Strange Can Be Good

HarryxLuna

Rated T

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or its characters from the franchise. That honor belongs to JK Rowling

Strange Can Be Good

Chapter 2: A Letter and a Visit to the Thestrals

"Dad! Wake up, wake up!" a little boy's voice shouted as two small bodies jumped on the bed, rousing the man from his sleep. Harry groaned a little before yawning and smiling at his two boys. Sitting up he grabbed them both up in his arms and hugged his sons to him, making them laugh as they hugged him back. He ruffled James and Albus' black hair and told them to get off the bed so he could as well. When he was standing, he placed his glasses over his eyes, and then he went into the bathroom to brush his teeth and used the toilet. Once that was done, he turned back to his sons to see them waiting patiently for him.

"Alright, I'm ready," Harry said with a smile. James grinned and rushed out of the room to head downstairs. Albus stayed behind and held his father's hand as they followed behind James who was sitting at the table ready for breakfast. Of course none was made yet, but that didn't stop him from being present when it was. Harry stretched before conjuring all the ingredients he would need to make pancakes, scrambled eggs, and sausage links. As he started on the pancake batter, he asked, "Albus, would you get the orange and apple juice out of the fridge? And James, would you get us some cups?"

"Sure dad," James said as he and his brother moved to do their asked tasks. The boys did what was asked of them and placed the cups and pitchers on the table and waited patiently for their father to finish breakfast. Harry had placed the food on plates fifteen minutes later and placed a plate in front of each of them. They talked while they ate, and Harry listened to his sons' tales about school and the friends they had made. Harry was surprised to hear that Albus was friends with Scorpius Malfoy, Draco's son. He and Draco were on much better terms now, especially now that he understood the blond man's actions in their later years in school pertaining to Voldemort. But even so, he hoped that with his son being friends with Draco's the two adults could be civil.

Realizing that his female counterpart was missing (other than when he woke up and she wasn't in bed with him), he asked, "Where is your mother?" Albus shrugged and ate another bite of pancake. Harry turned toward his oldest and saw him fidgeting a bit. The dark haired man raised an eyebrow and drug out, "James."

James sighed and looked his father in the face, brown eyes meeting bright green. They stared at each other for a while, Albus looking back and forth at them, before James sighed again and said, "She woke me up early and told me she would be out most of the day and meeting a friend. She never said what she'd be doing, but she said she'd be back this evening."

Harry's eye twitched at hearing this. Ginny never seemed to have time for the boys anymore. She was a stay at home mother, but instead she was out shopping and doing who knows what. Rubbing the back of his neck Harry sighed and went back to eating. Just as the three of them finished eating, they heard a tap at the kitchen window. Turning they saw a snowy owl tapping on the window with a letter held in its beak. Harry was surprised to see that the owl looked exactly like his old owl Hedwig. Standing up from the table, he walked over to the window and opened it, allowing the owl to fly in and land on the table. Sitting back down, he took the letter from the owl and offered it what was left of his sausage. When the bird didn't fly away, he figured it was waiting for a reply from whoever sent the letter. Petting the Hedwig lookalike, he opened the letter and began to read, delighted it was from Luna.

Dear Harry,

I hope you have been well since the last time I saw you last week. Life has been well here as well. I have returned from Sweden from my search for the Crumple-Horned Snorkack for my article for the Quibbler. I must say I did not find one, but I am confident that I will.

Harry couldn't help but chuckle at reading that. Luna and her belief in these creatures were what made her unique. Also, he had to admit he enjoyed learning about these supposed creatures from the dreamy blonde. Shaking his head from these thoughts, he went back to reading Luna's letter.

Seeing you again made me think about our first real conversation back at Hogwarts. You found me in the Forbidden Forest with the Thestrals, remember? I am going there today because I miss them. I was wondering if you would like to come and see the Thestrals as well. You can bring your sons if you want, but if not that is okay; you are probably dealing with Nargles if you do not show up. I hope to see you around noon.

Sincerely,

Luna

P.S.

The owl is a gift. I thought she looked like Hedwig.

Harry couldn't help but smile at Luna's kind thought. She was always so considerate and was so selfless. Looking up at his boys, he laughed when he saw the snowy owl sitting on Albus' shoulder and was lightly nipping at his ear, making him giggle. James was grinning as well and offered the owl a bit of scrambled egg, which it happily ate.

"Dad, this owl looks like Hedwig," James said. Harry nodded and told them that she was a gift and that they could name her. He laughed when they settled on calling her 'Hedwig II'. After cleaning up, he told them to wash up and get dressed because they were going to meet an old friend. As the boys rushed back to their rooms to get dressed, Harry couldn't help but think about the woman that they were going to meet.

