Frank broached the subject of helping out more regularly at the greenhouses with Neville the same day. Neville saw an expression of interest and expectation painted clearly on his father's face, which was an improvement on the impassive face he usually wore when he was mooching around the house, under occupied and bored, and Neville did not have the heart to refuse his request. The healers at St Mungo's had said that although Frank and Alice were fit enough to be discharged he should not expect them to be completely cured. It was important that circumstances did not arise which might lead to a setback. Neville had spent years waiting for the return of his parents, and he did not want to lose them again, or be the cause of a relapse when he could do something to prevent it.
He smiled at this father, "Of course you can, Dad" he said, "It's nice that a member of the family is asking. Gran's never shown much interest. Sometimes I think she is disappointed in my choice of career."
"My mother can be a hard person to please," agreed Frank, "but she'll always stand by family – she helped out yesterday with the Devil's Trumpet, didn't she?"
"Yes," concurred Neville instantly, "you all did. You don't know how glad I am that I have family I can rely on."
"I do know," said Frank seriously, "Your mother and I have relied on our family for years. When I say how much we value the loyalty of you and my mother, I know I speak for Alice as well as myself."
A third voice entered the conversation. "What are you speaking for me about?" asked Alice who had just come into the room and looked questioningly at Frank.
"How much we have appreciated our family recently," he repeated.
Alice nodded in agreement. She was carrying a large selection of books and Neville said, "A bit of light reading there Mum?"
Alice held up one of the books saying, "I'm trying to find out more about the imps we found yesterday. This one doesn't tell me much." She read out the title. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander."
Frank took the book from her. "This was a standard text when I was at school," he said
"And for me," said Neville. "What do you want to know about imps?" he asked his mother.
"How to look after them," replied Alice, "if they really do influence the growth of plants, we should take care of them, at least until we are sure if they do or don't."
Neville reached out for the books she was holding. She passed them to him and he quickly read the titles and skimmed the contents pages. "None of these cover the care of imps," he said. "There's a lot of information about how to get rid of them."
Alice sighed, "Yes, I've noticed that too."
"I can't remember where I read the bit about the plant influencing imp," said Neville in slight frustration. "Perhaps it was at Hogwarts or maybe I'm misremembering. Imps are considered pests by farmers, you know, so there's no reason why anyone would want to keep them as pets. There's only one person I know who would think that a dangerous animal could be a pet." Neville's eyes lit up, "Of course," he said excitedly "Hagrid! If anyone has ever tried to keep imps it would be him!"
"Hagrid?" questioned Alice.
"The game keeper at Hogwarts," Frank explained. "You weren't at Hogwarts for long, Alice, so might not remember Rubeus Hagrid."
"Rubeus? Of course I remember Rubeus – he was in the Order of the Phoenix with us. I'd forgotten most people called him Hagrid," Alice said huffily. "Do you know him from Hogwarts?" she asked Neville.
"Yes," confirmed Neville, "and he was a teacher for a while on Care of Magical Creatures.
"I expect he enjoyed that," said Frank, "I remember we would often go to his cottage to see what ferocious animal he had."
"He wasn't really a very good teacher," said Neville, feeling a little disloyal. "One year we spent the whole time looking after something called skrewts. I've never heard of them before or since. Hermione was always convinced he'd cross bred them from something."
"Does he still work at Hogwarts?" Alice asked Neville.
"No, he got married to a professor from Beauxbatons, Madame Maxime – I'm not sure what they are up to now." Neville thought for a minute. "I could send him an owl and ask if he knows anything about the care of imps."
"Yes please," said Alice. "It'll take a couple of days before he replies, won't it? In the meantime I'll do what I can for the imps. How are they?" she asked Neville, "Did you check on them today?"
"I put in some fresh water and maggots into the hutch," replied Neville, "but other than that, no – I was busy with my plants."
Augusta entered the kitchen and she heard the tail end of the conversation. "What are you doing about the imps?" she asked.
"I'm going to look after them," announced Alice.
