Chapter Fifteen – Caudia Alesco

"Neville?" Harry asked quietly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Neville nodded. "I'm fine. Let's try again."

Harry was practicing Legilimency after a D.A. meeting with Neville. Harry had asked him to try Occlumency, to try to repel Harry's attack, but Neville's heart wasn't into it tonight.

Luna had been at the meeting, like always. But tonight she seemed different. He kept catching her watching him, with those huge gray eyes of hers. It was a little unnerving. When the meeting was over, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her take a few steps towards him, shake her head, and then walk quickly out of the room. He had no idea what that meant.

Worst of all, she looked much more paler than usual tonight. Even though they weren't together anymore, he still wanted her to be healthy.

"Neville, we don't have to work tonight," Harry said finally.

"I'm sorry, Harry. I'm just...distracted. I'm ready now," Neville said resoundly.

Neville brought out his wand, wanting to be ready to defend himself.

"Legilimens!" Harry cried.

Bits and pieces of memories started flashing through Neville's head. They were running through his head so quickly that Neville could hardly keep up. He saw a glimpse of Luna breaking up with him on the train, and without thinking yelled out, "Protego!"

Neville's mind cleared and saw Harry sitting on the floor. "You blocked me!" Harry said happily. "I shouldn't be happy, cause now I have to work harder! But you blocked me! Good job!"

Neville was pleased; Harry seemed genuinely happy that Neville repelled him.

"Now you just have to learn to do that same thing with your mind," Harry continued. "I didn't understand the concept for ages. But it can be done."

"We'll see," Neville joked.

"Let's try again," Harry said eagerly.

Neville positioned himself. "Legilimens!" Harry yelled.

Neville was about to turn eleven, and finally received his owl from Hogwarts...He was five, at his grandfather's funeral...His parents violently twitching on the floor, surrounded by Death Eaters...Shopping with his grandmother, and having to put on one of her hats, to help her decide which one to buy...

"Rictusempra!" Neville cried. He put his hands on his knees, panting.

"Neville?" Harry asked warily after he shook off the tickling jinx.

Neville shook his head. "What happened? One of those memories wasn't mine," he said softly.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused.

"It's a dream I've been having a lot. My parents being tortured," Neville said. "It's not a real memory. I wasn't there. Both my parents worked that night, so my grandmother was watching me."

"That can happen," Harry said slowly. "When I was first learning Occlumency, I would see my dreams as memories too."

"Really?" Neville asked, feeling unsure.

"Really," Harry reassured him. "It got to the point where I couldn't tell if it was real life or my dream world."

"Okay," Neville said, feeling better.

"Again?" Harry asked.

"Neville nodded. "Again."

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"Do you want to go watch the quidditch practice after class?" Dean asked Neville at lunch.

Neville shook his head. Normally he'd love to go watch the team's practice. "I'm meeting my tutor this afternoon. Sorry."

"Aw, you can skip that mate," Dean teased.

"No, I really can't. I have some work to catch up on," Neville told him.

"Next time, then," Dean said.

Since Neville learned he was dyslexic, he had been working with a tutor once a week. His name was Bradford Bradley, a very patient seventh year Ravenclaw.

He had lowered his dosage on the Reluctem Potion. Neville was hoping that he might not need the potion at all by the end of his seventh year. He still had a long way to go though, so he hoped that was a realistic goal.

Neville looked over at Ron and Hermione holding hands, and smiled. They finally had gotten together during the last Hogsmeade weekend. They finally realized what the entire school had know for ages, that they were crazy for each other.

Padma Patil suddenly tapped Neville on the shoulder. He had been sitting next to Parvati, and he assumed she wanted to chat with her twin sister. Neville scooted down, and Padma sat next to him. The twins started chatting enthusiastically. But after a few minutes, Padma turned, tapped him on the shoulder and asked, "Neville?"

"Yes?" Neville replied.

"I have a note to give you," she said, holding out a piece of parchment.

Neville accepted the note, his hand slightly trembling. What if it was from Luna?

He opened it slowly. He saw the signature and felt disappointed; the note was from his tutor.

Neville,

I have to help Professor Flitwick this afternoon, so I won't be able to attend our session. I have found a replacement, so the meetings still on. Go to the table we usually sit at, and they'll meet you there.

Bradford


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"If we can transfigure our body into any animal body part, why can't we fly?" Seamus asked excitedly.

"A multiple of reasons, Mister Finnegan. First, you lack the hollow bones that you would require for flight," Professor McGonagall started. "Second, it is unrealistic that you would be able to reproduce the exact muscles that you would require for flight."

Seamus started to open his mouth in protest, but Professor McGonagall shut him up with a look. "Shall I continue, Mister Finnegan?"

"No, ma'am." Seamus said, staring at his desk.

