Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, not me.
Chapter Fifteen: Keep the Dream Alive
"The formula is in the cabinet next to the sink – make sure you remember to warm the bottle with your wand before you give it to him. There are extra nappies in the cupboard off the kitchen, next to the baby food. If you need – "
"Ginny, stop," Neville said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I've got this; I know what I'm doing, honestly."
Sighing, Ginny slumped into a chair. "I still can't believe I have to be separated from him for a whole week."
"You have to go take your N.E.W.T.s; we'll be fine. Your mum will have him most of the day anyway while I'm at work," Neville said. He checked his watch. "Your Portkey is scheduled to leave in ten minutes."
"I'm going to fail everything," she said miserably. Neville thought this was highly unlikely – she had been studying constantly. He had even caught her reading her Transfiguration notes aloud to James as though she were trying to pass them off as a bedtime story.
"You're going to do wonderfully, Ginny, and the Healers will be lucky to have you," Neville said sincerely.
Ginny smiled slightly and went to kiss James goodbye. He gurgled happily from his spot on the rug, and Ginny reluctantly shouldered her bags and grabbed the water goblet Portkey. Neville quickly kissed her, and then she was gone.
James started to cry, startled by the sudden disappearance of his mother. Neville walked with him a bit and stuck his dummy in his mouth, and he soon calmed down. Heading to the kitchen, he fixed a bottle for James and made himself a sandwich for lunch.
About an hour later, Neville heard the sound of an Apparation outside and tried to remember if someone had told him they were coming over. Looking through the peephole, he could see Ron standing on the stoop. Smiling, he held James carefully in one arm while opening the door with the other.
"'Lo, Neville," Ron said cheerfully as he entered the house. "I figured you could use some company, and as it's Sunday and I have time off before our performance reviews, I thought I'd stop by." He seemed to be holding something behind his back, and Neville strained to see.
His eyes widened at the sight of the object. "Ron, no. Ginny'll kill me," he said firmly.
"But no one will see over your hedge, and I won't take him very high. Ginny never has to know," Ron said, brandishing his broomstick. "Besides, he's bound to be a natural flier."
"Maybe eventually, but right now he's five months old. He can't even sit up by himself. Look." Neville set James on the rug, where he promptly flopped onto his stomach. "See?"
"Oh fine," Ron said, chuckling. "But as soon as he's old enough to fly, I want to take him first."
"If you can convince Ginny of that, be my guest," Neville said, waving his hand dismissively. "Merlin knows I haven't gone near a broom since first year."
"So Ginny's gone for a whole week, then?" Ron asked, obviously sensing that the broomstick issue was now closed.
Neville nodded. "James and I are meeting her in Hogsmeade on Saturday to celebrate. We've never really taken him out in public before, so it should be interesting."
Ron rubbed his chin thoughtfully and nodded. "Still, I'm sure Ginny's classmates will want to see him. Colin will probably take lots of pictures for you."
"Great, just what we need," Neville said with a grin as he gestured to the mantle. About a dozen photographs of James in his various stages of life thus far were displayed prominently.
Ron snorted. "Well anyway…up for some chess? James can watch – he may be too young to fly but it's never too early to learn wizard chess."
Hogsmeade village was more crowded than usual, as it was a relatively sunny day by Scottish standards. Neville had abandoned the pram in favor of Hermione's baby carrier. He received several strange looks, but he didn't particularly care. It just felt good to be back in Hogsmeade.
"Neville! Hi!" Neville turned to see Colin Creevey hurrying down the street. He broke away from the other seventh years he had been walking with and approached Neville excitedly. His camera was bouncing around on its neckstrap, and he was wearing the bug-eyed expression typical of students who have just taken N.E.W.T.s.
"Ginny and Luna will be along soon; Ginny had to finish packing," Colin said breathlessly. He peered at the carrier. "Is that the baby? Can I see him?"
Feeling it would be useless to argue, Neville nodded and moved to the side of the street. He took a rather sleepy James out of the carrier so Colin could get a better look at him.
"Showing off the baby already, Neville?" Ginny said with a grin as she walked briskly up the street, Luna trailing behind. She kissed Neville as a means of hello before snatching up James. "Mummy's missed you so much!" she squealed, kissing his nose. James giggled as Colin's camera flashed.
"He has green eyes," Luna stated as she examined the baby. Neville groaned inwardly, but Colin didn't pick up on it.
As more Hogwarts students filtered into the village for their last Hogsmeade visit, Neville and Ginny found themselves surrounded. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to catch a glimpse of James. All the attention made Neville nervous, but Ginny handled the crowd well. She refused to let anyone else hold him, but she allowed several fourth-year girls to touch his cheeks and tickle him. Neville didn't get it – one would have thought none of them had seen a baby before.