"I shall help Neville in the greenhouses," Frank told her.
"And the fields," added Neville.
Augusta glanced over at Neville and caught his eye. She knew how much he valued the time he spent working on his own in the greenhouses and fields, it was why she rarely visited or interfered when he was at work. Neville kept eye contact and gave a wry smile and a slight shrug. Augusta's heart filled with love for her grandson – how considerate and caring he was to put the needs of others above his own. A characteristic he shared with her late husband and which he had amply demonstrated at Hogwarts during Voldemort's second rising.
If Augusta had known during Neville's last year at Hogwarts how much physical abuse and punishment he had been taking at the hands of the evil Carrow siblings - the teachers of the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies - she would have removed him from school despite the law that made attendance compulsory. It was only when the Death Eaters had sent that incompetent fool, Dawlish, to try to kidnap her to ensure Neville's good behaviour that she had learned how bad things were at Hogwarts. After the failed kidnap attempt she had spent a few weeks on the run and in hiding, which was exiting in its own way but played havoc with her back and she had longed for her own bed. When the call came for help at the Battle of Hogwarts Augusta was the first to respond. She had fought alongside the students and teachers who had stayed to defend the school.
The wizard world owed its survival to that ragtag band of resistance fighters and in no small way to her grandson Neville. Even when Voldemort had thought he had won the day, Neville was the only person with the courage to defy him and refuse to surrender. Voldemort had summoned the Sorting Hat, forced Neville into a body bind, pulled the hat over Neville's head and set it afire. Augusta had been about to attack Voldemort herself, regardless of the consequences, in order to save her grandson. But Voldemort had been distracted by the arrival of a large army of defenders and had stopped -looking at Neville, but Augusta hadn't. Neville broke free of the body bind, the hat fell from his head - to Augusta's relief the fire had not burned him – perhaps the hat was charmed to protect the wearer. Augusta had watched as Neville reached into the hat and pulled out a silver sword with a ruby handle – the sword of Gryffindor! Her grandson was considered worthy enough to wield the sword of Gryffindor – the greatest sword that had ever been forged – an honour given to only a handful of wizards over the ages.
Neville had known why the sword had come to him and what to use it for, she had seen how he had lifted the sword in a graceful arc above his head, he had taken a smooth step towards Voldemort's giant snake, Nagini, and with one swift stroke and a flash of red on silver from the dawn sun struggling to light up the day, the blade of the sword sliced through the snake's head like a hot knife through cold butter, and the head of the snake sailed through the air and landed with a soft thud a short distance from Voldemort's feet. Those who had watched Neville were stunned into silence, Augusta observed Neville defiantly standing by the snake's body, the ruby handle glowing in his hand and the point of the sword resting on the ground where he had followed through the killing stroke.
The tableau was broken as Voldemort screamed in anger and threw a killing curse at Neville. Augusta had simultaneously raised her wand to protect her grandson but someone else had been quicker and a strong shield charm was erected between Neville and Voldemort, cast by Harry Potter. Augusta had barely been aware of the final duel between Voldemort and Harry that followed. She rushed over to Neville and led him away from the danger zone. When the duel was over, Augusta had let Neville accept his own accolades and enjoy his moment in the sun.
Now, today, she saw again the selfless young man shine through and she couldn't have been more proud of him.
A few days later Neville, Frank and Alice were at work in Neville's small holding. Alice was tending to the imps – the wizards had yet to see evidence that the imps could influence the growth of plants – but she was not ready to give up. She enjoyed having something to look after and have a responsibility for. As the imps didn't appear to be causing any harm Neville did not try to stop her work with the imps. Frank was pruning and weeding in the same greenhouse as Alice. Neville was working in the field, stripped to his waist in the warm summer sunshine and he worked his way up and down the rows of plants in the field. Jack was dozing in the shade of the hedges along the edge of the field. Neville did not regret agreeing to his parents' offer of help – he could still enjoy his own space by allocating tasks in different parts of the small holding, although he had noticed that his parents preferred to work near to each other.
