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Still Life	By : Pat Category: Harry Potter > General > General Views: 2375 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
See Part I for Summary and Disclaimers
One Month Later~
It was now officially summer in Hogsmeade. The weather had warmed up considerably and there was more sunshine than rain on balance. Neville had never spent so much time outdoors as he had in the past month. He was busy packing shoulder sling bags with food so that he and Hengist could start on their weekly 'rounds'. The rounds consisted of visiting the local farms and assisting the farmers and their families with various tasks that required the presence and talents of trained wizards. These included curing sick animals, placing fertility spells on the livestock, placing anti-insect charms on the fields and many more small but important ways to keep the farms running at maximum production. By the time they'd been to every farm in the area the sun was usually sinking low in the west.
As Neville packed some fresh carrots, cheese and travel bread, he reflected on the changes that had occurred in his life since his involuntary arrival here. The fresh air, plain food and hard work had wrought a number of changes in Neville, both physical and mental. Between helping Hengist with the livestock, working the fields and assisting on Hengist's weekly rounds, he'd managed to drop approximately twenty pounds off his frame. He was now lean and had the beginnings of muscle showing on his upper arms. He'd never felt better in his life but ruefully, he acknowledged that he still missed his sweets. But in their place he'd acquired more stamina and energy than ever before as well as never looking so good in his life.
More significantly, he'd found a sense of confidence and security he'd never known before in his life. Hengist trusted and respected him and their friends and neighbours in the village shared that opinion. Hengist never concerned himself with any of Neville's blunders, but rather praised all his successes. As Neville's sense of accomplishment grew, the anxiety Neville had been well known for had disappeared.
Neville had found that he didn't miss Hogwarts at all. Hengist had taken over the role of teacher and mentor as well as becoming his best friend. Hengist continued to refine Neville's skill as a wizard and, in the process, had languidly showed him how to work 'dark' as well as 'light' magic. Hengist had been baffled by Neville's initial refusal to work any of the darker magic but after Neville had explained about the rise of several dark wizards Hengist had better understood Neville's fears.
"You fear to become like them?" Hengist had questioned one night after they'd finished dinner and were sitting in front of the fire. Neville was darning his socks and Hengist was whittling.
"Well, yes. You see, we've had some terrible dark wizards rise in England," he said. Hengist looked mystified and then Neville threw all hesitancy to the winds and explained about the rise of Grindelwald during his grandparents day, and then in later years Voldemort.
Hengist listened carefully to Neville's explanation as they sat in front of the fire, Hengist whittling a large chunk of wood as he carefully considered the wizarding history that Neville was relating.
"I can see now that the training of young wizards has gone terribly awry," Hengist began.
"How so?" said Neville, cocking his head in inquiry.
Hengist sighed.
"A balanced wizard must know all forms of magic---or dark and light as you refer to them. All life is a balance of good and bad, sickness and health, birth and death. It is the intent, not the magic, that makes a wizard turn to evil," said Hengist meditatively.
"That's funny, that's what Professor Binns had told us one day in our history of magic class, that wizards used to be grounded in all the arts," Neville said with a smile, remembering the ghost and his long, dry lectures. Well, it was nice to know that he was accurate in his ramblings.
"From what you've said about this Lord Voldemort, it would seem that you've put yourselves at a major disadvantage. It would seem he's willing and able to try even the riskiest magic while your background prevents you from doing so," said Hengist, scratching his chin absently.
Hengist said no more but continued to whittle away at the piece of wood. Neville appreciated the fact that Hengist always gave him time to think about an issue or problem. After some minutes, Neville spoke again.
"I'd like to learn all forms of the wizarding arts, Hengist, if you're willing to teach me. I trust you'll keep me on the right path," said Neville and then yawned.
Hengist had just nodded.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Neville, are you ready?" said Hengist, poking his head in the door.
Neville snapped out of his reverie. "Yes, coming right now," he said.
Neville hustled out of the front door and handed Hengist his bag. Hengist had two walking sticks and gave Neville one of them. It would be a long day of walking and the walking sticks helped. But by evening Neville and Hengist would be footsore.
