Resistance

Chapter 18 - After the Battle

Neville was living in a strange dreamlike world. He felt as though he had gone past a barrier of tiredness and was now running on some sort of stored energy, which made everything seem slightly unreal. Voldemort was dead. Harry wasn't. Snape was dead, but had been on their side after all. Bellatrix was dead, as was Rodolphus. He was a sort of hero. He had a big sword that he wasn't quite sure what to do with.

Incredibly, the House Elves had rushed straight back to the kitchens and rustled up a feast. Neville had sat and eaten it, with people sitting around him asking him questions in an awestruck, respectful way that made him feel rather fraudulent. 'Harry was incredible,' he said to everyone who'd listen. The only bit of pride he'd allow himself was an occasional, 'I always knew he'd come back and fight.'

As time had gone on, the feast had been demolished and people began to leave for their homes or for beds in the castle. McGonagall, who seemed to have become de facto Headmistress, made it clear that anyone who wished to was welcome to stay at the school. A delegation of Order members had departed for the Ministry, Fleur Weasley returned shortly after to let everyone know that Kingsley Shacklebolt had been appointed interim Minister for Magic.

The castle was in ruins around them, and the dead were still laid out, now at the top of the Hall, a respectful distance away. Voldemort's corpse had been put in a separate room, away from the others. The dead Death Eaters had been put into an empty classroom. His Gran had departed for St Mungo's with some of the injured, but not before she'd hugged him and told him his father would have been very proud.

'You look rather good with a sword,' said someone, sitting down next to him.

He jumped and turned to see Luna. 'Um... thanks,' he said, not sure how to take the compliment.

She smiled and nudged him. 'You were right all along, about Harry coming back.'

'D'you know, I got so used to saying it, it lost all meaning,' he said, able to be honest for the first time in what felt like forever. 'I could only really think about getting through the next day.' He looked towards the back of the Hall. 'A lot of people died, Luna.'

'I know,' she put a hand on his arm, and he felt rather alarmed. 'But they died heroically.'

'They're still as dead though. Like Colin... he was so young. I'll have to tell Dennis.' He swallowed hard at the thought.

'We'll tell him together,' said Luna at once, and he felt a rush of gratitude for his friend.

They sat quietly for a moment, Neville gazing at his half-finished food. 'They're letting the innocent people out of Azkaban,' Luna said softly. 'So hopefully I'll see Daddy again soon.' She didn't sound as positive as normal, and he looked at her face and saw anxiety there.

'If anyone can survive Azkaban in one piece, it's your Dad,' he told her warmly. 'He'll just have told the Dementors all about Snorkacks and his latest theories about corruption.' Despite his words, Neville didn't feel nearly as confident as he sounded. He thought of his own parents, and knew that strength of mind and spirit was not necessarily sufficient protection against evil. Suddenly a thought struck him. 'Why don't you both come and live with me and Gran for a bit? I know your house got blown up, and we've got two spare rooms, so you'd be welcome. Then if he needs a bit of help getting back on his feet, well, Gran's a good Healer.'

Luna gave a cry of delight and she flung her arms around him and planted a kiss on his cheek. He felt his face flame red and almost knocked over his goblet. 'I always wanted a brother, Nev. I think sometimes when we want things hard enough, life finds a way of providing them.'

Embarrassed, he tried to extricate himself as fast as he decently could. Fortunately he was saved from thinking of a reply by Ginny, who arrived at that moment looking pale and tear stained. She'd spent the feast so far with her family. 'Hi guys,' she said, giving a wan smile. 'I thought I'd come and see you for a bit.' She sat down next to them. 'Nev, you were amazing - when you pulled the Sword out of the hat and killed the snake - Ron was telling me that You-Know-Who's soul was in the snake or something.'

Neville spread his hands. 'I don't really know. Harry had just told me to kill the snake if I got a chance, so I did it. If I'm honest, I still don't really get how he came to win - all that stuff about wands. I never even realised the Elder wand actually existed.'

'The ownership of the Elder wand was truly Harry's, I think that was it,' said Luna. 'Mr Ollivander taught me a lot about wand lore whilst we were locked up. It's all very complicated and I'm not entirely sure I followed Harry's logic.' She shrugged. 'Still, whatever the reason, the main thing is that we won.'

'I still can't believe that evil greasy git Snape was actually on our side,' commented Ginny, absentmindedly playing with a strand of Luna's hair.

'Or that he was in love with Harry's mother - pretty gross,' said Neville, shuddering slightly. He was very glad that Snape hadn't been in love with his mother.

