Hey, everyone! I'm really sorry about the really late update, but my computer crashed, the teachers loaded us with homework, tests, the list goes on and on. So, without further adieu, here's Chapter 2!
Disclaimer: I still own nothing Harry Potter-like and most likely never will…=(
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Chapter Two
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Previous: They peered at the book with wide eyes…
They peered at the book with wide eyes taking in the full implication of the meager words, difficult formula, spell, and potion. It would take at least six months to get a fully functional version, but it could be done. And that was all the three of them would ever ask for.
Then it set in. Luna started jumping up and down, and hugged Draco first, and then Harry, with all of her might. Though she was normally an austere person, she couldn't help but feel extremely excited at the first good thing that's happened to them in so long.
Draco sat there, a grin teasing at his lips, which then broke out into a full out happy smile. Harry just sat there completely shell-shocked and the book fell out of his hands. A smile soon played at his lips and he hugged Luna back enthusiastically.
In the book, a few meager pages had restored much hope into the trio. On it was a complicated yet doable spell, which would take much work. A potion with rare ingredients yet not that rare for Draco and Harry (potion-lovers, though Harry's talent was never encouraged much between the snarky potion's professor and expectations of him) to be unable to find.
Hope. Something the trio, especially Harry, had not felt for a very long time. The next few months went by in a flurry, all three preoccupied with their part of the task. Harry and Draco bustled around for ingredients, sometimes having to go to ridiculously far places during ridiculous times just to get a specific material. Like the harrow-wing flower during the next eclipse. The two potion-experts knew that harrow-wing flower only grew in Northern Antarctica, thriving well in the cold.
And, seriously, during an eclipse? The two were a bit miffed at this but at least it was possible. Luna, the best at charms, studied the spell diligently, working through it carefully, testing small portions that wouldn't effect anything in the house yet was a big part of getting the spell right. The only time the two blonds and one brunet saw each other was when they sat down to dinner to discuss their progress and take a break to eat.
One weekend, Luna put her foot down and sat everyone on the lounge in the living room to just relax for the first day in almost two months. "We all have to rest, guys, and if I'm the only one who's going to be sensible about this then I will be! Now sit, talk, and rest. We have to discuss what to do when (the if not said but heard) we get back! Now relax!" She then blushed a little at the rant, but nevertheless they all knew she was right.
Harry sighed a bit, but laid back into the couch and gestured for the blond to begin talking. Draco also sank into the blue lounge and started talking at Harry's gesture. "So, Harry and I have gotten most of the ingredients for the potion but it will take to make then simmer, and we estimate about two full moons or about a month."
Luna nodded and began her part. "The spell is pretty complicated, but with my skill in Charms, Harry's in Transfiguration and your combined skills in Potions, we should be able to pull this off!" The three smiled and felt relaxed and calm for the first time in a while.
The months flew by quickly and Luna finished tinkering with the spells and Harry and Draco's combined efforts provided a perfect potion. At least they hoped so. Now the only thing left was to discuss what was to happen once they actually (hopefully) got back to their first year. Well, Harry and Draco's first year and Luna's year before Hogwarts. Which was one of the things that they had to talk about.
One Saturday morning the two blonds woke up to the smell of breakfast, and hopped out of bed, cleaned up, and walked downstairs. There was Harry, behind the counter, with three mugs of coffee and containers of sugar and cream. He set the breakfast drinks on the dining table and gestured for the two of them to sit down and eat.
As the two silver eyed teens sat down, they eyed him curiously. Why was he up so early? And why did Harry take the time needed to make a hearty breakfast? Both blonds shrugged and went back to filing eggs, sausages, and porridge into their mouths. Draco made a contented sound and Luna sighed happily after downing her warm coffee.
After the three teens had finished their breakfasts Draco and Luna sat back and turned to Harry. "What?" he asked them, lifting an eyebrow. Luna giggled and shoved him playfully in the arm. "Well? What do you need? You haven't made us breakfast since we found out about the information. We've all been really busy since then."
The emerald eyed teen smiled slightly. "We've finished most of everything. Now all we need to do is discuss what to do after we get there. So I figured I'd make a nice breakfast and then we could talk in my study. Sound good?" The two other teens nodded and both smiled too. The trio finished up their coffee and stood up together. The blonds trailed Harry into his study. Luna, Harry, and Draco settled themselves onto the numerous comfy chairs in Harry's sanctuary and turned to each other.
"We might as well get started," Luna stated. She leaned into her chair. "There's the problem with the three of us in different years. I've heard of an application you can fill out in one of the Ministry departments that let you go to Hogwarts a year early." "But do you want come to Hogwarts a year early?" Harry asked her. "Do you want to just stay at home and spend time with your father instead?" Luna closed her eyes, thinking of the possibility to spend one uninterrupted (mostly) year with her father.
She sighed and shook her head. "If I can go to Hogwarts a year early and help the two of you, it would be to our advantage. Let's see if we could set the date somewhere during the summer before Hogwarts started. I'll try and get my father to allow me to go to Hogwarts a year early. He'll probably say yes, as he's pretty open-minded." Both boys gazed at her a bit sympathetically, yet they both knew that it was for the best. Besides, if all of this succeeded Luna would have years to spend with her father.
"Okay, now that that's solved I have another important concern." Draco added. "What about all of the problems Voldemort had caused? And Harry's near death incidents in first, second, third (although accidently), fourth, fifth, and sixth years? And Cedric (Harry grimaced and Draco sent him an apologetic glance), Sirius (here Harry winced again), and Dumbledore, and my godfather, Severus? And everyone else, of course."
