GOODBYE,TREVOR
JK Rowling owns these characters.
Professor Dumbledore entered the lavatory. He was surprised to see
Hermione Granger standing near one of the stalls. She saw him,and
froze. "Good afternoon,Headmaster," she said.
"Good afternoon,Miss Granger." He tried to put her at ease with a
smile. She was the best student in her class,not to mention the
entire school. She probably had a good reason to be here; curiosity
overcame him the moment he saw her. "May I ask what you're doing in
the boys' lavatory?"
"It's Neville,Headmaster."
Dumbledore joined Hermione at the door. "Is he ill?"
"No...sir,it's Trevor...Neville's toad?"
"We've met."
"Trevor's...dead."
"I see," Dumbledore said.
"I saw Neville come in here with Trevor in one hand and a knife in the other,sir. I'm afraid that he might be-"
"Say no more,Miss Granger," He knocked on the door. "Neville? Mr. Longbottom,please come out."
The door opened a crack; Dumbledore got out of its path.
Neville leaned against the wall. He had been crying; in fact,he was
still crying. He was holding a box in his trembling hands. Trevor
was in it; Dumbledore saw the poor toad and felt like crying himself.
Neville was also holding a sharp knife with a serrated blade.
"He was alive,last I saw him," Neville said. "I went to bed last
night and he was fine. I woke up this morning and he wasn't breathing. I didn't know what to do."
"May I have the knife?"
Neville handed the knife to Dumbledore. A moment later,it was
no longer a knife,but a round rubber ball.
"Come on out,Mr. Longbottom."
"Am I in trouble,sir?"
"No," Dumbledore said gently. "I want to take you somewhere."
Neville emerged from the stall.
"Where?" he asked.
Dumbledore knelt down,so that he and Neville were eye-to-eye.
He took Neville's hand in both of his. Hermione steadied him,
her hand on his shoulder.
"You loved Trevor," he said. "I know you did."
"He was the best toad there ever was," Neville said,a sob hitching
in his throat.
"Then he deserves a proper burial."
Hermione suddenly smiled. She knows, Dumbledore thought. She knows
HOGWARTS,A HISTORY backwards and forwards. She knows where we're
going.
"Would you like to accompany us,Miss Granger?"
"Could I? I've never-"
"All right,Hermione,you may. It's beautiful outside-"
"-and Saturday."
"And Saturday. A walk would do us all some good."
He led them out of the lavatory. They didn't run into anyone on the
way outside. He opened the doors; they stepped out into the golden
afternoon. There were only a few brassy wisps of cloud in the sky.
In silence,he led them to Hagrid's hut. Hagrid was outside,planting
seeds in his garden. Their shadows fell across him,and he turned.
"Afternoon,Professor." His grin got wider. "Hermione."
Then he saw Neville,and Trevor's box. "Neville,no," he said. "Aw,not
Trevor." He gave Neville his most comforting look.
"It happened last night,Hagrid," Neville said.
"Yer takin' them to the cemetary,then,Professor?"
"Yes,Hagrid. We could use your guidance."
"O'course,Professor. Jus' a second."
He went into the hut.
Neville seemed about to panic. "What did he say? What cemetary?"
"Shhhh..." Dumbledore said. "Miss Granger,would you-"
"There's a pet cemetary in the forest," Hermione said.
Neville's eyes got huge. "...the forest?"
"Mr. Longbottom,I promise you,Hagrid and I would sooner die than
see any harm come to you." Neville looked up at the old man.
Dumbledore smiled. "Don't be afraid,Neville."
"But-but,Headmaster-"
"Neville," Dumbledore knelt down again. "Are you afraid of me?"
Neville looked terrified. "I-what?"
"You and I have never really talked. You've always been polite when we pass each other in the halls,and I hear wonderful things about you
from Professor Sprout-"
"I hate to hear what you hear from Professor Snape."
"Ugh," Hermione said. Dumbledore looked at her,but she had turned away in disgust.
