Chapter 3: Muggle Studies
The earth between Neville's fingers was cool and damp. As he piled it around its roots, the Flitterbloom reached its tendrils lazily in the air enjoying the sharp breeze that flowed from the high open window, a refreshing contrast to the warm moist atmosphere of greenhouse three. Humming softly to himself Neville heaped another double handful of earth into the pot.
Hearing footsteps, he smiled, "The Abyssinian Shrivelfigs are potted, Professor," he called, without turning. "and greenhouse one is ready for the first years in the morning."
"Neville!"
He jumped, scattering earth over his shoes. "Ginny," he said, turning, "What are you doing here?"
"You've got to come. Quickly!" she replied, grabbing his arm.
"Ow!" Neville protested, freeing his sleeve from her grip. "What is it?"
"Not here," Ginny said. "I …"
"Neville, did I hear you say the … why Miss Weasley," Professor Sprout said in surprise, as she stuffed a pair of large dirt-caked gloves into the pocket of her grubby robes. "As you're here would you help Neville carry those pots to the storeroom?"
"Yes, Professor," Ginny said, glaring at Neville.
"What have I done?" he asked, thinking her annoyance more than a little unfair. Shrugging off the incident he turned to business, "Professor Sprout, I'm a bit worried about the rash on the Mandrakes, their bottoms are beginning to get really scaly."
"I'll take a look," Sprout replied, looking sharply at Ginny, "Make yourself useful, girl," she said, "You know where the store room is!"
A sullen Ginny Weasley began to stack empty pots as Professor Sprout and Neville fell into deep conversation.
"Careful!" Sprout scolded as she banged them together.
"Sorry," Ginny replied ungraciously as she disappeared with the first pile of pots. As she returned Neville had the feeling that he would regret it later.
"I'm done here, professor," Ginny said eventually.
"Why thank you," Professor Sprout said, "Ten points for Gryffindor, I think! Why don't you run along, dear. I'm afraid Neville and I need to prepare a salve."
Neville opened his palms in a helpless gesture, silently relieved at he excuse.
"I'll see you before dinner, Neville," Ginny said, "Luna wanted to speak to you about something too."
"Luna?" Neville glanced at Professor Sprout. "Tell her I'll be there."
"We'll meet you by the front door," Ginny said.
"About time," Ginny said as Neville arrived.
Luna stood near the front door apparently trying to out-stare a suit of armour, she smiled as he joined them. "The doors won't close until eight," she told them, "That's what the notice said, but we'll have to miss dinner."
"Are you going to tell me what all this is about?" Neville asked thinking longingly of roast potatoes and still irked with Ginny's unreasonable demand that he drop everything and sneak off for a secret meeting.
"Not here," Ginny said, "We might be overheard. This way."
As he and Luna followed Ginny through the door and down the steps Neville wondered if perhaps she had been spending so much time with Luna that a little bit of paranoia had rubbed off on her, only four days into term.
They were halfway to Hagrid's hut before Ginny stopped near a twisted clump of brambles. From here there was a clear view of the whole hillside. No-one could sneak up and for anyone to overhear them they would have to be concealed within the bushes. Looking at the wicked thorns peeping out from between the small green leaves Neville thought that unlikely.
As Ginny surveyed the area, Neville watched as the wind whipped Luna's hair around her face. Even wrapped in her heavy coat he thought she looked cold and he was thankful that Ginny seemed satisfied with their location, waving them closer to a huddle.
"We had our first Muggle Studies lesson today," Ginny said. She pulled a folded pamphlet from her pocket and thrust it toward Neville. "Alecto Carrow, the razor voiced crone."
Slowly he unfolded the paper. "I have my first class tomorrow," Neville said, "But if her brother is anything to go by, I can imagine how much fun her classes are. I had Dark Arts yesterday."
"I don't think you can imagine, Neville," Luna said, taking the pamphlet from his hands, "you don't have it in you to think that way." She held it far away from her between her fingertips as if it were a smelly sock or a used and snotty handkerchief.
MAGIC AND MUDBLOODS: THE MYTH, the front page said. Below the pea green letters loomed a grotesque and scowling man; over his Muggle clothes were stretched ill-fitting blue wizarding robes and in his hand a wand was grasped. At his feet lay a slender witch, prone and naked clutching tightly to a pointed blue hat as the man tried to wrench it from her grip.
"The evil Mudblood stealing his magic from the helpless Pure Blood," Ginny spat. She drew her wand and the pamphlet burst into flame.
As they all jumped back Luna let go and together the three watched in silence as the burning parchment floated slowly to the ground between them, smouldering to dust on the hillside.
