Disclaimer
Haha, that's a song. Anyway, this is Rowling's stuffs.
Chapter Three
'But there is nothing but silence now
Around the one I loved.
Is this our farewell?
'Our Farewell' - Within Temptation
10:00 a.m.
Luna snapped into place beside Harry, her breath coming in quick, almost-nervous gasps. She took one hand and clung to the sleeve of Harry's wool coat, her fingers threatening to tear holes in the tough material. Glancing up at him for the first time, a solemn expression adorning her pale features, she nodded a silent 'Yes'.
Harry, for his part, just stood there, unfeeling. His limbs felt cold and stiff, his heart frozen. The world around him flew; everything seemed to move so fast that it was all a blur. Fellow Aurors bumped and jostled him, but he paid them no heed. It wasn't until Luna tugged lightly on his coat and said his name softly that everything seemed to come to a dead stop.
"Are you ready?" He looked down into her shining blue eyes, contemplating, for a moment, her question.
"When will I ever be ready to see my best friend dead?" Despite his quiet, cracking voice, he stood up a little straighter, squaring his shoulders.
"Never." She stated bluntly, digging her fingers yet deeper into his coat. "You know, you don't have to do this?"
"Yes." He put his hand over hers on his jacket, smiling sadly down at her. "I need to know, Luna. Whoever is doing this just made it personal."
"Alright." She muttered quietly, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze and removing her clenched fist from his coat. Ignoring the quizzical expression that crossed his face, she started to pull him slowly into the ramshackle home of one Ronald Weasley.
Closing his eyes, Harry allowed the girl to lead him through the front door, thousands of thoughts buzzing through his mind. It wasn't until they reached the dining room that he opened his eyes again.
Everything was perfect. The table was set for two, complete with full glasses of red wine. The smell wafting through the stale air was rich with the scent of uneaten roast. Even the mashed potatoes formed a perfect, untouched mountain.
The dust, accented by the perfect evening sun filtering through the slightly drawn windows, seemed to suffocate Harry. The world around him slowed significantly in a seeming attempt to match his best friend.
Next to the perfect table, just behind the perfect stack of papers, and directly next to the perfect line of Defense books lay Ronald Weasley. His posture, splayed and frayed as he was, was anything but perfect.
Harry's breath caught in his throat, and the world fell deafeningly silent. He barely noticed when Luna gently held his hand, patting the back softly. The tear that ran forlornly down his cheek slid silently down to his chin, idling for a heartbreaking moment before falling to the ivory carpet.
Luna gave Harry's hand one final pat before gliding to the ground next to Ron's body. A couple of times her hand darted towards his head or his chest, only to be brought back instantly on second thought. Her eyes squinted and she chewed on the inside of her cheek thoughtfully. She finally looked up to one of the Aurors, eyes alight, and nodded them out of the room.
She watched as one of them pulled Harry away, struggling the whole time. "You can't stay, Mr. Potter."
"Hell if I'll let you take me away!" Harry wasn't someone to mess with, even on an off day. When he reached into his pocket to pull out his wand, his former colleagues didn't want to be within ten feet of him; however, one could hardly consider the mere lint he came out with dangerous.
For a moment, Harry fell still. He looked up slowly to meet the twinkling eyes of the girl kneeling beside Ron. A kind of fear ran through his veins as the others pulled him out of the room. My wand. Where's my wand?
Silence feel once again around Luna as the door shut behind the chaotic group. A pang of guilt wound through her as she pulled Harry's wand from her own pocket, laying it gently on the soft carpet beside her. He hadn't even noticed when she'd pick-pocketed him.
Forcing her gaze away from Harry's only lifeline, she pulled her own wand from behind her ear and a small wooden box out of nowhere. She opened the first compartment of the box to reveal another, which opened to another, which led to yet another. By the time she was through, she had opened thirty different compartments and was surround by multiple objects of all shapes and sizes.
She spread a plastic sheet beneath the body carefully, pulled back his shirt, and made her first incision.
-;-
Harry watched the door of Ron's home with bated breath. He may even have suffocated had not his partner, Brayden, shown up. Brayden's obnoxious bam of apparation not only caused Harry to breathe, but to jump a few feet as well.
"You alright?" One look at Harry could very well answer that question, but it was always polite to ask.
"She made me leave."
"How did it look?"
"I needed to stay, but she made me leave."
"Same signs as the others?"
"Not only did she force me out, but I think she has my wand."
"How did she get your wand? No one ever gets your wand!" Harry finally looked over at his eccentric partner, nodding. "Shady."
"I'm not entirely sure. It was in my pocket when I went in there, but when I tried to use it as they were taking me out, it was gone."
"What makes you so sure it was her that took it?" Brayden gave him a skeptical look. Harry Potter losing his wand in any situation was unheard of.
"Her eyes." For once, Brayden was silent. He looked over at his partner worriedly before finally speaking up.
"Dude, you need a break. Anyway, I wouldn't trust that loon, if I were you." He started a slow walk around the house.
"Why's that?" Harry, who had opted to follow, came around beside him. "I've known Luna since I was fifteen, and, aside from being extremely odd, she's never given me a reason to mistrust her."
"I was just saying." He shrugged.
"Well don't say. She's fine. I know her."
"Do you really?" Harry paused for a moment, a quiet chill running up his spine. No.
"I . . ."