As they walked slowly through the woods, they conversed happily. Neville didn't mind the walking because it gave him more time with his friend. Life in the village was definitely at a slower pace and Neville wasn't so sure that it wasn't the better way to go.
Over the last month he'd had a chance to get to know Hengist quite well and by now he also knew every family in the area. Neville felt he knew these farmers and craftsmen better than he did any of his mates at Hogwarts. In fact, most of the time, Hogsmeade and its population felt like one large extended family and Neville was now a part of it.
As they came out into a clearing, they called out towards a small farmhouse.
"Eric! Marian!" Hengist said.
"Good day, Hengist, Neville," called a man from the pig-pen beside the barn.
Neville quaked a bit. Oh, surely not. He'd had the misfortune to meet up with a surly sow just the previous week at this farm and ended up soaring over the fence before he could be trampled by the mama pig protecting her eight newborn piglets. Hengist and Eric had howled with laughter. Neville eventually had joined them at the picture he must have presented---a trained wizard running full tilt from a maddened pig. Nevertheless, Neville had learned a great deal of respect for sows that day.
Eric grinned at Neville as he cautiously approached.
"No need to fear, Master Longbottom, the pigs are doing well," he said with a grin.
Neville smiled back. Eric couldn't be much older than himself and he'd already been married for a year to his wife, Marian, and ran this farm.
Eric's ready smile faded.
"It's Marian I'd like you to take a look at, the midwife is in with her now. She's well past her due date," Eric said, paling a little.
Hengist clapped the young man on the back.
"Of course we will," said Hengist in a reassuring tone.
Eric looked vastly relieved. Although Hengist was only about four years older than both Eric and Neville, he was looked upon as an elder in life experience and was highly respected.
Neville was a bit nervous. What could he do to help? Maybe he should wait out here. Yes, wou would be preferable. He didn't want to do anything to harm Marian. Let Hengist take care of it.
Unfortunately, Hengist wasn't of the same opinion. Neville felt himself propelled towards the door by Hengist's strong arm at the base of his spine.
Hengist and Neville followed the lanky red-haired man into his house. Their farmhouse was considerably smaller than Hengist's and everything was contained in one large room, including the bed. A pretty young woman with long chestnut hair lay in the bed being questioned by the local midwife.
"Marian, the wizards are here to help us," he said with some relief.
The midwife looked up and gave them a curt nod.
"I'll need to speak to the master and his apprentice," she said in a loud voice. Unfortunately, Mary Liddell was a bit deaf and tended to shout.
Realizing this, Neville spoke up.
"Can we do this outside, please? The sunshine is just wonderful..." he said, trailing off.
Hengist immediately agreed.
"Yes, Mary, come now. A few minutes of fresh air will do you good. We'll be back shortly," he said to the couple who were now speaking quietly to one another. Hengist noticed Eric was patting Marian's hand in a comforting fashion.
Mary looked a bit askance but followed the wizard's direction. As soon as they were outside in the front of the house she spoke up in a loud voice.
"It's gone on too long. If she doesn't deliver soon, the baby will die and perhaps Marian, too," she said in her gravely voice.
Hengist looked suitably grave.
"Perhaps we should break her water, then?" he asked the midwife.
"I already did, first thing this morning. She should have started her contractions but nothing has come. I fear for her," said Mary in a tighter voice.
Something was tickling at the edge of his consciousness. Neville's specialty was Herbology and he knew that there was a potion that might help. He rubbed his face with both his hands. He had to remember.
"If something doesn't happen soon we'll have to open her and take the baby," Hengist said in a sombre voice. He knew that it was a last resort and too often the mother was lost as well as the baby. Hengist was not skilled in complex healing and knew his limits. Sometimes they had no option but to set magic aside.
Mary felt a chill in her old bones. She hated to see a young mother lost. Her heart started to sink.
"No! I know of a plant that is in the Forest that can help," Neville said to the midwife. "Or rather plants. I can make a potion that might start her labour."
"Plants for a potion?" she said with the beginnings of hope.
"I knew it. I knew Neville would come up with something," Hengist said his blew eyes sparkling with pride.
Hengist reached over impulsively and hugged Neville tightly to him, causing Neville to become breathless.
"Thank you, Neville," Hengist whispered into his neck. Relieved that this birthing might end on a happy note.
