Neville's Tragic Life Experience

The other person warmly hugged Braun's grandmother, offering comfort, "Don't worry too much about Augustus. Death is just a new journey for wizards!"

Braun's grandmother nodded and calmly stated, "I understand. As an astrologer, I've always been indifferent to life and death."

"By the way, is this your grandson?" Braun's grandmother redirected the conversation, addressing Neville, who had been hiding behind Mrs. Longbottom.

Mrs. Longbottom, who had been quite kind moments before, turned stern at the mention of her grandson. "Come here, Neville! I taught you to be brave as a man! Don't be shy like a girl."

Upon Grandma's insistence, Neville emerged, albeit a little frightened. "Hi, I'm Neville. Neville Longbottom."

Neville stammered in greeting, attempting to pretend to be brave to make Grandma happy. Mrs. Longbottom sighed and gently stroked Neville's head with some pity. "The kid has been this way since I cast the Oblivion Charm on him. I still remember how sweet he used to be."

There was a tone of sorrow in Madam Longbottom's voice as she spoke. Braun's grandmother shared a similar sigh. Of course, she knew what had happened to the Longbottom family back then. Her son and daughter-in-law had been tortured into mental illness. The grandson had also been profoundly affected by witnessing the murder of his parents. As a last resort, Mrs. Longbottom personally erased his memory.

"This is my grandson, Braun Rowle. I believe they should have common ground as peers." Braun stepped forward and greeted the other person graciously. "Hello, Mrs. Longbottom, I'm Braun Rowle."

"You're good too," Mrs. Longbottom smiled, nudging Neville toward Braun, indicating for him to go play with Braun. Braun also offered a warm smile. He still sympathized with Neville's experiences. He had lost his parents at a young age and was raised by his grandmother. Moreover, he was often considered a squib by his family. At school, he was frequently bullied by Malfoy and mistreated by Snape. Yet, despite it all, Neville faced life's challenges with a smile and grew into a resilient wizard. He even displayed courage during the final wizarding war. If J.K. Rowling hadn't written the Harry Potter series, one might have assumed Neville was the main character.

"Hello! Braun!" Neville stammered. However, he seemed to sense Braun's kindness, and he didn't appear as reserved as before. Braun shook hands with him in a friendly manner. Seeing that the two were getting along well, both Mrs. Longbottom and Braun's grandmother appeared very pleased.

"Go, Braun; Mrs. Longbottom will stay with me here; you go and show Neville around." With his grandmother's approval, Braun led Neville into the manor. "Let's head to the garden," Braun suggested, pointing to a field of blooming flowers. Neville readily agreed. "Braun, do you have any hobbies?" Neville asked bravely, trying to find some common ground with this new friend.

"Hobbies?" Braun paused for a moment, realizing he didn't have any specific hobbies. On the contrary, the original body enjoyed playing wizard chess. After a brief moment of thought, Braun replied, "Wizard Chess. How about you?"

"I actually love plants! All kinds of plants are beautiful and peaceful." Neville, when discussing what he liked, became animated. Braun could tell he had a passion for plants. Neville mentioned some plant names Braun hadn't even heard of, but Neville could discuss their origins and characteristics in detail.

In contrast to his shyness and reticence moments ago, he seemed like a completely different person. "My Uncle Algie was a magical botanist. He gave me many plants. However, most of them are quite ordinary. He said he would give me magical plants once I could care for them properly." Neville's tone carried a mix of regret and excitement.

This helped Braun understand why Neville ended up as the Professor of Herbology at Hogwarts. "You're amazing, Neville!" Braun couldn't help but praise. "Trust me, you will definitely become a great wizard in the future!" Braun offered Neville the encouraging words he had learned from Ollivander. He felt that Neville just lacked some confidence and may suffer from an inferiority complex.

"Really?" Neville murmured, his eyes filled with longing. After a brief hesitation, Neville couldn't help but ask, "Braun, are you sad?" He looked at Braun with puzzled eyes. Neville's tone also softened, "My parents were patients at St. Mungo's Hospital, mentally ill, and were tortured by those Death Eaters. Although Grandma didn't tell me, I know all about it... Whenever I see others with their parents, I feel envious. Because I know my parents can't embrace me, spoil me with toys, cook delicious meals for me, or dote on me."

Observing Neville, who fell silent, Braun couldn't help but pat the other person's shoulder. He hadn't expected Neville to share such an experience. It was worth noting that unless this matter was revealed by Harry and the others later, Neville never spoke about it. Today, he might also be feeling the loss of his parents. It seemed they had gone through similar experiences. "Of course, they are much better now than they were before!" Neville suddenly smiled again. He carefully took out a small iron box from his pocket, containing colorful and flat-folded candy wrappers. "It was given to me by my mother. I feel her presence whenever I look at these. I believe that one day they will all remember me."

"I'm really sorry about what happened to your parents, Neville. But you're right—your parents will always be with you, watching over you, and being proud of the remarkable wizard you're becoming," Braun said sincerely.

Neville nodded, appreciating Braun's words of encouragement. "Thank you, Braun. It means a lot to hear that from someone who understands."