plant onto the end of the podium, where it slowly righted itself and reached toward the lights overhead.
'This, ladies and gentlemen, is my crowning achievement,' Neville said proudly. 'The mythical and elusive Bamboozle tree. According to legend, it is able to adopt the appearance and even the alchemical characteristics of virtually any plant to which it is exposed, disguising itself in avoidance of being weeded out. Allow me to illustrate.'
Neville used his wand to levitate one of his many photos, and then gave it a flick, enlarging it.
'Devil's Snare,' he said, nodding toward the photo. There was a slight rustling on the podium as the Bamboozle shifted. Its roots spread out and grew thick and brown while its few leaves multiplied and turned into snaking vines. Within moments, the Bamboozle had transfigured itself into the unmistakable shape of a small Devil's Snare, much like the one in the enlarged photograph. The crowd murmured with interest.
'
'Larcenous Ligulous,' Neville smiled, changing the photo once more. Now, the Bamboozle flattened and spread out, covering the top of the podium with writhing green creepers. The crowd muttered and stirred all around.
'And lest we forget,' Neville said, removing a ring from his finger and holding it up to the light, 'the most remarkable characteristic of the Bamboozle: its ability to emulate any chosen plant's characteristic tendencies and magical make-up. This, more than anything, is what makes it so potentially invaluable to the wizarding world.'
The Bamboozle sensed the glitter of Neville's upheld ring. Slowly, it lifted a trio of creepers, which rose toward the ring, as if sniffing at it. They curled around it hungrily and pried it from Neville's hand, just as a Larcenous Ligulous plant would. The audience laughed and applauded lightly.
'If I were to snip a root sample from the Bamboozle in its current state and submit it to any herbological laboratory, it would take much testing to prove that it was not, in fact, a true Larcenous Ligulous. If we are able to successfully breed and propagate the Bamboozle, it may significantly improve the availability of some of the wizarding world's rarest and most essential botanical resources, and even allow us to recreate many that have ceased to exist entirely.'
The crowd responded again, led by the very enthusiastic applause of Professor Sanuye in the front row. Harry clapped as well and whistled loudly. The man next to him joined in, cupping his hands to his mouth. 'Go Neville!' he called, nodding encouragement.
'And that pretty much concludes my presentation,' Neville said, smiling with obvious relief. He flicked his wand once more, shrinking the photos back to their normal size and catching them as they dropped out of the air. On the podium, the Bamboozle tree began to slowly revert to its original state. 'Professor Sanuye has suggested that we open the floor to any comments or questions from the audience, which I am happy to do. So, does anyone have anything they'd like to ask about?'
James looked around, surprised to see a raft of hands suddenly shoot up all around. Neville seemed surprised as well. He blinked and took a half step back from the podium. With a shrug and a smile, he pointed to a hand in the front row. 'You then. Speak up for us all to hear.'
'Greetings, Professor,' one of the Pixie students said, standing up and smiling. 'Thank you for coming to speak to us. My question has less to do with herbology than it does with history, if you'll indulge me.'
Neville blinked again. James glanced at the Pixie student. She was older, quite possibly one of the college students. She met Neville's gaze openly, still smiling, and James couldn't help thinking that it was an uncomfortably familiar expression. It was, in fact, the same sort of expression Tabitha Corsica had so often worn when she was about to say something infuriatingly confrontational.
'History isn't really my area of expertise,' Neville said slowly, but the girl spoke up before he could continue.
'I recognize that herbology is your passion, which means you obviously have a great love for all growing things. I wonder if that love extends to the animal kingdom as well? I understand that you are in the habit of beheading snakes. Would you care to elaborate?'
There was a sort of collective low whistle from the crowd, and then a ripple of derisive laughter. James glanced around with sudden anger and dismay, and then looked back up at the podium. Neville's face had gone red, but his mouth had tightened into a hard line.
'Next question,' he stated flatly, raising his gaze over the crowd. Hands shot into the air again.
'Yes, Professor,' another student asked from the back. James turned around and saw that it was a member of Igor House, wearing the characteristic acid green tie. His face was round and waxy in the lamplight near the doors. 'I'm sorry, my question isn't really flora-related either. Did you know, when you rallied your classmates against the revolutionaries of your time, that you were siding with the existing totalitarian regime or were you just duped by the propaganda of the day into thinking that you were on the side of right?'
Neville opened his mouth in shock as the crowd babbled noisily, nodding in agreement and shouting for him to answer. James looked around again, meeting Zane and Ralph's eyes. It was like the first Hogwarts all-school debate again, only worse, because the entire crowd seemed to be on the same side. Now James understood why the lecture had been so well-attended. Neville, after all, was nearly as famous as Harry Potter, and not just for his textbooks on herbology.
'I was afraid something like this would happen,' Zane said, leaning toward James. 'Like I told you, the Progressive Element types are all over the place here. There are even some in the faculty.'
Ralph looked around uneasily. 'Won't the professors put a stop to it?'
'That's not really the way things work around here,' Zane replied. 'Neville's expected to answer the questions, no matter what. I wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't part of why he was asked to speak.'
'If that's true, it's beastly,' Petra said with low conviction.
At the podium, Neville stood stoically, his brow lowered. He no longer seemed nervous. He seemed, if anything, quietly angry. He collected the Bamboozle again and deposited it carefully into a pocket of his robes.
'Are there any questions related to the subject that I was invited here to speak upon?' he asked loudly, overruling the babbling audience.
'Answer the question!' a voice behind James hollered. Others joined in, turning the phrase into a chant.
Neville glanced down toward the front row. James leaned forward and saw his dad nod slightly up at Neville. To James' amazement, Harry Potter seemed to be smiling with something like weary resignation. On Harry's left, Merlin's expression was calm and inscrutable, his arms folded almost lazily across his chest. Professor Sanuye shrugged up at Neville and shook his head regretfully. He didn't appear to like what was happening, but neither did he seem prepared to put a stop to it.
'You lot seem to be suffering under some rather unfortunate misapprehensions about history,' Neville finally said, holding his wand to his throat and amplifying his voice. The raucous crowd quieted, but not completely. Neville went on, lowering his wand again. 'Now, if you insist upon asking questions unrelated to my subject of expertise, I shall apparently have to answer them, lest I leave you with the impression that I am unable to do so. But you will ask your questions with respect, and not use the opportunity to merely quote popular propaganda for the amusement of your fellows. Is anyone willing to abide by these stipulations?'
Less hands went up now. Neville frowned and nodded at a student near James, who stood up.
