The Importance of Intent: After the Credits

The Secret Garden - Part 2

Four hours later she was sat back in the same chair feeling unsettled for an entirely different reason. After the party had ended the Longbottoms invited her family along to join them in their standard visit to see Neville's parents on his birthday. She heard her parents and Mistress Longbottom talking quietly in the periphery but her mind was focused elsewhere.

As she thought back to seeing Neville with his parents she wondered who had it worse: Harry having his parents die when he was so young or Neville whose parents were alive in the most disheartening sense of the word. She could tell that Neville's mother had been beautiful and her father had mentioned how Frank Longbottom towered over most people when he was younger. But that couple was long gone...all that remained were pale, hollowed out versions. She decided Neville had it infinitely worse.

She scanned the room and was disappointed to see Neville still hadn't reappeared. She wasn't sure how she would manage it but she wanted to try and return the favor and hopefully help Neville feel a little less bad. Daphne and Harry had gone to the Weasleys after the hospital visit so it was up to her to help.

She was broken out of her musings by the Longbottom's house elf. "Would Miss Greengrass like something to drink?" she offered hopefully.

"I was actually wondering if you knew where Neville was?" she asked.

The elf's smile vanished as she became much more sullen. "Master Neville always goes to the greenhouse when he is sad. Hospital visits always make Master Neville sad."

"Thank you," she replied kindly. "Could I have two bottles of butterbeer?"

She found him exactly where Sophie had guessed, hunched over a greenhouse bench, his hands buried in the soil. She smiled to herself as she realized he was wearing her gift. She could tell that he knew she was there but had not looked up.

"Thought I should return the favor," she said as she placed the butterbeer next to where he was working.

"Thanks," he said before looking back down and returning to work.

Astoria took a nearby seat and sat quietly, pondering the best way she could help. She thought of how Harry seemed initially uncomfortable talking about his parents but once the floodgates were opened how much he shared...how much it seemed to help him to talk about it with others. The direct approach had always been her default strategy so she decided to take the bull by the horns as gently as possible.

"I noticed the wrappers your mum gave you...Dad told me she had a bit of a sweet tooth," she offered tentatively.

Astoria initially thought she had pushed too hard as Neville quickly looked at her in surprise before turning back to the soil.

They sat in silence for several moments before Neville began to speak, never taking his eyes off of his task.

"Gran always insists we visit them on special days...my birthday...Christmas. When I was younger I hated it. I didn't like having a fun day ruined by something so depressing. I was a bit of a brat about it if I'm being honest."

It was hard for Astoria to picture Neville being a brat about anything. She sat quietly and waited for him to continue.

"Gran used to bribe me with sweets to keep me from complaining so much," he continued. "When I took one out of my pocket I noticed Mum was watching it in my hands. You saw her...she usually doesn't really focus on anything in particular so it was a big shock. I gave it to her when Gran wasn't looking and didn't think about it again."

She watched him place a small seedling in the soil. The diminutive plant made a sound of protest, prompting Neville to remove a glove and gently rub his finger along its lone leaf. "These plants are skittish when they're this young," he explained. "It seems to help calm them when I do this. Sophie, our house elf, said Dad figured that out when he was younger."

He turned toward her and straddled the stool he was sitting on as he pulled off his other glove and placed them to the side, smiling as he watched her charms instantly dispel all the dirt that had accumulated. "That is really cool," he said as he grabbed the butterbeer and took a drink.

"Where was I?" he asked absentmindedly.

"You mentioned how you gave your mum sweets for the first time," she offered, hoping he would continue.

"Right...well next time I went as soon as she saw me she took the empty wrapper out of her pocket and gave it to me," he said as he took another drink. The nurses said they had tried to throw it away for her but she refused...like she was waiting for me to come back so she could give it to me. Since then I've always made sure to bring sweets and I've never once complained about going," he chuckled.

"The nurses had to give me a lecture at one point because I had started giving her handfuls," he laughed. "So we agreed I would limit it to three."

"Spoilsports," she lamented. "Three isn't nearly enough."

"I know, right?," he said with a smile before taking another drink. "It was nice having your family come tonight. I didn't think I'd like it but it was nice."

Astoria smiled in reply, thankful that she had been able to reciprocate at least a little bit of the help Neville had provided earlier. She thought of something else that could keep the momentum going. It wasn't the smartest move for her physically but it would be a small price to pay.

"Did you want to learn those charms now? We could cast them on the other things you use," she asked hopefully.

"Another time," he said quietly. "You still look a bit peaky."

"I'm fine," she lied automatically.

"Right, just like I was fine out here hiding with my plants," he replied. He seemed to hesitate and become nervous before speaking again.

"Maybe you could come over this weekend? We could walk into town afterward and maybe get some dinner?" he asked meekly.

"Yes," she replied immediately, feeling a surge of energy returning. "I'd really like that."

He smiled, all anxiety now gone from his expression. "Great!" he blurted before gathering himself.

"Gran usually gets fussy if I stay out here too long so we should probably head back in. If you're nice I'll fetch you some more cake."