Dark Repercussions

Pride

A/N: I threw together this little oneshot that randomly popped in my head! DR just refuses to die (and I really don't want to let it go) so I hope you all like it!

He had been putting this off for too long. He could no longer use the excuse of classes to teach or ministry rebuilding, everything was running itself and the school was out for the summer. It was getting ridiculous. But it was something he dreaded. Because he knew, he knew that this moment could easily break him, after everything they had fought for and everything they had won, this moment could crush it all.

"You know you don't have to do this." A voice from the doorway said, a doorway that was previously warded.

"I do,"

"You have done so much more than even you thought possible. Isn't that enough?" Confused, incomprehensible and he sighed.

"It should be. Even in just this short time my works have spread to the other side of Europe, and I have had invitations to teach, help and learn even more. But somehow, even with all that, I have to know."

"If it does not go the way you wish, you come back here immediately." Warning, concern and he nodded.

"I will." He left the room and walked through the halls of Hogwarts slowly, his face expressionless, his eyes nervous. He reached the entrance hall and span on the spot vanishing with a crack. He landed in a remote area and walked towards the solitary building. It was grand, but not ostentatious, framed between two huge willow trees. The gardens spread wide before it, stunning with years of careful nurturing and a gently flowing river winding casting sparkling light over the entire area. He walked up the laws, his eyes glossing over lands he adored and he finally reached the double oak doors, which were surrounded by stained glass. The doors swung open to admit him and he was greeted by the head elf, who bowed and took his cloak. He knew where to go, it was the summer months so the sun shone brightly on the back of the manor so the sun room was the first choice of sitting. He walked through the halls silently, the oak floors polished to perfection and the earthy décor soothing even as the portraits on the walls eyed him. He climbed the stairs two at a time, his nerves making him hasty and he stumbled, he paused, taking a breath to calm himself before he continued on. Despite his forced calm, he found himself freezing as he came to the open doors. He steeled himself and walked in to the room and his eyes were drawn to her immediately.

"Good afternoon, Grandmother." He greeted softly. Framed in the fresh sunlight that cast the weathered lines in to sharp focus, an ever poised figure set in a stately high-back as if frozen in time. Dowager Lady Augusta Longbottom created a devastating image. She turned to face him, her eyes as sharp as when she was in her prime, the shade of blue seemingly all the more piercing as she looked at him.

"Grandson," She returned, her voice giving even less away than her expressionless face. He swallowed, he had thought preparing for the ministry takeover was hard but he had been mistaken.

"I know I owe you an explanation of a lifetime, I have lied to you, I have kept secrets from you and I have gone against nearly everything you have ever taught me. But I had to do it, please understand that it was never anything about you or our family, it was what I thought was the right thing, what I believed I needed to do." He got out in a rush, the words tumbling over the other in his haste to explain, "I cannot imagine how you must feel right now, but please give with a chance to explain everything to you. I need you to know-," he was cut off when Augusta raised her hand abruptly. She was still for a few moments, as if carefully choosing her words before she spoke them.

"I have been your primary carer for as long as you can remember. I have watched you grow from a babe to your majority, I taught you as much as I could and raised as best I could." Her aged voice grave, eerie. "I had expectations of you and I have felt disappointment when you never reached them, but now, it cannot be measured." He hunched at her sharp words, bracing himself for the blow that was to come.

"Now, as you, Lord Neville Frank Longbottom, stand before me in the house of our ancestors, I know that I have never been prouder of you in my entire life." Her voice warmed, strong in its conviction and Neville looked up to meet her eyes in stunned disbelief, and she smiled. "You have outdone any expectations I could have ever wished for and you have accomplished something that will forever be remembered in history. You have made me so proud that I could die tomorrow and have no regrets, and it is upon my highest honour that I get to call you my grandson." Neville almost folded in on himself in utter relief, he stumbled forward and reached out taking her hand in both of his. He kissed her hand gently and rested it against his cheek reverently, thank yous falling from his lips breathless, joyous. Augusta rested her other hand on the other cheek and pressed her lips to the top of his head.

"Oh Neville." She whispered, "My beautiful precious grandson." Neville looked back up and smiled brightly.

"I have been so worried." He said shakily, "I thought…"

"If you have shown me anything, it is that following your truest belief will guide you further than following the teachings of another." She told him. "Without it, we would not have the truth behind Frank and Alice's attack, we would not be championing the House of Longbottom to the height of prestige and, more importantly, we would not be living peacefully in the new golden age."

"Thank you for your faith." He said honestly.

"You look well." She commented looking him over, "You are taking care of yourself."

"Yes, now that the ministry has settled and the students have settled in to the new routine it has become simpler." Neville allowed, "It felt endless at certain points."

"I can imagine."

"I would like to invite you to the upcoming joint majority ball for Lord Harry Potter and myself." He said formally and she smiled graciously.

"I would be honoured to attend." She accepted. Augusta allowed him to lead her over to the sitting area and she called for tea, they spoke for hours, from the trivial things that happened daily to major upcoming events.

And a month later when Neville swept in to great hall and was presented by his grandmother to celebrate his majority he had never been more thankful that Harry had discovered him cursing Luna in the Room of Requirement all that time ago.

So there we have it folks, nothing massive but it occurred to me when I was looking over old notes that I never did mention what happened to Augusta Longbottom and this was created. Please let me know what you think ^_^