QLFC S7R1
Beater 2 Pride of Portree
Additional Prompts: (word) insufferable and (word) consequences
Feeling Tentacular
Okay, you can do this. Just act as though you are doing nothing wrong, and no one will notice," Ginny took a deep sigh and closed her eyes for a brief moment, "It's just a few leaves. They won't be missed," she whispered to herself.
The inner dialogue within her was like a tug of war. It pulled her in various directions but she knew what she had to do.
"Now remember," she thought to herself, "you have to cut the leaves just right at an angle to not damage the plant and to make it appear as if the leaves just naturally fell off."
She gripped the pruning shears tightly inside her robe pocket.
"Neville made this look so easy when he cut the leaves on the Tentacular last week."
It was just yesterday that Ginny Weasley was at the Three Broomsticks when she overheard the newly appointed Potions professor at Hogwarts, Horace Slughorn, talking about something important. He was, yet again, making his weekly appearance at the Three Broomsticks for a pint or three. He was practically slipping off his stool while speaking to the bartender rather loudly.
"I have to say, my good man, I am rather looking forward to the new term at Hogwarts. I hope-" he stops to hiccup before continuing, "to run across some fine potion ingredients while I'm there; especially those of certain intrinsic value," he said as he leaned on the counter with a very odd wink.
"For instance, those plants Sprout has growing in the greenhouses now, ten galleons a leaf for those Tentacular bushes. I would love to get my hands on those."
"Good to know," Ginny said to herself with a smile as she sipped her Butterbeer, "Just the thing I need to get in with Slughorn and get into the infamous Slug Club."
The memory of the previous day at the Three Broomsticks came to an end once she approached the greenhouse. She quickly looked around as she slid in through the greenhouse door. It was empty and the only sound was that of the vines of the Tentacular stirring. She took a fast inventory of the plants.
"If it seems to already be doing poorly then a few leaves definitely won't be noticed,"
She pulled the trimming shears from her pocket and reached for the swaying vine closest to her. Her hand was shaking slightly as she gently held the leaf at the end of the vine. She closed her eyes for a brief moment before releasing the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding and then gingerly cut at an angle. Two more times she did this on two separate vines. She softly placed the leaves in a small piece of parchment while folding it inside of a small velvet pouch.
The sun had just started to set. A beautiful crimson and canary yellow graced the sky. At a fast pace, practically sprinting, Ginny made her way down to the Potions classroom. She approached the aging wooden door and tapped lightly three times.
"Office hours are from four to six, it is currently 3:42 in the afternoon," said an irritated male voice from the other side of the door.
"Professor, I am sorry to disturb you but I have something that I think might interest you."
A devious smile played on her lips for just a moment and then disappeared completely when the lock on the door clicked open.
Ginny felt accomplishment and loved the thrill of adrenaline when she was first in the greenhouse for Tentacular leaves. So, she decided to take another risk and try her luck again.
She approached the greenhouse and for a moment she hesitated, Ginny whispered to herself, "Twice this week I have stared at this greenhouse door. Just get in and get out."
Creeping into the greenhouse that was unoccupied, she quickly walked to the end of the first table before her.
"Get in and get out," she encouraged as she took out the pruning shears and grasped the vine of the closest Tentacular bush to her.
"Ginny?" A voice echoed from behind her.
She turned so quickly that the vine ripped completely off in her hand. She paused to mentally curse but then she realized who had caught her.
"Neville! What are you-" Ginny started in a surprised tone.
"What am I doing here? I could ask you the same!" Neville finished in a hurt voice as he took notice to the vine in her hand.
Neville looked at her as if she was a vile creature standing before him. Mixed emotions of mental pain and betrayal flickering across his face.
"Why?" was the only word that Neville could muster out.
"I, uh...I mean... it's not what it looks like, Neville." she said desperately.
"So, you mean to tell me that you just happened to be in the greenhouse alone with a broken vine of Tentacular in your hand? That's the same plant that Professor Slughorn was just bragging about two days ago in potions class. Quite a coincidence there. I think it is exactly what it looks like," Neville said with irritation.
You could cut through the silent tension with a knife.
"You still haven't answered my question" he said as he crossed his arms in front of his chest, "why? Why are you stealing and lying about it? I can't believe you would just lie to me like that. I thought we were friends!" Neville shouted with hurt in his voice.
"Neville, we are friends. You're my best mate. I just," Ginny pauses to word everything carefully, "you don't know what it's like. You don't know what it's like to grow up with six older brothers and forever being in their shadow. It's insufferable. I want to make my parents proud and the feeling of letting them down would be unbearable."
"That still doesn't explain why you felt the need to steal the Tentacular leaves," Neville noted, "and why would you give them to Slughorn?"
"I wanted to get ahead in any way I could. I thought that offering some kind bribe might put me in his favor. Then I could be part of the Slug Club. This was something that none of my brothers ever achieved."
"Ginny," Neville said with a deep sigh, "you don't have to prove anything to anyone but yourself."
Ginny lowered her head. She could hear the disappointment in his voice.
"How long has this been going on?" Neville asked.
"Since my first year at Hogwarts when the…" she grew silent.
"Since Tom Riddle's diary?" Neville wondered out loud but just barely whispering.
Ginny nodded.
Ever since the diary, I been feeling different. I've felt overly competitive, willing to do whatever it takes in order to get ahead. Being the best gave me a sense of superiority, and I liked It." she said as she placed the shears back into her robes.
"I wish you would have come to me about these feelings sooner," Neville groaned trying to get her to look him in the eyes.
She avoided the eye contact. "I didn't feel like I was doing anything wrong. No one was getting hurt."
"Ginny, do you hear yourself?" said Neville taken aback. "What you're saying doesn't sound like you."
"Well, maybe this is the new me.?" she said to him, finally making eye contact.
Ginny had venom dripping from her words as she stared at Neville. The anger was building from within and lighting a fire inside.
"What was so wrong with the 'old' you? You can still be successful and achieve great things, just not like this. Maybe you should talk to someone like Professor McGonagall or your mum?" Neville said pleadingly.
"No!" Ginny spat out with venom seeping through her voice.
She reaches her hand into her robes and pulled out her wand.
"I'm sorry, Neville. This is for your own good." She points her wand to Neville,
"Obivilate!"
A glazed look overcame Neville's eyes as Ginny swiftly headed for the exit.
"He was wrong. There is nothing wrong with me, I'm just doing what he is too afraid to do," She whispered to herself as she headed back into the castle
She knew what she was doing and that spot in the club was hers. She didn't care about the consequences. Nothing was going to stop her. Not even Neville Longbottom.