Karina Potter, Aunt Marauder

Chapter 6

Remus walked into Karina's house to find her pulling on a cloak. She wore a rather fancy dress with little flats, and Harry was dressed in a little sweater and some nice jeans. Remus chuckled a little.

"Karina, don't you think you're a bit dressed up for the Weasleys?" She rolled her eyes.

"I'm not going to the Weasleys." She told him, and his smile fell.

"What?" She nodded.

"Not yet, anyway. I'm going to visit the Longbottoms at St. Mungo's with Mrs. Longbottom and Neville." She picked up two roses from the end table next to her. "And I'm taking them these as gifts." Remus sighed.

"Come on, Rina. You were so upset that you couldn't visit them for the holidays. You're going to feel even more sad when you know you have to leave them there." She nodded.

"I know. But I would feel only guilt if I were to never go and see them. Tell them how much I miss them, even if they can't hear me." Remus sighed, but knew that there was no stopping her. 

"Shall I take Harry with me?" She shook her head.

"No, I'm taking him with me. He wants to see Neville again, don't you, Mini Prongs?" Harry looked up at his nickname.

"Nev-ill!" He exclaimed happily, making Remus and Karina laugh. 

"Alright." Remus told her. "But no later than seven 'o clock. Molly says that she's got a special surprise when we get there." Karina saluted him playfully.

"Yes sir, Mr. Moony!" They laughed again, then Karina picked up Harry, and apparated to Mrs. Longbottom's house, where she knocked on the door.

"Is that you, Karina?" She heard Mrs. Longbottom's voice from an upstairs window.

"Yes, Mrs. Longbottom!" She called back.

"Come on in, dear! The door's unlocked!" 

"Kay!" Then Karina walked into the house, leading Harry by the hand. 

"Nev-ill!" He shouted suddenly. "Nev-ill!" 

"Ha-ree?" Came from upstairs. "Ha-ree!" Karina laughed at Neville's little voice, then waved her wand.

"Accio, Neville!" And the little boy flew into her arms, giggling. 

"Rina!" He cheered, and Karina set him down, just for Harry to run at him and give him a tight hug. 

"Nev-ill!" He cheered, and Karina laughed again.

"You two play." She told them. "I'm going to go and see if Grandma Longbottom needs any help with anything." Then she hurried upstairs, where she found Mrs. Longbottom putting on her hat with a vulture on the top. When she saw Karina holding the roses, she smiled.

"I'm sure they'll love them, Karina." She told her, and the two women hurried downstairs, where they found the boys digging into a box of blocks. "Come on, boys. Let's go." Both boys jumped to their feet and toddled over to the women, and they apparated to points inside of the lobby in the hospital. Then they hurried up to the witch at the front desk, who looked bored.

"Excuse me." The woman looked up at Karina's words. "What ward are the Longbottoms in?" the woman pointed to the door.

"Fourth floor, Spells Damage, Ward thirteen." Karina thanked her, and the four of them went upstairs and into the ward, where they found a Healer handing out Christmas presents. When the Healer saw them, she smiled.

"Hello, there!" She said cheerfully, setting the box she was carrying next to a bed and hurrying over to them. "Coming to visit for Christmas?" Karina nodded.

"Yes, Frank and Alice Longbottom? This is their son and Frank's mother. My son and I are just their friends." The Healer's smile fell a little, but she led them over to the two, who sat on their beds, silent, and looking confused.

"Alice. Frank." The Healer called softly. "Your son and mother are here. And so are your friends..." She turned to Karina questioningly. 

"Karina and Harry." The Healer smiled again.

"Karina and Harry." Alice looked up at them, but said nothing, and it pained Karina to see the woman, once so full of life and happiness, now a mere shell of who she used to be. Frank didn't even respond. 

"Thank you." Mrs. Longbottom told the Healer, who nodded and walked away, feeling as though they needed a moment. "Karina, would you mind if I left Neville here with you while I... speak to Frank?" Karina shook her head.

"No, not at all. Go ahead." Mrs. Longbottom nodded back, then took Frank by the hand and led him away to have a more private conversation with him. 

Neville, meanwhile, had toddled over to Alice, who stared at him blankly.

 "Mama?" He murmured. Karina came over and put her hand on his back, setting Harry on her lap, then looked up at Alice.

"He misses you, Alice." She told the woman. "We all do. I nearly canceled Christmas, knowing that you weren't going to be there." Alice remained silent, and Karina continued. "But, I know you wouldn't want that. You'd say carry on, let it go on, don't do anything you would regret on my behalf. I'll work it out and everything will be okay. It's just..." Karina sniffed, and Alice tilted her head, as if understanding. "It's hard, knowing you won't be there. You and Frank, both. I remember last year's Christmas, and how the boys had all gotten in a contest to see who could eat the most pie." She smirked, remembering. "I remember Lily, you, and I all shared one pie and how they all got so sick. And we took care of them all together. Neville and Harry just slept through it all, and we thought it was the funniest thing in the world." That was about when Harry held up the two roses that Karina was carrying and had set down to talk to Alice.

"For. You!" He told Alice. Alice took one of the roses and examined it. "For you!" He said again, and Karina smiled again.

"I picked those out just for you and Frank. I remembered that they were your favorite flower." Alice set the rose down, then reached under the pillow and pulled something out, and held it out to Neville. It was a candy wrapper. Neville took it, then hugged his mother.

"Tanks, Mama!" Alice merely put her hand on his shoulder, but Karina was sure that she was smiling.