Neville knew that his parents had suffered terribly, but he had never realized that the pain had never truly left them.
He had experienced the Cruciatus Curse himself. Draco had cast it, but even so, just remembering that agony was enough to make his whole body tremble uncontrollably.
And now, if he failed to heal them, then instead of helping, he would only make them suffer that same pain all over again...
At the thought of it, Neville shut his eyes in anguish and said hoarsely, "I think..."
"I think the Longbottoms would absolutely be willing to endure immense pain in exchange for even a little reminder of their child."
Tver bent down, picked up the food tin from the floor, and gently placed it back into Neville's hands.
"At the very least, it would let them know that their child has been working tirelessly to save them."
Neville looked up at Tver in surprise. The dazed look in his eyes slowly came back into focus, and then grew brighter and brighter.
Seeing that, Miriam Strout had no choice but to turn to Madam Longbottom for help, hoping she would talk Neville out of it.
"Madam Augusta..."
"I agree!" Madam Longbottom said without the slightest hesitation.
"Neville has been preparing for this for over a year. Even during the holidays, he brought an entire trunk of books home with him."
"To be honest, this is the first time I've ever seen him work this hard. I don't want him to give up just because there's a chance he might fail."
"Besides, my son and daughter-in-law are not the sort of people who would be defeated so easily. I believe that with all my heart."
"All right, if you insist," Strout said with a sigh, "but I'll be watching from the side. If anything goes wrong, I'll stop him."
"Thank you, Miriam. If Frank and Alice knew everything you've done for them, they would be deeply moved." A flicker of gratitude passed through Augusta's eyes.
There were not many patients in this ward. The Longbottoms had been here the longest, and Miriam had cared for them tirelessly all these years.
She had put in more effort for them than almost any relative could have.
"It's only what I should do, Augusta. They ended up like this for the sake of peace in the wizarding world."
Miriam seemed to remember the horrors of the last war, and her voice dropped involuntarily.
Lucius, meanwhile, looked distinctly uncomfortable, because after all, he had once been a Death Eater, and a leading Death Eater in that last war...
"Er, if everything's ready, could we begin the treatment as soon as possible? I've heard one of the potions doesn't keep well..." he reminded them awkwardly.
Miriam and Madam Augusta both gave him icy looks, but said nothing. Instead, they turned toward Neville, clearly leaving the decision to him.
"I'm ready. Uncle Malfoy is right. We can't waste time."
Neville nodded firmly. He looked around at everyone in the ward, then let his eyes come to rest on Draco.
"Draco, I need your help."
"I've been waiting for you to say that, mate." Draco grinned broadly.
He hurried after Neville as Neville made his way toward the Longbottoms, then leaned close and whispered, "Honestly, I don't think there's any chance we'll fail."
"Thanks, but could you get the potions ready? I still haven't quite worked out that part."
Neville managed a small smile in reply, then slowed his steps as he approached his parents.
He took a deep breath. Ignoring the curious onlookers gathered behind him, he went first to his mother.
As for Draco, now that Neville had asked, he began fumbling through his pockets and pulling out bottle after bottle, muttering under his breath, "It's all right, this part's my responsibility anyway."
"These are for stabilizing the soul, these are for protecting memory, these are for easing pain, so first she needs the soul-stabilizing potion. Honestly, only Professor Snape has this sort of potion. If it weren't for me..."
"Thanks."
Neville ignored Draco's nervous rambling and took the bottle from him. But when he twisted the stopper free, the slight tremble in his hand gave away just how unsteady he really was.
Mrs. Longbottom sat on the bed, vacant and motionless.
Her face was thin and worn now, her eyes unnaturally large, her hair white and dry and tangled.
Her empty eyes remained fixed on Neville's face without moving. Only when he lifted the potion to her lips did she tilt her head back slightly and swallow it down without the least hesitation.
"Now!" Draco clenched his fists in excitement and let out a small, eager cry.
He did not need to remind Neville. Neville had already drawn his wand fluidly and, as though he had practiced this a thousand times, gently touched its tip to the center of his mother's forehead.
It was as though a pebble had been dropped into still water. Ripples spread slowly outward from the point where the wand touched, calm but powerful.
But inside Alice Longbottom's mind, it was more like a raging storm had been unleashed.
Neville's magic followed his own awareness into his mother's mind, and what he found there was a vast soul in complete disorder.
Those fragments of soul looked like people twisted out of shape by unbearable suffering, and taken together, those people formed his mother's soul.
If it were visualized, Neville's magic was like an ordinary little imp, while what he was facing was an entire heap of scattered Lego pieces.
And what Neville had to do was sort each piece out, reorganize them, and fit them back together into the shape they were meant to have.
Even though he had prepared himself mentally, Neville was still badly shaken the moment he "saw" that scene.
"What is it?" Draco saw Neville, eyes still closed, shudder slightly and hurriedly asked.
"The potion..."
Neville did not open his eyes. He only gave the instruction in a trembling whisper, so faint that Draco would not have caught it at all if he had not been standing so close.
Draco immediately grabbed the memory-protecting potion, but realizing Neville could not break contact now, he had to pull the stopper out himself and gently bring it to Mrs. Longbottom's lips.
"Draco... has never been this gentle with me..." Narcissa murmured under her breath, her expression complicated.
Lucius looked as though he wanted to say something, but one sharp look from her. You too. instantly silenced him.
With the help of the potion, Neville felt as though he had been given a blueprint. He still had to put everything back together within a limited time, but it was undoubtedly far easier now.
So he did not dare waste a second. He hurriedly controlled his magic and cautiously tried to guide his mother's soul back onto the proper path.
"Ahhh!"
The instant her soul was touched, Mrs. Longbottom suddenly let out a shrill scream. It caught everyone completely off guard. Even Tver felt his ears sting from the sound.
Neville was hit hardest of all. He snapped his eyes open and stared in panic at his mother, whose face had twisted in agony.
"What do I do... the moment I touched her soul..."
His grip loosened, and he was almost unable even to keep hold of his wand.
But in the next second, a pair of large hands closed firmly over his, holding it steady.
"Don't panic. You're the only soul they don't reject." Tver spoke softly, as if he were wrapping Neville in an embrace.
...
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