That boy came back today.
He comes a lot.
He looks like me.
He comes with Frank's mum.
He's small maybe three. I hope he comes back.
I like him.
"Alice this is Neville."
Oh. That's his name. I like it. If I have a son I'll name him that.
Frank looked from his mom to me.
He would too.
I could tell.
"Hi, Mommy."
Neville's my son? Oh.
"Don't you lay a finger on my baby you sick pathetic lug! Stupefy!" Alice Longbottom said grabbing her one year old baby boy in her open arm and shooting a spell at Bellatrix Lastrange. It missed by inches as the piercing scream of Frank Longbottom was heard down the hall.
"Frank?! Stop this!" Alice shot another stunner. Her husband was panting as the spell was stopped he got up in shaky legs and with Neville in her right arm they ran from the house they loved so much.
"Mum! Take Neville! We have to save our work. The Order is counting on our work and we can't let the Death Eaters get more information than they already have." Frank said
"AHHHHHHHHHH!"
"Frank!"
"Alice! Alice I AHHHHHHHHHH! I love y-AHHHHHH!"
"Fr-AHHHHHHH!" The first one hit her back like Frank's. Both crumbling to the floor. The second hit her upper chest close to her neck just above her heart. Frank's hit his lower neck. The third hit them both in the head. The pain was causing her brain to shut down the last comprehensive thought she had:
Neville…
Oh. Okay.
The boy—my son—left. Frank looked at me from his bed. Then he looked to the ceiling.
Bye Neville.
"Hello Mum… You probably don't know who I am. It's me Neville. I'm 15 today. Gran says it's strange how much I've grown. She says she remembers when dad first brought you to the house…"
Me too…
"Frank what if she doesn't like me?" 17 year old Alice Palmer said to her boyfriend of about a year and a half as she fingered the hem of her sun dress. Frank Longbottom wiped off some ash from the crisp white shirt he had as he laughed lightly.
"You fret too much babe. You're beautiful… I love you… and my mum will most likely hate your guts because she is a stubborn old shrew." Alice tried to move from Franks grasp but he didn't let her go only moved his hands from her face to her waist leading her to the door.
"You are no good at pep talks you know that?"
"Ha, you have said that before, but what my mother thinks doesn't matter, because I love you beyond word and I will marry you when we get out of school. She'll have to deal with it. You don't know my mother. She hates everything that takes her Frankie-poo away from her. Ugh. I've always hated when she called me that."
Alice chuckled and nudged Frank almost completely off the door step. As he pulled himself up back to Alice and pulled her in for a kiss.
"What are you doing Frankie-poo!?"
Frank and Alice pulled away but soon relaxed as they saw the man on the door frame.
"No need to blush Alice. It's just my Father." Frank rolled his eyes and pecked Alice before they entered the room. "Where's Mum?" Frank walked into the living room leaving Alice at the arch to observe everything.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Longbottom."
"Oh the pleasure is mine Alice. Frank talks of nothing but you. And please, call me Daniel. Mr. Longbottom is my long dead father."
"Oh I'm sorry." Alice said feeling it was the only thing to say. They had migrated inside the living room and had sat on the rather soft and brightly colored loveseat.
Putting his feet up Daniel Longbottom gave a chuckle "No Alice it's alright. He died shortly after I married Frank's mother. Don't say anything but I believe it was her protectiveness of me that finally did him in. You see my father was a bit rough with me and my other brothers when Anna came along well let's say she made it just my brothers. She's still that way with Frank and I both."
"Dad! No need to scare the girl." Frank re-entered the room with a two butter-beers and a glass of scotch.
"Ah. You know me too well son. Thank you."
"Thanks Frank."
"No problem babe." Frank planted himself extremely close to Alice and kissed her sweetly on the lips. Alice pulled away reluctantly and looked disapprovingly. "Frank. We are in front of your Father we shouldn't be kissing at all. What if your mother walked in?"
"I don't give a flying crap what my mother would do. Do you care dad?"
"Hey you two can snog on the couch for all I care. I'll take care of that woman."
"We will not be doing that. And do not speak disrespectable things of your wife and mother."
"Oh Alice. Where is Mum anyway?"
"Right here."
Frank and his father both called out at the same time as Alice paled.
"Hello Alice I'm Anna Longbottom, and I believe I'm going to like you."
"Well Mum. I have to go."
Here, Neville.
I gave him another gum wrapper. I'd give him more; tell him why I give him gum wrappers.
It's a funny story.
"Well if it isn't Alice in Wonderland and Frankford. What have we got here?"
