ORDER ONLY: Private Message to Frank Longbottom

[alt_alice]

You two have been awfully quiet.

Though I suppose that's for the best, with all the disapproving clucking coming your way.

I know that was hard for you, dearest. Very hard.

I'm reminded of that letter we just sent off to Neville, and the advice we gave him. Easier said than done, I have a feeling.

That little boy might be in a world of misery and hurt right now, but think what a difference it's been to three years ago? He has friends, real friends, and he has Sirius, and now he knows he has you. And it does not have to end here. We know what we're facing now, with his trace, and how to get to him at the castle, and he has his portkey. We can go back. We can regroup. There will be other chances.

Comments

[alt_frank]

you should've seen his face when sirius said I was nev's dad.

and he showed us that bracelet, and I just knew that he was a part of it. nev. and why wouldn't he be? damn straight.

when I was checking him over for what that bastard did to him

he was shaking like a leaf.

fuck.

he'd have run straight off if I

thank merlin for our kids.

for our kids at moddey.

they aren't afraid. you can just open your arms and they won't be scared if you give them a hug and no-one's ever hurt them before and no one will not on my watch. and I think about colin, and what he'd be like if he were forced into that shithole, or our danny, working like a dog in the camps instead of with us, or any one of the people we've got there, because besides you and me they'd all get an automatic ticket to slavery, and it still isn't enough.

and here I am useless as fuck needing to get pissed because I can't handle the idea of what that poor kid has to go through every goddamn day of his life, and because I know that it was my fault he's still there. my fucking fault he's there to begin with. and don't try and soften it, because that's the way it is.

when we left nev and evie behind, we left them in a safe place. with mum. and I thought that was hard.

jesus.

when are we going to stop talking and start doing shit? when are we going to take all of those motherfuckers on and face them and fight them and blast them to fucking pieces? I'm tired of hiding. I'm so goddamn tired of only saving a few and letting the rest suffer, and pretending it's okay.

because it's not.

[alt_alice]

Sounds like you've been doing a lot of thinking these past few hours, love.

[alt_frank]

thinking

drinking

whateveryoucallitwithweeding

yeah.

[alt_alice]

Toking, love.

I didn't think you were the type?

Just an observation. I'd suggest you drink plenty of water before you go to bed. And no, beer doesn't count.

[alt_frank]

no

not usually

a little that summer I left school

it's been a while.

took the angry right out of me, at least for a bit. so that's something.

[alt_alice]

You're right.

We do need to do more. And now that Sirius is back, and all that worry with Severus is sorted out, we've got much more ability to do them.

And there's Sherwood. You can start lending a hand more regularly there. I know they aren't to everybody's liking, but you can work with them.

We've got a little under a year before the next Solstice, and that also gives us a lot of options. Fixing up a whole fleet of boats, for one.

There's no end to things we could do.

[alt_frank]

I think that's the problem.

that there's so much out there to do that it's

overwhelming

and if we aren't doing it all, we're automatically failing because there's someone out there getting hurt and we can't save all of them

but today?

i just wanted to save the one.

and I couldn't even do that.

[alt_alice]

I know.

I'm sorry.

I love you.

[alt_alice]

Now you drink your water and get some sleep, and when you come home, there will be literally dozens of hugs just waiting for you.

[alt_frank]

I don't deserve you.

[alt_alice]

Oh, sweetest man.

You might feel as though you don't, but you do.

You very much do.