Heroes of Hogwarts: Being Brave is Believing in Yourself

Chapter 41

At an Unknown Location in the Americas:
Neville swallowed. He grasped Luna's hand and didn't let go. "Where...are we?"

Hermione scrunched her face up in concentration as she cast a Location charm. It rebounded and hit a nearby tree. Paisley yelped.

"Magic isn't working," Hermione said mournfully.

"What?!" Paisley pulled out her own wand. "Expecto Patronum!"

It rebounded. Luna ducked as it flew past her and set the grass on fire.

Neville widened his eyes. "Magic's working alright, it's just not doing the things we want it to." He glanced around at where they'd landed.

The group appeared to be in some sort of field or meadow. The sky was all blue, with no clouds to mar the brightness. The sun was overhead, mountains were in the distance. The field was surrounded by a wood. The only thing that had frightened Neville was the way the air was rippling and moving, clear as day. As if they were in a bubble and it was being poked and prodded.

Paisley noticed this a second later. "What. The. Heck. Is. That." She pointed to the sky and how it was shifting and swirling.

Hermione frowned and walked to the edge of the field where the weird barrier began. She poked it with her wand experimentally. It shimmered and convulsed, but didn't give away or tear.

"Barrier," she announced. "Magical, impossible to get in except by Portkey."

Luna frowned. "We have no...PORTKEY!"

She dropped the helmet that had been in the girl's hands at CJ like it was burning her. She stared at in horror. She looked up at the group with tears in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry! I-"

Neville hugged her tightly. "It's okay; you didn't know."

Paisley pat her back absentmindedly. "Wait...if there's a Portkey to here, doesn't that mean there's one out of here?"

Hermione snapped her fingers. "Perhaps. Let's find it."

So, for the next hours, the group checked all over the field. They tore up grass, checked every flower, clover, and leaf, not to mention tried other spells that could have (but didn't) get them killed.

"Ah!" Hermione said angrily after a few hours. "There's nothing here! Accio Portkey!"

Neville flinched as sparks flew out of her wand and a loud pop! was heard. Paisley shrieked. Luna gasped. Neville turned around with heavy dread and saw Hermione with a hand over her mouth.

"I'm so sorry, Paisley, I-"

Paisley screamed, and Neville winced.

"SORRY?!" Paisley screeched. "I TURNED PINK AND NOW HAVE BUNNY YEARS AND A COTTONTAIL!"

Indeed she had. Paisley's hair, skin, and clothing had turned different shades of shock-pink. Her eyes were still sea green, though. But she had white, fluffy, bunny ears and a cute little white tail to match.

Hermione took a step towards Paisley, and at another one of her high-pitched screams, she backed off.

Luna put a comforting hand on Paisley's shoulder. "It's okay," she said in a dreamy voice. "Maybe it washes off."