A Wizard's Debt

A/N: I know it’s a slow start – but I’m trying to set up how difficult this potion is to prepare. Not to mention, using it as an excuse to be the voice for as many characters as possible. Am I doing alright? Can you ‘hear’ the different characters?









Three: Neville.



I could have cried when my hiding place was found; Gran’s been fussing over me since the curses stopped flying and the party to celebrate began. Honestly, how many times do I have to tell her I’m fine?



I didn’t think anybody would bother to search in greenhouse two for me; especially as I’m hidden under the workbench, behind a sack of compost.



“Neville? Where are you? I need your help with something.” Said Hermione quietly, I could see her looking at Harry’s map and then at where I was hiding.



Wait a minute… Hermione needs my help? She never needs anyone’s help – she can do just about anything! She even learnt to fly over the summer so she could mimic Harry in their escape from Privet Drive plan.



“I’m under here.” I whispered, waving from my little den. “Come under, I’m hiding from Gran – she’s insisting I need to take cod liver oil to bring my strength back up after the battle!” I moaned, I hate cold liver oil even more than I hate Death Eaters!



“Ah, I’ll be happy when the wizarding world discovers the gelatine capsule for potions!” Hermione muttered, crawling in the dirt of the greenhouse floor to get to me.



A jelly what? Never mind.



“So, what do you need me for?” I asked, shuffling over for her to sit down next to me.



“Do you know anything about the Decorus dentibus?” she asked, looking at me hopefully.



“Yeah! The Nest Snapper!” I said, remembering reading a lot about it. “Its related to the Venus fly trap - distantly. It’s about three feet tall, on average in the temperate climate. Its got a central trumpet flower that stands about a foot-and-a-half above the compost, with eight sentries around it. The sentries snap at anything other than the birds that pollinate it.” Actually, its quite cute.



“Has Hogwarts got one?” Hermione asked hopefully.



“Greenhouse nine has two – for advanced Herbology, they have to cross pollinate, not self pollinate.” I replied. If it hadn’t been for the Death Eaters, I’d have done my project on the Nest Snapper’s reproductive techniques.



“Can you help me get the nectar from one?” she pleaded.



“Are you bonkers? I’d be eaten alive! The plant senses shade, if the shadow isn’t the shape of the pollinator, then it bites it to stop it getting to the nectar!” I said, what the heck does she want the nectar for?



“Ah, well I need the nectar – Professor Snape was bitten by Nagini…”



“Dead-Meglomainac’s pet?” I replied.



“Eh?” she said looking at me funny.



“Sounds better than ‘you know who’, doesn’t it?” I said with a small grin.



“Couldn’t be better… anyway, to cut a long story short, the nectar is in the antidote.”



“Oh dear.” I said, looked like we were going to be saying goodbye to our fingers.



“Can you help me Neville?” she pleaded. How could anyone refuse her anything when she looks at you like that? Her beautiful chocolate eyes are wide, and she’s looking at me as if I have the answer to the meaning to life itself.



I don’t think I can get the nectar un-scaved, never mind give her the meaning of life!



“I’ll try, Hermione. For you, I’ll try.” I said.



“Will you try for Professor Snape too?” she asked, smiling slightly.



“Erm… can I just try for you? You’re a brilliant friend – and I’m more likely to get it for you; Snape just makes me nervous…”



“Sure. We have to hurry – we don’t have a lot of time.”