14. Miss Brown & Miss Patil
"Parvati, please, calm down..." Neville urged for what seemed the 50th time whilst the women sobbed in Professor Trelawney's arms. "Come with me to the Hospital Wing, we'll ask Madam Pomfrey for a potion..."
"I don't need to calm down!" she leapt to her feet all of the sudden, burying her head in her hands. "I need you to listen to me, Neville! It's gonna happen, we don't know when, but it's true! We've seen it! She has seen it!"
'Oh, Merlin," Neville thought. 'Here we go again...'
"Parvati, my dear, may we talk to Lavender again?" Professor Trelawney asked, grabbing a piece of parchment. "We need to write that down... these are critical!"
"No, professor..." Parvati wept, shaking from head to toe. "She's not here now... she's out to try to collect more information... I hope she'll be back soon..." she paced around the room. "I always feel empty when I'm alone..."
"You're not alone, Parvati. We're here with you," he touched her shoulder, soothingly. "It's very late, you should try to get some sleep..."
"You know what I meant, Neville," unfortunately, he did know what she meant. "I can't sleep like this. I need to contact the Auror Office right away..."
"Right, how does it sound to you: I'll accompany you to the Ministry tomorrow morning," he sought to smile friendly at her. "But you have to calm down and get some rest..."
"What if all of it happens tomorrow morning!?" Parvati bellowed. "Do you know how many people will die if we can't warn them in time!? Why don't you believe me, Neville!?"
"Parvati, there's almost no one at the Ministry right now...! It's the middle of the night, even the aurors on duty must be sleeping...!" Neville argued, exasperated. "Let's wait until tomorrow..."
"Then let's head straight to Hermione's house!" she headed towards the door, resolutely. "I won't settle until I talk to her personally!"
'Oh, Merlin...!' Neville thought a second time. "Parvati, Hermione's house is heavily surveilled, it will be extremely inconvenient..."
"Professor," she turned to Trelawney. "Please, if Lavender comes back, can you tell her where I'm out to? Tell her I'm coming back for her as soon as I can..."
"Of course, dear," Trelawney approached Parvati motherly, wrapping a shawl with a variety of mandalas embroidered in it around her neck. "Please, be extra careful. I've dreamed of the grim last night..." she wheezed in her ethereal tone. "Don't forget the amulets..."
"I promise I'll be careful." Parvati began putting on a bunch of strange necklaces, and Neville noticed one of them was made out of butterbeer corks. 'Oh, Merlin,' Neville thought for the third time, recalling the time he heard a concerned Padma complaining that her sister had become the new Luna. "Let me just pray real quick." She bowed her head and closed her eyes, her praying hands touching her forehead. Thus, she straightened herself, adjusted her bright orange cloak and seized Neville by the arm. "Let's go."
"Neville, today was one of the best days of my entire life..." Luna said, reaching out for Neville's hand as they waded leisurely side by side on a sidewalk. "It meant a lot to me... especially since... well..." she stuttered. "You know... with all these rumours..."
Neville squeezed her hand tenderly. "I had forgotten of them already, moonlight... It's nothing, really..."
"I know it's something, Neville..." Luna bowed her head, dispiritedly. "She's told me... she's told me the students have been talking behind your back..." she sought to fight it, but her voice came out cracking anyway. "But she thinks you're being really brave... you're standing up against all of it... I'm so touched... I couldn't be more thankful..."
"You don't have to thank me, Luna," he came to a halt, pulling her into his arms whilst leaning his back against a wall. "Listen, I know people may be talking, but I don't even think about it. I'm just so glad we're going to have our own family... there are so many amazing things happening to us lately... I just can't bring myself to care about nasty gossipers such as Rita Skeeter, that's all..."
"I feel the same way, Neville," she buried her nose in his neck. "Actually, I do feel guilty sometimes, but most of the time I barely can contain my joy..."
"Don't feel guilty, Luna," he caressed her hair gently. "Besides, does Ravenclaw actually believe I'm being brave?" Neville giggled. "Wow, that might be the first compliment I've ever gotten from her..." he grabbed Luna's hand again, leading her in the same direction they had been walking.
"She'll never compliment you in your presence," Luna said, playfully, accompanying her fiancée. "But the truth is that she's always been fond of you."
"I'm fond of her too, I just can't see the point of calling her 'Her Grace'. Did she come from the nobility?"
"She avoids talking about her heritage... also, don't ever tell her I've been addressing her as 'she' behind her back..."
Luna and Neville came to a definitive halt when they at least arrived at their destination. As he would usually do, he stepped forward and held the tall wooden door open for her. As he followed her into the pub, the Leaky Cauldron, she glanced at him and muttered, "Thanks".
Since the windows and curtains had been wide open, they were aware their friends were there. However, for some time they had been watched by someone else they were completely unaware of. This person had been quietly snooping through a tiny gap in the window of one of the rooms above the pub. He had his eyes fixed on Luna, his wand clutched forcefully in his hand, his heart bursting with jealousy and his mind racing against a moral dilemma.
"Yo! Luna! Neville!" Seamus barked, clumsily stumbling out of his seat with a large Firewhisky bottle in his hand. "I surely didn't expect to bump against you here!" Seamus hiccuped. "This ain't good for your child, eh?" he raised the bottle, sipping from it.
"Seamus, not everyone comes to the Leaky Cauldron to drink," Ernie corrected Seamus, standing up to shake Neville and Luna's hands. They, for their parts, headed to the table where their friends had been sitting. "It is marvellous to meet with you both!"
"I'd actually guess you'd be even less likely to come here to drink than me, Ernie," Luna giggled, shaking his hand. "Let me guess... is there something happening between you and Hannah?"
"Huh, what!?" Ernie snorted. "Hannah and I!? Ha! I'd rather date a... ouch!" Hannah had popped in from behind, punching Ernie's shoulder harshly. "See!? That's what I'm talking about! She's savage!"
"This moron is definitely not part of our drinking club, he's just here drinking his sorrows because he's depressed for failing in defending his thesis," Hannah snapped.
"I didn't fail!"
"Luna!" Dean approached them, touching Luna's shoulder. "Look at you! You're stunning!"
"Dean...! I've missed you," Luna hugged the tall one briefly, smiling wide at him. Neville couldn't help but laugh when he recalled how heartbroken he was by Luna and Dean's closeness when both of them came to fight in the Battle of Hogwarts, holding hands and everything. Only to find out that Dean already had someone: Seamus. "How's the Ministry?"
"Yeah, how are things in the Auror Office?" Neville addressed Dean and Seamus.
"All the same, mate," Seamus said. "Kind of boring, actually. Could you ever imagine being an auror would end up being boring?" Neville chuckled. "Harry is the king of boredom. I bet you're about to become boring too, now that you're going to become a father..."
