Category: Augusta Longbottom

Flowers Shall Grow

~ afterthreecc ~ 2 Comments

Flowers Shall Grow by Newyork Noodles

Summary: “He needs you.  It’s the easiest and hardest thing in the world.”  They say that hope can be found in the darkest of places, but Andromeda isn’t so sure anymore. A conversation with Augusta Longbottom might help. Oneshot, 3,645 Words.

Why You Should Care: I can’t believe it took me until reading this fic to realize the completely obvious parallels between Andromeda Tonks and Augusta Longbottom and the way the wars ended for them.  Andromeda is at a crossroads, and her grief is too new to be entirely bearable.  Her interaction with Neville is especially lovely.

Why You Might Not Care: This is not my favorite characterisation of Augusta Longbottom ever.  There is too little personality there, and I feel as though she is merely a placeholder for some more neutral-sounding narrator.  Everything the author gives Augusta to say is valid, but something about the way she says it falls flat.  Over all, this fic starts out strong and struggles a bit near the end.

Dancing Shoes

~ afterthreecc

Dancing Shoes by Pirate Perian

Summary: During the summer before his fourth year, Neville acquires his first set of dress robes. Oneshot, 1,123 Words.

Why You Should Care: This is a brief little snapshot of Neville and his Grandmother that’s very simple, yet surprisingly sweet.  Augusta Longbottom is a hard, stern woman who has suffered and deals with it in the way hard, stern women generally do, but she does have real affection for Neville and it shows.  Despite appearances, you never get the feeling that she is ashamed of her grandson who doesn’t quite “fit” into his father’s shoes, and her comments on that score seem more wistful than cutting.  An intriguing brush stroke of an old woman who is a reluctant mother for a second time.

Why You Might Not Care: It’s a character piece driven by Neville’s POV and action, not words.  You have to read beyond the things that are said and see the motivation behind them.  If you don’t want to work that hard, you’ll probably read this wondering why I rec’d it.