Mysterious didn't even begin to describe Luna Lovegood. She was so much more than that and she seemed to be the only one who understood him at times. On top of that, she was kind, sweet, thoughtful and considerate. She had a heart of gold and didn't care what people thought of her. When she was made fun of and her things stolen in school, she would smile and shake it off, but that was because she thought Nargles were to blame. It didn't matter though; Luna was wonderful and an amazing person and friend to have in your life, and Harry believed that wholeheartedly.

Fifteen minutes later, everyone was dressed and ready to go. It was a little chilly out, so they made sure to wear their jumpers. Harry made sure to have his wand as they stepped out of the house. After casting the wards around the house and the property, Harry pocketed his wand grabbed his sons' hands before Apparating away. Seconds later they all landed on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, though the brothers had trouble getting their footing.

"That felt strange," Albus said. James nodded and said, "Yeah, it felt like I was being squeezed through a little straw."

Harry chuckled and said, "Yes, I remember thinking that too. I'm surprised you both don't feel ill. I did the first time I Side-Apparated with Professor Dumbledore. I believe I may have vomited." James and Albus giggled before stepping into the forest with their father. They had heard all about the Forbidden Forest from their parents, but their father made it sound not as bad as their Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione made it out to be. Then again, their father was much braver than their aunt and uncle. It wasn't long before they came upon a clearing and saw a blonde woman petting the air. Of course, that is what the boys saw. For Harry, he saw the skeleton bat like horse creatures known as Thestrals.

"Hello Luna," Harry said as he stepped forward towards her, the boys following close behind. Luna smiled up at him, her silvery-blue-grey eyes shining as they looked into his own bright green ones.

"Hello, Harry. I am happy to see you made it," she said before looking around him and seeing the two black haired boys. Smiling sweetly she stepped toward them and bent down a little causing her short hair to fall forward. Pushing the light blonde strands behind her ear, she said, "Hello James and Albus. Your dad has told me all about you."

James smiled hearing that he was being talked about by his dad. He held out his hand for the dreamy eyed woman to shake, happy that she did so. Albus on the other hand blushed and looked down at his shoes. Luna giggled before standing back up straight. Harry, who had just finished petting a baby Thestral, stepped back over to the other three and introduced his sons to his friend.

"James, Albus, this is Luna Lovegood, a really good friend of mine. She's invited us to see the Thestrals today," Harry said.

"You mean those creepy horses with wings that no one can see that you and mom rode on to the Ministry when you were in school?" James asked. Harry nodded and allowed Luna to explain that only people who had seen death could see the breed of horses. When Albus asked if seeing a cat kill a canary counted, the adults laughed before telling him that it did not count. Even though the young boys couldn't see the creatures, they could feel them and were surprised at the feeling of the Thestrals nudging their cheeks. Luna told them that they weren't known to be really friendly, but seeing as they were comfortable with her and Harry, they didn't find the boys a threat. They laughed when Harry recounted how because Ron couldn't see the Thestral he was to ride, he got on backwards and was bucked off when he grabbed hold of its hindquarters. Luna handed James some raw meat and told him to feed one of the invisible creatures. When asked where he should go, Luna walked him to where a Thestral stood and helped the brown eyed boy to carefully present the meat. Harry and Albus looked on, matching smiles on their faces.

Feeling a tug on his pant leg, Harry looked down into the face of his six year old, eyes so much like his own sparkling happily. Albus beckoned his father down to his height, wanting to tell him something he thought to be important. Curiously, Harry bent down to see what his youngest wanted.

"Daddy, I like Luna very much. She's so nice and pretty. This is the best day ever," Albus said honestly. Hearing that made Harry smile and look over at the woman with his other son. He watched how she interacted with James as she helped him with the creature he couldn't see. She was very good with him and Albus, considering she didn't have any children of her own. He had to admit he was surprised she didn't considering she was twenty-nine. Harry wondered why she wasn't married yet, or at the least seeing someone. For some reason that thought made him feel frustrated, but he shook it off thinking it to be nothing. Looking back at Albus he said, "Yeah, she's great. And she's one of my best friends outside your aunt and uncle."

"Thank you, Harry. That is sweet of you to say," Luna's voice sounded above them. They looked up to see Luna standing over them with a James holding her hand. Harry stood back up and suggested that they go to Hogsmeade since they were nearby. James and Albus immediately agreed and asked if Luna could go as well. Harry looked at the woman and asked, "Can you come with us, Luna? It'd be great if you can."

Luna tilted her head in thought before nodding, saying, "Yes, I will join you in going to Hogsmeade. I would like to stop by Tomes and Scrolls while we are there. I need a book for my research on Aquavirius Maggots." James and Albus looked at their dad in confusion who shook his head with a smile, silently telling them to not ask and just roll with it.

"Okay then, let's go. And let's Apparate so we don't have to walk too far," Harry said, and the four of them Apparated out of the Forbidden Forest and into Hogsmeade. The day had been good so far, and Harry was ready to spend the rest of the day with Luna and his boys.