Disclaimer: Own nothing that you recognize! Poor me!

A/N: Hi people! Did you miss me? Please say you did! Well, I'm back, so everything's fine. This is a stand-alone/side-story of Change My Fate. It is not directly involved or important to the other story. It is just here, and I felt like writing this story. Please be generous and review (as a be-lated bday prezzy, please?) So allow me to present you, one of the toils of my exam weeks...

To My Son

To my son,

Your father insists that it is a very sissy thing to do- to write a letter. Something only females would do. What a sexist your father is! But tough! I am a mother, therefore making me a woman. Young man, I'll have you know that I'll not tolerate such nonsense from you. If I ever hear something remotely like that from you mouth, I'll have you grounded for all eternity!

This moment, when you're reading this letter, I may not be here. It is dark times with wars being fought and people being killed. I've learnt that you, my baby boy, may be a chosen child. Destined to be a beacon of light. I should be proud…to have such great things predicted of you…but out of selfishness of a woman, a mother…I hope you're not the one Dumbledore has spoken of. As Lily would hope of her child. It is hard to know that your child is fated to tread such a harsh road that no mother could help or ease.

Whether I'm not by your side now or that I'm gone- departed from this world, I do not know. There are many things in this world that you and I do not know or understand. Some things are just too pure for the tattered souls or too wicked for mortal bodies. There are so many treasures that I want to give you and many pains that I wish to take away. But I cannot. For it is not my place. Treasures are for you to discover and pains for you to survive and grow through and become a better man. I know you will be a strong boy and then a wonderful, brave man. I can already see it even though you're still within my womb.

In this early hour of the morning, with the sun having yet to rise; I can already imagine great deeds for you even if you're not the one Lord Voldemort has his filthy eyes on. I can see you set foot into Hogwarts. Awed by its magnificent beauty like I was. Did you know that was how I met your father? I was so awed that I've stumbled over his feet. How utterly embarrassing it was yet how sweet a start it was to our wonderful friendship then love.

What subjects did you choose in third year? I hope you chose Herbology. It is a truly amazing class where I found the most explicit meaning of life and its worth. Your father would disagree and say that he chose the course because it was easy. But I knew he enjoyed it as he passed with flying colors in every aspect of Herbology. Did you take Divination? I have nothing against this course…however they are lessons that are only useful to seers and people with the heart to find their inner eye in the midst of their busy life. This lesson brings pain as well…would you not agree? To know so much yet nothing at all…

I do hope by the time that you chose your career, this folly would be over. I hope that you can do what your heart most desired. I've know what I wanted to be since a very young age. I've seen it in the Mirror of Erised. Once. I've came across it in one of my adventures in Hogwarts. Did you know what I saw? I saw myself as a mother, like I am now yet not like I am. I sat in a comfortable chair; knitting and then I read you stories of dragons and knights. Then I tucked you into your bed and kissed you goodnight. Not like what I have been doing for the years since I graduated from Hogwarts. I was and still am, an auror first and foremost; not a mother. I hone my spells instead of knit. I pour over plans and strategies instead of spinning tales. I am fighting Voldemort and his minions and not making your bed.

I truly do not care what you become as long as you do it for the betterment of the world. Just be true to yourself. Do what you think is right. When you're lost or confused, find Dumbledore. He is a wise man who has saved many. He shall be able to give you advice that no one can better. But do be careful, the sly fox can be quite ambiguous and discreet. Your father has, rather pointedly, said that you'll be in Gryffindor. Whether you are or not, remember two things: "Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear." And "Courage is being scared to death – but saddling up anyways."

At the end of the letter, if I'm still around, telling you to put the seat down like I do with your father, you will know that I love you. Through every word and gesture. However if I'm not, I'll let you know here: I love you. Always. Yes, there may be times where I'd probably wish I could send you far away so I can have some peace and quiet that shall soon be a rarity in this house. But I love you. Even now. From the moment you were conceived till now and into the future. For all the great things that you are and will be.

Love you forever and always without a doubt,

Your Mother, Alice Longbottom.

xxXxx

Neville Longbottom, who had remained neutral so far in the war that was still raging, sat in the living room. It was dark already and he was alone in his family house…as the last of the Longbottoms. The fire blazed in the hearth in front of his couch. He sat there, gazing yet not seeing anything. Lost in the memories that he should've had in the sheets of paper on his lap.

He did not cry.

He was sad.

But he did not shed a tear.

He didn't feel like he knew the woman who'd been his mother.

The hospital had flooed him this morning. Age, if not madness, had finally taken her life. Frank was long gone. So was his grandmother- taken by surprise in the junction between his world s and muggles' at the beginning of the war. Alice Longbottom, his mother, was all he had left. Until now. He had never set foot in this place after he'd left as a baby. Not even after his grandmother's death. He'd felt that it was not his place to be the head of the family. Not while Alice was still alive. Now that she was dead, he had to. As owner of the property.

He'd come here and searched through the different things that had been wasting, rotting in the rooms. That was how he'd found Alice's belongings. The mother he'd never known and would never know. Here he'd found the thread to the past and at the end of the thread, he'd found his future.

Last of a long line of wizard.

Alone but not lonely.

It was time for him to join the war.

A/N: So...maybe it's short, but hey, it's just a drabble. I hope you liked it! Please review. Oh yes, I do believe that I forgot to disclaim the quotes: They don't belong to me, they belong respectively to Mark Twain and John Wayne. If there's something that you don't understand, i hope there isn't, feel free to mention it in the reviews! So Please review!