Neville heard a sharp cracking sound that heralded the arrival of a visitor by apparation. He paused in his work to see who had arrived. At the top end of the field he was working in he could see that two people had appeared, even at this distance he could tell they were well above average height. He walked briskly along the rows of plants towards the visitors pulling on his T shirt as he went with Jack trotting alongside him. Neville noticed his parents had come out of the greenhouse and go over to the new arrivals and were dwarfed when they stood next to them.
"Hagrid!" Neville shouted when he was within earshot. Neville had got to know Hagrid well during his last year at Hogwarts, while Harry was on the run. Hagrid had never shirked from joining Neville in performing acts of low level insubordination.
"Neville!" replied Hagrid striding towards him, the two men met and Neville found himself engulfed in a bear hug from the larger man. He briefly returned the hug and stood back to look at Hagrid. His hair and beard were neatly trimmed and he no longer had the wild appearance he had when at Hogwarts. He was smiling broadly and his black eyes twinkled under his heavy brow. He was dressed in trousers and a light cotton shirt which suited the warm day.
"You remember Olympe, don't yer Neville?" Hagrid said proudly indicating the dark haired giant of a woman standing slightly behind him.
"Of course I do," replied Neville, holding out his hand, "I am pleased to meet you again, Madame."
Olympe gripped his hand and gave a firm hand shake. "Ze pleasure is all mine, Neveel," she replied with a light French accent. "Eet is always an 'onour to meet ze other 'eroes of ze Battle of 'Ogwarts. I am, of course, married to one of zem."
Hagrid blushed and announced proudly, "Olympe is me wife now."
"Congratulations," Neville replied sincerely. Noticing his parents were now a few steps behind Hagrid, he introduced them. "These are my parents, Alice and Frank. Mum and Dad this is Hagrid and Olympe."
"Alice and Frank Longbottom?" repeated Hagrid. "Yer got out of St Mungo's then?"
"Rubeus!" Olympe reprimanded him.
"Sorry Olympe," mumbled Hagrid and Neville observed that Hagrid's wife influenced more than just his appearance.
Frank and Alice did not appear to be upset by the reference to their past and Frank replied, "Yes and we have no wish to return."
"Hagrid," said Neville, "did you get my owl?"
"Yeh, that's why we're here," he said.
"You could have replied by owl, you didn't have to come in person." Neville said but Hagrid's smile started to fade and he added quickly, "Of course I'm delighted to see you but I didn't want to put you out."
"Ahh it's no bother, Neville," said Hagrid, "Me and Olympe are on our holidays, it's great to have an excuse to come and see yer." He looked around, "Now where are these imps you asked me about?"
"They're in the greenhouse," Alice told him. Hagrid followed her inside, ducking to get through the doorway. Once inside he could stand upright as long as he didn't go too close to the walls where the roof was lower. Olympe remained outside so as not to crowd out the greenhouse, Frank kept her company. Neville ordered Jack to stay with Frank (the dog was likely to upset the imps) and he went inside with Alice and Hagrid. The imps were in a timber hutch at the far end of the building, Hagrid walked carefully between the narrow aisles to avoid damaging the plants. There wasn't enough room for Hagrid to crouch down in front of the hutch so he asked Alice to get one of the imps out and give it to him."
Alice opened the hutch door just enough to get her hand in, she made a soft cooing noise and one of the imps sat on her hand.
"I didn't know you were already training them" Neville said.
"Only this one," said Alice, "the others are still scared of me." She gave the imp to Hagrid who handled it with a gentleness that belied the size of his hands.
He lifted it up so that he could see it and slowly turned it around so he could examine it from all angles, finally he gave his verdict, "ye've go a rare one here, Neville. This one is a Marsh Blue."
"It's not blue," Alice pointed out.
"Nah – they're called blues 'cos yer see 'em once in a blue moon." Hagrid said.
"Can they affect the growth of plants?" Neville asked.
