Harry Potter and all associated characters and situations are the property of J.K. Rowling. I make no claim to ownership.

CHAPTER 15: Meet the Longbottoms (pt 1)

AN: Possible Trigger Warning. This chapter and the next are fairly dark compared to what's come before, with some scenes involving violence directed at a small child. No one is actually injured, but it may be disturbing for some readers.

Updated 8/15/2015: Because saying "Neville ... fell on his fanny" means something very different if you're British.

When Neville Longbottom was two years old...

Algie Longbottom was annoyed.

When his children had been young, it had fallen to his late wife, Wendy, to tend to them while he worked long hours building his meager inheritance into a small fortune. Well, to be fair, "meager" and "small" were relative terms. Algie was rather prosperous compared to most wizards, and his inheritance had given him a substantial leg-up in the world. Still, his holdings were nothing compared to the Longbottom estate that went to his older brother, the late Lord Archimedes Francisco "Archie" Longbottom. But that wasn't what annoyed Algie.

Archie married Augusta Crouch ("Gussie" within the family) in 1953. Their son, Frank, was born in December of '57 and displayed his first bit of accidental magic at eighteen months. And that was that as far as Algie was concerned. Archie and Gussie had their Heir Presumptive, so barring mishap, Algie was on his own. With children of his own to feed, he put his nose to the grindstone to build up something for himself and his family, all the while knowing that Little Frank's life was assured. But that wasn't what annoyed Algie.

In 1972, there was a particularly nasty Dragon Pox outbreak that claimed Wendy and Archie both. Due to Frank's age at the time, there was a three month period in which Algie had been called to serve as Regent Longbottom until the boy turned fifteen and could provisionally claim his Lordship. Upon doing so, Lord Francisco Claudius Longbottom shook his uncle's hand warmly and gave him a small brass plaque. "To Algernon Longbottom. In appreciation for services rendered," it read. From that day to the present, the two would talk no more than a dozen times, the last of which was when Frank politely but firmly denied a request to sponsor Algie's son into the Ministry because "his grades just aren't high enough." But that wasn't what annoyed Algie.

In 1981, Death Eaters attacked Longbottom Manor and placed both its Lord and its Lady under the Cruciatus Curse for so long that both of them were driven mad and had to be committed to St. Mungo's. Augusta was named as the custodial guardian to their infant son, Neville, but Wizengamot law decreed that Algie would be the Longbottom Regent. It seemed that arrogant fool Frank hadn't bothered to make a will, and so the Wizengamot had exercised its discretion to appoint Algie as regent because if the boy was a squib or for some reason didn't make it to his fifteenth birthday, Algie was next in line of succession and so should be acquainted with the House's affairs. The most likely scenario, however, was that Algie was now committed to fifteen years of thankless drudgery managing someone else's estates while his own languished. He stoically accepted the regency and then turned control of most of his own businesses over to his son, Reginald, who he hoped was up to the challenge. But that wasn't what annoyed Algie.

What annoyed Algie was that the Brat wouldn't stop crying! He'd grudgingly agreed to take the boy for today because Gussie wanted to visit Frank and Alice in St. Mungo's and felt Neville was too young to go. Unfortunately, Neville was asleep when she dropped him off and so she did not realize that she had left "Ebby" behind. Algie didn't know who or what "Ebby" was and didn't much care, but it was apparently so essential to the Brat's happiness that he'd started crying immediately upon waking up in his playpen and seeing that "Ebby" wasn't there to greet him. And he had been crying for ever an hour now, despite the best efforts of Algie's house elves to entertain him, wailing over and over "Want Ebby!" while Algie tried to ignore the noise and get back to balancing the books for one of the farms he was now managing on the Brat's account.

Then, suddenly, there was a soft pop, and Neville's wailing abruptly ceased. Curious, Algie went down the hall to the living room where Neville and his playpen had been deposited. The boy was still there, giggling softly while clutching a soft black teddy bear with baby blue glass eyes. Neville looked up at Algie and smiled. "Ebby!" he exclaimed.

Algie looked at the bear and then to Neville and then back again. "Naturally," he said quietly. "Lubby, did you or any of the other elves summon that bear?"

"No, Master Algie! Little Master Neville wish really hard for his Ebby and it just come to him!"

"Naturally," said Algie again. "Return to your other duties, all of you. You're not needed here." The three house elves nodded and popped away. Algie stared at the stuffed animal. He remembered it well, of course. Its name wasn't "Ebby." That was just the child's way of saying "Elby," or more accurately "L.B." for Longbottom. Archie Longbottom had owned L.B. when he'd been a child as had his father and grandfather before him. When Archie had turned seven, he decided he was too old for a stuffed bear and gave it to Algie as a birthday present. And when Algie had gotten a little older, he too had put it aside. But even as a child, he hoped he someday he might gift it to children of his own, just as it had been gifted to him.

