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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Feb 19, 2016 13:45:24 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2016 13:45:24 GMT -7
@superluigi64 @lestrange Holding Andy's hand was the best feeling. Though at the moment he wished that he had a better mood to compliment the feeling of her hand in his. After their run in with Nikolaj in Hogsmead, however, the mood was hard to lift. Andy had told him most of what Nikolaj had told her, and after they finally got her unstuck from that stupid chair, they had decided to cut their day short. Walking through the streets of Hogsmead with Andy was something he had wanted to do for a while, and this morning had been rather ideal. Now, well it was a far improvement from even two weeks ago. They didn't talk much as they made their way into the castle and up to the sixth floor. Phil didn't know where his dad was, but the headmaster's office was a good bet. Saying the password to the griffin he and Andy stepped into the alcove. The staircase rose up, and Phil put his arm around Andy. He just wanted to show her that he was here for her. Looking down at her he smiled. There was another reason he wanted to talk to his dad. Nik had known about Jayden and what happened to him. True that was common knowledge, but the way he said it... it seemed like he knew more then he was letting on. "Don't worry. My dad will know what to do." He promised. He had a lot of faith in his father, for good reason. His dad could solve a lot of problems on his own, and if he couldn't he knew people who could.
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Feb 20, 2016 15:55:58 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2016 15:55:58 GMT -7
Andy was practically crushing Phils hand as they went back to the school, making their way to the Headmasters office. She hadn't let him separate himself from her since the moment they got her out of that chair. She had stopped shaking now, but she still felt the rock in her throat- like she couldn't breathe. Her stomach was in knots and her wand would occasionally shudder in the robe pocket when she started to get too angry again. It was a constant battle trying to keep her wits about her. When they were finally on their way up, past the Griffin, Phil put an arm around her and told her not to worry. She nodded, anxiously watching the door above until they reached it. She breathed in before knocking lightly and pushing the door open. "Headmaster- erh - Neville?" she called out softly. It was hard to know what to call him in what scenario. He wore so many different hats in her life she was never sure what was appropriate. Still, calling the man out by his first name calmed her nerves more than she had expected. @superluigi64 @philiplongbottom (y u both have the longest tags ever (apart from carcers ))
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Mar 23, 2016 13:29:07 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2016 13:29:07 GMT -7
It was hard, Neville reflected, being a leader.
Practically everyone wanted his opinion on things. They looked to him for guidance. The Minister herself wanted to know what he had to say. Even Harry Potter came to him to work out solutions or formulate plans, though not as much as he went to Ron or Hermione. And all of that made Neville, as the Aurors put it, not expendable.
So, rather than patrol the castle of Hogsmeade with the rest of the soliders, on the front lines where things made sense to him, he was stuck in the office where Dumbledore himself once resided, far away from the greenhouses that had become his over the years, coordinating information and planning patrols, communications, and everything else under the sun. It wasn’t beyond his ability to handle, but…well, Neville would much rather stand out on the front lines.
He paused when he heard the knock on his door, setting down the parchment in his hand when the door opened to reveal Phil and Andy. Clearly they were getting along better than they had before, so that was a good thing. “Headmaster- erh- Neville?”
He smiled. “Andy, Phil, come in,” he called, standing up and moving around his desk. He took in their expressions with some surprise. Phil had that mixed look of worry and controlled fury that he had the night of Jayden’s attack, and Andy looked much the same way. Something had gone very wrong, and it had affected Andy. Philip would never bank such fury for things done to himself. “You look troubled. What happened?”
@philiplongbottom @lestrange
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Mar 25, 2016 22:24:15 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2016 22:24:15 GMT -7
@superluigi64 @lestrange Phil thought about offering Andy the chair next to his father's desk, but thought better of it. She had just been stuck to a chair... His dad, the headmaster, was always willing to help. Phil knew his dad was always willing to interrupt work to help him or any of his kids. So he didn't feel too bad pulling his dad away from whatever it was he was working on, which was probably important. "Dad, Nikolaj ran into us in Hogsmead." he started, then proceeded to give a brief explanation of what had transpired. The threats to Andy, veiled though they were. The comment about Jayden, the sticking spell with the chair. All of these were conveyed to his father. As the story unfolded, Phil could feel himself getting angrier. He tried to pull it in, control it, like his dad had taught him. He was semi-successful. He kept his arm around Andy, not wanting to make her feel unsafe, and also to keep himself grounded. Control his anger at Nikolaj was much easier with Andy right next to him. He could do it for her.
