While it wasn't scheduled, both Harry and Neville returned to their reunion classroom, one slightly more annoyed than the other. "It seems like my help was completely unnecessary" drawled the Slytherin. Draco may be an annoying and obnoxious brat, but his flair for the dramatic suited the occasion, in Harry´s opinion.

Neville froze in the spot, not expecting the other boy reaction "What do you mean?"

Rolling his eyes, Harry leaned against a wall. "I didn't know your magical power matched Merlin himself. To transform a dragon-sized plant completely into metal is a great feat." He was exaggerating, but that gave Neville a clue on the source of Harrys annoyance.

"It really isn't. And it wasn't that complicated" explained the lion. "I didn't transform the entire plant, only its more superficial layer."

Harry frowned. "Th-that is an incredibly complicated transfiguration"

"Not really" answered Neville. "It involves less power, and you only need two know really well the plants morphology. Once you got that the change is a simple transfiguration of a strong material into another strong material"

Harry was still looking dumbfounded, so Neville elaborated. "Every professor here is either to starstruck about me or fear my Granma too much for them to actually check if I'm learning correctly. McGonagall is neither, so transfigurations is probably my best subject by now."

Harry nodded slowly, still a bit impressed. Trying to change the subject, he returned to the Tournament. "Alright let's get to that egg. What have you done with it?"

Neville answered sheepishly. "I solved it"

Preventing the return of the dumbfounded expression, Harry only answered with a clipped "What."

"It's mermish." said the Gryffindor. "Grandma and I went to Greece two years ago and I heard a colony who worked with the sea-herbologists. There is a big one here, in the lake. According to the riddle they are going to take something from me, and I have to get it out"

"And I guess you already know how to do that?"

"Yes!" said the other boy. "Gillyweed! It's a plant that allows you to breath underwater by generating gills and membranes in hands and feet. I already wrote my gran to purchase a bit. Experts think that it is infused with the spirit of magical sea-life, so it translates to..."

The Slytherin had yet again an annoyed expression in his face and interrupted the passionate dissertation. "Repeat to me why did you accepted my help again?"

Sensing the bad mood behind his peer, Neville decided to play it a bit more diplomatic. "Because I was truly lost in that first task. And to be honest, I still could use your help."

The black-haired boy raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Neville nodded, choosing to ignore the sarcasm. "Rumours says that you are a duelling champion. I could use some instruction in that regard."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. "Runner-up. And what do you need from me?"

"Spells, basically." Was the answer. "I reviewed my notes and the strongest combat spell I know is Expelliarmus"

Harry blinked. Then blinked again before saying in a small voice. "There is an auror as a teacher here"

"Who teaches counter-curses. Not actually aggressive spells"

"They say the guy before him was a good teacher"

Neville shrugged. "He taught a lot about dangerous creatures. I know how to deal with kappas and boggarts. He never mentioned curses or combat spells"

Making a mental note to yell at Moony when he returned home, Harry nodded. "Alright. Let me check what kind of thing could be useful underwater. You are so advanced that we could honestly begging after winter break."

"Sounds good to me."

Before leaving, he extended his hand towards the other guy. With a small smile, Harry shook it.

Christmas season was, despite everything, a relaxing month for everybody in the castle. Following Uncle Algie´s advice, Neville asked Parvati with a pair of gloves to the Yule Ball, to the delight of the Indian girl and the chagrin of the other boys, who looked a bit embarrassed with their respective dates. Seamus quickly paired up with Lavender, while Dean asked Ginny Weasley, to Ron´s annoyance. There was some kind of drama when Hermione rejected him, but in the end, Parvati managed to arrange him a date with Padma. Neville didn't know why, but he had a feeling that he would end up regretting it.

To the moderate surprise of Slytherin rumour mill (way more dignified and cunninger thank you very much) and the sorrow of one Colin Creevey, the Potter siblings didn't remain in the castle for the ball. The homesick teens spent the holidays with their parents, and true to his word Harry and Alice stayed in bed to watch movie after movie, even dragging their parents and two uncles to the rather peculiar Interview with the Vampire, that Alice loved, and Harry found curious. Popcorn, was, as always, abundant in the Potter sibling's movie nights. Having to limit the use of magic to avoid frying the circuits of their devices was an adequate sacrifice, in the Potters opinion. Lily and Alice both noted the small package that Harry received in Christmas, but neither could catch more than an elegant and feminine calligraphy.