That hope ended the day Archie had popped in "for a visit" and idly asked if he could get L.B. back as a present for Frank. Algie explained that he'd already given it to his own newborn son, Reginald. Archie replied that, as a newborn, Reginald would hardly miss it. Algie pointedly reminded Archie that he himself had given it to Algie as a birthday gift. Archie answered that it had been a gift he'd made at the age of seven before he'd realized it was something to pass from father to son. Algie answered rather coldly that he hadn't realized that a particular children's toy was somehow magically entailed as part of the Lordship's bounty. Things quickly escalated to shouting on both sides before Algie finally stormed up to his son's nursery, snatched up L.B. and practically threw it at his brother, telling him to get out and he hoped his little monster choked on one of L.B.'s glass eyes. Shocked, Archie left quickly, and the two brothers didn't speak again until the following Christmas, when Archie sent a veritable flock of stuffed animals for both Reginald and his newborn sister Enid (but not L.B., of course) and a letter of apology to Algie.

For the sake of his children, who he thought might someday need the support of the Lord of House Longbottom, Algie accepted the apology, and his relations with Archie mostly mended. But he never forgot the incident and what it meant. That he would always be the second brother, entitled to nothing from the Longbottom name save a lump sum financial payment left to him purely out of a vague sense of parental obligation. No estates. No trust vaults. No heirlooms. Not even a stuffed teddy bear to pass on to his son.

And now, the final insult – Neville was indisputably a wizard. And Algie was the witness for it. Because he'd just seen the Brat summon L.B. through accidental magic, presumably all the way from Longbottom Manor in Lancashire. Neville was a wizard, and so Neville was the Heir Presumptive, and thus Algie's lot in life now was to manage Neville's estates and assets until the Brat was old enough to claim them for himself, at which point he would probably give Algie a brass plaque to match the other one Frank had given him years before.

Algie stared for a long time at the adorable infant and his stuffed bear. And then, something inside him snapped like a twig in a heavy ice storm. "No. No, you little brat, it won't be that easy for you. And I certainly won't let you beat me with the help of that thing. EVANESCO!" There was a flash as the teddy bear vanished out of Neville's arms, startling the child. But before he could start crying again, Algie's wand flashed a second time. "OBLIVIATE! You will forget about Ebby. You will forget that you ever had a bear that looked anything like Ebby." He paused as a vicious gleam came into his eyes. "But you will remember that there was once something you loved that you have now lost forever. And you will remember that the reason you lost it because you wished for it too hard!"

Little Neville shook his head for a few seconds and then crawled over to play with some blocks, with a strange look on his face, as if he were sad but didn't know why. Later, when Augusta returned, Algie told her that Neville had been a perfect angel and that she shouldn't hesitate to ask him to babysit whenever she needed a break. He also reminded her to be on the lookout for signs of accidental magic because Neville was getting to that age.

The next day, Algie went to Flourish & Botts and purchased several books on squibs and the latest theories about what caused them.

When Neville was three years old ...

Algie had been visiting Longbottom Manor for a week, as was his right as Longbottom Regent. On the fourth day there, he was in a sitting room reading the Daily Prophet when he felt a small hand tug on his pants leg. It was the Brat.

"Well, hello there, little Neville!" Algie said with false kindness. "What can I do for you?"

"Will you read Baba Rab to me, Unca Algie?"

"Babbity Rabbit, you mean? Well where is it, Neville?"

"Baba Rab on da shelf in lie-berry," the child replied.

"Why don't you show me?" Algie asked.

And with that, the toddler led his great-uncle to the nearby library, where Neville pointed to a book on a middle shelf. Algie noted that the bookshelf was freestanding instead of mounted to the wall, and his eyes gleamed.

"Oh, that's not too high, Neville. You can reach it. Show me how big and brave you are, just like your dad was." Algie smiled at Neville, who looked back up at the tall shelf nervously. Then, he waddled over and, after a bit of hesitation, tried to climb up to the third shelf. Just he reached the edge where the Babbity Rabbit book was, Algie pulled out his wand.

"This is for you, Reginald," he whispered as he cast a spell at the heavy bookcase, which suddenly tipped over onto Neville. The toddler fell to the floor with the bookcase poised to crush him ... when suddenly it froze in mid-fall and then tipped back into place, with all the books and knick-knacks that had been on it snapping back into place as if they'd never moved. All except the Babbity Rabbit book which Neville proudly clutched in his hands.

Algie stared at Neville with his eyes wide in astonishment. Then, from some distance away, he heard Augusta call out. "Algie, what was that noise? Is Neville getting into mischief."

