Chapter Eight – The Unknown Memory
"Neville!" a voice shouted behind him.
Neville turned around quickly and saw that Dean was running towards him. "Did you forget? The try-outs are going to be starting any minute, mate."
"Let's go!" Neville said quickly. Both Neville and Dean started jogging down the hall. Neville had completely forgotten that the tryouts for the Gryffindor quidditch team was today. He and Dean had talked about watching them from the stands.
There was only one position open this year, a chaser. To no one's surprise, Harry had been named the Gryffindor quidditch captain. Over the last day or two, everyone kept talking about who would be the new chaser. Katie Bell had been on the team for six years. She would be very hard to replace.
"I still have no idea who's even trying out," Dean complained as they sat down in the stands. From the look of it, they weren't the only ones with the same idea of watching the tryouts. If one didn't count the year there was no quidditch for the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Gryffindor had one three years in a row. Everyone wanted to see that streak continue.
Neville scanned the field and saw about twelve students standing on the ground, holding their brooms, while the team flew overheard.
Harry was still the seeker and Ron the keeper. Their beaters were a tall set of twins, Nick and Rick Frobisher, who were now fifth years. Ginny and Seamus were the two remaining chasers.
"Why haven't you ever tried out?" Neville asked Dean.
Dean shook his head. "Have you ever seen me fly? Quidditch without brooms, I could handle. Not this. Better to enjoy it from the stands," he said happily.
"Very true," Neville said smiling. He looked over the students trying out. He only recognized a few of them. The Creavy brothers, Colin and Dennis were there, along with Parvati Patel, which surprised him. Parvati didn't seem like the quidditch type. The rest of the students were younger, probably third or fourth years.
Dean took out a piece of parchment and a quill. "We'll write down what we think, and see who's the best," Dean said.
Harry blew a whistle, and all the students mounted their brooms and started flying. Right away, Neville and Dean picked the best six flyers out of the twelve.
Over the next hour, they compared notes and debated who was the best candidate. But then the last student had her try-out, and both Dean and Neville knew right then she would be the new Gryffindor chaser.
Both of them recognized her, but neither one of them knew the girl by name. Neville thought she looked slightly familiar and Dean said he vaguely remembered her being sorted last year, which would make her only a second year.
Finally try-outs were over, and Neville and Dean went back to the common room to wait for the results. Neville remembered how much fun everyone had had last year after the Gryffindor try-outs. So Neville and Dean quickly went to the kitchens and brought back some butterbeer and treats.
By then, the quidditch was already back in the common room. Obviously the team didn't need much convincing. The small girl was standing next to Harry and Ron, beaming.
Dean motioned over to Hermione, who joined them. Neville handed her a butterbeer.
"What's her name?" Dean asked as Hermione took a sip of her drink.
"Melanie Bell," Hermione said. "Apparently, the Weasley family isn't the only quidditch dynasty at Hogwarts."
"I didn't realize Katie had a sister!" Dean said. "She was great."
Hermione nodded. "I guess Katie tried to get Professor McGonagall to let her try out last year, but she wouldn't break the rules for her."
"She broke them for Harry," Neville stated.
"Yeah, but that's Harry," Dean said. "Anyways, Ginny and Seamus are great chasers. We did fine last year."
"Very true," Neville said, taking a bit out of a licorice wand.
The celebration didn't last nearly long enough. First it was time for dinner, and then Hermione started to remind everyone that the first D.A. meeting of the year was tonight.
"I'm never going to get all of my homework done," Neville complained. He had quite a lot to do, and it was only the second day of the second week of school. But then he brightened a bit. At least he'd get to see Luna. He had barely talked to her today.
All the students were ordered out of the Great Hall after dinner, giving the House Elves time to move the tables around for the D.A. meeting. Neville waited with Luna. He leaned against a wall, and Luna laid her head on his chest. She yawned quite a few times, and Neville learned that she had stayed up most of the night studying.
The doors suddenly flew open and the students who wanted to join the D.A. marched inside. Neville was amazed how many students there were, probably close to fifty. Professor Binns-Morgan was there, talking to Professor Dumbledore.
Neville looked around and saw that several Slytherins were there. He pointed them out to Luna, who simply said, "Everyone needs better training in Defensive Magic, Neville."
He was convinced that the Slytherins were up to no good, but kept that to himself. It took almost a half hour before everyone signed in. Then Professor Binns-Morgan announced that the meeting would be announcements only, that the real first meeting would be next week. Several students groaned loudly at that.
Since there were so many students, they would be divided up into two sections. Professor Binns-Morgan and Harry would switch off every week and work with both groups equally. She also announced that there would be a contest to design a logo for the D.A. She wanted to make up a badge for everyone. Neville privately thought that they didn't need a contest, Dean was sure to win easily.
And before they knew it, the meeting was over. Several Gryffindors said they were going to start up the quidditch celebration in the common room again. Neville briefly thought about joining them, but decided to go to the library with Luna to do his homework.
More than an hour later, Neville thought about his determination to do well on his N.E.W.T.S. He glanced at Luna, and wished there had been a little Ravenclaw in him, then maybe classes would be easier.
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"I gotcha, Neville," Ron said good naturedly the next day, as he pulled Neville up from the disappearing step. Neville mumbled his thanks and shook his head. He hadn't stepped on the disappearing step in two years. But Neville, Harry and Ron were late for Herbology, and Neville just stepped right down on it, causing him to tumble head first. Harry was down below at the landing, picking up Neville's books for him.
Harry quickly handed Neville his bag. "We are so late," Harry said, shaking his head. "We're seventh years now. You'd think we wouldn't get lost anymore."
"You think?" Ron said sarcastically, picking up the pace.
