Drabble: Favourites

[paulamcg]

Title: Favourites
Author: paulamcg
Characters: Neville and Remus
Word Count: 100
Rating: G
Summary: In autumn 1993 Neville talks to a new teacher about his favourite things.
A/N: This was written for neville100. The prompt (number 444) was autumn leaves.


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Favourites



"You like trees, too?"

"Yeah, all plants." Neville glances away from the Whomping Willow – the slightly yellowed foliage in turbulent motion. "Is... Herbology for sissies?"

"Bollocks." Lupin's grin's reassuring. "Professor Sprout's a brave witch, and there are real risks at the greenhouses – let alone here. I really meant to ask if you are like me. Because I love trees. I prefer the less dangerous ones, and my favourites are the ones which proudly reveal their hidden colours."

"Willows are resilient. The last to drop their leaves. Famous for crossbreeds. I like best any plant or creature that's... above the ordinary."

Comments

[chez_jae]

The Whomping Willow ain't for sissies!

:D

[paulamcg]

I hear ya! <3 Thank you for commenting!

[a_belladonna]

Aw, I really like their interaction here. :) I like how Lupin tries to instil some confidence in Neville, and how Neville is so apprehensive about telling Lupin about his favourite subject.
Really a lovely, little drabble. :)

[paulamcg]

Oh, thank you for your lovely comment! I feel Neville's a bit defensive, and that he doesn't think Herbology is for sissies but he's got the impression that others do. After those others are proved wrong, Lupin and Neville perhaps both say something revealing about their interests. My interpretation, which doesn't have to be the reader's, is that Lupin refers to his wish not to need to hide what he is, and Neville hints at his admiration for people like Harry (with whom I've started to pair him) and Lupin himself.

[a_belladonna]

I also definitely picked up something about Lupin's lycanthropy in his comment. :)
I really feel the drabble captured some of the tone of Prisoner of Azkaban, pairing or no pairing. :)

[paulamcg]

Thank you for your further heartwarming comment! The hint at Neville's preferences applying to people is clearly even more subtle, and I guess there isn't any pairing here yet. :) Perhaps this autumn scene with the Willow can remind us of the change-of-season images in the PoA film. I still cherish the memory of enjoying that film as an adaptation of the book, also what it added to the tone and to Lupin, too – without worrying about how different the interpretation of him was from mine.