Harry sighed. "I guess we'll plan out what should happen in first year, and then meet over the summer to plan out the next year. It would be much easier than trying to plan it all in one night. By the way, we can't just let Sirius rot in Azkaban and let the traitor Pettigrew waltz around free. But how much can we change?"
"We'll try our best this time, Harry, to prevent everything. But if all else fails we could always just use the spell and potion again. Wasn't Wormtail that rat Ron carried around? Scabbers, he called it? We'll just capture the rat, and turn it in to Dumbledore somehow." Luna tried to say convincingly.
"There's another problem," Draco said, "what about Dumbledore?" "What about Dumbledore?" Harry asked him. "I mean, should we tell him? I personally don't think so. He might try to do a lot of things, but he used us as pawns for the 'greater good'." Draco replied. The other two agreed that they shouldn't tell Dumbledore, but Harry sighed a bit at the thought of lying to his grandfatherly figure.
"So what now?" Luna asked them, "Do we just wing it?" "Pretty much." Harry replied. "Except now we know what would happen, like Quirrel being a traitor, him cursing my broom, Voldemort in the back of his head, the Chamber of Secrets, the Marauders, Sirius, the Triwizard Tournament, the Ministry of Magic, the prophecy, the horcruxes and Hollows, and everything else." Harry winced and flinched a bit at a few bad memories.
Luna laid a gentle hand on the emerald eyed boy's shoulder and smiled comfortingly. "So we all agree then?" Draco asked them. "We'll do the ritual on Monday, after a good night's rest and dinner. We'll set the date for about June fifteenth, the summer before Hogwarts, and then Luna will send in the application. But what about mine and Harry's families?" His tone soured a bit at the word families especially since neither the Dursleys nor the elder Malfoys actually treated them like family.
Harry winced, but kept on. "Let's try and get Sirius free as soon as possible. Didn't you say that your family hated you, and didn't try to keep up a façade even outside your house? File an application for a change in guardianship, since Sirius is your mother's cousin, right?" Draco and Luna nodded, accepting the idea, but Draco noted that Harry didn't say anything about the Dursleys.
"What about the Dursleys?" Luna asked, perceptive as always, Draco noted. "Don't worry about me; I'll file a report too, as soon as Sirius is free. I'll be fine until then. But both silver eyed teen noticed that Harry's hands quivered a bit as he set up a brave front. They both thought determinedly to themselves that if they had anything to do about it Harry's godfather would be free as soon as possible. Harry had suffered quite a bit because of the Dursleys.
"What about houses?" Harry questioned the two blonds. "We were all in separate houses, me in Gryffindor, Draco in Slytherin, and Luna in Ravenclaw." "I suggest we all aim for Slytherin," Draco suggested. "Though most don't see this part of Slytherins, we all take care of our own. Sev will most likely take care of us all, even if he didn't really like you in our time." "Didn't really like me?" Harry scoffed. "He wanted to rip me apart?" "He's not that bad," Draco protested. "Fine, but what about Ron and Hermione? Especially Ron. He hated Slytherins!"
"Not really," Luna protested. "If he's truly your friend than he'll stick with you through thick or thin! He just has to get rid of some of the prejudices against Slytherins first." "Besides, we're certainly ambitious enough," drawled Draco. "Especially you Harry, how long did it take you to find this ritual?" "Do you both know I was almost sorted in Slytherin anyway?" Harry answered. "What!" Draco exclaimed sitting up straight. "And you chose Gryffindor, why!" "Well, I met you on the train and at Madam Malkin's," Harry replied.
Draco had to look sheepish at that, he wasn't at his best then. And he wasn't necessarily kind, insulting both Hagrid and Ron. They both looked at Luna, who shrugged. "I don't have any problems with Slytherin, and I was almost sorted in Slytherin anyway too. The hat couldn't decide, but yelled Ravenclaw at the last moment."
Draco sighed, it seemed like nobody appreciated Slytherin. Harry smiled, and said, "It seems everything is in order, then. Everything is done, the plans are made, and we're ready!" The Gryffindor, Slytherin, and Ravenclaw all smirked in anticipation, and left anyone who would have been watching wondering how Harry and Luna got into Gryffindor and Ravenclaw anyway.
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That Monday morning they all slept in, as if their bodies knew that they all needed a lot of energy for the following day. The trio woke at eleven, and had a nice hearty breakfast. Draco went to careful fetch the potion and Luna the enchantments. Harry cleared the living room, leaving a simple fluffy green rug on the floor. They all went upstairs to collect a few important things in a small knapsack each, and sat on the rug.
Luna held out her hands, and Draco and Harry joined their palms with her. She smiled slightly and gestured for Draco to dish out the potions. They each had a small vial that they had to drink, however vile it might taste. Draco gulped it down first, then the brunet, then the blonde, all making a face at the vile taste.
Luna drew ruins in paint on their clasped forearms, and started chanting under her breath, long complicate sequences. The runes started to glow golden, and Harry pumped magic into their clasped forearms. The three sat there for what seemed an eternity, Luna muttering the whole time. Finally Harry's vision began blurring, then Draco's, and finally Luna's. The three disappeared in a blinding flash of light.
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And that's a wrap! Wow, this is six pages on Word! My fingers hurt….=) BTW, if you haven't voted for the pairings please vote! It's four ways tied between Harry/Hermione, Harry/None, Draco/Luna and Ron/Hermione. I want to thank hpnut1 and Shadow of Flame for reviewing, and for your encouragement! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please review.
