Somewhere in France with you.
Captain Longbottom woke with a start; looking around and expecting the red and gold curtains and a soft warm bed he was so familiar with he instead had a uncomfortable encounter with a sheet of wet tent canvas. He slumped backwards confused; this had the unfortunate consequence of shaking the rest of the condensation off the inside of the tent causing a brief but heavy rain storm. Looking around more awake after the impromptu shower he made out shapes in the gloom. A canvas chair with a military uniform, his uniform he realised with a start. Thrown over the back. Next to his bed was a belt with a pistol holstered on it. Again Neville was amazed to realise that it was his Service Revolver. Stepping out of his 'Tent' which on closer inspection was simply a canvas sheet tied to the side of a truck and pegged to the floor at an angle. He found himself standing on the inside edge of a small wood, camouflaged military vehicles nestled in and amongst the widely spaced trees providing cover from both the air and the ground. Men moved backwards and forwards while others sat gathered around in small groups around various small fires boiling water for the first cup of tea of the morning or cooking the nearly inedible rations for breakfast.
More facts and memories flashed through his mind, he was an officer in the British Army Dug in on the French-Dutch boarder waiting for the German to attack! No that isn't right he was Neville Longbottom mediocre student at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. He loved Herbology and … something's were best left unsaid … or even unthought-of. Suddenly he felt a wave of panic he didn't even have his wand granted it never really accepted him but it was a connection to his Father and it hurt deeply to think he didn't have it on his person.
All this was pushed aside as he heard footstep approaching from behind him. Turning as casually as possible trying not to let his emotions show on his face he saw his Company Sergeant Major, CSM Talbot walking towards him. Yet again he was shocked that he knew that. Neville nodded head and acknowledged the CSM's salute as was proper.
"Morning Sargn't Major, anything happen over night." Neville said inside marvelling at how natural it felt to address this older, taller and much more intimidating man.
"No sir, Watkins swears he heard someone moving around at about oh three double oh, myself and 3 Section went out and had a dekko couldn't find anything. Probably just a young lads nerves." The CSM reported in a clipped and concise manner.
"Maybe Sargn't Major but I'd rather he was nervous and keeping an eye out that relaxed and asleep." Neville said the first thing that came to mind and when he reviewed what he said it seemed the right thing and the reaction of the CSM reinforced this.
"Aye sir your right of course its just this waiting it gets on the blokes nerves is all."
It was at this time a young Private blond haired went running past, Neville turned and gasped the young man was scarcely older than himself, he caught himself he was only fourteen but he felt older as he though about it he realised here at least he was 10 years older he had been born in late July 1916. No that wasn't right he had been born in 1980.
The young Captain/Student looked around no one was moving it was as if the whole area had been affected by a Petrificus Totalus spell one he was intimately familiar with. The whole world faded to white and Neville had to close his eyes tightly to avoid being blinded. He heard someone calling his name
"Neville is that you?" the familiar female voice called. He opened his eyes a crack and realising he wouldn't be blinded anymore opened them fully and he saw the one person he wanted to in the whole world. He found he was standing wearing his uniform in what he could only describe as a ball room at one end was a stage decked out with French and British flags the floor was polished wood the whole impression was of a plush town hall.
"Ginny is that really you?" she smiled and said in a mock scolding voice.
"I think I asked you first? Never mind, yes its me where are we? I remember going to sleep in my dorm and then waking up in a billet with two other girls who I have never met but seem to have know for months and I know what billet means and I have all these memories in my head and…" Neville quickly stepped up to her and grasped her shoulders as she started to panic.
"Ginny please calm down and breathe. I had the same thing. Somehow I've gone from being a pupil and Hogwarts to being a Captain in the Lincolnshire Regiment. I'm not sure how it happened but I'm sure we can find a way out of it." There was a flash of light as two more figures materialised. They were both wearing blue well tailored uniforms one had the rank rings denoting a Flight Lieutenant of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, the other the uniform and rank rings of a Flight officer of the Woman's Auxiliary Air Force. They also seemed to be in the middle of a blazing argument
"Harry! Just because you say you can 'remember' how to fly that thing doesn't mean you should just jump in and go. We agreed we would keep our heads down and see what was going on and see if this was one of Voldemorts plots."