"Dunno, mebbee," said Hagrid. "Imps is just vermin so wizards don't tek much notice of 'em, 'cept to kill 'em when they's being troublesome." Neville shifted uncomfortably as that reminder of his own behaviour. Still carefully holding the imp, Hagrid tried to peer into the hutch. "What yer got in there for them to live in?" he asked Alice.
"Grass, stones and twigs," she replied.
"Well, that ain't much good – these imps is marsh creatures, they like warm damp places and it's far too small."
"Oh no," said Alice in dismay. "I was just trying to replicate the conditions outside. I hope I haven't harmed them!"
"They'll be a'right for a while," Hagrid assured her. "Now I'll make 'em a proper enclosure." He gave the imp back to Alice who held it as she watched Hagrid withdraw a wand from his pocket. He thought for a moment before casting a spell at the end wall of the greenhouse.
Neville looked on in alarm. Hagrid's wand had been confiscated by the Ministry of Magic when he was still at school. His attempts to do magic since then had not met with success. A stream of blue came out of the end of his wand and spread over the glass panels of the greenhouse wall. The glass softened and stretched outwards as if being formed into a clear bulb by a skilled glass blower. Hagrid moved his wand with finesse and formed a dome shaped protrusion from the end of the greenhouse. Alice observed him calmly, having no reason to be cautious of his skill. Once the glass was shaped to his satisfaction he cast another spell and a door formed at the entrance to the dome. "That's so as you can git in and out," he told Alice. "Yer'll need to keep the door shut, imps can be great at escaping. Next I'll make a marsh for them to live in."
"Won't they try to dig out under the walls?" Alice asked.
"Unlikely," said Hagrid. "Imps isn't built fer diggin' and they don't use tools. Anyways if yer keep your imps happy they won't try to escape. Once they're settled in their new home yer won't even need to have the door any more. Imps is like bees, you see, if they're happy with a good food supply they won't want to leave." Alice nodded in understanding.
Neville could no longer contain his curiosity about Hagrid's use of magic. "Hagrid, I thought you weren't supposed to do magic?"
Hagrid made a dismissive snort, "It was the Ministry of Magic what did that and destroyed my wand. Now Olympe and me is married I'm a French citizen and the Ministere de la Magie says I can do magic. They ain't worried about half-giants having magic – as long as it's not dark magic. Not that I'd do dark magic," he said hastily, "I've seen too much o' that to want to do it meself." He flourished his wand and said "I've got me a new wand see and I've been practising. Olympe says I'm showing promise," he said proudly. "Now let's get on with making that marsh."
Hagrid went outside the greenhouse and, using his strength not his magic, brought in several wheel barrow loads of soil which he had dug from the ditches surrounding Neville's land. He arranged it neatly in the glass dome and watered a section of it. "You needs to keep this area damp – so we'll set up a set of hose pipes. This part," he indicated a higher area of land that he had created, "should be kept drier, that's where they'll sleep."
"It's just soil in there so far," said Alice, "won't they need some vegetation?"
"Yup," Hagrid replied, "we need to put in some marsh plants."
"After we've done that we'll be able to see if the imps do affect the growth of plants, we can observe if the marsh plants get bigger," Alice said enthusiastically.
"You got any marsh plants?" Hagrid asked Neville.
"No, but I'll get some," Neville replied, unwilling to use his own valuable marsh plants on this crazy experiment which he was only agreeing to because it pleased his mother. He apparated and returned several minutes later with some wild plants that he had dug up from a nearby marsh. Neville set the plants into the soil in the dome and when Alice and Hagrid were satisfied with the results, Alice put the imp she was holding into the dome and transferred the other imps from the hutch into their new home and shut the door. The imps stood together in a tight bunch on the dry mound within the dome. The first imp that Alice had put in appeared to be most adventurous and it moved away from the other imps and slowly started to explore the new surroundings. It circled the dome before returning to the group. The wizards watched as the first imp gestured to its companions and they slowly moved outwards to investigate. A knot of adults remained on the high ground encircling their young imps for protection. Imps could clearly communicate with each other but their communication system was not understood by the wizards any more than muggles could truly communicate with animals.
