Chapter 25: Bless the Child
Betany Hall, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England
February 3, 1986
The boy curled into a ball in the closet and hugged what was left of his teddy bear tightly to his chest. Silent tears leaked from his eyes as he huddled in the darkness and tried his best to remain quiet. He knew that his Grandmother and his Great-Uncle Algie were searching for him even now, he had to remain quiet so they would not find him.
He did not like his Grandmother and his Great-Uncle Algie very much. His Grandmother, Augusta Longbottom born of the House of Wood, was a very proud woman and she was very stern with Neville. She became agitated when Neville played outside in the garden. Neville loved the plants and he enjoyed putting his hands into the soil, but Augusta kept punishing him for doing that. She said it was not dignified for the Lord Longbottom to be seen playing in the dirt.
His Great-Uncle Algie was far worse than his Grandmother though. While Augusta was strict and stern, Algie was cruel and belittling. He kept devising games to play with Neville, games that were meant to harm and frighten him. Earlier that day Algie had caught him playing with his teddy bear. His Grandmother had told him it was the last thing that his God-mother, Lily Potter, had bought for him before her own tragic death. As such, it was considered precious by Neville and he was always very careful when he played with it. Algie had seen him playing with the bear and he had snarled about how it was undignified for the Lord Longbottom to play with childish toys.
"But I am a child," Neville had made the mistake of saying back.
He wished now that he had kept his mouth shut. His words had only been fuel for Algie's ire. He had grabbed the bear from Neville and had torn the arms off the bear before Neville could utter a syllable of protest. He was starting to twist the head off the bear when Augusta had entered the room and had issued a sharp reprimand to Algie. It was rare when she reprimanded her favorite brother. She usually gave Algie free reign to do what he wanted in regards to Neville. Algie lived at Betany Hall to help protect Neville and to help teach him how to be a proper Lord for the House of Longbottom. This time she had lectured him that the bear was a gift from Lily Potter and so Neville could play with it. Algie had thrown the bear down and had then sneered at Augusta and the two had begun to raise their voices in argument.
Neville had grabbed up the dropped bear and the two arms and he had fled from the room. He had sought solace in the rooms that belonged to his Great-Grandmother Callidora. Well, the suite of rooms belonged to her when she visited Betany Hall. She did not live with them. He wished that she did. He loved Grandmother Callie. She was so very kind to him. She would not allow him to be terrorized in his own home. He just knew it. He loved her rooms because he loved the feel of the magic within them. It felt different here than anywhere else in the house. It held traces of her magic and he felt safe within her chambers. Grandmother Augusta feared approaching these rooms and she never entered them. Neville would be safe until he chose to come out on his own.
'Never.' He thought. He never wanted to leave the safety of Callidora's rooms ever again.
"Oh Master Neville," the voice of his Personal House-Elf, Jint, spoke to him in the darkness. He felt Jint put his arms around him. "My poor young Master."
Neville turned then toward the House-Elf and burrowed his head onto the Elf's shoulders. "Why do I do everything wrong?" he asked in a whimper.
Jint combed fingers through Neville's hair. "No young Master, you do not do anything wrong," the Elf protested. "You are a good boy who tries so hard to please his Elders, but these two will never be pleased Master."
This made Neville cry harder because it was as if Jint had taken his deepest fears and given them voice. Neville tried so hard to please Augusta and Algie but it was never enough. He had not been in the garden in weeks just so he could avoid the temptation of touching the soil. He liked the way the magic of the soil felt, the give and take that transpired when he touched it, but Augusta had scoffed at him when he had tried to explain to her that he had felt the magic. She had said that he was practically a Squib and so there was no way he could feel magic.
Why did she and Algie think him a Squib? He did magic, he felt magic. He convened with nature when he went into the garden. He knew that was what he was doing, he felt the exchange. Why wouldn't she believe him?
