Harry and Neville made a quick stop to pick up a drink and joined Hermione's group.
"Harry!" Hermione greeted him happily. "We were just talking about the Runes test. Daphne and Anthony are going to be sitting for the fifth year class same as us."
"Hermione was just explaining that you were the one responsible for them offering us the chance to skip a year. We should probably thank you." Anthony said brightly. The dark haired Ravenclaw smiled at Harry.
Harry shrugged self-consciously.
"Don't worry, Potter," Daphne advised dryly, "I'm not going to thank you since that would be to confirm that I owed you something."
Neville was about to say something but the hint of amusement in Daphne's blue eyes stopped him as he realised she was teasing.
"Which you do." Anthony argued.
"No, I don't," Daphne said, "I was the one who achieved an Outstanding and got the opportunity to sit the fourth year exam early. All Potter did was fail to realise that he wasn't just sitting the third year exam."
"Harsh, Daffers." Anthony chided her.
Harry shrugged again. "I don't mind and she's right; you earned the right to sit the exam yourselves."
"I didn't." Michael complained. "Exceeds Expectation." He sighed. "I'm going to be left behind."
"There are plenty of people who didn't qualify to skip." Anthony assured him. "Padma, Ernie and Sally are all still going to be in fourth year Runes."
"I'm stuck in Divination." Neville said regretting his choice of electives even more. He'd eschewed Runes and Arithmancy for the easier subjects against his Gran's advice (his father had taken Arithmancy) as a single act of rebellion, pointing out that neither would help in his chosen profession of Herbology.
"Me too." Hannah sighed.
"You could do what Harry did and swap." Hermione suggested. "We'd help you. You could drop Divination and study Runes independently – aim to take the third year exam this year and do your OWL in sixth."
Neville shook his head. "Someone has to keep Ron company."
"And someone has to keep Neville company." Hannah added.
Neville felt his cheeks heat and inwardly cursed but he appreciated the thought and smiled at her shyly.
"Divination is such a waste of time." Michael said. "If you don't have the Sight, it's useless."
"You know who does have the Sight?" Anthony asked with a hint of 'I know something you don't.'
"Not Trelawney that's for sure." Daphne stated firmly. "The only Spirit that woman sees is called Harvey's Bristol Cream."
Hermione choked on her drink and had to be rescued by Harry who offered her a white cotton handkerchief to mop up her chin.
"So you guys don't believe in prophecies then?" asked Harry.
There was something about the way he asked that made Neville's Harry Alert flare up. From the way Hermione started chewing her lip, he wasn't the only one who had read something more into the seemingly innocent question.
"I don't believe in them." Michael said firmly. "There is absolutely no proof that one single prophecy has been correct."
"That's not true!" Hannah claimed. "There are plenty of examples; the Oracle at Delphi, Cassandra…"
"But everyone looks at the prophecies and bends them to fit!" Michael argued. "Take the prophecy that "a young boy who is important to the moon will die at day-break!" Well, somewhere in the world there's probably a werewolf boy who dies at day-break or a boy who was born under a moon or a boy called Moon! People see what they want to see."
"I agree with Corner." Daphne said raising her own glass. "It's a load of dragon dung."
"Me too," agreed Hermione, "and Trelawney is a complete fraud!"
"Ah, but as I was saying earlier," Anthony asserted, "there are true Seers and I know one!"
Harry looked at Anthony curiously. "Who?"
"A second year – well, soon to be third year Ravenclaw called Luna Lovegood." Anthony said. "Her Dad owns The Quibbler."
"Looney?" Michael gaped at him.
Harry's face hardened. "What did you call her?"
Hermione glared at Michael, silently backing up Harry. Neville shifted closer.
"Not me!" Michael hastened to defend himself. "The girls call her that!"
"She is odd." Daphne said brusquely. "Half the time she wanders around without shoes."
Neville threw her a disgusted look. "Out of choice or because someone stole them?"
Daphne's eyebrows rose a tad as she considered it. "Good question."
"I really hate bullies." Harry said with a sigh. He rubbed his forehead. "Is she here?"
"The Lovegoods aren't here as they lost their seat ages ago." Neville commented to Harry. But he knew from the determined look on Harry's face that Luna was now on his radar and if she was being bullied, Harry was going to step in. And Neville would be there to support him all the way.
"We're off topic," Michael pointed out, "whether Loo…" he caught sight of Harry's hard stare, "uh, Luna is a Seer or not is not the point."
"Well, it is in one way," Hermione countered, "if there are true Seers then by definition there must be true prophecies."
Harry winced. "Maybe." He suddenly smiled. "Anyone want to make a prediction about the World Cup?"
And just like that the topic was changed with Hermione berating Harry and the others about being obsessed with Quidditch.
Neville kept out of the debate over Ireland and Bulgaria. He wasn't that interested in Quidditch and he mainly watched the games at Hogwarts out of House loyalty. He contemplated Harry's questioning over whether prophecies were real or not. Why was he so interested if he was dropping Divination, Neville wondered. He puzzled over it for a long moment until the obvious answer struck him: Harry must have heard some kind of prophecy involving him. Not surprising, Neville thought, thinking of all the scrapes Harry had gotten into it and the very strange words the spirit of Morgana had said during the blessing ritual – something about betwixt the light and dark, and perishing or mastering Death?
Sirius cleared his throat behind Neville causing him to jump slightly. He shot a look over his shoulder and Sirius grinned back at him unrepentant. "Sorry, Nev. Simeon and I need to borrow Harry."
Harry sighed but went willingly as Sirius and Simeon hauled him away for a tour of the room and the waiting mass of people wanting to talk to them.
"Poor bloke." Michael commiserated.
Neville saw his Gran approaching and he sighed. "I have to go mingle too."
Hermione gave him a sympathetic smile. "Good luck!"
Hannah reached out a little hesitantly and patted his arm. Neville smiled at her warmly before falling into step beside his Gran.
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