'I think it's rather lovely,' said Luna dreamily. Neville just shook his head. Luna turned to Ginny. 'I'm so sorry about Fred.'

'Yeah, me too,' said Neville, immediately embarrassed again.

Ginny nodded and sniffed. 'It hasn't really sunk in properly. I keep seeing George and looking round for Fred, and then remembering all over again. Mum is in a really bad way.'

'But she was incredible, fighting Lestrange like that. I must thank her, when it's a better time.' He saw Ginny's blank expression. 'It was Bellatrix Lestrange who tortured my parents,' he explained.

'Oh, of course,' said Ginny. 'I still can't believe Mum fought like that - I've never really thought of her as being powerful or talented. I know she used to do a lot of duelling when she was younger, before she had us, but you never really believe your own parents can do stuff like that.' She looked around the Hall. 'Has anyone seen Harry recently, by the way?'

'He went off for some time alone,' said Luna.

Ginny looked even sadder, but nodded again. 'Maybe he's gone to Gryffindor, I'll go and see if I can find him. I'll see you soon, guys.' She wandered away, passing Professor McGonagall who was approaching them looking purposeful.

'Longbottom, Miss Lovegood,' she greeted them. 'Most impressive, both of you. It is a shame you aren't in Gryffindor, Miss Lovegood. You certainly displayed enough bravery. And as for you Longbottom, you inspired us all. You were the turning point of the battle, Gryffindor himself wouldn't have done better. Now if you aren't too tired, there is a job I was hoping you could assist me with? It's a little delicate.'

'Of course, Professor,' said Neville at once, getting to his feet. He felt glad to have a purpose again. 'Luna?'

She nodded and rose. 'I need to take my mind off Daddy,' she said, following McGonagall out of the Hall and into the grounds.

Spring sunshine was everywhere, the sky was blue, and birds were singing. The grounds were still in a terrible state, and as he looked back at the Castle, he saw it was in a bad way. Two of the towers had fallen, and one side on the ground floor had been blown away. Many windows were broken and everywhere there were signs of damage where spells and giants had crashed into the walls.

'We'll have to rebuild, of course,' said McGonagall, following his gaze. 'Any students or families who wish to assist would be welcome. We want everything to be back in order in time for September. I hope that some of the students who've missed out on their education this year will rejoin us. Yourself included, Mr Longbottom.'

'Well, maybe,' he said, blushing. 'I haven't really thought that far ahead.'

'Where are we going, Professor?' asked Luna.

'To retrieve the last of our fallen comrades,' said McGonagall, approaching the Whomping Willow that stood in the grounds. 'He must take his place among the heroes.'

Neville was baffled, but Luna said, 'Professor Snape.'

'Indeed,' said McGonagall, levitating a twig with a flick of her wand, and using it to poke at the base of the tree's trunk. The branches, which had been doing their best to swat at McGonagall, froze in mid-sway. 'Follow me,' she commanded, ducking under a trembling bough.

They found that there was a passageway leading from below the tree's roots. They squeezed their way inside and followed their teacher down the narrow earthen tunnel. 'Potter informed me that Professor Snape fell in the Shrieking Shack,' she called back over her shoulder. 'This passageway leads directly there.'

The passage sloped steeply upwards and they found themselves entering a small, wooden building. There was a sweet, sticky smell in the air and as Neville emerged to stand beside McGonagall he found there was blood everywhere, seeping in a great puddle from the shrunken body of a figure dressed in black. Luna gave a little gasp and gulp as she looked around.

McGonagall stepped forwards to the body of Snape, and leant over as Neville had done for Colin, and closed his eyes. 'You and I stood together for many years, Severus,' she said, in a voice shaking slightly. 'We often didn't see eye to eye, but I always believed that in your own way you had the best interests of students at heart. I watched you work to protect them, even to protect Potter, the boy you so disliked.

'I am sorry that I believed the worst of you, when they told me you had killed Albus. It was something that hurt and shocked me deeply. I am glad that you were a better man than we believed all along, even though it has come too late for me to acknowledge it to you. I know you have lived in pain for many years, deep emotional pain, and I hope that now your pain is gone.'

She stepped back, her face rigid, and Luna stepped forwards. 'Professor Snape, although you were often an unkind man, you did love Mrs Potter. I hope that now you are with her. Thank you for looking after my friend Harry.' She made a strange sign in the air, and both she and McGonagall looked expectantly at Neville.

