The Lost Horcrux

Daddy Issues

"Ah ... I see."

"I know Ennie is getting frustrated by it, too," Neville moaned. He turned his helpless eyes to his father. "I ... I'm turning into a terrible husband, Dad ... and I don't know what to do."

"The first thing you do, is you stop thinking all this nonsense about being a bad husband," Frank replied, firmly. "You're a great husband, and a doting father to boot. So you can put those ideas down right this instant, my boy!"

Neville smiled weakly in thanks. "Putting things down isn't really the problem ... getting them up is the real issue. Did ... did you ever have that problem?"

"Me? No," said Frank, shaking his head. "Your Mum turned me on like a horny tap!"

"Oh, sweet Merlin, Dad! Stop right now!"

"What? Do you think you got here by immaculate conception, or something?" Frank chuckled. "I don't know ... maybe you do. I never did get the chance to have the birds and bees talk with you, did I?"

Father and son looked at each other a reticent moment ... then they chorused together. "Fucking Voldemort."

And they both fell back laughing.

"Look, Nev," said Frank, still grinning. "You and Harry, for all intents and purposes, brought your mother and I back to life when you came for us ... certainly brought us back into your life. You gave me a second chance ... to be the father to you that the Lestranges tried to deny me. I lost your childhood to them ... but being your father is a forever job. If you need to talk, we can talk. No holds barred."

"Thanks, Dad," said Neville. "But I think this is a problem I need to work through on my own."

"You're wrong, son," Frank disagreed. "You are a married man with a wonderful wife ... joined in a very unique type of marriage. There is nothing you will do alone anymore, and you should be thrilled by that."

"I am," Neville grinned. "I really am."

"Then use it," Frank encouraged. "Look, Nev, I'm not going to force you to talk about this with me, not if it embarrasses you. But, for Merlin's Sake, talk about it with your wife. She's a Healer with immense power, but that's nothing to how she can help you emotionally ... and how you can help her. If you keep her out, she'll get lonely and upset. And that's a problem you can both so easily avoid. So, that's my fatherly advice for the day. I can face your mother in good humour ... so long as you agree to do as you're told like a good little boy!"

Neville barked out a laugh, but then his attention caught, as did his breath.

For the Portkey in front of them was glowing blue.

"On your feet, son," Frank commanded, leaping up and deftly pulling his wand. Neville rose, too ... unsheathing the Sword of Gryffindor as he reached his feet. He held the hilt tightly in his hand, feeling its warm power sweep up from his fingertips right to his shoulder. His great ancestors were with him tonight, ranged alongside him and his father.

The Portkey shook and rattled violently, then it shot up into the air, and created a swirling vortex of light and colour. A single wizard span into existence in the middle of it, before being dumped unceremoniously onto the ground, where he lay quite still a moment. Neville watched him carefully, his eyes fixed on his wand-arm. He didn't move initially, so Frank nudged him with his boot. The wizard moaned in response.

Neville bent down and looked at the wizard's face. Then he reeled back in disgust. It was horribly mangled. He was deformed, almost to the point of being unrecognisable. Neville had to cast a diagnostic spell at his body just be sure it was him. His face was slashed with deep lesions, his nose smashed and his eye sockets nothing more than bulbous, black lumps.