Hannah
She really did love being a NEWT student, Hannah mused as she stood in Herbology, a little over a month into the first term. She was taking subjects she liked and was actually good at, her OWL's were behind her and she was now being treated a lot more like an adult. Of course the threat from Voldemort did rather put a damper on things but she was safe here in the castle.
At this moment she was standing in the Greenhouse whilst Professor Sprout talked about snargaluffs, she breathed in the smell of fertiliser and the heavy perfume of the flowers that hung from the ceiling, she had always loved those smells.
"Now who can tell me how a snargaluff fits all of its vines on the inside of the stump?" Asked Professor Sprout to the class.
Hannah tried to recall the sentence from 'Flesh-Eating Trees of the World' but she never would have got it in time. Beside her, her Herbology partner Neville already had his hand in the air, as did Hermione Granger on the other side of the long table.
"Yes Neville," Said Professor Sprout, pointing to Neville with her shears.
"The vines, which have a total surface area over ten times that of the actual stump press themselves into tight coils, which further coil around each other, a lot like strands of human DNA. The coils mean a large amount of vines to fit inside and also act like a spring so the vines can shoot out faster when the stump feels attacked," Neville said, blushing slightly.
"Couldn't have put it better myself, ten points to Gryffindor," said a beaming Professor Sprout.
Neville looked down at the bench, blushing furiously as he always did when awarded any points in Herbology.
"Well done Nev," Hannah whispered.
"Thanks," He muttered, glancing at her and giving her a quick smile
"Now when …. Oh Professor McGonagall how may I help,"
Hannah's head shot up to see Professor McGonagall standing in the doorway of the greenhouse, she looked extremely pale and thin lipped and she was twisting the front of her robes nervously. This was never a good sign.
"Pomona can I have a word," She said in a slightly strangled voice.
Professor Sprout looked at McGonagall for a moment before putting down her shears and following her outside.
"Please wait patiently everyone," She said quietly.
An outbreak of muttering ensued when she had left. Hannah immediately turned to Neville who was watching the door the two Professors had just left through.
"What do you thinks' happened?" Hannah said quietly.
"I dunno but if Professor McGonagall looks that worried it can't be good," Neville said slowly, turning to face her.
"Was there anything in the prophet this morning?" Hannah asked.
Neville shook his head "Just more warnings on protecting families,"
Hannah felt her breathing quicken and her hands shook slightly where she held them at her sides.
"Hannah I'm sure it's all fine, one of the younger Hufflepuff's might have just…I dunno…..transfigured themselves into a pair of slippers or something," Neville said, although Hannah could tell he didn't really believe it. He was just saying it to try to make her feel better. Hannah appreciated it a cracked a weak smile.
Out of the glass she could now see the two Professors walking back to the greenhouse. Professor Sprout now looked extremely pale and kept gulping, as if trying not to cry. She felt Neville go completely still beside her. The whole class seemed to be holding its breathe as the door to the greenhouse slid open.
"Hannah, could you come with me please," Said professor Sprout in a strangled voice.
Hannah felt rather than saw every single eye in the room upon her. She tried to breathe but it felt like her chest had tight, rubber bands across it. Her feet felt glued to the floor and all she could do was stare into her beloved professors pale face. Then she felt a hand slip into hers and squeeze once before letting go. Then movement snapped her out of her trance and she glanced quickly at a red faced Neville, he nodded slightly and finally she stepped around the table and out of the greenhouse.
Neville
He watched her as she stepped out of the greenhouse with shaking hands and followed Professor Sprout out of sight.
"Class," Said professor McGonagall in a quaking voice, "I have some terrible news,"
Neville closed his eyes for a second, quite sure that he didn't want to hear this. All he could think about was Hannah's terrified face as she left the classroom.
"Hannah's mother, Sophie Abbott was found dead in the early hours of this morning, it is suspected Death Eaters were behind it,"
Neville could hear the gasps and moans around him but couldn't place them, they simply turned into a dull roaring in his ears as his throat filled with bile. Death Eaters, again. How could they rip so many lives apart, and rip the life of someone as innocent as Hannah and her family away. He clutched at the table in front of him but his brain felt like it was clogging and all he could imagine was Bellatrix Lestrange and that terrible laugh of hers that he had heard only a few months before. He could hear that laugh in his ears and imagine it flying from her mouth as she turned her wand on poor Mrs Abbot. The walls of the greenhouse felt as though they were closing in and Neville new he was going to be sick, there was no air and he could barely breathe.
"Professor …. Can I …" He gasped.
"Yes Longbottom, go and get some air," McGonagall said, opening the door for him.
He quickly crossed the room and barrelled out the door, drinking in the cold air as he strode away from the greenhouse, trying not to gag. He took deep, steadying breathes until the ground stopped spinning and his vision cleared slightly. But when he could finally see the grass ahead of him, he really wished he hadn't.
Hannah
She followed Professor Sprout until they stopped near to a tree that was out of sight of the greenhouses and the castle. He hands shook and she fiddled with the sleeve of her robes to try to stop it. She was also trying to stop her brain jumping to the worst conclusions possible.
"Hannah," Said Professor Sprout softly turning to face her. "I'm so sorry to have to tell you this," She took a deep breathe to steady herself and Hannah froze, knowing instinctively that whatever she was going to say was going to terrible.
"Your mother was found ….. dead early this morning. We think it was the work of Death Eaters,"
Hannah barely heard the rest of Professor Sprout's sentence after 'dead'. Her mind had jammed as she tried to process the information. Her mother, she couldn't be dead, it was impossible.
"No," She managed to choke out, staring at Professor Sprout.
"I'm so sorry Hannah,"
Hannah's head swam and she couldn't quite grasp what was happening to her, her mum, it was impossible. But before she could try to make sense of anything her body stiffened and Hannah knew what was coming. A seizure. The last thing she managed to cry out was 'Mummy!' before she was overcome by confusion.
Neville
Hannah's body was writhing on the ground, jerking and twisting in a horrid manner. Her long blonde hair was flying in every direction and spittle was forming in the corners of her mouth. Professor Sprout knelt next to her, her back to him, keeping her on her side as she muttered.
"It's alright Hannah, it's okay I'm here, shh shh,"
Neville couldn't understand what was happening, what was wrong with her.
"Hannah?" he croaked.
Professor Sprout turned at his voice and stared at him, her eyes filled with worry.
"Neville, you should really leave," She said quietly.
"But Professor what's…" But Neville didn't finish his sentence because Hannah had stopped moving.
Professor Sprout turned back to Hannah and began to mutter soothingly to her.
"Neville go please," She said commandingly not turning around.
And Neville, like the coward he always felt he was, turned and walked hurriedly away, but as he looked back over his shoulder, it was to see Hannah's bright blue eyes staring at him. Neville was shocked because instead of being filled with happiness and laughter as they normally were they looked dead and still. But Neville didn't go back, he carried on walking away, feeling Hannah's eyes boring into his retreating from.
