I Love Plants {a Neville Longbottom story}

Locks and Longbottom

Goblet of fire

Serenity

"I have to tell you about your parents."

I hear the words but I'm not sure what they mean. "What about my parents sir?"

"Well it's a long story, are you comfortable?" He asks
"Yes sir, now please go on." I say, leaning forward in anticipation.

"Kennedy Soloane, your mother, and Jacob Locks, your father, were both Slytherin house. They were very kind and would often mingle with the other houses. They were very much about friendship, like you darling." He smiles, but then his expression gets serious again. "Their closest friends were Frank and Alice. Longbottom's parents." My eyes go large but I keep quiet so I can hear the rest.

"When they graduated there was a war that had begun. Something we called the order of the Phoenix started, a kind of army against Voldemort. Frank and Alice, as well as Harry's family were a part of that order. Lucius and Narcissa, your parent's best mates from Slytherin, stayed loyal to Voldemort."

He lets out a long sigh

"we already had eyes on the inside but because your parents were so close with some of Voldemort's loyal followers I mad the decision to allow them to become spies for the order, they would become a sort of double agent. So then on, your parents became death eaters."

"That was my worst decision, I regret that decision everyday miss Locks. If I had known how it would end." He lets out another sigh.

"Voldemort knew of a child, a boy, was born. That boy was believed to cause his end and he would stop at nothing to find him. At one point Neville Longbottom was thought to be that boy and his parents were captured. The Locks' were ordered to torture their closest friends to get information on the boy's whereabouts, but they refused. And they were punished for that."

He looks down at me.
"Miss Locks I see you are very close with Mr Longbottom, I can't help but think fate has taken hold of you. I also see you are very close with the Malfoy boy, I only hope that maybe instead of choosing a side, you can guide both in the correct direction?" He asks with a hopeful smile.

I contemplate his words for a long moment. Not knowing how to process this information yet at the same time I'm left wanting to know more. As if there was something he was keeping from me.

"Where is the order now?" I finally ask.
"Need not worry about that right now." He replied.

"so you want me to guide others in the right direction but you won't give up any information to possibly help me?" I ask slightly agitated.

"Miss Locks, I only hope you give them both kindness and love. I will not be sending any more innocent people into something they aren't required to be a part of. Let alone a 15 year old girl. Never underestimate kindness, you don't always need an army to win wars." He says.

"Does Neville know?" I ask.
"No, he doesn't know, Harry is in the dark as well, he is blinded by hate for the Malfoy boy. Many of my students are. I do see darkness rising in young Draco but he is but a boy, and he has a large heart same as you. Though I worry some will come to wake darkness in you." He adds
"why me?" I ask "my parents were traitors to the Dark lord, why would they want me?"

"I only worry is all, now I've kept you for much too long, please allow me to escort you to class." He finally says while opening the door.

Neville

I didn't see Serenity at breakfast and I was starting to wonder if she had accidentally slept in or something, more worry came over me when Dumbledore escorted her into the greenhouse. She wore an unreadable look on her face. Her eyes met mine and she wandered to the seat next to mine and sat silently. Dumbledore exchanged some words with professor Sprout before leaving the class.

"Well then, as I was saying, the Venomous Tentacula seeds are a class C non tradable substance-"

professor Sprout continued her lecture but I wasn't paying attention anymore, I pretended to fiddle with my quill but I was really just watching as Ren drew the plant quickly and flawlessly with one hand, but the other hand was balled into such a tight fist that her knuckles were turning a shade of white.

Serenity

Class ends but I  remain sitting as the other students gather their belongings, I finish up my notes on Tentacula around the sketch I made in my book.

"Ren?"

What did Dumbledore mean about me not worrying about the order? Was it still active? Was there something we needed to worry about? And why tell me now, why not tell me first year?

"Ren your hand!"

I feel Neville gently lift my left hand, I look up and only now notice that I had put so much pressure on my hand that my fingernails had cut into my palm. Neville pulls a tiny bottle of something out of his robes and rubs it gently on my hand. I watch as he concentrates on it, trying not to hurt me any further. My heart swells. I look down at my hand once again to see it heal quickly.

"Dittany." We both say in unison. Neville and I both chuckle but when my eyes reach his I feel guilty somehow.

"Thanks Nev." I say

"what's wrong Ren, this isn't like you. Although I'm not sure what like you is because I haven't had a class with you in quite some time."

"Yeah it's not like me." I say looking up at him.
"Nev there is something I'm not supposed to tell you, but best friends don't keep secrets right?"

"Right." He says

"Well then, meet me by the lake after classes ok?"

"Sure, anything for you." He replies with a kind smile, the sort of smile that makes my heart beat a little faster.

And with that we both go our separate ways to get to our next classes.