Grace took a deep breath as she paced nervously back and forth in the sitting room. She shouldn't be nervous, it was only hanging out with Neville. However, this was the first time she was going to be hanging out with Neville outside of school, and she was going to be meeting his grandmother and his parents. "Why are you nervous?" she jumped and turned to see her dad leaning against the wall with a smile. "I thought you fancied Harry, not Neville."
"I think I'm nervous about meeting Mrs. Longbottom. I've only seen her in passing but she's rather... intimidating," she answered and Sirius nodded. "And... Neville asked me to meet his parents."
"Frank and Alice Longbottom?" Sirius asked carefully. She nodded, looking at him with confusion.
"Did... did you know his parents?"
"I did," Sirius nodded as he sat down on the sofa. "We fought together in the war, and we knew each other at Hogwarts. He was a year older than us in school, but I knew him. Fate worse than death," he said sadly. "It's good that you're going with him. I'm sure it means a lot to him."
"I know. He told me about his parents last year after I told him about you, well finding out that you were my dad," she said as she sat next to him.
"You told him?" Sirius asked surprised.
"Yeah, of course. Neville's my best friend. I haven't told him everything... he doesn't know you're actually innocent. I think that might be too much to explain."
"I thought Harry was your best friend?" Sirius asked, frowning in confusion.
"I mean, kind of? I guess... we were friends in muggle primary school," she shrugged, "but when Hogwarts started, Harry and Ron met and became friends and well... Ron kind of always dragged me along so I always felt like Harry and Hermione were Ron's friends. Neville was the first friend I made at Hogwarts."
"How did that happen?" Sirius asked, genuinely curious.
"Well, we first met on the boats going to Hogwarts. Neville and I sat with Harry and Ron. I was scared to get into the boat and Neville held his hand out for me to help me in, and the entire ride to the castle I couldn't let go of his hand," she started, smiling at the memory. "Then the first day of classes, I was so nervous and I didn't know who to sit with in classes since Ron and Harry sat next to each other and I saw him sitting by himself in Transfiguration so I asked if I could sit next to him. We clung together in every class, and we kind of been together ever since," she finished, looking at him. "I felt really guilty that we didn't spend as much time together last year. I thought I might've hurt his feelings by making him think that I didn't want to be friends with him anymore..."
"No," Sirius shook his head at her. "If he thought that, he wouldn't have invited you to spend his birthday with him and meet his parents. If he's your best friend, then you're his best friend too. No matter how many friends you both may make as you get older, if you two keep coming back together and sharing things with each other before anyone else... then that's a special type of friendship," he smiled at her, and pushed her hair back behind her ear.
Crack.
"Are you ready?" Remus asked, appearing in the sitting room. "We still have to go to Gringotts."
"Yeah," Grace nodded, smiling up at Remus. Sirius smiled bitterly as he and Grace stood up. He wanted to be the one to take Grace to Gringotts, to be the one to go with her to meet her friend. Soon, he kept telling himself. Soon, once Pettigrew is caught and his name is cleared, he'll be able to go out with his daughter. "I'll see you later?" she asked, turning to Sirius with a hopeful look, and he nodded with a soft smile. Grace's smile grew and she wrapped her arms around Sirius tightly. He paused for a second before returning the hug, holding her close and kissing the top of her head.
"Have fun, yeah?" he said softly as she pulled away.
"I will," she nodded, and Sirius forced himself to let go.
The trip to Gringotts didn't take nearly as long as Grace thought it would. She asked Remus how much her Mum said she could have, but he shrugged and told her that they weren't going to her mother's vault. "Then what vault are we going to?"
"The Black family vault," he answered simply as he walked up to a goblin teller. She blinked, confused as she followed him. "We'd like to visit vault seven-hundred and eleven."
"Purpose?" A goblin sneered up at him.
"My niece would like to retrieve money from her vault," Remus answered tightly, and the goblin's beady eyes turned to her.
"And your nieces name?"
"Gracia Venus Black," he answered, and the goblin's eyes narrowed at her, and she shifted uncomfortably. Her mother usually got her gold for her.
"Very well," the goblin's lips curled as he stepped down, motioning for them to follow. Grace turned to Remus, her eyes wide and he nodded as he rested an arm around her shoulder. She sat next to Remus, behind the goblin, and as soon as she took hold of the rail, they shot off. She loved flying, she loved feeling wind through her hair, but she did not like the trollys in Gringotts. She was happy when they finally stopped. "Vault seven-hundred and eleven," he announced as he climbed out of the cart.
Grace took a deep breath as she stood up and shakily stepped out with Remus' help. "Place your hand on the door," the goblin told her. "If it is truly your vault, it will open," Grace's eyes widened as she turned to Remus, who rolled his eyes at the goblin. He knew he should've brought the key that Helena had stored away, he had done it when the three of them went shopping in muggle London.
Grace swallowed nervously and placed her hand flat on the vault's door. There was a soft clicking sound before a more defined, thunk, and the door opened. The goblin sneered up at her. "Here you are Miss Black," the goblin said as he pushed the door open wider for her. Grace's eyes widened as she looked around the vault. It was ginormous! It had to have been the size of not only her house but Blue Cottage as well, and it was full. Piles upon piles of gold, jewels, odd objects filled the vault.
"Wow..." she whispered breathlessly in awe. "Mum's had access to this?" she asked, turning to Remus, who nodded. "Then why-"
"She only ever took out what she needed to buy things for you. By law, she cannot take out more than what is needed as this is no longer her vault, and she only can keep access to it because of you," Remus explained and she turned back to the vault.
"How much am I allowed to get?" Grace asked.
