"Michael and Susan became friends after the Yule ball first year .They weren't solidly with us until Harry started us working on the basilisk problem last year. Michael now respects Harry's intelligence. They've learned how if you're Harry's friend he looks out for you, and that despite his sorting, he's a decent person.
"Harry does look after us. We always have someone to help with homework. Either Harry himself or one or the friends we've made through him. He's teaching all of us how to be fit and how to defend ourselves. Quirrell first year was an awful teacher. Harry found out what was on the ministry exams at the end of the year from some third years in his dorm whose dads are aurors. He made sure we knew everything we were expected to know by finals. He's done that each year. Not even Hermione outscored him in defense. He outscores her in Astronomy too, drives her nuts.
"Hannah is part of the cadre because Susan is. She tends to be the little mother of the group. She usually guides the History studies. Her grandfather taught her to love it and she's way better than Binns. She helps us understand not just the what, when and by whom something happened, but also the how and the why. I sometimes wish Hermione listened to Hannah half as much as Hannah listens to her.
"Padma has rarely joined us this year, her twin is in Gryffindor and is very anti-Slytherin. Pavarti is less than fond of the egalitarian nature of our group. She even harasses me and Hermione in the common room. Padma got in trouble with their parents over the summer for it. Apparently her parents were less than happy with her placement in Ravenclaw, they're diehard Gryffindors.
"Ernie joined us initially to look after Susan and Hannah. Since he realized what we're about, and that Harry is a good person; he's become part of the group. Harry describes him as solid not flashy. He and Hannah are the ones of us that score the lowest of our group and they're still in the top half of the class.
"Luna Lovegood just became part of the group this year. She's different, I'm not sure where and how she fits into the group yet, but she seems to understand Harry the way I do if not even better. Harry protects her. I get the feeling even he doesn't understand why. I think she might be a seer of some kind. She seems a little out there, most students ostracize her a bit, but she's smart, second in her year last year."
"She's like her mother then." Augusta carefully considered her grandson's words. Hindsight told her she was very lucky Harry had stepped into Neville's life. Her habit of criticism and her lack of faith in him - not to mention that of her sister and Algie - had nearly ruined Neville.
Harry could be a very winning young man. Given he was the Boy-Who-Lived who despite his upbringing had managed to cut the strings from Dumbledore with only a small amount of help, it argued he would be a formidable force in the magical world potentially even greater than what Neville would get from being the highest ranked Lord in the wizarding world.. The group of friends they had assembled and the loyalty Harry had garnered from those friends was also impressive. The Corner boy would cement ties to his trustees. Susan Bones gave a strong tie to the DMLE. The Yaxley boy likely had the makings of a potion master or healer. Having someone you trusted to serve in such a position was priceless. She didn't really care about the Abbott girl, except that she was a half-blood and more acceptable in terms of her manners than the Granger chit with both of them having the potential to be brides for Neville. The MacMillian boy was a sound political choice; the clan was large and had ties to most all the lighter moderate magical families. In that sense the Slytherins were good choices too. They were from families that had ties too the moderates as well. That Neville was also part of the group and from what she could tell he knew each of the members boded very well for her once shy and retiring grandson.
She didn't always like Harry. He was, when angry, a very brash young man, and between his proud bearing and his intelligence he frequently came across as arrogant. But was it arrogance or competence? Most people just couldn't tell the difference, and she was wondering if she could after finding out he'd passed. Originally she had agreed with Tiberius that failing the government test would knock him down a peg or two but despite working under the handicap of little sleep and dividing his attention with land management lessons with Felicia Corner, Harry had passed.
She wondered how many other little such surprises he would hand his trustees. She had initially been against his hiring young Miss Yaxley, but the previous few months had proven his decision to be an astute one. Some of the information that girl had assembled and forwarded to the trustees had allowed Tiberius and herself to apply pressure in certain quarters to some of the most obstructive families and departments of the ministry which in turn enabled them to increase Amelia Bones' budget slightly instead of the cuts Fudge had been lobbying for at the behest of Malfoy.
"Gran?"
Augusta startled. "Sorry, Neville, I lost myself in thought for a moment. Do you wish to continue your lordship training with Harry?"
"Yes, although he expressed a wish to go at a slower pace next summer, so he would have at least some time to paint, and I would like at least a bit of time in the greenhouses."
"I'll see about arranging it that way then. Neville I am very proud of you and I know your parents would be as well."
Neville blushed a deep red, then he reached out and wrapped her in a hug. "I love you, Gran."
Augusta had never been a particularly demonstrative person and the hug took her by surprise. Wanting to distract Neville and herself she said, "Now. what is this about Harry's aunt? She seemed like a perfectly acceptable sort to me."
"I can't describe it. Harry said some things about being a means to an end for them. He doesn't have a normal viewpoint for someone our age. He's so… cynical and… calculating. He usually knows what to say to someone to get them to do what he wants."
"He's manipulative?"
"Sort of. He's aware when he does it and he prefers not to use it, but if he sees a benefit, especially for the other person, he'll do it. Not ever for anything bad, he's really strict about that. He does it almost as if it's a habit and he always seems to… dislike himself afterwards."
"Has he used this ability on you?"
"A few times back in first year, usually when I was feeling reluctant to workout or study. Like I said he tends only to use it to benefit others. Another thing is that he has a highly developed sense of getting even. Back in first year he got tired of the way everyone looked at him sideways. At the end of the year he pranked everyone. He made them look at themselves sideways."
"Is that what that word on your forehead at the end of the year was about?"
"Yes."
"And he did this to the whole school?"
"Yes."
"Including the teachers?"