Chapter 22

Neville

I was in the Leodis when they brought Harry in. Ron had sent Seamus and Hermione for McGonagall and Dumbledore, then decided from looking at him that his pain was so bad he should take him to Will while they waited. Ron shouted for Will as they entered the foyer. He was half carrying Harry at this point and by the time they got to the ballroom Reyna, Will, Nico and myself were already there.

Harry was in a cold sweat and having trouble standing, but had stopped screaming. We sat him down and Will went to work.

"Whats wrong? Can you tell me where it hurts?"

"My scar. I was asleep and then suddenly it was like every nerve in my brain exploded. It just kinda stopped when we got up." He said as he rubbed the scar on his forehead.

"Were you dreaming?" Will asked.

Harry looked up, startled, and replied "Yes, I, I was dreaming about, you know, the whole Annabeth thing, I mean I was thinking about what we should do for her to let her know we care, when I drifted off. Then I was in a dark hallway full of globes, and the pain just erupted."

"I see. And it stopped when you woke?"

"No, it was even worse then, until we came here. Then it just, well now it just burns."

Dumbledore, McGonagall, Seamus, Hermione and Snape entered. Dumbledore must have heard part of this and asked Harry to tell him again. Snape, Seamus and McGonagall just sort of looked around, stunned at their surroundings. After he finished, Will poured something from a flask into a small glass.

"Here, drink this. We use it to treat muggles who have been exposed to mental attack by magic. Works great on pain and PTSD type injuries. "

Harry drank it and his whole face lit up. "Thanks, that, that is wonderful stuff, the pain is, just, well, gone."

"And it also comes in lemon lime and root beer flavor." Will smiled. He then stood and faced Dumbledore. "I think this Voldemort character, or one of his more talented minions, has attempted to invade the dreams of Harry. For the last several nights he has stayed here in the Leodis making it impossible, but tonight he, Hermione and Ron moved back to the tower. I suspect this had been going on for some time and most of the trauma had healed in the last few days, only to be ripped open tonight. I can confirm this through the children of Hypnos, but it will take time to track him down and divert him, if it can be done."

"Why would it be impossible here?" Snape snarled quietly. "The dark lord can reach into a weak mind left open to him anywhere."

"Well, its a good thing we aren't anywhere." Reyna smiled.

"Harry," Dumbledore asked "have you had dreams like this before?"

"Yes, I mean, on and off all summer. Its always Voldemort, but I had never seen this place before. It was a long, dark hallway lined with shelves, and on the shelves were these glass globes."

"I see." Dumbledore interrupted. "Severus, we must accelerate our timetable. I want you to begin to teach Harry occulmency tomorrow. Harry, this training will help you shield your mind from further intrusion."

"Isn't it time for us to get off defense and start playing offense for a while?" Percy said. He was standing in the door leading to the bedrooms, but I never noticed his arrival.

"You wish to take on the dark lord while he gathers strength? People are beginning to disappear all over England. You Americans are full of lust for glory but you seriously underestimate his power." Snape said.

"All the more reason to not wait until he gets stronger. Look, he sends his goons to attack, we kill them, then we wait for more goons. Now he attacks Harry's mind and we block him. Does that sound like a winning strategy to anyone? Because it doesn't to me."

"Or me" Annabeth said, coming from behind him.

"Or me" I added, as if anyone cared about my opinion. The look from McGonagall confirmed this suspicion.

"Harry, I want you to stay here, out of reach, when you sleep for a while. Mr Jackson, Miss Chase, Miss Oceans, may we talk in private?"

"Sure. Ron, Hermione, get Harry situated and then wake up Hazel and meet us at the training field. You coming Neville?"

"Their presence will not be necessary" Dumbledore assured.

"They are part of the team." Percy said firmly, then strode off leading everyone.

We got there and seated ourselves. Dumbledore looked about, resided himself to the fact that I wasn't going anywhere and others would be along in a minute, and began.

"Percy, I agree we should be attacking Voldemort before he fully gathers his forces again. This matter with the globes is particularly disturbing news as it tells me that he is seeking something he didn't have in the last war, a prophecy about himself and Harry that is stored in the Department of Mysteries. Harry's description of the room of his dream matches that of the Hall of Prophecy exactly. I know Harry has never been there before, so Voldemort must have projected that image to his mind, for what reason I cannot say as yet. I would be interested in what you propose we do to attack at this point though as we know nothing of his location or of his forces."

"Well we anticipated the attack at the train, and I think we can isolate a few other places where he is likely to send attackers. Hogsmeade or the quidditch pitch are both likely targets. Now, Gryffindor is going to be practicing here, but he doesn't know that so they might attempt to show up at the first practice. If we can anticipate an attack, we should be able to set up an ambush and take one or two of them alive. After that we can either beat the info we want out of them, but I suspect there are magical means at your command to extract memories. Tell me where they have been the last few days and I will go find more. Professor Snape was concerned about people disappearing, well, we can make death eaters disappear too."

