As he sat in the common room Neville Longbottom couldn't shake the sense of melancholy that had seemed to invade his thoughts since Harry's victory over Voldemort. He was initially excited along with everyone else that the nightmare had finally ended…but his true feelings betrayed him. It was in similar "safe" times that his life was tragically altered fifteen years ago…when his parents fell.
They were still alive of course, but in body only. He often thought he would have been luckier if they had been killed instead of being left to rot away, mindless souls in seemingly healthy bodies. At least with death there is closure…a tombstone being a final and vivid reminder that what once was is no more. But what kind of closure is there when the supposed happiest times of the year, the holidays, are spent looking into the vacant eyes of the parents you never really had? No matter how hard he tried he couldn't erase the images of their faces from his mind that evening. Joy and celebration surrounded him but it did not penetrate his consciousness. "Everyone was celebrating when they were taken from me," he thought to himself silently.
He suffered these thoughts alone, never revealing the condition of his parents with anyone in his five plus years at Hogwarts. It wasn't clear to him if his fellow students weren't aware of what happened to his parents or simply were uncomfortable saying anything to him about it. His penchant for being the butt of jokes and his overall insecurities were thought to be the reasons why he normally remained quiet, but they weren't the real source of his timid nature. The truth was he had been scarred much like Harry. Not the external scar on Harry's forehead that had become famous but the internal scars they both suffered. They were scarred by thoughts of the life that could have been and the parents they never knew.
It was for this reason that Neville never envied Harry's fame and popularity. He knew Harry would have much preferred being just another student at Hogwarts with two parents who were alive to raise him. All the newspaper articles in the world couldn't replace what they had both lost and he knew it. In fact, Harry had been one of the rare students that Neville could recall never having fun at his expense. Even his fellow Gryffindors aimed a majority of their good-natured teasing at him, but not Harry.
As he saw Harry walking down the steps with Hermione, he knew a change had occurred. He quickly looked at his watch to gauge how long Harry had been back. "It only took them two hours to get it over with…I guess Ron wins the bet."
There had been a debate earlier in the week between the four sixth-year Gryffindor boys how long it would take Harry and Hermione to admit their feelings. Neville's was the longest prediction at three days and Ron's was the shortest at four hours. Ron's exact words had been "I wouldn't be surprised if they started snogging on the common room floor the minute they see each other." While that statement hadn't exactly come to pass it was remarkably close.
Although he wasn't in a celebratory mood that evening he did want to thank Harry for what he had done. Voldemort wasn't directly responsible for his parents' condition, but the hate and thirst for power he had bred in his Death Eaters was. Neville wanted Harry to know how much he had appreciated his bravery in hopefully ending the evil that invaded those men. "He's a true Gryffindor," he thought as he looked across the room at Harry and Hermione before turning his gaze back out the window.
*****
As Harry and Hermione walked down the steps and back to the party his eyes began to search for the one Gryffindor he wanted to speak to as soon as possible…Neville Longbottom. Since Harry's "testing" of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes' products had begun he purposefully avoided targeting Neville and he wanted to let him know about the joke about to happen that night. Harry had always been quick to defend Neville since they were first-years but his defense and empathy grew after learning of the tragedy that had consumed his parents. The truth was he felt guilty. Since he started at Hogwarts Harry had everyone's sympathy because of the way his parents had died. Neville's upbringing had been no brighter, in fact he thought it may have been worse. The thought of looking at your own parents' lifeless eyes year after year seemed terrifying and unreasonably cruel. But never in their first four years at Hogwarts did he so much as ask him or care what had happened to Neville's parents. If anyone could relate to Neville's situation it was Harry. But he had apparently been to busy with his own problems to concern himself with a five minute conversation with Neville, and Harry hated himself for it.
Harry spotted Neville sitting alone, vacantly staring out the window, oblivious to the laughter and conversation swirling around him. It dawned on Harry that Neville's parents' torture occurred shortly after Voldemort supposedly had been killed the first time. He leaned in to Hermione and whispered in her ear. "I'll be right back…there's something I need to take care of."
As he walked toward Neville he grabbed a bottle of ale, checked the label, and continued his walk. As he made his way to where Neville was sitting, he tapped him on the shoulder with the bottle to get his attention. As Neville turned around Harry offered the bottle and began to speak. "I see you're not joining in the festivities. Is everything all right?"
Neville, as always, made up something to draw attention away from the real reason for his expression. He smiled weakly at Harry and began to explain. "I'm just a bit tired, haven't been feeling well the last few days."
They sat in silence staring out the window as Harry debated about whether he should say something to Neville. He turned his gaze back to his friend and recognized the grief behind those eyes. It was the same grief Harry had held inside for just as many years. As he returned to looking back out the window he spoke. "It's your parents isn't it?"
Neville's head swung and locked onto Harry, his mouth wide open due to the shock of Harry's words. He then quickly began looking around to see if anyone else had been listening.
Harry, sensing the reasons for his actions, began to speak. "Don't worry Neville, no one else knows but me and I'm not going to tell anyone."
Neville turned back to Harry and began to speak quietly so he wouldn't be overheard. "Harry, how did you know? Who told you?"
"It's a long story and it's not really important how I know. But what is important to know is that you're not alone. I know this doesn't make what happened to them any easier to deal with but you do have people who care about you…not just your grandmother."
Harry waited for his words to sink in before he continued. "I also wanted to tell you to avoid drinking from the bottle with two red-headed wizards on the label. It appears that the prankster has been at it again and drinking from that bottle would definitely not be a good idea."
Neville's expression turned from shock to a grin as he realized what Harry's words meant. "It's you isn't it? You're the one behind all the jokes around here?"
Harry was happy to let him in on his little secret. If there was anyone who deserved to be on the other side of the jokes it was Neville. "Let's just say I have an inside source for all the latest Weasley products and leave it at that. Just remember to pay attention to the label all right? And don't say anything to Ron about this…you and Hermione are the only ones who know."
Neville smiled and nodded, clearly touched by Harry's prior words and his inclusion on the joke. "Sure thing Harry. And if you ever need any help let me know. I'd love to see something happen to Snape."
Harry laughed at Neville's suggestion. "Looks like I'm having a bad influence on you but I'll keep that in mind. With my leg in the shape it's in I may just take you up on that offer."
As he stood up to rejoin the party, Harry placed a hand on Neville's shoulder and spoke. "I know your parents are proud of you Neville. Trust me when I say I know how hard it is to make it through what you have had to growing up. You're a true Gryffindor Neville, never forget that."
Harry began his walk back to Hermione only to be interrupted by Neville's voice. "Harry, I wanted to tell you…thank you…for ending all this. This may sound odd but what you did makes what happened to my parents mean something…you know?"
Harry smiled and responded, once again struck by the true appreciation he had been experiencing since he had returned. "Neville what happened to your parents is as meaningful as what happened to my parents...maybe even more so. My parents had no time to think, they just reacted to what was happening and tried to defend me. Your parents made a conscious choice not to reveal anything. They were defending us all. Killing that bastard didn't make what they did important. It always was important and always will be. Remember what Dumbledore said about doing what is easy or what is right? They chose to do what was right and that will never be forgotten."
"Now drink up and have a good time tonight. All right?"
As he made his way to Hermione she smiled and grabbed his hand. "What was that all about, Harry? You looked awfully serious…"
Harry smiled as he saw Neville grab a specific bottle of ale out from the group and hand it to Seamus…beaming all the while. "It was nothing Hermione, just taking care of something I should have years ago. You might want to look at Seamus though, I think were about to see Fred and George's contribution to the evening's entertainment.