DISCLAIMER: The Wizarding World is all JK's. I just play in her sandpit.
"Come on Neville, it's time for bed," Edmund Longbottom said hoisting himself up out of the chair where he had been reading in front of the fire.
"Yes Grandpa," the young boy said unenthusiastically and started collecting the deck of cards he had been trying to build a castle with.
"There's a lad, we've got time to read another chapter I think," Neville's attitude changed and he rushed to return the deck of cards to Great Auntie Enid's card table before scuttling out of the parlor and up the stairs to his bedroom.
By the time his Grandpa arrived he was already under the covers with his stuffed bear. The Wind in the Willows sat on the bedside table ready to be picked up and started again.
"Mmph, where were we?" Edmund asked clearing his throat. "Oh yes, Toad has just been sent to gaol. Right then on with chapter seven.
"The Willow-Wren was twittering his thin little song, hidden himself in the dark selvedge of the river bank. Though it was past ten o'clock at night, the sky still clung to and retained some lingering skirts of light from the departed day; and the sullen heats of the torrid afternoon broke up and rolled away at the dispersing touch of the cool fingers of the short midsummer night."
Neville listened to his Grandpa's voice, as it rose and fell, paused and rushed along and tried to fall deep into the story like he had done every night for the past week. They had started the book the day of their last visit to St Mungos, which meant that when he got up in the morning, his Gran would make him dress in his best robes, and they would once again floo to the hospital to visit his parents in the long-term spell damage ward.
Neville hated it there. It smelt funny and his parents didn't know who he was. They didn't know who his grandparents were. His Dad often lay in bed staring at the sparkly sun-catcher that hung in the window while his Mum would hand him wrappers from Droobles Best Blowing Gum that she'd already eaten.
When they returned, his Grandpa would lock himself away in his study and wouldn't emerge until dinner and his Gran would disappear into their bedroom and would turn up red-eyed at the evening meal. Neville would be left in the company of Great Uncle Algie who was forever trying to scare him into doing accidental magic.
Two weeks before, he'd been laid out cold from a stunner, and the week before that he'd broken a finger after he'd rolled down the stairs.
"Mole lay stretched on the bank, still panting from the stress of the fierce day that had been cloudless from dawn to late sunset, and waited for his friend to return. He had been on the river with some companions, leaving the Water Rat free to keep a engagement of long standing with Otter; and he had come back to find the house dark and deserted, and no sign of Rat, who was doubtless keeping it up late with his old comrade."
"Grandpa," Neville interrupted, and he looked at the man who was peering back at him over a pair of gold rimmed glasses.
"Yes lad?" Neville clutched his bear tighter,
"Do we … I mean can we not …" he sighed, not sure how to phrase the question,
"What is it Neville?"
"I don't want to go to see Mum and Dad tomorrow,"
"It is your duty Neville. It is a difficult task for us must all bear the responsibility of care for your parents when they are unable to care for themselves. It would break your Gran's heart if she heard you did not want to see your parents,"
"But they don't know me!" Neville protested.
"Codswallop boy, they may not be aware of most things but they know you and they love you. Your mother's eyes always drift back to you and she may not have the words to tell you but she gives you all that she's got to give,"
"The wrappers," Neville stated unimpressed.
"The wrappers," his Grandpa confirmed. "And your father always holds your hand when you sit with him. They may not have the words boy, but do no doubt. Never doubt that they know and love you. They just have a bit of a hard time showing it," he said rubbing at his shoulder and arm.
"Yes Grandpa,"
"Right then, where were we? Ah yes … It was still too hot to think of staying indoors, so he lay on some cool dock-leaves, and thought over the past day and its doings, and how very good they all had been. …"
Neville looked over at his Grandpa when he didn't continue reading. He gasped at the sight of his Grandpa clutching at his chest.
The book fell to the floor and Neville screamed as his Grandpa toppled out of the seat and fell next to it. His screams brought in his Gran and his Great Auntie and his Great Uncle. His Gran fell to her knees with a wail and Neville started to cry.
"Come here Neville," Great Auntie Enid said pulling him out of bed and quickly carrying him out of the room. He went willingly, and saw Great Uncle Algie pulling his Gran into a strong embrace.
Neville was put down in an armchair while Enid flooed St Mungos. He was back in her arms wishing he had his teddy-bear when a Healer and an Auror arrived in quick succession. Pointing them both in the direction of Neville's bedroom, Enid stayed with Neville, rocking him back and forth while he cried.
"What happed to Grandpa?" Neville sobbed seeing the healer levitating a body wrapped in a white sheet.
"Heart failure," the healer mouthed and Enid inhaled shakily.
"Your Grandpa has passed onto the next life," Enid said not sure how to explain.
"What does that mean? Is he going to St Mungos? Are we going to visit him like we visit Mum and Dad?" Enid couldn't hold back her tears and covered her loud sob with a hand.
"No Neville, we're not going to be able to visit him. Your Grandpa has died. Remember Brum, he passed away too, remember saying goodbye to him?" Enid explained, mentioning her old pet crup. Neville nodded and started to cry harder.
He squirmed out of Enid's grasp and ran to his Gran when she entered the room with the Auror. Augusta scooped up her grandson and settled him on her hip.
"I'm so sorry for your loss Augusta," the Auror said resting his hand on her shoulder.
"Thank you Elphinstone," she said quietly, not sounding at all like she usually did. Neville was sobbing into her collar. She shut the floo down when the Auror left and carried Neville up to her and Edmund's bedroom.
Not bothering to undress Augusta crawled under the covers, held her grandson close and allowed her tears to fall, sharing her grief with the last of her family.
AN: I love Neville - he's one of my favourite characters, and this just wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote it. This is actually also just an except of a greater multi-chapter story, one that has evolved from this piece and which will be posted eventually. I'd like to get a bit further through the story before I start posting that though.
Please hit the review button, I'd love to hear what you think.