"And the answer is no,I'm not afraid of you. I wish my uncle would
be nice like you. I'm scared of everything except you and Trevor and Hagrid and Hermione. Now it's just you and Hagrid and Hermione."
"What about Harry and Ron?" Hermione asked. "If you tell me you're
scared of Ron,I'll die laughing and you'll have to bury me,too."
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said,"That was rather insensitive,albeit
hilarious."
"Well," Neville said. "I suppose I'm not scared of Ron. Harry,
though...Harry's got this power about him."
"You're scared of Harry?"
"Sometimes."
"I think you'll find you and Harry-"
Hagrid emerged from the hut.
"Can't take Fang," he said. "He don't like the place."
He held a wooden cross he had obviously just made. For such short
notice,it was beautifully done. Across the horizontal bar,he had
inscribed TREVOR. He also carried a shovel.
"Let's go," Hagrid said.
Professor Dumbledore linked arms with Hermione. Behind them,
Hagrid walked with Neville.
"Would yeh like me to carry 'im?"
"That's all right,Hagrid."
"If yeh say so,Neville."
"Is there really a cemetary in the forest?"
"Oh yeah," Hagrid said. "Been there for ages. Where d'ye think I
buried the unicorns?"
"What about the creatures in the forest?"
"They stay away from the place. Sacred ground,y'know."
"So they'll leave us alone?"
"They might watch. Yeh never know. Animals mourn."
"Like we do?"
"In some ways,yeah. Their minds work different from ours."
For a minute,they walked in silence.
"Neville?"
"What is it?"
"This's a weird question,but...did Trevor have a family?"
"I don't think so," Neville said.
"'Cause toads lay thousands of eggs in a year. There could be a
lady toad out there somewhere that Trevor was-"
"Not at Hogwarts," Neville said. "I'm the only one who had a toad."
"In the forest,I mean."
"Are there toads in there?"
"There's all sorts of things in there. I don't think I've seen 'em all,either. Huge place,the forest. Some things just wanna be left alone."
"They'll leave Trevor alone?"
"Sacred ground," Hagrid said. "Did I tell yeh that already?"
"I can't remember," Neville said,and burst into tears.
Professor Dumbledore turned,as did Hermione.
"Be with yeh in a minute," Hagrid said. Dumbledore and Hermione
kept walking.
It was his turn to kneel down. "It hurts," Hagrid said. "I know."
"It's not just that," Neville wept. "It's me,too. Something's wrong
with my brain,Hagrid. I can't remember things that've been drilled
into my head,even with my Rememberall. The thing doesn't do any good.
I can barely do magic and my p-parents don't know me..." His legs
gave out and he fell. He would have hit the ground,but Hagrid wrapped
an arm around his chest and held him upright.
"I've got you," he said. "I'm not goin' anywhere 'till yer ready."
"Thanks," Neville said. He stopped crying,eventually.
They caught up with Professor Dumbledore and Hermione. They stood at the edge of the forest. From deep inside the forest,a mysterious
bird screeched.
Hagrid led them into the woods.
They walked for awhile,through trees twisted with age,and watery pools of deceptive depths. Dumbledore started to hum tunelessly,
and Hermione began to hum with him. She had the feeling they were
moving upwards.
In a little while, Hagrid said "We're here."
There were crosses of varying age planted around the trees here,
each with individual names marked on them. Some of them were quite
old. Dumbledore lingered at one bearing the name KEILLAUGH.
Hagrid paused at several. Hermione watched them,wondering how
many beloved companions they had buried here.
A few yards away,there was a cliff,and it overlooked the lake.
"Here," Hagrid said.
He dug a hole. Neville put the box in the hole. In moments,Trevor
was buried deep in the earth.
"Would anyone like to say a few words?" Dumbledore asked.
For a moment,they stood silent around the grave. Then Hagrid stepped forward.
