If Linus had to vote on who was the most inseparable duo at Hogwarts during their first half-year, he would hesitate between the Weasley twins and Crabbe and Goyle.
But if the vote were for who had the absolute worst relationship—blowing up the moment they saw each other—Malfoy and Harry were indisputably number one.
Sometimes Linus couldn’t help but wonder if Malfoy actually had a crush on Harry and had accidentally botched the animal courtship ritual, turning the two of them into mortal enemies.
Malfoy would make faces at a late-arriving Harry in every Potions class.
He would casually stroll past the Gryffindor table with Crabbe and Goyle during lunchtime, just to coo dramatically at Harry, “Oh, Potter, crying tears again last night?
If you miss your mummy’s hugs that much, why don’t you take the train back home?”—looking for all the world like someone who had come up with a joke the night before and couldn’t wait a second to show it to the person he cared about most.
He would take a massive detour past the Transfiguration classroom before Herbology, solely to intercept Harry on his way to Quidditch practice.
(As a side note, Linus’s previous proposal for Quidditch practice matches hadn’t ended up passing, because the ridiculously uncooperative Slytherins reported to their Head of House that it damaged the fairness of the competition—meaning no team was willing to play practice matches against Slytherin with their relentless fouls.)
Sometimes Harry ignored him, and sometimes he didn’t.
Case in point: in the corridor after Transfiguration, when Malfoy sneered that Harry’s Transfiguration assignment—a snuffbox—looked like his mother’s urn, Harry landed a hard punch right on Malfoy’s nose.
Ron was faster than anyone, kicking Malfoy squarely in the rear as he collapsed to the floor.
Whether Crabbe and Goyle were being intentional or just slow-witted—or perhaps intentionally slow-witted—they didn’t raise their fists and join the fray until Malfoy bellowed, “What are you standing there for?
Fight back, Crabbe, Goyle!”
Only to be hoisted into midair by Linus with a Levitation Charm, flailing their arms and legs helplessly without falling back down.
“Now it’s three on three.
Fair play, Malfoy,” Harry said, clenching his fists as he looked down at Malfoy sitting on the floor.
Malfoy propped himself up on the wooden floor with both hands, looking at the furious Harry, an eager Ron, and the expressionless Linus standing behind them.
Throwing out a hasty threat—”Just you wait, Potter!”—he scrambled up and fled in panic.
Once Linus lowered Crabbe and Goyle from the air, they scrambled after Malfoy as well.
“That was awesome, Linus, that trick of yours!” Ron threw an arm around Linus’s shoulder.
“When the Four Tigers of Gryffindor take the field, there’s no battle we can’t win.
What do you say, Harry?” He slapped Harry on the shoulder.
Harry rubbed his neck, smiling sheepishly.
From then on, Malfoy rarely provoked Harry whenever Linus was around. Find the original chapter at g.com.
Lately, however, he seemed to have figured out Linus’s library schedule, consistently catching Harry and Ron alone to unleash his barrage of trash talk.
Now, in the nightly dormitory rankings of the most annoying people, Snape and Malfoy were neck and neck.
Compared to Harry and Ron, who bravely stood up to Malfoy, the somewhat clumsy Neville was always the target of the Malfoy trio’s pranks.
Neville had a low profile in the house and barely any friends to talk to.
Sometimes, just as he mustered the courage to jump into a conversation, the topic would shift in the moment he hesitated.
He would stand up and open his mouth, only for his prepared comment to no longer fit the new topic, leaving him to sit down dejectedly.
After doing this a few times, he lost the courage to join in altogether.
His regular partner in class was Seamus the pyrotechnic—the chosen spokesperson for explosion charms and a key reason Neville was a frequent visitor to the hospital wing.
This forced Neville to learn to keep a safe distance from his partner.
Returning from Professor Sprout’s advanced class that day, Linus happened to notice Neville sitting alone by the Black Lake, silently gazing out over the water.
The Black Lake wasn’t pitch black as Linus had once imagined.
Under the evening sunset, it displayed a calm, elegant deep green.
Looking down from the shore, the deepest depths shifted gracefully from blue to purple.
There were many urban legends around Hogwarts about the Black Lake, including but not limited to: a water monster left behind by Gryffindor, hidden treasure from Ravenclaw, a giant whale raised by Hufflepuff, and a curse cast by Slytherin.
They respectively symbolized bravery, wisdom, tolerance, and ruthlessness—though it was hard to say whether the part about Slytherin had been mangled beyond recognition after passing through the mouths of the Weasley twins.
However, Neville didn’t look like he was there to uncover the secrets of the Black Lake today.
He just sat quietly on the grass, silent, with a vacant stare that looked as if he had inherited it from Snape.
Speaking of which, his usual low speaking volume also seemed a bit like an imitation of Snape.
Linus remembered he still had a quest to boost someone’s flying talent.
Well, even if it weren’t for that nearly impossible quest, he felt it was time to have a chat with Neville.
So he walked over and plopped down next to Neville.
“The view by the lake is really beautiful, Neville.”
Neville startled violently, looking at Linus, and said nervously, “G-G-Good afternoon, L-Linus.”
“Take your time, Neville.
We can take things slow,” Linus said, slowing his speech considerably compared to usual.
“Alright, Linus.”
“Why are you sitting by the lake all by yourself?” Linus tried to open up the conversation.
“I…
I miss home a little,” Neville said, dropping his head.
“But I heard your grandmother is very strict with you?”
“She is.
Grandmother desperately wants me to become an Auror, just as great as my parents.” Neville gripped his father’s old wand tightly in his hand.
Linus patted Neville’s shoulder.
“Neville, we really don’t need to get down on ourselves just because we haven’t become who others expect us to be.
Following in your father’s footsteps is certainly a great path, but there are plenty of other wonderful paths in this world to choose from.
You could be powerful like Professor Dumbledore, conscientious like Professor McGonagall, or warm and kindly like Professor Sprout.”
At the mention of Professor Sprout, a spark lit up in Neville’s eyes for a moment before quickly dying out.
“B-But I can’t become anyone.
I can’t help with anything, and I ruin everything I touch.” Neville wrapped his arms around his head.
“Everyone naturally messes things up sometimes—including me.
And everyone has unique talents suited for certain things—including you.” Linus pushed down Neville’s hands from his head, stared into his amber eyes, and raised his voice for the second half of the sentence.
“You have things you can’t handle too, Linus?
You’re so talented.
In Professor Flitwick’s class, what he says most often is, ‘Stop hiding your light, Linus, show everyone what you can do!'” Neville said, half-doubting.
“Of course.
For one thing, in Herbology, my speed at prepping Screaming Grass leaves isn’t half as fast as yours,” Linus immediately supplied a fitting example.
“Are you saying I should specialize in Herbology?” Neville asked hesitantly.
“No.
You should become a Quidditch master,” Linus said firmly.