(A/N) A friend of mine gave me this idea, so here it is. I hope everyone enjoys it. It'll be updated as and when I find it possible. Nothing belongs to me, of course, and that applies to every short story. Each story will focus on a different character or characters and each will be approx. 1000 words long.


"Bye, Mum," he whispered. She beamed at him and pressed a bright pink wrapper into his hands. "Cheers." Alice leaned towards him and pressed a soft kiss on his cheek.

Augusta Longbottom smiled sadly at her grandson as she rested his hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Neville. Let's go home. Alice dear, come now, it's been an exciting day, you'd better get your rest."

He nodded. "I'll come back tomorrow, Mum," he promised. "Bye, Dad." Frank stared back at him with a blank expression. Together, they helped Alice into her bed. She snuggled into her covers and reached out for Neville's hand. She clutched it tightly, holding it up against her cheek.

"Alice, you'll see him tomorrow," Augusta said wearily, gently prising her grandson's hands out of his mother's vice-like grip. They gave the Longbottoms a small wave as they reached the door.

Neville closed the door to the ward softly. Looking down, he saw his grandmother giving him a knowing look.

"Oh, Neville," she sighed, offering her arm for him to take to help her down the stairs. She was getting on in years, as much as she hated to admit it.

He sighed. "I don't know what I expected, Gran. Before, it was just the war, you know. I must have pinned all my hopes on a miracle, but now it's all over... I don't know."

"You hoped to see a change," she nodded.

He glanced at her and gave the ward door a longing look. "I know it's stupid, Gran. I just wanted something to change, but nothing has."

"It's not stupid, my love," she said, patting his arm.

"I just want them to know that something was different. You know, to know that everything they fought for and sacrificed was worth it. That he's gone. That the evil hag that did this to them is gone."

"I do too, dear," she sighed. She looked up at her grandson and for a brief moment, wondered how this had happened to him. He had a large scar on his left cheek and his face was darker from the bags under is eyes and the stubble on his chin .He was a man now, with his own worries and problems. He wasn't her little Nev anymore and somehow she had the feeling she had completely missed him growing up. "They'll know."

"They don't," he cried. "You saw them in there, Gran! They were just the same. Mum recognised me, but she knows nothing about me, she doesn't even remember my name; and Dad, Dad wouldn't know me from a house-elf."

"They love you," she said. "And in the end, isn't that what really matters? They might not know exactly what happened, my dear, but if they did, I assure you, they would be immensely proud. Like I am." She reached up and smoothed his hair out of his eyes. It was getting too long, she decided. "It's about time you did something with that ridiculous hair of yours, young man. You're staring to look like a hippy."

He smiled wryly. His parents may not notice the differences taking place, but his grandmother certainly did. "I think it looks good. Rebellious, even."

Augusta glared at him. "It looks like you've been living in a cave for several months. It will not do."

"I sort of have," he pointed out, grinning.

She gave him a strange look then, a mixture of pride, sadness, amusement and annoyance at his talking back to her. "Nevertheless, it will be cut off. While we're in London, we'd best get you an owl," she said, tugging him down the corridor.

"An owl?" he asked. "For what?"

"Why, for when you go back to Hogwarts, of course. Don't be obtuse, boy," she snapped.

"Hogwarts?" he groaned. "Really, Gran? I can't go back there." They reached the door leading to the Floo points, and Neville stopped to hold the door open for his grandmother.

"Of course you can," she scoffed. "You have to. You haven't got your NEWT's yet."

"I don't need NEWT's," he said petulantly.

Her eyes flashed then, and he cowered. "Of course you need them! How do you think you'd get a job anywhere without them?"

"Kingsley offered me a position in the Auror training programme with Ron, Harry and Hermione," he said quietly.

Her eyes softened. "And are you going to take him up on the offer?"

He nodded. "I might."

"Is that really what you want to do, dear? What about your Herbology? You always enjoyed that." she said softly. They had stopped walking and she was looking at him carefully. "You don't want to spend the rest of your life doing something you would hate, just to make your family proud." She smiled at him sadly. "We'd always be proud of you, no matter what you decide to do with your life. Never forget that, my boy."

Neville looked away, scared of the tears pricking the back of his eyeballs. "I know, Gran." She looked at him sceptically. "I know, Gran," he repeated. "I'm not doing it just to make you proud, although I hope you will be. I want to make a difference. I know it sounds clichéd and ridiculous, Dad probably said the same thing to you thirty years ago." Augusta nodded, smiling. "This past year, it's been hard, but I've never felt happier."

His grandmother pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed her eyes with it. "Oh, Neville," she sighed.

"Oh, don't cry, Gran," Neville said, wincing.

She laughed softly, before fixing him with a look he had seen many times when growing up. "Now, while I am very happy that you've decided on this, you might change your mind later."

"Gran," he began.

"Neville," she pressed. "For my sake, go back to Hogwarts and finish your NEWT's. Something may happen later to make you change your mind. If it does, then you will still have many options."

He thought for a moment, before nodding. "Alright. I'll go back and finish them. But then I'm going to be an Auror."

His grandmother beamed at him. "There'll be no-one prouder of you than I am, my dear."


Hope you enjoyed it! Please review?