The Lonely Hero

"Why are you here?"

Twenty minutes later, Mrs. Longbottom had finally soothed her daughter-in-law and coaxed her back into bed instead of letting her crouch barefoot in the ward's bathroom. She was about to go out and get something to eat for Neville's mother and father, the latter of whom was still asleep despite all the commotion in the room, when she turned around and saw Sirius, Tonks, and the little girl in the wheelchair standing at the door.

"We came to see if there was anything we could help with, Augusta—"

Without having been invited in, the three of them remained at the doorway as Sirius spoke.

"Just a small incident. Nothing I can't handle—"

Mrs. Longbottom rose from the edge of the bed. Though she said that, the ordeal had placed quite a burden on her aged body. As she stood, a sharp ache ran through her lower back. Her daughter-in-law, who had finally agreed to lie down, immediately sat up nervously when she saw that Mrs. Longbottom meant to leave. She grabbed her sleeve and refused to let go, staring fearfully toward the door.

"Don't be nervous, Alice—"

Mrs. Longbottom sighed helplessly and turned to Sirius.

"Alice seems rather afraid of you, Sirius. If it isn't too much trouble, could you get something to eat for Frank and Alice? This is the busiest time of day at the hospital—"

"No problem, Augusta—"

Sirius agreed readily and turned to leave, but after taking two steps, he seemed to remember something and stopped to tell Hermione,

"Don't forget, Hermione, you can only stay out for half an hour—"

"May we come in, Mrs. Longbottom?" Tonks asked.

Mrs. Longbottom did not answer immediately. Instead, she glanced at her daughter-in-law. Whatever means she used to judge it, she then turned back