Author's Note: I know this chapter is a bit shorter than the others. However, it was the sensible place to stop, although I'm sure some will object to that statement. That said, I do hope you enjoy. I have lots of plans for this story. Oh, and I am open to suggestions for pairings later on in the story, once the girls have a chance to grow up a bit. As for the time frame… let's say that Hermione and Luna are somewhat close in age to the original incarnation of the Teen Titans.

Chapter 3

Irma Pince had long been of the opinion that something was wrong, but few truly listened to a mere librarian. Particularly one employed in a school.

It was the hiding of the Philosopher's Stone in the school which had solidified this feeling of wrongness for Irma. Why in the name of all that was holy would a powerful magical object sure to attract those who wished to possess it in a school full of children? But this was only the second year she'd worked at Hogwarts and even the ever changing Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had more seniority than she.

She'd said nothing when it had become apparent that Dumbledore would try to cover up the reopening of the Chamber of Secrets, though she'd longed to object. She had, however, pointed out that surely the parents of the children who had been petrified must be informed of what had happened. Her words had been ignored because "their parents are Muggles. They wouldn't understand."

It was, in Irma's opinion, criminal that such information was being kept from the Clearwaters, the Finnegans, the Creevys and the Grangers. The school had no right to withhold such vital medical information. And then Dumbledore had been sacked.

She had approached the Board of Governors, hoping that one would at least see reason. Irma had once again been rebuffed with the words, "Madam Pomfrey does not believe it's serious enough to warrant alarming the Muggles."

She paused, listening carefully. It was her turn to help patrol the castle, searching for those who broke curfew or were up to mischief and for signs of the beast which hap been unleashed. It had been suggested that the staff pair up to patrol, in light of the danger. But that idea, like most Irma suggested, had been shot down.

"You are in serious trouble," announced Irma, having recognized the sound of footsteps as belonging to a child. "It's dangerous."

"I'm sorry," said a soft female voice as a slight girl stepped out of the shadows.

The Lovegood girl-she spent most of her time in the library. The girl was as dedicated to learning as Hermione Granger. Irma paused at that thought. She was very fond of the bossy little Gryffindor who now resided in a hospital bed.

"Com along, Miss Lovegood," said Irma, motioning toward a hallway which would take them toward Ravenclaw Tower. "Why are you out of bed?"

"I was picking flowers and I lost track of time."

"It's nearly three in the morning."

Irma paused, considering the hallway they were in. They were only a hundred meters from the infirmary. Luna carried a beautiful bouquet of violets and daisies.

Irma turned around. "This way. I see no need to disrupt my patrol for your misadventures. I'll return you to Ravenclaw Tower after I check the infirmary."

"Yes, Madam Pince," said Luna, visibly happier.

As they walked, Irma thought about how those poor children had been forbidden visitors. If, as Madam Pomfrey said, the petrified were unaware, visitation would still be a comfort to their friends. Irma shuddered to think what those children could be going through if they were aware. Luna seemed to have gotten it into her mind to go around the rules and visit. She was probably just worried about a friend.

"Wait in this room," said Irma, "I'll find you when I finish my security check. And don't wander off."

Irma quickly checked the infirmary proper physically, visually, and magically before moving to the other rooms, leaving Luna behind. Whilst in the bathroom she fished a broken glass cup of the trash. A quick spell sterilized it and a wave of her hand turned, stretched, and molded the glass. Satisfied with her work, she filled the vase with not-quite-cold water.

She quietly walked back over to the main infirmary, looking around for Luna. The girl was standing next to Hermione, plaiting her hair into two braids with white and yellow ribbons woven in.

The girl's had had been braided with a pink ribbon minutes before. Irma wanted to say something, but stopped herself. It seemed that Luan was there to visit Hermione and she would not intrude on her visit more than necessary.

Luna spoke quietly the entire time. "… was caught. So I can't stay long. I'm not sure I'll be able to visit again."

She tied off the long, thick braids and looked up. Luna bit her lip, then looked back down. The girl moved a small doll from Hermione's left side to her right, and then tucked them both in carefully.

"Here," said Irma, holding out the vase. "You can put the flowers in this."

"Thank you," whispered Luna.

She untied a string around the flowers and began to place them into the vase. Luna arranged them quickly and tastefully before holding them up for Hermione to see-if she could, indeed see. Then she placed them on a window sill next to Hermione's bed.

