Bringing Hope to Hogwarts Chapter 21 - A Misunderstanding, a harry potter fanfic

BRINGING HOPE TO HOGWARTS

So there's quite an important convo here between two of my favourite boys in this chapter, keep your eyes on it!

Chapter Twenty One – A Misunderstanding

Meena, the other Slytherins and Neville were all in the Great Hall, waiting for the carriages to bring up the students from Hogsmede station after their Christmas holidays. They were enjoying a late breakfast, seeing as though it was a Sunday.

Meena was reading the latest issue of Brewing Bi-Monthly, opposite her Millie was reading the New Years' issue of Witch Weekly, Blaise and Draco were talking Quidditch, whilst Theo and Neville were sat close together, heads bent over a piece of parchment that was covered in hastily sketched diagrams and notes written in Neville's recognisable scrawl, their hands running all over the page as they murmured so quietly no-one could really hear what they were talking about.

When the Headmaster and Professors McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick and Snape rose to leave the Hall, Meena and her party did too – Millie couldn't wait to see Pansy and Daphne, whilst Neville was looking forward to the return of his dorm-mates, as he'd been the only sixth year Gryffindor to remain home this holiday.

The six friends scattered themselves around the entrance gate; Theo and Neville sat on the steps, Blaise hopped up into an empty window arch with Meena whilst Draco and Millie leant against the wall beside them.

A few minutes later, and the first carriages began to roll around the corner, gleaming black in the hazy sunlight. The friends watched the windows for a glimpse of the rest of their company, whilst Meena tilted her head to the side and studied the creatures that pulled them. She knew what Thestrals were, of course; their tail hair was her wand core, but she had never seen one before – she didn't even know that Thestrals could be tamed in such a manner.

She had just started to wonder as to who had managed such a feat, when around the side of the castle came Professor Hagrid, dragging huge hunks of meat.

The first carriage pulled up and a group of young children hopped out, whilst Professor Hagrid walked up to the Thestral and began to undo its harness, before throwing it a chunk of meat. Meena was amazed when she watched the giant skeletal horse wander off to the side of the lawns, chewing the meat and standing, waiting, stretching its wings and flicking its tail, before it greeted the next Thestral, who stood beside it and waited for Professor Hagrid.

"Back in a minute guys." Meena mumbled to her friends, before she slowly moved away towards the horses, their black coats shining in the sun, outlining every bone on the horses' bodies.

"Meena, what-?"

"Where is she going?"

Her friends watched her as she passed Professor Hagrid with a courteous wave and continued her way to the collected horses.

Meena had reached the group of five horses by now, and she could feel the eyes of her friends and the Professors, but she ignored them for the sight of the creatures before her. They were larger than an average horse, though not as big as Abraxan horses. Their faces were almost scaly around their dry noses, and large fangs dipped out from under their dark lips.

Their eyes, though a pure, milky white and pupil-less, gave a sense of being watched warily, and even tucked in a relaxed stance, their leathery, bat-like wings were so large the very tips grazed the ankle-deep snow.

She approached cautiously yet steadily, and a smaller Thestral at the edge of the group extended her wings in part warning and part discomfort, and it was a fabulous sight. The movement caused her coat to ripple over her protruding bones, and the skin of her wings was so thin the sun illuminated every dark vein that ran through them.

A large male at the front of the group stomped a hoof threateningly, and Meena paused her approach, making soft noises, and holding her hands out, palm up, and waited for the Thertrals to come to her.

The big male at the front was the first to approach her, and he sniffed her hand a few times before creating a low, comforting squawk, not dissimilar to that of a bird of prey, which resonated deep within his body, and the others soon followed suit, coming forward to sniff at her hands, hair and jacket.

The others soon became bored and moved off to preen and greet the remaining Thertrals, returning from pulling the carriages, but the big male stayed, allowing Meena to pet him fondly. She ran a hand down his neck, over his shoulders, having to reach up to run her hand along his bony spine to his strong flank. The hide felt like velvet, slippery and soft, whilst his wings were more of a mix of dry parchment and tough leather.

When Meena was done, the male suddenly dipped, folding his front legs under him, lowering himself to the ground. Even laid upon the grass, his massive head still reached Meena's shoulder. He spread his wings out flat upon the ground, and she marvelled at the size of them, spreading four meters to either side of him, stark black against the pristine white snow.

The stallion blew air through his nose, making a noise similar to a snort, as his dipped his head, long black mane glimmering in the light. Meena stepped over his wing, where it connected to his body, and sat, side saddle, upon his back, leaning forwards to pet his neck and mane comfortably. She chatted to him, calling him pretty, asking about his family, the rest of the herd in the forest, for no other reason than she could, and she enjoyed the way she could feel his heart beating under her; a steady, almost worryingly slow pulse that rippled through his thin body.

