The News of Hope

Narcissa beamed, seemingly more from Harry's casual and friendly acknowledgment of her rather than from the situation that her sister was in. "If it's a boy, they should name him James Harrison Potter. That would carry on the Potter line sufficiently. Harrison because Harry just doesn't sound right as a middle name. Then if it's a girl, Bellatrix or Lily of course!"

"Those sound like good names." Neville commented positively.

Bellatrix frowned. "James Harrison sounds find, but I refuse to name a daughter after me. It would create too much confusion."

"Perhaps Isabella or Belle would be close enough but not the same." Neville suggested.

"Perfect!" Narcissa declared.

"Let's not get too excited." Bellatrix said in a dignified voice that hid her enthusiasm for the subject. Her sparkling violet eyes gave her away though.

Harry smiled at the two sisters and then looked at Neville. "I'm sure that you didn't come here to discuss potential names for my child. What's the good news from Snape?"

"Hermione has been found alive." Neville declared.

A grin graced Harry's face. "That's wonderful! She has put herself against me, but I'm still glad that she's alive." Harry's expression then took on a slightly saddened look. "Perhaps she'll still come around… wait. Voldemort kidnapped her so logically, she would know that I'm innocent, wouldn't she?"

Neville nodded. "Precisely. The instant she woke up, she told everyone that you were innocent. Bu-"

"Did they believe her?" Harry interrupted anxiously as everyone else awaited what Neville would next say.

"I'm sorry." Neville said, trying to break the bad part of the news as gently as possible. "Voldemort altered her mind somewhat and made it appear that her genuine memories of what happened were false."

Harry restrained himself to shaking his head sadly.

"Snape said that she still believes that you're innocent." Neville put in hopefully. "They haven't convinced her that you're still guilty yet. Maybe there's hope at least for her believing you."

"We'll just have to see." Bellatrix said, trying to keep the air from getting too depressing.

Neville reached for his goblet of punch and sipped it thoughtfully. "Yes, that's what we'll just have to do. While I was here, I was hoping that I could discuss the details for altering Potter's Legion a bit and then I hoped that I could visit my parents for a bit."

"Let's visit your parents first." Harry suggested as he rose from the table, everyone following suit out of respect for him.

"I'll go along as well." Bellatrix declared. "I've done a little research into their conditions since they came here. We could talk about that."

Neville, Harry, and Bellatrix then left the room, leaving the others to either finish their lunch or remain and chat with the others. They made small talk on the way up to the room in which the Longbottoms were being kept.

When they arrived in the room, Neville made a beeline straight toward the twin beds that the Longbottoms now resided in. He sat down in the gap that lay between the two beds and began to talk to his parents, alternating between one and the other. Harry was cheered somewhat by the fact that they seemed more responsive to him than usual.

Harry and Bellatrix held back, not wanting to interfere with the close and precious family moments that were occurring for Neville. Harry could most certainly relate to his friend. Even if his own parents were basically vegetables, he would still treasure every moment spent with them.

The sight of Neville talking in earnest to the almost completely non-responsive couple in the beds seemed to sadden Bellatrix. Harry could well understand why this was. In an attempt to comfort her, Harry unconsciously conjured a couch, pulled Bellatrix down onto it, and snuggled up to her with his arm around her.

"I don't think he blames you directly." Harry said quietly.

"He should." Bellatrix whispered.

Harry shrugged, not quite sure what there was to say that could comfort his wife.

"If anyone ever turned us into vegetables like that and forced our child to go through the emotional distress brought on by something like that, I'd kill them multiple times and make them suffer. I helped do that to a child." Bellatrix informed Harry.

"I think that you've redeemed yourself." Harry replied, quietly considering what would happen in the event that Frank and Alice Longbottom woke up and recovered from the debilitated state. How would they react to the fact that one of their torturers and enemies had gone and married the child of James and Lily? Probably not very well at all.

Bellatrix shook her head. "To redeem oneself, one must try to fix the wrong if at all possible. That's impossible for those I killed, but the Longbottoms just lie there waiting for me to do something."

"I guess that does weigh heavily." Harry said.

...

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