"Seamus!" Dean reprimanded his husband slapping him in the back of his head.
"Ouch!"
"Krishna, the god of love and compassion, is watching your behaviour," an ethereal voice that reminded Professor Trelawney's surged beside them. "Shall we be kind and tender to our partners! That's the second physical assault the gods have witnessed today."
"Ernie is not my partner, Parvati!" Hannah protested.
"Forgive me, Hannah, for I confused the present with the future that my Inner Eye has revealed to me."
"Parvati, did you lose your mind!? Are you using illegal substances in my pub!?"
"Parvati, you, here as well?" Luna greeted the woman, genuinely surprised. "A saint woman such as you, drinking in a pub...?"
"Oh, Luna, my dear friend, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. It's no easy job that which the gods have entrusted me with," Parvati sniffed, sipping on her butterbeer. "To seek the improvement of the spirit at the same time as you're gifted with the Inner Eye...! It's torture! I can never find true peace, for the tragedies of the future are constantly haunting me!" Parvati moaned, everyone but Luna trying to decide which one of them was crazier. "By the way, I have just arrived in the UK and I didn't know you were pregnant! That's wonderful news! Lavender will be thrilled!"
"Didn't your Inner Eye tell you that, Parvati?" Hannah teased, still irritated by the other's previous remarks.
"Is Lavender here, Parvati?" Luna asked, more interestedly than the others would have found wise. "May I talk to her?"
"Well, if you're not going anywhere, take a seat already, right?" Hannah said, bossily. "You've been standing for too long, Luna. That's rough on your back. Mediwitch's advice."
"Oh, no, we're just passing by," Neville said. "We're heading home, we're here for the fireplace, y'know, she's too far along to apparate..."
"I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay and catch up with our friends, would it? I won't drink anything," Luna gazed pleadingly at Neville. "I mean... in case you're fine with it..." Neville faked a smile and grabbed a chair for her, sitting by her side thereafter. He had sort of a problem with alcohol, and he knew that Luna would understand if he told her they should go home, but he wanted to become someone his daughter could be proud of. He wanted to prove to himself that he could stay there and talk to his friends without succumbing to his vices. "Thanks," she nodded at him, seeking to conceal her face lightning up with joy. Taking notice of it anyway, Neville was mindlessly infected with her happiness, widening a genuine smile this time.
"Hannah can grab something non-alcoholic for you, Luna. My treat," Seamus raised his voice. Hannah, having heard that, headed to the counter. "And something extremely alcoholic for my old friend here..."
"Oh, no, thanks..." Neville said, mustering all his might to resist the inviting smell that lingered in that environment. "Non-alcoholic for me too, please."
"Oh, Merlin! He won't drink as well! That's so romantic!" Parvati exclaimed in a much less ethereal tone, sounding rather like a schoolgirl. "You've always been the most gallant of our friends, Neville! I'm very happy for you both! Congratulations!"
"Thank you, Lavender," Luna gazed amicably at Parvati.
"Huh, it's... Lavender now...?" Neville surveyed Parvati puzzled. "Er... thanks...?"
"Apart from Professor Trelawney, Luna is the only person who can tell when it's me," the supposed Lavender in the body of Parvati told him. "Well, I guess Padma can also tell the difference, but she refuses to acknowledge that it's really me..." she looked down, gloomily. "Now we know how it feels to have people disregarding every little thing you say, Luna... I'm sorry I picked on you back then..."
"Don't mention it," Luna nodded, staring at the other with her signature bulging eyes. "Also, Padma'll come around, Lavender. She can't keep denying the truth forever..."
"Oh, Merlin..." Ernie brought his hands to his forehead.
"So," Dean raised his voice above theirs, seeking to promptly change the subject. "Have you met James already, Parvati?"
"You may come in," he and Parvati heard a voice coming from the vending machine which served as a secret passage to the Minister for Magic's residence.
"Thanks, Richards," said Neville, pressing the green button and being instantly transported to the doorway of a house in the countryside.
Less than one minute thereafter, Parvati arrived by his side. They exchanged looks before he knocked on the door.
"Oh, come in, Neville," looking like she hadn't slept for weeks, Hermione opened the door and stepped aside, making room for him to enter. "Oh, Par... vati...?" Hermione finally realised Neville wasn't alone. "Please, er... come in..." Hermione escorted both of them to her office, which contained more piles of paper than either Neville or Parvati had ever seen. "Please, take a seat. Can I serve you something to drink? Tea, water... maybe coffee? I know it's the middle of the night, but..." she lifted her own cup. "Not very healthy, is it?"
"I'd join you in being unhealthy if you'd offer me a glass of Firewhisky," Parvati shamelessly asked.
"Oh, of course," Hermione shook her wand, and a bottle of Firewhisky on its own poured itself into a glass, landing elegantly in the woman's right hand. At the same time, a glass of water landed inside Neville's left one. 'This must be her way of telling me I can't have any,' Neville thought. 'As usual, Hermione's right...' his mind wandered for some moments through the events of that fateful day in Xeno's house. "So," Hermione continued. "To what do I owe the honour, Neville, Parvati...?"
Hermione intentionally let Parvati's name linger in the air for some seconds, not taking her keen eyes off the other. Parvati, having understood what the Minister had been asking herself, declared solemnly, "Lavender is not here. She's off to seek more information. It's just me and Neville," she cleared her throat. "I made a point talking to you, Hermione. Unfortunately, I bring a dreadful omen."
Hermione promptly summoned quill and parchment, straightening herself on the chair. "Please, speak away. I'm listening." Neville, who had been on the verge of dozing, woke up instantly. Why was Hermione giving Parvati that much credit? "What have you seen?"
"Well, to be honest, I haven't actually seen much... it's not that kind of omen..."
"Not a vision..." Hermione repeated as her quill made a quick way through her parchment. "What kind of omen exactly are we talking about, then? A Prophecy?"
"I see you're up-to-date with the most recent Theory of Divination," a second time, Neville was caught by surprise. Since when had Hermione been into Divination? "Then I'll have to be specific with you. It wasn't an omen at all. I don't bring news from the future, I bring news from the present."
"How come...?" Hermione asked, interestedly.
"She's seen him. Lavender," Parvati spoke in an urgent tone vaguely resembling her version of Trelawney's signature speech. "In the present. The beast who's taken her life. Fenrir Greyback."
Neville sought to suppress a laugh, but Hermione remained serious. "Wow, that's something. Greyback hasn't been active for a while, Parvati. Have you actually seen him?"
"No, Hermione, Lavender's seen him! I've just told you! Are you paying attention!?"