She looked up to the castle, and saw that her friends had retuned once more inside – she supposed the carriages carrying the other Slytherins and Gryffindors had arrived, and that Professor Hagrid was finishing the last Thestral and her saddle, whilst the Headmaster was shrinking the carriages and banishing them to somewhere within the castle. Round the side of the castle, and down the slope to the lake, Meena saw students wandering around, kicking at the snow banks and telling stories of their holidays.

Meena turned back to the Thestral and began to stroke his silky mane again, focusing on the way the fine black strands slipped between her milky fingers.

"You're so soft," she crooned, "but i can understand why people avoid you. You're just like Professor Hagrid, isn't that right? You look big and menacing, but you're a big softie really. Although, i bet you'd protect your family fiercely - those fangs are there for something, haha!"

She giggled lightly that quickly turned into a squeal of surprise when the Thestral suddenly stood up, with Meena still upon his back, and began to shake out his wings, causing Meena's curls to fly around her face in the air, and flurries of snow to flutter up from the ground.

She heard chuckles behind her; one low and amused, the other loud and hearty. She looked over her shoulder to find Professor Hagrid stood there, clapping a hand on the Thestrals flank affectionately – the horse had obviously stood to greet the man, as stood up, the horses head still only reached his shoulder.

"Ahh, you're righ' there, Meena, i am a big softie, 'specially when it comes to Tenebrus!" Professor Hagrid laughed as the Thestral, Tenebrus, flitted his wings again, causing more snow to fly.

"Yeah," came another amused voice from around Hagrids elbow, "and every other potentially dangers creature, including, but not limited to; Hippogriffs, Dragons, Blast-Ended Screwts and a whole Heard of Acromantula."

Tenebrus stilled his wings, and Meena caught sight of the speaker; all smiles with flecks of snow in his black hair.

"Harry! Professor Hagrid, good to see you both."

"You too, Meena. Do yeh need a hand gettin' down?"

"No thanks, Professor," Meena replied, positioning herself. "I think i'm alright." She finished as she slid down Tenebrus' side and landed quite ungracefully in the snow. A tanned hand came down to help her up, and she grabbed it as Harry pulled her back to her feet.

"Thanks, Harry." She said, brushing snow off of her jacket. She turned to Hagrid. "I'm very impressed with your herd, Professor, they're very docile."

"Aye, that they are. I'll tell yeh all about 'em another time, but i gotta get em' to the forest now. You enjoy yeh last day of 'oliday, and i'll see yeh in class, Meena. Harry, come'n see me soon, yeah?"

"'Course, see you later Hagrid."

"Goodbye, Professor."

Meena and Harry waved after the large man as he led the horses into the dark forest and out of the glare of the sun-lit snow.

He turned to her with a smile. "Hey."

"Hey," She smiled back. "Good holiday?"

"Not bad, yours?" Harry nodded.

"Marvellous, thanks."

They turned as one and began a slow walk across the grounds round the side of the castle.

"What did you get up to?" he asked.

"Ohh, nothing major. Kept busy, you know. Snowball fights with the teachers, if you can believe it, lovely Christmas and New Year feasts, and Neville, Theo, Ernie and I all managed to keep a decent eye on the Herbology project."

Harry's hand flew up to his face and he smacked himself lightly on the forehead. "I completely forgot the Herbology project! I spent the holiday with Ron and Hermione too! Oh man, our plant is going to be so dead."

Meena chuckled. "No, its fine. Neville and Theo looked after it, i think. In fact, with those two working on it, it's probably in a better state now than when you left it."

"Theo? As in Theodore Nott? He looked after my Herbology project?" Harry asked sceptically.

"With Neville." Meena reminded him.

"And Nott didn't poison it?"

Meena snorted. "Merlin, no. If there's one thing Theo loves more than Care of Magical Creatures, it's Herbology. In fact, there they go." She said, pointing at the Greenhouses.

Harry turned to watch Neville and Theo enter Greenhouse six. Neville was dragging Theo by the arm, gesturing wilding, and obviously happily, with his free arm. Theo stumbled along behind him, watching Neville's face, and Theo grinned as they disappeared through the doors, their blurry figures visible through the misty glass, moving down to the last bench where their little group always sat to work, their shadow's close by as they sat, most likely bent over the bench having some wild discussion like they so often did in Herbology.

"Huh." Harry said, a completive look dawning over his face.

