The Disgraced of the House of Black - A Multi-Character Fanfiction - Part One

47. Fluenscorpia

Althea and Neville were sitting on one of the benches in Greenhouse Three, a new plant of Neville's discovery between them. The sun was shining bright and warm on their faces as Neville gently poked the plant. It moved with the motion of his finger, curling and swirling as though in water.

"That's so cool," Althea said in awe, watching as the movement swirled up the length of the plant.

"It's called fluenscorpia," Neville explained excitedly. "Apparently, the plant it's derived from is a water plant, but this wizard in the 18th century combined it with some other plant and made it able to survive on land. It takes water from the atmosphere."

"It's so beautiful," Althea said, watching as the gleaming plant, a vibrant blue, swirled with an imaginary current.

"It is," Neville agreed with a bright smile, watching as one of the long, flowing leaves fell from the top, falling slowly toward the ground.

Before it had hit it, Neville stooped, catching the leaf in hand before turning to Althea.

"Its leaves are incredibly strong and durable, and it takes centuries for their leaves to lose their colour," he explained, beginning to wind the long leaf into a spiral. He worked in silence for a time while Althea leaned forward, trying to catch sight of what he was doing. When he had at last finished, she saw there, cradled in his hand, a three-layered bracelet.

Holding it up to her, Neville, blushing slightly, said, "It makes really durable jewellery. If you, you know, if you want it, you can...I mean..."

"It's beautiful," Althea said, taking it from him and slipping the bright piece on her wrist.

Just as she did so, the plant released another long, vibrant leaf. Smiling, Althea caught it and began twisting it into another cord. Neville blushed, averting his gaze from her until she had finished and presented him with a bracelet nearly identical to his own. Smiling, he took it, wrapping it around his wrist.

"Now we're matching," Althea said with a shy smile.

Neville said nothing, but Althea could tell from his pleased smile that he was deeply flattered.

Althea opened her mouth to say something, but before she could speak, the door to the greenhouse opened with a bang. Turning, she was surprised to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Thea," Hermione exclaimed. "There you are. We've looked over the whole school for you!"

"What's going on?" Althea asked, brows furrowed.

"It's- Oh, it's Buckbeak," Hermione said, beginning to cry.

"Who's Buckbeak?" Althea asked.

"Hagrid's hippogriff," Neville explained, looking concerned. "Hagrid lost the case?"

Hermione nodded.

"What case?" Althea asked, looking between Neville and the others.

Again, it was Neville who answered. "Hagrid told us in class that hippogriffs are incredibly proud and that we shouldn't insult them. Malfoy ignored that and ended up being slashed across the arm, but he made this huge deal about it and involved his dad."

"Oh, Merlin," she sighed. "Poor Hagrid."

.

The following day, Althea, who had been let out early from Study of Ancient Runes, was walking across the grounds, waiting for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to come up from Care of Magical Creatures. She had just sat down with a book on the steps when an unpleasantly familiar voice reached her ears.

"Look at him blubber!" Malfoy called condescendingly. "Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic? And he's supposed to be our teacher!"

Althea heard it before she saw it. All three of her friends darted forward, but only Hermione reached him. Althea gasped with shock as Hermione slapped him across the face.

There was a stunned silence before she, raising her hand again, snarled, "Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul - you evil -"

"Hermione!" Ron cried, lunging for her hand as she pulled it back again.

"Get off, Ron!" she snapped.

"Okay, that's enough," Althea said quickly, jumping to her feet to get between Hermione and Draco. Looking between them, she ordered, "Walk away!" No one moved. "Are you going to make me repeat myself?" she snapped.

Scoffing, Draco turned and disappeared into the school with Crabbe and Goyle.

"Harry, you better beat him at the Quidditch Final," Hermione said shrilly. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin wins!"

"We're due in Charms," Ron said, still eyeing Hermione with shocked awe. "We'd better go."

They all broke into a run, realizing they only had two minutes to cross two floors. When they finally got inside, Flitwick instantly chided, "You three are late. Come quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today, we've already divided into pairs. Miss Black, you'll be with me."

"Yes, sir," she replied, placing her bag on her desk and fetching her wand.

"Where's Hermione gone?" Ron asked, glancing behind them.

She didn't turn up all lesson. After class, Althea made her way toward the Gryffindor Common Room while the boys went to lunch. Inside, she found, buried behind pile upon pile of books, Hermione fast asleep. With a sympathetic sigh, Althea sat down beside her, gently shaking her.

Jerking awake, she muttered, "Wh-What? Is it time to go? Which lesson have we got now?"

"Divination, but not for another forty minutes," Althea replied. "You missed Charms."

"What? Oh no!" Hermione cried. "I forgot to go to Charms!"

"It's okay, Hermione," Althea said, ignoring her confusion as to how on earth Hermione forgot when they were all standing there when Ron brought it up. "Go get some lunch and then go see Flitwick. I'm sure he'll understand. Make sure you eat, though, okay?"

"I will," Hermione promised. "See you later, Thea."

"Bye," she replied with a small smile.

Once Hermione had gone, however, Althea frowned. She was worried about Hermione, more than she'd like to admit, but what was there to do? What can be done for someone who believes they are not in need of help?