Chapter - 18 : Awakening part - 3

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"Well met Neville Longbottom, I'm Harry Crow and, since you are practically family, please call me Harry. The young lady on my arm is Hermione Granger and this is our friend Padma Patil - her twin sister is in Gryffindor with you."

Neville stared unbelievingly at Harry's offered hand before nervously shaking it. "Hi everybody, eh family?"

"Did you know my mum was your godmother?" This was clearly news to Neville, but not as shocking as the next bit. "Your mother is also my godmother." The boy appeared ready to cry at that but Harry now had his hand comfortingly on Neville's shoulder and Hermione had moved by his side.

"Voldemort cost both of us Neville, but I think you got the worst of the deal. There is no way you should now have to put up with a death eater teaching you. I would like to offer you the opportunity to join us for separate potion lessons."

"Are you sure?"

The pleading nature of Neville's demeanour at Harry's offer was heartbreaking to watch. He clearly had no self-esteem and couldn't work out why anyone would make such an offer to him. Harry responded the only way he knew how, honestly.

"I'm very sure Neville. Both the offers of private lessons and friendship are genuine, this is not some sick prank. Had things been different, we would have grown up together and I'm certain been best friends. We may have lost years but I would like us both to start down that road now."

The smile now on Neville's face was all the answer Harry needed and the four resumed their journey to transfiguration. Neville gave the impression of someone who'd just had the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders, he explained this as they walked.

"Snape terrifies me, and we've heard he saves his worst behaviour for Gryffindors. Ron's been trying to catch your eye all week, we're all desperate to get out of Snape's class."

"I've had the people in my own house dropping subtle hints all week too. The problem is that, when my father arranged this, it was supposed to be for me and hopefully a few friends. I can't really turn up with three quarters of first year without talking to my father again. He's coming to Hogwarts tomorrow so I might be able to help a few more out then, but I think I should offer places to my own house first. I would appreciate it if you could let slip to Ron Ron that I don't like pushy."

"Ah!" It was plain to see that the penny had dropped for Neville so he blushingly offered an explanation. "Parvati was moaning about how you appeared friends with Padma but practically ignored her, she couldn't understand it..."

The musical laughter coming from Padma cut Neville off. "Oh pushy is a good description of Pav, there's a few other words I could use as well."

"So you're not identical then?"

"Physically yes, but we're definitely two different witches."

They chatted all the way to transfiguration before doing their usual and sitting at the front of the class. Harry's bag was charmed weightless and bottomless and he insisted that both girls put their book bags in there too. He handed Hermione hers and was about to do the same with Padma when the redhead Gryffindor stepped over the line. He'd just pushed Neville out the way so he could claim the seat on the other side of Harry.

"What are you playing at?"

Ron was unrepentant. "The boy-who-lived needs proper Gryffindor friends, not to be hanging about with Ravenclaw girls and Neville. The way you took down Malfoy was bloody brilliant! What quidditch team to you support?"

Harry's gaze would have had anyone else in the class moving seats, Ron was too stupid to know he was in any trouble. Harry had to quickly decide the best way to play this. "I paid Malfoy the compliment of at least admitting he could be dangerous. You, on the other hand, are an idiot!"

Padma and Hermione were already on their feet, guiding Neville to their new seats. Harry then joined them, leaving behind a livid Ron who was now stuck sitting at the front of the class. The reason he was stuck there was that a certain cat had just watched the entire incident, transforming into Professor McGonagall before Ron could move or even reply to the insult.

Minerva decided that no action needed to be taken, she was actually delighted to see three Ravenclaws standing up for one of her cubs. That the youngest Weasley possessed the social skills of a troll was something that other members of staff had actually commented on.

McGonagall's transformation from her cat form led the professor neatly into her introductory remarks about how transfiguration was some of the hardest magic they would learn. Transfiguring her desk into a pig was always something that caught and held the new first years' attention. McGonagall was continuing her well honed introduction before noticing she didn't have the entire class' full attention, one of them actually appeared bored. This had never happened before so she cut short her talk to discover what the problem was.

"Is there something you don't understand Mr Crow?"

"Basically, all of it Professor."

McGonagall's lips tightened at this. "Could you please be a trifle more specific Mr Crow?"

Ron couldn't resist a jibe. "It's because he's an idiot!"

The sniggering this caused was all the invitation Harry needed to shut them up. "Well, I understood changing your desk into a pig was purely a demonstration, though not very practical one since you couldn't actually eat it!" McGonagall didn't seem too pleased with that analysis but could hardly refute the facts, she grudgingly nodded in acceptance so Harry continued. "It's all the different spell incantations and wand movements that confuse me. Since transfiguration is basically changing one thing into another, why do you need a different spell for every occasion? Transfiguration is one of the easiest branches of magic to master, you're just asking your magic to perform the same function over and over again."

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(P).(A).(T).(R).(E).(O).(N)

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