"Five points from Ravenclaw for breaking curfew," announced Irma. "Ten points to Ravenclaw for finding such lovely flowers at this time of the year."

"Thank you, Madam Pince."

"If I catch you again, I will give you detention."

"Yes'm," said Luna, looking a bit despondent.

"The mandrake root potion will be ready in a couple days," said Irma. Trying to reassure the girl.

Luna nodded as they walked out the door. It was several minutes before she asked, "Where did you get the vase?"

"I transfigured it, Miss Lovegood."

"Oh. What spell did you use?" she asked, perking up slightly.

"One I doubt you've ever heard of," she replied.

"Why wouldn't I have heard of it?"

Irma smiled at the girl. "It wasn't Wizarding magic." She paused at the bottom of a stairway. "Here we are. Off to bed with you, Miss Lovegood."

There was, Hermione decided, entirely too much for her to think about. Too much for her to consider. Too much going on in her life. Luna's visit had only added to the questions which now took up her time. She felt almost as if her brain might melt and dribble out her ears if she thought about this much more.

She needed a break. A break from her concerns about her memories. A break from her curiosity about Luna and conspiracy theories with just enough truth in them to make Hermione consider them more closely.

Firmly putting such worries from her mind, Hermione instead worked on her poem. She added to, and edited the verses, choosing not to continue with the story until she was unpetrified.

She almost didn't notice when Harry and Ron came to visit her. There took the paper from her hand, much to Hermione's relief. At least not they had some idea what they were up against.

The next think she was aware of was a strage taste upon her mouth. It seemed that the mandrake root potion had been finished.

"Why would I know where Loony Lovegood is?" asked a first year Ravenclaw.

Hermione let out a mental sigh. It was the third time she'd received that answer this day alone. She'd looked high and low for Luna since the day she'd been unpetrified., hoping to catch her alone.

Though Hermione had encountered the girl several times at meals, she refused to approach her. A fear she couldn't quite name had stopped her each time she tried.

Hermione continued on her way through the library heading farther and farther back in her quest to find books on memory charms. She had run into the first year entirely by chance and had been unwilling to let the first year get away without questioning him on where Luna might be.

It had been far too easy to confirm that her memory problems stemmed from an external source rather than an internal one. It had been even easier still to narrow the problem down to a memory charm.

Somebody had obliviated her. Somebody had gone into her mind and taken away everything that had made her her. She couldn't even trust her own judgment. Not anymore.

Hermione took a deep, calming breath.

It seemed that every time she though of her memory problems, her panic, her feeling of violation, grew.

There had to be a way to undo this. To return her memories to their rightful place. And Hermione had every intention of finding it.

Hermione paused at the doorway to a compartment in the middle of the Hogwarts Express. She'd finally found Luna, it seemed. The girl sat alone in the compartment, reading a tabloid called the Quibbler, which was faintly familiar to Hermione.

"You're a hard person to find," said Hermione as she walked into the compartment, closing the door behind her.

"No, I'm not," said Luna, looking up. "Not if you know how to look."

Part of Hermione protested that, but she refused to give voice to those thoughts. Instead, she said, "Thank you."

"You would do the same for me," replied Luna.

"Nevertheless, I'm very grateful," said Hermione. She pulled the doll and two sets of white and yellow hair ribbons from her book bag. "Sandy did make me a bit less lonely."

"Then she did her job." Luna took the doll and ribbons from Hermione's grasp, hugging them to her chest. "Are you well now, Erma?"

"No, Lulu. No, I'm not," said Hermione, lost in thought. "I'm not sure I'll ever be well again."

She didn't notice the use of the nickname which continually came to mind when talking to Luna until she was done speaking. She opened her mouth as a thousand questions came to mind. But something stopped her. The same unnamed fear which was becoming far too familiar.

Instead, she said, "Lulu, you remember me, don't you."

"We go to school together," Luna said with a sad little smile.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," snapped Hermione.

Luna looked down. "I could never forget you, Erma. No matter what. Just like you can't completely forget me." A haunted expression far too old for Luna's twelve year old face was quickly replaced by the dreamy, not-quite-there look Luna usually wore. The girl stood. "You should go now."

"Lulu-"

"I'll see you in September, Erma." Luna paused in her attempt to push Hermione out of the compartment. "Be careful." They hugged, squeezing each other tightly. "And don't let them know you suspect."