Disclaimer: The world belongs to J K Rowling, I am just borrowing her oyster for a little while. If you don't recognize the characters from her stories, they are mine..
The Marauders: The Next Generation 7
Yellow Feather Apothecary is what the sign read over the door. As you walk in you are greeted by a beautiful woman with long dark braids that are adorned with yellow feathers in strategic places. Her name is Emily. Emily "Yellow Feather" Longbottom. Emily and Neville met in apothecary school. He, fresh out of Hogwarts and she, direct from the United States, from the Indian reservation she lived on. She was an American Indian. Lakota to be precise. The shaman from her tribe had told her Grandfather, the chief, that she would meet a wizard in England that would be very beneficial to the existence of the tribe. So she was sent to England to study. This is where she met Neville, fell in love and got married. That was six years and three children ago. Kara Longbottom was born in 2000, same as Martin Malfoy. Patrick Longbottom was born in 2002, same as Daniel Potter and finally Garth, he was born 4 months ago. Today Kara and Patrick start their first day at The Malfoy School for young wizards and witches. As Neville and Emily drop them off to Hermione and Draco, a glowing Ginny Potter greets them.
"Good morning, how are you this fine day?" asked Ginny smiling broadly.
"Well good morning, and aren't we in a wonderful mood today. Ginny your aura is glowing brightly this morning. No morning sickness?" asked Emily with a knowing smile.
"How did you know I was pregnant? I haven't even told Harry yet," she said with a grin.
"Dear, your aura tells all. You can't hide it from me?" said Emily.
"Well mums the word until I can tell Harry tonight," she said beaming.
"Where are Draco and Hermione this morning?" asked Neville.
"They are having a bit of a lie in. Kyleigh has been having horrific nightmares and has been keeping them awake," said Ginny worriedly.
"Really? Is Kyleigh awake yet?" asked Emily.
"Yes, she is in having breakfast."
"I think I may have a solution for her nightmares," said Emily triumphantly.
"Well by all means, I will get her for you. Anything that you could do would be appreciated. I'll be right back," said Ginny as she left the room.
While Ginny and Kyleigh came from the dinning room, Draco and Hermione came down the stairs and joined Neville and Emily in the drawing room.
"Good morning Kyleigh."
"Good Morning, Emily, Neville."
"I understand that you are having really bad dreams," said Emily.
"Yes, I am. They are very scary," said Kyleigh looking as if she was going to cry at any moment.
"What would you say if I told you I have an Indian solution to your nightmares," asked Emily, looking very pleased.
"That would make me extremely happy," said Kyleigh getting very excited. Kyleigh had always liked Emily, she had some really good stories about when she was little on the reservation.
With a wave of her wand, Emily conjured a strange looking talisman. It was round, about 9 inches wide, in the center was leather woven in an intricate pattern almost like a spider's web. Hanging from the talisman were strips of leather, at the middle and end of each one lay brightly colored beads and yellow feathers.
"It's beautiful," squealed Kyleigh.
"Do you know what this is?" asked Emily.
"I've seen pictures of them but I don't recall what it is called."
"This is an American Indian dream catcher. You hang this over your bed. Through the night all of your dreams get caught in the web in the center, then all the good dreams filter their way out and down the feathers to you, however the bad ones get caught in the web and when the sun comes up they vanish."
"Really, It works?" asked Kyleigh hopefully.
"The only times I have had a bad dream was when I didn't have mine with me."
"Oh thank you," cried Kyleigh as she flew into Emily's arms hugging her tightly.
"You are most welcome."
~~*~~
"What's up with you today?" Harry asked Ginny as they were getting ready for bed that night.
"Oh, I guess I am just in a really good mood," she said smiling. "How was your day?"
"Interesting. It seems that the ministry has been getting bad reports about Kyleigh's old school and they are investigating it," said Harry.
"Really? Well I hope they shut it down. They have not been teaching these children much and it is amazing that any of them can read. We tested the students today to see how far they were and most of them are behind. We have our work cut out for us," Ginny said.
"Well if anyone can fix the problem, it will be you ladies. You know I am very proud of you," Harry said as he came up behind Ginny, pulling her into his arms snuggling up to her neck.
As Ginny melted back against him, reveling in his sent and feel of his arms she said, "Harry, remember that night that the ladies of the house played that little trick on you guys?"
"Yes, why?"
"Well remember what happened later?"