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Mar 29, 2016 14:16:16 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2016 14:16:16 GMT -7
As Neville invited them in Andy stayed slightly behind Phil as if in some attempt to stay out of sight. She was chewing on her lip relentlessly as he asked what had happened, but she couldn’t open her mouth to speak. She was grateful when Phil spoke first and nodded at his words. He spoke of how Nik had magically glued her to a chair in an attempt to force her to talk with him. Phil hadn’t seen or heard everything Nik had said, but he did explain how Nik was trying to turn Andy against the Longbottoms. She could tell Phil was getting angry and she reached her arm around his waist to gently hold him as he was holding her, arm over her shoulders. Then she spoke, ”He wants me and Rory to move in with him,” she said. ”He thinks that I… he…” she shook her head, taking in a deep breath before finally making complete eye contact with Neville.
”He said I’m no better than my father. And he’s right, Professor. I… I just get so angry and… I almost hurt Albus the other day and back there, with Nik, I was thinking horrible things that I wanted… things i wanted to happen to him. I hated him. I do hate him,” she was surprisingly level in her tone and her hands weren’t even shaking. It was almost dull, as if she was stating a fact that was clear to anyone.
”Point is,” she shifted, ”I don’t think he’s done with me yet. He’ll be approaching Rory soon, I’m sure and she’ll well… they get along well…” the thought of Rory leaving her was enough to break her now. Enough that she pulled her arm away and ducked out from under Phils arm in order to turn to the side, shutting her eyes tight and willing herself not to cry. Not again.
@philiplongbottom @superluigi64
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Apr 6, 2016 14:08:27 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2016 14:08:27 GMT -7
It was Phil who ended up explaining what was going on. Neville didn’t change his expression of concerned interest on the outside, but on the inside he was groaning. He should have seen that coming. According to most people who were willing to talk to him, Nikolaj Lestrange literally saw eye-to-eye with his father in every way except the treatment he and his sisters had undergone. The threat to Jayden did have him narrow his eyes a bit—he highly doubted Nikolaj had had anything whatsoever to do with the attack, but clearly it was time to remind the world of the dangers of threatening his children.
Any of the five of them.
After Phil got the story out, Andy added in her own thoughts. So, Nikolaj wanted his sisters to move in with him, and he was making sure they knew. Neville didn’t want that to happen. He didn’t think Nikolaj would take it well when he found out that neither of his sisters would want anything to do with his direction in life, and he was not overly interested in seeing whether Nikolaj took after his father more than he realized. Still, it wasn’t his decision to make. Rory had taken the right to decide her own life by force, and even if Andy had not, Neville would not deny her the chance to choose.
He saw her pull away from Phil and turn away. Alarmed, now, Neville reached out a hand to her shoulder and gently but firmly turned her around to face him. “None of that now,” he said, soft but stern, as he tapped her on the nose with a finger. It was clear that Nikolaj had put her through the ringer, but it was her fear that he was right that was bothering her now. “Anger and hatred are emotions, Andy. They are neither good nor bad, they simply are. Surely you don’t think you’re the only one who feels them? Harry Potter was wound up so tightly for a couple of years there that he was goaded into attacking a student and got thrown off the Quidditch team for the year. You think I don’t know what hatred is? Even Phil—he hides it well, but the only reason he didn’t attack your brother earlier is because his concern for you outweighed a sense of fury that anyone dared hurt someone he cares for. I can see it in his eyes—part of him wants to go back to Hogsmeade right now.”
He smiled. “When you’re a teenager, your body is shifting drastically all the time. It affects your emotions, mutes them or strengthens them. That is not wrong, it simply is. Learning to deal with them is just part of growing up.”
The Headmaster walked backward, towards a chair, and sat down, keeping his hands on Andromeda’s shoulders. “You made a choice today. And I will help you stand by that choice. If you don’t want to see your brother, you don’t have to. Your sister will have a choice too, but I want you to know that she is not choosing sides here. If she wishes to speak to Nikolaj, she can, and she doesn’t have to leave us to do so. If he offers to let her move in with him, and she accepts, it does not mean she has to stop seeing you, or that you’ll lose her, or that she won't be welcome to the Cauldron whenever she wants.”
