Chapter Six

The HEC

When they reached Greenhouse One, it was to discover that their predictions about no one showing up hadn't been entirely correct. Apart from their four 'little siblings' there were a couple of other second years; half a dozen first years; Mac Walter; and three sixth-years, one of whom Mia recognised as Javan Cole, a Gryffindor boy Matilda had had a run in with last year. Matilda had put all the tables in the middle of the room with stools set around them so everyone was sat in a circle.

Lily and Mia sat down next to Mac, near the door, whilst Hugo, Louis and Ailie found seats around the other side of the table, between some first years and Javan and his friends.

Professor Longbottom was there too, although Mia hadn't noticed him straight away as he was up the other end of the greenhouse, pottering around with some cuttings.

"Alright, Lily, Mia?" Mac said as they sat down. "Hey, is it true Wood still hasn't got his new line-up sorted out? You know, replacements for James and Fred." Mac, as Quidditch Commentator, liked to be abreast of all the Quidditch news.

"Chaser tryouts are next Thursday," Mia told him.

"Sam forgot," Lily added with a grin.

"Lily!"

From her place at the head of the table, Matilda was making frantic gestures at her 'big sister'.

As Lily and Matilda embarked on a conversation conducted entirely through gesture and sign language, Mac started to swing backwards and forwards on his stool. Then, as quick as a flash, he pinned something onto the back of Lily's robes. Surreptitiously, Mia leant back to see what it was and found a badge with a simple picture of a flower pot on it. She was puzzled for a minute and then remembered that 'flowerpot' was Peeves' nickname for Lily. Mac grinned conspiratorially at Mia and then held a finger to his lips behind Lily's back. Mia nodded to let him know she wouldn't tell Lily.

Lily and Matilda finished their conversation and Matilda got to her feet.

"Hello!" she said in her big booming Matilda voice, and the Greenhouse fell silent. "Hello everyone, and welcome to the first meeting of the Hogwarts Environmental Club. We decided to start this club-"

"Because Professor Longbottom said they had to," Lily whispered to Mac, who sniggered.

"-so we can support the environment and be advo…adva…"

"Advocates," Archie supplied.

"Yeah, that," Matilda agreed, "…for environmental rights both here at Hogwarts and globally. Humans – and witches and wizards especially – have lots of power in the world, and we shouldn't use that power to be tyrants, but to help. Just because we're not plants or trees, doesn't mean we can't care what happens to them, and we have to use our position of power to make a difference. Not that long ago, when black people were considered sub-human, it took privileged white people making a stand to give black people – like me – back their voices. Who knows what the environment might have to say if only we stopped to listen."

Javan snorted and JJ glared at him. "If you think that's funny, rather than serious, then maybe the HEC isn't for you," he said.

Matilda ignored both of them. "I've got some ideas of things we could actually do to make a difference with the HEC but I want to hear your ideas too," she continued. "So I'll just share one of mine and then I'll shut up."

"Hurray!" Mac said in an undertone and Lily giggled and elbowed him.

"My idea is to plant trees," Matilda said, obviously having not heard Mac or at least having chosen to ignore him. "It's always good to offset the effects of deforestation and where better to start than here at Hogwarts? Okay, over to you."

"I can make you badges, if you like," Mac offered. "For a small fee, of course, but I'd charge you guys less than I normally do."

"Thanks, that'd be great," JJ said.

"What about doing surveys around the castle to see how much water and light and parchment is being wasted, and then we can make posters and campaign and stuff," Ailie suggested.

"We could have slogans – something like 'the water wasted every year at Hogwarts is enough to fill the lake'," Archie said. "I've got no idea if that's true or not," he added. "It's just an example."

"Yeah, and you'd need a big picture to go with it," Mac said. "Something like a big tap dripping into the lake. Lottie Thomas – my year, Gryffindor – she's good at art, she might do it for you."

There was a momentary quiet and then one of the first years, a small red-headed girl, tentatively raised her hand.

"Yeah?" Matilda nodded at her.