"How could I forget? Do you want a repeat performance?" Harry asked hopefully.
"That would be lovely, however, as a result of that night and Narcissa's little …. Uh…suggestion, I find myself……how should I say it? Pregnant."
Harry turned Ginny around so he could look her in the face.
"Are you sure?" he asked with a look of concern. "I hadn't noticed that you were sick in the mornings."
"I'm sure and for some reason this time I'm not sick," Ginny said as she remembered the first two pregnancies and how sick she was. "Are you happy?"
"Oh Ginny, you just don't know how happy this makes me," he said as he pulled her to him kissing her tenderly.
~~*~~
The tension at the house outside of Hogsmeade was mounting.
"Have you been able to reverse the curse yet?" asked the man with the dark hair.
"No not yet," replied Jareth.
"Isn't there a witch at the apothecary in Hogsmeade that is supposed to be able to break just about any curse?" asked the man with the white hair.
"You mean that American Indian witch?"
"Yes, what's her name?" asked Jareth.
"Longbottom. I believe. Emily Longbottom," said the man with the dark hair.
"She has a very good reputation and has broken a lot of really nasty curses."
"Get her," said Jareth, "She may be our only hope."
~~*~~
"Emily, I will be back as soon as I can. I have to take this order over to Madam Pomfrey at Hogwarts," said Neville as he was preparing to leave.
"Okay, say hello to everyone for me," she said and then throwing over her shoulder, "Garth and I will have lunch ready when you return."
"That would be wonderful," Neville said as he came up to Emily and gave her a long lingering kiss goodbye. "Have I told you today how much I love you?" he asked.
Emily gave him a beaming smile and said, "Yes but please feel free to tell me again."
"I love you," he said.
"And I love you. Hurry back and just maybe we can lock up the store for a long lunch," she said winking at him.
"Oh with that I won't be long at all."
A little while after Neville left Emily nursed Garth and put him down for his nap. As she was walking back to the front of the shop, she heard the bell tinkle over the door indicating that someone had just came into the shop. When she came through the door all she heard was "Stupify."
~~*~~
As lunch was being served at The Malfoy School, an owl came swooping into the room and landed right in Draco's lunch. Looking at the owl he said, "This better be important of I will be having you for dinner."
He removed the note tied to its ankle and read it.
Draco,
I need your help. Emily is missing. She disappeared sometime this morning. Please help me.
Neville
Draco looked up as Hermione asked, "What's wrong?"
"It's from Neville, he said Emily disappeared this morning. I have to go help him find her," Draco said as he got up from the table and started for the door. He turned back and said, "Owl Harry and Ron and tell them to meet me at Neville's apothecary shop. Love you," he said as he kissed her goodbye.
~~*~~
When Draco reached the shop it was bedlam. There were ministry wizards everywhere. Neville was sitting in the back of the store holding a very hungry Garth.
"Neville, what happened?" asked Draco.
"I had gone to deliver an order to Hogwarts and when I came back she wasn't here and Garth was in the back room all alone. She had to have been taken. She would never leave Garth like that," said Neville on the verge of tears. "What am I going to do? How can I feed Garth?"
"Well that part is easy," said Caitlin Weasley as she came strolling in. "Neville, if you will allow me, I can take Garth. I will feed him and then take him to Ginny and Hermione where he will be safe."
"Yes, I think that is a good idea," said Draco.
"Alright," said Neville, "Only don't tell Kara and Patrick what is going on yet. Maybe things aren't as bad as they seem."
~~*~~
"So, did it work?" asked the man with dark hair.
"Yes it did," said Jareth, "What a little beauty this one is too. Very proud, took a while to break her, she's a strong one. Might be fun for one to have a go at her. You know see if everything is functioning the way it should."
"No Jareth, behave. That is not part of the plan. There will be plenty of women to "break in" don't worry," said the man with the white hair.
As Emily lay there listening to the conversation she began to tremble. "Oh no, I will never see my family again….oh Neville, help me…" she thought.
As the tears started streaming down her face all she saw was a flash of light.
~~*~~
It had been a fortnight since Emily had disappeared. Neville was beside himself. He wasn't eating and had been having terrible nightmares where he could see her but couldn't reach her and then the flash of light.
Hermione had convinced him to leave the children at the manor so they would be extra safe. She also had tried to talk him into staying but he insisted that he needed to be at the shop just incase she turned up.
