed his gloves aside. They landed beside that curious-looking plant which had been growing in the same flowerpot as the largest venomous tentacula for the past few weeks. Its flowers danced lazily despite the lack of a breeze and if Neville hadn't known any better, he would have sworn they were plotting something. The plant looked like a cousin of the fuchsia, however, and the fuchsia is universally known to be so docile that blind-folded gnomes could domesticate it, so that was unlikely.

"Read chapter four of your books for next lesson, please," Neville told the frantically-packing-away students in front of him. "And don't think you can get away with not doing it because I'll be asking you questions." He chuckled as the frustrated sighs reached his ears. "Right, have a good evening."

Neville watched the trowels arrange themselves neatly in the drawer.

"Professor?"

When he turned, he was surprised to see Teddy Lupin standing alone in the greenhouse. Somewhat lacking in his father's passion for knowledge, Teddy was certainly not who Neville would have expected to stay after class when the weekend stretched before him.

"Teddy! What can I do for you?" he asked pleasantly, pulling up a couple of stools.

Teddy took one and exhaled deeply, in exactly the same way he had before repotting the Mongolian Cactus earlier.

"You're my head of house, professor, so I thought I could talk to you."

"'Swhat I'm here for." Neville also sat down.

"I don't have parents, sir."

Whatever Neville had been expecting, it wasn't that. He looked up, into those alluring, dark-brown orbs and saw only sincerity. He then looked down: getting lost in his student's eyes would not have been the best way to start a heart to heart.

"And sometimes I just- just- I mean, I'm graduating soon and- urgh, sorry, sir, but-"

"It's alright, Teddy. It's alright." Neville smoothed his trousers. "I know what you mean." He paused, pretty sure Teddy was thinking sceptical thoughts. "I know what you mean because I grew up without parents too."

It was Teddy's turn to do a double take. His mouth fluttered closed as Neville continued.

"My parents were tortured to insanity by the same woman that killed your mother."

"Wow. Sorry, sir, I, er, never knew."

Teddy ruefully ran a hand through his hair, spiky like his mother's, and Neville was seized by an urge to do the same, but then he remembered he had a wife and it was probably illegal to touch a student anyway.

"Don't worry."

There was a stony silence during which hatred seemed to seep from ears and grief seemed to muffle all coherent thoughts. Recovering quickest, Neville spoke.

"Do you know why your parents died, Teddy?"

"They were murdered, weren't they," Teddy grunted bitterly.

"They died because they were fighting to overcome darkness. They died because they wanted a better world. One that was safe for their son to grow up in.

"I knew your father, Teddy. He was a good man, and he was always looking out for other people. And from what I've heard, your mum was more energetic than a pixie attached to a firework. They loved you, Teddy, and I swear on my life that they're watching over you right this minute, checking that you're ok."

Neville took a deep breath and noticed just how well toned Teddy's forearms were.

"But I'm equally sure that they wouldn't want you to worry about them. They're having a great time, wherever they are, and it'd be an insult to their memory to spend your time moping.

"I know what it's like growing up with only your grandmother. But she loves you just as much as they do. It's important to remember that. And you've got Harry. And you've got all your friends. You couldn't be more loved."

Teddy looked up, his eyes glazed and, unhelpfully, fathomless. He sniffed.

"But I want to share something with them. Something other than the first time my hair changed colour."

Neville knew the feeling.

But he had told his parents things, despite the fact that they probably couldn't understand a word of it. He had told his parents lots of things. He had told them every single word the Sorting Hat had said to him before it made its choice. He had told them how no one had liked him and how the Slytherins had picked on him. He had told them how he'd let Sirius Black into the common room. He had told them all about Dumbledore's Army, every single session, and he had told them about breaking into the ministry with his friends. And then he had told them how he had pulled the sword from the hat and how they had defeated Lord Voldemort. He'd told them all about Hannah and he'd cried a bit when they weren't allowed to come to his wedding. And he'd kept all 412 Drooble's Best Blowing Gum wrappers in the drawer beside his bed even though every time he saw them the wound was ripped open further. But Teddy didn't even have that.

"You've shared everything with them, Teddy. They didn't really die in the battle."

Teddy's eyebrows knitted together.

"They didn't?"

Neville smiled.

"They didn't. I see them every time you walk through the greenhouse door. They're here."

Neville took Teddy's hand and placed it on his chest.

"And I don't care if that sounds corny because, by Merlin, it's true. Your parents are never going to leave you Teddy. You've been a credit to their memory. And they're proud of you."

"You think so, professor?"

"Like hell I do."

Teddy sniffed again.

"Thanks."

"Any time."

And they both sat there for a little longer while Teddy felt a warmth spread through him and Neville thought about how sweet and sensitive it had been of Teddy to talk about this to him and how his hand was still on his heart, which was really rather touching. But to the devil with touching - Teddy's muscles, visible through his shirt, were the perfect explanation of how he had managed to hook a girlfriend who was part-veela.

Neville thought about how much the colour of Teddy's hair resembled strawberries. Neville liked strawberries. They were sugary and juicy and you got a certain satisfaction from eating them straight off the stalk. Neville wondered whether Teddy tasted of strawberries.

Neville thought about just how much he wanted to lean over and find out.

xxx

Insidius Ignavus
Colloquially known as 'The Plotting Leech', Insidius Ignavus is a harmless looking plant with pink flowers and few leaves at its base. It can be grown only by using other plants' energy: its roots entwine with another plant and it absorbs from a sixth to a half of its targets nutrients. Prolonged exposure to the invisible vapours the flowers produce allows the plant to gain insidious control over one's thoughts and this has often led to wizards making rash decisions. Upon discovering an Insidius Ignavus, one must chop off the flowers and when, after three days, the plant has wilted, pull it from its dwelling. The roots of Insidius Ignavus can notably be used to make various varieties of skin-care lotion.

Neville shut The Encyclopaedia of Flowered Weeds with a sigh. As soon as he had finished his toast he was going to chop that plant to pieces so it didn't encourage him to kiss another student.

A/N: Yeah, so I typed 'plot' into English/Latin Google translate and it turns out it was 'insidiae', so that worked nicely with the prompt. 'Ignavus' is not really relevant, it means coward, but I thought it sounded good so.