Back in Hogwarts, everybody felt reinvigorated. Neville and Harry managed a small space in their respective schedules Tuesday afternoon, and they exploited it immensely. Harry had questioned Remus extensively during Christmas break, to discover that combat spells where limited to Owl year and above in an effort to prevent 11-13 years-old-kids to hurt each other without common sense. In Harry´s opinion, 15 years old where not that much better in that area to 14 years old.

"Impullare!"

"Close" criticized Harry. "Emphasis in the last syllable"

"ImpullAre"

The rock went of flying towards a tree, shattering in contact. The Gryffindor frowned. "I still don't get why this is better than a repelling charm."

The dark-haired boy pointed towards the rock. "Depulso pushes objects away from you. The bludgeoning curse pushes objects towards something. It hits harder, the speed grows instead of slowing down and the average distance is almost doubled."

At Neville surprised expression, Harry shrugged. "It's the kind of data you need to know if you want to duel professionally."

Not only did Neville learned new charms, but they also actually tested the spells inside the water, as Harry was unsure if they will behave the same. "I mean" he had said. "Kolumbiko defeated Albescue in semi-finals of the last European championship by using a water shield, so it's worth testing it."

Neville snickered, but the Slytherin looked at him almost offended. "Olivia Kolumbiko? Slytherin alumni? The only real contribution to the duelling scene from Hogwarts since Flitwick?"

At the lion inexpressive expression Harry sighed. "Less get to work".

The constant was a slower trajectory in the majority of spells, the less affected being Expelliarmus. Sadly, claws and teeth didn't count to the effect of this spell, as far as Harry knew. Relashio was a surprising change, as it sent a jet of boiling water that was ridiculously more useful inside water. Depulso turned to be useless as the spell pushed primarily the water between the caster and the objective, while the bludgeoning repelled the enemy directly.

However, when Neville recounted those afternoons, he would remember them as the moment when they would become friends. Harry had an acid sense of humour that he couldn't really use in Slytherin's formal environment. Neville, in the other hand, enjoyed the banter pair to pair, as Harry didn't give a damn about him being the Boy-Who-Lived. Parvati was getting more comfortable with jokes, but the Slytherin was in another league.

Neville was treated to Harry's sense of humour quite fast. It was barely the second session when Harry snickered about the Ball. "I can't believe you chose the wrong Patil"

Neville instinct turned to conflict immediately, before remembering that the boy in front was slightly more proficient with a wand. Annoyed, he asked dryly. "What?"

Not backing down, Harry deadpanned "I mean, I don't know much about Parvati, but Padma has a great sense of humour, and is quite smart." Neville regarded Harry with curiosity. "Do you like Padma?"

The Slytherin buffed. "No. People can compliment other people without it being romantic you know?" he twirled his hand within his fingers. "Besides, I'm interested in someone else" his gaze turning a bit dreamy.

They weren't quite there yet to have a heart to heart, so Neville let it slide. However, he was feeling better and better as he became more proficient with the bludgeoning and perfected his Mimble Wimble. He wanted to learn the stunner for the second task but Harry had refused.

"The only way to verify the strength of your stunners is with a training partner, and I have already gone through that. Ask your friends after the second task"

Neville also soon discovered that Harry was indeed an adequate Slytherin. He also discovered that cunning meant a different approach to problems when they discussed the quote on quote "what you´ll sorely miss".

"It just feels weird you know. Like anticlimactic"

Neville had recounted the egg´s riddle, just for Harry to immediately question his idea of an object being taken. "The riddle says "What", not "whom"" had argued Neville.

"Its just a feeling" counterargued Harry. "Imagine someone rescuing a baby-blanket or a toy. It would be a change of ambiance compared to fire-breathing lizards"

While Harry´s idea of a human hostage unnerved him ("A parent or a friend would be quite dramatic don't you think?"), the constant practice of spells conjoined with constant swimming in the lake made Neville feel quite comfortable as February rapidly approached. That was of course until the day of the Second Task, when Lavender raised the whole boy´s dorm screaming that neither Hermione nor Parvati were in their beds.

AN1: I almost managed to post this on Christmas season. However, given that I want to get another chapter out before the end of the year, I decided to post this already.

AN2: You may recognize Olivia Kolumbiko as a character from Harry Potter and The Prince of Slytherin (/11191235) Nothing more than a cameo and a recommendation here.