"What're you thinking?" Meena asked him curiously.

"Just about them; they've grown quite close, haven't they? With all of your Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures lessons."

"Do you really need to ask?" Meena laughed.

"Actually, yeah. Neville refuses to talk about you lot most of the time; Ron begins to scream bloody murder anytime Neville mentions something amazing you did in Herbology, or a new theory Nott mentioned, or whatever." He said, waving his hand in a dismissive manner.

"Yes, well, that's because Weasley is very narrow minded."

"Hey!" Harry looked quite miffed at the dig about his friend.

"Oh, come on, Harry, even you have to agree to that. Weasley might be great friend and all, but even you have to agree he is very set in his ways. I hardly know the kid, but i do know he stills sees the world as black or white. You try explaining to him that Slytherins are real people with family, worries and fears, just like everyone else, and he'll go around saying you've gone mental."

Meena could see it plainly on Harry face that he agreed, and yet he felt guilty for it. "It's alright, Harry," she said lightly, clapping him on the back. "I won't tell." She winked at him as they walked, and he shook his head with a smile.

"So back to Theo and Neville, you have qualms about their friendship?" she asked.

"It's not that, so much," he shook his head, "I mean, i'm not a hypocrite; i'm friends with you. But i suppose i just...i don't understand it."

"Because Theo's a Slytherin?"

"No. It's more... well, i hardly know Nott, but i fail to see what they have in common."

Meena stopped in her tracks, and Harry whirled around to see the incredulous look plastered on her face.

"You fail to... Harry, are you blind? Theo and Neville are practically twins!"

Harry looked confused, so she continued to explain.

"You have to think about it this way; there are five of you in your dorm, right? You, Neville, Weasley, Thomas, and that Irish kid."

"Seamus Finnigan." Harry offered.

"Right, him. Now who's your best mate?"

"Well, Ron is-"

"Right," Meena interrupted. "Weasley is your best mate, and from what i've seen, Thomas and...Finnigan are best mates too. Now where does that leave Neville?"

"Well," Harry looked a little guilty, "Neville is all of our friend..."

"I don't doubt that, i'm just explaining. You're all friends, but you have best friends too, apart from Neville. And it's not just that either; i bet you anything he's always felt little out of the loop; all of you four like Quidditch, Neville doesn't, not really. You're Gryffindors; loud, frivolous, rowdy guys; Neville is shy and more focused on doing well in school, trying to get decent marks. Neville likes Herbology; it's his calling, and yet none of you take any interest in it."

Harry was looking very guilty now. "Well, we-"

Meena held up a hand to stop him. "I'm not trying to make you feel bad, Harry, it's just plain fact. Neville's always been a little bit on the outside.

"Now Theo is in the exact same boat; there are five Slytherin guys. Greg and Vince stick together because they're so similar – not particularly bright, like food, have the same sense of humour. Though he's usually quiet outside the dorm, Blaise and Draco are about as close as two Slythterins get. And then there's Theo. I bet half the time, you guys even forget Theo is there, he's not like the rest. He's not boastful and proud, like Draco is, he's not intimidating like Greg or Vince, he's not cold and calculating, like Blaise – not that any of them are actually like that, it's all false pretences and masks of protection. Anyway, Theo is a shy guy, and because of that, he melts into the background easily."

Harry was looking sceptical at Meena's description, but she pressed on. "Theo is studious; he loves his studies, he is nearly always in possession of some obscure book, his brain is like a sponge. He's always telling us to get our essays done on time, or chastening us for talking during lessons."

"He sounds like Hermione." Harry mumbled.

Meena smiled. "I suppose they're both interested in their studies, yes, though Theo understands that you can actually remove books from a library." Meena smirked, before continuing.

"So, anyway, Theo's an outsider within his own friendship group, he dislikes flying, he's shy and quiet, and one of his greatest loves in life is Herbology. Theo and Neville actually are very similar, once you get past the lion and the snake element."

Harry was looking pensive. "I suppose, when you put it like that..." he trailed off. Then he suddenly clicked his fingers and exclaimed, "Oh, i almost forgot!"

"What?" Meena asked, on the alert.

"Well, i meant to ask you about your broom. I suppose it's still broken?"

Meena sighed, pulling her cloak around herself from the bitter chill that was howling across the lake. "Yeah, it's still well and truly broken." In fact, the splinters of her once beloved broom were in a box under her bed; she couldn't bring herself to get rid of the pieces. "Why?"

