Chapter 15: Charms

Then I really should get started on that homework for Care just so I have it over and done with," Harry said.

"Neville, tomorrow could we take a look at that essay that Professor Sprout wanted? I'm having some issues with telling the difference between those two plants."

"Sure, that would be great," Neville said. "Could you help me finish up the essay for Professor Snape then because I don't think he will like it?"

"Definitely," Harry said.

Ron kept opening and closing his mouth. He wanted to say something but he wasn't sure what. Was he jealous because Harry was getting more friends? Maybe a little. He sighed to himself.

A big part of him had hoped things would just get back to normal after he apologised. Now he was wondering if that would ever happen.

28th of November, 1994

On Monday Harry spent his first period looking into Ancient Runes while Hermione attended the very same class. She had pointed him in the right direction and now he was expanding.

He was getting fairly certain he could just use Dragon Runes instead of these other languages.

The more he looked at it the more he figured taking the actual class would probably just hinder him. He would self-study and that was fine.

The second period was Charms and Neville struggled. Harry didn't like that.

Part of the problem was quite clearly the wand and that Harry felt was something he could fix. All those things he had brought with him could make wands.

He knew he needed a new one himself, but he could have one made for Neville too. He just needed to figure out what materials were suitable.

They were revising the Carpe Retractum spell. It was a short-range summoning spell. Harry had managed just fine and now he was helping Neville.

Neville was far from stupid it just didn't show that well because of his nerves.

Neville was nervous and scared of messing up all the time except in herbology and with plants.

That was one of the reasons that Harry was pushing for Neville to show his knowledge in that subject more.

Gildergreen.

Harry would use the branch from the Gildergreen for Neville. Now he just needed a core.

As he sat there going through what things he had brought that would make good cores he wondered if it would help Neville if he was to cast a weak courage spell on him before potions. He would have to be very subtle about it.

He was much more inclined to help Neville become less scared naturally, but sometimes people just needed a little push. That might work with Neville.

He very carefully cast a Courage spell at Neville while Neville summoned the apple they were training with again.

Neville's spell connected with the fruit and it moved towards him. He smiled brightly as he held the apple in his hands. "I did it," he said.

Harry smiled. "There you go. You can do it," he said. "Now let's try again and slower this time." He placed the apple back down.

Neville tried again and succeeded almost instantly this time. Building Neville's confidence wouldn't be that hard. All he needed was some help.

Ron both didn't like and respected Harry's new friendship with Neville. He struggled a lot with his own jealousy, and he knew that at least to a certain extent.

If nothing else Ginny had let him know he was a jealous git several times over the past month.

He sat down next to Hermione as Harry sat down next to Neville. It used to be the other way around.

Harry didn't notice Ron's struggles. He was fully occupied with making sure that Neville's hands weren't shaking as soon as Snape got close to them.

The only problem with having Neville next to him was that both of Snape's favourite targets sat together. He passed by them quite a few times and spewed underhand insults.

Harry almost started laughing. Snape was good, but he wasn't sure that Snape was better than Rashall or Rhavaniel at underhand comments.

He hadn't realised until then that he had lived with two people that were quite a lot like Snape for years. He guessed that was part of the reason he cared so little about the insults now.

By the end of the class, Harry was proud of himself. Neville had not blown his cauldron up. He had even produced a passable potion. It could be done.

That was all Harry needed to know. Now he just needed to figure out how to increase Neville's self-worth.

Snape, like always, asked for insane amounts of homework to be done before their next lesson.

"We need to start now if we are to have any chance of finishing this," Harry said as they left the classroom.

"We could head to the library now," Hermione said. "Get started and then keep going in the common room later."

"Sounds great," Harry said. "You coming too? Neville. Ron."

Neville nodded. He knew he wouldn't be of much help, but he could really use the help himself and the combination of Harry and Hermione was good if you wanted to learn something.

"Sure I guess," Ron said unenthusiastically. He wasn't that interested in homework, but he guessed he would have to do it.

They got to the library and they split up. Snape wanted an essay that reflected where the ingredients were from and how they interacted with each other. It was a tangle, but they would manage.

As they headed down to dinner, Neville told Harry about all the different plants that he had found that they could use for the essay.

Harry just smiled as Neville went on. He wondered why he had never really tried to include Neville before.

He noticed how Ron sat down by Seamus and Dean as they reached the table. Maybe that was it. He might have excluded Neville to keep Ron.

He wasn't going to prioritize like that anymore. Neville deserved to have friends. Not that he would in any way push Ron away. They would manage, he was sure.