Potter

Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

The next few days pretty much stayed the same. Hermione spent time in the library, Ron and Lavender spent time snogging, Harry was having lessons with Dumbledore and following Draco around, while Draco was sneaking off into the room of requirement. Neville helped me with herbology, and Ginny was usually with Dean Thomas.

"So this is a....what?" I asked, and Neville looked at the picture I was pointing at.

"Gillyweed."

"Oh. I knew that." I said quickly, and Neville smile at me reassuringly. I had gotten an unlikely friendship with Neville, and I liked it. It also let me know more about him. Like his favorite color was dark blue.

Who knew?

But what was nice was that it was an easy relationship. We didn't want to date, we didn't have those kind of feelings towards each other, and yet we were still as close as a boyfriend and girlfriend were, just without the snogging/holding hands part. He was my best friend and brother.

"Can you name this?" Neville asked, and I studied it for a moment, relieved when I realized I could.

"Mandrake, right?" I asked, and Neville nodded.

"So that's 2 out of 5." He added up, and I grinned sheepishly.

"That's better then last week.."

"Much." Neville agreed, shutting the book and putting it back. Looking around the library, I waited as Neville left to get another book, when something slid across the ground, and I looked down to see a package sitting there, a few inches away.

"What the?" I muttered, almost picking it up before I remember what would happen to Katie Bell, and I jumping back away from the package. Grabbing my wand, I quickly cast a shield charm over it, so it couldn't touch me and I couldn't touch it.

"What's that?" Neville asked as he walked back, and I shrugged, standing up.

"I don't know, but I don't think it's safe. Would it be ok if we cut this lesson short?" I asked, and Neville nodded.

"That's fine. We can always make up for it next week."

"Thanks Neville!" I grinned as I ran out the door, carefully carrying the package. Hurrying down to the dungeons, I walked into Snape's office, where he was sitting at his desk.

"Professor Snape?" I asked, and he looked up.

"Yes Lily?"

"Any idea what this is?" I asked, gingerly giving the package to him. He studied it for a moment before taking the shield off, pointing his wand at it.

Levitating it, he studied it for a moment before putting it back down, looking at me with a startled expression.

"Where did you find this?"

"In the library, it almost hit my foot."

"You do realize had you not put a charm on it before picking it up that you would've been burnt alive from the inside-out?" He asked calmly, and I gulped, paling.

"N-no." I stuttered, and Snape nodded, placing a stronger shield around it.

"You are very, very lucky that your shield worked." He said, and I nodded.

"I will expect you to be extremely careful for the rest of the year. I would suggest placing a shield over everything you touch, but that might take awhile. Make sure you get all food straight from the kitchens, no doubt you know where it is, and whatever you do, do not pick up any mysteries object or drink or eat anything that you have not seen made yourself, do I make myself clear?" He asked, and I nodded.