A/N: this is a continuation of the third variation of a Potter Reunion. Read that or this makes no sense.

Harry returned to the Visitors room to see Neville already seated there, spinning a small piece of paper between his fingers. No one else was in the room, so Harry went to take a seat next to his fellow Gryffindor. For a moment, the two boys sat in silence.

"Um.." Harry started.

"My parents," Neville answered and Harry felt a surge of affection as the quite Gryffindor answered his unspoken question, "They… they were tortured at the end of the last war."

"So was…" Harry hesitated over the new relation, "My cousin. Second cousin. He was apparently tortured too. Only before the war. They were, uh, looking for me." The words sounded strange and alien in his mouth. Cousin. Torture. War. All words that he recognized, knew had happened, but they had never mattered. Never been real. But the man laying in the bed, the photograph- those were real.

"I'm sorry," Harry finally said after the silence stretched between them again. "About your parents."

"Yeah, but I'm the lucky one, you know?" Neville glanced around the empty waiting room, "There used to be loads more people here. But now it's just Patricia and me." Patricia must be the older Hufflepuff, Harry decided.

"Everyone got better?" Harry suggested hopefully, but that hope sank as Neville gave him a sad smile and shook his head.

"Magic doesn't like to be ignored. If you're unconscious or lose touch with your magic- it usually turns against the witch or wizards. At least that's how Gran explained it to me. Since it's pretty rare for a wizard to survive out of touch with their magic, there's not too many treatments. Which is why Patricia is training as a Healer now."

"Working on?" Harry asked.

"Her brother was hit with a curse when the family was in Diagon Alley. He was just a kid- but it was Dark Magic. Really Dark Magic. The curse started chewing through his arm and took out a lung before the medi-wizards were able to stabilize him and slow the curse. When they finally figured out the counter-curse, he was in a coma and wouldn't wake up. He passed away last year." Neville sighed and looked at the scrap of paper in his hand. A candy wrapper, Harry realized.

"I really admire her, you know?" Neville said finally, "She's making her dream a reality. I thought, at first, that I would want to be a healer too- find some cure or potion to help my parents. But then I got to class and saw Snape and-" His voice cracked and Harry reached out a hesitant hand when he noticed that Neville was beginning to cry.

"Snape's a crappy teacher," He said eventually, "Seriously. You're worth 10 of him, Nev."

Neville gave him a watery smile, "Thanks. It's just. If I don't have a passing OWL in potions I won't be able to sign up for the pre-medi-healer training and… I just really want them back, Harry." He rubbed roughly at his eyes. Harry, who had never known his parents, was struck by a sharp pang of empathy. How much worse to have your parents alive, but never know you. To visit them every week and know that they never recognized you.

"You're going to get them back," Harry decided, "We both will. We're going to study potions and- and- pass with the highest marks. And we're going to be the best Healers ever, Neville!"

"Really?" The round faced boy looked up at him in astonishment. "You mean it, Harry?"

"Absolutely." Harry crossed his arms in determination, "and I know just the person to help us."

0X0X0X0X0X0

"You want to know what?" Hermione asked, glancing between the two Gyrffindor boys at dinner. Harry and Neville shared a look, but it was Harry who answered.

"We're going to become Healers, but we don't know what that involves."

"Merlin, mate- Healings a big job." Ron answered around a mouthful of food, "You've got to get Outstanding in, like, all the NEWTs and then do pre-training and apprentice for seven more years. Merlin." He shook his head in disbelief at the work and Harry actually felt a little queasy. Seven more years of education on top of Hogwarts? He could barely plan ahead to next month let alone for the next eleven years. But the image of Thomas Potter laying so helpless in the hospital bed came back to him.

"Well, I'm going to do it." He decided, "So's Nev. So what do we actually have to do?"

"Well." Hermione drawled as she pulled out a notebook, "I did look up all the potential NEWT requirements that all the potential jobs might need- Healing was definitely on the list so as to continue the family tradition if nothing else. It looks like you'll need an Exceed Expectation or Outstanding in your NEWT tests of Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts. I guess the Standard big five. Though there were some notes that candidates for the Apprentice programs who had a NEWT in Arithmancy or Ancient Runes."