"Well, i know what it's like to have a broom smashed," Meena cocked her head to the side in inquiry, and he laughed. "I fell, it was blown into the Whomping Willow, it's sort of a long story. Anyway, i was just going to say, i know the school brooms are rubbish, and well, if you liked, you could always borrow my broom."

Meena stopped dead. "Your Firebolt?" she squeaked.

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Well, yeah... i mean-"

"Hello, Harry."

Meena and Harry turned to face a group of girls; two were Hufflepuffs, one was a Gryffindor, and the other three were Ravenclaws. The Gryffindor stood forwards; she had black curly hair, dark skin and dark eyes.

Harry's smile dropped just a little. "Hello, Romilda."

She broke out into an almost manic grin. "Harry," She started, fluttering her eyelashes, "Lucy, Julie," She waved her hands over the Hufflepuffs, before moving onto the Ravenclaws, "Amy, Kida, Wren and I were wondering if you would like to accompany us to Hogsmede in two weeks." The girls began to giggle. "We'll make it worth your while." She stage-whispered, in what Meena assumed was supposed to be a seductive tone.

Harry, however, was looking for from impressed; he was an odd mix of embarrassed and exasperated. "Uhm, i er...well, you see, the thing is...uh,"

"I'm afraid Harry has a pervious engagement." Meena said loudly over Harry's rabid mumbling.

The girl, Romilda, narrowed her eyes. "What, with you, Snake?"

Meena merely raised an eyebrow. "No, not with me, but he's certainly not going with you either."

"Thats right," Harry suddenly piped up. "I already have plans, so, sorry, girls." He shrugged, and they girls grumbled and began to walk away, casting Meena annoyed glances over their shoulders.

"Better late than never, hey, Harry." Meena chuckled.

"Sorry, it's just, last year, everyone hated me for being a crazy, lying psycho, and now, i'm treated like some kind of prince; i've had girls falling all over me since the school year began. Trying to find a date for Slughorns party was near impossible; it's why i took Luna."

"The girl in the swanky silver robes?" Meena confirmed.

"That's the one."

"I'd like her, i think. She seems to just roll with things. I think she'd be a good person to have with you in a time of need."

Harry smiled lopsidedly. "Yeah, she is."

Meena looked at him in question, but he just shook his head, almost sadly, and smiled at her.

"Anyway, Harry, back to your broom."

"Oh, yes?"

"As much as it pains me to say it, i'm going to have to turn down your most gracious offer."

He frowned a little then, looking disappointed. "Why?"

"Well, from the way you're being shoved upon a pedestal, we'd be getting married within the week."

"What?!" Harry almost physically recoiled, whilst Meena laughed.

"I meant rumours, Harry. I mean, c'mon, can't you just see a headline by Skeeter now? 'Boy-Who-Lived lends Top of the Range Firebolt to Slytherin new-comer; a daring move to befriend the Wayward House, or something More? Exclusive interviews on pages four through six.' You know it'll happen; if i actually believed all the gossip that reached my ears through Pansy, you'd have a Harem of girls in the Prefects Bathroom, and a member that can satisfy three girls at once, however you'd go about doing that."

She looked back to Harry, and she tried. She tried her hardest not to laugh, but she couldn't help it. His face was so red it could have melted the snow at his feet, and he was staring at her in dismay, shock and mortification.

She had to go further; she was a Slytherin after all. She began to walk away, and she sing-songed over her shoulder, "Do keep up, Wild Stallion."

He cackled when she heard him splutter and choke on his own tongue.

"Who...who calls me that? Meena? Meena, hey, wait!"

A little while later and Meena and Harry were preparing to part ways, when round the corner came Draco. He stared at Meena's laughing face and Harry's smile before he sneered at Harry.

Harry scowled right back.

Meena rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Malfoy." Harry said coldly.

"Potter." Draco returned, just as stiff.

Meena brought her arms up to cuddle herself and pretended to shake. "Brrrr."

Draco's expression didn't change, though Meena noticed a slight twinkle in the grey, whilst Harry grinned.

"I'll see you later, Meena."

"See you, Harry."

Harry stalked off, with one last untrustworthy glace at Draco, who turned to Meena.

"Well that was frosty." She said lightly.

"Whatever. What did he want?"

"Nothing," Meena shrugged. "We were just catching up. Oh, and he offered to let me use his Firebolt in the upcoming game against Ravenclaw."

"He what?"

"I know. Anyway, i refused."

"WHY? Merlin, Meena, on a Firebolt, you'd be unstoppable!"

"Thanks," Meena nodded, falling into step besides Draco as they continued a walk through the grounds in search of their friends. "But Harry is the Golden Boy right now, imagine the rumours and shit that would be said about me if i used his broom now."

