Chapter Twenty-Five: Plants and Whispers

The greenhouses were warm despite the late-February chill. Heat charm runes glowed faintly between the glass panes, casting a soft amber hue across the rows of potted plants and magically-dampened soil.

Harry spotted Neville gently transferring a puffapod seedling into a larger pot. His brow was furrowed in concentration, but his hands were steady, precise.

Harry approached quietly. "You've got a good touch for that."

Neville startled slightly, but smiled. "Oh, thanks. Professor Sprout lets me help out sometimes outside of class. I've always loved Herbology."

Harry knelt beside him. "It shows."

Harry slipped on his gloves and joined in. They worked in silence for a moment, side by side.

"Hey, Neville," Harry said eventually, "I've been meaning to say, you handled the Devil's Snare better than the rest of class combined. You kept calm and knew exactly what you were doing."

Neville flushed. "I've had... some experience with dangerous plants. At home we've got a few greenhouses, most of them are for potions ingredients, but my mum built a new greenhouse for dangerous plants. She always loved working with them, taming them, getting to know them."

"Sounds like it paid off." Harry smiled. "Do you mind if I join you more often? I think I've been neglecting my Herbology knowledge."

Neville looked surprised, but nodded. "Sure. I wouldn't mind."

They chatted for a while, mostly about plants and the spring Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw match. Neville opened up slowly, mentioning his struggles with Charms and his frustration with always being a step behind.

"You're not behind," Harry said. "You just haven't figured out how you learn best yet. If you want, I can show you a few tricks that help me focus."

Neville's face brightened. "That would be great!"

"I'll send you a note or come and find you when I've figured something out, I'd love to help Neville."

When they left the greenhouse, Harry felt something settle in his chest. Neville might not look like much now, but there was strength there. Loyalty. The makings of a real ally.

One worth investing in.

~OvO~

That evening, the Room of Requirement shifted to match Harry's intent.

Tonight, it resembled a vast stretch of misty woodland, surrounding the ruins of an uninhabited manor. Harry had no idea what kind of state Potter Manor was in, so he was preparing for the worst. Half-imagined stone foundations crumbled and fell apart as Harry walked the perimeter, wand in hand.

He was focused on layered warding; an alarm net paired with anti-Apparition magic, proximity tripwires, and emergency shields that could be designed to keep people in or out.

It was painstaking work.

The spells strained his magical reserves, and more than once he had to sit down, dizzy from overexertion. He hated it. Knowing how to do everything but being throttled by the limits of an eleven-year-old core.

But frustration had long ago become fuel. He pushed through, casting and recasting, adjusting his focus with surgical precision.

Each ward was a thread. And he was weaving a web.

By the time he started packing up for the night, he had created a layered spherical ward that stretched for two hundred metres in each direction, with the anchoring ward stone directly in the centre. This layered ward was activated when someone, anyone, that wasn't keyed into the wards, stepped over the boundary - whether by foot, air, apparition, or portkey. An alarm would be sent to the ward-keeper and a sort of lockdown would come into effect. Whoever had triggered the ward would be paralysed until Harry let them go, and no-one else would be able to breach the perimeter.

He had plans to both extend the circumference of the ward sphere, and to increase the security measures it enacted, but it was past curfew and he was exhausted. He would continue the improvements tomorrow.

~OvO~

Near midnight, back in the dorm, Harry glanced at the Marauder's Map out of habit.

Most of the castle was asleep.

Except for one dot.

Quirinus Quirrell

Harry's blood chilled. Quirrell was alone in the restricted section of the library. Harry was bone-weary, and all he wanted to do was collapse onto his bed and sleep, but he knew this was an opportunity. He still couldn't be sure about the date of Quirrell's attempt on the stone, and this might help him narrow it down.

He grabbed his invisibility cloak, tapped the map to clear it, and slipped from the Tower.

The library was deathly silent, the only sounds were Harry's barely-there footsteps and the faint hum of magical preservation wards.

He moved like a shadow between shelves, heading toward the roped-off area of the restricted section.

There, deep in the stacks, stood Quirrell.

Or rather - something wearing Quirrell.

The stutter was gone. His back was straight. His voice, though quiet, was laced with contempt and hunger.

"There has been progress," the voice hissed. "The protections are known, one by one, they've told us. Simple questions. Gentle guidance. A biscuit here, a cup of tea there. We're out of veritaserum now though."

Harry's breath caught.

"We wait too long," the other voice whispered. This one was thinner, colder, like steel dragged across glass.

"The boy grows stronger. The old man grows wary."

Quirrell flinched. "Soon. One more layer remains. Snape never accepts the dosed food or drink and he is a Master Occlumens. I cannot think of another way to find out his protection."

Silence.

"We might have to risk it. My intellect and power will surely overcome whatever meagre protection the traitor has implemented. My plan to take the old man out of the equation will not bear fruit until June."

The silence stretched.

Then: "You have until then. Do not fail me again, Quirinus."

Quirrell staggered, clutching his head. A faint snarl escaped him before he turned and walked briskly from the aisle.

Harry didn't move until he was sure the professor had gone.

Only then did he slip out of the library, heart pounding.

~OvO~

Back in bed, Harry stared at the canopy above.

They were getting closer.

And now, he had a timetable.

Not yet, but soon.

Very soon.

I hope you're all enjoying the story so far! Please do leave a review if you would like.

I wanted to say a quick thank you to alix33, Gryffindorforever4242, onicon82, and ora1168 for your support and enthusiasm. It means the world.