Forgetting for a moment they had an audience, Neville laid his head on Hengist's shoulder for a moment, resting comfortably there within his arms.
Mary's eyes narrowed. 'Ah, it's like that, is it? That's good, Hengist needs a partner,' she thought.
The midwife coughed in a noisy fashion.
Hengist and Neville sprang apart. Both of them flushed slightly, but neither apologized or tried to explain away their demonstrative display. Hengist defiantly picked up Neville's hand in his own and held it in both hands against his chest.
Mary smiled at them both.
"No need to get your back up, master wizard," she said complacently. "You've chosen well, I wish you happiness," she said with a broken tooth smile.
Neville turned a bright pink and the midwife chuckled. Hengist had always been one to touch and pat Neville in a friendly manner and, up until now, Neville hadn't thought anything of it. But, perhaps, there was more going on than simple friendliness. He bit his lip and slowly extracted his hands from Hengist's.
"Now,young sir, what are these plant you're referring to? We don't have much time," the midwife said, drawing Neville's mind back to the problem at hand.
"It's a potion that consists of knotgrass as well as the roots of asphodel and daisies. We chop the roots and put them in water then bringing them to a boil and lastly add the knotgrass. After a few minutes on a rolling boil we then strain the potion, wait for it to cool and give it first thing to Marian. We give her a cupful at first and wait several hours. If the contractions don't start then we give her another cupful. It's said to be highly effective," he said in an excited fashion.
"Right then. If you'll find the ingredients, I'll start the cauldron going so that it's ready when you return," said Mary as she started towards the simple farmhouse.
"Oh, and Mary, take only the cleanest water to use in the potion. No water that's been sitting around, alright?"
Mary nodded her acceptance and lifted her long skirts and almost skipped into the house.
"Come, Neville, let's make haste," said Hengist as he led him towards the woods surrounding hou house.
It took them an hour to find sufficient asphodel and daisy roots. The knotgrass was left until last because it was needed to be fresh. Neville and Hengist were sweating profusely by the time they trudged out of the woods with their finds.
Two hours later they administered the first dose of the potion and the midwife, awaiting developments, shooed them all out on to the front porch.
After the potion had been completed, Neville's stomach had growled embarrassingly loudly and Hengist had laughed. Hengist was now pulling their food out of the linen wrappings that were stored in the sling pouches that they had carried with them that day. They happily shared their bread and cheese with the young husband, who was not inclined to cross swords with the midwife again. She had threatened his manhood when he wouldn't stop popping in to check on his wife. Mary had told him in no uncertain terms that Marian needed her rest if she'd be labouring soon and his constant hovering was stressing her. Eric reluctantly surrendered the field of battle to the midwife.
Hengist, Neville and Eric were just finishing their meal when the midwife poked her head out of the front door.
"She's started," she said gleefully.
Eric jumped up.
"What can I do? Can I help? Is she alright? Can I see her?" he babbled.
"Yes, you can help. Stay where you are and don't bother me. I'll let you know when you can come in," she said sharply.
Eric's face fell. The old midwife's heart softened a bit.
"Well," she said reluctantly. "You can go and get me some fresh water from the stream to boil. We'll need that soon," she said soothingly.
Eric grabbed the bucket in front of the house and, without a word, raced towards the stream that ran nearby.
"What about us?" Hengist asked. "Will you need any help?" he said.
Neville panicked. Oh please let her say no. He'd never attended any birth before and didn't want to start now.
Mary laughed. "I'll let you know. Right now everything is going as it should, but I'll call you if I need you," she said and returned to her patient.
Hours later the men waited nervously outside as they heard grunts and screams increasing from inside the house. Eric had broken out into a fine sweat and Neville had taken several long walks to get away from the sound of Marian in distress.
Only Hengist seemed unaffected by the sounds. He spoke soothingly to the soon-to-be first time father.
"Everything is fine, Eric. If it wasn't, Mary would have called us in," he said gently patting his neighbour's shoulder.
Just then a thin cry broke the silence. It was the wailing of a newborn.
All three of the men jumped up and turned towards the door, not daring to enter without permission.
The door creaked open and the midwife stood there smiling but looking tired.