Unsure of what to say, he cleared his throat and looked down at the bloodless sack that had once been the Potions Master. Snape had made his life a misery for years. Even now, seeing him dead and discarded, he found it hard to feel anything other than dislike. He knew the fact of Snape's efforts for the side of good, but that didn't change the years of bullying, the way he'd treated a terrified eleven year old school boy. It didn't change the way he'd described Ginny and Luna's supposed deaths in such chilling detail, or the gleam of enjoyment in his eyes as he'd done so.

In the end he simply said, 'Rest in peace,' which was the most he could manage. Snape may not have been a minion of evil in the way they'd thought, but nevertheless in Neville's opinion Snape had done plenty to needlessly add to the misery quotient of the world.

Moving the body was rather awkward due to the amount of blood. It seemed to get everywhere, and Neville saw Luna nearly gag several times. He wanted to get her out of there, and felt silently resentful towards Snape for being so messily dead. He doubted Snape would have afforded Luna the same loving care had the tables been turned.

But finally they got him back to the Great Hall, now nearly empty. McGonagall moved to put the corpse next to Colin Creevey, but Neville insisted they laid him out at the other end, besides two older Order members. He didn't think Colin would have wanted to be in the vicinity of the cruel former Headmaster even in death.

McGongall wiped her brow and thanked them both. 'You should be getting to bed now, goodness knows what time it is. You both look exhausted.'

'We will, Professor, but there's something I need to do first,' said Neville solemnly. 'There's a boy in Hogsmeade somewhere wondering when his big brother's coming back. I need to go and tell him that Colin isn't going to come back.'

The teacher waved this away at once. 'Nonsense, Longbottom. I am the boy's Head of House, I should do it.'

Neville shook his head. 'Thanks Professor, but I want to do this myself, if I may. I was the leader of Dumbledore's Army, it's only right I should go and do it. I wouldn't feel right to hide away in the Castle while someone else told him.'

For a moment, McGonagall opened her mouth as though to argue, then closed it again. Eventually she patted him on the shoulder. 'You're not responsible, Longbottom, you understand that? The only people responsible are the Death Eaters.' She sighed, seeing the determination in his face. 'You need to be careful walking to Hogsmeade, there may still be Dementors in the grounds.'

'We're good at Patronuses, and I'll take the Sword,' he replied, then hesitated. 'I mean, if that's all right, Professor? I suppose it isn't mine really.'

She picked up the ruby encrusted hilt and pressed it gently into his hand. 'I think you're more than worthy of it, Longbottom.' She seemed unable to say more, so gave him another awkward pat on the arm, and walked off to where Filch was standing with a broom, staring rather hopelessly at a pile of masonry.

Luna slipped her arm loosely through Neville's, and he smiled at her. 'I'm glad you're with me, Luna.'

'I'll always be here when you need me Nev, there's no war to get in the way now.' She squeezed his arm. 'No war, Nev, it's all over. It's really and truly all over.'

*****

Sunlight streamed in to the windows of the Great Hall, and the enchanted ceiling showed a blue sky, despite a crack along the middle. A group of medics from St Mungo's had just removed the last of the bodies. Ginny, worn out from crying and with nothing but emptiness left, broke away from the family group and headed towards a lone figure sitting facing the windows, blonde head supported on her interlocked figures.

When she drew near, Luna half-turned to her. 'What's the betting Fred has already pulled several tricks on Professor Snape up in heaven?'

Ginny managed a smile. 'He would consider it his duty. And Colin would have been there to cheer him on.'

'And Professor Lupin would have pretended not to have noticed so he doesn't have to be cross.' Luna reached out and put an arm around her friend, and the two embraced.

'Is there any news of your Dad yet?' asked Ginny, not wanting to think too much about Fred, even if he was in a better place, alone without George.

'Apparently they are taking a little while to work out who is innocent and who isn't. They don't want to release anyone they shouldn't. Professor McGonagall says once the innocent people are released, they'll be taken to St Mungo's for an examination. I wanted to go there, but apparently it's rather busy, what with the battle, so I've got to stay here and wait.'

'I'm sorry,' said Ginny, squeezing her tighter.

'It's only a few more hours, what's that when we've been apart for five months?' Luna didn't sound convinced.

'Will you still be staying with Bill and Fleur?' asked Ginny suddenly, remembering that Luna's house was nothing more than a ruin.

'Neville's asked me and Daddy to stay with him and his Gran. Shell Cottage is quite small and I think Bill and Fleur would probably like to have some time alone again. Hopefully Daddy can get the Quibbler going quickly and we can build somewhere new soon.'

They stared out of the window together. Suddenly Ginny said, 'Luna, what do we do now?'

Her friend turned to look at her. 'Do?'