"I'm sorry, huh, lack of sleep... that's what I meant. So, has she seen Greyback?"
"The first time, we've seen him together... in... in our dreams. When she's in my body while I'm sleeping, we share the same dreams. We could vaguely distinguish him amongst a large pack of werewolves. Everything in that dream was blurry... and worse, we've seen it all from his perspective... we could only recognise him because... because he only had one arm."
Both Parvati and Hermione swayed their heads to stare at Neville. After all, he was the one who ripped Greyback's left arm off his body. In the Battle of Hogwarts, whilst Hermione, Luna and Ginny were duelling against Bellatrix Lestrange, Neville and Ron had been waging war against Fenrir Greyback, and, somehow, he managed to cut his arm off with the Sword of Gryffindor. For quite a while, he had been presumed dead, for the Sword of Gryffindor is truly poisonous and packed with dark magic. However, for a while, there has been solid evidence that he'd survived.
"Huh..." Hermione encouraged her to go on. "What else...?"
"Since these dreams started, Lavender's began tracking him down. She's obsessed with it. He is the reason why she can't pass to the other side," Parvati explained. "We've asked the crystal ball, the tea leaves... but the future wouldn't reveal itself to us..." she sighed. "She could only spot flashes from his mind. Maybe it's some kind of legilimency..."
Once more, Hermione straightened herself in her chair. "This means Lavender from time to time can see inside Greyback's mind?"
'Hermione, come on! You can be taking this seriously!' Neville shouted in his mind. 'You, of all people!?'
"That's right. Until she's found the place of their hiding. It's somewhere in the middle of this forest..." Parvati took a map from her handbag and handed it to Hermione. "Since then, she's also seen him personally. I was planning to go there and bring the muggle artefact with me... the GBS... or GTS... so I could track the exact place... write down the coordinates... but Lavender refuses to take me there. She's too scared something may happen to me..." a single tear travelled the woman's cheeks. Upon seeing that, Neville's heart clenched. Could she be that attached to her delusion of Lavender? "We don't have time to do it now anyway. They're planning something huge. They're planning an attack on the Ministry."
"What kind of attack?" Hermione asked, for the first time that night sounding somewhat sceptical. Neville sighed in relief, seeing that Hermione hadn't gone mad at all.
"They seek to free an associate of them. They're planning to take the chance to attack when this person is moved from the Ministry to Azkaban. I figure it's someone who's currently in the Ministry's custody... or that is about to be arrested."
"Parvati, the prisoners are moved to Azkaban in plain daylight... it would be suicide if the werewolves decided to attack under such circumstances. Their only chance would be to attack during the full moon..."
"Perhaps they're lousy strategists..." Neville giggled.
"Do you have more information on that associate?" Hermione didn't have a keen stare anymore, nor was she sitting straight on her chair. She had as good as dismissed Parvati's allegations, even though she sought to conceal it from her. "Is this person a werewolf as well? Currently, there are no werewolves waiting to be transferred to Azkaban. In fact, no one is being held in the Ministry's dungeons at the moment."
"Oh, the worst part is yet to come," this time, she sounded exactly like Professor Trelawney. "This associate is a researcher. This person has invented... a mechanism that enables the werewolves to transform themselves even during the day! They may transform at will!" She theatrically stood from her chair as she said that. "I couldn't let you be taken by surprise! You must be warned! A pack of werewolves will attack under the sunlight seeking to free their associate from imprisonment!"
'Could it be... Rolf...?' Neville questioned himself, not daring to speak it out loud.
"Do you know who is this person? Do you know something about him or her? As I said, no one is currently being held at the Ministry..."
"There's only one other thing Lavender's heard about the associate." Parvati made a dramatic pause. "This person is an alchemist."
"Alchemist!?" Neville stood up as well. "Hermione...! Could it...!?"
"Neville, please, don't interrupt," Hermione politely asked him. "Nothing else? Is that all?"
"There's still something," Parvati tossed herself back on her chair, lowering her voice tone. "Greyback is out to get you." She pointed at Neville, who merely stared back at her dumbfounded. "And him." She pointed at the door.
"By that you mean Ron?" Hermione arched her eyebrows, her worries overcoming her scepticism.
"Precisely. He's seeking revenge on the ones who have ripped his arm out of his body." Parvati gazed at the floor. "Lavender is worried sick."
For some moments, no sound could be heard but Hermione's quill making way fast on the parchment. Without taking her eyes off her writting, Hermione asked, "Is there anything else I should know?"
"Nothing. That's all." Silence reigned for some minutes until Parvati broke it. "Can you tell me if any alchemist is currently being targeted by the Ministry?"
"Well, there are really few alchemists in the UK. There's only one alchemist in our custody at the moment," Hermione glanced at Neville as she said it, "it is Luna's husband, Rolf Scamander."
"Luna's husband!?" she whipped her neck in Neville's direction. "What...?"
"I'm telling you that because you're Luna's friend as well, but it's top secret, OK?" Hermione clutched her eyes and sipped on her coffee, seeking to bypass her exhaustion. She'd rather be sleeping than repeating this story yet again, but Hermione found important to share it. "He's been assaulting Luna for years... magically and non-magically."
"Oh..." feeling disturbed by this thought, Parvati fled Hermione's gaze. "How come...? You mean... violently...?" Parvati babbled, still taken aback by the news. Hermione, for her part, confirmed with her head. "So.. is that the reason you asked my sister and me to help her flee the country back then? Is this happening since that time?"
"Yes and no. This has begun much before," Hermione answered. "As you remember, she sought to divorce him that time, but the Administrative Services ruled she had lost her mind. She ended up losing custody of her child."
"This is horrible, Hermione... I mean, back then, it brought pain to my heart to hear that Luna had lost her child due to discrimination over her... er..." she wanted to say 'lunacy', but she avoided the word, especially since everyone tended to think the same about her these days. "However, I never suspected her husband had done anything mean to her... at least not on purpose... I assumed they had made amends... solved their issues... wow..."
"Currently we have some proof to keep him from getting any close to her and her children," Hermione elaborated, "but it's not enough to lock him up in Azkaban." Neville opened his mouth to object, but Hermione gestured for him to be quiet. "He's under house arrest."
Parvati surveyed the stars through a open window. "Why hasn't any of you warned me!?" At first, Neville thought she was addressing Hermione, but she was actually talking to the planets in the sky. "You should have shown me that this man was a shadow in Luna's life! Although..." she brought her hand to her chin, meditative. "Lavender's always said she couldn't see that man in Luna's future, but I had always disregarded that. I thought she was simply too attached to the idea of Luna with Neville... spirits tend to dislike change..."
