Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter. I don't.
Lord Voldemort's Equal
Harry decided to take an aimless walk about the castle. Now (after his most recent private lesson with Dumbledore) that he knew exactly what Horcruxes were, how they were made, and that Lord Voldemort had made some in his on-going quest to thwart death, defeating him seemed almost impossible. Voldemort had made six of them, which was only a guess (Dumbledore wasn't entirely sure as to the exact number), and he'd hidden all of them. So even if Harry did manage to figure out how many of them there were, how in the name of Merlin was he going find them all and destroy them in time before Voldemort became too powerful? He sighed helplessly.
The discovery and destruction of the Horcruxes, the defeat of Lord Voldemort once and for all, and the salvation of the wizarding world depended on him. It was all up to him. There was even a prophecy that said so. All he had to do was find these six or so Horcruxes and destroy them before it was too late, while trying to avoid being killed in the process. No pressure…
The worst experience Harry himself had had to go through—that he could fully recall—was losing Sirius. But he had to think—things had never looked bleaker for the wizarding world. Yes, there was still Dumbledore, but as he had grown up and matured at Hogwarts, Harry had learned that Dumbledore was indeed fallible. He was one of the most powerful wizards in the world, but he was by no means perfect. Even Albus Dumbledore couldn't solve everything. Even Albus Dumbledore got confused at times. He didn't always have all the answers. The truth was now plain and simple to Harry: Albus Dumbledore was just like everyone else—he was only human.
Harry hadn't been watching where he was going and realized he'd been walking for quite a long time as he found himself atop the Astronomy tower. The sky was full of stars, and a half-moon was shining brightly. It really felt quite soothing to be up here when there was no class going on. Harry suddenly gave a start when he realized that he wasn't alone. Upon taking a few steps closer to the person, he thought he recognized her.
"Luna?" Harry asked cautiously, afraid of making idiot of himself if it turned out not to be her.
"Oh, hello, Harry," came the reply in a vague, dreamy voice.
It was indeed Luna Lovegood.
She was bundled up with a cloak and a sock cap that Harry thought may have been purple, but there wasn't enough light to know for sure.
"What are you up to?" Harry asked curiously.
"Oh I'm just stargazing," Luna responded. "It's one of my favorite hobbies, you know. It's especially nice to do when you can't sleep."
"I hope you're not having trouble sleeping right now," Harry said, concerned.
"It's all right," she said serenely. "Sometimes I dream about my mum and then I can't sleep. So I come out here."
"Wow…" said Harry, not really knowing what to say.
"Yes, it's very unpleasant…Do you ever dream about your mum? Or your dad?"
He could tell Luna the truth—Luna would understand better than Ron and Hermione had.
"Sometimes, yes…It was especially bad three years ago when the dementors were here. Whenever I got too near them, Mum and Dad's deaths would replay in my head…It was like listening to a radio…and that's why I fainted…" Harry explained quietly.
"Yes—that's how it was for me, too. I understand. My mum's death would replay in my head whenever I got near the dementors. They're very terrible creatures."
"Did you have any nightmares because of them, Luna? Did they ever make you pass out?" Harry asked, curious again.
Luna was bereaved, too. What all did dementors do to her?
"No, they didn't," she answered in her floaty voice. "But you shouldn't feel stupid about that, Harry, you really shouldn't. I hope you don't…Think about it, Harry—you can fight dementors now. You can fight them quite skillfully. You mastered the Patronus Charm. You've done some great things, Harry—you should be proud of yourself."
She was smiling again.
"Thank you, Luna," Harry said humbly, his face splitting into a smile that was genuine. He hadn't really, honestly smiled in days.
He was quite thankful for her words.
Luna smiled again.
"Well, it's true," she said, the tone of her voice hinting that she thought that was obvious.
As comforting as Harry found her words, he could still feel the weight of the impending hunt for the Horcruxes and their impending destruction pressing in on him.
He figured what he was thinking and feeling must have been showing on his face because then Luna asked, "What's wrong, Harry?"
"Do you think I can do it, Luna?" Harry asked.
Although his question was vague, Luna understood what he meant.
"Do I think you can defeat You-Know-Who?" she answered. "Yes—I do think you can do it, Harry."
"Honestly?" Harry asked doubtfully.
"Didn't you listen to the prophecy, Harry? The one to defeat You-Know-Who is you. It has to be you. You're his equal," Luna replied.
"What makes you think I'm Voldemort's equal? You'd think it would be Dumbledore," Harry said, flattered at Luna's words, yet still sounding glum and disbelieving.
"Yes, Dumbledore would be a likely candidate. But he's not the one. That's you…You know, you are powerful, Harry. You're the only under-qualified wizard I've ever known who's survived a maze full of dangerous creatures and spells, a mission in the lake, an encounter with a dragon, and a fight with a basilisk…You're also the only wizard I've ever known who's conjured a corporeal Patronus at the age of thirteen."
Harry felt so appreciative of her friendship. He hoped he'd never do anything to lose it.
"Thank you so much, Luna," he said sincerely.
Luna, who'd returned her gaze to the telescope, turned to look at him, giving him a small smile.
Harry found himself smiling again.
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