The first thing we did on the Train ride home was find Fred and George Weasley. "Okay so I have a contract written up. I can't own a business, but my father can until I am of majority so the charter for our company will be in his name. We'll need a name and we'll need somewhere to build and we have four hundred galleons left to work with."
"Actually Harry gave us his winnings to start a business so make that nine hundred and he's a partner." They said in a back and forth.
"Excellent we'll give him a share. Now you two want to run a Joke shop and I want to make some other items, but I think we can compromise right?"
The two nodded and we put down a blueprint. On paper it looked a lot like a small pair of muggle jet engines and basically it was. I hadn't spent parts of this year examining muggle science and physics for nothing and the plans for the older versions of jet engines were more than available enough. The only change for this engine would be its fuel source. Instead of filling the engines with gas I had marked up a set of runes that would apparate the air around the engines into the fuel compartment. Once inside the fuel compartment the air would be transfigured into pure liquid hydrogen and then it would be sent through the engine.
The twins stared at the blueprints and George spoke, "What is it for?"
We smirked and said, "Brooms. Strap a pair of these onto the back of any broomstick and it can potentially break the sound barrier."
"The sound what?" one said, "Barrier, Fred barrier I think she means it could go as fast as you hear me speaking," Said the other who was actually Fred anyway.
"The potential does exist and just imagine we could advertise that even a Cleansweep could outpace a Firebolt with one of these babies." We grinned and then began discussing the particulars of the design and were only pried from the discussion by Hermione.
"Luna? We were looking for you."
A wave to the twins and we were back in with most of our current friends excepting Fluer who was already in France. I suppose I was finally getting used to Ron and Ginny because I no longer wanted to watch them slowly die in horrifying ways plus they were related to Fred and George so that gave them points in my book.
"What will you be doing this summer Luna?" Ginny asked.
We smiled, "Visiting Fluer in France since she invited me. Her family has a villa on the beach and it sounds quite lovely. Plus she has a rather gigantic library too."
"Now I'm jealous!" We laughed at Hermione.
"What about you Hermione?"
"My family wants to visit Australia so we'll be there for a week or two. I don't know what makes them so interested in the place." I didn't know that was for sure. There was nothing about Mr. and Mrs. Granger that suggested they belonged in Australia.
Harry spoke up next, "I'll get to stay in the Black Manor at the end of summer. They are doing something to make it better protected and I can invite you all to stay the last week before school if you want."
There was a chorus of agreement at that then the general pleasantness of socializing with people. Well mostly pleasant since there were still moments when I wished I could remove Ron from the gene pool.
Once we were home Luna and I spent a good deal of time working at the Quibbler in the beginning of the summer. We wrote and published articles against the Daily Prophet, but I doubt many people believed them. I can't blame them all that much. We were writing about the return of something horrifying and the Prophet was saying it wasn't true. Pleasing lies were easier than harsh truths, but even so our sales were higher.
We wrote the articles even when we were spending time in France. The Delacour family house was simply gorgeous and the ocean was lovely. Fluer was just as pretty in her swim suit as we imagined and her mother Appolline was rather easy to watch as well. "What are you writing there Luna?"
We smiled at Fluer standing over us as we sat in the beach chair. She was as lovely a sight as one might imagine, but she was just our friend and that was fine. "Just another article for the Quibbler pointing out a number of incidences of muggle baiting that seems to have gone unremarked in other news outlets."
"How do you know about them?" She sat on the sand next to our chair.
"The French Ministry keeps in contact with the British and they were nice enough to send me information on what was happening in Britain. I was surprised, but they said it was something they were doing for the The Paris Magical."
The Paris Magical was the French wizarding equivalent of the Daily Prophet, although I would suggest they might be less biased. Few people in wizarding Britain received the Paris Magical because it was written in French so even though it generally agreed with our reporting in the Quibbler it wasn't much of a boost. Fluer stared for a while; I wonder what she was thinking? "Is this what you will do when you graduate?"