"I only met Trevor once," Hagrid said. "Little guy got away from
Neville. Remember,Neville? Firs' year?" He had to wipe away a tear. "Blimey,you've grown. I found him,jus' sort of doin' his own thing,
and I picked 'im up. 'E didn't squirm or anythin'. He was a nice little toad and I wish I'd known him better."
He stepped back. Hermione handed him a handkerchief. Then she stepped
forward.
"Toads usually have a life expectancy of five to ten years. Some have lived as long as thirty years. The Gryffindor common room will be
quieter,without Trevor's croaking..."
Dumbledore knew it would be terrible to laugh; it took effort,but
he managed to hold it in. He looked over at Hagrid,who was shaking
with silent merriment. Even Neville broke into a grin.
"Excuse me," Hermione said. "That was a horrible choice of words. Without Trevor's friendly ribbits,I mean. I'm going to miss him."
She stepped back,and buried her face in Hagrid's coat.
Dumbledore stepped forward. "Neville has lost a faithful companion.
During Trevor's time here,we crossed paths a number of times. I found
him sitting in my chair in the Great Hall. He looked so peaceful,I
let him sit there." The look on Neville's face was priceless. "On
several occasions,I found him before Mr. Longbottom realized he was lost and returned him to the Gryffindor common room. He liked to
explore,Neville. You never really lost him because he would have
come back to you. If there is a God,Trevor is surely with him, eating all the flies he can handle." With that,he bowed his head,and closed his eyes. Tears shimmered on his cheeks.
Neville looked from Dumbledore to Hermione to Hagrid. He gathered
strength from them. "I don't know what else there is to say. Just...
thank you. Trevor was the best toad that ever was. I'm glad he was
so loved. That's all I can say. Thank you,Headmaster. Thank you,
Hermione. Thank you,Hagrid. I don't think I can go on,I just
want to go back to bed for a while."
Neville turned-
He gasped.
There were all sorts of animals gathered around them. Centaurs,
unicorns,fairies,things Neville did not know,even a few dragons had been watching silently.
Neville wanted to thank them,too; he could not find the words.
They let the foursome pass by.
They were still there when Neville looked back.
JK Rowling owns these characters.
Professor Dumbledore entered the lavatory. He was surprised to see
Hermione Granger standing near one of the stalls. She saw him,and
froze. "Good afternoon,Headmaster," she said.
"Good afternoon,Miss Granger." He tried to put her at ease with a
smile. She was the best student in her class,not to mention the
entire school. She probably had a good reason to be here; curiosity
overcame him the moment he saw her. "May I ask what you're doing in
the boys' lavatory?"
"It's Neville,Headmaster."
Dumbledore joined Hermione at the door. "Is he ill?"
"No...sir,it's Trevor...Neville's toad?"
"We've met."
"Trevor's...dead."
"I see," Dumbledore said.
"I saw Neville come in here with Trevor in one hand and a knife in the other,sir. I'm afraid that he might be-"
"Say no more,Miss Granger," He knocked on the door. "Neville? Mr. Longbottom,please come out."
The door opened a crack; Dumbledore got out of its path.
Neville leaned against the wall. He had been crying; in fact,he was
still crying. He was holding a box in his trembling hands. Trevor
was in it; Dumbledore saw the poor toad and felt like crying himself.
Neville was also holding a sharp knife with a serrated blade.
"He was alive,last I saw him," Neville said. "I went to bed last
night and he was fine. I woke up this morning and he wasn't breathing. I didn't know what to do."
"May I have the knife?"
Neville handed the knife to Dumbledore. A moment later,it was
no longer a knife,but a round rubber ball.
"Come on out,Mr. Longbottom."
"Am I in trouble,sir?"
"No," Dumbledore said gently. "I want to take you somewhere."
Neville emerged from the stall.
"Where?" he asked.
Dumbledore knelt down,so that he and Neville were eye-to-eye.
He took Neville's hand in both of his. Hermione steadied him,
her hand on his shoulder.
"You loved Trevor," he said. "I know you did."
"He was the best toad there ever was," Neville said,a sob hitching
in his throat.
