When Neville walked into the shop, he was shocked by the color, the sounds, the lights surrounding him. He had grown accustomed to his somewhat drab bedroom in his Gran's ancient house all these months. He began to feel dizzy as all the color and bright objects seemed to press in on him. The colors in front of him swam and turned dark as his chest constricted and he gasped for breath. Neville closed his eyes and squatted to the floor, head in hands, before he could pass out. He was trying to take a deep breath, but not quite succeeding in getting a breath in at all.
He heard a voice, which sounded far away, "Sir, are you OK?" He heard footsteps running toward him and someone grabbed his shoulder. "Neville? Is that you?"
Neville turned his head and looked up at the blurred figure next to him. He could make out the red hair. As he regained his breath, Ron Weasley came into clear view. "Ron?" Neville asked weakly.
"It's me," Ron said as he helped Neville back to his feet. "Are you all right?"
"I'm OK now," Neville laughed shakily. "I just..." he stopped for a moment, unsure of what to say. "I just got a bit dizzy."
"Come to the back and sit down," Ron took Neville's arm and led him through the bright shop to the back, through a door, and into a small office stocked with paperwork. He pointed to a chair behind a desk, and Neville sat obediently, breathing deeply and clearing his head.
"Sorry 'bout that," Neville said, suddenly a bit embarrassed.
"No worries." Ron stared at Neville, appraising him. Ron took out his wand, and waved it, conjuring up a glass of water, which he handed to Neville. "How've you been? It's been a while since anyone has seen you."
Neville nodded and took a deep drink of water before speaking. "I haven't felt like being out and about." He refused to look Ron in the eye, instead stared at a thread coming loose from his sleeve. He picked at the thread, "I mean, it's been a little rough."
Ron nodded, "I know." He sounded like he wanted to say something else, but shut his mouth and looked to the side.
"I'm sorry about Fred."
Ron smiled tightly and nodded again. "Thanks," he said, his voice shaking slightly.
"How's George?"
Ron shrugged. "Terrible, if you ask me. He has his days where he seems fine, and days when he struggles to get out of bed. He's always in bed. He sleeps half the day." Neville frowned and Ron continued, "The worst part is that he's kind of gone off humor. Like without Fred, he's just not as, I don't know...funny. That's why I'm here. I'm helping out at the store for a year, to help George cope and get back on his feet. The store is still doing really well. I mean, people are just craving this type of stuff after the last few years. But all the product is the same as it was last year. George hasn't been inventing new things since Fred-" he broke off again.
"I'm sorry to hear that." Neville didn't know what else to say. He felt the familiar pull of guilt in his stomach, realizing that he hadn't been able to get out of bed for six months for his own sense of self-pity, and George Weasley was at least making an attempt. It made him want to go right back home and crawl back in to bed.
They were both quiet for a moment then sound of the store's front door opening jolted them both. "I better go up there. You can sit here until you feel better. Don't go, OK?"
"I'll stay," Neville said.
Ron left and Neville looked around the office. He noticed a large stack of boxes against one wall and was surprised to see that they were full of canary-creams. Neville had to hold back a smile remembering that he had been the first one that Fred and George had tricked into eating one, causing him to sprout yellow feathers all over his body.
"Neville Longbottom!" Said a voice from the doorway. Neville turned around and saw George Weasley standing there.
Neville smiled, "Hi George!" He tried his hardest not to stare at the hole where George's ear had been. Obviously he wasn't successful, because George turned his head so the hole was facing Neville.
"Fancy a better look?" he asked, grinning.
Neville wrinkled his nose, "Uh, no thanks." He pointed to the boxes, "overstocked with canary creams?"
"Nah," George said. "We had to pull them off the shelves."
"What? Why?"
George sighed. "There were some complaints. Remember how you shed your feathers within minutes of sprouting them?"
Neville nodded. George continued, "Well, evidently not everyone's body is so compliant. Some people were stuck with feathers for days and had to get them removed at St. Mungo's. So, until we find something that can get the feathers off people, we can't sell them." George shrugged, "What are you going to do?"
Neville brightened. "Have you ever heard of amorilios pennatenta?"
"What's that?"
"It's a plant. A yellow-leafy plant with white blooms. People who own pet birds use it to help birds who have a difficult time moulting. You know, some birds have leftover feathers that can get stuck and it can be painful. So these bird owners feed the leaves to the birds and it helps the moulting process go smoother. You could try using it as an antidote and selling it with each cream. I mean, you'd have to test it, but the plant isn't poisonous for humans."
George grabbed a quill and some parchment. "What's it called again?"
"Amorilios pennatenta. More commonly called Yellow Ivy, but that's a misnomer. It's not really part of the ivy family."
"Where can I get some?"
