thanks foir all the reviews, they really encourage me. i apologise to everyone, particularly Aurora for repeatedly spelling gryffindor wrong but you know what its like once your computer has a spelling set into it. thankyou for all your guesses, they really help me know where to drop my hints and if i am leading you all in a completely different direction. so far most people guess that katie is Harry's child (12 people to be exact) and have complained because shes in hufflepuff, who is to say her father wasnt ernie macmillian or her mother susan bones. im sure they would be very proud of her. four people think max is Harry's child, but more recently three say he's neville's. Alice has been given 7 votes and for some reason two people think it is lucious! so the girls are the favourites. keep telling me your ideas but also why you think its that particular person. im afraid snuffles it would be unfair of me to tell you and only you so youre going to have to wait until the story gets that far (it should be somewhere between chapter 23-25 i think!)
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The next day after three o'clock, when all his lessons were over, Harry left the school and walked to Hogsmeade from where he apparated to St Mungo's. After checking in he made his way to the canteen where he had been told he would find the forgetful former Gryffindor.
After entering his eyes were immediately drawn to the young man towards the right of the room. He was, as Harry was happy to note, surrounded by friends and smiles. After all Neville's great work for the mental ward had earned him a great deal of respect throughout the hospital. There was rarely a wizard who didn't have someone in their acquaintance who he had helped, and therefore admired him. This however, instead of making Harry feel better made him feel worse. These people were thankful but when he thought back through the years, Neville had probably helped Ron, Hermione and him more times than all the rest put together, and they were the only ones who had lost touch. The things Harry had expected of his friend hadn't been so simple as care and help, he had continually asked Neville to risk his life, and in doing so he had lost his friend his future.
As Neville looked up and recognised the famous scar his smile at a neighbours joke disappeared. Harry couldn't be surprised. After all the only other times they had spoken were when there was trouble and even then it had never been so bad that Harry had to come and collect the doctor at work. Harry attempted a smile to reassure his friend it was just a friendly visit and if he felt bad before it only made it worse when he was pulled in to a manly hug and quickly introduced to all Neville's colleagues proudly. Harry thought it was pointless really, after all everyone knew who he was, and half the hospital staff were unfortunately so starstruck they could only murmur their names so that a load of gobbledygook came out.
The smaller Gryffindor gestured his friend to a nearby table that was immediately cleared for the two wizards and Harry began with the old phrase.
'Long time no see bud!'
Neville smiled back, 'Yeah! Was hoping it would be a lot longer though. What's wrong?'
'Nothing, nothing!' the boy who lived reassured his friend, 'I was just talking to Ron that's all and realised I hadn't seen you in so long, thought I'd pop in for a chat'
'Oh!' Neville's smile dropped, as if he remembered suddenly the topic of his conversation with Ron, 'I s'pose he told you then, about Remus, the squib'
From then began a long conversation between the two. Harry revealed his own problem to his old friend who was very supportive. The two reassured each other. Harry pointed out that just because there was no Remus amongst the first years didn't mean there was no Neville junior. It was possible that Luna had not had the time to tell the nurses of the chosen name for the child, or perhaps it had been a girl (because Neville only believed it to be a boy because every Longbottom couple going back generations had had a single boy).
Harry pointed out that, unbeknown to the adults their two children could be firm friends already, a thought which cheered up the generous man greatly. It also led to a reminiscent discussion looking back on the two lads own school days. From the night that Neville had tried to prevent the trio from sneaking out, to the trouble they all had getting the right dates for all the school balls they ended up crying with laughter. Especially when they remembered the development of Ron and Hermione's relationship and Harry as he recalled the twins numerous pranks, of which Neville was often the victim but took them all in good humour.
Harry left the hospital feeling much better. Neville was to visit the school the following week and the two planned to search out their children together. Neville was also keen to speak to Ginny about it, after all she was Luna's best friend and if it had been up to Neville, the Potter's would have been his baby's godparents, an idea which made Harry want to grab a time turner, turn it and visit his forgotten friend a lot more since they left school. Neville was still however, eternally grateful to Harry, who had taught him through the DA a lot of the defence he knew. Harry also knew Neville felt that he had almost been saved by Harry through the prophesy and so felt he owed him something. Voldemort could just have easily picked the more clumsy lion.
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