CANON WARNING: I'm taking creative liberties with Bella's magic, so just be aware that we are branching out from Twilight canon in terms of her powers.

Chapter 10: Swish and Flick

July 26, 2007

Bella had never been so frustrated with a simple feather in her entire life.

"I'm telling you both; I don't think I can do this one."

She sat with Hagrid and Neville in the courtyard with a look of grim annoyance plastered on her face.

"Nonsense, Miss Swan. I just reckon ye haven't quite got the technique down."

Neville stood a ways behind them observing Bella's movements with the wand carefully.

"Fine, I will try it one more time!" she grumbled.

She swished.

She flicked.

"Wingardium Leviosa."

...Nothing.

It took a great deal of willpower to keep the imagined slew of expletives from flying out of her mouth. "Can I please try something else?" she strained.

"Ah, don't think on it. I'm sure you'll get it in no time." The half-giant tried to reassure her.

Neville shook his head. "Bella's magic might not respond to basic spells the same as most wizards, Hagrid. Perhaps if we try teaching her a range of charms, it might get the quaffle flying."

Quaffle? Bella felt too disappointed to even ask.

"Bella, since the center of your magic is in the mind, you might have more success with charms that deal with the same sort of thing."

"Hey, I'm open to suggestions. Were you thinking of anything in particular?"

"A disillusionment charm. It's pretty advanced magic, but I think it might be right up your alley."

"I might as well," Bella shrugged. Theoretically things could only get better. They certainly couldn't get much worse...

Neville stepped forward, and now Hagrid stood back as the silent observer.

"Right, so a disillusionment charm is a spell that projects a sort of camouflage over yourself or someone else. The more powerful the spell, the more effective the disguise."

She bit her lip dubiously. "And you think I might be able to pull off a spell like that?"

"I do. Disillusionment charms don't actually make a person's body disappear; it only appears that way."

Bella nodded in understanding. "So it's all in the mind, meaning my weird, little, shield power thing might make me be able to see someone, even if they look invisible to everyone else."

"Right, and I'm hoping...if you can see through the charm—"

"—that I'll be able to cast it too."

"Exactly," he grinned. "Now you're going to have to trust that I know how to cast a disillusionment charm, because it's probably going to look like nothing's changed to you."

Neville rapped his wand on his head, and as predicted, Bella saw no change.

"Hagrid, can you see me?"

The half-giant creased his eyes. "Not even a trace, Professor Longbottom."

"But you can see me, Bella?" He peered at her with clear anticipation.

"Well, yeah, I'm not even sure what I..." Bella absentmindedly let her hand rest on her wand, and to her amazement the scene altered before her eyes. Neville, who had appeared unchanged up until that point, was now blanketed in a warm, translucent haze around every inch of his body.

"Oh my gosh," she breathed. "I can see you, but...you're glowing. It's like you're covered in...some kind of blanket made out of sunlight." She put the wand back in her pocket carefully, and the glow disappeared. "And now you look the same as before..."

He tapped the wand on his head once more, shuddering involuntarily.

"Ah, there you are, Professor," Hagrid nodded.

Neville smiled, turning to Bella. "Alright then, Bella. You want to give it a go?"

"Yeah, sure." She pulled out her wand nervously. The odds of this working were a longshot, but those were odds she was willing to take.

"You can cast it verbally if feel more comfortable. The incantation is latesco."

"Latesco, got it."

Taking a quick breath, Bella lifted her wand and tapped it on her head while saying, "Latesco." When nothing happened, she was half tempted to throw her wand. "So my wand is some kind of antenna or superconductor for my own weird abilities, but I can't cast a single spell?"

"Bella, would you relax?" Neville grabbed her shoulder firmly. "I know you can do this. Just try to focus on what's inside of you."

With Neville still touching her shoulder Bella found it difficult to focus, but she decided to give it another shot anyway. Closing her eyes, she felt the electricity of Neville's thumb absentmindedly pressing against her collarbone. She followed the sensation in her mind until it ran deeper, like a thrumming resonance throughout her entire body. Focusing completely on that deepest current, Bella touched the wand to her head and spoke the incantation in her mind.

Latesco.