"Jint will make things a little better, Young Master," the Elf whispered. He then took up the parts of the torn bear and with a wave of his hand the bear's arms were once more sewn onto the body as though they had never been rendered.
Neville stared at the bear as Jint offered it to him and he gently took it into his arms. "Thank you, Jint," he whispered.
"It is the least that Jint could be doing for Master," the House-Elf said with a touch of sadness to his voice.
Neville snuggled the bear close to him and in turn snuggled against Jint. "I don't like Uncle Algie," he whispered to Jint. He was careful to whisper, even here in Callidora's suite of rooms. Words had power and voicing thoughts in Betany Hall was dangerous for the young Lord Longbottom. Too often the Portraits or the House-Elves that worked so diligently for his Grandmother had heard him and they had told all that they had heard to Augusta. She never failed to punish him if she did not like the words he spoke aloud.
Jint nodded his head, his large eyes full of sorrow. "Jint does not like him nor does he like Missy Augusta."
Neville's head shot up to consider Jint's eyes. "Please, you must be careful of saying such things. I don't want her to send you away from me," Neville pleaded. He didn't know what he would do without Jint.
"Young Master need not worry. I am bound to you. The other Elves are bonded only to the Longbottom estate. They must answer to Missy Augusta until you come of age, but I don't have to. I only answer to you and I take care of you Master," Jint explained.
"So you are truly mine then," Neville said and he felt his heart flutter with happiness at the thought. He loved Jint. The elf was always so very kind to him. He would have been devastated if Jint had no choice but to betray his secrets to Augusta and Algie.
"Yes, young Master," Jint reassured him. Neville nodded and then once more settled snuggling against Jint and holding his teddy bear close to him. He liked the bear, there were pretty magics woven into the bear, Neville could feel them. They calmed him and helped him to fall asleep. He petted the soft fluff of the bear until he felt his eyelids droop. He was hungry, he had missed dinner, but he was more tired than anything and so he let his eyelids drop closed and let himself fall asleep comforted by Jint, his bear, and the residual magics of Callidora Longbottom that had permeated the suite of rooms that she only occasionally occupied.
Betany Hall, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England
February 6, 1986
"I don't understand how you expect me to groom him into a great Lord of the Wizengamot," Algernon Wood, better known as Algie to his sister and great-nephew, complained. "He's got enough of a magic spark to be a Wizard but only just. He's practically a Squib."
Augusta Longbottom shot her younger brother a glare. "Algie dear I have no one else that I can rely on to assist me in making Neville into a great Lord. I need him to grow up disciplined and strong. Much will be expected of him in the future."
Algernon stared at his sister in confusion. "Whatever do you mean?" he asked of her. "I already told you, the boy is practically a Squib."
She shook her head. "No. Albus explained it all to me," Augusta began to explain to her foolish younger brother. "There was a prophecy that a child would defeat You-Know-Who. The reason why those Death Eaters came here and attacked my Frank is because they were trying to kill Neville. They believed he was the child of the Prophecy."
Algernon stared at her in shock for several moments before he strode to the side bar and took out the glass decanter of the Longbottom's prized Strawberry Wine. "Very well, but that was then. You-Know-Who is dead. The Potter boy is hailed as the Boy-Who-Lived. Surely he is the one that the Prophecy spoke of."
Augusta shook her head stubbornly. "No. I am sure that what happened in that house was more the doing of Lily Potter than the doing of the baby Potter. But Neville, it all makes sense. He was shooting sparks from his hands when he was just a few weeks old. His magic was strong. Now, it's almost non-existent. I believe the torture of that monster, Bellatrix Lestrange, drained his magic."
"Drained? Are you sure she did not damage him?" he asked, and for the very first time he felt a brush of pity for the child. Had Neville been a powerful Wizarding babe only to be brought low by the likes of Bellatrix Lestrange? He had never let himself form a true attachment to Neville. The boy was practically a Squib, and Squibs were a thing to be ignored or pitied. He had often wondered why it was that his older siblings, Oberon and Augusta, felt it necessary to punish him by putting him in charge of training a Squib. Now though, he realized that they had not seen it as a punishment but an honor to assist in rebuilding the boy that was damaged.