James got cranky after awhile; he wasn't used to so much attention. Ginny excused herself politely and took the baby carrier from Neville. She started for the Three Broomsticks, and Neville followed with both her bags and the baby bag.
Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Madam Pomfrey, and Hagrid were at the Three Broomsticks, clearly enjoying the end of the school year. To Neville's surprise, Ginny approached their table to introduce James. She was greeted with smiles all around, even from McGonagall. In fact, when Neville looked closer, it seemed as though McGonagall had tears in her eyes.
As Neville struggled to untangle himself from the various bags, he heard Professor Flitwick inquire about James's age.
"A little over five months, Professor. He was born on January twelfth," Ginny responded. Though Neville suspected all present knew the truth of the matter, he could still see Hagrid, at least, calculating the dates in his head.
"You named him for his grandfather, then?" Professor McGonagall asked quietly.
Ginny paused, then gave a quick nod. "Yes. And for Professor Dumbledore, of course."
At the mention of the deceased Headmaster, Hagrid broke into a choked sob. Madam Pomfrey handed him a handkerchief, and he blew his nose loudly.
McGonagall quickly wiped her own eyes. "You have much to be proud of, Miss Weas – that is, Mrs. Longbottom," she said, acknowledging Neville with a nod. "I trust your N.E.W.T.s went well?"
"Yes, thank you, Professor. I'm glad I was able to come back to take them," Ginny said.
James began to squirm, and Ginny quickly grabbed his baby bag from Neville. "If you'll excuse me, he needs a fresh nappy." She wove her way through the crowd to reach the back of the pub, leaving Neville standing awkwardly around his former professors.
"Professor Sprout tells me you work at St. Mungo's now, Neville," McGonagall stated.
"Yes, in the Herbology Department. I really enjoy it," Neville said, beaming just a little. It felt good to be able to talk about his career success with the woman who was his old Professor and the current Headmistress.
McGonagall smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. Your parents would have been very proud – of everything you have done. You are a very honorable young man, Mr. Longbottom."
Neville blushed and murmured his thanks. In all honesty, he wasn't sure why people kept telling him how noble he was. He had only done what anyone would do for a friend, hadn't he?
Ginny returned then, and everyone took a turn holding James. They were all very complimentary but managed to be somewhat discreet in their praise. McGonagall had said only that James looked "like Lily," her voice so soft as to be almost inaudible.
James was lost in Hagrid's arms as the big man cradled him carefully. "It does my heart good ter see 'im," he said gruffly. The others all nodded.
Neville could tell Ginny was close to tears as she said her goodbyes. He picked up all three bags once more and moved towards the fireplace. With one last wave, he followed Ginny home.
Ginny had been granted an interview for the Healer program, so Neville had taken the afternoon off to watch a now six-month old James. Molly and Arthur were in Romania visiting Charlie, and Mr. Marks had let Neville leave work early. Neville had taken the opportunity to invite his gran for tea, since he felt somewhat guilty about leaving her alone.
"I still think this house has lost much of its charm, Neville," Gran said by way of greeting as she stepped through the fireplace. By "charm," Neville supposed she meant the purple and gold floral wallpaper and lavender shag carpeting he and Ron had removed.
"Hello Gran. If you can hold James for a minute I'll go get the tea," he said.
She set her large red handbag on a burgundy armchair and took the baby. James immediately made a grab for her hat, but she was quick to stop his hand.
Neville returned with the tea and a tin of chocolate biscuits. He put James in his playpen to prevent him from grabbing anything in reach. James liked to pull at buttons and loose strings, and Neville also knew there was a good chance he'd try for one of the biscuits.
"So Ginevra is going to train as a Healer?" his gran asked, taking one lump of sugar for her tea.
"That's what her interview is for, yeah. Her N.E.W.T.s were excellent – all Outstandings except for an Exceeds Expectations in Potions – but she's worried they might not accept her, because of James," Neville said with a glance at the playpen.
"They shouldn't hold that against her. Your mother had you and she was an Auror," his gran replied. Neville was glad, at least, that she didn't seem to think Ginny should stay home and tend to the house and the baby full time.
"Besides," Gran continued, "I'm sure Molly is willing to mind James during the day, and I, of course, would be more than happy to as well."
Neville nearly dropped his teacup. "Really?"
"Naturally. I'm not as young as I once was, surely, but – " She paused and peered at Neville carefully, looking very much like the cunning vulture perched on her hat. "You think I wouldn't help with James because he is not technically related to me?"
