Week In, Week Out

Family

28 January 1992

On yet another Tuesday, Professor Sprout made lunch arrangements for 5 and set up her office accordingly. The matched four came in, but compared to the previous two weeks, they almost seemed to be excited.

Once they had all settled down, she called on Neville to talk about family. She had assigned the themes randomly and had considered changing a couple of them, especially Neville's, but had decided against it.

"My name is Neville, although you all probably know that as we have all got to know each other a bit..." He mumbled awkwardly before looking down at his shoes, gathering himself and continuing, "I live with my Gran and have done so since my parents became...incapacitated."

Ah. There it was. Neville was still looking at his shoes, so Professor Sprout took a moment to look around the room and judge what the other children's reactions were like. She was pleased to see that they all looked understanding. She only hoped that none of them would ask any awkward questions.

"Gran has always been very kind to me and spends quite a lot of her time trying to make sure that I continue on their legacy." He patted his pocket. For a moment Professor Sprout tried to see exactly what it was he had in his pocket. An heirloom of some sort? It probably didn't matter. "They were aurors, and I can't see myself following in their footsteps in that way, but hopefully, someday, I will be able to convince Gran that there are other ways to make an impact."

"What does she think about your interest in herbology?" Addie asked.

"I don't think she thinks of it as a viable career option, but I should be able to study it as long as I want as my dad was good at herbology."

"Frank always did have an eye for what a plant needed to develop." A trait that he surely didn't get from Augusta, who Professor Sprout remembered from her youth as having been prickly, even back then.

"Yes, his carnivorous plants are still at home in the green house. We give them a full steak dinner fortnightly." He looked at her for approval. She nodded. Sometimes she found it difficult to understand students who had greenhouses at home. Most of them were not nearly as interested in them as she would have been if her parents had had room for one. However, an undetectable expansion charm to create a greenhouse in her childhood flat would have finished the entire building off. At least there were people like Neville, who had enough enthusiasm to make up for even the least enthusiastic library dweller.

Sensing that the family subject had been exhausted for Neville, which was fair enough considering that his was more complicated than the average, she had a proposal for what to do next.

"As we have all had our soup and sandwiches in admirable time, we should go out to greenhouse 4 where I think Neville could explain some of the specimens."

Neville's face lit up.

Professor Sprout guided her ducklings out of her office and down the stairs to the greenhouses. All the way, they all asked Neville questions.

"Is your greenhouse at home like the greenhouses here?" Addy asked.

"Bigger, I presume." Professor Sprout called over her shoulder.

"I suppose it is." Neville admitted abashedly.

"Must be massive then. My aunt and uncle have one at home, and it's basically a plastic tent for the sweet peas."

Professor Sprout couldn't believe what she had just heard. "Barbaric." She muttered under her breath.

"Like for camping?" Cho wondered. Professor Sprout imagined that she was probably thinking of wizarding tents with their gizmos and built in plumbing.