Disclaimer: I own nothing! (I have too many dentist bills and college fees.)
Okay, let me explain how I write. I have had a couple of complaints that "I should finish the first story before I even think about a sequel." Well, I write sort of how the Star Wars saga went. Each story will leave off with questions which will be answered in the next piece of the story (ie: the sequel). I'm sorry if this is not how you are used to or it is a form you do not like, but that is just how I write.
I hope that everyone will stick with me through till it's reached it's end. Please, read and review!
Neville watched the comings and goings of the Slytherins. When he'd gone to Harry about getting resorted he'd thought he'd be able to find a nice anonymous place in Hufflepuff... But here he was sitting right at home with those who use to be his biggest enemies.
Just then he heard a rather vivid curse in what he thought was Italian. Looking over he saw Blaise glaring at a small pot in his hand. Neville rose and went over. Blaise had been the first to approach him with an open hand. "Is there something wrong, Blaise?"
The dark haired man turned and held out the pot with a small rather limp looking plant in it. "It's something I'm doing for extra credit for Herbology... I'm kind of failing at the moment."
Neville gave him an odd look before taking the plant in hand. "Oh... you poor thing... What's happened?" Neville moved back over into the light to study the potted plant. A few minutes later Neville was nodding to himself. Looking to Blaise he gave him a smile. "You've given him too much water. He doesn't need nearly the amount you've been giving him. He only needs a small bit every other day."
"Thank you..." Blaise looked at the plant with a sigh of relief as he was about to walk away Neville caught his arm. Turning the dark Italian raised an eyebrow.
"Are you truly failing?" Neville nibbled on his lip as he reached out and half petted the plant.
Blaise gave him a droll look. "Would I say so if I were passing?"
"I just don't know how someone could be failing Herbology... All you need to do is grow things and remember what they are." Neville said as he smiled a little. "It's the only class that I'm any good at."
"I don't suppose you'd mind helping me with my herbology? I truly don't want to fail." Blaise watched as his little plant began to look better with the more attention Neville showed it.
Neville nibbled on his lip some more before nodding. "Okay... I don't mind... maybe you wouldn't mind if I set up a few sets garden trays in our room... That reminds me, thank you for allowing me to share your room. I know you didn't have to."
"A garden... in the dungeon? How is that going to work?" Blaise followed Neville as he lead the way to the room that had been enlarged for them. Severus had taken Blaise aside after Neville had come to Slytherin to explain why he'd roomed them together. Their head of house had told him that he wanted Blaise to watch over Neville because he was likely to be picked on by the Gryffindors and possibly some of the other Slytherins.
"It's pretty simple." Neville said as he went to a corner and pulling out his wand he looked around before pointing at a wall. Murmuring a fast incantation Neville pointing at the wall and suddenly there was a large window there. It looked out on the lake and showed the sunset that was just then occurring. It had a large seal, big enough for a few different kinds of flower trays.
"Now what kind of charm was that?" Blaise opened the window and leaned out. It seemed like a real window even though he knew that they were many floors underground.
"Oh... I needed extra light in the tower because Ron and the others always kept the windows covered. So I had to take a spare closet and make it into garden room. Hermione found it and showed it to me." Neville paled a little and looked like he was going to cry.
"What's wrong?" Blaise put a hand on his shoulder.
"When it got around that I had come down here to talk to Harry, some of the guys from Gryffindor destroyed it." Neville sniffled a little and wiped at his nose before setting Blaise's plant in window, near the outer edge.
Blaise smiled and patted his back. "I'm sure you'll be able to grow a lot of things here. I promise I won't mess with them... Because I need you to help me pass herbology."
The small smile he got for his words made Blaise feel warm. "I've got to go take care of something... I'm sure you have some plants you want to get put into our window. I should be back in a hour or so." With that Blaise walked out, needing to talk to Severus.
Severus was glaring steadily at the paper in his hand. It was a fifth year's potion's essay. It was about as intelligent as the pond slime he used in cough medicine. His runespoor, Ardeth, hissed into his ear, angry with him. All three heads were glaring at the paper with him as if they could read.
Just as he was about to complain to Harry, who was doing his homework near by a knock on the door leading from the Slytherin dorm had them looking at it.
"Yes?" Severus called through the door. He hated being interrupted, even if he was doing something he didn't like, such as grading.
"I need to speak with you, sir." Blaise said as he opened the door and smiled at Harry before stepping in.
"Has something happened to Neville?" Severus looked put out. He'd known that it would be bad having Longbottom in Slytherin.
"No, sir. I was just wondering if you would mind adding another room onto the library." Blaise gave Severus his best smile.
