Neville felt as though his brain had given up trying to process Will's words.
He understood every word Will said, but put together, they made no sense to him. Still, it took Neville only a few minutes to accept it all.
After all, this was Will. Nothing he did would surprise Neville.
Will stopped revising the spell. He walked over to Neville and patted his shoulder. "Neville, we're friends, right?"
"Of course!" Neville nodded firmly. "We're best friends!"
"Keep this between us, okay? Don't tell anyone." Will smiled. He trusted Neville. The boy was a loyal friend.
The Sorting Hat had spent ages deciding where to place Neville because he had both courage and loyalty.
"Of course!" Neville nodded firmly. "I promise I won't even tell my gran."
"No." Will waved a hand. "Neville, I've always trusted you. There's no need to make a promise. We're friends."
Warmth spread through Neville's chest. Ever since he'd started school, Will had looked out for him. Though Will was brilliant and destined for great things, he had always been willing to help someone as slow as Neville—and to place such trust in him.
Neville genuinely wanted to do something for Will. Keeping a few things secret for him was the least he could do.
From Neville's expression, Will knew he would guard the secret. Smiling, he began chatting with him about everyday things.
"Has Professor Sprout assigned you another paper?" "Is there anything in Herbology you're having trouble with?" "How are those Mimbulus mimbletonia plants you're growing?"
Still chatting, they went down to the eighth-floor lounge.
In the High Tower Common Room, a farce called "academic cooperation" was in full swing.
"Merlin's beard! Hermione, please! Just let me look at your Transfiguration paper! One glance!" Ron sprawled across the table like a fish