"However much you think you'll need today. I wasn't given an amount to tell you."
"Unlike Mum," Grace said bitterly. "She'd only let me have enough to buy one thing and lunch," she felt angry. Her mother always gave her a small budget on buying anything that wasn't necessary, always saying that they didn't have the extra money to spend on frivolous things. It was Remus who had convinced her mother to let her take piano lessons, to buy her a childrens broom growing up, and even then that was second hand. Grace always thought that her mother made enough to keep them, including Remus, comfortable.
The goblin handed Grace a small leather pouch to put her gold in. She stood there dumbly, then turned to Remus for guidance. "Get as much as you want."
"Can I get a new broom?" she asked and Remus chuckled.
"How about we save that for when we come to buy your school things," Grace sighed and rolled her eyes dramatically before stuffing a handful of gold in the pouch.
When they were finished with Gringotts, Grace was happy because she didn't like the look that goblin gave her, her and Remus made their way to the Leaky Cauldron. She saw some of her class mates, like Dean and Seamus. Both boys greeted Remus happily, wishing him well, and asked if she was planning on going to the Quidditch World Cup. Of course, was the answer she gave them, and told them she hoped to see them there.
When they entered the Leaky Cauldron, she scanned the room and smiled when she saw Neville with his grandmother, who was fixing his robes. He turned and caught sight of her, his face brightening up with a large smile. "Neville!" Grace greeted brightly as she wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug.
"Hello again, Neville," Remus smiled at the boy.
"Hello, Professor-I mean Remus," Neville greeted.
"Be good for Mrs. Longbottom," Remus said to Grace, giving her a look and she nodded. "I'll be back here later this afternoon to pick you up, alright?" he asked and she nodded again. He nodded at Mrs. Longbottom and Neville before leaving.
"You look just like your father," Mrs. Longbottom said to her, and Grace looked at her surprised. "I'd recognize the Black Family traits anywhere, curly dark hair, grey eyes, and you have the cheekbones. Your father caused quite a ruckus back in the day," Grace only blinked. "Never fully believed the Ministry when they said he did all those things. A boy that against his family's beliefs doesn't simply turn dark, and my son had nothing but high praise."
"Oh," Grace nodded. "Well, it's nice to meet you Mrs. Longbottom. Thank you for allowing me to come with you two today."
"It's no problem. I'm surprised that Neville here finally wanted to spend his birthday with someone. If he didn't talk about you as often as he does, I might have questioned that you even existed," Mrs. Longbottom huffed as she straightened her robes out. "Well, lets go."
Grace and Neville shared a look before the followed the older woman out of the Leaky Cauldron. They didn't travel far to get to St. Mungo's. Grace had never been to St. Mungo's, so she made sure she clutched onto Neville's arm and followed him and his grandmother to wherever they were going. When they entered the ward, Grace looked around her in interest.
"Hello Frank, Alice," Mrs. Longbottom greeted softly. Grace turned her attention to two people who looked frail and thin. The man and woman stared at them, and the empty, lost, look in Neville's mother's eyes sent shivers down her back. She could see Neville in his mother, they had the same round-face, but Neville had his father's nose.
"Hi Mum, Dad..." Neville greeted them gently. Grace's heart broke at how soft and tender his voice was, she could hear the longing and pain. She could see, and hear, how much Neville longed for his parents to know who he is. "I brought a friend with me, she's my best friend, her name is Grace."
"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom," Grace greeted softly. "It's so lovely to meet you. Neville speaks very highly of you," she said, watching the two. Neville's father wandered closer and Grace held her breath, wondering what he was going to do, but he turned and wandered back to the window. Grace noticed Neville's shoulders slump. Neville's mother, however, wandered over to them and stared absently at her. She lifted a pale, frail hand and touched her curles and tilted her head to the side.
"Yes, Alice, dear. That's Sirius Black's daughter," Mrs. Longbottom nodded. "Looks just like him, she does." At the mention of her father's name, the healers that were in the room turned and stared at them with wide eyes. Grace's cheeks burned from the attention she was receiving. She watched as Neville's mother tugged gently on one of her ringlets before letting to and wandering back to her bed.
"Alice, Frank," Mrs. Longbottom called. "It's Neville's birthday today." Mrs. Longbottom's words received no reaction from his parents, and Grace looped her arm with his, resting her cheek against the side of his shoulder. "Neville, isn't there anything you'd like to share?"
"Oh," Neville said quietly then nodded. Grace smile sadly as she listened to Neville talk to his parents, telling them everything that happened since he last saw them at Christmas. When Neville was finished, Grace squeezed his arm gently, and he smiled sadly at his parents.
"Well, it's time to say goodbye. We'll see you at Christmas, Frank, Alice." Mrs. Longbottom told them.
"Bye Mum, Dad," Neville said sadly, then three of them turned to leave. There was a soft mumble and they turned to see Neville's mother stumble towards them, holding something out for Neville. Neville opened his hand, and Grace watched as his mother grabbed his hand for just a moment before letting go. In his hand was a gum wrapper. "Thanks, Mum," Neville smiled at her. "I love it," and Grace felt a lump in her throat as she watched Neville look at the wrapper fondly before putting it in his pocket.
They didn't say anything once they left St. Mungo's. There was nothing to say, because the silence said it all. Grace knew the moment Neville put the gum wrapper in his pocket, he's kept every single one he's ever been given. If she were Neville she would keep them all too. Then she remembered, last year... she was.
A/N:
Neville's story always makes me so sad :(
I love his and Grace's friendship is just so wholesome and I loved writing this chapter ~!
Next chapter tho... it's Harry's Birthday... tee hee :)