I never imagined the Hufflepuff Cellar as stodgy. Thus the name of the chapter refers to a fun place that produces happy people.
Chapter 7 – I Know a Place – Aug 1997 – Sept. 2006
Neville looked at the blonde in his arms. Hannah was put in charge of getting the 5th years and younger out of Hogwarts. She and Michael Datton of Ravenclaw took it seriously; even stupefying several who tried to sneak back into the castle.
Touching her face, he was grateful to know she hadn't been in the battle. He couldn't loose her too. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift back to the scene in the Headmaster's office.
After Goyle left, Neville turned on the others in the room. "She was our friend! All she did was help. She loved you three," gesturing to Ron, Harry and Ginny, "like brothers and sister and she respected the three of you," he snarled at the Headmaster, McGonagall and Professor Snape. "Idiotic house loyalties wouldn't have stopped her from being loyal to you if you started caring for Slytherins."
Neville continued on his rampage about honor and loyalty for another half hour, until a soft hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Go find Hannah." Luna said quietly.
"Yah, I think I'll go find my wife. Are you coming?"
Luna looked at the teachers, "No there are others who need attention."
He nodded, pecked her on the cheek and left. As he did he heard the words, "Wait! Did he just say wife?" He smirked, but didn't stop.
He walked past the gates of Hogwarts and Port Keyed to The Lion and Dragon Inn. Room 24 was theirs. When he walked into the suite, she was waiting,
"Nev," she said, holding out her hands to him. He walked to her and dragged her down with him as he hit the floor. She was in his lap, her arms around his head as it rested on her chest. They rocked there while he sobbed his heart out.
"She's gone, Hannah. All she ever did was help me and she wouldn't let me help her what will I do without my friend?" He looked at his wife, his sea green eyes red rimmed and blood shot.
"You'll live. You'll honor her memory and her loyalty. You'll teach our children bravery, love, forbearance and charity for others."
"And you will teach them hard work and loyalty, right?"
"She smiled, " Yes."
"Hannah?" he whispered, closing his eyes on his memories.
"Mm. What is it Nev?"
"Can we name our first daughter after Hermione?"
"Yes, Nev, in about eight months."
"Good, I – wait what?"
She sat up and smiled. "Did you really think that I would be so willing to evacuate with the kids without good reason? That's not very loyal of a Hufflepuff."
He flipped her over, putting his hands on her belly. "A little life? Here? Wait! Does this mean no more sex?"
Hannah laughed at the pitiful expression on his face for a while before pushing onto his back and showing him he was wrong. When they could speak again she said, "No it doesn't mean no sex. It means in about three months I may become insatiable."
He quirked an eyebrow. "That's a bad thing?"
She swatted him and they spent the rest of the night talking and making love.
* * * * * * * *
The next three years saw many changes for them. At first Mrs. Longbottom was a bit irritated with her grandson. But she warmed up to Hannah quickly. She understood that he was trying to protect them from Death Eaters by keeping the marriage a secret.
The two of them attended and helped rebuild Hogwarts until Hannah was too far along to go comfortably. Neville continued to help, taking his Apparition test and going back and forth from the manor, and getting her schoolwork and turning completed papers.
Hermione Alice Longbottom came into the world in March. By that time peace had been made between him, his ex-roommates and Draco. It wasn't until Neville saw him holding Leilani up to the window to see the baby that Neville truly accepted his repentance. He went back to Hannah's room and sat next to his wife. While she rested from fourteen hours of labor he let his mind wander to the day he took Dominic away from Draco, to that day in Pickford's office.
Pickford was Chief of the Warlock's Court, the court second only to the Wizengamot. The Warlock's Court was a civil court, handling wills, deeds, contracts and marital and dissolution proceedings. Neville remembered the ugly glint in the man's eyes that day.
"You knew these people. This should be fulfilling for you. A good bit of vengeance."
Neville never liked the man, he liked him even less as he opened the scroll and read it. "Why would this please me? That child has been his anchor and hope. The Malfoys take good care of him."
Pickford's face got ugly. His eyes narrowed and for a second Neville was reminded of Umbridge. The similarities were there, but for different reasons. For her, the desperate need for order was the cause of her cruelty; for him, it was retribution. He lorded his power over anyone (on either side of the war) who couldn't defend themselves. He was a bully.
"You are an apprentice Auror! You will do as I say."
Neville broke the chain of command after hearing this and went to see Kingsley. But even though he was Minister of Magic, he could do nothing. He explained that while Pickford's motivations were unacceptable, the law was the law.
Ashamed of what he was going to do to a broken man, Neville went to the Malfoys. He watched Draco fall apart. He himself was broken-hearted as he took the little boy away, sobbing.
When he arrived at home, Hannah greeted him with bread dough in her hands and surprise in her eyes. "Isn't that Hermione's little brother? I thought Draco was taking care of him."
"Pickford," he spat the man's name as he cuddled the unhappy boy, "found 'Mione's will! So I guess he dug deeper and found her parents will. Hannah, I'm sorry, I have to go to see Greg Goyle tomorrow. The Ministry tracked him down. He's in Greece."
Hannah nodded. " How long will you be gone?"
"Don't know. He's living in Mycenae." She looked confused. "It's a hidden island, only wizarding kind and their families live there."
After they ate dinner, Dominic fell into a troubled sleep and the Longbottoms relaxed. Neville told her that the restoration at Hogwarts was going well and that the greenhouses were looking much better.
There was a lull in the conversation and something occurred to Hannah. "Nev, why does Pickford hate the Malfoys?"
"Pickford is a bully. If a person is down he will kick them harder. If a person is an authority figure he grovels before them and abuses any who try to flout him. He went to school with Lucius Malfoy, I found out, and as I understand he tried to be in the 'power' group. Lucius treated him with utter contempt. Now Pickford has power and Lucius is just trying to keep his son alive. Who better to abuse?"
