Chapter 31: Neville's Boggart
"Neville," Rose called, "Hannah."
Rose was walking between wards at St. Mungo's when she saw two familiar faces.
Neville Longbottom and Hannah Abbott turned towards the sound of their names. Both were looking forlorn. Rose looked confused for only a moment and then realized what ward they were standing in front of. No one got better in there and no visitor left looking happy.
Rose quickly adjust her face and took quick strides to greet the couple.
"Rose," Neville welcomed kindly. He smiled at her, yet it did not quite touch his eyes.
"Hello," Hannah said lightly, her blonde hair hung in two ponytails just adding to the sweetness of her overall appearance.
Rose had only met the pair once at the Hogwarts ball, despite all the time she spent at the school. Neither of them seemed to be anywhere near where Severus usually could be found.
Rose had fond memories of talking with both Hannah and Neville at the ball. She had hoped to run into them. She just was not expecting it to be here. "It's so good to see you both," Rose said.
"You too," Neville returned. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Uh congratulations on your marriage to Professor Snape."
Rose looked skeptically at Neville for a moment. "Thanks," she said shortly.
"We were quite surprised to hear about it," Hannah told Rose honestly.
Rose smiled again. "It did happen a bit quick," she allowed. "I understand there are also congratulations in order for you two."
Neville took up Hannah's hand in his. This time when he smiled, he looked truly happy. So did she. "Thank you," Neville replied.
"When is the happy occasion going to be?" Rose asked.
"Next month," Hannah replied, "After we finish school." Rose knew that several of the seventh years had returned to school after the war. Not much was learnt at Hogwarts under Lord Voldemort's control.
"My Gran is beside herself preparing for the wedding," Neville said.
Hannah wrinkled her nose. "Yes," she replied a little less enthusiastic. "She does have very strong opinions on how everything should be." Hannah looked over at Neville. They both smirked as they shared a private joke.
"How did you hear about our engagement?" Neville asked. "Did Snape…I mean Professor Snape say…" Neville could hardly imagine Snape going home and telling his wife about the affairs in his life.
"No," Rose admitted. "I heard it from Ephraim, our…" Rose never knew how to refer to Ephraim.
"Oh," Neville said with understanding on his face.
Ephraim had become a great fan of Neville's after Neville had stood up for him when a couple of fourth year Slytherins were teasing him. Plus, it didn't hurt that Neville had the credibility of killing Voldemort's snake, Nagini. Both of these deeds made Neville a great favorite with Rose as well.
"Ephraim also told me that we are to be neighbors," Rose said. "You are moving into the flat above the Three Broomsticks. And you will be apprenticing with Professor Sprout next year."
"Ephraim is a well-informed boy," Neville laughed.
"Well you made quite the impression on him," Rose remarked. "Hey, I was just heading to get some lunch. Care to join me?"
"Sure," Hannah agreed for them both.
Rose, Neville, and Hannah went down to the hospital cafeteria. They grabbed their food and took a seat together at one of the many tables.
The three looked at each other somewhat awkwardly for a moment, not really sure where to begin.
"Did you read that article about the newly discovered properties of mimbulus mimbletonia?" Rose broke the silence.
"Did he ever," Hannah answered, with a good-humored eyeroll. "That is all he has been talking about for the last week."
Neville grinned. "I have a mimbulus that has been thriving. I was thinking of trying to breed it."
This launched a long discussion about the many properties of the plant. Rose learned that Hannah seemed to have an interest in healing and kept up on the medicinal properties of magical herbs and fungi.
"I would love to try growing a mimbulus but they are awfully difficult," Rose said with wonder.
"If you give it the time and attention it needs any plant can thrive," Neville told Rose.
"I have an interest in magical botany," Rose said, "but not quite the talent for gardening. I have a small patch of bubotubers that I planted about two months ago. They are doing so poorly. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong."
Neville nodded with understanding. "It's probably the soil," Neville told Rose.
Rose's face lit up. "Do you think? Would you both like to have dinner with us some night and perhaps I could show you my plants?"
When Rose had heard that Neville and Hannah would be moving nearby, she had hoped they could all be friends. She didn't really have any friends here, except for her husband and Ephraim of course. On days she did not work, and Severus and Ephraim were at Hogwarts, she spent much of her time alone. Rose was not the type of girl who enjoyed waiting around for a man.
Neville and Hannah exchanged looks.
Rose's brows knit together. "What?"
"Nothing," Neville said too quickly.
"No, what is it?" Rose pressed.
Hannah glanced at Neville and then focused back on Rose. "It's Professor Snape," Hannah said.
"Hannah," Neville protested.
"What about Severus?" Rose asked.
"Well," Hannah continues. "It's just that he was always so horrible to Neville."
"But it's fine," Neville add hurriedly to Rose.
"It's not fine," Hannah told Neville, grabbing his hand. "He was awful to you."
"What did he do?" Rose asked horrified.
"Nothing really," Neville brushed off.
"It wasn't nothing," Hannah corrected. "Neville, he bullied you in class relentlessly. So much so that your boggart turned into him."
Rose's was suddenly horrified. "Your boggart turned into my husband?" she groaned. All hope of becoming friends with Neville and Hannah seemed to be flying out the window.
"When I was 13." Neville said firmly.
"Would it still?" Rose asked with wide eyes.
"No," Neville said flatly.
Rose felt relieved. Then something crossed her mind that made her panic again. "Out of curiosity," Rose began, "were you able to overpower that boggart?"
Amusement flashed behind Neville's eyes. "I was," he answered trying to keep his face straight.
Hannah began to laugh.
Rose took a couple sips from her cup of pumpkin juice, trying to act casual. "How did you do it?" she asked between gulps of drink.
"I made the boggart wear my grandmother's clothing," Neville answered.
Rose, who had just taken a mouthful of pumpkin juice, began to choke. She quickly slapped her hand over her mouth to keep the liquid from spraying across the table. Rose had a vivid image of Severus in a dress holding a handbag. She forced herself to swallow and broke off into a hardy laugh.
Neville smiled too once he knew Rose was not going to be offended.
"Did he deserve it?" Rose asked when the laughs subsided.
"Without a doubt," Hannah assured her.
"How is he towards you now?" Rose questioned.
Neville shrugged. "I don't see him much."
"If you are going to work in the herbology department, I'd imagine that you will be having a lot of interactions with the potions master."
"I suppose so," Neville said in a small voice, clearly dreading it.
Rose felt crestfallen. She wanted so much to be friends with these two. "Look," she told Neville seriously. "I love Severus, but I know who I married. If he ever gives you a hard time you can tell me."
Neville looked as though he would never think of doing that.
"Really," Rose said. "I will withhold sex or something." It was a joke but based on the horrified look on Neville's face, he clearly did not find it funny. Hannah laughed though.
"Maybe you and I could grab a butterbeer together sometime," Hannah told Rose. "I'm going to work at the Three Broomsticks after term ends. I will be around a lot. We can make sure our husbands are being civil."
Rose beamed. "I would like that."
"You really don't seem like the type of person that would marry Snape," Hannah added, quickly becoming comfortable speaking her mind to Rose.
Rose sent Hannah a mischievous look. "Based on your history with my husband, I guess I should take that as a complement."
Hannah smirked. "You should."
"Well if you decide you'd like to come over, the invitation stands and I assure you that Severus will behave himself."