Preparing For Battle

A face of ivory. Eyes sharp and cold as obsidian. A horrible laugh that grated through his ears, and stabbed deep into him. A laugh that was like a blade, sharp and deadly, slicing through all his defenses and striking the most vital parts.

He could hear it. He could hear it coming closer. She was coming for him. To finish off what she had begun. She was coming for him. A creature of darkness. A creature of pain.

All he wanted to do was to hide. To curl up. To disappear. Anything to get away.

The laughter rang out loud and clear. He knew she had found him. He knew that all was lost. Fear pure and deep filled him.

XXX

"Neville!"

Neville's eyes shot open and his gaze caught a face half hidden in the weak light that filled the room. Dark hair and dark eyes. For a moment pure fear coursed through him and he pushed back, eyes wide and heart beating, trying to escape.

"Neville!"

The voice cut through the fog of fear and confusion. Neville shook his head, looking at Cho now sprawled out a few feet from him. A look of worry and fear crossed her face as she stared at him. Neville took a deep breath, shakily rubbing the sleep from his eyes. It was only a dream. He thought. Only a dream.

"I'm sorry." Neville said. "I…I'm sorry."

Cho continued to watch him, after a moment she nodded. "Are you okay?" She asked.

Neville gave a strained smile. "Everything's fine."

Again Cho nodded. Though Neville could still see worry in her eyes, along with a bit of fear. "How are you feeling?" Neville asked, changing the subject.

Cho grinned, rolling her shoulders and stretching a bit. "It feels wonderful." She stated. "You never know how much you miss doing the little things until you can't do them anymore. Plus no pain, that's always a plus."

Neville grinned. Her joy was infectious. His grin faltered a moment later as his gaze fell upon the Iron Door. He glanced to Cho and she saw what he was looking at. Her frown also faded as she contemplated the door.

"Plans?" Neville asked.

Cho grunted. "I'm open to suggestions." She said.

Neville was quiet for a moment. "I guess there is really no way a plan will work. It's a stand up fight. Going toe to toe with that thing."

Cho rolled her eyes at Neville. "That sounds clichéd. Next you'll be saying it's do or die, victory or death." She frowned for a moment and then laughed hollowly. "It really is do or die, isn't it?"

Neville nodded slowly. If the monster wasn't taken care of, then they would be stuck inside the Tower. No food, no water, nothing to do but stare at one another. Neville suppressed a grin. He wouldn't mind staring at Cho, but the Bodiless Man? Neville glanced to the man. He was still out, curled up in the far corner, newly fixed leg exposed and turning a strange shade of purple. In his present state the Bodiless Man was nothing more than an eyesore. It just hurt Neville to look at the Bodiless Man's leg.

Damon, not the Bodiless Man. Neville rolled the name on his tongue. He'd gotten used to calling him the Bodiless Man and in his mind he was the Bodiless Man. The one who attacked Ginny, causing who knows what hurt to her. He's the one who chased him down the halls, stairs, and into this place. He was their prisoner now, at least until they could get out of this place. Neville frowned. They were responsible for his care and for his well being, to a degree. Neville glanced up toward the what he assumed was non existent ceiling. He could feel a weight of responsibility from Cho's quick decision settling upon his shoulders.

How many sixteen year olds were responsible for taking care of a prisoner? How many sixteen year olds were trapped in a Tower with a monster waiting outside their door? How many…

Neville shook his head.

"What's up?" Cho asked.

"It's just strange how your thoughts jump from one thing to another." Neville said. Cho looked at him questioningly, but Neville shook his head again. "I guess we could just go out and see what we see."

Cho raised an eyebrow at his plan. "Not much for strategizing aren't you?" She asked, a small smile forming.

Neville grinned. "Simple and direct."

"Right." Cho nodded, picking up her wand from the floor. "Who gets this?" She asked.

"You do." Neville said.

"You sure?" Cho asked.

Neville nodded. "Its yours. If I had my wand I'd prefer to use it. Your wand's…right for you. Not me. I think I'd just mess up a spell or curse if I tried using it in a hurry."

Cho let out a breath. "Thanks a lot." She said, though by her tone she didn't seem happy about it. Neville glanced at her questioningly. She gave a forced smiled and twirled the wand in her hand. "You've just put it all on me to defeat this thing." She clarified.

Neville cringed. "I…" He couldn't think of anything to say.

"No. You're right. This is my wand and it was chosen for me because I could use it well. It fits me and… It's just the responsibility."

Neville smiled slightly. "I was just thinking that a moment ago. The responsibility of him." Neville gestured toward Damon.

"What?"

"You said he's our prisoner. He knows things that may help the professors find ot what's going on. We can't just let him go or let him get hurt. We have the responsibility to make sure he's kept unharmed." Neville explained.

Cho frowned. "I hadn't realized that." She said. "I just… I just said the first thing that came to my mind. I didn't even think of the consequences."

"It's okay. We'd have to take care of him anyway. Like you said. We can't trust him. He's one of the bad guys." Neville said. "Now we make that first step to seeing if we get out of here or not." Neville glanced at the door.

"This the part we yell and work our selves up into a frenzy?" Cho asked.

Neville laughed. "If you want."

"What are you going to use to fight this thing?" Suddenly Cho laughed. "It just sounds so surreal. What are you going to use to fight this thing. Yesterday all that was on my mind was homework. Now…this."

Neville agreed. "I'll use the candle stick." Neville said, hefting the long thin rusted candlestick. "It helped before." He added after a moment.

"Maybe I can transfigure it into something. Like a knife or a club." Cho said suddenly. Neville handed her the candlestick and she pointed her wand at it, calling out a spell. Nothing happened. Cho looked at him worried. "Maybe my wand's broken. Lumos." The tip of her wand lit up. She turned back to the candlestick and said another spell. Nothing happened.

"Just my luck." Neville said a little grimly. " I get the candlestick that won't turn into anything else."

Cho looked down at it frowning. "Maybe we shouldn't." She said.

"Then where would we be? We'd still be stuck in here." Neville got to his feet, extending a hand out to Cho. "Its now or never." He said.

"Do or die?" Cho said with a sardonic smile.

Neville winced at her words. "Hopefully not."

XXX

Until Next Chapter!!