"The investigation is far from over, and it will take some time until he's judged before the Wizengamot. He'll stay in his house until then," Hermione continued. "But I fear there's absolutely no way he'll be sentenced to Azkaban. In the worst scenario for him, he'll serve some time in his house."
"Did you know about that, Neville?" He confirmed with his head. "How's Luna?"
"Don't worry. She is alright now. To be honest, I don't care if he's sentenced or not. The only thing in my mind is to protect Luna. She's with her dad, protected by the most powerful magic known to us." Hermione told her. "I doubt he could be the one who Lavender's heard about, for, as I just told you, he won't be leaving his house anytime soon, nor has he means to contact anyone without the Ministry's knowledge. Therefore, I believe it's unlikely that he's involved in any criminal activities besides domestic abuse..."
"Hermione, a person who casts the Cruciatus Curse on his own child can do anything!" Neville protested, whilst Parvati brought her hands to her mouth in shock as she heard that. "How come there's not enough proof!? Didn't you almost get a confession out of him in his interrogation!? He needs to be safely locked in Azkaban for good...!"
"Anyhow, we'll be on the alert, OK? We'll be watching Rolf and any other researcher who acts suspiciously," Hermione cut him off. "Thank you for coming to me, Parvati. I'll dispatch that to Harry, the Head of the Auror Office, the auror in charge of the investigation on werewolves and the aurors on duty at the moment." Hermione flicked her wand and the single piece of parchment was multiplied by four. "I'll send one to Dean's house just in case. He is in charge of protecting Luna." Hermione glanced at Neville again whilst she made yet a fifth copy. "Too much protection is never too much."
The man who had been watching Luna and Neville earlier that afternoon walked down the Charing Cross Road, seeking to remain unnoticed. He peeked through the still wide-open windows of the Leaky Cauldron, just to find out Luna to be still there, chatting excitedly with her friends. That was most unfortunate, he had expected her to have left by now. He had made up his mind not to do anything to her, his early overheated attempt at ruining Luna and her fiancée's relationship having been a complete disaster. Besides not accomplishing his goal, he ended up being ousted from his position at Magical Natural School.
But the sight of the couple joyfully snugging, his arm around her neck, her head resting peacefully on his shoulder, and all the loud cheering that came from the Leaky Cauldron, he couldn't help but claw his nails in his own skin with rage. About to lose his mind, he fought to control himself. If he did anything reckless, he could end up putting his brilliant academic career and everything he had strived to accomplish to lose. Once he managed to settle down, he paced discreetly to a desert corner, where he disillusioned himself.
Crack. He apparated inside the building directly opposed to the Leaky Cauldron. Before the muggle woman who lived there could actually begin to investigate the loud noise she heard, he had already stunned her. Once she was lying unresponsive on the floor, he promptly obliviated her and locked the door with 'Colloportus!'. Then, trying not to make loud noises, he neared the closed window. He opened it slowly, leaving it somewhat ajar, striving to aim clearly at Luna. 'I'll do it, there's no backing down now,' he told himself. 'I've practised this curse for months... but... what if I get caught? My name is on the guest list, the aurors will know I've been staying there... also, that drunk head who owns the place knows my face... and she appears to be Luna's friend... it's too risky...' he hesitated, his sweat causing his wand to barely slip from his grip.
'No. I've sought to figure a way to do it many times... now that a perfect opportunity presents itself on a silver platter, there's no way I can put it to waste.' Resolutely, he targeted Luna the best he could, praying that the curse could successfully pass through the glass of the Leaky Cauldron's windows. Finally, he muttered the incantation, casting the dark charm on her.
At first, he thought it had failed completely, but, some moments following that, Neville frantically jumped to his feet, scanning the room and seeming to be trying to free himself from something. Rapidly, Rolf sought to hide, throwing himself on the floor. He had apparently missed, the curse didn't seem to have landed on Luna, but on him. He didn't know whether the problem had been his aim or that his hatred was stronger towards him than towards her. For obvious reasons, it wouldn't have any effect on him. He had to try it again.
He peeked through the window once more. This time, he had a clearer view of Luna's back, given that Neville wasn't embracing her anymore. 'Here I come,' the man thought, just before he wheezed the incantation a second time. He waited for what seemed to be an eternity, although it was actually seconds, his heart pounding inside his chest, until the table where all of them had been sitting was taken by a sudden commotion. The annoying bartender let all the glasses she had been holding fall onto the floor and dashed in Luna's direction at once, starting to draw many intricated figures with her wand when she reached her. Also, a couple of men he had never seen before began to shout and made everyone in the pub cluster against a wall. 'They must be aurors, I'm off,' he apprehensively thought, spinning in the air and disapparating.
"Professor Longbottom," Neville had barely slept that night. His mind couldn't work properly. 'Huh? What time is it? Who's waking me up so early? It seems I've slept only 15 minutes...' he sort of thought. "It's me, Rose... wake up...! It's important!" The student shook him harshly until he responded.
"What...?" he mumbled, still drowsy. "Rose... for Merlin's sake, let me sleep... it's still dark outside... I've been up all night running errands for the school...!"
"Dad made me hand you this! He says it's urgent! It's related to aunt Luna..."
Neville jumped from his bed brusquely. "What is it?" he asked, wide awake.
Rose delivered a tiny piece of paper to him.
Neville, Luna was found outside her house today in a grave state. She's in St Mungo's right now. Hermione is out to interrogate Rolf a second time. I reckon he is up to something. Do you believe it can be linked to Parvati's sightings? Ron.
"Thanks for the message, Rose," Neville cast 'Incendio' on the note. "Please, tell Ron that my answer is "yes". Following that, wake Professor McGonagall and inform her of my resignation. Have 20 points for Gryffindor in advance."
Rolf had been sitting at his desk in his underground room, his face buried in a large book. He intended to pretend to be researching, putting on an act aiming to deceive the Auror Office, once in a while writting on a tiny piece of paper he had by his side. However, instead of taking notes, he was actually writting a message. Once he was done, he casually pretended to be reading it carefully as he walked with it to the living room, where left the note on a cupboard next to the door.
Hours later, when it was already dark, he went back to his underground room to grab food for his Abraxans, which were in the garden. Whilst carrying the large sack of food, he discreetly seized the note.
When he was feeding the gigantic horses, he stealthily stuck the note to his smartest Abraxan's tummy. "Take this to my friend," he told him. The creature, however, neighed in protest. "Don't be a wimp!" Rolf angrily whispered to it. "They won't do anything to you. Just take it to them and come back, right?" Thus, Rolf poured some Invisibility Potion on the Abraxans' food and addressed all of them loudly, "When you're done eating, you may leave. Come back before dawn."