We shrugged rather unsure of our course in life now. "I don't know it is something I enjoy doing and readership has gone up at the Quibbler since I started. Then again I also have a business with Fred and George Weasley in the making. We're designing new magical items for people to buy. Then again, I could consider a career as an Auror. That last is a low priority though because I'm not sure I could really serve under a stupid boss."
We shrugged and added, "I'll be in fifth year next year now that I'm ahead a year so just three more until I'm your age and graduated. Maybe I'll have a better idea by then or maybe I'll do both and more."
She shook her head a bit sadly, "You know I'm taking the summer off, but I do not know what I want to do either. Maybe work somewhere there aren't besotted men. Not many can get past the allure you know?"
We shook our head, "I don't know what to say Fluer. I was in Love with Hermione you know and now we're just friends. I don't even know if there is any other witch in the world like me."
Her hand moves to our face and brushes blonde hair aside then catching a tear. She stands and takes our hand, "Come we will go swim in the ocean. The troubles will be washed away and your article can wait yes?"
"Yes." We played for hours in the surf with Fluer and Ginny chasing about and swimming in the waves. It was almost like a brief moment of pure bliss without any concerns or needs. It was just fun with the elder and younger Delacour daughters and nothing else. We finished up in sandcastle building competition, but Luna and I were disqualified for illegal use of transfiguration.
"I still say we should have won."
Gabrielle shook her head, "No way, you totally transfigured that Dragon and your top three levels."
"No one would have noticed . . ."
There was a snort of laughter, "That dragon of yours was so real he might have slithered off the beach and flew away."
"Hmph that was the point wasn't it?" and we peered at Fluer and Gabrielle attempting to go for angrily, but ending up more with a pout. The two fell into giggles just as we arrived at their house for dinner. I still say we should have won ours was the most realistic even if any muggle would have been scared witless upon seeing it.
After we got changed Dinner was served. That first meal was simply lovely with some of the finest French food I have ever tasted. Fleur's father was speaking, "You still haven't found anything to do Fluer. Why?"
She shrugged, "Everything seems so much less important now. After knowing what Luna has seen how can we all sit and do nothing? It is a British problem they say, but that is such folly. If their Dark Lord wins then he will be a problem for everyone."
He sighs and looks at us, "What about you miss Lovegood. How do you feel about the subject?"
"He has to be stopped. There's no other option, I saw him and there is no doubt in my mind that he is a true monster." What does that say about me? Too much I suppose. He is a monster and we will fight him using every advantage I can. Unlike Dumbledore though we will get directly involved no hiding behind young children.
Dinner ended and we went to the guest room. It could be wondered why I was here in France and not chasing after the sick creature, but the answer was simple. I didn't know where to find him or where to find the other parts of him. Luna and I needed a break too, some time away from the situation.
Another day we went shopping in Magical Paris and Muggle Paris. Fluer kept dragging us into shops and trying to get us into trying on different dresses and pretty robes. We humored her, "This outfit would have any wizard or ahm witch looking at you Luna."
We looked at ourselves in the mirror and Fluer took off our radish earrings, then she held up two silver hoops and gently put them into our ears. We tried to ignore the feelings and Fluer probably didn't even realize what she was doing. "I don't know these earrings aren't my usual and this dress is a bit short at the bottom here plus the top is very low. Won't I be cold?"
"You are and will be gorgeous Luna." She said it like she meant it.
"I can't buy it, but thanks for the time Fluer, now let me just put my other clothes back on." We went into the changing room and since we were in Muggle Paris we put on jeans and a blouse then came back out.
After that there was some more shopping and a visit to a bookstore. That took up the rest of our time as Fluer and I each found books and ended up sitting in comfortable chairs and reading until we had to go back to the Delacour home.
That night Fluer and we spent time studying Chinese under the stars. The book was in Chinese and about astronomy so we worked on translating it and examining the stars above. The astronomy subject in and of itself wasn't difficult, but the translation was. Somewhere in that night we stopped aching as much for Hermione. Oh we would always love her as a friend, but the heart ache diminished.
