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FIC: Someone who Understands (Neville Longbottom, Remus Lupin, Gen)
Title: Someone who Understands
Author: shiiki
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Neville Longbottom, Remus Lupin, Gen
Fandom: Harry Potter
Word Count: 724
Summary: A kindly Defence teacher gives Neville a link to his mother.
Harry isn't the only student that Professor Lupin connected with. (Written for redsioda's birthday.)
Notes: Dedicated to the lovely redsioda, who is a marvellously understanding friend herself! Happy Birthday!
This was written before DH.
Neville wasn’t sure what had made him dawdle after the lesson. Usually, he preferred to scoot off immediately, not wanting to risk being late for the next. But this lesson had been different - special. Maybe it was the amazement at having done something right for a change that made him want to linger, to hold on just a little while more to the thrill he’d felt as Snape - well, the Boggart, actually - had disappeared due to his ministrations.
‘Neville?’
Professor Lupin’s gentle voice startled him. But the teacher was looking at him so kindly, the usual trapped feeling of panic he got when addressed didn’t overtake him.
‘Do you have a question about the lesson?’
‘Um -’ Neville stuttered, then, much to his own surprise, gabbled out, ‘I wanted to say thank you, sir.’
Professor Lupin’s smile looked as warm and inviting as a well-lit fireplace. Neville found himself continuing, ‘I never did something like that before - I didn’t know I could, and it was really - awesome!’ He blushed, realising how silly he must sound. But Professor Lupin didn’t laugh. Drawing courage from that, Neville went on. ‘I mean, I usually can’t do anything right, so it was nice, for a change.’
‘I believe,’ said Professor Lupin, ‘you can do a great many things, Neville.’ The conviction in Professor Lupin’s voice amazed Neville. ‘But you need to believe in yourself as well.’
‘I - but - no one really thinks I can do things,’ Neville protested. It was true. He was used to being the blunderer, the slow one among his peers. His teachers despaired at his ineptitude - except possibly in Herbology, but it was difficult to shine with Hermione Granger perpetually in the limelight. Gran meant well, but she could never stop comparing him to his parents, who he thought must have been perfect, a model which he could never live up to. ‘I’m not good at anything, really.’
‘I think you are,’ said Professor Lupin firmly. ‘Your friends and teachers will, too, if you give them the chance to see it. In fact, people do see, Neville. I’ve been told that you excel at Herbology.’
‘You have?’
Professor Lupin nodded. ‘And - I hope you don’t mind me saying this, Neville - I think your mother would be delighted.’
‘She would?’ Neville didn’t know what was more astonishing - that Professor Lupin knew about his parents, or that he didn’t avoid the subject as many adults who knew tended to. He liked that he didn’t have to explain anything to Professor Lupin, and that Professor Lupin spoke without a trace of pity. Furthermore, he had mentioned Neville’s mother! A fiery warmth like a newly-lit hearth fire spread inside Neville. Gran spoke often about his father, but Neville knew little about his mother beyond the vacant-eyed woman who looked like him. ‘Did you know my parents?’
‘Not so well your father, but I had the fortune to be quite close to your mother once.’ Professor Lupin’s face took on a reminiscent look. Neville felt a bit envious. He wished he could have had memories of his mother. Professor Lupin must have sensed this, because he seemed to snap back to the present, smiling at Neville again. ‘She had a way with plants - she loved to make things grow. I don’t think it was just plants, too. She was sweet, kind, and a loyal friend. And she always loved people for who they were, not who she expected them to be. I know that she loved you, and wanted you to be safe and happy.’
There was a lump in Neville’s throat now, but it was a good one. She loved me. She wouldn’t have cared if I was bottom of my class. He wanted to thank Professor Lupin for giving him this gift, but he wasn’t sure he trusted himself to speak.
Professor Lupin seemed to understand. ‘I have photographs,’ he said gently, ‘if you ever want to talk, my office is always open.’
Still not ready to open his mouth, Neville nodded.
The sound of excited chattering as the next class gathered outside the Defence classroom reminded him that he had to dash for his next lesson. Neville managed an almost inaudible ‘thank you’. Holding the valuable information Professor Lupin had given him in his heart like a precious talisman, Neville set off down the Hogwarts corridors.