"Hannah," the moment he spotted her passing, Neville promptly stood up from the chair on which he'd been forcing himself to sit, inasmuch as he had noticed pacing non-stop around the room tended to enhance his father-in-law's nervousness. "How's Luna?"
"Are you Luna's healer!?" the trembling old man rushed in Hannah's direction. "How is my daughter!? Can I see her!?"
"Are you Mr Lovegood? I'm glad to meet you, I'm Hannah Abbott," she outstretched her right hand. "I'm not Luna's healer, I'm her friend." Xeno opened his mouth, but before he could ask more questions, she added. "I can't help her in this state, I'm too inebriated. Also, Mediwitch Bell didn't allow me to explain Luna's situation to you, but... huh... to sum up, she'll be fine."
"Is that so!?" instead of shaking her hand, a sobbing Xeno leapt into Hannah's arms, embracing her at full. Neville had to step forward and push her shoulder so she wouldn't lose her balance, given that she was still under the alcohol's influence. "Are you serious!? Is my daughter going to be alright!?"
"I promise you, Mr Lovegood," she hugged him back as if they had known each other for an entire life. "She'll be as good as new."
"So..." concerned, Neville decided to keep asking. "Is Luna alive and well?"
"Well, she's alive..." Hannah let go of the old man, swaying her head to face Neville. "And she'll be well... eventually..."
"Eventually!?"
"Abbott!" a middle-aged woman who had just entered the corridor reprimanded. "Do as you were told!"
"I'm going!" Hannah stumbled her way out of there and vanished the quickest she could.
"You must be Mr Lovegood," the woman nodded politely at Xenophilius. "I'm Mediwitch Bell, nice to meet you. Neville, how nice to see you! Alice is getting better every day, did you pass by to see her yet?"
"No," Neville hoarsely snapped. "I definitely don't want mom seeing me in this state. I'm here for my wife."
"Right," contradicted, Bell sighed. She had hoped she could soften them up a bit before dropping the bomb. Maybe it wasn't a bright idea. "So... erm... Miss Lovegood will be back on her feet before you can spell Quidditch. We'll let you see her in a few." Bell widened a smile, expecting a positive reaction from them, but it never came. "It was very fortunate that you brought her here so quickly... I'm very unapproving of that girl," she scowled as she gazed in the direction from which Hannah had left, "but I have to recognize she's managed to break the curse pronto..."
"What about the child?" Neville asked. Bell flinched when she heard that, but she managed to pretend nothing was wrong. "Is everything OK?"
"Why would anyone curse my daughter?" Xeno moaned silently to himself, a single tear rolling down his face. "My lovely daughter... she's never done anyone harm... my sweet Luna..."
"The Auror Office is investigating, Mr Lovegood," Bell nodded at him, taking the chance to change the subject. "Two aurors were present at the time. They booked everyone who was at the bar. In the case it was anyone there, they'll find out..."
"Can you tell us what exactly was the curse, Mediwitch Bell?" Neville asked, more politely this time. "I think I felt something striking my back a little before Luna felt ill... why didn't it affect me? I think it was meant to hurt Luna instead... I need to talk to the aurors. Is anyone from the Auror Office still here?"
"Did anyone come to check on you?" she asked, drawing circles all over Neville's body with her wand. "Oh, yes, I can see you're leaking some dark magic, but there's nothing for you to worry about. It'll wear off on its own. I guess you were standing too close to your wife, weren't you? You must have been affected by dark powers emanating from her, that's all."
"I wasn't that close to her when she first complained..."
"Well... it's that..." Bell struggled with the words. "Er... we believe it started to have an effect much before she could actually sense anything..."
"How come?" Neville stared at her keenly. "What do you think's actually happened to Luna? Do you have a theory?"
"Er... we..." she cleared her throat. "We don't know exactly which curse's caused it, but we've discussed... and... we believe it's likely that your wife's been carrying that curse for quite some time..."
"What!? Don't tell me you don't know!" Neville lost his temper. "You just told us Hannah broke the curse! Each curse requires a particular counter-curse to be broken!"
"Please, calm down, Neville," she addressed him in a soothing tone. "If you wish me to explain it to you in precise technical terms, then we're not certain whether Miss Abbott's merely stopped the effect of a curse or whether she's actually broken it." Bell clarified. "We're not certain which curse's victimized your wife... all I can tell you is that the counter-curse your friend has performed... huh... it's..." the woman flinched once more. "The counter-curse for an abortive curse."
Neville almost fell on the floor, having been caught by a nurse who passed near them. "You... you..." he babbled. "You've told us... you've told us our child was fine... is... how..." he couldn't formulate a proper sentence. "I... No... that can be... don't tell me..."
"I haven't actually told you that, Neville," Bell closed her eyes forcefully, fighting the sour taste in her mouth. "I'm so sorry... we couldn't have done anything more to save it."
Neville threw himself back on the chair, sobbing hopelessly with his face buried in his hands. 'This can't be happening...' he repeated on a loop in his head, forcefully pulling on his hair.
"Didn't that lady keep it from happening, ma'am?" Mr Lovegood asked, hopefully. "If I understand right, you just said she's performed a counter-curse, no?"
"The effect was successfully stopped, but it was already too late. Even though she acted quick, preventing this outcome is incredibly rare. I'm deeply sorry," Bell explained, not daring to look at him in the eyes. "But I'm sincerely glad she was there. This is a particularly harmful kind of dark magic. It's quite painful and may cause severe..."
"I don't want to hear it, please," cutting her off, Xenophilius frowned, physically bothered by the thought of his daughter in extreme pain. "I'm sorry, it's just too much..."
"Neville, are you alright?" she approached him, touching his shoulder tenderly. She felt horrible at the sight of him so desperate. Given that Neville had been a regular at the hospital since he was a kid, to watch yet another tragedy plague his life was devastating. "Can I do anything to help you?"
"What do you mean when you say Luna's been carrying it for some time?" he faced up to her, tears streaming non-stop from his eyes. "Tell me everything." He stood up, drying up his tears. "Whoever's done it to her, I'll make 'em pay..."
"It's just a hypothesis," Bell elaborated. "But we believe it's the same person as always, Neville." He stared at her quizzically. "Bellatrix Lestrange."
"No way," he trembled from head to toe upon hearing that name. He resumed crying his eyes out. When he could muster enough will to speak again, he asked, "Why would she do it?"
"Why did Bellatrix kill and torture? Nobody knows the reason, she just used to do it," the woman answered, glancing apologetically at Neville. "I have to remind you it's just a hypothesis, but most of us reckon everything fits together. I'm truly sorry."
"It does fit together..." a melancholic Mr Lovegood whined, his once light eyes unrecognisably red. "It's obvious she'd enjoy cursing Luna. She used to be crystal clear she found the idea of cursing your girlfriend hilarious."
