Double-Teamed in Greenhouse Four
Gryffindor Fourth-Year Boys’ Dorm, 6:45 AM, Monday, June 26, 1995
”Your Gran actually said you’d chosen all of your friends well?” Dean Thomas asked, gobsmacked. Like Seamus Finnegan and several others, he’d secretly believed that he’d held back “The Golden Trio” (Harry, Ron and Hermione) in key situations.
”That’s what she said!” Neville happily confirmed, and looking Ron Weasley in the eye.
”Even after what I did to Harry this year?” Ron Weasley asked, incredulously. He was afraid his jealousy of Harry—after the 14-year-old’s name emerged from the Goblet of Fire the previous Halloween, although contestants were supposed to be at least 17—had damaged his friendship with his bunkmate irreparably.
”Even after all of that!” Harry teased. “You really came through toward the end, though,” he added, gratefully.
”Yeah…well…the way you beat that Horntail—and then me actually being ‘part’ of the Second Task—kinda made me think things over…,” Ron mumbled sheepishly.
Just then, a voice was heard from the Common Room. “Quit stalling!” It was Hermione, of course. “You’re going to make us late for breakfast…!”
“…and our first Final Exam…, pointed out Dean.
”Thanks for reminding us!” grumbled Seamus, gathering quills, parchment and books.
”Give me a break, guys! It’s Herbology1…my best chance at an ’EE’…,” pointed out Neville.
”…or, more likely, an ’O’!” chortled Ron. “I wish I could copy off you, Nev!”
At a second summons from Hermione, Dean asked the question they all knew the answer to. “Does she ever sleep?”
”Maybe, sometimes, on weekends…maybe,” laughed Harry.
The other Fourth-Year boys joined in the laughter, as they made their way to the Common Room…little suspecting that a surprise awaited them, even before breakfast….
~~~~~
9:00, Greenhouse Four
Still reeling from the “olive branch” that Draco, Greg and Vincent had extended before breakfast2, Harry—indeed, all of the Fourth-Year Gryffindors—found himself coming to a halt when he saw the two Staff Members standing at the end table of the Greenhouse, where Professor Sprout usually ruled alone.
”Your written Final will only be ten questions,” Sprout began. “As you finish your exams, bring them up here, and then the second part of your Final will begin.”
”Given the events after the Third Task two nights ago,” began Severus Snape, looking casually, but directly, at Harry Potter, “I have been asked to aid the Ministry in identifying additional threats to our safety.” Here, he slid his right hand over his left sleeve. Harry gave a brief nod, indicating he understood the Potion Master’s unspoken words.
”The unusually warm weather we’ve been having lately has resulted in a profusion of cardamom plants, which Professor Snape needs for a Potion he needs to make1,” Sprout said, taking over.
”Veritaserum, I’m sure,” thought Harry. ”He’s going to use it on the entire Board of Governors—boy, is Lucius Malfoy in for a shock!—and then, probably, the entire Wizengamot.”
At that, the exam parchments began floating toward the students. When she saw that all had been distributed, Sprout said, “Begin….”
9:20 AM
As expected, Neville Longbottom was the first to finish. As he turned in his exam, Severus gave the teen a rare near-smile. “Very good, Longbottom,” he murmured. “Now, as to the second part of your Final, I need approximately 2.3 kilos3 of cardamom. This class needn’t worry about gathering the entire amount, especially as your Final Exam only runs until Noon today1. Just bring what you can back here to the Greenhouse; other classes will be tasked with finding the rest.” He proceeded to tell Neville the type of plant he needed.
By this time, Hermione Granger and Parvati Patil had also finished, and several others appeared to be finishing. “If you’ll all gather outside the Greenhouse, Mr. Longbottom will tell you what Professor Snape needs, and where to look,” Pomona told the students now gathering at her table. Neville’s spine straightened at the sign of confidence.
~~~~~
9:45 AM
After telling his classmates what to look for, and where, Neville concluded by saying, “Even though Professor Snape needs a lot of cardamom, 2.3 kilos…,” he began. (At this, several jaws dropped…surely the plants weren’t very heavy; even 2.3 kilos would be a lot of cardamom plants!) “Settle down, you lot!” he tried to calm the others. “The good news is, we won’t be the only ones looking…of course, we do need to turn in our finds by Noon…,”
”What are we waiting for, then?” Lavender Brown piped up. “Let’s go!” At that, the Gryffindors scattered, in groups, to the areas Neville had said would be most likely to find their herbal quarry.
11:55 AM
”Here’s where some of us went, Professors,” Neville said, depositing his substantial find, and giving Sprout and Snape the areas of the Forest where he and the other Fourth-Year Gryffindors had been.
”Did you leave any for the other classes?” Pomona teased. To her side, Severus, his shoulders shaking in repressed laughter, was weighing Neville’s plants.
Ignoring Snape—in fear he, too, would lose his composure—Neville replied, “Oh, yes, Professor Sprout; in fact, there was a nice clump of it here,” he wrote down an area of the Forest, “but time was running short, so I headed back here.”
By this time, Snape had composed himself. Clearing his throat, he said, “Professor, if your other classes are as successful as this one, I’ll soon have enough cardamom…maybe even by the end of the day. Mr. Longbottom, alone, has harvested 1.2 kilos4…over half of what I need. Ten points to Gryffindor.”
By this time, the rest of the class had returned with their finds. They were stunned by Snape’s final words…although Hermione Granger couldn’t hide her disappointment that her cache was obviously much smaller than Neville’s, which Snape was wrapping up.
Severus, his stern appearance back in place, just nodded gratefully at each student’s “crop”, telling each student how much she or he had contributed.
12:01 PM
After the Gryffindors had left, to head to their next Final, Severus looked over at Pomona. “An ‘O’ for Mr. Longbottom?” he asked.
Scanning his perfect paper, Sprout confirmed, “Absolutely!” she said, marking his parchment….