The three wizards left the greenhouse, giving Frank and Olympe the space to go inside and see the imps in the dome Hagrid had created for them. "That looks good," commented Frank when they came out.
"Yes, my 'usband is an expert on ze care of all beasts," Olympe said smiling at Hagrid, "I am sure ze imps will thrive."
Neville looked sceptical, he wasn't too sure he wanted the imps to thrive, especially if they displayed no magical ability. "Would anyone like lunch? It's a nice day, we'll eat here, outside," he suggested, mindful of the size of the two half giants and how cramped Augusta's house would be if Hagrid and Olympe came inside.
"I'll go and ask Augusta if she would like to join us," Alice volunteered, but the real reason was to bring back more food. The lunch already packed for her, Frank and Neville would not be enough to fill the appetites of their guests. Alice and Augusta returned shortly with a large hamper of food and drink. Augusta had been keen to renew her acquaintance with Hagrid, who she hadn't seen since the Battle of Hogwarts.
When Neville was working alone he normally ate his lunch sitting on grass but in view of the guests, Augusta and Alice had brought along chairs and tables (easily packed into a small bag using an extension charm) including large strong chairs for Hagrid and Olympe. The spread of food on the table was vast and Neville wondered if they would get through it all.
The meal and conversation stretched long into the afternoon and Neville gave up any intention of doing any more work that day and enjoyed his unexpected half day's leave. Inevitably the conversation turned to Hogwarts. Hagrid no longer worked there, having moved to France when he and Olympe married. She was still a teacher at Beauxbatons and Hagrid was employed as an estate manager on an extensive property owned by an eminent and wealthy wizard family in France.
"I visited Hogwarts last week," Hagrid told Neville, "just before they finished the summer term."
"How are the repairs progressing?" enquired Neville who had always had some residual guilt for the damage had helped cause during the Battle of Hogwarts.
"The Great Hall is fixed," said Hagrid. "Loads of wizards volunteered to help out after the Battle so the work's gettin' along quite quickly."
"I expected Professor McGonagall's got it all planned out, now she's headmistress," said Neville.
"Yeah, but she's gonna retire in a couple of years – it won't be finished by then." Hagrid told him. "Professor Sprout'll be leaving about the same time."
"Paloma Sprout was the herbology teacher," Neville explained to his parents, "it was my favourite subject."
"You was good at it," Hagrid agreed. "Paloma always said you was the best student she'd ever had and that you were good at explaining and helping out the other students. She said it was like having another teacher in the classroom."
"Maybe Neveel could do ze 'erbology teacher's job when Professeur Sprout retires?" suggested Olympe.
"I've never considered becoming a teacher," said Neville thoughtfully, "anyway I have my market garden to keep me busy."
Hagrid filled up his goblet with some elderflower cordial that Augusta had made and took a long drink. "We visited Harry and Ginny last week and baby James – he looks a lot like Harry."
"I haven't been to see Harry and Ginny for a while," admitted Neville.
"I expects yer busy Neville," said Hagrid. "Anyways, when are you going to get married Neville? All your old friends is married – Harry and Ginny, Hermione and Ron, even Draco Malfoy. I'd recommend it – I've never been so happy since I met my Olympe."
"Hannah and I have been talking about getting married," said Neville defensively.
"WHAT!" exclaimed Frank, Alice and Augusta in unison.
"This is the first we've heard about it."
"Why haven't you mentioned it before?"
"No. No." Neville almost shouted "We've decided it's not a good time."
"Why ever not?" asked Alice, perplexed.
"You and Dad have only just got out of St Mungo's. We felt I was needed here," Neville explained.
Frank and Alice exchanged glances and Frank said gently, "Neville, your mother and I are finding our own way, we have settled down and are used to life outside of St Mungo's. We have our good days and our bad days, but the bad days are getting fewer and less intense.
"You have your own life to lead. We don't expect you or want you to give it up, or delay your plans for our sakes. You are our only child, Neville, we want the best for you. We don't want to be an encumbrance."
