He turned on his heel and led them from the room through to the rear of the Hall. As they walked, Harry said to him, "I've been wondering why you refer to Longbottom Manor as Longbottom Hall."
"It comes from our familial roots," replied Neville, with a slight grin. "The Longbottoms are of Nordic stock. More to the point, we descend directly from Vikings."
"Ah!" said Harry. "And the Vikings referred to their clan main building as Halls. As the manor is the main building of the Longbottom clan..."
"Exactly," smiled Neville, glad to see Harry understood.
The conservatory, as the name implied, was a large room that could easily have doubled as a small greenhouse. The only exception was that the climate within was at nominal room temperature, even with all the glass that formed the walls and roof.
The room was filled near the walls with potted plants of many varieties; some on shelves or in hanging baskets, some not. A small coffee table and 'outdoor' white-painted wicker couches with attached cushions surrounded it and were in the middle of the floor. Sitting in two wicker armchairs slightly turned to one another were Frank and Alice Longbottom. They had been softly conversing when Neville led their small party in. Both looked up at their approach and smiled.
"Mother, father," said formally, "May I present..."
Neville,
a
little
"Harry!" Alice softly exclaimed, cutting him off; as she held out one hand, waiting to grasp Harry's. Harry heard Daphne snicker slightly at Neville. If Harry knew the boy as well as he thought he did, the expression on Neville's face would have been priceless.
"Hello godmother," smiled Harry, as he joined her, placing his own hand in hers for a few moments.
Turning to the girls, he said, "I'm sure you remember my wives, Hermione and Daphne?" He indicated each.
"Of course," she said, as both girls came closer.
After initial greetings, with cheek-kissing for the girls, the four teens sat on the available couches while Frank called a Longbottom house elf. "Tea for six, please," he instructed the little elf.
While they waited, Harry said to them both, "I must say, I'm very pleased with how you are both looking. There has clearly been a lot of improvement in the health of you both."
"There has," said Frank, with a slight nod back in acknowledgement. With a sigh, he continued, "We've been told, already, that the prognosis for a full recovery is unlikely. However, the lack will only be slightly noticeable."
"It means, though, Frank will be unable to return to auror duty, at least," said Alice. "And, I have to say, I'm actually happy with that."
"There are other ways one can be of service to the wizarding world," offered Daphne. "For example, there's always the Wizengamot. Perhaps a life of politics is in your future."
"Perhaps," said Harry. "However, no one can claim the Longbottoms haven't already given enough of themselves to the service of the wizarding world."
"Well said," said Madam Longbottom walking into the room. "Though I hope Frank will eventually succeed me to the Wizengamot when his health allows it; there's no reason to rush."
Harry could see that this was an uncomfortable subject among the adult Longbottoms. To change the subject, he asked Alice, "Were you aware Neville is considered a prodigy in Herbology?"
Alice, recognising Harry's attempt, smiled back and said, "It was not hard to come to understand our Neville's love of botany. And his marks from school reflect that. We are, however, at a loss to understand his marks in potions. The two subjects should be closely linked. And, as such, his marks in Herbology should carry over."
"The fault is not Neville's," said Daphne. "Rather, it is the fault of the Potions Master, Professor Snape."
"From day one, Professor Snape has targeted both Neville and Harry for... direct abuse," said Hermione. "The man may well be an expert in Potions; however, he is a poor educator. Neville is terrified of him. And he has cause to be so."
Almost angrily, Augusta turned her eyes on Neville and asked, "Why am I only hearing of this now, Neville? If I could have heard of this earlier, I may have been able to use my position on the School Board to do something about it."
"I... did not want to use my family name to get better treatment over everyone else," the boy muttered, bashfully.
"You should have," said Daphne. "Professor Snape was already targeting you, partly due to your name. Therefore, it would have only been fair on your part to use the same excuse to have our Potions Master... dealt with."
"I realise that, now," the boy replied, a little stronger. "After Harry had the man's behaviour... adjusted by the Headmaster, I realise I could have done the same. But, it's too late now."
"No, it's not," she disagreed. Looking to the Longbottoms, she said, "I'd recommend a private tutor. The one thing Professor Snape will not argue with, is performance. If Neville shows a marked improvement when we return to school, I envision our Potions Master will redirect his attentions to another; probably Weasley; who actually deserves the ire."
"We shall consider it," replied Frank.
"Thank you," said Harry. "Neville has stood by me through my entire time at Hogwarts. Even when just about everyone else turned their backs on me, or directed their anger towards me, Neville never faltered. I was just too blind to see it until the beginning of this year.
"I would be undeserving of that friendship, offered without expectation of anything in return, if I did not stand by him now." "Thank you, Harry," Neville softly said. It was clear the boy was quite moved by Harry's words.
"You have nothing to thank me for, Neville," smiled Harry right back. "Instead, it's I who should be thanking you."
With a little throat clear, Alice said, "Yes. Well. I think you should tell us about what I hear about the Weasley children attempting to potion you, Harry."
With a nod of recognition, Harry began to explain how Hermione witnessed Molly dose him, and attempt to dose her, with Amortentia on the morning they boarded the train to head to Hogwarts for their fourth year. Then he went into what they caught Ginevra doing a couple of days later. And what happened from there." "Where is she now?" asked an angry Alice.
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