"Then he deserves a proper burial."
Hermione suddenly smiled. She knows, Dumbledore thought. She knows
HOGWARTS,A HISTORY backwards and forwards. She knows where we're
going.
"Would you like to accompany us,Miss Granger?"
"Could I? I've never-"
"All right,Hermione,you may. It's beautiful outside-"
"-and Saturday."
"And Saturday. A walk would do us all some good."
He led them out of the lavatory. They didn't run into anyone on the
way outside. He opened the doors; they stepped out into the golden
afternoon. There were only a few brassy wisps of cloud in the sky.
In silence,he led them to Hagrid's hut. Hagrid was outside,planting
seeds in his garden. Their shadows fell across him,and he turned.
"Afternoon,Professor." His grin got wider. "Hermione."
Then he saw Neville,and Trevor's box. "Neville,no," he said. "Aw,not
Trevor." He gave Neville his most comforting look.
"It happened last night,Hagrid," Neville said.
"Yer takin' them to the cemetary,then,Professor?"
"Yes,Hagrid. We could use your guidance."
"O'course,Professor. Jus' a second."
He went into the hut.
Neville seemed about to panic. "What did he say? What cemetary?"
"Shhhh..." Dumbledore said. "Miss Granger,would you-"
"There's a pet cemetary in the forest," Hermione said.
Neville's eyes got huge. "...the forest?"
"Mr. Longbottom,I promise you,Hagrid and I would sooner die than
see any harm come to you." Neville looked up at the old man.
Dumbledore smiled. "Don't be afraid,Neville."
"But-but,Headmaster-"
"Neville," Dumbledore knelt down again. "Are you afraid of me?"
Neville looked terrified. "I-what?"
"You and I have never really talked. You've always been polite when we pass each other in the halls,and I hear wonderful things about you
from Professor Sprout-"
"I hate to hear what you hear from Professor Snape."
"Ugh," Hermione said. Dumbledore looked at her,but she had turned away in disgust.
"And the answer is no,I'm not afraid of you. I wish my uncle would
be nice like you. I'm scared of everything except you and Trevor and Hagrid and Hermione. Now it's just you and Hagrid and Hermione."
"What about Harry and Ron?" Hermione asked. "If you tell me you're
scared of Ron,I'll die laughing and you'll have to bury me,too."
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said,"That was rather insensitive,albeit
hilarious."
"Well," Neville said. "I suppose I'm not scared of Ron. Harry,
though...Harry's got this power about him."
"You're scared of Harry?"
"Sometimes."
"I think you'll find you and Harry-"
Hagrid emerged from the hut.
"Can't take Fang," he said. "He don't like the place."
He held a wooden cross he had obviously just made. For such short
notice,it was beautifully done. Across the horizontal bar,he had
inscribed TREVOR. He also carried a shovel.
"Let's go," Hagrid said.
Professor Dumbledore linked arms with Hermione. Behind them,
Hagrid walked with Neville.
"Would yeh like me to carry 'im?"
"That's all right,Hagrid."
"If yeh say so,Neville."
"Is there really a cemetary in the forest?"
"Oh yeah," Hagrid said. "Been there for ages. Where d'ye think I
buried the unicorns?"
"What about the creatures in the forest?"
"They stay away from the place. Sacred ground,y'know."
"So they'll leave us alone?"
"They might watch. Yeh never know. Animals mourn."
"Like we do?"
"In some ways,yeah. Their minds work different from ours."
For a minute,they walked in silence.
"Neville?"
"What is it?"
"This's a weird question,but...did Trevor have a family?"
"I don't think so," Neville said.
"'Cause toads lay thousands of eggs in a year. There could be a
lady toad out there somewhere that Trevor was-"
"Not at Hogwarts," Neville said. "I'm the only one who had a toad."
"In the forest,I mean."
"Are there toads in there?"
"There's all sorts of things in there. I don't think I've seen 'em all,either. Huge place,the forest. Some things just wanna be left alone."
"They'll leave Trevor alone?"