"His healers insist that there is nothing wrong with him," Augusta said confidently. "So it must mean he is still suffering the drain. It makes sense. For him to escape Bellatrix's torture, he apparated himself from Betany Hall to Gracewood."
"Gracewood Hall?" Algernon asked. When she nodded the affirmative he promptly topped off his glass of Strawberry Wine. "Gracewood Hall is about two hundred and sixty miles from Betany Hall, and you say he apparated there as a babe?"
Augusta nodded, "Yes, he just appeared there. None of my House-Elves delivered him there and none of Callidora's did either. Neville had to have done it himself."
Algernon slowly sank into the chair nearest to the side bar. "So he really is a powerful little Wizard but he is recharging," he muttered to no one in particular. "And it seems to be taking so long because in fact his core is still expanding. Gussie, he could be one of the most powerful Wizards of the Age!"
She smiled at him. "Yes. Do you see now why I wanted custody of him? Who knows what would happen to him if Callidora had him in her clutches. It's bad enough that he clings to her when she visits here."
Algernon nodded his head. "Yes, but Augusta, this means that he could actually be more powerful than Albus Dumbledore."
Augusta smiled at the thought. She adored Albus Dumbledore. He was a powerful wizard, strong, and influential. She had entertained daydreams of marriage to Dumbledore many years ago when she was still just a school girl and he was her Transfiguration Professor. Her very distinguished, handsome, and single Transfiguration Professor. He was still a bachelor but she knew he would not be swayed to marry her. Dumbledore was a man, he had weaknesses, but Augusta had not yet figured any of them out.
She wanted her young Neville to surpass Dumbledore's might and fame. Her little Neville would be the most powerful Wizard of the Age. All that she did for him now, the strict discipline, it was all for his own good. He would thank her for it one day, though she knew that the day would be long in coming. It hurt to have to be so strict with him. He was a truly kind child who tried so hard to please her. There were times when she wished to just be his grandmother and gather him into her arms for a cuddle, but then she would remind herself of his future, of how strong she had to make him. She could not let her own weaknesses hinder Neville's growth. She must be strong and strict.
Discipline was a word that the Wood family knew all too well. They were well disciplined in all that they chose to do. She had chosen to cultivate Neville and to protect him until he came of age. She intended to do just that.
"That is my hope," Augusta admitted to him. "I pray that he proves to be a more powerful wizard than Albus Dumbledore. The Longbottom family has always been considered a Light Sided family. There is no fear of him turning to darkness like other powerful wizards have in the past."
"You are so conveniently forgetting that he prefers Callidora to you, sweet sister," Algernon quite vindictively pointed out to Augusta. "She was born a Black and her association is still to that family. Why just last week while I was strolling through Diagon Alley after visiting the bank I saw Callidora seated at one of the outdoor tables of Calypso's Tea-shop."
Augusta frowned. "So you saw her drinking a bit of tea? Do you forget that I too frequent Calypso's shop?" she asked not understanding him.
He smirked at her. "She was seated with Cassiopeia Black and Cedrella Weasley," he informed.
She wrinkled her nose in disgust even as she reminded him, "Cedrella Weasley is her sister. It is natural they might dine together."
He continued to smirk knowing that Augusta was irritated to realize that Callidora was particularly close to her cousin Cassiopeia Black. Cassiopeia was a confirmed spinster, but one whose opinions mattered greatly in society circles. When Cassiopeia Black spoke even the more stubborn males stopped to pay heed.
"Alright, but the taint of Black blood is small in comparison to the Longbottom blood and the blood of House Wood," she said with some assurance in her voice.
