Chapter 248: The Power of Love
Chapter 248: The Power of Love
Ten minutes ago.
Neville returned to the hospital room with a blank expression. Seeing his parents still quietly sleeping in bed, his heart softened.
“Dad… Mom…” he whispered softly.
He knew he wouldn’t get a response, so he just opened his bag and took out a clay figurine. “This is Dad.” He then took out another figurine. “This is Mom.”
The third figurine, “This is me.” The fourth figurine, “This is Grandmother.”
Neville arranged the four figurines together and looked at them with satisfaction.
Actually, there was another figurine in his bag, but he didn’t want to take it out or even see it.
His eyes were fixed on these four figurines. As he watched, he smiled, and tears streamed down his cheeks.
“Dad… Mom…” he repeated softly, over and over.
On the hospital bed, Alice Longbottom’s fingers twitched slightly, as if she were waking from a long sleep. She opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was a round-faced boy, crying.
She also saw the clay figurines on the table and heard the boy’s soft calls.
“Nev? Is it Nev?” Something inside her stirred, and a surge of emotion welled up. She remembered the baby in the crib, whom she used to call by that name.
Neville looked up, his face still wet with tears, which blurred his vision. He wiped his tears with the back of his hand and blinked hard.
“Mom?” Neville felt that today’s Mom was different, her gaze so gentle it seemed to envelop him.
“Is it my Nev?” Alice Longbottom said, her voice filled with excitement.
“It’s me, Mom! You, you remember?” Neville said, dazed. If the first half was a nightmare, the second half was definitely a beautiful dream, and he wished he could live it every day.
Alice Longbottom looked around the hospital room and at her own clothes, understanding something. Tears welled up in her eyes. “All these years, it was just you…?”
“I lived with Grandmother!” Neville blurted out, words he had kept buried for so long. “I’m doing well, I’ve made many friends—Harry, Hermione, Ron, Dean, Seamus… and the professors really like me, even though I’m a bit slow and have a poor memory…”
Alice listened quietly, her fingers trembling. Soon, Frank Longbottom also woke up, shaking his dazed head. The first thing he saw was his wife, followed by a boy who was talking nonstop, crying and laughing.
His wife looked thinner, her face pale, as if she had just recovered from a serious illness. Her hair had lost its luster. He felt a pang of pain.
A memory was triggered, and he saw a young man with black hair and blue eyes speaking to him. “Mr. Longbottom, I need to introduce myself…”
Half a minute later, he understood everything, including the events twelve years ago when they were tortured by four Death Eaters using the Cruciatus Curse to find out Voldemort’s whereabouts, their subsequent treatment at St. Mungo's, and the major events that had transpired over the years.
He said softly, “Alice, is this Neville?” He looked at Neville, who bore a strong resemblance to his mother.
“He’s our Nev,” Alice said, using Neville’s nickname.
“Dad?” Neville wiped his eyes. Not only was Mom healed, but Dad was also healed? Was this really not a dream? He pinched himself hard. It hurt, but the intense joy that enveloped him left no room for pain. He felt like he was about to burst with happiness.
Frank Longbottom smiled gently, his arms around his wife, and he opened his arms to Neville. “Nev…”
Neville rushed over, sobbing loudly. He didn’t want to hold back; instead, he shouted as if showing off, releasing the joy that had built up inside him, as if reaching some kind of limit—
Boom!
A surge of magic descended.
…
Felix's mood was at its most complex. Despite his elaborate scheming, the plan seemed to have failed, yet unexpected factors had led to its success.
He quietly slipped away.
Madam Longbottom appeared at the door, her eyes widening at the scene inside. She was overwhelmed with joy, tears streaming down her face. "Frank, Alice, you... this is wonderful."
Felix watched them from a distance, his expression peculiar. He fought the urge to flee and slowly backed away, only to see Dumbledore's figure.
"Headmaster? What are you doing here?"
Dumbledore spoke with a light tone, "Dahlia has her portraits at St. Mungo's, and she informed me. Oh, and by the way, before Dumbledore became Headmaster of Hogwarts, she was a healer at St. Mungo's."
Felix nodded silently. Every Headmaster of Hogwarts was an elite wizard, and their portraits were hung in multiple locations. In theory, any portrait of Dumbledore at Hogwarts served as his eyes and ears.
Dumbledore looked around the ward with interest. "When Dahlia told me, it sounded like the sky was falling—forgive my wording. I believe healers at St. Mungo's have a tendency to be overly emotional, but I arrived just in time, didn't I?"
"Do you want to go in, Dumbledore? The Longbottoms are awake, and I'm sure you have a lot to say to them?" Felix only wanted to leave and be alone.
"No, Felix", Dumbledore said, blinking his deep blue eyes. "I won't intrude at this moment. Today, and the entire Christmas holiday, belong to them. But you, Felix—"
"I'm a bit concerned about you", Dumbledore said.
"Concerned about me?" Felix looked at him in surprise.
"On the way here, I was thinking, if you had failed, would you have tried again? You're not the type to give up easily. You're young, ambitious, and full of determination—would you have set your sights on Potter? Or Weasley? Granger? Malfoy?"
"I wouldn't."
"Because you succeeded, and that is one of the best possible outcomes I hoped for", Dumbledore said.
"You mean—"
"Longbottom's latent magic was awakened by love, not by hate", Dumbledore explained.
"I don't see much difference."
"Felix, love is the greatest power, but few wizards understand this. Voldemort didn't, and that's why he was defeated by a baby in a cradle."
"It sounds like you came here to give me a lesson", Felix said.
"Felix, I just believe you will understand the power of love. Hatred might make you stronger, but the belief in love and protection will take you further."
Dumbledore soon left, saying, "I need to visit Nearly Headless Nick." Felix suddenly remembered the gift in his hand. He took out a gift box from his ring. "Headmaster Dumbledore, could you please deliver this to Nearly Headless Nick?"
Dumbledore's expression became complicated, and he said with a hint of sadness, "Nearly Headless Nick isn't in the mood for Christmas, including receiving gifts. Felix, perhaps another time."
"Is something wrong? Is there anything I can do?" Felix asked, noting that his communication with Nearly Headless Nick had decreased significantly over the past month.
"Nearly Headless Nick's wife—Perenelle—is unwell and might not survive the winter", Dumbledore said. "We were prepared for this, but when it actually happens, it's still deeply saddening."
(End of Chapter)
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