Chapter 205 - 205: Treating the Longbottoms

Words : 1986 Updated : Oct 9th, 2025

The entrance to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries was tucked away inside a department store called Purge and Dowse Ltd, located in London. It was an old-fashioned red-brick building. The entrance had been concealed with Muggle-Repelling Charms—ordinary people would only see a sign on the door that read Closed for Refurbishment, making it inaccessible. Wizards and witches, however, only needed to approach the window display and speak to an ugly dummy to state their purpose, and they would pass through the glass into the hospital. After lunch and a sweep through several major bookstores and libraries to complete their initial round of purchases, the pair made their way to the hospital without delay. As soon as they stepped into the reception area, they saw an elderly woman in a long dress with a large red handbag, wearing a hat adorned with a stuffed vulture, scanning the surroundings. Audrey had seen this woman before on the Hogwarts Express—she was Neville's grandmother, the formidable Madam Longbottom. This lady was known for her poor temper and astonishing combat ability. In the original book, she even managed to injure the Auror Dawlish in a fight. Dawlish, a proud Ravenclaw graduate, had never known a victory in his entire life! "Good afternoon, Madam Longbottom," Audrey greeted. The two stepped forward. The old lady was briefly startled, and a somewhat unnatural smile appeared on her rather stern face. "Oh, you must be Miss Hall and Mr. Edward." With the pleasantries done, she quickly got to the point. "Neville told me that Miss Hall has mastered some kind of miraculous magic...and that perhaps...perhaps you could heal his parents?" "I can only say I'll try, Madam," Audrey replied earnestly. "Of course, of course!" the old woman said eagerly. "They've been lying here for over a decade. Not even the most skilled Healers have been able to help them. Just having someone willing to try is a blessing." Madam Longbottom showed no prejudice toward Audrey despite her youth. On one hand, she was desperate to cling to any sliver of hope; on the other, such was the nature of the magical world—anything was possible. "Come with me, dear," she said warmly, grasping Audrey's hand and leading her forward at a brisk pace. They soon arrived at Ward 49 of St Mungo's—the room where her son and daughter-in-law had been staying. The room was clean and filled with a faint floral scent. Simple decorations adorned the table and walls, making it feel more like a home than a hospital ward. And in a way, it was home. Ever since the Longbottom couple had been placed here, Madam Longbottom had spent more time in this room than at her actual residence. Looking at the two figures lying on the beds, her expression softened. "They've been here for eleven years. At first, they were so tortured that they completely lost consciousness, like they had no souls left. Later, they slowly woke up, only to become lunatics—aware of nothing." She walked to the woman with the round face and vacant stare. "Alice has seemed a little better in recent years. She doesn't recognise Neville, but instinctively has a fondness for him. Sometimes she even gives him little 'gifts.'" Audrey stepped closer and began casting several Placate on both of them. The man remained completely unresponsive. The round-faced woman, however, had a slight reaction—her pupils quivered as she looked at Audrey. Audrey continued casting, but the woman didn't react further. "Madam, could I ask you to wait outside for a while?" Audrey asked gently. "I'd like to try something." "Of course, of course," Madam Longbottom nodded repeatedly, quickly heading to the door. Just before closing it behind her, she hesitated. "Dear, thank you...whether it works or not, thank you. Neville thanks you too." Once the door closed, Audrey took out some hydrosol candles and sleep-inducing essential oils, placing them around the room. As she cast another calming charm, she murmured softly, "Madam Longbottom, you're feeling very sleepy now...You want to rest...Your mind is gradually relaxing..." Her voice, laced with the power of Telepathy, soon lulled the round-faced woman into a drowsy state. "Can you hear me, Madam Longbottom?" "...…" "Don't worry, don't be afraid. I just want to talk. Relax." "...…" "Do you remember your child, Neville?" The woman's closed eyelids twitched. She parted her lips as if trying to speak, but only unintelligible murmurs escaped. "He misses you. He wants to talk to you." "...…" Audrey pressed her lips together. If she couldn't connect with the woman's cognitive self, she would have to rely on direct Psychological Cues. "Madam Longbottom, forget everything that happened that night. There were no Death Eaters. No Dark Lord. No danger. That night was peaceful—nothing happened. Forget everything that frightened you. Regain your awareness. Regain your sanity." "I will count to three. When I reach three, you'll wake up from the chaos, forget all your fears, and return to who you were." "One...Two...Three." The woman opened her eyes—but her pupils were filled with panic and terror. She flailed her arms wildly, as though trying to fend off some unseen horror. Audrey hurriedly cast Placate again and again, finally helping her regain some semblance of calm. "No...This kind of shallow communication and suggestion isn't enough. I need to enter her inner world," Audrey muttered. Edward thought for a moment, then pulled out a vial of the Draught of Living Death. "Madam Longbottom, this is a potion that will put you into a deep sleep. Once you're asleep, we can use special magic to try and help you." Although he knew she couldn't understand, he still explained patiently before carefully feeding her a small sip. Very soon, she drifted into a deep, death-like