Magnolia's Greenhouse [NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM]

20

Magnolia walked over to the couch Zach was currently sleeping on, tucking him tighter into the blanket already draped over him, as she sat at his feet.

Michael sat in silence, watching her and waiting for her to reply to his greeting.
"Look, I get you are protective over him but I-"

Magnolia put up a hand silencing him, and he immediately complied.
"Michael, I don't deny you care about Zach. I'm also sure you regret doing and saying a lot of things in the past."

Michael nodded softly, agreeing with her words.

"But that doesn't excuse it, it doesn't excuse everything you've done to all the people I care about." She explained.

Michael wanted to argue, to say he had no choice. It was them or him. Though he knew that wasn't right, and the way Magnolia looked at him with those big sympathetic eyes told him she knew it too.

"I know, but I'm willing to do everything I can to be Zach's friend again. Even though saying and doing those things kept me safe from Draco and his mates, seeing Zach go though what he did hurt worse than anything the Slytherins could have done to me. I know that now." Michael admitted, his eyes locked on Zacharias.

Zach's pillow was now soaked with drool, the Hufflepuff boy always slept with his mouth open. Magnolia often told him it was a nasty habit, especially when it stained his parchments in class. To Zach it was a comforting memory from their childhood, and he was thankful to be seeing it personally in this moment.

"You think that Dean Thomas bloke will give him another chance?" Zach asked.

"I dunno, I honestly think Zach's over all that. He probably wants to just move on." Magnolia answered. This caused Michael to hold a nervous expression, thinking it was his fault they didn't work out.

Magnolia placed a comforting hand on Michael's.
"That wasn't your fault though, besides, maybe this will free up his time to work things out with you two."

¸.•'*¨'*•✿ 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 ✿•*'¨*'•.¸

"Neville wake up!"

Neville's eyes shot open, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked out to window. He was disappointed to be greeted with early morning.

"Dean, it's still so early-" Neville wasn't able to finish his statement as Dean was now shaking him from the shoulders abruptly.

"I can't find Seamus anywhere! I looked all night long and hoped he'd come back by morning, but he still isn't here." Dean explained.

Neville didn't hesitate to throw his covers off and jump out of bed at the news. Seamus was his best mate, and this was extremely out of character for him.

He slipped on a jumper as Dean frantically listed all the places he had checked already.

"The quidditch field?" Neville asked.

Just as he asked, Ginny opened their dorm door.
"No, he's not there. Luna and I just checked."

"He's not in the kitchens either." Luna added.

The group of friends were now walking the halls, checking broom closets and empty classrooms. Seamus was still no where in sight, it was as if he left the castle completely.

"Is there possibly someone else who might know where he ran off to?" Luna questioned.

Neville stopped in place, thinking about last night.
"Follow me."

¸.•'*¨'*•✿ 𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 ✿•*'¨*'•.¸

"The greenhouses? But Seamus hates Herbology." Dean stated as the walked through the glass covered buildings.

"We aren't here for Seamus, I'm looking for Lia." Neville noted.

"We don't have time for your romance right now, we have to find-"

"No wait, Neville is onto something. Magnolia was there that night and she might know where he went." Ginny reassured Dean.

Neville nodded a thank you, the four of them rounded the corner and now faced the door of greenhouse 2. Instead of it being quiet like normal, there were multiple voices coming from inside.

They pushed the door open to be greeted with an outrageous scene.

Seamus hanging upside down while still in his pajamas, Zacharias Smith and Michael Corner were attempting to get him down. That wasn't all though, the whole greenhouse was completely trashed. All of Magnolia's pots were smashed, plants destroyed, and items dumped and scattered on the floor.

"Seamus oh my Godric!" Dean exclaimed as he ran towards the wizard.

"I'm okay, my head just feels dizzy." Seamus chuckled.

"We need to get him down, who knows how long he's been this way." Zach noted.

"I got it." Michael announced from atop the talk stool he was now standing on. With once last pull of rope, Seamus dropped onto the hard ground with a thump.
"Sorry." Michael gulped.

Seamus waved him off.
"Don't worry about it." He said as he rubbed where his head had hit the ground.

Dean fell to his knees, pulling Seamus into a tight hug. Seamus melted at his touch, returning the gesture immediately.

Michael awkwardly cleared his throat, noticing the reunion obviously bothered Zach a bit.
"Well, we'll be going now." He stated, walking out of the greenhouse, Zach following close behind him.

Before Zach was fully out the door he handed Neville a piece of parchment.
"She's by the lake, when you're ready." He said before walking away.

"What happened in here? What is this place?" Ginny asked as she stepped over a broken pot. Luna was already waving her wand, fixing some damaged plants where she could.

Neville looked down at the note that Zach handed him, it was something left here by whoever did this.

I always keep my promises. -DM

"Fuck." Neville sighed.

"What is it?" Dean asked, taking the note from Neville and looking over the words.
"Malfoy? What does he mean by keeping promises?"

"I have to find Magnolia." Neville left without answering Dean, the only thoughts in his head were that of Magnolia Albero and the state she must be in at present moment.