Hogwarts' Golden Glory

Upon hearing Navee's voice

Alice's gaze returned to Neville's face.

Her brows furrowed, as if she was trying to see the boy in front of her clearly.

A tear slid down her cheek.

"Na...Wei..." she repeated the name, her voice so soft that no one could hear her.

Frank also stood up.

His movements were more clumsy than his wife's, but he stood just as firmly between Nawi and Algi.

Although there were no words, the protective gesture was self-evident—even when their souls were trapped in darkness, the parents' instincts still guided them to protect their children.

Kane stood quietly to the side, his grey-blue eyes gleaming with a complex light.

He saw that the always timid boy was crying like a toddler, yet he was stronger than ever before.

This is probably the kind of crying that can be released when you have parents to rely on.

"Although they suffered severe emotional trauma," Kane said softly, "they still remembered to protect you even in the deepest darkness."

Augusta covered her mouth with a handkerchief and wept silently.

Algi lowered his head in shame, his wand having been put away at some point.

Alice slowly raised her trembling hand, wanting to touch Neville's face.

"Don't...cry..."

She spoke with difficulty, her fingers gently wiping Neville's cheek, removing a tear.

This simple movement seemed to have exhausted all her strength; her eyes became vacant again, and her arms fell limply.

"Mom!" Neville grabbed his mother's falling hand and pressed it tightly against his wet cheek. "Don't go...please..."

But Alice had already fallen back into her shell, staring blankly ahead.

Frank also returned to his dazed state and stood quietly to the side.

Neville knelt on the ground, still holding his mother's hand tightly, sobbing silently.

For the first time in eleven months, he felt his mother's proactive comfort.

Even if it was just for a brief moment, even if she couldn't even truly recognize him.

Kane stepped forward and gently placed his hand on Neville's shoulder.

"They're still there," he whispered, "hidden deep behind those wounds. We'll bring them back, Neville. I promise you."

Just then, the door to the ward was gently pushed open.

Please forgive my lateness.

A gentle, aged voice sounded at the doorway.

Everyone turned to look.

Albus Dumbledore stood in the doorway, his blue eyes behind his half-moon spectacles filled with sorrow and understanding.

His gaze swept over Neville, who was kneeling on the ground, lingered on Alice and Frank's bewildered faces, and finally landed on Kane.

"I witnessed the most touching scene."

"Love and courage can penetrate the deepest darkness—this is a truth I have believed in all my life, and today, you have proven it once again."

He knelt down next to Nave, a simple action that is not easy for an average centenarian.

"Neville, my child," Dumbledore said softly, "I have seen many powerful spells, but none are more powerful than the instinct of love that your mother just displayed."

Neville looked up, his tear tracks glistening in the sunlight. "Professor...they...they recognized me..."

"Yes, they recognized you," Dumbledore said firmly, placing a hand gently on the other's shoulder.

“Deepest in their hearts, they have never forgotten you. And now—” he turned to Kane, “I believe this young man can help them find their way home.”

Augusta took a step forward, her voice still tinged with doubt: "Albus, do you really think a student can do what even the best healers at St. Mungo's couldn't?"

Dumbledore slowly stood up and turned to Old Lady Longbottom.

"Augusta, my dear old friend,"

His voice was gentle yet undeniably authoritative. "There are many things in the magical world that are beyond our comprehension. Kane Malfoy's talent in Potions is the most extraordinary I've seen in nearly a century. More importantly—"

Algi shifted uncomfortably. "But Headmaster, he's just a child after all..."

"Age is never a measure of ability, Alger," Dumbledore said calmly. "I remember Voldemort; when he was young, no one looked down on him either."

Upon hearing that name, Algi's face instantly turned panicked.

The room fell silent.

Augusta looked at her son and daughter-in-law, then at her grandson's hopeful face, and finally let out a long sigh.

"Alright." Her voice was older than ever. "Give it a try, young man. If Albus has already said so..."

Algi wrung his hands nervously: "Mother, we really should..."

"That's enough." Augusta tapped the floor with his cane.

"Eleven years. This is the first time in eleven years I've seen Alice react to Neville. If there's even a glimmer of hope..."

Her voice choked with emotion, "We must seize it."

Algi nodded heavily, walked over to Neville, and awkwardly patted his nephew on the back.

"We...we all want them to get better, Navee."

Neville looked up at Kane, his eyes still wet with tears, yet they were already tinged with a glimmer of light. "Kane...please."

Kane stood in the center of the ward, the silver-blue potion swirling in the bottle.

As Kane waved his wand, the potion immediately shimmered with a mother-of-pearl-like luster and swirled within the bottle.

"Please move aside."

Kane said to Dumbledore, while taking three phoenix feathers from his pocket.

Arrange them in a triangle at Frank and Alice's feet.

"So... this is the 'small favor' you were talking about?"

Dumbledore adjusted his half-moon spectacles.

Staring at the three phoenix feathers Kane had arranged on the hospital room floor—one of which looked particularly familiar.

Kane gave an innocent smile: "Strictly speaking, all you need to do is provide a tiny bit of magical support. It's as easy as... refilling a teapot."

"The last time I heard the phrase 'a little bit of support,' Fudge asked me to help him become Minister for Magic."

Dumbledore sighed, his long beard twitching. "And wasn't that feather from my Fawkes...?"

"Borrowing! It's borrowing!"

Kane quickly interrupted, taking out the small bottle containing the unicorn tears.

Neville cleared his throat nervously. "Uh... Professor, I'm so sorry to bother you..."

"Don't worry, Neville."

Dumbledore blinked. "I'd rather attend this... uh... healing ceremony than deal with the Ministry of Magic's boring meetings."

He turned to Kane, "But next time you need to 'borrow' a phoenix feather, could you please not have Fox chasing after me crying for three days straight?"

"And doesn't your dog Iggy have feathers too?"