"Sacred ground," Hagrid said. "Did I tell yeh that already?"
"I can't remember," Neville said,and burst into tears.
Professor Dumbledore turned,as did Hermione.
"Be with yeh in a minute," Hagrid said. Dumbledore and Hermione
kept walking.
It was his turn to kneel down. "It hurts," Hagrid said. "I know."
"It's not just that," Neville wept. "It's me,too. Something's wrong
with my brain,Hagrid. I can't remember things that've been drilled
into my head,even with my Rememberall. The thing doesn't do any good.
I can barely do magic and my p-parents don't know me..." His legs
gave out and he fell. He would have hit the ground,but Hagrid wrapped
an arm around his chest and held him upright.
"I've got you," he said. "I'm not goin' anywhere 'till yer ready."
"Thanks," Neville said. He stopped crying,eventually.
They caught up with Professor Dumbledore and Hermione. They stood at the edge of the forest. From deep inside the forest,a mysterious
bird screeched.
Hagrid led them into the woods.
They walked for awhile,through trees twisted with age,and watery pools of deceptive depths. Dumbledore started to hum tunelessly,
and Hermione began to hum with him. She had the feeling they were
moving upwards.
In a little while, Hagrid said "We're here."
There were crosses of varying age planted around the trees here,
each with individual names marked on them. Some of them were quite
old. Dumbledore lingered at one bearing the name KEILLAUGH.
Hagrid paused at several. Hermione watched them,wondering how
many beloved companions they had buried here.
A few yards away,there was a cliff,and it overlooked the lake.
"Here," Hagrid said.
He dug a hole. Neville put the box in the hole. In moments,Trevor
was buried deep in the earth.
"Would anyone like to say a few words?" Dumbledore asked.
For a moment,they stood silent around the grave. Then Hagrid stepped forward.
"I only met Trevor once," Hagrid said. "Little guy got away from
Neville. Remember,Neville? Firs' year?" He had to wipe away a tear. "Blimey,you've grown. I found him,jus' sort of doin' his own thing,
and I picked 'im up. 'E didn't squirm or anythin'. He was a nice little toad and I wish I'd known him better."
He stepped back. Hermione handed him a handkerchief. Then she stepped
forward.
"Toads usually have a life expectancy of five to ten years. Some have lived as long as thirty years. The Gryffindor common room will be
quieter,without Trevor's croaking..."
Dumbledore knew it would be terrible to laugh; it took effort,but
he managed to hold it in. He looked over at Hagrid,who was shaking
with silent merriment. Even Neville broke into a grin.
"Excuse me," Hermione said. "That was a horrible choice of words. Without Trevor's friendly ribbits,I mean. I'm going to miss him."
She stepped back,and buried her face in Hagrid's coat.
Dumbledore stepped forward. "Neville has lost a faithful companion.
During Trevor's time here,we crossed paths a number of times. I found
him sitting in my chair in the Great Hall. He looked so peaceful,I
let him sit there." The look on Neville's face was priceless. "On
several occasions,I found him before Mr. Longbottom realized he was lost and returned him to the Gryffindor common room. He liked to
explore,Neville. You never really lost him because he would have
come back to you. If there is a God,Trevor is surely with him, eating all the flies he can handle." With that,he bowed his head,and closed his eyes. Tears shimmered on his cheeks.
Neville looked from Dumbledore to Hermione to Hagrid. He gathered
strength from them. "I don't know what else there is to say. Just...
thank you. Trevor was the best toad that ever was. I'm glad he was
so loved. That's all I can say. Thank you,Headmaster. Thank you,
Hermione. Thank you,Hagrid. I don't think I can go on,I just
want to go back to bed for a while."
Neville turned-
He gasped.
There were all sorts of animals gathered around them. Centaurs,
unicorns,fairies,things Neville did not know,even a few dragons had been watching silently.
Neville wanted to thank them,too; he could not find the words.
They let the foursome pass by.
They were still there when Neville looked back.