Luna and I also spent time practicing our fighting techniques with Fluer. The French witch was decent, but not near our level. Even so we thought it might be good for Fluer to learn as well. "You need to dodge more Fluer. The shield charm you have there is barely enough for stunners."
We tossed another stunner at her and she dodged it. She tried to fire one back, but we had moved and she was wrapped in vines. "Oof!"
Down she went and, "You need to see all the spells happening too."
She began disentangling herself. "You had your shield out, dodged, shot a stunner, and transfigured dirt into vines. That was three spells at once Luna I just wasn't expecting it."
We nodded, "I know we have been only using two before, but you need to be prepared for three or even four at once. Some wizards and witches can do that."
She had disentangled herself and moved close to us. "How many other than you?"
"Dumbledore and Voldemort at the least and who knows maybe others can too." She might be right not many other people could cast so many spells at once or silently.
She was very close at that point and we looked at her wondering just what that was when she tackled us and we were pinned on the ground. Her wand pointed at us threateningly. "You never said practice was over Luna."
Her thigh was between our legs and ours between hers. She was very close and so soft her breasts were pressing against our own even as we warmed right where her thigh was pressing. "I didn't, but can you please get up? You're a girl and well it's hard not to notice right now . . ." We blushed.
She rolled off. "Oh right, sorry Luna."
"It's okay, just well I don't want to give myself the wrong idea. We're friends and that's where it stays okay?" Where it needed to stay. Let's not make another mistake like we did with Hermione. We don't want to fall in love with a witch who can't return our affections.
We got up and brushed ourselves off. Fluer did too and said, "How did you know?"
"Part of it was because I kept looking at the other girls in the showers. So, I started showering alone. I knew right then that I was probably different. Well more different than I already was." That's as close to the truth as we want to get here. "What about you? How did you know?"
She shrugged, "Some of the boys are cute when they aren't drooling I guess. I don't know really I am a Quarter Veela and mama says all Veela love men."
"Come on we've been practicing for a while, maybe Appoline has some Beignets?"
She nodded, "Yes her and Gabrielle were supposed to have started the dough earlier. I expect they may be done by now." We were off for the delicious pastries after that.
Not to say that we didn't spend time on this trip trying to discover more about Voldemort. The problem was that nothing in France itself pointed to him. The closest we came was a branch of the Malfoy family in France who apparently never talked to their backward relatives in Britain. I hesitated to tell them just what those same relatives probably thought of them.
Another day was spent with Appoline and the other two girls in her magical kitchen learning the ins and outs of making cookies and pies along with crepes. It was a day filled with batter, flour, and wonderful tasting food. It would have been entirely forgettable until at some point Fluer winced and Appoline cast a quick spell that seemed to relieve Fluer. "What was that spell?"
"It's a charm for cramps; it makes the muscles loosen up." The elder witch said.
"Can you teach it to me?" Yes I know Luna and I don't get bad cramps, but a spell is a spell right? New knowledge is always fascinating. The lesson wasn't all that long and we had it down.
The rest of our stay that week was much the same a dose of slow casual ease and moments of seeing what it was like to be part of a happy loving family. To see how the Delacour family was together was to experience a new and different type of love. I realized then that I had seen the same thing in the Granger household and the Weasley household. It was like friendship except magnified, like what I had been feeling for Hermione and yet not exactly.
There was no codifying it, no understanding it. There were so many forms of it that it could leave you stunned. How could a simple word like "love" have so much meaning and power? I wasn't sure, but I did understood exactly what it was that would make Harry's mother perform a blood ritual that would take her own life just to save her son.
It was humbling and yet at the same time it was lonely. That is because no matter what happened Luna and I would never have the same thing. Sure we might have friends and who knew maybe someday we might find a witch to be with, but I didn't see how we could ever be part of a family. It was that thought in our mind as we were leaving the Delacour house when Fluer said, "Where will you be going now Luna?"