"And what would you do with them after capture?" McGonagall asked. "In the current environment the Ministry is unlikely to send them to Azkaban. And how is Gryffindor going to practice quidditch here?"

"Uh, thats why were were measuring the quidditch pitch last night, so Leo could build one." Percy said as he pointed to the stadium in the distance, then said "As to what to do with the prisoners once we're done with them, the easiest thing to do is remove their heads from their bodies, but I suspect you won't let me kill a held opponent. But isn't there a spell to make them lose their memories?"

"Yes. Obliviate. So take their memories, then make them forget who they are and then set them lose in downtown London?" McGonagall asked, grinning a sly grin.

"Or outside San Francisco at the Jack London mansion." Reyna suggested.

"Where? Why?" Snape asked.

"Oh, its just if we're going to throw them metaphorically to the wolves, we might as well do it literally."

"Or in Piccadilly Square dressed in such a way as to call suspicion on them with a sign around their necks that says "We're coming for you Voldemort." I suggested.

"As much fun as all those would be, its better to leave our enemy in the dark. He's telegraphing his moves now, let's don't make the same error." Percy said.

"I know a little island that would the perfect place for them to stay." Jennifer said. I think we were all startled by her presence, at least I don't remember her joining us.

"That's why I love you." Leo smiled.

"Indeed. Jennifer, you have found the perfect solution, but how can we get them there?" Percy asked.

"I can get them there." She smiled.

"Do I want to ask how?" Percy smiled.

"No."

"And when do you propose to ambush the dark lord?" Snape sneered.

"Well, you don't catch a fish every time you throw bait in the water, but how about tomorrow?" Percy said. "Here is what I'm thinking. Neville visits his parents once a month on the first Saturday. Surely it has gotten back to Voldemort that Neville is with us, probably through your kids at Slytherin. They are a twisted little bunch. Neville and his grandmother stroll down to Hogsmeade to apparate, because they can't here, right?"

No one disagreed so Percy continued.

"We send a crew, cloaked in invisibility along with them. If attacked we frame them into a Roman L box trap and beat them down until only one is left, then we take them prisoner. Its a simple plan, but it will probably work, if Neville is attacked. If he's not, then we aren't out anything. Neville, you would be the bait, would you be okay with that?"

"Sure, uh, Reyna will be with me, right?"

"Yes, and just to be certain, Jennifer. The escorts will be Annabeth, Jason, Frank, Nico and myself. Oh, and Professor Dumbledore to do the brain drain thing."

"You really think a group of children can defeat death eaters who have been fighting magical war for years?" Snape asked, his voice dripping with condescension.

"Well, we already have once. And we have beaten worse. Remember, we're here for a reason, Hecate didn't send the B team." Percy said.

The table got quiet while everyone considered the proposal.

"Look guys, you asked for our help, not the other way around. Hecate sent us, not a bunch of adults with wands, and she sent us for a reason. We're damn good at what we do, and what we do is remove dark creatures from the earth."

"You remind me of Harry in so many ways Percy. We will try this trap of yours tomorrow." Dumbledore said.

"Headmaster!" Snape exclaimed, but Dumbledore raised his hand, and all went silent again. His decision was made, and I suddenly realized that being bait was a good reason for a nervous sweat.

"I would like a word with yourself and Miss LeVesque in private." Dumbledore said.

"Of course sir." Percy answered, then turned to the group of DA and Americans coming to the practice area. It looked like we were all out of bed now. "Annabeth, would you let Frank know what the plan is so he and Reyna can block it out?"

"Certainly" she said, all business.

While McGonagall and Snape watched, Annabeth spoke to Hazel who went to join Professor Dumbledore and Percy. Frank who took over. He had McGonagall play the role of my grammy, and Piper play the role of Jennifer. They spread out in a formation around us, sort of like an "L", with Frank and Jason well off to the sides flying around. This was the first time McGonagall or Snape had seen Frank transform and his ability to turn into a dragon would never be doubted again. Leo suggested adding Skippy to the mix at a distance in case Grammy needed a quick escape, although I'm sure he was talking about me too, and it was agreed that this would be a good idea, we went through several permutations and numbers, figuring they might attack with as few as three or as many as a dozen, and fields of fire were assigned to all. It was a respectable plan and I was looking forward now to being attacked so we could put it into action.

Percy, Hazel and Jennifer came back, and the Professors excused themselves. Jennifer walked them out. I think Snape was impressed but would never admit it. McGonagall was just in awe of the whole complex. The next morning at breakfast we found that the points deducted for measuring the quidditch pitch had somehow been restored to both Gryffindor and the American House, although not the ones take from Percy and Ron for being snarky.

Hazel announced that Percy was in operational command the next day, and we all kinda figured he would be in charge anyway. He ran the drill a couple of times, asking Frank about his plan the entire time and nodding agreement with Frank's previous decisions.

Then once the Professors were gone, he changed it all.