A sudden jolt of fury possessed Neville's entire body at once. "Are you suggesting this might be my fault, Xeno!?" Even though he sought to control his feelings, Neville still ended up being much ruder than he had ever been to his father-in-law. "Do I have to refresh your memory? Do you remember why was Luna kidnapped in the first place?"
"I'm not blaming it on anyone, Neville. I'm objectively answering your question. That's the reason she'd do it. I never intended to imply it could be your fault."
"You better!" Neville shouted, crying with wrath. The main reason for his explosion, though, was that, deep down, Neville actually felt guilty. "You better accept it's all your fault! She was kidnapped because of you! You!"
"Neville, please, calm down. That won't get us anywhere," Bell asked in a pleading tone, which made Neville drop his weapons. "We find Bellatrix may have invented this curse herself, that's why we were not aware of it. Maybe she did it to test it... who could've known the actual reason?"
"This doesn't exist, Bell," a freezing voice rose in the corridor. "A silent abortive curse? With a delayed effect? Cast when the victim wasn't even pregnant? That's pure garbage."
"Mrs Malfoy?" Bell seemed surprised. "I don't remember calling you for assistance in this case. Who exactly requested your presence here?"
"No one," she snapped. "I'm here accompanying my daughter-in-law. She is sorely ill." Neville lifted his head discreetly and spotted a miserable-looking Draco Malfoy on the opposite end of the corridor. He didn't even seem to have noticed his mother had left his side. 'For a change, Draco and I have something in common,' Neville thought. "Could my sister have been an inventor? A scholar, perhaps?" Narcissa snorted sarcastically. "Do you imagine there could have been some kind of secret academy for the dark arts? Maybe she passed her time writting articles on different ways to magically inflict pain on people!"
"Narcissa, you'll have to forgive us, but I hope you understand why we won't take your word on this matter. Besides, there are indeed witches and wizards researching the dark arts..."
"Oh, there are. Not my sister, though," Narcissa turned to Neville. "As this young man's parents can attest, she was a woman of action, not a theorist. Purely the practitioner. She's never invented a single curse."
"Erm... not that you know..." Bell seemed to be having second thoughts on her hypothesis.
"Believe me, if she had, I would've been the first to know," she retorted. "Besides, why exactly do you suppose Miss Lovegood could be carrying this curse for that long?"
"The amount of dark magic she's leaking is abnormal," once she started to state the arguments she had in favour of her hypothesis, Bell began regaining composure. "She's also inflicted by some severe internal dark wounds." Neville had a quiver as this reached his ears. "I don't know if you were hearing, but a healer acted speedily when the first effects started to manifest. If Miss Lovegood had been cursed at that exact moment, the curse wouldn't have had much time to cause her harm. Maybe..." she stared at her feet. "Maybe the child could actually be saved..."
A second time, Narcissa lay her eyes on Neville. "I'm sorry for your child," strangely, she seemed somewhat sincere. Silence reigned for some moments. Neville couldn't bring himself to reply, so he merely nodded in acknowledgement. Thus, she shifted her withering gaze back to Bell. "Curious, indeed, but I doubt the cause could be a unique curse invented by my sister. There are numerous other possibilities. It could even not be an abortive curse at all. There are many other curses that can be harmful enough to cause an abortion. Let's not discard a wrongfully performed curse... these can be dangerously damaging and are likely to have retarded or delayed effects..."
"Actually, you seem to be the scholar in the family, Mrs Malfoy," Neville spat, disgruntled at the woman. "If I recall it well, my wife was held hostage precisely in your house, isn't that right?"
"The reason I know for sure my sister hasn't cursed your wife is because I made sure to keep my sister away from her," Narcissa snarled. "She's never cast anything on her besides the Cruciatus Curse. That is the truth. Whether you believe it or not, that's your problem." She sighed, impatiently. "You'll hear from me, most certainly. Even though you avoid me, Mediwitch Bell," she pronounced her name as if it disgusted her, "the Auror Office doesn't. They'll surely request my assistance on this case. I truly hope the culprit is caught." Narcissa swayed her neck to peek at Mr Lovegood. "If you may, Xenophilius, inform me when your daughter is allowed to receive visitors."
"I'm afraid only family members will be allowed in," Bell retorted.
"Then he won't be," she gestured in Neville's direction. "But I will." Lastly, she turned her back on them. "Farewell."
"Hannah," Neville called his ex-wife whilst he hurriedly climbed up the stairs of Hogwarts. "Thank Paracelsus you've answered me...! I'm sorry, I know you must've been sleeping..."
"I wasn't," she cut him off. "I was expecting your call."
"Huh...?"
"They've told me. The girls from the hospital. About Luna."
"Did they!? How's she!?"
"Her situation is... kinda horrible..." Hannah told him, apologetically.
Neville skidded to a halt in horror. Hannah was usually one of the most positive people he knew. If she said Luna's situation was horrible... then... "No..." he mumbled, panting from physical exhaustion. "Please... tell me she'll be alright..."
"Neville, I have to ask, did you sleep with her again? Or anything?"
"What!? No! Why do you ask!?"
"Well... the healers' main hypothesis is that, somehow, her curse was triggered again last night. Disorientated, she couldn't find her way back home and ended up being attacked by a stray animal. She's got a massive wound that looks like it's been made by hooves..."
"It could never be me! Even in the bizarre event that I had slept with her while knowing about her curse, I'd never have left her helplessly alone!"
"It makes sense... maybe it was triggered on its own..."
"No, Hannah. It wasn't the curse. It was him! Him!" Neville shouted. "I bet he raises several creatures that could injure Luna badly!" He resumed climbing up the stairs. "Let me tell you something: Parvati's predicted that a researcher colluded with the werewolves to get back on Ron and me for having chopped Greyback's arm! An alchemist! And that the werewolves will try to attack when the Ministry moves him to Azkaban..."
"Wait..." Hannah broke him off. "Are you telling me you actually believe any of this garbage!? Neville, Parvati's totally nuts! If you mix Luna's craziness with my alcohol abuse, the outcome is her! Nothing that comes out of her mouth can be taken seriously...!"
"Everything makes sense, Hannah!" Neville urged her. "It can only be Rolf! He's the only alchemist in the UK who has a problem with the law...! And it's only natural that he has made an alliance with the werewolves. Greyback has a score to settle with me and Ron, whilst Rolf is out to get me and Luna! And possibly Hermione, who suitably is Ron's wife! Both of them share the same enemies!"
"Neville, for Merlin's sake... that's ridiculous...! Scamander is arrested in his house! He's being watched by aurors, they would have noticed..."