"Albania actually, I wanted to do some research on Voldemort and a lot of what I have leads to the forests there." We were about to continue on our way out.
She took our arm and said, "Wait are you going alone?"
That was the plan it was only a week into summer break and we were out on our own. As long as we sent owl mail and returned for our Vacation with him then Xenophilius wouldn't mind. "I was thinking about it."
"Merde! I will not allow you to go on your own." She looked a bit angry there maybe some flames in her eyes. It must be the Veela heritage.
Still we didn't want to upset her she was, after all, a new friend of ours and I personally found her to be much more pleasing than most. Not too much of course, but she was decent enough. "I really didn't want to drag anyone else with me."
"You will not be dragging as I have already volunteered. Stay here and I will pack then we will go. I suspect you haven't even brought decent rations." She stormed into her house and we waited.
That's how we ended up taking time to visit Albania with Fluer by our side. It was a good thing too because we found a nest of Vampires. "Witch you think to disturb what Voldemort has started. You are wrong and we will destroy you!"
Well at least I knew he'd been here. We began casting on the fly, but the creatures seemed to multiply even as we killed them. Fluer was at our back and we were surrounded, there was only one thing for it. We cast the spell and Fiendfyre blasted out from our wand incinerating the vampires. It was hungry and wanted to feed, but we knew it well. Concentration and willpower made the fire ours. A small voice spoke from behind us, "Luna! What did you do?"
We called the fire back even though it wanted to race out and destroy more. We called it back and looked at the destruction it had wreaked. Nothing was left except a smoldering wreck and even some melted stones, "I was destroying them."
"That is a dark spell though." She looked concerned.
"I don't accept that designation. It is a spell and it is useful. As long as the caster has enough will power and control to keep it tamed there should not be any problem." There was the crux of the issue right there I expect. How many other wizards really had the kind of control and will power that Luna and I together could put in play?
"Well I won't be trying it. I'd rather you didn't either Luna. If it got free and killed you I would lose my friend." She put a hand on our back and rubbed. "I don't have so many that I can afford to lose one you know."
"I'll be fine Fluer. I know my limits." Mostly, except when you fight twenty adult wizards to save a single teenage boy. Well we didn't use the spell then now did we? Maybe it was an oversight or maybe we didn't trust Harry Potter with the information about our ability to cast dark spells?
"If it was anyone else Luna I would be more worried. You are truly something else, like a witch from fairy tales. Maybe one day people will speak about you like we do Merlin or Morgana." She stopped rubbing our back and took our hand. "Come, I do not think we will find anything else about your Voldemort here."
She was right and any other traces of the creature were wiped away. We looked elsewhere though and luck was with us when we found an Albanian wizard who spoke of a spirit that used to haunt the woods. "It was half living, feral even and yet with a deep cunning."
Fluer stood behind us as we spoke her wand pointed at that same forest. "What happened to it?"
"A wizard from Britain came and when he left he said he had destroyed it. We never saw it again so I think he must have done that." The old wizard looked out at the forest where Fluer was staring.
"Did that man come sometime around nineteen ninety one and nineteen ninety two?" We asked him.
He nodded, "Yes that would be right miss. Do you need more for your article?"
"Just one more question. When did you first get an idea that the spirit creature was here?" We pointed towards the woods.
"Sometime in the early nineteen eighties I think. Sorry, but I can't give you an exact date though." He shook his head and rubbed a temple.
We smiled at him nicely, "Thank you sir. I think I have what I need you were a great help."
We ventured into that forest soon after. Fluer spoke up saying, "What are we looking for Luna?"
Good question just what could have sustained the creature here for so long? "I'm not sure, something that could sustain a spirit. We need something that would give it life while it was here and then not be so useful when someone was possessed by that spirit."
"How do you know all this Luna?" Fluer stayed close to us as if trying to keep us safe. It was somewhat funny since in all likelihood Luna and I would be keeping her safe if bad magic went down. Still the gesture was appreciated from our new friend.
