Roy and Cedric exchanged a glance, then followed Dumbledore into the ward where Neville's parents were staying.
On two adjacent hospital beds sat Frank Longbottom and Alice Longbottom. Their eyes were vacant, their souls seemingly absent, as though the spirits within their adult bodies had been drained away.
Neville stood before the beds, trying to force a smile, but all he managed was something more painful than crying.
"Dad, Mum."
Neville's voice was so soft that only he could barely hear it.
Frank and Alice stared blankly at the boy standing by their beds. They could not recognize who he was—or perhaps they recognized their son, yet were incapable of giving any response.
Neville's grandmother, Madam Longbottom, stood behind him, silently watching a scene she had witnessed countless times before. She had not noticed that anyone else had entered the ward.
"Augusta, have Frank and Alice shown any improvement lately?"
Dumbledore's heavy voice sounded from behind Madam Longbottom. Neville and Madam Longbottom both turned around and saw Dumbledore, with Cedric and Roy following behind him.
"Professor Dumbledore, you actually came." Madam Longbottom nodded to Dumbledore, then looked at Roy and Cedric behind him. "And this is the boy from Diggory House. Who is this?"
Roy stepped forward and shook Madam Longbottom's hand.
"Roy Smith, a first-year Hufflepuff student."
Madam Longbottom nodded. Clearly, she had heard Roy's name before.
"I saw you in the Daily Prophet. You were the one injured during the attack at the school, weren't you? It is a pleasure to meet you, child."
Then Madam Longbottom immediately turned around and sternly reprimanded the bashful Neville.
"How rude. What have I taught you? Hurry up and greet Mr. Dumbledore!"
Neville had kept his head lowered in embarrassment ever since seeing people enter the ward, not daring to look