"Hermione's off to question him again! Can you at least take her seriously, Hannah!?" he barked. "Hannah, he's always had an agenda. Luna's told you what he did to her, didn't she? You've seen with your own eyes the nasty wounds he's caused her!"
"Yes, but..."
"Do you remember that day at the pub? That day... that was the worst day of my life?" tears welled up in his eyes. "It was him, Hannah. He always manages to get away with it. He's always a step forward. I have to do something to protect her."
"Neville, don't do anything reckless..."
"I'm thinking of kidnapping her from St. Mungo's, Hannah," he told her, resolutely. "And you're the only one I can ask for help."
"Oh, ho, ho..." in disbelief, she laughed sounding like Santa Claus. "Neville, have you begun drinking that early in the morning?"
"I'm serious, Hannah," he pleaded. "I'm outside Ravenclaw's common room right now. I intend on taking Lysander as well." He heard her moan on the other side of the line. "I need you to believe me. Who else could help me with this?"
"Merlin, is that the life you've dreamed for me? First an alcoholic brewer in Germany, now an accomplice to kidnapping!" she complained. "Alright!" she bellowed, resigned. "I'll help you."
"Do you mean it?" Neville felt truly touched. "Do you believe I'm telling you the truth?"
"Huh... I guess..." she didn't sound so sure, but Neville knew he could count on her. "So, take note of everything I'm telling you, OK?"
"Right. Speak away."
"Once they realise you've taken the boy, you'll be wanted by the law. It doesn't matter that Hermione and Harry are your friends, they'll have to investigate a missing child. So, 1) don't take the floo network, 2) throw your cellphone away, the muggles can easily track it down, and 3) don't go any near your house, or Augusta's house, or any known safe place.
"How come you're so good at evading justice?"
"I'm going back to the UK. You can't take Luna out of the hospital without my help," she ignored his last question. "Meet me at London-Heathrow."
"What!? The plane station!? Are you coming by plane!? By the time you arrive, he may... she may..."
"Airport! Also, this is the fastest way, Neville! There's so much bureaucracy involved in travelling internationally by magic, it would take days..."
"Then... then don't come, Hannah. I'll burst into St Mungo's as soon as I can. It can not wait. Just tell me how I can do it."
"Neville, you can't do it without me! It's suicide...!"
"I have to!" he wiped out sweat from his forehead. "I can't leave her there, helpless, on a silver platter for Greyback to attack her!"
"Luna is dying, Neville! Besides the physical injuries, the healers aren't even certain of the causes of her present condition!" Hannah growled. "Who'll take care of her after you take her?"
"I... I'll figure out a way..."
"You can't just muddle through it! Her situation is serious, Neville! It's better that she stays in the hospital than to kidnap her and leave her without proper treatment!"
"Narcissa Malfoy!" Neville shouted. "I'll take her to Narcissa Malfoy, OK? She'll know what to do! Now just tell me what you were planning on doing, will you!?" he almost lost his temper, but following that he decided to ask her kindly. "Please, Hannah."
Hannah took a deep breath. "Fine. I guess there's a way you can do it without me. But it'll be risky. Do you still have the things I left in the pub before I moved out? You have to get them before they realise the kid is missing... also, you'll need to steal some Polyjuice Potion from Slughorn..."
After some more hours pretending to be studying, Rolf went to bed. He brought covertly with him, inside his dressing gowns, a tiny vial of Invisibility Potion. When he was already in his bed, covered by layers of heavy quilts, he turned off the lights.
Thus, he covered himself completely and discreetly drank the potion, disappearing under the quilts. He took his dressing gown off while covered, leaving some out of the covers, and escaped his bed quietly and slowly. No one seeing from a distance could say that there wasn't a man in there.
Thus, he proceeded to his garden, cleverly choosing to pass through the already opened window, in a manner that the aurors could plainly notice the door to the house had remained untouched. Once outside, he leapt in a tiny handbag which was as spacious as his underground room. "Hello," he greeted the creatures that were there. "Are you excited to see mommy?" Upon hearing him talking about Luna, the crups jumped and barked excitedly. The demiguise and the phoenix, for their part, stood quiet, for they were too terrified of Rolf.
At least, Rolf filled his lungs and whistled the louder he could. At this sign, all his Abraxans promptly took off. The smartest one, for its part, grabbed the tiny bag in his mouth as he did so. "I'm coming, my beloved Luna," Rolf whispered to himself. "I'm bringing your cherished creatures with me. Could I be a more thoughtful husband?"
"Please, let me in," Neville asked the eagle which guarded the Ravenclaw House.
"Is there a way for one to be certain of its existence?" the eagle asked.
"Bloody Diadem...! I have no idea!" Neville brought his hands to his hair. "Please, let me enter! It's urgent! It's a life or death situation! It's about Wilhelmson!" Most unexpectedly, the eagle let Neville pass.
As he was headed to the boys' dormitory, a familiar voice called him. "Halt!" Neville scanned the Ravenclaw common room for the source of the sound. "Prove you're not an impostor. Tell me something only you would know."
"Right... huh..." Neville's mind raced against his forgetfulness. "I had told you Luna and I would name our child after you if it was a girl, but if it was a boy we'd name it Godric. It was a joke, we actually intended to name our child after our parents, but you took it seriously." He paused and stared at the portrait, just before he remembered he forgot the courtesy. "Your Grace."
"It's really you, then," Ravenclaw nodded. "What are you planning on doing?"
"Well, Your Grace, Luna is..."
"I'm aware of the situation," she broke him off. "My question was 'What are you planning on doing?'"
"Huh..." he babbled. "Er... I..." Neville swallowed hard, then he straightened himself. "I plan on kidnapping Lysander." He straightforwardly said.
"And then...? What are you planning on doing after that?"
"I... running. Fleeing." He made up his mind at the same time he spoke. "Somewhere his father can never reach him. I'm kidnapping Luna as well. If I can help it, this monster will never again lay his filthy hands on them."
"So you intend on saving Wilhelmson and her children?"
"I do," Neville inflated his chest. "That's what I'll do." He paused to catch his breath. "Your Grace, my friend has predicted that an alchemist has colluded with the werewolves... do you reckon it could be..."
"Yes," she didn't let him finish his sentence. "I'm aware of the predictions. I do believe the werewolves are about to attack." Ravenclaw paused. "My only worry is whether you're clever enough to protect the Wilhelmsons or not. Maybe it's safer to leave them where they are. You'll have to convince me."
"It seemed reasonable to leave Luna in Xeno's house and protect it with advanced magic... but somehow Rolf's managed to bypass even that," Neville argued. "He has an agenda. He always had." Neville recalled what Luna had told him over the phone that day. "Our only chance is to get ahead of him, Your Grace. We have to improvise. I'll have to hide them somewhere secret, a place he's not expecting."