"I talked with Harry and I've been in Hogwarts for three years now. Voldemort has been active ever since Quirrell returned in ninety two. His spirit has been looking for this chance for some time now. In fact I'm betting that after Harry defeated Quirrel that snake knew he had to use Harry's blood to remove the protection given by Harry's mother."
Even as we said that I realized that Fluer was the only person we had told any of this. Maybe her distance from Dumbledore helped or maybe something else. Either way it was nice to have another friend and this time we wouldn't be silly enough to fall in love. "You've really studied him Luna, why?"
"I was possessed by his Diary sort of in my first year the sixteen year old version of him at least. Everyone else thought it was evil, but I didn't he was my first friend." Nothing new said here, just a new person.
She looked at us and said, "I didn't have many friends either growing up. Was he really different at sixteen?"
We shrugged, "Somewhat, I think being in my head changed him. He stopped wanting to kill and well he went back into the diary. Everything would have been fine if I hadn't kept trying to write him and talk to my friend."
She put an arm around us as we spoke, "He went a bit crazy because part of him stayed in me and part in the diary because I wrote in it. That's why he released the Basilisk and why he tried to take Harry Potter's body. But, in the end when Harry was there stunned at his feet he couldn't do it."
She stared at us looking in our eyes, "Harry woke up and he taunted him into stabbing the diary. That was the end of it, but since then I've learned more about him and about Voldemort. I think the sixteen year old he was would have hated what he became. He would have wanted me to stop him."
She rubbed our back, "You believe that don't you Luna?"
"With all my heart Fleur and with all of my soul that's why I'm out here doing this. That's part of why I learned so much about him. I'm going to stop him." We walked into the forest now more determined than before.
"Why pick me to come with you?" Good question, the answer was easy though.
"You're the most skilled and powerful of all my friends. Also, you're the one who picked me remember. I was planning on going alone." We smirked at her there since she had in fact picked us and decided to interject herself not the other way around.
"Yes well I couldn't have the Tri-Wizard champion dead from Vampires could I? The brightest Arithmancer going out on her own, it was a crime. Maybe not as bad a crime as the things you intended to bring as rations though!" She gave a dig at our side.
"Yeah well I didn't exactly want to ask for your mother's fine cuisine to go. Not that I'm not glad you did though. It is soo much better." We smiled just thinking about the ready meals we had from Appoline Delacour.
"You are no fun to tease about English cuisine being horrible." We laughed at that.
That was when we found it. What we had stumbled into was an area of the forest that was simply black sand with a bright sky above. In the center of the circle I saw the rune pattern we moved carefully towards it. "There are runes written on granite that peeks out of the ground. Hold your position I'm going to check it out."
"Yes." She stayed and kept an eye out as we walked into the circle. Maybe this ground had once been regular dirt, but it was now dry gritty sand changed by the energy of the runes. We examined them close and saw that there were the remains of blood spilled over them. As for the actual ritual it was a simple exchange murder of one sentient creature for life to a spirit.
"He killed people here, murdered them one after the next each month." We knelt down on the ground taking in the enormity of what had been done month after month from the nineteen eighties right up until the nineteen nineties. More than one hundred and twenty people died so he could stay as some spirit fragment.
Fleur levitated an item at the edge of the clearing. "This looks like it was a hand held mirror."
We moved to her and looked at it. It was indeed an old sort of mirror and inside was communication runes a bit similar to those used in Floo creation. "Maybe it's a communication mirror?"
Fluer nodded, "Hmm you might be right. It has similar runes to a Floo connection except it also has an Arithmantic numerical assignment. Maybe that's how they connect two mirrors one to the other?"
"Maybe so, let me take a few pictures and then I think we're done here." I took magical pictures of the center runes and the mirror, and then we were on our way. One portkey later and we were at the Delacour house. We took a long shower and slept in the guest bed.