'Yes. I mean, our whole lives are ahead of us. That's... terrifying.' She watched a team of wizards gathering around the fly-ridden corpse of a giant. Judging by the amount of head scratching going on, none of them knew how to move it. 'The future seems so huge, all of a sudden.'

She waited for Luna to say something reassuring, but the other girl surprised her. 'I know what you mean. When the war is going on, you can't think of much except the war. When it stops, everything has to be rearranged.'

'Yeah. I mean, I know we have to rebuild. But how? What do we actually do, every day? Tomorrow seems like a brick wall. I can't see how our family can ever get over losing Fred. I can't imagine Hogwarts getting rebuilt, or coming back to school again.' She looked desperately at Luna, who always had the answers, even if they weren't the ones she'd expect.

Luna considered carefully. Eventually she said, 'I think the trick is not to think too much about it, just to sort of get on with it. That's what Harry does, after all, and he's just managed to defeat the Dark Lord. So maybe we should take a leaf out of his book. Just think about the next day. Every day is new.' Suddenly her face lit up. 'Look.' She pointed into the grounds, to the left of the group of wizards. 'Can you see?'

Ginny followed her friend's gaze, screwing up her eyes. At first, all she could see was some charred wreckage, then a movement caught her eye, and just for a moment she saw something. It was no more than a fleeting glimpse, but she had an impression of gauzy wings, a long tube-like beak, and rainbow coloured feathers. She turned to look at Luna again, eyes wide with wonder.

'A Blibbering Humdinger,' said Luna with satisfaction. 'They like burnt things. You often find them around the embers of old bonfires.'

'I didn't think they were real,' breathed Ginny, straining her eyes for another glimpse.

'Hardly anyone does, but you've seen one now.' Luna smiled at her. 'Well, I suppose we should go to bed. I imagine all this rebuilding will be rather hard work. Ravenclaw Tower has fallen down, so shall I come up and share with you?'

Ginny nodded, and the two friends left the Great Hall arm in arm.

*****

The topmost boys' dormitory was full of snores. Ron Weasley had smuggled Hermione - fully clothed - into bed with him. Harry had dozed off with his glasses still on, a half-eaten sandwich on the floor beside him. Seamus and Dean were lying facing each other across the gap between their beds, presumably having been chatting until the moment they fell asleep. It looked rather odd to see everyone asleep with the sunlight barely concealed behind the thick velvet curtains. The dust mites shone in the air.

Neville quietly stepped over the robes strewn across the floor, and placed the Sword of Gryffindor on top of his trunk. Trevor, who had miraculously stayed put in his pocket throughout all the excitement, poked his head out and Neville released him onto his bedside table. Trevor began crawling around exploring, as though nothing had happened, and Neville smiled for the first time in ages. 'The whole world has changed, but you're the same as ever, aren't you Trev?' he said affectionately to his pet.

He sat down on the edge of his bed and took a very deep breath, blowing it out slowly as he surveyed the room. The quiet made his ears ring and reminded him of when he'd first escaped to the Room of Requirement. That had only been two weeks ago, but it felt like a lifetime. Neville carefully removed his shoes, and peeled off his socks. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of his feet. He was going to have make bathing more of a priority again.

Exhaustion suddenly swept over him, dragging down at his every thought. His eyelids drooped. Colin's dead face flashed across his memory. Then Harry, standing over Voldemort's body. Luna, pinned down as they fixed her leg. Harry, supposedly dead, sagging in Hagrid's arms. The look on Bellatrix Lestrange's face at the second she died. The malevolence in Voldemort's eyes as he faced him down. The clean bright blade of the Sword of Gryffindor slicing through the snake's thick body. Ginny, sobbing over the body of her dead brother. Ron and Harry embracing, faces alight with wonder at their victory. Dennis Creevey's lost expression as Neville explained how Colin had died a hero's death.

'S'been a busy night, Trev,' he commented, removing his filthy robes and discarding them on the floor. He left his underwear on in respect of Hermione but didn't have the energy to find pyjamas. Across the room, Harry stirred in his sleep, before settling peacefully on his pillow again, glasses askew. Somewhere in London, people were making decisions about the future of the world. Kingsley Shacklebolt, the man whose hand he'd shaken less than twenty-four hours earlier, was now Minister of Magic, presiding over a scarred and broken society. And in the morgue of St Mungo's, their former friends and comrades were lying, never to enjoy the freedom they'd given up everything for.

He shook his head to dispel the images. It was too much to think about all at once. It would take time to process everything that had happened, and even more to deal with the aftermath. But just for now, for the first time in weeks, he could allow himself to relax. His eyes no longer able to stay open, Neville Longbottom fell into a well-earned deep and dreamless sleep.