@philiplongbottom @lestrange
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Apr 6, 2016 17:00:00 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2016 17:00:00 GMT -7
@superluigi64 @lestrange Andy pulled away from him, slipping out from under his arm. He let it slid down, but he was still reaching out for her. He pushed away the feeling that she was going to leave again, ignore him again. She wasn't going to do that again. She wasn't. Neville stepped forward instantly to comfort Andy, for which Phil was grateful. He dad always knew what to say. His father had taken one look at him and known something was wrong. He could do that. And he was absolutely right. Phil was furious at Nik. When Neville mentioned what Phil was feeling, he tried not to look surprised, unsuccessfully. "Dad, can't we do anything? He can't just walk around, gluing people to chairs and threatening them!" he stepped forward, hands moving as he talked. That happened when he was passionate about something.
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Apr 13, 2016 7:50:52 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Apr 13, 2016 7:50:52 GMT -7
Andy let Neville turn her shoulder so she was facing him but her eyes still remained downward, even when he tapped her nose. She sniffled, not looking up until he mentioned that even Phil was angry but was only holding back for her sake. She looked up at Neville then, her eyes slightly wider than usual. Was Phil really that upset right now? He did such a good job at hiding it… she nodded as Neville continued, talking about being a teenager and whatnot. Then they were walking toward a chair and he sat down.
She felt her eyes brimming with tears again as he said that she didn’t have to see Nik and that Rory could still see him and not be abandoning Andy. It was a bit confusing to wrap her head around and she chewed on her lip, nodding once and hoping that was sufficient.
Then Phil spoke and Andy’s head shot in his direction. He wanted to do something. It was such a foreign concept to andy still, taking action. Even with so many years in the house of bravery and daring, she still didn’t act much. Not until recently. Not until leaving the family she had grown up in.
She took a step back from Neville after Phil spoke, allowing Phil a better clear shot to look at his father. She wondered what he would want to do about this too.
@philiplongbottom @superluigi64
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Apr 21, 2016 21:03:33 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Apr 21, 2016 21:03:33 GMT -7
Andy seemed to feel a bit better upon realizing that nobody was going to draw a line in the sand but her brother. Still, if Rory did choose to move in with Nikolaj, Neville resolved to make sure she at least knew that Andy wanted to stay in touch with her. This was...going to be sad to watch. He wasn't sure, but Neville had his suspicions that Nikolaj was related to the new movement of Dark witches and wizards. And he knew Aurora and Andromeda would never agree to such a thing. He didn't want to be there when it all came out and the siblings were well and truly torn apart forever...but Merlin, he hoped he was there, in case they needed him.
“Dad, can't we do anything? He can't just walk around, gluing people to chairs and threatening them!”
There was that fire again, the determination he had inherited directly from his father. That burning feeling of this is wrong and I will not stand for it that caused an otherwise peaceful boy to willingly take up arms and stand on the front lines for what they believed to be right. Neville smiled and raised a hand in a stopping gesture. “No, he cannot.”
The patriarch of the Longbottoms leaned back into the chair, marshalling his thoughts for a moment. “I will go and speak to him. I'll make it clear that he is not to approach Andy for any reason, that she doesn't wish to see him, and if she does, he will be notified. And I will remind him of the extreme foolishness of casting any sort of magic on Hogwarts students, particularly in these times.” And, if necessary, show why it was a bad idea, though he didn't say that out loud. He had absolutely no fear of Nikolaj in a combat situation, but it wouldn't do to worry them, especially Andy, who was already terrified at the idea of losing someone.
He turned to Andy and smiled. “If you do wish to speak to him, you may do so under your own terms. If you want Phil, or Hannah, or me there when you speak to him, that's fine. If you don't want to, that's fine too. But I want you to know, the choice is there for you.”