On a Sunday morning in the beginning of October, Neville came to the manor to visit his children. He looked awful. He had dark circles under his eyes and had lost a lot of weight.
"Morning Neville," said Harry as he answered the door.
"Morning. Are the children up yet?" he asked.
"Yours are still sleeping. Would you like some coffee while you wait for them to wake?"
"Sure," he said as he sat down with a defeated look.
Kyleigh had been standing in the doorway when Neville came in and she strolled over to where he was sitting and gave him a small smile.
"Good morning Nevelle. Would you like some breakfast?" asked Kyleigh sweetly.
"No thank you dear. I'm not really hungry."
"Neville, have you been sleeping at all? You look very tired," asked Ginny as she came into the room.
"No Ginny, I don't think I sleep more that a couple of hours a night. I have been having bad nightmares," he said. As he explained this Kyleigh quietly left the room.
"I could give you a sleeping potion, at least that way you can get some rest."
"I may take you up on that. I can't do this much longer," he said as tears started to run down his pale cheeks.
No one said anything for a few minutes until Kyleigh came back into the room and walked up to him. Patting him on the back.
"Neville?"
"Yes dear," he said as he wiped his eyes.
Kyleigh shifted her feet and said, "I think that you need this a lot more than I do right now."
"What dear."
Kyleigh pulled out the dream catcher that Emily had given her.
"I haven't had any nightmares since Emily gave this to me. So I want you to take it to use until she comes back to us," she said as tears of her own started flowing.
"Kyleigh, you are such a sweet and caring young witch, but I don't want you to have nightmares again because of me."
"I don't think I will, besides you need it more right now that I do. Please take it," she said.
"Thanks," he said as he smiled.
As Neville touched the dream catcher to take it from Kyleigh's hand he froze. Kyleigh was standing there with that all too familiar glazed look in her eyes. Everyone that was in the room was looking at her.
After a few minutes, she blinked her eyes and started to cry.
Draco, who had come into the room a few moments before, came over to her and asked, "Kyleigh, what did you see?"
Crying slightly harder, she said, "I saw Emily."
"Where?" asked Neville with a strangled sort of cry.
Kyleigh looked at him and smiled through her tears.
"Neville, she's alright. She is in a muggle place called White Cross Neurological Institute. She just doesn't remember anything that is why she hasn't come home to you. She doesn't know who she is."
Within a few minutes, Neville, Harry and Draco, apperated outside the White Cross Neurological Institute. As they went in they asked to see the woman who had been brought there that had amnesia. They were taken to a waiting room and asked to wait. A doctor came in and asked,
"May I help you?"
"Yes," said Neville, "I believe you have my wife here."
As Neville described her the doctor said, "What has taken you so long to find her? She has been here for almost a month."
Feeling a little exasperated Neville calmly said, "We were out of the country when she disappeared. It was a Psychic that told me where to find her. Please may I see my wife?"
"Yes, I think you should, however you must realize that she may not recognize you."
"I can handle that," he said.
When Neville, Harry and Draco walked into the room, they saw her standing there looking out a window.
"Emily?" Neville said and she slowly turned around.
Neville nearly passed out. She looked no different. She looked healthy and beautiful. Only there was no recognition in her eyes.
"May I help you?" she asked politely.
"I'm sorry," Neville said and then, "Stupify."
Neville gently scooped her up in his arms and apperated back to Malfoy Manor, leaving Draco and Harry to adjust memories and such.
~~*~~
When they arrived back at the Manor, Neville took Emily right up to the infirmary where Ginny and Hermione were waiting.
"Put her on the bed, Neville," said Ginny.
As Ginny and Hermione examined her and did a few charms, Neville stood back near the door in amazement.
After a few minutes, which seemed like forever to Neville, he saw Harry and Draco enter the room.
"Any problem?" asked Neville, not taking his eyes off of Emily.
"Not really, that doctor wanted to be belligerent but he is now thinking happily of what nurse he wants to snog," said a very amused Draco.
Neville just shook his head.
They were brought back to the situation at hand when Ginny said,
"Neville, it is time to wake her. Ready?"
"Yes," he said as he raised his wand and said, "Ennervate."
Emily's eyes started to flutter. She looked around at all the faces staring at her at asked, "Why is everyone staring at me? Neville, are the children alright?"
Neville let out a cry and hugged her.
"I have a lot to tell you," he said as everyone else left the room.