"You must be Hermione, Hermione Granger, right?"
Hermione seemed surprised that Mrs. Longbottom knew her name, but she shook hands nonetheless.
"Yes, Neville has told me about you—helped him through some tough times, didn't you? He's a good boy,"
As she said this, she looked down at Neville with a critical gaze along her sharp nose, "but doesn't have his father's talent, I have to say..."
She nodded towards the two beds inside, the vulture on her hat shook frighteningly.
"What?" Ron asked in surprise, "Is that your dad over there, Neville?"
"What?" Mrs. Longbottom asked sharply, "You haven't told your friends about your parents, Neville?"
"He has." Harry quickly interjected, noticing that although Neville was much more cheerful now, he still seemed uneasy in front of his grandmother, "Neville has talked to me about the heroic deeds of Mr. Longbottom and Mrs. Longbottom against Voldemort... I know Mr. Longbottom has repeatedly thwarted Voldemort's plots; he's a hero—in Neville's eyes, he's a hero to be proud of."
"Is that so?" Mrs. Longbottom, although serious, her expression softened.
Harry's words gave Neville a bit of courage.
"Yes, Grandma." Neville said, lifting his head, "I have indeed said that to Harry."
Mrs. Longbottom smiled, the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes deep enough to pinch mosquitoes grew deeper.
She extended a hand, satisfied, patting Neville on the shoulder.
"You should indeed be proud, Neville, proud! They sacrificed their health and sanity against Voldemort; they are heroes of the Magic World!"
"At the end of last term," Harry started to say, "we caught Little Batty Crouch and gave him a Dementor's kiss."
He knew Little Batty Crouch had been involved in torturing the Longbottoms.
"Very good, I've heard about that." Neville's grandmother said seriously, "You're a very talented wizard, very talented, even that freak Voldemort can't compare to you... I believe in Dumbledore, and I believe you can completely become his successor!"
Beside him, Cassandra's expression was a little peculiar.
Dumbledore's successor?
Isn't Dumbledore supposed to be Harry's successor?
She glanced at Augusta, although the other was aged, Cassandra seemed to see a shadow of an old acquaintance—
Callidora Black, her cousin, once the pride of the Black family.
Perhaps... this elderly woman is Callidora's descendant?
Over there, Harry and the others were still chatting with Augusta.
"They were Aurors, highly respected in the Magic World," Mrs. Longbottom looked at the beds and continued, "very talented, those two... I—oh, Alice, what's up?"
Neville's mother, wearing pajamas, stumbled slowly over.
She no longer had the round, happy face that Dumbledore once showed Harry in that early Phoenix Society photo, her face now thin and haggard, eyes particularly large, hair already white, disheveled and dried.
She seemed unwilling or unable to speak but timidly gestured towards Neville with something in her hand.
Harry felt a lump in his throat.
"Another one?" Mrs. Longbottom said wearily, as if accustomed to this, "Very good, Alice, very good—Neville, take it, no matter what it is..."
Neville reached out, his mother handed him a wrapper of Blow-Me-Up Super Bubblegum.
"Very good, dear." Neville's grandmother patted her on the shoulder, feigning joy.
But Neville softly yet firmly said, "Thank you, Mom."
Seeing Neville's expression, Alice smiled.
She couldn't speak, yet she stretched out her hands, rubbed Neville's chubby cheeks, and then stumbled back, humming a song along the way.
Neville clutched the candy wrapper, sniffed, lowering his head a bit sheepishly.
"Mate." Harry stepped forward, placing a hand on Neville's shoulder and said, "There's nothing to be ashamed of, I only saw a mother's deep love—even after being tortured by the Drilling Curse... she hasn't forgotten her love for her son, what a great maternal love... just like my mom."
He wasn't making empty remarks to comfort Neville; in truth, he thought of Lily.
Motherly love, how great it can be!
"Good child." Neville's grandmother praised Harry with her head held high, "Good child, Neville! Did you hear what Harry said! You have nothing to be ashamed of! Your father and mother are both heroes! Even if they're a bit mentally lost now, this doesn't erase their contributions to the Magic World! You should be proud of your parents!"
"Yes, Grandma!" Neville raised his head, eyes red-rimmed, but his expression was very determined.
"A pleasure to meet you, Harry." Neville's grandmother nodded with approval to Harry, "I'm glad Neville has friends like you—you are true Gryffindors!"
"Gryffindor, courage above all!" Ron whispered.
"Yes, courage!" Neville's grandmother nodded, "Even in the darkest days, don't lose your courage!"
After a few more words, Harry tentatively asked, "Mrs. Longbottom, has Saint Mangos Hospital ever found anything?"
Neville's grandmother shook her head, sighed and said, "No, it's permanent damage caused by the Unforgivable Curse, I know the medical staff have tried their best, this is the harm caused by the Unforgivable Curses..."
Harry looked up, glanced at Cassandra.
Neville's grandmother noticed Harry's gaze, looking suspiciously at the two adolescents.
"I understand, Mrs. Longbottom." Harry nodded, saying, he had a preliminary plan in mind.
Have a problem, find Leme.
With a Great Alchemist at home, who else would you ask if not him?
Ask Dumbledore?
Joking, if Dumbledore had a solution, would Frank and Alice still be lying in bed for so long?
Planning in his heart, Harry thought he should first try out a few Dark Wizards.
For testing the potion, it's certainly not done by letting Frank or Alice try it, one should pick a few Dark Wizards after all.
What? You say Dark Wizards don't have symptoms like the Longbottoms?
Simple, just make one, isn't it?
They lingered in the ward for a while, Mrs. Longbottom stood up.
"It's getting late." She said, putting on her long green gloves, "I think I should head home now, it was nice to meet all of you—especially you, Harry."
"I'm also very glad to meet you, Mrs. Longbottom." Harry nodded politely in return.
They walked out of the ward together, Neville accompanied by Mrs. Longbottom, went downstairs and boarded a carriage.
As Neville boarded the carriage, he didn't forget to look back at Harry and the others, even waving to them.
Seeing her grandson so cheerful now, Mrs. Longbottom was also very pleased.
Deep down she felt that having Harry and the others as friends was Neville's fortune.
Hermione was tearful throughout, and only after the departure of the Longbottom grandmother and grandson did she dare begin to wipe away her tears.
"Oh my... Neville..."
"What's wrong with you?" Ron asked suspiciously, "Why did you only just..."
"I was holding back just now," Hermione sniffled, "I was afraid of bringing up their sorrowful matters, so I held back... I know Neville's situation, know what happened to his parents... but it wasn't until I saw it myself that I could feel that... that kind of sadness, and that kind of pain... oh my..."