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

[voice]

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

[She knows that voice... But .... wow he must have changed... A good amount of time passes before she finally records something.]

Neville... is that you?

[voice]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

[There's a long pause following her voice, as Neville regards the journal carefully, flipping a few pages with a stray tree branch.]

..... Come off it. I know you haven't kidnapped Hermione. She's better than that.

[voice]

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

[She sighs wearily.]

I wish that were true.

If you need to, ask me a question, something only I would know.

[voice]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

You have a pet. What is it, and what do you call it?

[voice]

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

Crookshanks. He's half-cat and half-Kneazle and I got him during third year after he chased Scabbers around the menagerie at Diagon Alley. I've had him ever since and once in third year, Ron thought Crookshanks ate Scabbers. It was a mess.

...Now it's my turn. [Because she was too shocked earlier to come up with something.] In first year, at the very end of term, what were Harry, Ron, and I trying to do, what did you try to do in response, and how did I react?

[voice]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

[He's quiet while she speaks. So they do have Hermione too, trapped away... wherever this place is.]

....You lot were trying to sneak out again, after you'd been told not to. We'd already gotten ourselves in heaps of trouble. I couldn't get people to look me in the eye, and there you were about to do it again and make sure Gryffindor came in last place. Ron said something nasty, and I was about to have a row with him and shut him up in the only way I figured he knew how to be shut up when you caught me in a body-bind. [Though he hastily amends] But I wasn't mad about it. Not after I found out what it was you were running off to do.

[voice]

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

[and it's her turn to be quiet for a while. It really is Neville.]

I am sorry for doing that, Neville, but we really did have to get by.

[She hesitates for a mere moment.]

Are you all right? Can you give me an idea of where you are so I can come find you?

[voice]

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

I'm fine. They took my wand, though. I'll probably have to duel someone for a new one. Don't suppose they've got some Slytherins hiding out here as well? [He's working on his humor-in-the-face-of-darkness. It's not good humor, but it's there nonetheless.]

I'm near a sheet of ice -- looks like a lake. There's a small clearing, with a bunch of trees surrounding it.

[voice] - want to action a rescue XD?

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

Yours might also show up here. And yes... there are a few. [She's noticing. Blimey, this is strange.]

A lake? All right. Stay where you are. I'll find you.

[voice/action] - I would love one -- though I'll probably poof off in a few minutes for work. ;;

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

Come quickly. [He doesn't like the idea of waiting around in an open space where anything could just show up and attack him while it was still dark enough for visibility to be an issue.]

[action] - that's okaaay. It'll move along whenever we can make it \o\ ♥

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

[She closes her journal and Apparates out to one lake. And then sends out her Patronus with a message, hoping to catch him here... but Terri promptly darts off in the entirely wrong direction. Wouldn't you know she'd pick the wrong lake to try first? So she Apparates again and sends Terri out a second time.

Neville will likely receive two Patronus messengers that both say something along the line of Neville, are you here?

And then, once she's sure that's him across the way, she'll Apparate kind of close, but not too close just so she doesn't startle him.]

Neville?

[action] - It'll be the little RP engine that Could.

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

[Quite frankly, the patronus is needed. He'd been shivering from the cold despite his best efforts, and his eyes light up at the familiar sight of Hermione's otters. He gives them an affectionate pat, calmed enough by the warmth and cheer radiating from the spell that he grins broadly at the sound of Hermione's voice.] Hermione! You're a welcome sight in an unwelcome situation! [He runs to hug her, and up close she might feel the thinness in his arms or get a better look at the puffy swollen patch around his blackened eye.]

[action] - That's how all of my threads are XDDD

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

[She understands his words all too well and definitely takes him up on the hug... but the arms and shivering are noticed. She pulls back, frowning.]

Neville, what... you've got a black eye. [brb using the healing magic she learned from the spirit here and then conjuring up blankets for him.]

I'm glad to see you but... are you all right?

[action] - It'll get to the station sooner or later!

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's no big deal -- I'm fine -- nothing to worry about! [And though the warmth of the blankets is appreciated, he covers himself immediately mostly to hide more of himself from her gaze. He's not really in the mood for a "woe is me" party.]

Tell me more about what's happening here. The book you spoke to me from said something about captives from different worlds? [He still hasn't touched the book yet.]

[action] - Yes indeedy! And we'll enjoy the ride while we're on it!

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

[She sees what you did there, Neville, but she won't press you for now.]

It's a long story... And one that's best talked about at home. Can you hold on if I Apparate us both? Oh, and you'll want to hold onto your journal.

[She quickly summons it and tucks it into her handbag, which her mun forgot to mention she has with her is ridiculously small and doesn't look capable of holding the journal.]

[action] - :|b

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

If you can manage it.

[Eh, he's pureblooded -- he doesn't question her Handbag Magic. Stuff like that just happens. He obligingly holds on to her waist and gives her a chance to perform her magic.]

[action] - ♥?

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

I ought to be able to.

[And it's Hermione Granger. Stuff happens around Hermione Granger. She makes sure one of her hands is holding his other shoulder just in case as she turns on the spot and drags them both into darkness with a loud CRACK.

