Rivals Not Enemies (Drarry Slowburn)

MCGONAGALL'S LESSON

A/N: I'm fully aware that Animagus forms are not attained in the way I've described in the following chapters. For the sake of storytelling and character development, let's just say that a new method was introduced after the war. Also, I love movie Neville way more than book Neville, so I'm replacing the book narrative—where Dobby gave Harry Gillyweed—with the movie plot from Goblet of Fire because it gave Neville a bit more recognition.

Yesterday, McGonagall had posted a note on her classroom door that class was canceled, so Harry woke up wondering if today would be the same‭. ‬It was a humid morning with surplus heat, making the Hogwarts greenhouses stuffy.

The panes of greenish glass showed no reflection of the lush plants beside them due to thick condensation. Neville was waiting by the Mandrakes, clipping dead leaves as he saw fit until he caught a glance at his old friends.

"Nev!" Ron greeted. They laughed when Pomona Sprout said from her corner, "That's Professor Longbottom, to you!"

Professor Sir Honorable Longbottom grinned brightly, "Harry! Ron!"—Miss Sprout corrected him with "Mr. Potter" and "Mr. Weasley"—"It's so good to see you guys."

Harry smiled, "It's crazy that you were a student only a year ago!"

"I'm still technically a student, though. Professor Sprout is mentoring me in a work-study program. It's really a dream!" Neville enthused, putting down the clippers after waving them in the air as he spoke, causing Ron to flinch.

Sprout corrected him once again, but this time with a light heart, "It's Miss Sprout, now! I'm a semester away from retiring, and Longbottom will take my place. I must make sure he's prepared before I go."

"I'm happy for you, Nev," Ron congratulated him. Pomona shuffled out of the greenhouse to greet the newcomers and advise them of their new instructor.

Neville chimed like a bell with glee, "Hermione is in my 8 am class. She left a note for you two where she sits—it's under the potted Fluxweed." Ron and Harry gave a blank expression, showing they had no clue what that was. Neville sighed, "Front row, far right."

With that, the boys nodded and took Hermione's seat. There was, in fact, a piece of parchment under the potted plant. Neat and legible script read:

I owled McGonagall after she didn't show up for Transfiguration yesterday. Apparently she hadn't quite figured out her curriculum yet, but she has now! She wants to teach a lesson on Animagi!

—Hermione

"Animagi? Isn't that potion magic?" Ron sputtered.

Harry remembered the sign tacked beside the Transfiguration classroom yesterday saying that classes were canceled. "If I'm being honest, I hope it's not," he admitted.

Ron drifted back to the lovely handwriting of the note. He read it once more and got excited all over again, "This is so cool!"

"But . . . why would McGonagall encourage us to learn magic that's likely to get us into more trouble?"

"Because we'll get into trouble either way," Ron said matter-of-factly.

Harry tried to find another reason to dismiss the idea, but couldn't. "I guess we'll just have to see how it goes."

Students of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, first years mostly, filed into the greenhouse. Neville was noticeably nervous, but the enthusiasm in his voice disguised it from people who did not know him as well as Ron or Harry.

"Welcome to herbology, everyone. Sit wherever you'd like. Since it's the first day, I reckon just a bit of a refresher will do nicely? Let's discuss flora in relation to water, rain, and the sea—maybe even name a few . . . ?"