"Hermione, please stop we both remember our history lessons from when we were little I wasn't going to go for a joy ride they need every pilot up there in the sky, and like it or not I remember taking an oath to defend the country."
"But Harry we don't know if that oath was real it was probably just implanted to keep you compliant…" Hermione wailed
"You are part right." Another voice echoed a fifth figure coalesced this time simply appearing with little to no fuss. It was Luna Lovegood. Neville had seen her around the castle several times and Ginny had mentioned as being a old friend from before she came/went to Hogwarts. Her dreamy and quite frankly weird outlook put most people off but this was different she seemed composed and in complete control.
"We await one more then the ensemble will be complete. Ah speak of the Red Haired devil!" she giggled slightly at her own joke. A sixth figure materialised.
"Bloody hell!" Ronald Weasley exclaimed before he looked around his eyes focused on Neville and narrowed.
"Neville! Get your hands off my sister." He looked down a realised that yes he did still have his hands on Ginny's shoulders he whipped them back as if burned. Ginny simply rolled her eyes and looked around at her brother giving him a pointed look. Harry spoke up.
"Ron Mate, I think you need to get your priories right. We really need to find out what is going on. To that end what did you mean?" he asked Luna
"Well…" she answered "I think the Spirit of Battle has decided that none of us are ready for the war and has created this to help us." She answered by 5 flavours of shock, Ron simply stood with his jaw hanging low. Harry was blinking rapidly, Hermione was shaking her head as if trying to clear her head of a annoying noise. Ginny stared wide eyed while Neville took stock. Hermione was the first to speak.
"But that was just a myth, a story told around camp fires."
"Yes, but Hermione don't all myths contain a grain of truth." Luna replied. Why don't you enlighten those who haven't heard this myth before noting the blank looks she was receiving.
"No one knows where it originated but the first record I found was in a book about the early Goblin wars. It was said that on the eve of a hopeless battle particularly honourable and pure warriors would be visited by the true incarnation of the Spirit of Battle they would be taken from their comrades and elevated to another plain where they would be taught the ways of war and they would return at the correct time to ensure victory." Hermione finished looking around.
"Well done Hermione, I think we are here, or there now until the Spirit feels you have learnt what you need to and it is time to go back. I will try to guide you but there are some things even I don't know. You will shortly be sent back to where you left. Learn what you can, you have been given knowledge that will help you but it wont unlock what is within Strength, courage, commitment to your fellows and self sacrifice. That you learn, goodbye for now"
Another blinding light and Neville found himself back in the woods.
"Sir, are you alright?"
"What? Oh yes fine just felt a bit dizzy that's all what were you saying?"
"A runner just arrived, you're needed at Brigade HQ, Jerries on the move." The older man stated trying and failing to keep the excitement out of his voice.
"Right Sargn't Major. Can you have 3 Platoon arrange a wagon to take me as soon as possible?"
Righto sir! Neville looked around for a specific face he saw it after a moment or two of looking." Lieutenant Cockcroft over here please." A willowy looking man dashed over.
"Sandy I've been called to Brigade please take over here. I Think the Boche might be on the move."
"STUKAS!" The warning was screamed a moment before 3 of the sinister gull wing aircraft began their screaming decent.
"TAKE COVER." Neville yelled. It was too late to do anything but to hug the ground and hope some other poor bugger bought it and not you, he looked up from where he was laying and saw the first bomb leave the leading aircrafts belly it look to be heading straight for him about to land right in the small of his back. It sailed over his head and landed a short distance a way. The blast lifted him up and slammed him back on to the ground winding and deafening him. A second blast erupted some where deeper in the woods a third bomb landed on the edge of the woods temporarily blocking out the sun. After a few moments later Neville's hearing returned. He would wish until his dying day that it hadn't. The cries of the wounded and the horrified calls of their friends calling for stretcher bearers added to the crackles of the fires and smells of cordite and blood to create a scene that could have sprang from Hell.
For the first time since waking up Neville felt like the scared fourteen year old he had been only a few hours ago.
