InsaneJournal

Who: Alice Longbottom with appearances by bb!Neville and Frank
What: Nightmares
When: 8 November, 1981
Where: The Longbottom Villa
Status: Closed/complete



Alice awoke in a blind panic, breath coming in gasps. Automatically glancing to her right, Frank huffed a breath and continued on sleeping. With this realization, Alice's heart slowed its beatings and her breath lengthened out. She knew it was a dream, knew that Neville was asleep in the nursery next to their room, knew that was as certain as Frank sleeping next to her.

Even with that knowledge, she had to check. Had to make sure that Neville was still with them, that he hadn't perished along with Augusta on that fateful night. Quietly slipping out of bed as to not disturb her sleeping husband, Alice stepped soundlessly out of their room and into Neville's. Going up to the crib, Alice let out a quiet sigh of relief. Neville was sleeping peacefully, blissfully unaware of the events that surrounded him. Carefully as to avoid awaking him, Alice slid a finger down his cheek, feeling the warmth and life of him.

She closed her eyes, left hand clutching the top of the crib as waves of happiness and guilt washed over her. She was so happy that her son was safe, that he hadn't died when Voldemort attacked him. The guilt mingled in that, for now Neville wouldn't know his grams except through stories and pictures. Not for the first time the thought of they should have fought harder, should have said no to Augusta and actually made it stick. (Although Augusta Longbottom was a force to be reckoned with and when she made her mind up about something, nothing or no one was going to make her change it.) She and Frank were the Aurors, they were the ones trained to fight Dark Wizards. And what was Voldemort other than the most Dark Wizard of all time?

Alice was aware of the instant Frank stepped into the room, though she did nothing to acknowledge his presence. Walking up to her, he slid his arms about her waist and Alice let her head fall back against him. They both stood there, looking at their son. Their little boy, the Boy Who Lived, who was still so little and who had accomplished so much.

His parents stood there, watching their son sleep until the early morning rays of the sun began stretching out on the floor underneath their feet.