Neville Longbottom and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 7: A New Kind of Casting

Tuesday after lunch Neville and Luna went to Moody's office together. Before they got there Neville pulled out the Marauder's Map to check that Moody was the only one in there. He was waiting at the doorway when they arrived.

"Watcha got there?" Moody asked before Neville could put the Map away.

"Just a Map, Dumbledore knows we have it." Neville walked past Moody, put it on his desk then held his Wand over it, "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."

Moody chuckled as he watched ink spread over the formerly blank paper. Neville opened it to where they were on the Third Floor and pointed at their footprints and names.

"Well, I'll be a . . . nevermind," and he flipped through other Floors before folding it up and handing it back. "I don't know where ya got it, but if Dumbledore knows about it then keep usin' it."

Neville tapped it with his Wand and said, "Mischief Managed. If I used it properly last year we would've been able to figure out about Barty Jr."

"What's done is done. Let's get to it, right." Moody motioned for them to sit. "Starting Sixth-year if ya pass yer O.W.L.s in Charms or Defense you'll learn ta do Wordless Spells, only they're really not wordless. Ya see, they'll have ya repeaten' the incantation in yer head anyway. An' when ya get that down they'll have ya Visualize the Spell, 'cept by that point most can't make the final step. They get a sorta mental block so they need a Word ta Cast a Spell. Not usually a big deal since very few can visualize a Spell well enough Cast it anyway."

"But, doesn't the word help Cast the Spell?" Neville asked.

"Yeah, but no," Moody didn't seem bothered by the question. "See, the incantation is more of a memory device for most Spells - a way ta focus on a specific outcome. The Ministry, or the person what created the Spell, decides on an incantation so it can be taught universally. Thing is, it's not necessary, it's just the easiest way ta teach Spellcasting ta most people."

"So, what's the other way?" Luna asked.

"That's what I'm gonna teach ya," Moody said with a creepy grin, but Neville guessed he had no other type. "After talkin' ta Dumbledore an' yer teachers, Neville, I figure yer the type that would do better with my method. If I'm right, an' you can do this, you won't be limited by typical Spell results. You'll be able ta shape a Spell almost without limit."

"What do you mean almost no limit?" Neville was surprised by Luna's level of interest.

"We'll get into limits another day," Moody said to Luna, "but I should add that you'll prob'ly do good with this too, Missy. Lemme just whet yer appetite with an example. I once saw Dumbledore create a three meter ball o' water an' he rolled it 'round ta put out a fire. Can ya guess what Spell he based it on? . . . Aguamenti!"

Having used Aguamenti before, Neville was very impressed. It was nearly impossible to get such a reaction from Luna, so her simple 'Oh' actually spoke volumes. Moody obviously expected more of a reaction.

"Right, we'll start on that next week, on to Occlumency," Moody continued, thinking his example fell flat with Luna. "I want ya both practicin' this; it's just good precaution, but for you it's essential," he said poking Neville in the chest.

"If ya wanna keep Voldemort outa yer head, ya gotta master this," he explained. "The main goal is ta clear yer mind, only that's not possible. So the trick is ta focus on somethin' small an' unimportant, an' do it 'til everythin' else fades away. . . I want ya both ta pick somethin' small ya can keep yer attention on . . . That's yer focus.

"Every night ya need ta take steady breaths an' keep yer attention on yer focus until ya fall asleep. The more ya practice it, the better it helps through the night. If ya wake up in the night, do it again 'till yer back asleep."