Neville barely had enough time to retrieve his wand before his grip on the Portkey tightened as if it were a magnetic force pulling him to it, and the room before him shifted. He saw a changing blur of green, grassy pastures, then a stretch of thick forest and a large wall of what appeared to be ivy.

Next thing he knew, he lay sprawled on uneven ground, with his face pressed to rich soil(was that Mooncalf dung he tasted?). He got to his feet a bit clumsily, but the sight he beheld ahead of him caused him to move faster. In front of him, was a wall, a wall of writhing and twisting vines that looked every bit like long snakes.

Neville recognized the type immediately, having worked with it often, and as the creepers writhed and twisted he named it,"Devil's Snare".

And partly immersed in this wall, vines binding her pale arms, and twisting around her mouth disabling her ability to speak, hair splayed around her heart-shaped face, her silver eyes screaming in terror and shock was Luna. She continued to writhe and struggle attempting to reach her wand, but the struggling only caused the vines to twist around her faster.

Her eyes met his brown ones, and he noticed a small sign of relief in them.

Neville took out his wand fumbled with it a little, and pointing it at vines meters away from Luna, he yelled "Incendio!"

The flames caused the Devil's Snare to retreat immediately and Luna fell to the soft ground with a slight groan.

He pointed his wand at the flames and muttered a quick "Aguamenti" to extinguish them, before running to Luna.

Neville found her sitting up, her black boots covered in dirt and soil. She was rubbing a spot on her head, muttering to herself, and staring in the direction of the retreating Devil's Snare.

When Neville knelt beside her and casually tossed the question, "You OK?", she didn't answer, and it was only when Neville whispered her name, his voice dripping with concern, that she answered,"Look".

So he did, look that is, in the direction of her pointed hand. The Devil's Snare was still retreating and Neville could see what was behind it. Wrought, black iron doors, doors that seemed to touch the sky, surely doors that were fit for a giant. Running alongside these doors were walls, higher than the doors and twice as thick. Neville had not seen the Great Wall of China before but he knew these walls would put the muggle contraption to eternal shame.

Luna, all questions forgotten about how her savior had found her, spoke, her voice ringing as they stared at the doors by wand-light. "I think we've found the Crumple-Horned Snorkack".

Neville chuckled softly, not wanting to hurt Luna's feelings, but he honestly doubted that the Crumple-Horned Snorkack hid in the cover of a thick forest in Ireland, behind walls ten times its height.

- - -

Neville had made the wise decision to wait until the morning to take on whatever was behind the gate.

So after Luna had cast some protective spells around them(Neville didn't trust his spell-work to that extent yet), they made themselves comfortable in the dirt with some Cushioning Charms. Then eyes on the stars, they exchanged their theories about what was behind the gates. Luna chattered on avidly about Blibbering Humdingers and an army of Heliopaths. Neville chose more sensible variations, he had heard of a colony of giants residing in Ireland, he had read it somewhere a few days ago, the Daily Prophet?

It was close to midnight when Luna asked him how he had come to be here. Having explained that particular series of events, they proceeded to converse about the Portkey. Neville for one,didn't need a Remembrall to remind him he had forgotten the previous whereabouts of the cup. Luna,however, mentioned the cup was placed in the barrel by a group of Nargles, bent ,as she was, on finding the Crumple-Horned-Snorcack.

Then in the middle of a conversation where he contradicted her Nargle theories, she fell asleep, breathing in soft snores and her face serene, glowing by the moonlight.

But it wasn't so easy for Neville to drift into unconsciousness. Despite the several cushioning charms,the patch of dirt he lay on was quite hard, and he was frequently reminded of the comfy four poster awaiting him at the Leaky Cauldron. He had had the pressing notion to transfigure the rotting log nearby into a cosy cot, but the idea of Luna asleep on the dirt and him, comfortable in a bed just didn't suit his conscience. There was also the more pressing fact that his long years of Transfiguration with Minerva had proved to him. He just wasn't.. uh, the best at Transfiguration.

Another issue, a louder and therefore more noticeable issue, was the rumbling of his stomach. Yes, he had shared a couple of Pumpkin Pasties with Luna, but being used to a far more scrumptious and filling dinner at Tom's his digestive track protested.

On the upside, by the shimmering moonlight, Neville had classified the plant and herb species' all around him. He was pleasantly surprised to discover many magical herbs, and even cast his eyes on asphodel and fluxweed. He was also almost positive that he had recognized a patch of Mandrakes. Making himself a mental note(which he probably wouldn't remember in the morning) to collect some samples Neville tossed and turned himself to sleep.

He dreamt he and Luna were afloat an immense ship. Waves battered it's sides, and rain poured steadily resulting in a flooded deck. They were fighting their way through the storm, moving closer to someone, or something? As the rain cleared for a moment, Neville caught a glimpse of his prey. They weren't like anything he had ever seen before. Oddly-shaped, and strangely huge, the green blobs of matter just kept growing bigger. Beside him, Neville heard Luna speak softly, her lips barely moving.

"Blibbering Humdingers!"

Neville was unsure whether this phrase was meant to replace a swear word, or if she was actually naming the creatures before them.

As they reached the Humdingers Neville retrieved his wand from his jean pocket. As he brandished it at the Humdingers, the wand transfigured, before his eyes, into the red hilted sword of Gryffindor. With it in his hands, he slayed the monsters his actions ferocious yet heroic. Luna stood behind him, her eyes wide and on her savior. With the last of the dreadful Humdingers gone, he turned to Luna happy to see her humbled and appreciating.

"You saved me, Neville", she said her voice airy and beautiful.

Neville Longbottom made a shrude guess at what would come next, and moved forward his heart beating and expectant.

- - -

"Neville! Hurry up, I don't want to miss the Humdingers!"

He opened his eyes,groaning, and uncomfortable(not to mention slightly embarrassed). Luna was already walking to the gate as he got himself to his feet.

Sighing in misery and cursing, Neville took after her.

"Those bloody Blibbering Humdingers", he muttered angrily to himself.