His face flushed, Neville bowed his head and nodded.
Gran made a tutting noise with her tongue. "That doesn't matter, Neville. I only questioned that originally because I thought you perhaps mistakenly believed the child was yours by blood, and I'm still sorry you felt the need to hide the truth from me for so long," she said, shaking her head. "You have done what few young men would do and willingly claimed the child of another man as your own. You have proven that family and love matter more than blood, and if there is one thing living through war has taught me it is that."
She paused and rose from her chair to pick up James. He was chewing on Kitty's purple ribbon with his three teeth, one of which had only emerged the day before and was still causing considerable torment. Neville smiled at him, and he giggled in return.
"You love him; I can see it," his gran continued. "He is your son, and I will always regard him as such." She took Kitty out of James's mouth and situated him more comfortably on her lap. "I actually found something you might find interesting; it's in my handbag."
Neville retrieved the handbag and handed it to his gran. She rifled through it with one hand, finally holding out what looked like a small, rectangular piece of parchment. Neville took it and gasped.
It was a photograph of four smiling young adults – his parents and Harry's parents. Frank and James each had an arm around their respective wife, and both Alice and Lily were visibly pregnant. Neville flipped the picture over; it was dated April 1980. He figured it must have been taken at an Order meeting. He watched as his mother kissed his father's cheek and was forced to look away.
It wasn't fair. They all looked so happy, so hopeful…but within two years after this picture had been taken two would be dead and the other two as good as dead. He wiped his nose on his shirt sleeve as hot tears rolled down his cheeks.
His gran set James in his arms and kissed his forehead. Neville felt oddly comforted by the strong baby smell of powder and milk, and he could feel his gran's eyes on him. "You remind me so much of them," she said wistfully.
"I-I always thought I wasn't as good a wizard as my dad…or my mum, for that matter," he mumbled.
"You were a late bloomer, Neville, but you've grown to be the strong young man I knew you could be," she said simply.
Neville glanced down at the picture briefly, thinking of something Ginny had told him months ago. "It could have been me, you know," he said suddenly. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to tell his gran this after all this time.
His gran looked at him perplexedly. "What are you talking about?"
"The 'Chosen One.' It could have been me…there was this prophecy about a boy with parents who had stood up against Voldemort, who would be born at the end of July, and he would be the one who could defeat Voldemort, in the end. Harry was born the day after me, his parents were in the Order of the Phoenix like Mum and Dad were…except Voldemort chose him, he marked him as his enemy when Harry got his scar. But…it could have been me," he finished, breathing rather heavily.
Neither of them spoke for several minutes. His gran just stared at him, as though she couldn't quite believe what she had just heard. James squirmed in Neville's arms and babbled a bit, grabbing at Neville's shirt pocket. Taking his hand, Neville gently adjusted James so that nothing was in his reach.
This slight disturbance seemed to shake his gran out of her thoughts. "I do hope you don't wish it had been you, Neville. You are just as much of a hero…just one of a different thread," she said finally, her voice uncharacteristically quiet. "You were the one who stepped in to guard Harry's weak side."
Neville looked down at James again, who had managed to grab the photograph and was waving it around. Catching his arm, Neville carefully took the picture from him and smoothed the edges. James looked at him, wide-eyed and innocent, and everything suddenly became clear. Neville looked at the picture again, feeling he had gained a new understanding. They had all given their lives – Frank, Alice, James, Lily…Harry – in defense of those they cared about, in defense of those things which truly mattered.
"You were there, too, Gran," Neville said softly. "To protect my parents' weak side…me."
There are all sorts of heroes in this world, Neville thought later as he watched Ginny play with James. Some sacrifice themselves for the greater good, and some are there to pick up the pieces and make the world whole again. If Neville did greater things with his life, it was because he was standing on the shoulders of those who had fought for what is right…on the shoulders of his parents…on the shoulders of Harry…on the shoulders of giants.
Ginny located a frame for the picture, which found a place on the mantle next to James's baby photos and their wedding photo and the picture of the Gryffindor boys in Neville's year.
"It's a reminder," she had said upon viewing the photograph for the first time. "It's a reminder that despite everything, one can always find hope…and life."
Neville picked up James and held the baby in front of the mantle, Ginny standing behind him with her arms wrapped around his waist. "You'll do them proud, James," he said quietly. "You'll do us all proud."
A/N: The end...for now. There is an epilogue, which will be posted sometime after Deathly Hallows comes out. I hope you all have enjoyed this story, and I would love to hear your comments. Thanks for reading!