Chapter 2
Harry knocked on the door and heard the scuffling of a chair and Hagrid’s heavy footfalls cross the floor. The door opened and a wave of pleasant heat hit Harry as Hagrid said. “Well, allo ‘Arry. What’re you doin’ out ‘ere? C’mon in.”
“Came to say hello Hagrid, I’ve got about an hour before class,” Harry said, stepping through the door and taking off his cloak. “Oh, Hello Professor McGonagall, sorry, I hope I’m not interrupting anything.” Harry lied, he knew she was going to be here.
Her raised eyebrow suggested that she knew he was lying, but she didn’t say that. Instead, she answered. “Not at all, Professor Potter. Hagrid and I were just discussing poor Neville.” She sighed and shook her head, then picked up the massive mug in front of her and took a sip.
Hagrid nodded his shaggy head and said. “Yeah, the poor bloke’s ‘avin’ a hard time of et this Christmas. Set down ‘Arry.” Hagrid went to his cupboard and took down another bowl-sized mug.
Harry took another chair at the table after hanging his cloak on one of the wooden pegs in the wall. “Thanks, Hagrid, and I know what you mean. I met him in the entry hall and apparently he’s just lost his mimbulus mimbletonia on top of everything else, I think he’s pretty broken up over it.” Hagrid poured some tea into the cup he’d gotten for Harry.
“Oh, what a shame,” Minerva said, seriously, Harry was glad he wasn’t the only one who grasped the gravity of the situation. “He mentioned that it wasn’t doing well.”
“He’s asked me to assist in putting it in the compost bin tomorrow. I think I’ll bring some black crepe paper.” Harry said, only half in jest.
Minerva just shook her head and sighed again, ignoring his joke. “If memory serves, which it is not exactly apt to do, that is the same mimbletonia he’s had since your fifth year.”
“The very same,” Harry replied, lifting the mug and taking his first sip of tea, it was very strong.
“Well, iddin tha’ a shame.” Hagrid said, “Maybe we could find ‘im a new un?”
“I don’t know, Hagrid, I think they’re pretty rare,” Harry said. “I understand why, but that really does make finding another one a bit of a difficult task.”
“I don’t know if another new plant is what Neville needs at the moment.” The headmistress said, leaning back against the chair, pressing her fingertips together and knitting her eyebrows in thought. “In fact, I don’t know what could possibly help that is within our control.” She said with a sigh.
“That is exactly what I was hoping you wouldn’t say,” Harry responded, wrapping his cold hands around the mug.
Minerva rolled her eyes at him and said. “I think the only thing we can do is make sure he isn’t alone too often. And I’ll talk to poppy about a cheering potion, for emergencies. I’ve been reading up on mental conditions which follow his symptoms and I have come to a conclusion which I must check with a mediwitch before sharing. Other than that, I haven’t the foggiest what we could do.”
Harry sighed dramatically and turned to Hagrid. “Don’t you just love it when she comes up with solutions to problems and still acts like she hasn’t got a clue what to do?”
Hagrid laughed at Harry’s question, a smile widening across his face. “Ye know ‘Arry I think ye’ve got a point.”
Harry chanced a look at Minerva, but instead of the scolding glance, he was expecting she was just smiling slightly and shaking her head. “You’re both very funny.” She said sarcastically. “But I wouldn’t say I’ve come up with a solution just yet.”
“We know, tha’s why we’re sayin’ it fer ye,” Hagrid answered leaning back against his chair, grinning.
Minerva rolled her eyes again, and said, “Before you go saying it any more I’m going to check a few of my suppositions against Madam Pomfrey’s extensive knowledge.” And with that she left her chair and swept past the table towards her cloak, hanging off the back of Hagrid’s armchair.
It was Hagrid’s turn to roll his eyes, though one could barely tell he had through his bushy beard and eyebrows.
“Thank you for tea, Hagrid. It was lovely as always.” Minerva said, pulling her cloak over her hunter green robes.
“But o’ course,” Hagrid said. “Next Wednesday?”
“But of course,” Minerva responded, a slight smile on her face. And with that, she opened the door and swished out of view.
“Ye know ‘Arry, she was only ‘ere fer about ten minutes before ye got ‘ere, but ye had to come an’ put an idea in ‘er ‘ead. She only stops workin’ long enough te come te tea one day a week.” Hagrid said, mildly annoyed, not by Harry but by Minerva’s incessant work schedule.
“Oh, sorry Hagrid.”