I DO NOT OWN MOST OF THE CHARACTERS
Chapter 7
Potion Effects
Neville's mouth opened in horror. "But... you're supposed to be in Azkaban!" He croaked.
Lucius Malfoy scoffed. "You idiotic boy. Surely, you've realized that Azkaban isn't exactly difficult to escape Azkaban now that the dementors have openly gone to the Dark Lord's side. The right side."
"But why?" Neville demanded angrily. He couldn't believe he had been tricked like this. "How..."
"There was once a Healer named Jonathan Andrews," Malfoy told him. "But dear Bellatrix and I captured him, and used his DNA for a Polyjuice Potion. Once I had taken the form of Andrews, I tainted a potion he had been experimenting on so that the patient or patients that take it will be healed of their mental illness- very complicated magic, by the way- but will soon die."
Neville's hands formed fists and his face turned red, angry tears clouding his eyes. "So that's what this was all about? Killing my parents?"
Malfoy nodded. "Frank and Alice Longbottom were once key members of an organization called the Order of the Phoenix- the same group of people that helped you and your friends last year at the Ministry. They were also the reason dear Bella went to prison for all those years. She was most pleased at the chance to be rid of the Longbottoms for good."
"Now what?" Neville mumbled. "You're here to kill me too?" He found the idea of dying and being back with his parents quite appealing. What did he have to live for? But then he thought of his grandmother, and of Luna Lovegood. He realized that he had plenty to live for!
"Percisely," Malfoy hissed. He raised his wand. "Avad-"
"EXPELLIARMUS!"
Malfoy's wand went flying. Gran caught it with surprising agility. Malfoy glared at the old woman in cold fury. "YOU SHOULD'VE KNOW BETTER THAN TO MEDDLE, HAG!" He roared, and lunged at her.
Neville surprised himself by whipping his own wand out and pointing it at Malfoy's back. "Stupify!" He cried. There was a flash of red, and Malfoy was thrown aside, his head falling against a large rock, knocking him unconcious. Neville smiled despite himself. It was a rarity that he actually performed spells correctly.
Gran dropped the wands, and pulled her grandson into her arms. "Oh Neville! I was so worried about you!"
Neville hugged his grandmother. "I love you, Gran."
Gran slowly pulled away. She looked to where Malfoy had been lying, out cold. He wasn't there anymore.
"Bellatrix Lestrange," Neville muttered. Somehow, he knew Lestrange had helped Lucius Malfoy escape.
Gran stomped her foot in anger. "NO! HE GOT AWAY!"
"Maybe it's best," Neville muttered, thoughtfully. "The need for revenge can turn anyone into people they're not. I don't think either one of us want to become killers."
Gran nodded. She turned to Neville. "Are you ready to go home?" She asked.
"No," Neville said truthfully. "But I have to." The thought of facing his dead parents terrified him, but it was inevitable.
A week later, Neville found himself alone in the Gryffindor boy's dormitory. He picked up the letter that Malfoy had sent him so many weeks ago. This letter had given him hope, now it gave him pain. As he crumpled it up and tossed it in the trash, a new thought came to him. He couldn't abandon that hope. Without it he would drown in depression.
He knew that some day, Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters would be defeated. Along with thoughts of his parents, a new hope arose. A hope that he would find his courage to fight back, just as he knew Frank and Alice Longbottom would want him to.
a/n: This is the end. Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed my story. I hope you enjoyed it!