"Exactly." Brayden resumed his stroll along the fence after Harry had regained his composure. "My guess is she's changed a lot since you last saw her."
"True."
"I can tell you one thing. She sure as hell isn't an environmentalist."
"What makes you say that?"
"She stole your case, and your wand." He said through laughter, infuriating Harry.
"Where's a paperweight when you need one?" A smile broke through his anger.
"Why do you need a paperweight?" An airy, female voice from behind them caused both men to jump. Luna giggled into her neon pink scarf. "You know, for Aurors, you two are pretty easy to sneak up on."
"I assume you're Miss Lovegood?" Brayden asked through clenched teeth. Harry, for his part, laughed at his clearly agitated partner.
"Am I?" Luna's eyes widened to an unimaginable size, causing Harry to erupt in even more laughter, nodding at Brayden through watery eyes. "I guess I am."
"Er. . .How's your research going?" Brayden, clearly thrown off, grasped for a topic.
"Oh, it's wonderful!" She looked absolutely overjoyed at being asked, and bounced on her heels. Harry's laughter died out. Maybe they could learn something of her involvement. "I haven't found a Snorkack yet, but I did discover an entirely new species, the Two-Toothed Trouble Tramper."
Damn. Harry glanced over at Brayden, who looked almost disgusted. "Which brought you back here?"
"Oh yes. I heard of what was going on, you see?" Her cheeks flushed with excitement. "I think they may be behind all this."
"Awfully violent things, then."
"Oh no, only when provoked. I've got all my research here, if you want to take a look." She took a few steps towards the front yard before Brayden stopped her.
"I'd love to, really, but I've got work to do at the office." With that, Brayden made a frantic get away.
"I think he's lying." Luna leaned against Harry, giggling lightly. "He didn't seem to keen on the idea."
"I don't think so either." Harry smiled down at Luna.
"He's a silly man." She fiddled with her scarf in an almost nervous fashion.
"He may be silly off the field, but you don't want to cross him. He could rival some of the best." Harry made his way towards the front of the house, taking a seat on the steps.
"Maybe it's time to leave now, Harry." Luna kneeled down before him, chewing on the inside of her cheek. Harry couldn't help but remember her in that exact same position next to Ron's dead body.
"I'm not leaving this house." He leaned back against the porch.
"You can't stay. You're not on this case, Harry. I took a chance bringing you here as it is. They're going to want to come get the body soon. If they see you here, you could get in serious trouble."
"Sure, thanks for the chance, Luna. Speaking of which, where's my wand?" Harry held out his hand expectantly. Luna looked ashamedly at the ground in front of her, pulling his wand out of her pocket and placing it in his outstretched hand. "I'll leave this for later."
"We really need to go." She quickly changed the subject.
"Luna, the last time something like this happened the house was burned down." Harry tried to meet the girl's eyes, but she seemed intent on the clouds of mist that rouse when she exhaled. "I can solve this, I just need to stay. Besides, you wouldn't have to worry if they hadn't taken me off the case in the first place."
"But that might be a good thing." Her eyes lit up and she reached to pull him up again. "You need some time off."
"So I've been told." He grunted as she pulled him up to his feet again.
"It's almost Christmas. You could get away, maybe stay in Hogsmeade for a while." He really could use a break.
"The house?"
"Don't worry, I'm sure there are others on this case."
"Alright, I think I like that idea." Luna jumped up and down, giggling frantically. "If you came with me."
"Wait . . . What?" She stopped suddenly, eyes wide. "Oh Harry, I don't think I can."
"Well then I'm not going anywhere." He made to sit down again, but Luna grabbed his hand. He could have sworn he saw fear in her eyes.
"Fine, I'll see what I can do."
-;-
"Brayden, I need you to do me a favor." Harry stood in his office, gathering last minute supplies to take with him to Hogsmeade. He looked very out of place clad in his long winter coat and earmuffs.
"How can you possibly ask me for more?" Brayden looked half-dead, sunken down in his chair, surrounded by paperwork. Imagine that, he actually did have work to do.
"Easily. I need you to investigate Luna's apartment while we're in Hogsmeade." Brayden shot straight out of his chair, an incredulous expression on his face.
"Hold it, you're taking her to Hogsmeade?" Harry could have throttled him.
"The favor, Brayden."
"I can, for a fee of course." Thank Heaven there was a proper supply of paperweights in the office.
-;-
"Thank you so much, Johnathon, you have no idea how much I appreciate this." Luna hugged her best friend, a fellow researcher in the Department of Mysteries. She ruffled his jet-black hair playfully before turning to continue packing.
"Do you want me to remove the body before I set it on fire?" John had a dull, monotonous voice, untrue to his character.
"You'll find it's already been removed." He nodded at her, smiling sadly. He didn't approve of his 'little girl' going anywhere more than five miles from the Department. "Oh, and one more thing. Can you just check on my apartment every once in a while?"
"Sure thing, your majesty." She punched him on the shoulder lightly before glancing at the clock.
-;-
10:00 p.m. sharp.
Luna snapped into place beside Harry Potter, beaming from ear to ear. They were riding a train from platform nine and fifteen sixteenths to Hogsmeade, tired of apparating so much. Harry linked his arm with hers, a smile not so sincere gracing his lips.
This should be fun.
A/N- Well. . .that took a while. And there were so many inconsistencies that I tried to clean up.
Anywho, Merry Early Christmas, because there isn't going to be an update any closer XD