Chapter Nineteen

Seeing Double

Dawn rose glorious in the far horizon, a brilliant display of rose, orange, and fiery yellow. Neville watched the rising sun with little interest, though he had to admit it was one of few beautiful sunrises he had seen in a while, but as he looked west he could see clouds in the distance. Soon the sky would be cataracted with iron gray, the wind would turn cold, and rain would come and awash the world in water. It always seemed to happen; something beautiful was washed away in cold and dark. Just like so many other things.

Neville smiled slightly at his melancholy. He looked toward the east again, the sun had now risen above the horizon, a ball of white and yellow. He could hear birds singing in the distance, welcoming the sun and the new day. He could feel a cool breeze blowing, bringing the smells of damp grass, water off the lake, and other scents he could not readily identify.

He shifted upon the bench that was still cold even after sitting upon it for the last few minutes. Hogwarts had a nightly curfew, for older and younger students, but no where had Neville ever read a rule stating that a student could not rise early. He had been awake several hours before and the common room of the Gryffindor house was becoming claustrophobic. The walls seemed to be contracting, the fireplace gave off too much heat, and the chairs were as comfortable as sitting upon a briar patch. He had finally pulled on his daily robes and headed out of the house, walking down eerily empty corridors and stairs. Once he had seen a professor in the distant but since then he had seen no one.

Neville stood up, shivering slightly from the chill of the morning air. He hadn't realized how chilly it was until the sun began warming his skin. Neville shook his head, folding his arms across his chest. He realized that summer had officially ended and they were in the season of fall. The thought brought another sad smile to his face. Soon the leaves would begin falling, the rains would increase, and then snow would begin falling, covering everything in freezing white.

Sighing Neville turned and headed back to the castle. It seemed that lately he was only seeing the darker side of things. He didn't know why, but he could no help himself. Maybe it was the stress of things happening the past couple of weeks. Harry's attacks, the strange events surrounding him losing his memory, Hermione in the Hospital Wing, Ron's strange behavior, and now Ginny playing detective and dragging him along with it.

Neville smirked. He had agreed when she asked him outside of the Hospital Wing. He didn't know why he had agreed, but for some reason he had suspicion that Dumbledore or McGonagall would not find anything. Had they found Harry's attacker in the last few days? He had heard nothing and it had almost seemed the school had forgotten that Harry had nearly been killed. The event of Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle turning into animals was more talked about than what happened to Harry. Speculations on who was responsible for that act were running rampant, but like in the attack upon Harry, no one knew who had done it. Did Dumbledore or McGonagall know?

A lot of things were happening and Neville was beginning to fear that the professors were turning a blind eye to all of it. But why would they? Why would they not care about what was happening to Harry, Hermione, or Draco? Neville hadn't heard of anyone else being hurt or being attacked by other students. It was all strange and it caused Neville a headache to try and figure out what was going on.

It was early and Neville assumed that he would be the only person up, but in the distance another figure was walking. Neville paused beneath the shade of a tree, trying to make out who it was. He frowned, why would Draco be walking around outside of the castle so early in the morning?

Neville crouched behind the tree. Had Draco seen him? He didn't know, but he tried to keep out of Draco's sight. He seemed not to be looking around, though it looked like he was talking to someone. Neville squinted, watching as Draco suddenly turned and began gesturing wildly and his voice ringing out across the near silent lawns.

"You'll do as I say!" Draco yelled and suddenly reached forward and grappled air. Neville stared in shock as he saw Draco push something back and there was a loud grunt and Neville saw a pair of boots and legs appear. The thing was that they ended at the knee and they were still moving.

He stared for a moment longer and then realized it was someone hidden by an invisible cloak, it was not some dismembered limb still moving about. Someone was hidden underneath an invisible cloak. The ramifications of that suddenly hit Neville as he crouched lower behind the tree and watched as the pair of legs scrambled up and then disappear as the cloak was readjusted.

Draco has someone under an invisible cloak, but why? The pale face of Hermione suddenly filled his vision. If he had a person under an invisible cloak doing his bidding then he wouldn't have to do anything himself. He could have been enjoying lunch while the other person attacked Hermione. It all made sense, only Draco could be so evil.

Neville suddenly felt a surge of anger and outrage. His hands went for his pockets and found nothing. Neville quietly cursed. He had forgotten his wand on his nightstand. He watched as Draco continued across the lawns, still talking to the invisible person. Neville took another peek and saw that they were headed for the Quidditch Pitch.

He watched them in frustration. He was unarmed so he couldn't go after them. The space between the trees around the lake and to the Quidditch Pitch was very open. If they even looked they could probably see him coming after them, then what would the point be in trying to sneak up on them. Plus there was the invisible person, of all he knew that person was making his way toward Neville.

As he watched Draco suddenly disappeared. Neville gaped for a moment and then cursed. Draco had an invisible cloak too? Who knew what he could do now. Neville shook his head and stood up, they were probably too far now to see him. The shade of the trees and the bright sun nearly hid him. Neville thought for a moment.

They could be anywhere. They were invisible and they could be anywhere. How could he find them now? Should he just get the attention of a professor, tell them what he had seen? Would they believe him? Neville didn't really believe what he saw himself, would any of the professors believe what he had to say? Neville glanced toward the Quidditch Pitch doubtfully. They were both invisible now and there seemed no evidence that they had even been there.

Ginny would believe him, maybe Ron. But Neville wondered how much of that would be just plain hate for Draco. He'd seen Ron obsessed with getting his revenge, Ginny had been the same only less so. But he had no other people to turn to. He had to tell them what he had seen.

If they had invisible cloaks how would they find them? Draco could hide in plain sight, or sneak up on them and cause mischief. Neville thought on this as he made his way across the lawns toward the main doors. He reached the doors and looked back. The lawn was empty and the sun was rising above the trees. He couldn't seen Draco or the other person, but Neville realized there was a way around that. Though he wondered if stealing was the only option.

Shaking his head he entered the castle, the large oak doors already opened and allowing sunlight to stream into the large entrance hall. Neville paused for a moment, looking toward the Great Hall. He could already smell breakfast and his stomach rumbled with the thought of food, he snorted roughly and headed for the main stairs. He had to tell Ginny and Ron first, before he even thought of food.

As he reached the stairs he heard another sound, a familiar noise. He stopped on the first step and watched as Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and a few Slytherins he didn't' recognize walk up the stairs from their own House. Neville stared gaped mouthed. He had just seen Draco walking across the lawn, how could he be coming up the stairs. He couldn't have beaten him to the entrance hall, he would have seen grass flying and possibly footsteps in the grass, but he had seen neither. How had he gotten here?

"What are you staring at, Longbottom?" Draco suddenly said. He glared up at Neville, his small group suddenly quieting and all looking at him, distaste clearly visible on their faces. Draco suddenly smirked and pointed at Neville. "Obviously they don't teach Gryffindors how to keep clean."

The group began chuckling and Neville glanced down at his robes. He felt a wave of embarrassment that swept away his shock, his robes were covered in mud, grass, leaves, and other things collected on the lawn, not to mention he suddenly realized the seat of his robes were wet from sitting upon the dew covered bench by the lake.

"I-" Neville clamped his mouth shut, trying desperately not to blush. He stared at Draco, frowning. "What are you doing here?" He asked.

Draco sneered at him and snorted. Turning around and heading for the Great Hall. Neville watched him leave and then unclenched his fists. He hadn't realized he had been clenching them and his hands ached from the strain. Neville took a deep breath and headed quickly up the stairs more confused than ever.