"We have to write twenty inches on how to recognise a Mudblood. We're not allowed to use the term Muggleborn now! Its Mudblood, or detention."
"When is it?" Neville asked.
"Tomorrow night," Luna said, "Two hours with Professor Carrow."
Neville looked at Ginny, "You too?"
"No, I kept quiet," she replied as if embarrassed, that she had not spoken up in class.
Doing what?" he pressed.
"She didn't say." Luna replied shaking her head; they could all remember Umbridge's idea of appropriate punishment and could only wonder at what an actual Death Eater would stoop to.
The next evening after dinner Ginny and Neville sat in the common room feeding scraps of parchment into the crackling fire.
"…they jumped over the fence just in time," Ginny related, "You should've seen Scrimgeour's face – the Minister for Magic gate crashing Harry's birthday party."
Neville laughed,
"He didn't seem too impressed with us – suspicious old cat. He left dad standing there and took Harry Ron and Hermione into the Burrow. Harry told me later that he read from Dumbledore's will - I wish I'd been a House Elf in the corner, he was looking really angry when they came out."
"What did Dumbledore leave them?"
"A deluminator for Ron, an old copy of the Tales of Beedle the Bard for Hermione and Gryffindor's sword for Harry – oh, and Harry's first snitch. I don't think Scrimgeour wanted them to have any of it, but the only thing he could stop them from keeping was the sword."
"Beedle! Do you remember the story of Emmeline Edward's Enchanted Espadrilles? Gran read it to me when one night when I was six – I wouldn't wear shoes for a week."
Ginny shook her head and laughed, "It must be very hard being you, Neville," she said, then her smile faded, "The funny thing is, the next day the Minister was dead and everything changed. Luna knows what it was like, she was there with her dad; nobody stuck around for very long, Harry and the others vanished immediately, they had it all planned."
"I'm sorry, Ginny," he said watching the dancing flames, "They'll be alright."
Ginny sighed. "I have to get to Slughorn's," she said matter of factly, "First meeting of the Slug Club this year," with a wink, she added, "I also thought it would be a good way to find out what's going on elsewhere!"
Neville leaned back in the winged armchair stretching his legs out before him he was just drifting off to sleep when Seamus plonked into the chair opposite.
"Listen to that," he said Demelza Robins was berating a first year for some minor or imagined misdemeanour, "even Granger at her most officious wasn't as shrill as she is. Which bright spark made that cow a prefect?"
Neville sat forward peering round the wing of his chair as the first year gave a great wail and ran from the common room. He turned to Seamus and spoke quietly, "I think McGonagall was careful not to pick anyone who was too involved with Dumbledore's Army, just in case Snape got any ideas."
"Summerby, one of the Hufflepuff Prefects told me that they have to attend meetings twice a week with the Head Boy and Girl. And another thing, what's that all about? Two more Slytherin Prefects!"
"Tipping the balance of power," Neville suggested, "All Houses are not equal."
"You may be right," Seamus yawned. "I'm going to the library before lock-in," he said, "You coming?"
"Why not," Neville decided, Robins upsetting the girl had shattered his peace and he thought that he would just have time to see how Luna had fared in Carrow's detention and get back to the Gryffindor tower before curfew fell.
When they reached the fourth floor, Neville made his excuses and as Seamus continued to the library he hurried down the stairs to the first floor.
"What ho!" a cheery voice called. Neville stopped and looked round.
"Sir Cadogan," he said, seeing the little knight peering from a nearby landscape, "you're not going to challenge me to a duel again are you?" as Cadogan's visor fell shut.
"No, no," the knight replied pushing back his visor. "will you join me in my quest?"
"Not meaning to be rude," Neville began, "But I don't have much time. Later, Sir Cadogan. Sorry." He strode quickly away trying to ignore the outraged protests that followed him down the hallway; "She needs our help! It is your duty!"
Neville slowed his pace as he approached the Muggle Studies classroom, suddenly nervous. Had he time to see Luna after her detention? Would he be caught by Carrow? Taking a deep breath he covered that last few feet to the half glazed classroom door.
Cautiously, he peered through the diamond panes; Professor Carrow was not there. All the desks were pushed back from the walls, the chairs stacked haphazardly on top, and in the middle of the room, tears streaming down her cheeks, Luna was dancing.
Disclaimer:
This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Authors Notes:
Muggle Studies began life as part of Chapter 2, it seemed more appropriate to shift these events into a Chapter of their own and move the original happenings from Chapter 3 elsewhere.
Hope you're all still enjoying.