The next day found Neville Portkeying to France, then Italy, mainland Greece, and then a flying carpet ride to Mycenae.
It was a beautiful island. The regular mode of transport was carpet. He saw thestrals pulling a few carriages and, to his shock, hippogriff and flying horse mounts. He made inquiries at the Forum building and then another quick carpet ride to a majestic villa close to the cliffs overlooking the sea.
Neville rang the bell and a house elf answered. He was dressed in a deep yellow linen kiton with a Hermes cap perched between his ears.
"Domo greets you, master, and is required to ask your business."
Neville answered. "I'm Apprentice Auror Neville Longbottom and I need to speak to Greg Goyle."
"Domo is to show Ministry officials to the Atrium. Master will follow?" Neville nodded and followed Domo through the airy house and into the center of the house. The lovely enclosed garden housed a bubbling fountain and a selection of safe healing and edible plants. A female house elf played near the fountain with two tiny house elf babies and a human baby boy.
"Is that stranger masters little boy? Would he like to play with Master Quinn, Agapae, Kurzi and Pari?" she asked. Neville, in answer, handed the child down on the soft blanket. Agapae produced a large ball and then pulled a rattle out of her pink kiton. Dominic played while Domo brought a fruit drink and baklava to Neville.
"Neville, what are you doing here?" Greg came into the garden, accepting the same refreshment from Domo. He motioned Neville to a couch and reclined on a matching one.
Neville set his drink on the table between them and told his story. "About two weeks ago the Ministry found Hermione's will. According to it she left everything to you. I assume that she thought you would be disowned." At Greg's nod, Neville proceeded. "We never found her Gringotts key, I know you don't need the money, but-"
Greg stopped him. "When I need it, I'll speak to the goblins, until then let it sit. Unlike other vaults, mainly for storage, Hermoine set hers up a Muggle account. The goblins use the money for expeditions and caravans and pay her vault an interest."
"Never heard of such a thing. But that's not why I'm here. Greg, did you know that the week after you and she left her parents were killed in a automobile accident?" At the shake of his head, Neville continued. "They left Dominic to her which means he goes to you."
The swallow of juice that was going down his throat got stuck and he quickly gulped to keep from spewing it everywhere. Greg shuddered and said, "Why? One of the reasons she was so upset was that her parents feared she would hurt him and disowned her because she wouldn't give up her magic. How will I raise a Muggle child?"
"He's not a Muggle. He's a Metamorphmagus." Neville pointed at the boy's hair as it went every color of the rainbow. Greg chuckled.
"They were so afraid her world would hurt him, it never occurred to them he would be a part of it." Both chuckled at that.
Agapae was overjoyed to be taking care of a new young master. And when the guardianship papers were signed, Neville returned home. Neville fell asleep remembering.
The Longbottoms took the baby to his grandmother for blessing and she insisted that they live at the Manor. They remained there until he finished his Auror training. They moved to Diagon Alley when baby Hermione was one. When they did that, Neville reconnected with Professor Sprout. He found out that she was going on a botanical expedition to South America. She was in need of 'a Ministry-authorized bodyguard'. Neville laughed at her Slytherin-like sneer of contempt at those words.
But when he got home he thought about it. He was a fully trained Auror. He wouldn't stop her from doing what she wanted.
And so with a little coaxing of his wife and a LOT of coaxing at the Ministry, the family found themselves on their way to South America. It was what Neville figured. He spent a lot of time reining in the other Aurors and escorting the Professor to her haunts. He did that for two long years.
They came back to England fluent in Spanish and with a new baby boy, Anton Francis (Frank) Longbottom. With his love of Herbology resurrected and the encouragement of a relieved wife (chasing Dark wizards was so dangerous) he returned to school and completed training in Advanced Herbology, receiving the Rings of Artemesia in Herbology, Horticulture and Healing.
He studied privately, looking into the records of other ancient families and found that Lucius Malfoy had the original enchanted maps of Charlemagne's gardens. He, Hannah and Lucius transformed his (Neville's) family manor into a botanical garden, with Muggle and magic herbs, wand woods, culinary plants and fruit trees.
The year Leilani started Hogwarts; Neville accepted the position of assistant Professor of Herbology. Professor Sprout was easing him into his future position as Professor. She wasn't moving as fast as she used to so Neville was put in charge of teaching the more dangerous plants.
Little Hermione Longbottom, nicknamed Herry by her extended family, loved the greenhouses, but more she loved the afternoons spent helping Hagrid with his creatures. Her parents kept her and her three brothers out of the school itself, wanting it to be a new experience when they started there. Their little cottage stood on the shores of the Black Lake. Hannah taught the children, cared for their home and garden until two years later.
The Leaky Cauldron was up for sale.
When Hannah found out the Crabbe's were thinking of buying it, she was upset. Tom was an old friend and she wanted him to get an honest price. Neville suggested buying it and having them move to the family quarters.
"I know that when you were a child you went to Muggle school and I know that you want ours to go as well. I can Floo home most nights and there will be more children around ours." Hannah agreed and they bought and moved into the Leaky Cauldron.
She convinced Tom to stay on to show her the ropes. She saw a lot of Susan and Ron and helped get their brood into Muggle school as well.
Three years of internship ended with Neville becoming Herbology Professor. He continued to enlarge the collection and cultivation of many more exotic and magical plants. Neville incorporated small amounts of Muggle geography and history into his classes. He requested that the librarian place certain Muggle plant encyclopedias in the main library.
Neville wore his D.A. coin on a chain around his neck. On the back it said Shooting stars never fade, they just burn too brightly to be caught
It's a swingin' place, a cellar full of noise…
I know a place we can go
Petula Clark
