"It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." Dumbledore.

He didn't think it would work, so he tried to forget about the small object that seemed to get heavier with each passing day.

Once, Neville found himself alone with Ginny in one of the many empty rooms Grimwald Place housed. He opened his mouth, about to ask, when he thought better of it, and instead asked her about Harry.

Though he might have changed over the past year, on the inside, Neville was still a coward.

It was better with Harry. He suspected it was because he was naturally nervous around girls (which was true. How else did you explain the fact that he was sharing the house with Luna and still hadn't said anything remotely flirtatious to her?) He got up to asking about the Ring when Harry smiled, clapped him on the back, said "good luck" and left the room in a hurry.

George wasn't much better. Neville volunteered to go with Ron to help set up the shop mid-July. The reasons behind this were twofold. One was to ask about the Ring -- he wanted to be absolutely sure he wasn't going to face disappointment. The other was to see Fred.

He had come back one night in July, shoving the occupants of the one picture in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes out of the way before bellowing at the top of his lungs, if the story was to be believed. Lee Jordan, who was currently rooming with George, had been nearest, and was the first one coming. Supposedly, it had taken a while for George to be able to drag himself away from the portrait, which was now hung over the counter in the joke shop.

When Neville entered the shop he tripped over a cage of Pygmy Puffs, scattering the creatures and causing four red-heads to yell at him. Lee helped Percy Weasley with the re-capturing of the pets while Ron laughed loudly, extending a hand to help Neville to his feet.

The next half-hour was spent in a virtual duel with Fred. Neville, always wary of the Weasley twins (they had tested their products on him more than once) was fascinated by the portrait. It was, without a doubt, Fred Weasley inside, not just a copy. Did that mean that anyone could conquer death if they just tried hard enough?

The thought left Neville glum as he sorted through enormous, haphazard piles of paperwork (the only Weasleys with any head for numbers, or so they claimed, were the girls, and they refused to even look at the piles that were threatening to take over the shop). The work was tedious and would have been boring if he were any place other than the shop.

Fred and George kept up a constant stream of chatter that often caused Neville to burst out laughing (nothing was more amusing that seeing the small picture of Fred standing fighter-style, coaxing Ron to fight him). It was obvious that the two were happy to be together again.

It was after dark when Neville was finally alone with the twins. Lee, Percy, and Ron had gone to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink and some news. George had, inexplicably, stayed behind, though Fred had cajoled Lee into carrying the picture with him.

George sat on the counter, leaning back so his shoulders seemed thinner than ever, sticking out above his head. He swung his legs, surveying his less-disarrayed shop. His voice was quiet, almost gentle, when he asked, "You got the Ring, didn't you?"

Neville could only nod, mute.

"And you don't know if it will work on your parents." Not a question, a statement. Neville simply stared, wondering when the boy had become clairvoyant. "And you don't want to be disappointed if you tried and it didn't work."

Finding his voice, Neville managed a strangled, "yeah."

George sighed, and Neville remembered, suddenly, that the twins were only twenty. They usually seemed so much older. "I don't know how I can give you advice, Nev, but I'll try. Getting to talk to Fred was one of the best things I've ever done, but it paid off more than I expected it to." He smiled, a true smile, not the ghost of one that had been present just weeks ago. "So all I can say is…try. If it doesn't work, I'm truly sorry." His voice grew softer now, and compassionate, and Neville stared, wondering where this Weasley had come from. "You're very brave. I don't think I could have taken over the DA and opposed the Carrows. You deserve to talk to your father, Neville."

Neville nodded, feeling something stick in his throat. "I don't know how crowded Grimwald Place is, but I'm going to the Leaky Cauldron. You're welcome to the rooms here. Just lock up and join us later." A trademark wink, and the softer George was gone.

Neville waited for the door to swing shut behind George before collapsing back on the chair he'd been sitting in all day.

The Ring called on the dead. Technically, his parents hadn't passed into that realm yet. Their bodies were still present. But maybe…if their minds, their souls had already died…maybe.

A deep breath, as if about to jump into a lake, and he whispered the name of a man he'd never really gotten to know.

Time stretched, large as a wish. Fragile as one, too, and Neville began to feel a clawing despair settle into his stomach. What if it didn't work?

"Son?" Neville turned and faced his father. For a moment, they stared at each other.. Neville had only known his as a sort of half-man. A vegetable, old and decrepit even though his age, at present, wasn't even forty. When Frank Longbottom's mind had deserted his body, it couldn't have been much older than twenty, for that's how his father appeared now. Dark hair and tall, lean body showed this man to be in the peak of health.

And when they hugged, Neville could feel that he was strong as well.

"Dad." He'd been wishing since he was a boy to be able to say that word. His grandmother, though strict at times, had been an excellent guardian. Though she had told Neville many stories of his father's youth, she wasn't quite able to bring the man to life.

Now here he was, solid in Neville's arms, definitely there. "I am so proud of you, son." And Neville smiled.

They sat side-by-side on the floor. "I've heard most of your life story from your Great Uncle Algie. Came to me as soon as he died. We had a lot of drinks that night. He said he's sorry for dropping you, by the way."

Neville laughed, though his hand automatically strayed to his hip, where the scar from his hundred-foot-drop was still visible all these years later. "But tell me of your life now. Any friends? Girlfriends?" Frank wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Neville reminded himself that his father was, roughly, the same age as the Weasley twins. Almost his age.

"Well…" biting his lip, he couldn't stop the whole story from spilling out. Everything. "You've probably heard of the DA by now, right?" he waited for his father to nod. "Harry started that, him and Ron and Hermione, but last year…" he outlined the past year for his father. The Carrows and their punishments. The small force of mainly younger kids, doing their best to rebel against them. Luna.

"You'd like her dad. Or, I think you would." Suddenly shy, Neville realized he didn't really knew what his dad liked. "She's pretty, of course, but that's not the half of it. She's a little eccentric -- she believes in Nargles and Crumple-Horned-Snorkaxes. But she's really brave and really smart. She was captured and held at the Malfoy's place for three months and hasn't changed a bit."

It wasn't until he spoke out loud that Neville realized how much he liked and admired Luna. He smiled widely, knowing he must look like a maniac. He loved Loony Lovegood. Lovegood and Longbottom.

Frank smiled, placing a hand over Neville's. "She sounds great, Neville. I hope she makes you as happy as your mother made me."

That brought up what Neville really wanted to know about his father. Though Augusta Longbottom had nothing against Neville's mother, she didn't talk about her in nearly as much length as she did about his mother. "How…how's mum? Now? And…before she died?"

"We're both happy, son. The afterlife is starting to fill up with some of our old friends. The Marauders -- they were popular, you know. In my year too. Your mum wished she could see you, of course, but she understands, and I'll tell her all about you." Frank reached over and mussed Neville's already unruly hair. "How handsome you're becoming."

"Earlier…we were in love, Nev. I loved her since we were both fourteen, and when we both decided to become Aurors, it seemed like fate." He looked past Neville, as if he could see into the past. "She was beautiful -- still is. And smart. And brave." He smirked at Neville. "Sounds an awful lot like your Luna, right?" Neville turned red, and Frank laughed.

It was much later when Neville made his way to the pub at the end of Diagon Alley. He caught George's eye and nodded, prompting the Weasley to call out another order of drinks for all present.

Walking past another red-head, Neville dropped the Ring and a note into his pocket, knowing he'd find it when he needed it.

Just realized I didn't mention this, though it's a minor point. Neville knows who had the ring because they all wrote their notes on the same paper.

As always, please review.