"That's not what I meant," cried Neville in dismay, "You're not an encumbrance; I just feel responsible for you and your welfare."
"Neville," put in Augusta, "I'm here with Frank and Alice - you wouldn't be abandoning them."
"And we are not children," said Alice sharply, "to be protected and sheltered. We have seen the worst that life can throw at us, we have survived and come through it."
"Against all the odds," Frank added.
Neville had the impression that his future was something his parents had discussed at length with their ready reply and explanation. He looked from one parent to anther in confusion and indecision.
"Do you love Hannah?" asked Augusta.
"Yes," admitted Neville, "with all my heart."
"And does she love you?" queried Frank.
"She says so and I believe her."
"I believe her too," said Alice, who had watched younger couple when they were together and it reminded her of when she and Frank were young and in love. "So there is nothing to stop you from getting married if you both wish to. Don't look for barriers where none exist."
Neville regarded the anxious and expectant faces surrounding him. Perhaps they were correct. He had felt weighed down with responsibility since his parents had come home, may be it was time to put his own desires first. His face relaxed into a broad grin, "I shall ask her" he declared. "And Hagrid," he added impulsively, "if she says yes, will you be my best man at our wedding?
"Best man?" asked Hagrid in clarification. Neville nodded. "I'd be honoured," he said with a voice filled with emotion. "Olympe, me and you is going to a wedding.
"Neville?" he asked as a thought struck him, "Yer will get married in the school holidays, won't you? Olympe finds it hard to get time off during term time, and we want to make a holiday out of it, won't we?"
"Rubeus," admonished Olympe fondly, "Neveel does not yet know if 'Annah will marry 'im and zey must set ze date, not us."
"Of course she'll say yes" said Augusta in a tone that brooked no contradiction. "He is my grandson."
Neville laughed, "If Hannah does agree to marry me, I will be sure we are married during the school holidays – it wouldn't be much of a wedding without my best man would it?"
"The stag party!" Hagrid said, "I'll 'ave to organise a stag party. I've got a great idea already!"
"Rubeus," warned Olympe, "You won't do anyzing dangereux will you? Ze bridegroom must be in one piece for ze wedding day?"
"Ahh Olympe, what could possibly go wrong?" Hagrid said with innocent confidence.
-oOo—
One year later, Hagrid thought Olympe had worried unnecessarily; nothing did go wrong at the Magical Beasts Encounter stag party. Unless you counted Dean falling a hundred feet from the back of the dragon he was riding. Although that was his own fault for drinking so much before took off. (How was Hagrid supposed to know Dean was afraid of heights?) Anyway Seamus had caught him a cushioning spell before he hit the ground so no damage was done and the dragon was unharmed.
Perhaps Hagrid shouldn't have insisted that Ron join them in the giant spider room, but those spiders were tiny by comparison with Aragog who Ron had visited in his lair and come away on speaking terms.
Neville's friends from Young Wizard Farmers must have led a sheltered life if they'd never seen firecrabs before and then tried to herd them into a corner of the pen as if they were sheep. The firecrabs were only acting in self-defence when they shot flames from their rear ends. Only one of the Young Farmers got singed, and that was treated by the Healer who was on hand during the encounter.
As for Hannah's brother - surely he must have known better than to approach an occamy which had laid a clutch of eggs, no matter how beautiful the eggs were to look at? Any mother would protect her young, luckily the occamy - a winged and feathered serpent-like creature – had not wanted to stray too far from her eggs. Hannah's brother could run surprisingly quickly.
Hagrid had noticed that Neville and Harry were engrossed in animated conversation most of the time and seemed to be encouraging their friends to participate, but there was a lot of shouting and gesticulation involved.
In any event, the meal at the end of the Magical Beasts Encounter was certainly a success. The stag party men had almost managed to out-drink Hagrid!
Neville's wedding day was by contrast, calm and serene. Hagrid redeemed himself with Neville by arranging for Hannah to arrive at the ceremony on the back of silver unicorn. The sight of his beautiful bride, riding proudly and confidently upon one of the most iconic magical creatures with an expression of sheer joy on her face was a vision that stayed with Neville for many years to come.