"We could build habitats for small creatures in the grounds," the girl suggested. "If we find out what creatures normally live around here and find out what we can do to make the habitat more suitable for them."

"Yeah, we could build like mini-beast hotels," Matilda said, seizing on the idea. "We did them at primary school. We called them things like 'Centipede Castle' and 'Beetle Bungalow'."

As everyone started talking about mini-beast hotels, Mia became aware of Professor Longbottom standing behind her. She and Lily both turned around.

"I've just got to pop next-door," he said. "Are you alright to keep an eye on this and make sure it doesn't get out of hand?"

They both nodded and Mia said, "Yes, Professor."

"Okay, has anyone got any more ideas?" Matilda asked as the door shut behind Professor Longbottom.

"Here's one," Javan said, standing up.

"Oh, great…" Mia muttered. She had a suspicion that this wasn't going to be good.

"Why don't we steal people's wands at textbooks and hide them in our dormitories?" Javan suggested sarcastically.

"Ha ha, very funny," Mac said.

Javan ignored him. "Or perhaps we could talk at people whilst they're trying to study because annoying people is the best way to get them on side."

"I think you should leave, Javan," Mia said calmly but firmly. "They've all apologised for last year and are looking for serious suggestions about how to help the environment and protest peacefully. If that's not your agenda too then JJ's right – Environmental Club probably isn't for you."

"Hey, those were sensible suggestions," Javan shrugged. "At least as sensible as posters or hotels."

Matilda got to her feet. "Posters and mini-beast hotels are not stupid ideas!" she said angrily.

"I never said they were," Javan said.

"You implied it, though," Matilda shot back.

Professor Longbottom returned to the greenhouse. "Everything alright here?" he asked, obviously noticing the tense atmosphere and Javan and Matilda standing up.

"Fine, Professor," Mia said. "Javan and his friends were just leaving, weren't you?"

There was a slightly longer than comfortable pause and then Javan walked out of the greenhouse without a word, his friends following.

"Okay, so, does anyone else have any sensible suggestions?" Matilda asked. "No? Well, then, the meeting is officially over but anyone who wants to can come on a quick walk around the lake until first and second year curfew. Next week, we'll plan how we're going to do the ideas we've come up with and maybe even start doing some. Same time next week."

"Fancy a walk?" Lily asked Mac.

"Why not," Mac shrugged. "Mia?" he asked.

"I think I'll go walk with Emma," Mia said, thinking how she hadn't had a proper catch up with her little sister since they'd come back to school.

As the group split, with half a dozen of them headed back up to the castle and the rest setting off around the lake, Mia moved to join Emma. Her little sister smiled as she saw her coming over. "Thanks for getting rid of those guys, Mia," she said.

Mia shrugged. "It was really Professor Longbottom coming back which made them leave. Anyway, how are you? How was your summer?"

"Good," Emma smiled. The two of them headed away from the main group as Lily discovered the badge on her back and threatened to hex Mac. "This was the first year we weren't all in holiday clubs whilst Mum and Steve worked and I was allowed to look after Eddie, Ellie and Evie. We pretty much lived at the beach. It was lovely and... I don't know, peaceful?"

"How was your week with your dad?" Mia asked. Emma had only met her dad for the first time ever last June and Mia knew she'd been nervous about spending the week with him and her step-mother and half-brother, Astoria and Scorpius.

"That was good too," Emma said. "Astoria's great – we baked together several days and Dad and Scorp took me flying heaps. Part of me didn't want to go home, but… I could never leave Eddie, Ellie and Evie."

"And how are things with Steve?"

"They're alright," Emma sighed. "He hasn't hit any of us since Dad spoke to him. I'm not sure he'll ever be nice to me but I do feel like Eddie, Ellie and Evie are safer now so it's not so bad coming back to school."

They were nearing the castle now and Mia checked her watch.

"Ten to eight – we better head up," she said.

"So, d'you think you'll come to the HEC again next week?" Emma asked, grinning.

"Maybe," Mia said. "It depends how much homework I've got, I guess - but yeah, maybe."