Vid was experiencing his first real encounter with Neville's parents.
Of course, he had seen pictures of them at Sirius' house before. In their youth, they appeared gentle and kind, their round faces always wearing a smile that brought happiness to others at first glance, the kind of people you instantly like and find harmless.
Frank Longbottom no longer looked young at this moment; he appeared ten years older than his actual age, with a gaunt face, several fine lines at the corners of his eyes, a slightly stooping frame, and thinning gray hair.
Yet he still tried hard to straighten his back, his light-brown eyes squinting slightly, looking very gentle.
He reached out to support his wife's arm. Alice looked more weary than her husband, yet her eyes held a lively glimmer, her lips naturally curved into a smile, her gray hair neatly tied into a bundle that hung over her shoulder, adorned with a small string of flowers at the end.
"It's a pleasure... to meet you," Frank said with a smile, slowly. He raised his still slightly trembling arm to solemnly place it on Vid's shoulder: "Thank you, Mr. Gray, for everything you've done."
His voice was hoarse, as if rusty blades were grinding against each other, but it was clear that he was trying to speak fluently and completely.
"You're too kind," Vid said seriously. "You are all brave warriors. I'm honored to have been able to help even a little."
Mrs. Longbottom instantly showed a proud expression, looking at them with appreciation.
"We watched... your match on the arena... the video," Alice said with a smiling squint. "We haven't... finished it yet... but it was spectacular."
Harry was somewhat surprised at their conditions and quickly replied, "Thank you... I mean... it's a pleasure to meet you."
Dumbledore also said happily, "To see you recovering so well is truly heartening."
Mrs. Longbottom nodded gently and said reservedly, "Even the Healer is surprised at how fast they are recovering... in the end, it's lucky they didn't give up even when they were not in their right minds but always kept fighting, which is why they can be clear-minded today."
There was a distinct sense of pride in her tone, prompting Dumbledore to add, "It's truly incredible. I dare say, not many people can achieve this—such resilience for more than a decade, waiting for a breakthrough."
Seeing the confusion on Harry's face, Mrs. Longbottom explained to him:
"Fourteen years ago, after Voldemort disappeared, Bellatrix and her group tortured my son and daughter-in-law with the Cruciatus Curse, driving them insane until recently..."
She looked at Vid, her voice filled with gratitude as she said:
"Mr. Grey Jr., upon hearing of this, lent a Magic Item to Neville, which slowly helped them regain clarity."
This was the first time Harry had heard of these events, and he was shocked, his mouth agape as he looked from Vid to the Longbottoms.
After a moment of silence, the young man lifted his head, his voice trembling as he said, "I... I don't even know how to express it, having gone through such torment... but the most important thing is that everything is getting better now. This is... truly wonderful..."
He gave a genuine smile: "Neville must be ecstatic."
Frank lowered his gaze, Alice reached out to softly touch Harry's forehead scar, and gently said, "We've heard... about your parents... I'm so sorry... Harry, make sure to... take care of yourself... James and Lily... would surely be... very proud of you..."
Harry's eyes instantly welled up with tears.
"Professor Dumbledore," Frank said slowly but firmly, "I'm so glad... to see you well. It's comforting... to hear that person... has revived... we can soon... return to the Order of Phoenix..."
Alice also nodded with a smile but didn't say anything.
They looked as though they never regretted their past decision to stand against the Dark Lord.
Dumbledore's gaze slightly trembled, his voice gentler than usual:
"My dear Frank, and Alice, seeing you find yourselves again is more gratifying than any victory."
He said earnestly, "Of course, the door to the Order of Phoenix is always open for you, but do remember—you have already won the hardest battle of your lives."
Mrs. Longbottom suddenly hit the ground heavily with her cane, making a dull "thud," and even the vulture specimen on her hat flapped its wings.
"Hm, you all, don't act as if I don't exist!"
The old lady directed her sharp gaze at Dumbledore and said harshly, "Don't forget to notify me when that guy shows his face, don't think just because I'm old, I can't go to the battlefield!"
Dumbledore chuckled, "Of course, I won't forget you, Augusta. But I think Voldemort is too busy hiding right now to show up in public."
"Be careful... of Azkaban..." Frank said, breathing heavily, "he should... be trying to... gather his followers... again..."
A terrifying hint of killing intent flashed through the old lady's eyes.
"You're right, Frank," Dumbledore said, "the walls of Azkaban probably can't hold back a Wizard of Voldemort's caliber. I was discussing this same issue with Scrimgeour yesterday, about reinforcing Azkaban and managing the Dementors..."
Frank and Alice listened intently, both showing focused expressions on their faces. However, before Dumbledore could finish, he noticed their legs trembling slightly, and Frank placed his hand on the wall for support.
Lying in a hospital bed for over a decade, the Dark Magic had caused severe harm to their bodies. Even with Magic Potions, they hadn't fully recovered, and were still too weak to stand for long periods.
So Dumbledore halted his words, saying, "Alright, my dear friends, there's plenty of time to talk about these matters later. For now, you should lie down and rest."
Augusta Longbottom checked the time, waved her hand and said, "Indeed, you two should go lie down, matters of war aren't for the patients to worry about! If you want to do something, focus on getting better soon!"
Her tone wasn't exactly pleasant, but the two of them couldn't mistake the concern within; they smiled gently and bid their farewell softly.
"See you next time... Professor Dumbledore... Mr. Gray... Mr. Potter."
"We'll come and visit you again soon!" Harry couldn't help but say.
Vid also nodded: "Wishing you a full recovery soon."
Alice smiled: "Thank you... Neville at school... is much grateful for your care..."
"He'll be coming to see you soon." The old lady said, pretending to be impatient while pushing them back into the ward, "Didn't you have a talk just last night? If you really miss him, go prepare the gift you want to give him!"