Kassandra Bauer and the Half Blood Prince. (Book 6)

Chapter 12: Tensions are high.

We had Herbology first thing the next morning. Harry and I edging to tell our friends at breakfast, but out of fear of being overheard, Harry suggested we tell them as we walked over to the Greenhouse, filling them in as we walked across the vegetable patch. The weekend's brutal wind had died out at last, and a strange mist had taken its place. 

"Wow, scary thought, the boy, You Know Who." Ron said quietly as we crowded around the greenhouse door. "But I still don't get why Dumbledore's showing you all this. I mean, it's really interesting and everything, but what's the point?" 

"He says it's all important in keeping Harry alive." I answered. "Perhaps we need to understand how Voldemort began his rise to power. If we want to know how to end him." 

"And that would mean getting all the details of Voldemort in every single aspect. I see where you're going with this." Anubis said. 

"So how was Slughorn's latest party?" Harry asked Hermione.

"It sucked." Ryan answered focusing back on his plant. 

"Oh, it was quite fun, really." Hermione answered as she put on protective goggles. "I mean, he drones on about famous ex-pupils a bit, and he absolutely fawns on McLaggen because he's so well-" 

"Ugh. I'm not interested in McLaggen." I drove away from that conversation. And Ryan wasn't kidding when he said that it sucked. The parties had now given way to becoming starring contests between Ryan and McLaggen. And I think McLaggen gave me some smirks, even though I already had a boyfriend in Neville who was a million times better than McLaggen. 

"Hello, Kassie." Neville said next to me as he was trying to tame his plant. After a bloody lip and several nasty scratches along the side of his face, he was clutching an unpleasantly pulsating green object about the size of a grapefruit.  

"You okay?" I asked. 

"Just fine. This plant is one heck of a stubborn one." Neville assured. "Careful." 

I dived at the gnarled stump in front of me. 

I also saw Sprout briskly bustling over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Quite enough chat over here! You're lagging behind, everybody else has started, and Neville's already got his first pod!" 

The stump in front of me though, sprang to life at once. Long, prickly, and bramble like with its vines. They flew out of the top and whipped through the air. 

"Trap the vines. Knot them together. Hurry." Neville told me. 

I was able to trap the vines and knotted them together. and a hole opened in the middle of all the branches. I plunged my arm into that hole, which closed like a trap. "Ow."  

"It's okay, Kassie." Neville assured me. "Now... can you feel a pod?" 

"Can I what?" I asked staring at him. 

"Can you feel a pod?" Neville repeated. 

I moved my fingers through trying to feel for a pod. Still I touched something that was pod shaped. "I think I got it." I said. But I had a tough time trying to force my arm out. "I think it's stuck. My arm's stuck." 

Neville soon got behind me and grabbed my waist to help me get the arm out. It got out and I got the pod. But a little too fast, because when it was done. Neville and I were both on the floor. "Oof!" 

Neville was right on me, and I had the pod in my hand.  

Sprout walked up to us. "Are you okay, Miss. Bauer?" She asked. 

"I'm okay. I got my pod out." I answered. 

"Good work. Now, Mr. Longbottom. If you want to have an intimate moment with your girlfriend, please don't it in the middle of class." Sprout told Neville.