Harry winced. His third year electives had been decidedly non-academic in scope: divination and care of magical creatures. The former because it promised an easy O and the latter mostly to support Hagrid's new position. His conscious spoke up.

"I don't want to give up Hagrid's class," He told Hermione, "But do you think I could maybe drop Divination and pick up Ancient Runes?" He shot an apologetic look at Ron, since they had signed up for their electives together. The red haired boy shrugged.

"Look mate- the fewer people predicting your untimely death the better you know? And Bill says Ancient Runes is crazy useful." Harry nodded his thanks and thought about the runes carved into the hospital floor around Thomas's bed. It would be useful to know what those were too.

"I'm taking Muggle Studies," Neville admitted, "I don't want to give that up. It's interesting."

"It's wrong." Hermione corrected, "Professor Burbage couldn't operate a toaster if her life depended on it."

"That may be," Neville agreed simply, "But I still like it. We're going to cover muggle medicine next year and I want to see what they've got."

That, Harry thought, was a rather brilliant idea. The Muggles had loads of medical techniques for comas. If there was a way to combine magical healing with muggle medicine he might be able to find the cure for Thomas sooner than expected!

"Regardless," Hermione wrinkled her nose in thought as Ron pulled the notebook away from her, "We're halfway through the year. I don't think you'll be able to just pick up classes. But if you explain why you both want to change electives, she might let you start with the fourth year? Of course, it will take a lot of work. A lot." She repeated staring very hard at first Harry and then Neville.

Harry sighed but nodded and Neville followed suit, a little more nervously.

0X0X0X0X0

Surprisingly, Professor McGonagall didn't laugh the four of them out of the room when she heard their request. Glancing between the two boys who stood nervously and Hermione who was sitting at the edge of her seat, she considered them.

"And why, Mr. Potter, do you and Mr. Longbottom wish to drop one of your current electives and take up Ancient Runes?"

"We want to be healers, Professor," Harry answered promptly. Neville nodded in agreement. The older woman's gaze softened a little.

"It's a noble sentiment, Mr. Potter, but it takes a great deal of skill and the right temperament to attain the role of Healer. St. Mungo's offers many volunteer opportunities and I'm sure regular visits will-"

Harry cut her off with a shake of his head.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but I've made up my mind. I need to be a healer and try to- Well, a lot of people are hurt because of me, Professor.

"I know it's not my fault," He hurried to add as Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, "But I need to do something to make up for that."

Professor McGonagall's eyes had grown slightly misty and she blinked before turning to Neville. "Do you feel the same way Mr. Longbottom?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Well, I applaud your aspirations, but it is impossible for two third years to change their electives midway through the year. Perhaps you could pick up the classes at the beginning of your fourth year- but I'm not sure how you would make up the loss of the year-"

"I could tutor them, Professor," Hermione cut in pulling out a scroll of parchment, "Over the summer- we could have study sessions and bring them up to speed on Ancient Runes. I drew up a mock-schedule already and think that it's possible." She handed the scroll to McGonagall who unfurled it and looked over a complicated, but neat schedule.

"This looks plausible, Ms. Granger. But are you sure you would like to take the responsibility of teaching them?"

"Oh yes. I mean, Ancient Runes is mostly self study like most languages, so it wouldn't be so much work and I would appreciate the chance to review them myself. And-"

"Of course, Ms. Granger." The older woman cut her off with a small smile, but the smile faded when she turned to look at the boys. "I am willing to speak to the Headmaster on your behalf about Ancient Runes, but you both need to prove you are serious about this dream."

"Yeah. Sure. We'll do anything." Harry agreed quickly.

"Very well. If you are serious about this course of action, you must both receive either Es or Os on your finals in Transfiguration, Herbology, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Potions. If you get less than an E on any of these finals, you must remain with your current elective choices."

Harry glanced at Neville who gave him a small nod.

"Agreed, Professor. Thank you!"

A/N: Not sure where I'm going with this story, it's just fun to sort of follow the thread along Harry's vague academic challenges.