After they were married, Neville and Hannah lived at the Leaky Cauldron where Hannah had recently got the job as landlady. The Leaky Cauldron was a pub which was the gateway between the muggle world in Charing Cross Road, London and Diagon Alley in the wizard world. The previous landlord, Tom, had been in charge for decades and the interior of the pub had hardly changed during his tenure. The main bar was dark and shabby, the bedrooms were old fashioned but comfortable and the parlours were underused. Hannah had grand plans to modernise the place and make a good living from it. Neville supported his wife in her venture and during the first couple of years of married life he found he was spending more time at the Leaky Cauldron and less time at the greenhouses but he was confident leaving his horticultural business in the hands of his parents.
One of Hannah's side lines at the Leaky Cauldron was hiring out the parlours for conferences and meetings. Neville thought he had left the classroom far behind him when he graduated from Hogwarts but he signed himself up for a course on how to teach with the intention of giving lessons about the care of plants. He had enjoyed instructing his parents and found a new interest in teaching. He wanted to see if he could also pass on his knowledge to others and he discovered that he could. He enjoyed the interaction with the students and the sense of purpose and fulfilment that came with helping someone to know and understand something they hadn't known before. When Professor Sprout retired from Hogwarts Neville became herbology teacher at his old school. Thanks to the instantaneous method of commuting by way of apparition or the floo network Neville was able to work at Hogwarts and go home to Hannah at the Leaky Cauldron.
Frank and Alice had risen to the challenge of farming a small holding and to Neville's mild surprise they excelled at growing crops. The Marsh Blue imps did influence the growth of plants but it was limited to a restricted range. Frank had come with the idea of creating a set of barricades so that the imps were confined to the section of plants that Frank wanted bringing on. Over the next few years the Marsh Blue imps thrived under Alice's care. She had insisted that an escape route was always available to the imps so that they could leave if they wanted to. As the colony grew the exit route was used on many occasions when several of the imps left to find mates or to establish new colonies.
The Longbottom's plants became sought after for their quality and early arrival but it wasn't long before their secret was out and Marsh Blue imps were no longer a rare species but a fixture in most wizard greenhouses. Alice became an authority on the breeding and care of the Marsh Blue and she thrived on the challenge and status it gave her within the wizard farming community.
Frank had never been particularly interested in plants when he was an auror but the years of inactivity and blankness followed by a gradual recovery had given him a different perspective on life and he was accepting of the slow pace of farming compared to the intricate case solving and sudden arrests that an auror might do. His request to help Neville in his horticultural business had stemmed from boredom but it wasn't long before he could appreciate the satisfaction of bringing plants to life, watching their first green shoots emerge from the brown soil, seeing them grow to maturity, battling the pests and preventing diseases that may afflict the plants. He enjoyed the harvest of the grown crops and the negotiations with the buyers to achieve the best price. His auror training had come in useful in sales negotiation, using the methods he had learned as an auror to elicit information and judge by a person's body language how the conversation was progressing. His slight skill at legillmency gave him an edge over most purchasers and word soon go around that it was pointless to try to underpay a Longbottom.
The farmer's life was a long way from being an auror. Did Frank regret his lost years that the career choice of auror had cost him? Of course he did but he had survived, Alice had survived, their family was reunited and extended now that Hannah had joined them. Frank and Alice looked forward to the day when they would become grandparents but there was no hurry. For now every day was a gift and gratefully received.
As for Augusta, she no longer feared spending the last few years of her life rattling around in an empty house full of sadness and memories, without even the company of Jack, who had gone with Neville to the Leaky Cauldron and was a firm favourite with the regulars at the pub. Frank and Alice were content to live with her and she gave them the space they needed. Neville and Hannah were frequent visitors and kept in regular contact.
The Longbottom lives which were forged by bravery, endurance and affection were joined together in bonds never to be broken - five lives, one family, one love.
