Of Herbs and Plants

Chapter 1: To Remember

The room was dimly lit, and a storm was raging outside. There was a small fire crackling in the hearth. A man, woman, and their baby boy were sitting on the hearthrug taking in the heat of the flames.

"What's that noise, dear?" The soft voice of a young woman could be heard, along with the sounds of a very sleepy toddler.

"It's just the wind hitting the door, Elizabeth ...don't fret so much. You're becoming a nervous wreck," replied the young man sitting next to her.

"It's only natural, John," she said cautiously. The sound was heard again, growing louder and louder, until the back door creaked open. The man stood up defiantly, trying to calm down his wife, who was now weeping uncontrollably.

"I t-told you they w-would f-f-f-find us! I told--" but she stopped speaking abruptly when three masked figures entered the room.

"You two know something, do you?" said one of them quietly." Know something of His where-abouts?

"We just came 'round to have a little chat...maybe...find some things out?" he continued.

"We're not telling you anything," came Elizabeth's shaky voice from the rug.

"You're not, eh?" the masked man asked again, a manic glint lighting in his eyes. "We'll see about that now won't we? Crucio!" both of the men, one of whom had stepped out of the shadows, yelled together. The spell hit its victims hard, causing them to shake and twitch convulsively. The eyes of their son grew wide, and he began to cry loudly. The couple secretly hoped that he, a young innocent being, would never have to face pain such as this. They felt their skin burning. Their bones were at a breaking point. They didn't think they could take the pain much longer when, all of the sudden, it stopped leaving them to roll over on the ground lifelessly. The little boy was still crying, prodding at his mother's nearly unconscious form.

"Mummy? Mummy wake up!" he whispered in her ear. She and her husband slowly gained consciousness, looking up at the men and woman with fear and hatred. She then looked over to her son, who was still sobbing.

"It's alright, dear. Mummy's fine," Elizabeth said quickly, taking the young child up in her arms.

"Will you tell us now?" said the thick boned woman, who'd been situated in the shadows with what looked like her husband.

"NEVER!" Elizabeth was forced back to the reality of what she was facing just as she said that word. Putting her sleeping son down on the rug, she stood up defiantly. "You'll have to kill me first!"

"Oh well trust me," came the ugly woman's voice again, "that's not a problem. We could do that if you'd like. But what about your dear husband? No, I don't think we should do that. One of you would be very resentful," she looked over to the man in front of her. Middle aged...Seemed of good family. The Aurors always go first, however, she reminded herself. He was sitting up, and, though he looked tired, his eyes held a triumphant gleam. Taking her mask off, the Death-Eater wore a look of what seemed to be pity. The look was anything but real. "Let's just do the next best thing, shall we? Obliviate!" she yelled, making Elizabeth and her husband forget everything. The bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom fell over flatly on the ground, leaving their young son, Neville, to awake to parents who didn't even know he existed.