slumber. Edward then brought out a Mental Terror Candle he'd received from Father Utravsky. "I'll go with you," he said, taking Audrey's hand. "Alright," she replied firmly. Edward extended his spirituality, and a pale blue spiritual flame ignited at his fingertip. He brought it close to the stub of a candle. With a soft fwoosh, the pitch-black wick burst into light. In the next instant, he found himself in a dimly lit room. It was supposed to be a cosy and comfortable home. Family portraits and charming decorations hung on the walls, but everything seemed to have faded, like old photographs leached of colour. A gloomy gray-black hue clung to the surroundings, casting an oppressive sense of despair that gnawed at his emotions. "This must be the Longbottoms' house—the very place where they were attacked that night," Edward murmured as he looked around. "Audrey didn't enter with me…or did we get separated?" He opened the door and stepped outside. The same desolate greyness greeted him. Twisted staircases, warped chandeliers, and walls crawling with stains created a deeply unsettling atmosphere. As he walked, he called out, "Audrey! Audrey, can you hear me?" "Aaahhh!!" A sharp scream echoed from outside. Edward immediately quickened his pace, descending the warped, damp stairs to the first floor. Through the window, he could see more than a dozen people laughing maniacally as they swung their wands, casting the Cruciatus Curse repeatedly on a young couple. He rushed to the door, trying to pull it open—but it wouldn't budge. "Alohomora." He attempted to unlock it with magic, but he still couldn't pass through the door or walls. "What's going on?" Am I being trapped in this house just to helplessly watch the Longbottoms being tortured into madness? But this was a mindscape, a dream. Here, the 'past' wasn't set in stone. After all, everything here was false—a projection of memory and emotion. If he was being prevented from going outside, it likely wasn't to protect him from the Death Eaters… No. She's completely lost her mind—she doesn't even know who I am. Why would she be trying to protect me? An idea struck Edward. He lifted his gaze and quickly scanned the house, soon locking onto a room with a cheerily decorated door. He walked over and gently turned the knob. A soft lullaby drifted out. Unlike the distorted and desolate surroundings, this nursery was completely normal. It was warm and filled with childlike charm. In the centre stood a crib, above which a flock of enchanted, singing birds fluttered in mid-air. Two chubby little hands reached up, trying to grab at them, accompanied by clear peals of laughter. Just as I thought. She isn't trying to keep people in. She's trying to keep the horrors outside. She wants to protect her son inside this house. No wonder none of his abilities worked. In the world of Harry Potter, the greatest magic of all was love—especially a mother's love. And here, within the dreamscape of a mother's heart, that love was magnified to an unimaginable extent. No one could break through it. Edward silently stepped back out of the room and gently closed the door. Returning to the window, he saw Bellatrix and the other Death Eaters still laughing wildly as they tortured the couple. Their cruelty burned with the fury of Voldemort's fall—these two had become scapegoats for their wrath. "Tch…I can't just keep watching this." Edward tried Apparating again—and failed, unsurprisingly. "Hm?" Suddenly, he noticed a familiar figure among the Death Eaters. It was Audrey. She wore the same dark grey robes as the others, her golden hair hidden beneath a hood. But unlike the rest—who were cackling with glee—Audrey's brows were furrowed, as if deep in thought. Their eyes met. "Audrey!" Edward shouted. She gave a subtle nod, then swiftly raised her wand and unleashed a torrent of blazing red Fiendfyre. "Aaahhh!!—" In the blink of an eye, the Death Eaters were consumed in agonised screams, reduced to ashes. Moments later, the dreamscape began to tremble and collapse. Edward's vision blurred—and he found himself back in the hospital room, still holding Audrey's hand. "Did it work?" he asked urgently. Audrey shook her head. "No. The reason Mrs. Longbottom ended up like this is partially because of the Cruciatus Curse inflicted by the Death Eaters—but what's kept them mad all these years…is their own subconscious defence mechanism." "As long as they're mad, they don't have to face the terrifying Death Eaters. As long as they're mad, they can't feel the Cruciatus Curse. As long as they're mad, they don't have to know what happened afterwards." "So, if we want to help them recover, they need to overcome themselves first." Edward frowned. "How?" "The first step is to overcome their fear of the Death Eaters." "That's why you didn't act right away," he realised. Audrey nodded. "Exactly." Knock, knock, knock. There was a knock at the door. A few seconds later, Mrs. Longbottom entered with a healer in tow. "Apologies—just the doctor's daily check-in." "That's fine. We're just finishing up," Audrey replied. The old lady immediately looked at her expectantly. "Then…then are they…?" Audrey paused, then said, "I know what the problem is now." "Truly?" The healer who entered was an elderly woman, about the same age as Mrs. Longbottom, and wearing spectacles. At Audrey's words, she turned her gaze toward her with keen interest. "What sort of problem?" "Their current condition is actually a form of subconscious self-protection in response to the trauma inflicted by the Death Eaters." The healer's eyes lit up. "Yes! Yes! I've suspected the same. That's why I tried using the Obliviate charm to erase their memories of that time…but it had no effect." ——— [Note]: Don't forget to VOTE. It keeps me motivated.

Chapter 205 - 205: Treating the Longbottoms

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