She pondered for some moments, then announced, "I hope I don't regret it later... go fetch the boy."
"Lysander," Neville whispered as he shook the boy. "Lysander, wake up..."
Unexpectedly, the boy woke up almost instantly, struggling and yelling, "I didn't do anything! Please, let me go...! Let me go...!"
"Shut up, your cry baby!" one of his roommates yelled. "It's the same every night!"
"Muffiato," Neville cast on the area surrounded by the curtains. "Lysander, it's me..."
"Professor...?" he asked, rubbing his eyes. "Why are you here?"
"We need to bail," he said. "Run away. He's coming to get us..."
"He... you mean... my dad?"
"Yeah... er... huh..." Neville cleared his throat. "Lysander, I know I haven't been giving you much reason to believe I'm any different from him... and you have every right to be confused and to suspect me... but I need you to trust me this time." The child surveyed him closely with keen eyes identical to his mother's. "I don't have anything besides my word to give you, but I promise you, the only thing in my mind is to protect you and your mother." Neville gently brought his hand to the child's hair, caressing it softly. "You're so much like her..."
"I trust you, professor," he got out of his bed. Neville noticed that, besides his robes and his tie, he already had his uniform on, even his shoes. "Are we meeting with mom? How's she?"
"She... she's in St. Mungo's," Neville stuttered as he told the boy. Tears instantly fell down the youngster's eyes. "Don't panic, though. She's been attacked during the night, but she'll be fine. We'll make sure she's fine. We'll figure out a way to reunite with her as soon as we can... and we'll protect her this time."
"Right," the boy nodded, repressing his tears and putting his robes on. "I believe in you, professor."
Suddenly, Neville knelt to his height and enveloped him entirely in his arms. "Thank you," he wouldn't dare to say more than that, for he feared the hug had already been too much.
"That's why I know you're not like him," Lysander said, embracing him back. "He's never done this to me. Not even to my brother. I know it's true when you say you care about me, professor."
Neville's voice came out craking. "More than you think," he said, letting go of him.
When they were about to leave the boys' dormitory, Neville spotted Lysander having trouble with a doorknob. "It's so strange, it won't move... it's never been like this... was it like this when you came, professor?"
"I don't think so. Let me try," Neville at first attempted to open the door, but it wouldn't move. Thus, he started to rattle the handle. All of a sudden, it came loose, causing Neville to mindlessly draw it from the door. When it began coming out, however, Neville noticed it wasn't really a doorknob, it was...
"A sword!?" Lysander cried, in shock. "Wow!"
"It's the Sword of Gryffindor," Neville explained as they walked. "I would never expect to find it here..."
"Professor Dumbledore's sent a message: 'Help will always be given by Hogwarts to those who deserve it.'" Ravenclaw told him once they were back in the common room. "I, for my part, stress that this artefact is critically hazardous. It encloses dark magic beyond compare within itself. Use it with caution." She stared gravely at him, who nodded solemnly in response. "Are you planning on entering the Slytherin House? Helena may wake the Head Boy and ask for his assistance..."
Neville thought silently for what seemed an eternity. "I'm not taking Lorcan." It was no easy decision to make. "He'll refuse to come with me. It will hinder our escape."
Ravenclaw stood quiet for quite a while as well. Thus, she declared, "If that's your final decision, you have friends waiting for you near the Entrance Gates. Good luck."
"I hope Ginny and Ron are tagging along," Neville commented with Lysander whilst they approached the Entrance Gates. "Well, Ginny I know for sure will be here. Your mother, your aunt Ginny and I used to be a trio back at school, y'know? We fought Death Eaters together... she's totally coming..."
"That lady is waving at us, professor," Lysander pointed at a woman covered in a variety of embroidered shawls. "I think I know who she is, is she Panju's mother?"
"Panju's mother? Oh, Merlin," he spotted Parvati from afar. "No, she's not his mother. She's his aunt."
"Hello, Neville. I had been expecting you. Shall we be going? Oh, and this young boy," she knelt to look closely at Lysander. "You can only be Luna's offspring." Parvati lay her hands on his head and shut her eyes. "Yes, I can sense both of you share the same energy and that your heart is as pure as hers." She opened her eyes. "You may not remember it, but I met you and your brother when you were only one year old. My name is Parvati Patil."
"I know your name and your deeds, Your Sanctity," Lysander staged a deep bow. Neville, for his part, tapped his forehead. He had never heard anyone treat her as such. "My mom has always told me stories about her friend who is a saint woman. It's an honour to meet you. I'm Lysander."
"Oh, my! I'm so flattered..." she hid her face behind one of her shawls. "But you don't need to bow to me, kid. I'm just a humble servant of the gods. Call me Parvati. Or aunt Parvati, since I'm your mother's friend." She smiled friendly at him. "And I should also introduce you to..."
"Madam Brown, of course," Lysander completed. "You both are world-famous Seers. You share the same body since... well... I'd better not talk about it, it may be a sensitive topic. I'm sorry."
"It's a pleasure to meet with you again, Lysander! Do you remember us? From when you were little?" Parvati, supposedly possessed by Lavender, enfolded the boy tightly. "You've grown so much! I have to control myself not to squeeze your cheeks! You're Luna's clone!"
"Hum," Neville coughed up to draw their attention to them. "Parvati, is anyone else here? Ravenclaw's portrait told me that more than one person would be here. Maybe it's your sister...?"
"Well, here we are, no?" she asked as though he were missing something obvious. "Lavender and I. It's only us. Let's go, then..."
'Oh, Merlin,' Neville thought yet again. "Right... let's get going..." suddenly, he repented refusing Hannah's help. 'So... that's the team that'll save Luna... a schoolboy, a school teacher, a Seer and a spirit.' Neville dispiritedly thought. 'Who wouldn't like our odds?' He just begged Merlin that Lysander wouldn't call Parvati 'Your Sanctity' again.
UPDATE: I'm sorry for taking so long to post. I'm sort of struggling with the ending of this story.
To the 5 people who always come back to this story: thank you so much!
Also, there's a tiny contradiction between this and the Prologue. In the Prologue, when Luna tells Neville that Narcissa believes her abortion has nothing to do with Bellatrix, Neville says "How come?", which implies he was not expecting that. However, here, we see Neville meeting with Narcissa in St Mungo's on that fateful day. The cause for this is that I first intended that Neville met Harry or Dean/Seamus in St Mungo's, not Narcissa. However, her appearance there is useful to shed light on that case. Please, just don't mind that contradiction. I won't change the Prologue out of respect for the people who have already read it.