@philiplongbottom @lestrange
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Apr 27, 2016 4:39:39 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2016 4:39:39 GMT -7
@superluigi64 @lestrange Phil let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. There was something they could do, or at least his father could do. Smart people didn't cross his father, especially after he gave them a warning. But Nikolaj wasn't smart. Would he listen? An idea began forming in Phil's mind, a way to make sure Nikolaj stayed away from Andy. It would require force, and more then a little skill, but Phil could do it. He could do it for Andy. For now, he would be content to let his father handle this, but if Phil ever crossed Nikolaj again... "Thanks dad." Phil said, his sincerity plain in his voice. He knew his father was busy, but he didn't want to rush Andy out of there. So he just took a step closer to her and gave his dad a brave smile. "I think that's a great plan."
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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May 4, 2016 13:56:21 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on May 4, 2016 13:56:21 GMT -7
The thought of Neville speaking with Nik sent a surge of panic through her. She wasn't necessarily scared for Neville, but she didn't like him being on her families radar even more than he was already. Granted, there really wasn't any more he could be on their radar at this point. He had taken their daughters, that was pretty much the peak.
Then he said that she didn't have to see him unless she wanted to and if she did she could bring anyone with her. She nodded, chewing on her lip during his whole explanation. Phil spoke up first, thanking his father and thinking it was all a good plan. He stepped closer to her and Andy didn't pull away, thought the impulse was there, as it always was when she was in a bad place.
She nodded at Neville and smiled, "yes, thank you. I... I believe you. I mean, that everything will be fine. Hopefully. I mean, I agree," she shook her head, knowing she was sounding like a total dumbell right now. She turned back to Phil, smiling softly at him before turning back to Neville. "The question is... what do we do about me. I mean... I almost cursed Albus and I wanted to hurt Nick. I mean, I think... I think somethings wrong with me. Does that make sense?"
@superluigi64 @philiplongbottom (we'll have neville suggest parvatis counsel then end it, eh?)
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Jun 12, 2016 14:59:10 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2016 14:59:10 GMT -7
Phil's response was honest, but there was something in his eye that Neville didn't like. With a sinking feeling, he realized that his oldest son was already figuring out how he would take matters into his own hands if it came to that. It was the same resolution Neville always felt—but that dangerous glint in Phil's eye was all Hannah. Geez, he'd inherited a nasty combination of personality traits. And Neville knew without a doubt that he couldn't dissuade his son.
Well, for the time being, he could try to help Andy, at the least.
He paused for a moment. “I think...you should arrange to speak with Madame MacMillan. I would like to help you myself, Andy, but I am afraid I have little experience with an explosive temper. My temper burns cold, as do my children's, and Hannah's temper is....tranquil, I would say. But Madame MacMillan is trained to help students learn how to deal with their emotions and their impulses. She would be much more able to help you than me.”
He reached out and put his hands on Andy's shoulders, smiling. “No matter what, though, I'm proud of you. Knowing you need help is important, and admitting it is hard. And even so, you didn't hurt them, even if you wanted to. That matters. What you do means more than what you want. So tell me—what do you want to do about your anger?”
@philiplongbottom @lestrange
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Jul 24, 2016 10:20:37 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2016 10:20:37 GMT -7
@lestrange @superluigi64 Phil didn't know how his plan was going to work, but it had too. It had to work. He looked to Andy, feeling his heart swell with ... love? Protective instict? Whichever it was, he didn't want anything to happen to her and he wanted to help her. His dad's idea about seeing Parvati was good, she could help, right? He didn't say anything but his brain was shirring with ideas.
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last online Mar 28, 2024 6:51:43 GMT -7
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Aug 2, 2016 10:56:55 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2016 10:56:55 GMT -7
All of the words about how Madame McMillan could help her and the whole being proud that she could admit something was wrong was enough to cause Andy to give Neville a small smile. Then he asked what she wanted to do about her anger and she swallowed hard, finding herself standing a little taller, "I want to fix it. I mean, get it under control so no one gets hurt because of it," and she meant it, too. There was nothing more she wanted than to not be like her father in any way, even if it was obvious that she was heading in that direction. If she could prevent it then she would be happier, Phil would be happier, and... people would be spared, in all honesty. Hadn't she dealt with enough pain as it was? She was confident that this was what she wanted, whether or not she believed it possible was a different story...
@superluigi64 @philiplongbottom (le end then unless Neville wants one more.)
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