"For what? Is Longbottom getting on your nerves?" Severus rubbed between his eyes wondering if it was too much to ask for one quiet night. Apparently it was almost impossible to have a quiet evening with Harry anywhere near him.
"No... he had a small room he used for plants up in the tower... I just thought that it would help him to adjust if he had one down here as well." Blaise said as moved over and waited.
"A greenhouse in the dungeon... what is this world coming to." Though Severus sighed with the aggravation but then stood any way to go add on that room.
Blaise stayed behind them as Severus and Harry spelled an extra room attached to the library. It was about the same size as the library, but it was about twice the height. "Harry... did you imagine it this height?" Severus demanded as he glared at the room he hadn't imagined when he began the spells to change the shape of the castle.
Harry looked around and shook his head. "When you were telling me how to change the rooms you never told me to think of a specific set of dimension... Maybe Hogwarts picked the kind of room... You know something like the Room of Requirement." Blaise was looking around before nodding in agreement.
With a grumble under his breath, Severus cast a spell on the ceiling to where it was like the one in the Great Hall. "That should help Longbottom. It will also be good for those of you who have Herbology projects."
Blaise thanked them before they left. He looked around a second time before going to get Neville.
Dear Uncle Anastasio,
How have you been? I haven't heard from you in such a long time I thought it best to write to you and make certain all is well. I don't know if you've heard, but Harry Potter was resorted into our own Slytherin. He was finally seeing the truth of his old house. He has really made a difference here. He has started tutoring almost all of the children in defense. He say that he doesn't want to see anymore children lost. Young Mister Potter has even drawn Draco and I into the tutoring. Draco has taken over with Charms and I am with my first love, Transfigurations. Also a short time ago another Gryffindor needed to seek refuge within the dungeons of Hogwarts. Perhaps you will remember the boy, Neville Longbottom. He remembered you by name as having visited him after his parents were harmed in the last war. I promised to write you about him and see if perhaps you would see about writing to him.
I also have a small favor to ask. I know you have many plants in your garden, I was hoping you would be able to send him a few small starts. He's an absolute wonder with all plants. Neville has also been kind enough to keep me from failing herbology completely. I believe a few of your starts would be an adequate thank you for his help.
Your Nephew,
Blaise
Anastasio Zabini looked at the letter from his brother's son. Smiling with a little shake of his head, Anastasio glanced around his garden. "Miffy!"
The house elf popped in and bowed. "Yes, sir."
"I want you to begin gathering starts from all of the non-aggressive plants. Also have one of the others begin packing for a short stay at Hogwarts." Anastasio told Miffy before he went to gather some of the plants he kept in the private garden that no one was allowed in except himself. With the boy from so long ago in mind, he went out and gathered what he thought would be a good start for a future herbologist.
Albus was shocked when he received a letter from Anastasio Zabini. The uncle of young Blaise had requested the right to stay for a short time within Hogwarts. Unable to come up with a reason to deny the request, Albus wrote back telling him that he was welcome and asking when to expect him.
After setting the letter on it's way, Albus relaxed back into his seat and wondered at the changes wrought in Harry since the beginning of the term. At first the headmaster had been afraid of the things he'd seen developing within Harry. There had been more than a passing resemblance to another young man many years ago. One, Tom Riddle. He wasn't paying attention in classes, even if he was passing them. He wasn't talking to anyone, or seeming to make friends within Slytherin. Albus had been about to take him out of Slytherin when he'd shown an improvement. Harry had gotten color back into his cheek and while he wasn't speaking to many outside of Slytherin he was obviously becoming a leader within the house.
Albus had been upset because he wasn't able to see what was happening inside of the dungeons anymore. It was as if Hogwarts itself was blocking him. So, he'd left it alone for the time being. He'd watched as all of Slytherin's grades had gone up, not only in DADA but Charms and Transfigurations as well. The whole house had drawn together and they were standing strong. It was one of the first times in his memory that Slytherin was the most stalwart house in the school. Albus only wished that the other houses were doing the same. He knew of the development of the anti-pureblood group within Gryffindor. Oddly enough it was Ron Weasley who'd formed it. Apparently he and his followers had forgotten Ron's own pureblood status. He wished he could stop them, but the only way for him to do that would be to expose them... and he couldn't do that. Right now, he needed as many people on the Light side as he could get. That which worried him was the conversation he'd found Harry having with the Sorting Hat. Albus had come into his office to find Harry holding the Hat and looking as if he'd just finished a conversation. Harry hadn't said anything to him before he set the Hat back onto it's shelf and left. What bothered the Headmaster the most was that Harry had gotten into the office without knowing the password.
Now all he had to do was figure out what to do about Harry.