"Right, you may as well just take him to bed." Draco scowled across the lake.

"Indeed." Meena nodded, though she reached out and laced Draco's fingers wither own. He looked down at their entwined hands, a little surprised, but he smiled as he walked, swinging their hands between them.

"Have you seen Pansy yet?" He asked.

"No, i've been with Harry since i left you guys, why?"

Draco smirked. "Oh, it's just she was given this jewellery set for Christmas, a big choker and matching earrings."

"And?" Meena asked; Draco knew she wasn't interested in that kind of thing.

"Oh, it's just she's strutting around acting like they're the most beautiful things in the world, when really, everyone is laughing at her behind her back; it's the most gaudy, overworked, ugly jewellery set i have ever seen. Even Millie and Daphne have said it's hideous."

Meena winced. "Oh, now that is fun. I shall have to see the offending item for myself one day."

"It's pretty hard to miss." Draco laughed as they walked along, hand in hand.

"Oh, actually," Meena stopped and turned abruptly, "I saw Neville and Theo go to the Greenhouse earlier, i want to go check on out project – they've done so much on it over the holiday, i'm almost feeling guilty."

"Almost?" Draco asked playfully.

"Almost." Meena nodded with a smile, as she led him towards the steamy, warm greenhouse.

"No, Neville, you're being unreasonable!"

Meena and Draco exchanged concerned glances when they heard Theo's raised voice emanate from the slightly open greenhouse door.

"How the hell could you ever think i would agree to that? It would never work!" They heard Neville reply, and they cautiously pushed open the door. Down the end of the greenhouse, the two boys were stood, facing one another at a standoff; they had shrugged of their cloaks in the hot greenhouse and their sleeves were rolled up to their elbows.

There were smudges of dirt on both their faces, and their hands were covered in soil.

"It would work if you would just try! Haven't i proven to you that the variables don't matter? The only thing that is in any way stopping us going ahead with this is your inability to see the truth!" Theo responded, jabbing a dirty finger none too gently into Neville's chest.

Meena and Draco had walked half way down the greenhouse and nether boy had shown any indication that they knew they were there.

"Uh, guys?"

Neville and Theo whipped apart, red cheeked and angry. "What's up?" she asked, eyeing the parchment and scrolls that made up the theory side of their Herbology project.

"What's up?!" Neville seethed. "What's up is that this imbecile is trying his best to destroy everything i have so lovingly created!"

"I thought this was a group project?" Draco asked level headily.

"Thank you, Draco! See Neville? Why are you being selfish?" Theo whirled upon Neville once more.

"Why am I being selfish? Theo how dare you!? You're the one being selfish! You're the one who wants to change everything because you feel it would be right!"

Theo slammed his hand on the warped desk. "Stop being blind, Neville! You know it would work, i know you do, and yet you deny it because it's just different."

"That's not true," Neville seemed to deflate. "I'm not denying it, i'm just saying it would never last."

"That wouldn't matter!" Theo tried desperately. "The whole point would be that we tried! If it didn't work, then no harm done, but how can you, of all people, shoot something down before it's even been tested?"

"Because, Theo, the others-" Neville was beginning to stutter.

"Oh i see," Theo hissed dangerously. "You're scared. Urgh, some Gryffindor you are, where the hell is that infamous Gryffindor Bravery now, huh?"

Neville remained quiet and still, staring at his boots.

Theo made an annoyed disgusted sound. "This is stupid. Come and find me when you've grown up."

And with that, he collected the pages of parchment that were covered in his handwriting and fled Greenhouse six, leaving behind a very confused Draco and Meena, and Neville, who looked ashamed.

"Uhm, Neville, do you-?" Meena began, but he suddenly stood up and started pulling the pages towards him.

"I need to ugh, go and find Harry..." Meena could have sworn she heard him sniff. "S-see how his holiday went." And with that, he too left the greenhouse.

"What the hell was that all about?" Draco asked her, completely at a loss.

"Our Herbology project?" Meena replied with a question.

"Right well, come on." Draco said, before taking her hand and drawing her away from the castle.

"Where are we going?"

"To the Broom shed. There is no way Potter can offer his broom to my girl; you'll use my Nimbus Two Thousand for the rest of the year – i don't even know why i brought it with me, but hey, at least you won't be riding the rubbish school brooms."

Meena smirked at him. "What?" he asked.

"Your girl, huh?" she asked with a chuckle.

He looked confused, then his eyes widened and he looked sheepish. And in true Draco fashion; he ignored it, pulling on her hand once more. "Shush, you, we need to get you used to the Nimbus model before the next match."