That night we had a dream. I was walking down a street and I find a door with some wards on it, but they are easy wards. These are simple for someone with my skill and power. I pull them apart and walk into the house. An old witch looks up with surprise and I stun her. I move close and pull out my dagger with slow precision I carve out the word MUDBLOOD into her chest. She is dead by the time I reach her navel and finish the 'D'. Rich red blood covers my hands and I laugh.
I scream and Luna is with me. We trip out of the bed wrestling the covers and fall to the floor. We get free and there is blood all over us. We are covered with it, every part of us is red with the ichor and we run to the shower. We rip our clothes off and soap ourselves down slowly the blood washes off of us, but not from our hands.
There is a knock at the door, "Luna! Are you okay Luna?"
"Fine, I'm okay." Merlin why won't the blood wash off our hands? It's not going away why?
We scrub and scrub our hands, but it won't go away. We're sobbing now under the shower. "Luna, it's been half an hour we are worried. I'm coming in unless you say no."
What can we say? It's too hard to even talk and the blood won't wash away. The door opens and Fluer comes into the room. She walks to us and turns the shower off; gently she puts a towel on our back and says, "Luna are you okay?"
"My hands, look at the blood . . ." We show her our bloody hands and she takes them in her own.
She holds them gently and says, "They are not bleeding, just a bit red from scrubbing so hard. See? Look I swear."
She shows them to us and slowly we realize she's right. There is no blood on them there was never any blood on us at all. It was all a reaction to the dream . . . we look at her as she says, "What happened Luna?"
There is a connection a horrible connection between me and him. Of course how could it be otherwise we are part and parcel of the same soul? Can we even say that to Fluer? What can we say now as she uses a drying charm wraps us in a fluffy robe and holds us? "It was him, I saw through Voldemort's eyes. I saw what he was doing every moment of it."
"How? How can that be Luna?" She is confused.
"The diary it's part and parcel of the same thing. I had a piece of him in me and I am still connected to him. Please don't tell anyone." How many things can I say that are true and yet aren't quite fully true before I get to the real truth? I don't know, but I'm not ready to tell it to her quite yet.
"Stay, stay just one more night." No, that's a bad idea especially now when we are this vulnerable. We don't want to open our heart and get burned again.
We shake our head, "Thanks Fluer, but I'll be all right. Just need some more occlumency and I'll be fine."
"You are the bravest, strongest, strangest and most stubborn witch I have ever known."
"Thanks" We stood up and headed to the guest room. There we put on our clothes.
Fleur stood outside all the while requesting that we stay while we declined. We exited the room and said, "How about a compromise. We'll stay the rest of the day and then go this evening? We can do what you like in between."
What Fluer liked ended up being the beach again. This time it was just the two of us body surfing and running about. Then talking about our lives and what had been in our past. Then as the sun set over the ocean we said goodbye.
It was a bit sad to leave Fluer, but we had to go back to Britain and it was probably best to go now before we became infatuated. We would keep in touch and we certainly wouldn't forget our parting hug and a kiss on both cheeks. That was pretty useful for casting our Patronus too bad we ended up with a rabbit.
Better than a snake I suppose, although a mongoose would have been pretty awesome on that score. Still, rabbit is what we had to work with and so, the next Dementor we saw would get a rabbit to the face. This is where I suggest mongoose or even starving half crazed weasel might be a more powerful image. Really Luna a Rabbit, what are we on some silly television cartoon in Japan? Don't blame me on that one Hermione watched it and we'd seen an episode or so when we were visiting her last year.
Despite my displeasure with our rabbit we continued to get it with our Patronus spell and I just decided to name him Murder Bunny 2000. That way if anyone ever saw him we could say, "Oh that was just Murder Bunny 2000" Let's see them laugh when he comes back with a Dementor finger in his cute fluffy mouth.
The first thing Luna and I did after our Patronus work was some research on the mirror we had found in Albania. We couldn't find out if Quirrell had gotten it or had been given it by someone though. So we left that bit vague and wrote up an article on the spirit that we thought was Voldemort and just where he had been since Harry Potter had defeated him.
