Chapter 170: Miracles

Chapter 170: Miracles

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I would like to thank my beta, Akisu, for his help in this chapter.

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21st December 1995, Hogwarts Earth 2

(Harry Potter POV)

"Ron's dad was in an accident a few days ago, so we came to visit him for Christmas. What about you?" Hermione answered.

Harry cringed at Hermione's answer, knowing that the boy was probably visiting his parents. He had read older versions of the daily prophet from the library, to get a better idea about the Longbottom's fate, and was horrified to have visual confirmation about what happened to them, that this wasn't a story. If he was honest, Harry would prefer having his parents die than having them become barely more than vegetables, walking bodies. Dumbledore was right about there being worse fates than death.

Before Neville could answer, a loud voice answered for him, "Friends of yours, Neville, dear?"

Harry stiffened and looked at what has to be one of the most intimidating women he had ever seen. No wonder Neville was bloody terrified of her. Neville gulped, probably more uncomfortable with the situation than Harry himself.

Yeah, he definitely wouldn't want to be in Neville's place, right now. The poor guy looked as though he would rather be anywhere in the world but here. A dull purple flush was creeping up his plump face and he was not making eye contact with any of them.

Before he could answer his grandmother's question, the woman gave them a once over, and nodded, "You must be Harry Potter, then. Merlin, you're basically a miniature copy of your father when he was your age. And from that, I assume that this young lady is Hermione Granger, and this young man is Ronald Weasley. I have heard a lot about you from Neville. He speaks most highly of you."

The members of the golden trio flushed at the compliments, and Neville stepped up, "Guys, this is my grandmother, Augusta Longbottom."

Everyone mumbled their greetings to the woman. Dear Merlin that woman is intense, no wonder Neville was a nervous wreck in school.

An awkward silence reigned after the usual pleasantries, a silence that Madam Longbottom chose to break, "So, what brings you to this dreary place on Christmas of all days?"

Ron answered for him, "We're here visiting my dad, he'd been in an accident in the Ministry. He's all healed up now, but the healers want to keep him for observation for the next couple of days."

"Ah, I heard about that. A snake attack of all things, in the middle of the Ministry too. If that's not a sign that there's something to what Dumbledore was saying, I don't know what is. As for us, we're on our yearly visit of Neville's parents. We always try to see them every holiday."

Ron, as always didn't even try to think before speaking, "Why? What do they got?"

Harry visibly cringed at this response. This was one of the times that he wanted to punch Ron in the face as hard as he could for not watching his mouth. Hermione seemed to have the same idea as she stomped very strongly on his foot, making the redhead yelp in pain.

Mrs. Longbottom though, wasn't angry at Ron's answer, and instead looked at her grandson sharply, "You haven't told them about your parents, Neville?"

As the boy started to splutter, Harry chose to save him, "He actually told me, Mrs. Longbottom. He thought, I'd be a little more understanding, especially since if things were different, we would have probably grown up together. He probably didn't want to spread it around too much, especially with how busy he's been this year, catching up to everything. I even heard Professor McGonagall say that she's never seen someone make this much progress in a semester."

"We're in Saint Mungo's, Frank, we need to call the healers now."

"Healers, what for?"

His crying mother answered him, "what's the last thing you remember?"

Alice was the one who answered, "We were home. You-Know-Who had died a few days before and we were going out to celebrate. Then, we heard the wards just shatter. We hid Neville in the cupboard, in case we were attacked. Then, they came. Bellatrix, her husband, his brother, and Crouch Junior. They kept asking us where their master was. It's a little fuzzy. They wanted to know where Neville was, too, for some reason. We wouldn't give him up, and we had no idea where their master was; we thought he'd died, too. They started to use the Cruciatus Curse, again and again. It was so painful, and the woman was laughing and laughing. I tried to hold on, but all I could do was scream. After that, all I remember is fuzzy."

The woman was progressively turning hysterical, "where's Neville? Is he alright?"

The Longbottom Matriarch looked at her sadly, "Neville is fine. He's absolutely alright, so don't worry. You were taken to the hospital, both of you, after the attack. The Lestranges were arrested and sent to Azkaban. It just took a long time for you to get better."

Frank Longbottom looked confused at this, "How long?"

"Fifteen years."

"Fifteen years!!!" he shouted back, "What happened to Neville? Where's my son?"

He looked up at the young man hugging his wife and seemed to recognize him. He walked towards the boy and hugged him, "Neville!"

Alice seemed to react as well and noticed for the first time her son, hugging her. She chose to embrace him even further.

Neville's grandmother, though, left the ward, running to get a healer to check out her son and daughter in law. Meanwhile, Neville was tearing up, hugging his parents for the first time in his life. Suddenly, Neville's parents started to shake, probably from the damage from the Cruciatus, and almost fell over. Harry helped his friend hold them up, getting them to sit on their respective beds. Frank looked at Harry, confused, "James?"

Harry shook his head, "Harry, I'm a friend of Neville's"

Alive looked at him closely, "You're James' and Lily's son, aren't you?"

Harry nodded, and she answered back, "I'm sorry about what happened to them. They were good people."

Harry nodded, not trusting himself. A part of him wanted to rage at the injustice. Why did Neville get his parents back and not him? The realization made him sick to his stomach; while he wished that he was in Neville's place, he's still glad for his friend's happiness. Neville was one of the kindest and bravest people Harry had ever known, and he deserves to have his parents with him, especially after only seeing them in the hospital for so long.

Harry turned and saw a peculiar envelope on the table next to the beds. Alice seemed to notice it as well, and grabbed it with her shaking hands, "It has Neville's name on it."

Neville grabbed it and opened it up. He read out loud, "You have kept your side of the bargain and have impressed me. This is me, keeping mine. Happy Yule, you've earned it. S."

Both Harry and Neville stiffened in shock, suddenly remembering a conversation they had a few months back with their Defense Professor. Neville mumbled, "I thought she wasn't serious, that she was pushing me just to be better. I didn't believe her."

Harry nodded stupefied and watched as the note slowly turned to dust in Neville's hand. Neville's father looked at his son in curiosity, "Who's this S? What bargain were they talking about?"

Before the boy could answer, the ward door slammed open, letting in half a dozen healers who ran towards the two recovering patients. He heard a few mutters of impossibility and miracles. But either way, Harry knew that it was time for him and his friends to leave. He motioned to Hermione and Ron and turned around towards the door, trying to do his best to quell the envy in his heart.