Algie stared for a long time at the adorable infant and his stuffed bear. And then, something inside him snapped like a twig in a heavy ice storm. "No. No, you little brat, it won't be that easy for you. And I certainly won't let you beat me with the help of that thing. EVANESCO!" There was a flash as the teddy bear vanished out of Neville's arms, startling the child. But before he could start crying again, Algie's wand flashed a second time. "OBLIVIATE!You will forget about Ebby. You will forget that you ever had a bear that looked anything like Ebby." He paused as a vicious gleam came into his eyes. "But you willremember that there was once something you loved that you have now lost forever. And you will remember that the reason you lost it because you wished for it too hard!"
Little Neville shook his head for a few seconds and then crawled over to play with some blocks, with a strange look on his face, as if he were sad but didn't know why. Later, when Augusta returned, Algie told her that Neville had been a perfect angel and that she shouldn't hesitate to ask him to babysit whenever she needed a break. He also reminded her to be on the lookout for signs of accidental magic because Neville was getting to that age.
The next day, Algie went to Flourish & Botts and purchased several books on squibs and the latest theories about what caused them.
When Neville was three years old ...
Algie had been visiting Longbottom Manor for a week, as was his right as Longbottom Regent. On the fourth day there, he was in a sitting room reading the Daily Prophetwhen he felt a small hand tug on his pants leg. It was the Brat.
"Well, hello there, little Neville!" Algie said with false kindness. "What can I do for you?"
"Will you read Baba Rab to me, Unca Algie?"
"Babbity Rabbit, you mean? Well where is it, Neville?"
"Baba Rab on da shelf in lie-berry," the child replied.
"Why don't you show me?" Algie asked.
And with that, the toddler led his great-uncle to the nearby library, where Neville pointed to a book on a middle shelf. Algie noted that the bookshelf was freestanding instead of mounted to the wall, and his eyes gleamed.
"Oh, that's not too high, Neville. You can reach it. Show me how big and brave you are, just like your dad was." Algie smiled at Neville, who looked back up at the tall shelf nervously. Then, he waddled over and, after a bit of hesitation, tried to climb up to the third shelf. Just he reached the edge where the Babbity Rabbit book was, Algie pulled out his wand.
"This is for you, Reginald," he whispered as he cast a spell at the heavy bookcase, which suddenly tipped over onto Neville. The toddler fell to the floor with the bookcase poised to crush him ... when suddenly it froze in mid-fall and then tipped back into place, with all the books and knick-knacks that had been on it snapping back into place as if they'd never moved. All except the Babbity Rabbit book which Neville proudly clutched in his hands.
Algie stared at Neville with his eyes wide in astonishment. Then, from some distance away, he heard Augusta call out. "Algie, what was that noise? Is Neville getting into mischief."
"It was nothing, Gussie." Then, he hissed out a strong Memory Charm to make Neville forget what had just happened, followed maliciously by a mild Stinging Hex on the boy's bottom. Neville soon began crying. Just as Algie put his wand away, Augusta came around the corner. "It looks like Neville tried to climb up the bookshelf to get his Babbity Rabbit book and then fell on his bum. No harm done."
Augusta swept into the room and picked the child up off the floor to console him. "Neville, I've told you! Don't try to climb the furniture! You could have pulled the whole thing down on your head! Get someone to hand you things you can't reach!"
"Or perhaps even summon them to you with magic," said Algie brightly, but Augusta just gave him a dirty look, while Neville sobbed softly. "Oh, don't give me that look, Gussie. The boy's three. Frank had toys flying around the room at that age. Has he shown any signs of accidental magic at all?"
She hesitated. "No, but he's still a child, Algie." "Well, he won't be one forever, Augusta. If he hasn't shown any magic by the time he's four, we may need to..." He hesitated as Augusta gave him a nearly homicidal glare and then smiled winningly at the child and his guardian. "Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I suppose."
When Neville was four years old ...
It was a beautiful spring day as little Neville Longbottom dashed across a sunlight field in pursuit of a brilliant colorful butterfly. It was no ordinary butterfly, however. Indeed, it was no butterfly at all, but an illusion created and controlled by Algie, who watched from a distance as the butterfly construct danced and wove just out of Neville's reach. Step by step, the butterfly led Neville closer and closer to Greenhouse 4. The whole Longbottom family had come for a weekend getaway at the summer home in Wales which was situated on a working farm where various magical plants and animals were raised. Greenhouse 4 was a large secured structure where the dangerous plants were housed, plants that were poisonous, carnivorous or both. Normally, Greenhouse 4 was kept locked down, but unfortunately, Catesby, the Chief Gardener, was getting on in years and didn't always remember to lock up completely. Particularly not after he had been hit with a Confundus Curse, which was why the door was currently wide open. The magical butterfly continued its flight, leading little Neville straight into Greenhouse 4. Algie took a deep breath and braced himself for the screams. "It's all for you, Reginald," he whispered. But the screams never came. Instead, he could barely hear a soft, childish ... giggling? Swiftly, he ran to Greenhouse 4 and through the doorway. Inside, he was stunned by the scene, as Neville was laughing in delight while two Devil's Snarestossed him back and forth and caught him as if they were playing a game! And in the background, an entire row of Venomous Tentacula were brushing their vines back and forth against each other as if they were ... clapping?! Algie wiped his eyes as though he might be hallucinating. Then, he drew Neville to his arms with a Summoning Charm. At that point, the plants of Greenhouse 4 registered their disapproval by lashing out towards Algie with a dozen deadly vines. He slammed the door shut and then hit it with his strongest locking spell as the aggressive plants bashed against the door repeatedly.
"That was fun!" said Neville gleefully. Algie looked down at his excited nephew who seemed no worse the wear for his time spent surrounded by some of the deadliest plants in the world. He snarled at the boy.
"OBLIVIATE!" When Neville Longbottom was seven...
Algie watched from a distance through his omnoculars as Augusta led her grandson down the Blackpool Promenade. His birthday had coincided with a weekend, so she had taken the boy to Blackpool to see the Muggle zoo and amusement park and to reminisce about days gone by. Her first date with Archie was to Blackpool Tower the summer after their Fifth Year. Decades later, Frank had carried Alice to Blackpool for their honeymoon.
It had been a long hot day, so Augusta and Neville stopped off at a malt shop and then sat down at a table outside to drink their milkshakes. After a few seconds, Augusta leaned over to her grandson. "Neville, I need to step into the lady's powder room for just a few minutes. Can I trust you to wait right here till I get back?"
"Yes, Gran," he said respectfully.