"Come in, Eric Martin, your wife has just given you a fine son," she said with a smile.
Eric bolted past the midwife into the house.
"You, too, sir wizards, without you this baby wouldn't have been born at all," she said, waving them in.
Hengist and Neville walked into the house slowly and quietly. Eric was kneeling by his wife's bed, murmuring to her. Marian looked exhausted but happy. Her son lay swaddled in her arms.
"See, Eric," she said in a whisper. "Here is your son, Edward," and Marian shifted the newborn in her arms so that his father could see him.
Hengist and Neville hung back, not wanting to intrude upon the little family's first few precious moments together. After several minutes of gurgling at his son, Eric turned and waved the wizards over. Mary was still working cleaning up and bustled around in back of them.
"Come, please come see my son," he said proudly.
"Yes, please do," said Marian in a tired voice. "We have so much to thank you for. Mary has told me that you, Master Longbottom, created the potion that helped deliver my son. We can never thank you enough for this, we will forever be in your debt," she said, her eyes beginning to shine.
Eric stood up and threw his arms around both startled wizards.
"Yes, we cannot easily repay such a life debt but we will try," said the young father.
Neville was taken aback by the use of the term life debt. He hadn't realized how old the tradition was.
Hengist wrapped his arm around Neville's waist.
"It is really Neville who should receive your thanks. He is an expert in potions, plants and herbs. He provided us with the ingredients and method to help your good wife," Hengist said proudly.
Neville's heart fluttered at this praise. He looked up at Hengist with his heart in his eyes.
Marian watched Neville's expression carefully as well as Hengist's reaction to it as her husband bad ond on about how strong and handsome his new son was. She caught the midwife's eye and got a minute nod. Ah. She'd never met male lovers before. She'd heard of them of course. Well, she and her husband owed them a life debt. They'd always have a friend in her and Eric no matter what anyone else thought. From Mary's expression she sensed they'd won over the old midwife as well.
"Eric," she said, breaking into her husband's chatter. "It's tim let let the wizards and the midwife go, they've all been here the better part of the day," she said in a kind voice.
The young farmer looked around and noticed that the sun was setting quite soon. Had it been that long?
"Yes, Neville and I must be on our way," said Hengist.
"Mary, would you like to pass the night at our house?" Neville asked. "We have room and Hengist tells me that your home is half a day's walk from here," he continued.)
Mary smiled benignly at the two wizards.
"No reason to fuss, just walk me into the village and I'll be fine. My sister Catherine lives there with her husband and I can always find a bed with them for the night.
Pleasantries were exchanged and soon Neville, Hengist and Mary were on the road again. The midwife, who was very spry for her age, led the way, leaving Hengist and Neville to trail behind her by about ten feet. They conversed in the looming twilight as they walked.
"A very good day, Neville, you acquitted yourself well. You helped to bring a new life into the world," Hengist said as he bumped Neville with his hip.
Neville bumped back gently.
"I couldn't have done it without you. You had faith in me, maybe more so than I had in myself," Neville said ruefully. "You're good for me," Neville said shyly.
Hengist stopped on the trail and Neville did likewise.
"Am I?" he said in an odd tone.
"Yes, you're a good friend to me, Hengist," Neville said quietly, his ears pinkening up a bit with embarrassment.
"Just a friend?" Hengist said and started to run his hand up and down Neville's arm. Neville started to tremble slightly.
Neville felt his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish. What could he say? What should he say? Neville's mind was in turmoil.
Hengist saw the confusion and fear on Neville's face so he risked everything and leaned in to kiss Neville lightly on his lips. It was now or never. He had to know if Neville could feel something other than friendship. He bent forward and touched his lips gently to Neville's, carefully brushing them back and forth before starting to pull back.
Neville felt Hengist starting to withdraw from him and he reached up and put his arms around Hengist's neck and pulled him back down for another kiss. Neville's mouth had barely touched Hengist's before a voice came out of the gloaming.
"Come along! Save that for later," they heard the midwife say with a laugh.
Hengist and Neville looked at each other and laughed. Hengist put his arm through Neville's and they hurried to catch up with their new friend, who was waiting for them down the trail.
tbc
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Still Life