"Oh Merlin Potter, It's our son. Don't kill him."
James Potter put down the sleeping bundle next to his own and looked back at the Longbottoms. At the age of 20 and 21 both parties had become fast friends becoming part of the same boat. After the Order told them to be careful, Alice and Frank started talking with the Marauders. Although Alice and Frank were a year older, they found them funny and vastly more mature than anybody gave them credit for in school. Even Lily Potter was more mature and well versed than the Longbottoms thought.
"What is it James?" Lily spoke as she walked into the sitting room where the crib was located.
"What do you mean?"
"You have the inquisitive look on your face. What do you notice that is going to be quite funny for the rest of us to here?"
"What do you mean? If I am hearing you correctly, you believe I speak stupidly."
"Your hearing me correctly, what is it?"
"Well, it's just that the kids. When they're wrapped up like that, they look like bubble gum."
Lily, Frank, and Alice just stared at James.
"Did you just say that, out loud?" Frank asked in awe.
Lily and Alice just shook their heads as Frank bore his eyes into James. James shrugged and looked back down at the sleeping boys.
"Hello all! Prongs, Evans. Ah look if it isn't Alice in Wonderland and Frankford! What's going on?" Sirius Black asked dropping his bags and taking in everyone's face. Sirius walked over to where James was tilted his head and looked at the children quizzically.
"Huh. I just notice that when the kids are bundled up like that they look like bubble gum."
Frank and Alice burst into fits of laughter while Lily looked jadedly at James and Sirius.
"What did I see in you?" Lily spoke rhetorically causing Frank and Alice to laugh again.
I called you bubbled gum ever since, Neville. Did you know that?
"Mum… Mum she got out. She… she's back out and running around the countryside… I… I don't know what to do. What would you want me to do?"
Who is "she" Neville?
"Harry started a group at school, to help us with magic and stuff you know, stuff that we'll need if we ever have to fight You-Know-Who. I already know so much more than I ever did. I finally feel like I'm getting it Mum. Maybe one day I'll make you proud."
You do make me proud Neville. You're my son.
"Sorry I haven't come in awhile Mum, it's… it's been hard. Trying to get back here more and more but with everything that's going on… Well I'm here now and…"
Neville stopped talking.
I didn't know why.
He started to smile. That was good.
"It's over Mum. Once and for all, Voldemort is gone and he'll never come back. Harry got him in one final fight. We all did our part though… me too. But its finally done Mum."
Neville walked out after that.
I gave him another wrapper.
Frank looked at me from the other bed. We smiled. It was over.
Another boy walked in, he looked familiar.
"Hello Mrs. Longbottom, um, my names Harry, Harry Potter. You probably have no idea who I am but I'm a friend of your son. Now I he already told you that the war was over but… but I just thought you should know just what your son did… The prophecy may have ended up being about me but your son is the real hero. I was chosen for a solo mission, Neville… I left Neville to lead an army… And he did. He showed so much courage in battle that night Mrs. Longbottom… you should be really proud. I have to go, people are waiting for me and—"
"I…am." I tried to say.
Harry looked at me. What he scared?
"What?"
"I…am… proud." I said. I smiled and gave him a bubble gum wrapper. "Tell… him…"
Harry took the wrapper.
He nodded "I will."
I went to bed.
Night Neville.
Frank was pacing in the room waiting for Alice to show. She had sent him a letter saying that they needed to talk. He did know what about only that it had to be serious to have not been able to wait for their dinner the next night. He was terrified of what she had to say. After about half an hour Alice finally walked in his flat. Very quietly she opened and closed the door. Frank froze at the sight of her.
"Hi Frank."
"Hi." Frank watched as she sat on the couch, he gingerly sat next to her and waited for her to break the silence.
"Frank do you remember the other day when we were walking through the park and we saw all those young parents?"
"Yes."
"Do you remember what you said to me?"
Frank's heart jumped into his throat and started beating excitedly about a hundred times faster than it had minutes ago. Could she really be talking about what he thought she was talking about?
"Yes I do… Alice, are you… are you—"
"Yes." Alice's smile was as wide as her face could handle and was only matched by her husbands whose eyes glowed with such happiness that it made Alice even happier than she thought possible. Frank picked Alice off the ground and spun her around before hugging her tightly. Realizing he was now suffocating his wife and child he let go. Frank and Alice were looked into each other's eyes. Slowly Frank kissed Alice's forehead than moved down to her stomach.
"I bet it's a girl." Frank said looking up at her.
"No. It's a boy." Alice said looking down at Frank. "And he's going to make us so proud."
