1st seed; [Action/Voice]

[nearlychosen]

[Perhaps the journal picks up the sound of Neville's arrival as he is unceremoniously deposited on the icy southern lake sometime in the dead of night. If not that, then it might catch the dull groaning as he slowly wakes and struggles to pull himself upright. If not that, then certainly the furious squeak from sneakers lacking traction on slippery ice would catch the journal's attention, as would the dull thudding as Neville collides with some child's forgotten snowman on the westernmost bank. A sharp intake of breath, then] No wand. Bastards. [In fact, even though Neville hasn't yet noticed the presence of the book at all, he seems perfectly aware that someone is listening, even if it isn't quite who he expects.]

It's still not enough! [The words, though a bit rasped and wheezing, are spoken with the stubbornness of one who rather expected this displacement.] You think you can just Portkey me someplace and be done with it? You won't get me -- not any of us -- to back down that easily. I know you're here -- show yourselves, you bloody cowards!

[The dead silence is less than encouraging. It means that if he wasn't being watched, then he'd been sent far enough that he wouldn't need supervision. Accio wand. [The incantation is intoned softly through clenched teeth. It doesn't escape him how ironic it was that in his desperation to recover his stolen wand he's resorted to a summoning spell that usually required the use of his wand in the first place. The spell fails spectacularly, leaving Neville to suppose his captors laughed, wherever they happen to be.

Still, the place he'd been sent certainly merits some investigation. If he'd been sent here via portkey, then some other innocuous-looking thing might well be the ticket home. It might appear off for a young, underdressed, blackeyed, fairly beaten and emaciated man to be picking up small stones with a thoughtful expression, but finding an alternate portkey is simply the most plausible way back to the more important matters he'd left at home.]

Comments

[Action, because that's seasonal! :D]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

I mean your cruciatus is a joke, just like it sounded. [It's a bad idea, he knows it's a bad idea, and yet it's still better than backing down.]

[Action, because it's DELICIOUS]

[hisdarkmark]

A joke, is it? I don't think I believe you.

[Action, because the delicious happens from the LOVE.]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

I really don't care if you believe me or not. If I'm going to be saddled with one of you, it's better you than Crabbe. [Yeah, he went there.]

[Action, because somehow that doesn't make sense]

[hisdarkmark]

[Yeah, that's going to make him falter just a little. This is probably the first time he's heard anything about his friends specifically back home.] What about Crabbe?

[Action, because I rarely make sense.]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

[Whereas talking about Draco's friends makes Neville feel horrible and dirty.] He's the best in the class.

[Action, because I like you anyway.]

[hisdarkmark]

...can't say I'm surprised at all.

[Action, because you just like to flatter. :)]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

I don't think any of us were.

[Action, because I'm kind of good at it :D]

[hisdarkmark]

...what the hell would the Malnosso have use for you for?

[Action, because you really are! I'm oddly compelled to want to give you things.]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

[He's not going to dignify that with a reply. Instead, he gently nudges Draco's wand-hand to the side, because even though Draco himself isn't cause for alarm, that wand still is.] If you're not going to be in charge of my imprisonment, you might at least give me directions to this town that book keeps mentioning.

[Action, because I have Malfoyisms, apparently]

[hisdarkmark]

[Draco's wand-hand easily moves, if only because Draco's baffled that he, Neville Longbottom was actually very much not afraid of him. What the hell had the world come to?] That would require me being helpful, now wouldn't it? [He might get that far, right now he's just trying to figure out what the hell is happening here.]

[Action, because that's pretty damn awesome of you. *o*]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

[Sorry, Draco. Moving on can be difficult, but you'll manage somehow. Neville just smiles humorlessly.] Can't have that. [He collects the journal carefully, since it seems to be key to this mess, still keeping a wary eye on Draco, fully expecting to be hexed in the back any time now.]

[Action, because in general I'm pretty awesome <3?]

[hisdarkmark]

[Again. Baffled. Draco's just going to watch him for a moment before he shakes his head slowly.]

Have you already spoken to Potter and Granger?

[Action, because damnit you're right again.]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

[What's this? Words before curses? It's not exactly what he was expecting.]

Keeping tabs on them, are you?

[Action, because cupofnoodles are fun]

[hisdarkmark]

What business is it of yours?

[Action, because they're also delicious :9]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

More my business than yours, if it involves them.

[Action, because I love coffee]

[hisdarkmark]

Are you sure about that?

[Action, because I could never really go there with you. :( Coffee's kind of gross.]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

What did you do to them?

[Action, because coffee is not gross D:]

[hisdarkmark]

You act as though I've cursed them.

[Action, because have you ever TASTED the stuff? >.< GROSS.]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

Have you?

[Action, because I absolutely love it ;;]

[hisdarkmark]

Yes, Longbottom, I've cursed both of them. I've cursed all of them, victory is mine. [There's a snort then.] Get over it, like I'd waste my time.

[Action, because it's just an acquired taste that i've never acquired. Because of the gross.]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

[He doesn't like the sound of that snort. Draco's exuding a confidence he hasn't seen in almost a year. There's a piece missing, aside from the impossible claim that this is a vision of Draco from somewhere in the past.] You don't seem to have a problem wasting my time with this.

[Action, because there's such a thing as creamer]

[hisdarkmark]

You happened to land on my lake. Clearly this is entirely your own fault. [Hey, he has to make up for his loss of time somehow. Everyone else is a good six months or more ahead of him, he can't let them win just because of that. Despite how much what Neville's just told him spooks him a bit, he's not going to let him know that.]

[Action, because that doesn't make it taste less like coffee. :(]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

You can't own a lake, Malfoy.[Although that would explain the painful landing, not like the new scrape on his cheek is very visible against the trainwreck calling itself his face at the moment.]

[Action, because your logic fails me D:]

[hisdarkmark]

Sure I can. Ask anyone here and they'll tell you it's mine. [Unfortunately, Draco doesn't like him enough to fix Neville's face for him :|]

[Action, because I'm just weird. I tend to not like liquor much for the same reason. XD]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

You shouldn't be so possessive over a piece of your prison. [Whatever, Draco. He probably wouldn't know what to do with your help if he had it. Hermione's just going to do it later anyway, so nyyah.]