Instantly she felt a chilling sensation run from the top of her head, oozing down to her toes, and she understood why Neville had shivered.

"Blimey!" Hagrid burst out. "You've done it, Miss Swan, and you've taken Professor Longbottom with you!"

Bella's eyes flew open. The sunny, shimmering glow had now settled on both of them, though Neville – who had retreated several paces – did not seem as thrilled.

"Er, Bella, can you see me perchance?"

"Yes," she laughed. "Can't you?"

"Well, actually, when a really powerful disillusionment charm is cast, the person becomes completely invisible, even to themselves."

"You can't see yourself?" she frowned.

"No, and I can't see you either."

"Hold on, I'm right here, Neville." Bella walked over and grabbed his hand, and a look of surprise immediately replaced his previously unsettled attitude.

"You have no idea how strange this is," he breathed. With his other hand, he reached forward until he caught hold of Bella's opposite wrist.

Bella's breath quickened as he blindly felt his way up to her shoulder, then along the curve of her neck, and tracing his way across her jaw line. A few of his fingers caught the edge of her bottom lip, and she exhaled shakily against them.

"Amazing," he said in barely a whisper. Then with a chuckle he added, "Godric, I hope I never go blind."

Bella peered down at their entwined hands and suddenly noticed that the glow around herself differed slightly from Neville's. It almost seemed as though her skin was covered in some kind of icy, blue film...

"So, are you ready for the countercharm?"

She'd have to look into that anomaly later. "Yeah...I bet this must be driving you nuts."

"Well, I'm ready to see the both of you!" Hagrid called out anxiously. "Startin' to feel like I'm talking with spirits or summat."

Neville shook his head in amusement. "The countercharm is ostendo. Do you want to try casting it onto both of us again?"

"I didn't mean to do it the first time," she muttered, "but I guess I can try." She squeezed her eyes shut and felt the buzz of Neville's hand in hers. It flowed into her veins, and she concentrated on its magnetism, undulating beneath the unsteady beat of her heart.

"Ostendo." Her wand tapped her head, and she opened her eyes, squirming as the odd dripping sensation slithered down her body.

"Bella, you did it." Neville clapped his hands around her arms, and she immediately blushed. "You cast a spell!"

"I did!" she squeaked excitedly.

"Well done, Miss Swan. No squib or hag's ever pulled off a spell like that." Hagrid nodded to her brightly. "Mark my words, the Ministry of Magic's going ter take a keen interest in you once they find out you made yourself and Longbottom disappear completely in one go."

Neville's arms dropped, and his face looked like he's just been doused with a bucket of cold water. "You don't think…this wouldn't put Bella in danger?"

Hagrid's smile faded. "Well, of course tha' won't happen. Harry and Hermione would never allow it." But he didn't look convinced.

"Did I do something wrong?" Bella hesitated.

"No, you didn't." Neville's face hardened. "But there are some folks—" He looked around the courtyard nervously. "—We'd better take this practice session somewhere more private."

"Right, of course," Hagrid nodded in understanding. "I've got to check on the thestrals. A pleasure to see you Miss Swan, and you Neville. I'll be off now."

"Why isn't it safe out here?" Bella frowned.

Pulling her behind a pillar, Neville spoke in a quiet, cautious tone. "Ever since You-Know-Who's regime, people have been completely paranoid about powerful wizards, and uprisings, and all sorts of unfounded nonsense. No one knows your story. No one knows more than a few lines about your life before you showed up out of nowhere." His voice fell into an urgent whisper. "You have magic that's unique, like no one's ever seen before, and I...I don't want to see anything bad happen to you."

Bella's emotions were all over the place, but she swallowed thickly and took a deep breath. "I guess we should practice somewhere safer then."

Relief broke out on Neville's face. "Alright. There's a few classrooms that haven't been used in years. I'm sure McGonagall won't mind if we borrow one."

He strode ahead toward the doors of the courtyard, and she followed – deep in thought.

It was just her lot in life, she supposed. No matter where she went or what life she chose, Bella would always be danger.

I did a lot of questionable research via Wikipedia and did find a plausible explanation for Bella's weirdness. I just hope you all enjoy the story long enough to find out what it is! Thank you for your feedback. You guys really make this story worth writing. -V