"It was nothing, Gussie." Then, he hissed out a strong Memory Charm to make Neville forget what had just happened, followed maliciously by a mild Stinging Hex on the boy's bottom. Neville soon began crying. Just as Algie put his wand away, Augusta came around the corner. "It looks like Neville tried to climb up the bookshelf to get his Babbity Rabbit book and then fell on his bum. No harm done."

Augusta swept into the room and picked the child up off the floor to console him. "Neville, I've told you! Don't try to climb the furniture! You could have pulled the whole thing down on your head! Get someone to hand you things you can't reach!"

"Or perhaps even summon them to you with magic," said Algie brightly, but Augusta just gave him a dirty look, while Neville sobbed softly. "Oh, don't give me that look, Gussie. The boy's three. Frank had toys flying around the room at that age. Has he shown any signs of accidental magic at all?"

She hesitated. "No, but he's still a child, Algie."

"Well, he won't be one forever, Augusta. If he hasn't shown any magic by the time he's four, we may need to..." He hesitated as Augusta gave him a nearly homicidal glare and then smiled winningly at the child and his guardian. "Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I suppose."

When Neville was four years old ...

It was a beautiful spring day as little Neville Longbottom dashed across a sunlight field in pursuit of a brilliant colorful butterfly. It was no ordinary butterfly, however. Indeed, it was no butterfly at all, but an illusion created and controlled by Algie, who watched from a distance as the butterfly construct danced and wove just out of Neville's reach. Step by step, the butterfly led Neville closer and closer to Greenhouse 4. The whole Longbottom family had come for a weekend getaway at the summer home in Wales which was situated on a working farm where various magical plants and animals were raised. Greenhouse 4 was a large secured structure where the dangerous plants were housed, plants that were poisonous, carnivorous or both. Normally, Greenhouse 4 was kept locked down, but unfortunately, Catesby, the Chief Gardener, was getting on in years and didn't always remember to lock up completely. Particularly not after he had been hit with a Confundus Curse, which was why the door was currently wide open.

The magical butterfly continued its flight, leading little Neville straight into Greenhouse 4. Algie took a deep breath and braced himself for the screams. "It's all for you, Reginald," he whispered. But the screams never came. Instead, he could barely hear a soft, childish ... giggling? Swiftly, he ran to Greenhouse 4 and through the doorway. Inside, he was stunned by the scene, as Neville was laughing in delight while two Devil's Snares tossed him back and forth and caught him as if they were playing a game! And in the background, an entire row of Venomous Tentacula were brushing their vines back and forth against each other as if they were ... clapping?!

Algie wiped his eyes as though he might be hallucinating. Then, he drew Neville to his arms with a Summoning Charm. At that point, the plants of Greenhouse 4 registered their disapproval by lashing out towards Algie with a dozen deadly vines. He slammed the door shut and then hit it with his strongest locking spell as the aggressive plants bashed against the door repeatedly.

"That was fun!" said Neville gleefully. Algie looked down at his excited nephew who seemed no worse the wear for his time spent surrounded by some of the deadliest plants in the world. He snarled at the boy.

"OBLIVIATE!"

When Neville Longbottom was seven...

Algie watched from a distance through his omnoculars as Augusta led her grandson down the Blackpool Promenade. His birthday had coincided with a weekend, so she had taken the boy to Blackpool to see the Muggle zoo and amusement park and to reminisce about days gone by. Her first date with Archie was to Blackpool Tower the summer after their Fifth Year. Decades later, Frank had carried Alice to Blackpool for their honeymoon.

It had been a long hot day, so Augusta and Neville stopped off at a malt shop and then sat down at a table outside to drink their milkshakes. After a few seconds, Augusta leaned over to her grandson. "Neville, I need to step into the lady's powder room for just a few minutes. Can I trust you to wait right here till I get back?"

"Yes, Gran," he said respectfully.

Wrapped up in Notice-Me-Not and Muggle-Repelling Charms, Algie glided through the Muggle crowd like a shark until he was standing behind the oblivious Neville. He placed his wand just behind the boy's head. "OBLIVIATE," he whispered. "Your grandmother has stepped away for a while but she said to wait for your Uncle Algie to come for you." Neville's head wavered back and forth for a few seconds. Then, Algie tapped him on the shoulder, and the boy jerked in surprise and then looked up at his great-uncle and regent.

"Un...uncle Algie! I ... didn't see you there," the boy said timidly. Algie smiled. If nothing else, all the Memory Charms were wrecking the boy's confidence.

"Quite alright, my boy. But we need to move along now. We're in a bit of a hurry."

"But Gran..."

"She knows where we're going and will catch us up. Now don't dawdle!"