Author: shiiki
Rating: G
Characters/Pairings: Neville Longbottom, Remus Lupin, Gen
Fandom: Harry Potter
Word Count: 724
Summary: A kindly Defence teacher gives Neville a link to his mother.
Harry isn't the only student that Professor Lupin connected with. (Written for redsioda's birthday.)
Notes: Dedicated to the lovely redsioda, who is a marvellously understanding friend herself! Happy Birthday!
This was written before DH.
Neville wasn’t sure what had made him dawdle after the lesson. Usually, he preferred to scoot off immediately, not wanting to risk being late for the next. But this lesson had been different - special. Maybe it was the amazement at having done something right for a change that made him want to linger, to hold on just a little while more to the thrill he’d felt as Snape - well, the Boggart, actually - had disappeared due to his ministrations.
‘Neville?’
Professor Lupin’s gentle voice startled him. But the teacher was looking at him so kindly, the usual trapped feeling of panic he got when addressed didn’t overtake him.
‘Do you have a question about the lesson?’
‘Um -’ Neville stuttered, then, much to his own surprise, gabbled out, ‘I wanted to say thank you, sir.’
Professor Lupin’s smile looked as warm and inviting as a well-lit fireplace. Neville found himself continuing, ‘I never did something like that before - I didn’t know I could, and it was really - awesome!’ He blushed, realising how silly he must sound. But Professor Lupin didn’t laugh. Drawing courage from that, Neville went on. ‘I mean, I usually can’t do anything right, so it was nice, for a change.’
‘I believe,’ said Professor Lupin, ‘you can do a great many things, Neville.’ The conviction in Professor Lupin’s voice amazed Neville. ‘But you need to believe in yourself as well.’
‘I - but - no one really thinks I can do things,’ Neville protested. It was true. He was used to being the blunderer, the slow one among his peers. His teachers despaired at his ineptitude - except possibly in Herbology, but it was difficult to shine with Hermione Granger perpetually in the limelight. Gran meant well, but she could never stop comparing him to his parents, who he thought must have been perfect, a model which he could never live up to. ‘I’m not good at anything, really.’
‘I think you are,’ said Professor Lupin firmly. ‘Your friends and teachers will, too, if you give them the chance to see it. In fact, people do see, Neville. I’ve been told that you excel at Herbology.’
‘You have?’
Professor Lupin nodded. ‘And - I hope you don’t mind me saying this, Neville - I think your mother would be delighted.’
‘She would?’ Neville didn’t know what was more astonishing - that Professor Lupin knew about his parents, or that he didn’t avoid the subject as many adults who knew tended to. He liked that he didn’t have to explain anything to Professor Lupin, and that Professor Lupin spoke without a trace of pity. Furthermore, he had mentioned Neville’s mother! A fiery warmth like a newly-lit hearth fire spread inside Neville. Gran spoke often about his father, but Neville knew little about his mother beyond the vacant-eyed woman who looked like him. ‘Did you know my parents?’
‘Not so well your father, but I had the fortune to be quite close to your mother once.’ Professor Lupin’s face took on a reminiscent look. Neville felt a bit envious. He wished he could have had memories of his mother. Professor Lupin must have sensed this, because he seemed to snap back to the present, smiling at Neville again. ‘She had a way with plants - she loved to make things grow. I don’t think it was just plants, too. She was sweet, kind, and a loyal friend. And she always loved people for who they were, not who she expected them to be. I know that she loved you, and wanted you to be safe and happy.’
There was a lump in Neville’s throat now, but it was a good one. She loved me. She wouldn’t have cared if I was bottom of my class. He wanted to thank Professor Lupin for giving him this gift, but he wasn’t sure he trusted himself to speak.
Professor Lupin seemed to understand. ‘I have photographs,’ he said gently, ‘if you ever want to talk, my office is always open.’
Still not ready to open his mouth, Neville nodded.
The sound of excited chattering as the next class gathered outside the Defence classroom reminded him that he had to dash for his next lesson. Neville managed an almost inaudible ‘thank you’. Holding the valuable information Professor Lupin had given him in his heart like a precious talisman, Neville set off down the Hogwarts corridors.