"It was Peeves fault," Neville said. Peeves had swooped down on them with a bunch of ink filled water balloons. Once they were finished cleaning up in the boy's bathroom, they realized that they weren't sure where they were.
"Bloody Peeves," Ron said.
"Don't swear, Ron," Harry said in a high pitched voice, imitating Hermione.
Neville knew that Hermione definitely would not approve of the next few words out of Ron's mouth. He started to laugh, but stopped himself when he saw Ron's face.
Finally they made it to Greenhouse Five, where their class was being held. Professor Sprout had already begun her lesson when the three boys tried to sneak into the greenhouse unnoticed.
"That's two points from Gryffindor a piece, boys, for being late," Professor Sprout said quickly, and then continued on with her lesson.
The assignment was an easy one today, at least to Neville. They simply had to prune the Frater Hellebore plants which had started to overgrow. Everyone needed to be careful though. The Helleborn plant was very poisonous to the touch. Before the students were allowed near the plants, they had to put a protective netting over their faces and tuck their sleeves securely in their dragon hide gloves so that no skin was exposed.
For fifteen minutes the class worked in silence. Neville worked quickly, while the other students seemed tentitive around the plant. He could understand why. The plant's leaves seemed to sway slightly, giving the impression that the plants moved on their on accord. Neville knew if there was too much movement around the plants, the leaves would actually reach out.
Professor McGonagall entered the Greenhouse quietly, and went straight to Professor Sprout. Neville looked up as he worked, trying to see if he could work out what they were saying. But then Professor McGonagall left as quickly as she came in.
"Attention, class!" Professor Sprout said, clapping her hands. "I'm going to leave the Greenhouse for about ten minutes. Keep working on your plants, and until I get back, Neville Longbottom is in charge."
Professor Sprout nodded to him and left the greenhouse. Neville felt his ears go pink as the Slytherins started snickering.
Hermione, who was standing next to him, whispered, "Don't listen to them. You'll be great."
Neville found himself standing a little taller. "Thanks."
The greenhouse was a little louder, but everyone seemed to be continuing on with their work. After five minutes, he looked over at the end of the Greenhouse, where the Slytherins were gathered. Theodore Nott was talking to Pansy Parkinson, and neither were doing any work at all.
Neville took a deep breath. "Nott, Parkinson, get back to work," he said, in what he hoped was in a strong, clear voice.
Pansy rolled her eyes at him, and Nott gave him a menacing look. Neither picked up their pruning tools.
The rest of the class stopped working as well, wondering what was going to happen next.
"I told you to get back to work," Neville said slowly. He couldn't quite believe this was him talking.
"And who's going to make me?" Nott asked. Crabbe and Goyle were at his side instantly. The sudden movement caused the plants to start swaying back and forth quite quickly. Neville saw Pansy eye them warily.
"I'm in charge here," Neville said, his voice shaking slightly. "And I'm giving you one last chance to go back to work."
Crabbe cracked his knuckles, while Goyle pushed up the sleeves of his robe, as if preparing to fight. "You're going to pay for that, Longbottom," Nott sneered.
Goyle took one step forward, and as if the plants could sense the bare skin exposed, wrapped one long stem around Goyle's arm. He let out a shriek in agony the moment the plant touched his skin.
The rest of the plants started getting excited, and the students looked terrified. Goyle was on his knees, the plant still wrapped around his arm. Pansy knelt down and put her arm around his shoulder.
"Neville! Do something!" Pansy cried.
Neville didn't even stop to think. He threw off his netting to have a better look at what was going on.
"Everyone go stand next to the windows, now!" Neville barked. He sounded so in control that everyone followed his instructions. "You too, Pansy."
Pansy jumped up and ran towards the window. Neville took out his wand and said a quick spell, causing the plants to calm down and become still. The one plant was still wrapped around Goyle's arm though.
Neville pointed his wand at the plant and shouted, "Diffindo!" severing the stem from the rest of the plant. Goyle was still shouting in pain.
As Goyle reached towards the plant with his other arm, Neville shouted, "Don't touch it!" He knelt in front of Goyle and gingerly placed his hands on the stem, unwrapping it from Goyle's arm. Finally, Goyle was free, and Neville saw the nasty welts were blistering quickly all over his arms.
Goyle looked faint from the sight of his arm. Using all of his strength, Neville hoisted Goyle up and dragged him to the first aid center in the greenhouse. Quickly, Neville choose the proper antidote and gave the vial to Goyle, who drank the potion quickly.
"That will stop the blistering," Neville said quietly. "But you need to get to the hospital wing straight away."
Goyle nodded, and quickly wiped his face with his good arm. "Pansy and Crabbe, why don't you walk Goyle to the hospital wing?" Neville asked.
Pansy and Crabbe nodded and walked over to Goyle, who was still whimpering a bit. They left the Greenhouse quickly.
Neville then turned and addressed the class. "The plants will be too excited now. We won't be able to do any more work on them. I'll explain it all to Professor Sprout when she's back," Neville said quickly.
He scanned the room, and to his embarrassment, saw that most of the class was looking at him with respect. To be honest, Neville was quite pleased how he handled the situation. Goyle shouldn't even have any scaring from the blisters.
Then he looked over at his friends. Hermione was beaming at him, causing him to blush. But then he saw the look of horror on Harry's face. For a moment, he couldn't understand why Harry looked so troubled. But then it hit him like a bolt of lightning.
The unknown memory. The memory he couldn't explain while practicing Occlumency with Harry. It hadn't been the past he and Harry had seen at all.
It had been the future.
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A/N – The Hellebore plant is listed in the HP-Lexicon as a "poisonous plant occurring in several varieties."
Frater – (Latin) brother
Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers! As of now, my cousin is doing as well as can be expected after giving up half of his liver. And my uncle is doing wonderfully. As long as there is no sign of rejection, he should make a full recovery!