With that, the boy stood up and took Algie's hand. The older wizard led the boy away quickly before his grandmother could return. A few minutes later, they were walking down Blackpool Pier taking in the sights. At the end of the pier, Algie put up some stronger Muggle-Repelling Charms to keep anyone from interfering.

"Now, Neville, I've brought you here for a very important reason. Can you guess what it is?"

The boy shook his head no.

"Well, today is your seventh birthday, and that's a very important magical number. You see, it's very unusual and very troubling that you haven't shown any magic yet. Your Gran is afraid that you might be a squib, and as your regent, that's something I have to be concerned about. Do you know what a squib is, Neville?"

The boy nodded sadly. "It's a wizarding child with no magic. Does ... does Gran really think I'm a squib?"

"Yes, Neville, she's told me so many times. But if you're very brave, we can prove her wrong. Can you be brave for me? Just like your mum and dad were?"

The boy nodded again, this time urgently. "I'll do whatever you say if it will show I have magic, Uncle Algie."

"Good, good. Now, one last question, Neville. Can you swim?"

The boy barely had time shake his head no before Algie snatched him up and threw him off the pier. Neville hit the water with a loud splash and immediately cried out, but with the charms Algie had set up, no one could hear him.

"It's all right, Neville, don't panic. Just relax and let the magic happen." Algie smiled at the drowning boy. That was, of course, the worst possible advice to give to a drowning wizarding child, as accidental magic was most likely to occur while the child was in a state of panic. Of course, it was unlikely the boy could even hear Algie over the pounding surf washing over him, filling his mouth and nose with sea water. Neville's head went under water once, twice, thrice ... and then suddenly, his whole body rose out of the water, lifted on a swirling water spout. Neville coughed out some sea water and then looked around in amazement.

"I'm doing it, Uncle Algie! I'm doing magic!" he cried out joyfully.

"Naturally," muttered Algie. Then, he gave a casual flick of his wand and whispered the word "LACERO," and a Cutting Curse sliced clean through the bottom of the water spout, disrupting it. Neville yelled in a panic as he plunged back into the churning waters of the Irish Sea. He bobbed back up after a few seconds, coughing up sea water once more.

"Uncle Algie! Help!"

"It's alright, lad. You're doing fine!" He wasn't, of course. The boy was clearly on the verge of drowning. Then, to Algie's consternation, the boy started rising up out of the water again! Algie prepared another Cutting Curse, when he was distracted by a woman's voice screaming Neville's name. He turned around and saw Augusta running as fast as she could towards the end of the pier her wand already out. The wizard cursed her timing. He could destroy the second waterspout, but there was no way the boy would drown before Gussie arrived to save him. He turned back to Neville and instead hit him with a Memory Charm just strong enough to erase the last few minutes. Then, he loudly exclaimed "ACCIO NEVILLE LONGBOTTOM!" The dazed child shot up out of the collapsing water spout into his arms, where he rested for barely a second before a furious Augusta tore Neville away from him.

"WHAT IN MERLIN'S NAME DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" she screamed at Algie.

"Calm yourself, Gussie, I had the situation perfectly under control," said Algie smoothly.

"Under control?! You were trying to drown him!"

"I was placing the boy in an admittedly threatening situation but under controlled circumstances in the hopes that he would call upon his magic to save himself. Several of my friends growing up first revealed their magic from being thrown into the deep end, as it were. It's as good a way to learn to swim as any, I think. Sadly, it's been seven years and not even the threat of drowning has made his magic manifest. I know you're the boy's guardian and you care for him a great deal, as do I. But I am the Regent Longbottom. I have responsibilities to the entire family that trump my feelings for one little boy who is tragically disabled."

"I don't want you anywhere near Neville ever again, Algie," Augusta said coldly.

"I don't think that's your decision to make, Gussie. Not unless you wish to challenge my regency before the Wizengamot, and I don't think they're likely to take the side of a seven-year-old with no magic." He took a step towards her as she hugged the shivering boy. "You forget who you're speaking to, Gussie. And you forget by whose grace you're allowed to remain at Longbottom Manor."

"Sometimes, Regent, I don't think you're that concerned about the family at all. Sometimes, I think you're still just holding a childish grudge over Archie's old teddy bear."

Algie's eyes flashed dangerously. Then, he smiled. "If you disapprove of my methods of getting the boy to show his magic, then come up with your own. After all," he continued mercilessly while staring right into Neville's eyes, "you think he's a squib as much as I do. Now, I suggest you take the boy home for some dry clothes. He'll catch his death out here like this." Algie smiled once more and then apparated away.

The next update will post sometime between 4pm and 6 pm on Monday, June 1, 2015.