A/N: Hey everyone! Here's my most recent fic, and my first try at a tearjerker. Let me know how you like it!
Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
I'll Never Forget You
By Colin
Neville Longbottom trudged gloomily up the wooden stairs to the attic, hearing a loud creak after every step. The staircase was old and cracked, the walls peeling and covered in mildew. He made a face as a musty smell reached his nose, but continued on.
He had never before entered the attic, but the weather outside was dreadful: ominous black clouds, brilliant flashes of lightning, and terrifying booms of thunder. Normally Neville would have been afraid of the storm, but he had made up his mind to be braver, now that he was fifteen.
This particular summer had been nothing but stormy. And to the severely bored Neville, the attic had practically been calling out each morning when he awoke to see that the weather hadn't changed.
So today, sick of the incessant thunderstorms, he had made up his mind to venture to this unknown place. It was also perfect because no one was home and he wouldn't be disturbed.
Presently Neville made it to the top of the stairs and opened the door, the rusted hinges screeching in protest. He took a short look around and sneezed.
The dust filling the air was thick and gray, and Neville could hardly breathe as he took another step in. As he glanced around once more he was fascinated by what he saw -- and then he sneezed again.
But soon the dust began to settle a bit, and he could look freely. The attic was positively filled with boxes and piles of chests that looked like something from an ancient Muggle pirate ship.
He first went curiously to a box labeled "HALLOWEEN COSTUMES" in a tidy red manuscript. He opened it up and took out the first costume. A Quidditch player! There was a professional England uniform and a very realistic looking broomstick. Neville smiled sadly, thinking of his father.
He quickly brushed aside his worries and took out the next costume - but what was it? It was an old-fashioned frilly dress, a fake corsage, a while hair ribbon and a pair of matching shoes.
His mother must have dressed as a woman from the early 20th century. He pictured his mum and dad wearing their costumes, laughing as they entered a masquerade ball. He could see the guests staring at them, commenting on how nice they looked.
There was a multitude of costumes – a pirate, a fairy godmother, a knight and his maiden in distress…the box was full of magnificent attire. He quickly moved on to the next box, eager to search for more of his parents' past.
And more he did find. Almost everything in the attic had something to do with his parents. How could his gram have never told him about all this?
There were postcards, letters, clothes, old music recordings, a radio, dancing outfits - everything imaginable - except for the one thing Neville wanted most: pictures. He wanted to see what his parents looked like when they first got married, on their honeymoon, at the hospital after having him, walking over a glistening stream on a beautiful wooden bridge.
After searching for hours, he found what he was looking for. Hogwarts yearbooks. He flipped through to Gryffindor and found "Longbottom, Frank" under the first-years.
"Two over to the left …" Neville said, tracing with his finger, and there was his father. Frank Longbottom at age eleven, looking like a carbon copy of Neville at that age. Scared, nervous, apprehensive, clumsy…
And then he found "Gregory, Anne" and nearly gasped. His mother, even at eleven years old, was strikingly radiant. He couldn't believe it. This was his mum? The prettiest girl in school? Well, she was definitely beautiful – her hair fell down past her shoulders in golden locks, and her teeth shone brightly despite the dust. And her eyes – so blue that they nearly hurt Neville's own – were dazzling and voluminous.
It stayed just like that. With each passing year, Frank grew more like his son, and Anne grew more attractive.
He had finally looked through all seven years of his parents' life at Hogwarts, laughing at funny pictures and smiling longingly at good ones.
As he was putting the last book in the box, something caught his eye, and he peered over the box. It was what appeared to be a photo album, and - he drew in a sharp breath - it was made of solid gold!
Neville bent down to pick it up, blew the dust off the cover, coughed, and opened it up. There were pictures of his mother and father - at school, at home in bed, playing outside in the sun, the rain, or even snow and sleet. And near the back were pictures from their wedding day, his mother looking gorgeous in her white gown, and his father dashing in his extravagant tuxedo.
There were pictures of the enormous cake, with "Frank + Anne forever!" printed on the top in purple icing. There were pictures of the reception – his parents dancing, singing, laughing, having a good time and never imagining the fate that awaited them. One time, his dad threw his mum up in the air and caught her. It was a fabulous dance move.
And then there were some pictures of the honeymoon in Hawaii. His mother was wearing a pink hula skirt and necklace, and his father was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and trunks. They were heaving a great time and he could see them waving to him.
He found one that captured their feelings perfectly: They were standing in front of the ocean, backed by a glorious sunrise and a majestic rainbow in the center of the picture, and they had their arms around each other, gazing into the other's eyes, smiling and hugging.
Neville held it tight in his hands as tears squeezed out of his closed eyelids, and he suddenly knew what he had to do.
He sat down at an old desk, turned on a green table lamp and began to write, pouring all his feelings and emotions into the letter. He wrote for hours into the night, erasing sentences constantly until it was perfect - except for the tears that were dripping all over the paper.
Finally, he folded it neatly and placed it in a pretty pink envelope, addressing it in his nicest cursive writing.
And then he lay down and cried himself into a dream-filled sleep.
~*~
Dear Mum and Dad,
Hello! This is your son, Neville. I hope you can still remember me, somewhere in the backs of your minds.
How are you doing? Are you feeling any better? The doctors say that there's a tiny sign of brain function, and they're working on a spell that may cure you. I know that I haven't gone to visit you for a while, but I promise I will soon.
I just looked through the attic and found all of your old things. I loved all your pictures and costumes and outfits and…well, everything.
Mum, you were the most beautiful girl I've ever seen! And Dad, I'm sure you had a lot of girls wanting to go out with you in school.
You wedding pictures are wonderful! I had a terrific time looking through all of them, and I'm sure everyone who was there had just as much fun.
I miss you, Mum and Dad. It's like there's this huge hole in my heart that can never be fixed until you get better. When I think about you, it hurts. I just want you to be here with me again. I want to hug you, and talk to you, and buy my things with you at Diagon Alley.
I want to go off the Hogwarts and be able to write to you every day to tell you how my classes were. I made a lot of friends at school that I'm sure you would like…including Harry Potter! Yes, the Harry Potter.
I got Sorted into Gryffindor, just like you, and there are four other boys in my dorm, including Harry, who are all very nice. I'm doing okay in my subjects, especially Herbology, but I hate Potions. I think you went to school with the teacher - Severus Snape? Boy, if you were here I'll bet you could tell him off for me!
Great Uncle Algie and Gram are taking great care of me, as you wanted them to. They miss you almost as much as I do, but no one can feel how I do. You're my parents, after all! I love you so much I can't even describe it.
But you know what? I know that someday they will find that cure. And they'll make you better, and we can go to Diagon Alley, and we can go on vacation. We can go to Hawaii and walk past our own rainbows above the sunrise, and we can give each other hugs and we can be a family again.
I'll write you again soon, I promise! And I'll come and visit the next chance I get.
Just remember that I miss you, and that I know you'll always be a part of me. I know that you're there with me wherever I go, because I can feel your love every day.
I love you, Mum and Dad. Always know that.
I'll never forget you.
All my love,
Neville