[Moments later, they land in her room of the DA House and she lets go, quickly moving to place a silencing spell around them. Then she digs his journal out and offers it to him.]

All right... The first thing you need to know is that everything I'm about to tell you is strictly a secret. Most of the housemates know, as well as Tonks and Lupin, but it all has to be kept off the journals. We can't let the Malnosso, the people "in charge" here, know what we know.

[action] - ♥!! As I make a quickie nonpost on my way out the door SORRY <33

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

[He nods dutifully, his eyes focused firmly on her as she fills him in. He takes the journal gingerly.]

Sounds a lot like Hogwarts so far. Do go on.

[action] - ♥!! That's okay! I really need to converge all of Mione's notes into a post someday...

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

[She's not letting him off the hook. Just moving the hook to the 'later' placement. Hermione can now prioritise her arguments. Isn't it amazing?

[She takes a seat on her bed, and offers the other end of it or the chair nearby if he wants to sit down.]

First thing you should know: This place is called Luceti. There are impenetrable barriers surrounding Luceti. The people who control the environment, or most of it, are called the Malnosso. They live beyond the barrier and no one's been able to get past a barrier without their consent. The general belief, and the one we try to tell the Malnosso, is that they are the ones who bring people in and send them away. According to my research, this may not be true, but no one's really certain. I believe it's a product or ability of Luceti itself.

[Now she's rummaging around in her handbag again for her notes. Must be sure she has her figures right. Hopefully this gives Neville a chance to digest that before she tl;drs later on.]

[action] - ♥!! She'd be competing with Raine for top Luceti Smartie. XD

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

[Neville shuns this hook. Though it is rather amazing that the hook is shunable.]

[He settles down in the chair, nodding when she pauses.] So you're saying they're a group who just pluck people from different worlds? Or-- if they don't, then someone does and says it's them? How come? What do they get out of it? ...How long 'til you lot get to go back to Hogwarts and set things right? [So maybe Neville's priorities aren't as in order as Hermione's.]

[action] - ♥!! Raine's one of the reasons she knows as much as she does XD

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

[Isn't it, though? And it's not really possible to completely shun Hermione's hooks.]

It's difficult. No one really knows for sure. All we have are educated guesses. The Malnosso like to keep us as in the dark as possible, and we have to keep them thinking we don't know anything so they won't be wary of us.

[That and she doesn't know who exactly wipes out the groups of people each time, though she has a few hunches. But that's another story for another day.]

I don't know when we'll be able to return home. I'm constantly researching as much as I can, but the library has been pointedly cleaned of any material on Luceti itself, so our resources on that are limited at best. Right now, we're pretty certain that Luceti, as in the world or planet or whatever it truly is, is what is bringing us all here, and it's been doing this for hundreds of years. We aren't the first group of people to be pulled here. Even the Malnosso seem to have been removed from their own homes and brought here. At least, that's the common theory between the scholars here.

[Naturally, she's counting herself as one of those.]

[action] - ♥!! And it all makes sense now. XD

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

What's wrong with making them wary of you? Maybe they'll back off a little if they know you mean business.

[From the sound of it, there'll be plenty of time for all their stories. It doesn't entirely sit right with Neville.]

In that case, I want to help. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process? I can't be away from the DA for too long, not the way things have gotten. Just tell me what you need done to find a way out and I'll make sure it happens. [He's glossed over the bits where Hermione's said that she genuinely doesn't know, because of course Hermione knows. HErmione knows everything.]

[action] - ♥!! XD Her first day here, Raine came over and explained everything she knew

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

If only that were true. Neville, it's as bad as the war. We're like test subjects, Muggles that Bellatrix has gotten her hands to torture. The Malnosso are capable of what's known as Shifting technology. What this means is that once a month, nearly every month, they conduct an experiment. We don't have a choice. And every so often, they pick people seemingly at random and kidnap them to conduct more personal experiments. Angering them would only make it worse. Our abilities aren't quite powerful enough to handle what they might throw at us, not yet.

[Which means she hasn't given up just yet.She bypasses most of what he asks, though.]

Neville, most of the DA's here, living with me. The only ones we're missing now are Ginny and Ron.

[action] - ♥!! Well that's both helpful AND convenient! :D

[nearlychosen.livejournal.com]

That just means there's more reason to let them know they haven't won. Just because they're in power doesn't mean they have to stay there. They've taken us, but that doesn't mean we need to go quietly. If a couple of us fight back, maybe everyone else will too and then we'll be able to go home again.

[He's noticed that, and will be asking again once he gets the chance.]

Wh--really? Are they mad?? Seamus shouldn't have been moved in his condition! [He's not quite thinking of the same people Hermione is when they talk of active DA members.]

[action] - ♥!! yes! but now I have class so XD

[loyalotter.livejournal.com]

[And Neville is talking about fighting back. Something's happened while she's been gone and she does. not. like. it.]

Neville, what's happened at Hogwarts? You're... you're not acting the same as when I last saw you. [Not that this is a bad thing, per se. It's just different. Very different.]

[A slight twist of her lips accompanies this.] I should have said, the Department of Mysteries fighters. Harry, me, Luna, Cho, and now you. But what's this about Seamus? [Remember that hook, Neville? It's back.]