"I have it growing in my garden. Or rather, I did. I'm not sure how well Gran's been keeping it up. But yellow ivy is pretty hearty, so it might have survived even if she hasn't."
George looked up from his parchment curiously. "Why haven't you been working in your garden?"
Neville shrugged. "I just haven't felt up to it."
George nodded. He grabbed Neville by the shoulder and faced him. George looked like he wanted to say something, but instead patted Neville's shoulder and turned around. "We've all been struggling," he said quietly.
"I know it," Neville said. "I'm sorry," he looked down at his feet.
"What are you sorry for?" George asked sharply.
Neville shrugged again. "I should be handling things better. I," his voice broke off and he took a deep breath. "I've been unable to do anything. I've barely been able to get out of bed. I've barely been able to sleep. I shouldn't be feeling so bloody sorry for myself."
George sighed, "Don't be sorry. Everyone handles things in their own way. I don't even know how to describe how I handle it. I never know how I'm going to feel from one day to the next. From one minute to the next, really."
At that moment, Ron walked back in to the office and George changed the subject, his voice sounding more upbeat. "So Neville, can I buy some yellow ivy off you?"
"I'll bring you some next week, if I have it. If not, I'll bring some seedlings and show you how to grow it indoors. It should be usable within three months. But you don't need to buy it, if you need it, it's yours." Neville stood up, feeling surprisingly better. "Well, I came here to get something for my Uncle Algie."
George and Ron followed Neville out to the store front. Neville wandered around looking at items as Ron gave a play by play on what everyone's been doing. Neville was more than happy to let Ron do all the talking as he picked up various items, sneaking sideways glances at George. Once, he caught George looking back.
Ron droned on, "Hermione went back to Hogwarts to finish her seventh year. Harry and I decided not to. We both got in to the Auror training program without it, but we both decided to take a year off. I needed to help out here. Oh Neville, here're those invisible head hats, I bet your uncle would love that! And Harry's doing this weird traveling thing. He's trying to find wizards he's related to or something, you know he's got all these family issues, being an orphan and with Sirius dying, so he's doing this world-wide genealogy search. He said something once about making peace with that horrible muggle cousin of his. Oh, and Luna is working for Mr. Ollivander and learning wand-lore and wand-making. Ginny's finishing up at Hogwarts this year. She's the quidditch captain and the Holyhead Harpies are interested in her. Um, what else? Oh yeah, Bill and Fleur are going to have a baby in a few months. Our mum is going bonkers over having a grandchild. She wants like twenty grandchildren or something."
Neville listened to all this, with just an "mmm-hmm," or an "oh yeah?" placed here and there. It was kind of interesting, finally hearing what everyone else has been up to. But he was really concentrating on Uncle Algie's gift and on George following him.
Ron continued, "Next weekend is a Hogsmeade weekend for the Hogwarts students. Harry and I were going to go and meet up with Ginny and Hermione. Why don't you come along?"
"Really?" Neville asked. "But I can't apparate there. I never took my exam."
Ron scrunched his face up, "why not?" When Neville didn't say anything and blushed, Ron continued, "Oh well, that's fine. Just meet me here and I can take you side-along."
"You sure?" Neville asked. Neville himself wasn't sure if he was ready for a day at Hogsmeade.
"Definitely," Ron said enthusiastically.
"Well, all right then. I'll come by here on Saturday, drop off the plant for George, and we can go."
"Sounds good, mate!" Ron slapped Neville on the back. "It's good to see you again." Ron walked off to help another customer.
George watched Ron walk away, then turned to Neville. "You don't have to go if you don't feel like it. People would understand. Everyone who fought last year, we're all just," his voice drifted off and he stared in to space. "We're all just taking it day by day."
"It's fine. Really." Neville said to George. "I can always leave early. It'll probably be good to see people again." As he said it, he wasn't sure he was ready.
George nodded. "So, do you want that hat?" he asked Neville, who was holding one of the hats that Fred and George had invented. When you put it on your head, your head (and only your head) became invisible.
"Yeah, I'll take it," Neville held it out to George.
"Take it then. No payment necessary." George smiled widely at Neville.
Neville shook his head. "No. I can't not pay for it."
"OK then. It costs one yellow ivy plant. I'll put it on your tab." Neville smiled back at George, suddenly feeling a little bit shy. George grabbed on to Neville's elbow, "Listen, I'm glad you were feeling well enough to come in here. If you need it, we can talk whenever you want. My flat upstairs, is connected to the floo network."
Neville stared at his elbow, encased in George's freckled hand. "I wasn't feeling well enough at first. But I'm feeling much better now that I've come in."
Another customer walked in to the shop and George dropped Neville's arm. "See you next weekend." He winked at Neville as he turned away to help the customer.
As Neville walked out of the door, he thought to himself, 'Did George Weasley really just wink at me?'
