jack morehead ⚡ harry potter (stagofsilver) wrote in dunhavenic, @ 2018-08-30 15:16:00 |
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Entry tags: | * jach, c: jack morehead |
WHO: Harry Potter & Co.
WHERE: St Mungo's.
WHAT: Meeting the Longbottoms.
RATING: Low.
STATUS: Narrative; complete.
If he was honest with himself, Harry wasn’t sure what to make of the Janus Thickey ward at St. Mungo’s. The Wizarding World had changed Harry’s life in so many ways since he’d found it five years ago, but it also seemed to come at such a heavy price. The individuals in the permanent ward at St Mungo’s were more than enough to remind him of that. He kept quiet as Lockheart prattled on at them, blissfully unaware of everything that had happened last time they’d been together. His eyes roamed around the ward and it’s other patients until the nurse called out a name that damn near knocked the wind out of him. ”Oh, Mrs Longbottom, are you leaving already?” Harry jerked his head around and stared at the two individuals walking toward him. Neville and his gran. With a rush of understanding, Harry’s eyes darted past Neville to the two residents at the end of the ward. A tightening in his stomach caused him to glance around the room in a panic. He had to find a way to distract the others from noticing Neville as well. He knew all too well what it was like to be peppered with intrusive and uncomfortable questions, and he wanted to spare his friend that pain. However, Ron had also looked up at the name Longbottom and had already seen their dormmate. He yelled Neville’s name loudly before Harry had the chance to stop him. Now everyone was aware. Neville’s gran had joined them, as had the girls. Harry could see the deep purple flush of discomfort on Neville’s face and could easily see the desire to disappear on the spot. He refused to make eye contact with any of them and Harry had to resist the urge to send Ron into a full-body bind. Augusta Longbottom introduced herself to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. She surprised them all by identifying them by name. Neville had spoken of them to her. ”He’s a good boy,” she said of her grandson. ”Hasn’t got his father’s talent, I’m afraid to say.” And she jerked her head in the direction of the beds behind them. Ron, only now beginning to understand, shouted ”What? Is that your dad down the end, Neville?” Harry very much wanted to slam his the heel of his trainer down on Ron’s foot. As Augusta rounded on Neville for not sharing the details of his parents with them, Harry felt deeply sorry for him. He sighed softly and wished he could figure out a way to help. ”You should be proud, Neville, proud! They didn’t give their health and their sanity so their only son would be ashamed of them, you know!” “I’m not ashamed.” “Well you’ve got a funny way of showing it.” With a pinched look on her face, Augusta turned back to the others and explained the tragic story of her son and daughter-in-law. How the pair had been highly respected Aurors who had been tortured into insanity by Death Eaters. The girls gasped, and Ron looked mortified. Harry couldn’t tear his eyes away from Neville. He and Neville had never been particularly close over the years, but he felt a strong bond with him then. Neville’s parents were still alive, but they had both been orphaned by war. And of course Harry understood that Neville wasn’t ashamed. He was just a private person who didn’t want others to gawk at or feel sorry for him. They were far more alike than Harry had ever realized before. He watched as Alice Longbottom approached them with a timid expression on her face. She dropped an empty bubble gum wrapper into Neville’s hand before she tottered away again. When Neville turned back to look at them, his face was defiant, as if daring any of them to laugh. Harry tried to convey with a look that none of them would do that. He watched as Neville slipped the trash into his pocket and quickly walked away behind his grandmother. While they others drew closer together and admitted their shock at the situation, Harry just watched Neville go sadly. Neville Longbottom, he thought, didn’t get enough credit. |