Katie sunk into Eli's couch, grateful that he was so understanding. She wiped her eyes with the napkin and then took a sip of water. She reached for his hand, taking comfort in his presence.
"He was so nice. That's not a good enough word to describe him, but he was. He was loyal and kind. like every Gryffindor should be. People made fun of him because he was chubby and forgetful, but he just seemed to shrug it off. And as he got older, he seemed to come into his own. Did you know he was a war hero? A real one, not just a bureaucrat or politician. He stood up to You-Know-Who when we all thought Harry was dead. He kept fighting when others would have surrendered. He gave us the courage to keep fighting even though we thought we might not beat the Death Eaters."
Katie stopped for a minute. She didn't like to think about the war and that night, but Eli was right. Remembering Neville in this way was helpful. "The last time I saw him was at his flat-warming party," Katie said, remembering. "He seemed so happy then. He was going to get married. That poor woman."