He surged up from his seat and leapt over the banister rail before him, landing in a soft crouch on the main floor. Then he ran forward. There was something wrong with his eyes because everything was a bit blurry, but he didn't care.
Sirius quietly chuckled, "Wow! Look at him go!"
Just before crashing into his mother Neville skidded to a stop before her. He was still thinking her very frail. And he was somewhat heftier than her.
"Mother?" he tentatively asked.
She smiled, took the step forward to meet him and wrapped him in a hug. Her head only came up to his collarbone, so she had to turn her head to the side. His head rested on its side on hers. As tears flowed from both, a few moments later they were joined by Frank wrapping them both in a hug, together; his own tears were also beginning to flow.
Bones gave them quite some time. She, along with all the light families, most of the grey and even a couple of the dark, had tears in their own eyes. This was a reunion that was thirteen years in the making.
Harry stood back with a look of supreme satisfaction on his face. He was very happy for his friend, but also a bit bitter-sweet.
Not able to look upon the scene any more, he turned to look up into the tiers. Rosier was again sitting and shaking in shock, just staring at the three in both confusion and fear.
Casting his eyes across and up one, he looked to Marchbanks. She, while continually glancing at the Longbottoms, was staring at him in surprise and awe. He smirked and cocked an eyebrow at her. She smiled and nodded back.
Frank eventually gave a sniffle and stood back. While looking away he wiped his eyes with the cuff of his robe. Then steeled himself.
Almost suddenly, he spun about. Red rimmed eyes or not, here stood a Lord; One of the Seven... power personified... and he was angry.
He turned to look at Augusta and, with a very obvious sneer on the first word, said, "Regent Augusta Reeves Longbottom née Rosier, you... unlawfully... attempted to end the Potter-Longbottom Alliance. Then, when that disgusting act failed, you were about to declare a blood feud, of all things, on an allied House; on a man I now personally hail as the personal hero of both myself and my Lady. You were about to end centuries of Longbottom tradition and honour.
"Lord Harrison Potter, Lord of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter and Heir Tertiary of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, acted with integrity, honour and the full justification of the alliance of which we lead. I know you were made aware of that. And, yet, you still behaved appallingly and dishonourably. You, woman, had no right to interfere with that!
"Lord Potter was owed a boon by the Goblin Nation―"
That had a ripple of quiet gasps from the Members, at least.
"Bugger!" Harry quietly sighed. "You weren't supposed to know about that."
After Frank gave a glancing amused smirk at Harry, he quickly turned his glare back upon his mother. "Lord Potter called that boon due. He called upon the Goblin Nation to loan him their time dilation chamber for the period of three days normal time. Lord Potter expended that very valuable boon to aid another House; a House which is supposedly your House.
"Alice and I were taken into that chamber direct from Saint Mungo's. While three days passed out here, thirty-six days passed within. And, as you can see, we were healed. Alice and I, besides minor ravages of our time while near-comatose in Saint Mungo's... where we received absolutely no healing treatment on your orders since about eighteen months of our first entering there... are now fitter and healthier than we have ever been.
"The one condition the goblins placed on Lord Potter was that he not tell anyone but a very small select few who were involved in our removal from Saint Mungo's, where we were taken or what was happening to us. Lord Potter honoured that requirement. Something, it appears, you need lessons in.
"So, it now falls to me to fix your foolishness and dishonourable acts, supposedly on behalf of the House of Longbottom, against an allied House.
"You, Augusta Reeves Longbottom, are hereby stripped of your claimed duties of Regent of the House of Longbottom. You are to leave this place immediately and return directly to Longbottom Hall. There, you are to directly retire to your rooms and remain there until I return and call for you.
"At that time you will be required to answer questions both I and Lady Alice Longbottom will be putting to you. That will be the person you have either consistently ignored the existence of, or simply referred to as 'his wife'. Alice is the Lady of your House; something you are no longer. If we are not satisfied with your responses... be prepared to be Disowned!"
That drew quite a few more gasps.
"Now; GET OUT!" he snarled at her.
Augusta Reeves Longbottom née Rosier, once-Regent of the House of Longbottom and once unofficially counted in the ranks of the Seven, silently rose from the Longbottom Seat in tears, quickly made her way down to the floor and - with barely a pause - hurried from the chamber.
It wasn't until there was a quiet but heartfelt vehement mutter of "Shit!" from an unknown Member, before Frank turned back.
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