The Wonders of Witch Hazel

A Full Moon in November

Neville snuck into the Greenhouse to try to get some dittany. His bruises were getting worse day after day, instead of fading. He thought maybe with some dittany's paste they could heal faster, mainly the one on his jaw.

He was surprised when he opened the door, and he could hear faint sobs inside. "Lumos," he whispered. He had come from the Gryffindor tower without lightning his wand so he could hide easier. And the full moon high on the starry sky illuminated the grounds enough for him to see where he was going. Not that he needed it, he knew his way to the Greenhouses with his eyes closed. But now, now he needed to find who was hurt.

He followed the whimpers until he saw the silhouette of a witch, curled up under the Wiggentree. He approached slowly, not to startle her, whoever she was. But when he was just a couple of feet away, she jumped into her feet and aimed her wand at him. "Stay back."

Neville raised his hands up, palms facing her. "It's me, Parkinson. I mean no harm."

She kept her wand raised "What do you want, Longbottom. Why did you come here?"

He turned his face, pointing to the large wound on his jaw. "I was looking for some dittany, to see if it would at least close the wound so it could stop bleeding. You?"

"Witch Hazel... But I could not find any..." The Slytherin witch confessed.

Neville gave her a sad smile. Witch Hazel, when boiled with some water and alcohol, could make a soothing toner for irritated skin and minor bleeding. He had used it a couple of times. "I know where they are... How many twigs do you need?"

"Half a dozen? They shall be enough. If you can spare them..." Pansy said as she followed him across the greenhouse. "If you cannot, just two or three..."

"Can I ask you why you need them?" Neville inquired, finding the plant, and collecting the ending branches.

She flinched, cradling her left arm against her chest. Pansy swallowed. "I... I don't ... Astoria Greengrass got in trouble with Alecto Carrow for comforting a smaller Ravenclaw in the library." She finally said. Neville was not sure he believed her.

"If it's a bruise, maybe some Arnica root will be better suited..." He advised but placed the twigs inside a little cotton pouch.

And then she was crying again, covering her mouth with a hand to absorb the cries. It was instinct, Neville took a few steps forward and wrapped his arms around her, tightly. "Whatever it is, it will be okay..." He whispered.

Neville thought Slytherin House was safe, that they were protected. It seems he was wrong. He raised one of his hands from her upper back to cradle the back of her head against his shoulder. He only let go when she stopped shaking and her weeps stopped.

She pulled away, raised her wand to her face and all the traces of her breakdown were gone. She still cradled her left arm, protectively. He noticed how she flinched when his thumb just brushed her upper arm.

Neville wondered if they were taking the older Slytherin students to Voldemort to have them branded. He went back to the tree and added something else inside the little bag, before handing it to her. "I added some flower heads too. If you mash them and mix it with a little honey, before spreading it over your skin and covering it with a clean bandage... there will be almost no scar." He recommended.

She nodded. "Thank you, Longbottom." It was barely a whisper, but Neville caught it.