Algernon did not believe for a second that she truly meant what she had just said, but he wisely kept his mouth shut. For his part, he was unsure if he could believe that Neville was anything other than a Squib. He feared that his sister was full of deranged ravings about Neville's supposed powers. The boy was a simple Squib and nothing more. The sooner Augusta accepted that, the sooner they could arrange for some way to quietly send Neville away, if not slay him outright. It would be cruel to allow Neville to grow up in a place where he kept thinking he could do magic when he couldn't.
It would be best to find out as soon as possible. Algernon resolved himself then and there to test Neville at the soonest opportunity to determine once and for all if he was dealing with a Wizard or a Squib.
Bettany Hall, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England
February 14, 1986
Algernon saw a golden opportunity to put his plan to test Neville's magic just eight days after Augusta's revelation. He watched the little boy as he played before the open window. The lad seemed to be gently petting the potted plants that resided beside the window and he was speaking softly to the plant. If he didn't know any better, he would have sworn that the plant had been looking sickly just an hour ago, but now it looked vibrant and full of life.
He turned his head to the side and studied the plant. Was it possible that the plant was somehow responding to Neville? He blinked in surprise when he witnessed the leaf of the plant seemingly curve a bit around Neville's fingers. The boy giggled, a happy sound that caused a small smile to curve Algernon's lips. Still, it was impossible that the leaf had just caressed Neville. He released a mournful sigh. Augusta's mutterings about Neville being some prophesied powerful wizard was beginning to make him lose all sense. He couldn't let that happen. He needed proof that Augusta was right.
He believed Neville to be a Squib.
Augusta believed Neville to be a powerful Wizard recovering from spell-damage.
There was only one way that he could think of that would prove whether Neville was a Wizard or a Squib. He approached the boy and smiled at him, "It's time for a game, Neville."
The five-year-old looked up at him cautiously. "I don't want to play right now Uncle Algie," Neville said softly. The boy was timid and seemed to cower before him. Algie narrowed his eyes at him. He hated it when the boy showed him weakness. Why did Augusta honestly think this boy would ever be anything but weak?
"Well that's a shame, because you are going to play the game anyway," Algernon said to Neville.
Then he drew his wand and with the swish and flick he cast a wordless levitation spell on the boy. He ignored the way his chest twinged slightly as the boy yelped in fright at being magically hoisted within the air. He didn't really blame the boy. He was now at the complete mercy of Algernon and Algie found that he enjoyed the feeling.
He moved over to the window sill and stood before it even as Neville dangled at the window's edge. "Such a view from this spot," he told Neville. "I had always thought that it was such a splendid view of the surrounding lands, but of course this view does not belong to me. It belongs to you," he admitted and then frowned. "Well, it will belong to you if you can bounce."
Neville frowned at his uncle in confusion. "What do you mean that it will belong to me if I can bounce? What do you mean by bounce? Uncle Algie I don't…"
"Hush boy," he said sharply. Really the sooner he could get on with things the better it would be for everyone. Some part of him was sorry that Neville would not survive the fall, but mostly he was just grateful that he could prove to Augusta that he was right about the boy and that he had successfully rid the family from the shame of associating with a Squib.
He placed his hands to Neville's back and murmured gently to the boy. "It will be alright Neville. The game is simple. If you are a Wizard then you shall bounce, but if you are not a Wizard then you will have no magic to save you from the fall," Algernon explained to the trembling, frightened boy.
Neville shook violently and whispered through his tears. "But you won't let me get hurt will you Uncle Algie?"
Algernon frowned at the boy. "Neville, if you don't get hurt then you won't learn," he told the boy.
If possible the boy shook harder. "I…I don't want to play this game," the child said. "Please Uncle Algie, I don't want to play this game. Please let me down. Please let me go."
"Let you go, let you down," Algernon said and a smile curved his lips. "Very well Neville, as you insist." Then without further ado, Algernon pushed Neville hard sending the boy careening out of the window. He heard the boy scream in terror and watched as he began to plummet to the ground.
I know, I am terrible to have left this chapter off as a cliff-hanger. Next chapter more of Neville.