"Today we will be working on small parts of the body. By the end of the term, we may begin to transfigure entire limbs, or even your head. Do any of you remember, during the Tri-Wizard Tournament, at the second task, Mister Krum transfigured his head to a shark's head?" she asked the room.

The room started murmuring with excitement. Professor McGonagall continued, "That is the first step in learning to become an Animagus. Becoming an Animagus is a very difficult task, and is strictly controlled by the Ministry.

"Today, we shall begin with tails," the professor said sternly.

"Tails?" Ron blurted out, without meaning to.

"Tails, Mister Weasley. Speak out of turn like that again, and it will cost your house points," she scolded.

"Sorry," Ron muttered under his breath.

"Not many people realize how beneficial a tail can be. Tails help with balance, and can sometimes hold up to four times the owner's weight," she told the class. "Get into your groups."

Neville stood up and sat with Lavender, Hermione and Harry. Professor McGonagall handed Lavender a sheet with four different diagrams on it. "These are some of the different tails that I would like you to try. I know it sounds easy to make your own tail, but it is quite complex. You are essentially creating something out of nothing.

"Take your wand and say the incantation, Caudia Alesco, while tapping your backside."

A few people in the room started stifling laughter. "This is no laughing matter! And if I see any funny business, I will have no problem giving out detentions," she said shrilly.

Neville looked at the group. "Anyone want to try it first?" he asked. To no one's surprise, Hermione offered to go first.

She scrunched up her face, tapped her wand. For thirty seconds, nothing seemed to happen, but then Neville watched a bushy tail starting to grow. A minute later, Hermione looked like she had a raccoon's tail. She looked down at it, pleased.

"Can you move it yourself?" Lavender asked. Hermione thought for a moment, and the tail started moving back and forth.

"I'll try," Neville said. He tapped his backside, feeling foolish, and said the incantation. A moment later, he felt the most curious sensation by his tailbone. He looked back, and saw that the tail was growing. Rather slowly, but it was growing. After a few minutes, he had his very own monkey tail!

Neville thought hard about swishing his tail, and it complied. He reached his hand back and grabbed it, curious to know if it had feelings. Holding the tail too tightly, he quickly learned that it did.

Lavender went next and had an incomplete Retriever's tail. Then Harry managed to almost finish his Elephant's tail.

"You may all take a minute and look at each other's work," Professor McGonagall told the class. Everyone started walking around. The room started erupting with laughter.

At first Neville was a little uncomfortable with the idea of staring at everyone's backsides. But then when he saw how odd everyone looked, and how funny it was, he quickly overcame the feelings.

Parvati by far had the best looking tail in the room, even though it was slightly incomplete. She had managed to transfigure almost a complete peacock tail. Neville knew she must have concentrated fiercely, because the patterns on the feathers were beautiful.

Several people had monkey tails, like Neville. Ron begged Professor McGonagall if he could run outside, to see if his tail could hold him hanging upside down. Professor McGonagall threatened to take house points away if he asked again.

Suddenly Lavender shrieked and jumped out of her chair quickly. She shot a dirty look over at Seamus. Professor McGonagall looked furious. "I said no improper use of your tail! Detention, Mister Finnegan!"

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When classes were done for the day, Neville walked to the library slowly. As much as he hated to admit it, his backside was sore. He kept having to resist the temptation of rubbing his bottom.

Early on, Neville and his tutor, Bradford Bradley decided that they both liked the study table furthest away from Madam's Pince's desk. That way, they could almost speak in their regular voices.

No one was sitting there yet, so Neville settled himself at the desk and took his books out. He sucked on the tip of his quill, decided what he wanted to work on that day. He had a Potions essay due soon, so he would most likely ask for help on that.

Instead of concentrating on his homework, Neville found his eyes wandering around the library. Hermione was there, which was no surprise. Padma and Parvati were at a nearby table. Even though he had known them know for almost six years, he still couldn't get over how they looked exactly alike.

Suddenly, Neville's heart skipped a beat. Luna had just wandered in the library. Her school robes were falling off of her shoulders, and her tie was loose around her neck. One knee sock had fallen around her ankle. Her hair was half up, using two pencils, and half down. Neville felt the usual longing when he saw her. She stopped when she reached the study table area.

Neville looked down at his books, not having any desire to catch her eye. After a few minutes, he decided it must be safe to look up again. He looked up, and saw Luna standing right in front of his table, staring intently at him.

When their eyes met, Luna gently placed her school bag on the table. Without any words, she slid out the chair across from Neville and sat down. Neville looked down again, feeling uncomfortable

"Luna, my tutor will be here any minute," he muttered. "I can't talk right now."

"I know," she said dreamily. "I'm your tutor today."

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A/N – Caudia Alesco (Latin) – Cauda – Tail of an Animal; Alesco – to Grow