Chapter Twenty-Two

Fight and Flight

"Get your ass in here, Jacob. We have a situation." The gravelly voice said. Neville stared at the wand pointed at him, hovering only three feet from his face, but there was nothing else. The person holding it was obviously invisible.

He shot a glance at Ginny who likewise was staring at the floating wand. There was a chuckle; Neville could tell the person was standing a few feet from him. "No tricky stuff now kids, I'm watching." The voice said, the wand still pointing steadily at Neville's head.

"Who are you?" Ginny demanded.

"You think I'd tell you that?" The voice laughed. "Plus you're in no position to demand anything, girl."

Neville quickly glanced down at the map before him. He spotted the Gryffindor common room, but all their names were jumbled together because of their close proximity to one another. It was impossible to make out the name of the person standing before him, or where he was standing. He did see one thing though, another figure was heading toward the entrance, a person named Jacob Weathers, this person's partner?

They would have company soon and Neville knew it wouldn't be fun. What would they do? What could they do? They were in the middle of the school, but the hour was still early and there weren't any witnesses about and there wouldn't be for many more minutes, if not hours. Neville tried to think of something, anything to get them out of the situation.

Ginny solved it by suddenly beginning to scream. A high pitch, nearly deafening scream that sent shivers down his spine. Neville stared at her and watched as the wand suddenly pointed toward her.

"Shut it damn you! Silencio!" The voice cried. Ginny scream was suddenly cut off, but the person had been distracted. Neville was already moving, heading for the spot where the voice had been coming from.

Neville was nearly stunned as he smashed into something heavy and solid, that being the person. The other grunted in pain and surprise, crumpling under Neville's forward motion. They both smashed into the chair and fell to the floor, Neville grabbing and punching at the air and landing a few against solid flesh that he could not see.

The invisible person began cursing and Neville suddenly hit the floor, stars popping in his vision and the world turning black for a moment. He realized he'd been punched. Neville looked up and saw Ginny grappling madly with thin air, her mouth open yelling a soundless scream and her thin fingers grabbing and scratching at whatever she could.

She was thrown back, but as she fell Neville heard a ripping sound and saw as a head suddenly appeared. Neville stared for a moment as the visage of a youngish looking sandy haired man appeared. He stared at Ginny with bright blue eyes and then patted his face, suddenly realizing he was visible.

"Damn you, little girl!" He yelled, his wand pointing at her. A sudden jet of silver light hit Ginny as she tried getting back to her feet. She looked at Neville, a shocked expression upon her face and then crumpled to the floor gasping.

Neville yelled, suddenly enraged. His hand gripped upon the wand he had forgotten he was carrying and aimed it at the Bodiless Man. "Expelliarmus!" He shouted, the man suddenly was thrown back, flying momentarily in the air and smashing against a desk in the corner of the room. Neville dropped to Ginny's side. He turned her over and was relieved to see her staring at him, her breath ragged and shallow.

"Run." She whispered hoarsely. "Tell a professor." Then she lay still, eyes closing, her chest barely rising and falling.

Neville realized he was shaking, adrenaline coursing through his veins. What should he do? Ginny needed help. He looked about franticly, seeing that the Bodiless Man was groaning and beginning to stir. There was no time, another person was coming and Neville didn't know if he could defend against that one.

There'd be two of them in the common room. They would be two Death Eaters in the common room, able to attack any student that ambled by. Neville suddenly realized that Ginny's scream might have done what it was supposed to have done, wake someone up. Someone who would be walking into an unsuspecting trap.

Ginny was right. A professor would have to be told. They would have to know what was going on. They would have to be able to find these people. Neville got to his feet, snatching the Map that still lay upon the small table. It had only taken a few moments to come to the decision, Neville saw a wand lying upon the floor, not Ginny's. He tossed it at the stuffed chairs in the far corner, it would take time to dig it out and he headed for the portrait. The sounds of cursing and groaning coming from the Bodiless Man as he tried to shake off the aftereffects of the spell.

The Map showed a person at the entrance, as he got to it the portrait covering was opening. Neville paused for a moment and with a yell charged the partially opened entrance. Again he smashed into something heavy and solid, also invisible. They both fell to the ground, Neville punching and kicking.

"Hold him, Jacob!" A voice called out from within the House.

Neville felt the unseen grasping hands; he stabbed his wand into something, crying out the first spell that came to him. He suddenly heard a scream and a ripping noise. Neville gaped in horror as he saw invisible fabric part to reveal a grotesquely expanding arm. The arm pulsed, turning from pink to purple, to blue, and then yellow and the person was still screaming in pain. Neville didn't know what spell he used, but whatever it was it did what it needed to do. The unseen hand let go of him and Neville was free.

He staggered to his feet, grabbing the Map off the floor and shoving it into one of his pocket. He looked back and saw the enraged visage of the Bodiless Man heading for the portrait entrance. Neville shoved the portrait entrance shut, taking a momentarily look as to why the Fat Lady had done nothing in the fight. She was sprawled out in the painting, clearly unconscious and of no help. Shaking hid head, Neville turned and began running down the corridor, heading for the stairs and hopefully a professor.

He made it to the stairs before something smashed into him. He hit the floor with a groan and looked up, seeing nothing.

"End of the line kid." A disembodied voice said.

Another invisible person? Just how many were there?