Summer break was, in its own way, more boring that the school year. Especially when we were home alone and let's be honest it was very frustrating to know Voldemort was out there on the loose, but to be unable to find him and confront him. Well maybe find him and shoot a killing curse in the back, we don't need to be fair here do we?
That was the other problem in that any confrontation we might have would include his goons. Some of the same people I had been recruiting at sixteen, plus others. The list of names wasn't all that hard to figure out, everyone who had claimed to be under the Imperious curse and who was also pure blood and wealthy was basically guaranteed to be a Deatheater. Of course we couldn't just look each of them up and kill them now could we?
No, seriously that's actually a bad idea. That way leads directly to Azkaban and a Dementor's kiss. I might be intelligent, but not enough to go on a murder spree of all the wealthiest witches and wizards in Britain. Not to mention all of their wards and such. Best leave plans that foolish to my crazy self of the past.
We missed out on a visit to the Grangers since they were in Australia, but as discussed on the train from Hogwarts we were invited to the Black manor. Harry was living there for a short time this summer instead of at his Aunt and Uncle's house and Hermione was visiting as well. I had the distinct impression that Harry didn't like the Aunt and Uncle all that much and Hermione mentioned that they were horrid to Harry.
We actually took time out to ask Harry about them. After Harry explained or more appropriately after he hemmed and hawed about them and acted rather cagey when even attempting to say even one kind thing about his circumstances we said the first thing on our mind, "Do they hit you Harry?"
He shook his head, "Oh no, well my cousin did until last year when I saved him from a Dementor. They even gave me my own room and not just the cupboard . . ."
He stopped himself there. "You had to stay in a cupboard?"
"It, I mean they aren't well evil like Voldemort you know. They just don't like wizards and all." He had a hard time getting that out.
They hate wizards and kept him in a cupboard. Did I hear the screams of "Freak!" coming back to me from the Orphanage? Oh yes I did, I remembered them all too well until I had silenced them with my power. I had them cowed after that and I hated them all so very much. Right this moment I hated Harry's Aunt and Uncle just the same. Apparently even friendship can make someone willing to sacrifice themselves on other's behalf. We clenched our fists tight and all we could say to Harry was, "Oh . . ."
Luna didn't quite agree with me on the idea of killing his relatives right there. In fact she reminded me about the many muggles we'd seen out in London and Paris who weren't just like those relatives. She reminded me that Draco Malfoy and Voldemort were just as bad in the other direction. In the meantime Harry and we sat in silence. Finally he stood up and said, "I should go now."
We looked at him and said, "Harry if you ever need to talk about it with anyone I'm here. I know you might not believe me, but I understand and won't tell anyone."
He smiled and said, "Thanks Luna!"
Then he was gone and we doubted he ever would talk to us about it, but we understood that as well. The only thing we didn't understand was why he didn't hate muggles the same way I had/did. Be honest with yourself Thom it's hard to let go of that hate. You want to hate them, but you can't hate them all. Maybe just some of them?
A number of adults were about the manor and involved in hushed conversations. I quite expect that they were discussing what they were going to do about Voldemort, but those of us under seventeen were not admitted.
Hermione and I shared a room with Ginny and it was mostly enjoyable even if Ginny did tend to go on about Harry and Quidditch. Hermione and I could discuss school work and the nature of magic. It was very nice except that I had trouble sleeping. One night we sent a letter to Fluer.
August 14, 1995
Dear Fluer,
Summer is almost over now and I'll be starting a new year. I doubt it will be as bad as last year, but then again can it really be any worse? What could possibly be worse than having to save my friend from a madman in a graveyard?
I've been mostly writing articles for The Quibbler, but I have also had some progress in the business Fred and George are planning with us. We have a name now the Lovegood Weasley Wizarding Gizmos. Not exactly the best name I guess, but I entirely forbid any mention of Wheezes so that was our compromise.
Currently I'm staying in the Black Manor in a room with Hermione and Ginny together. Harry and Ron are also here and so are a number of other adults. There have been a few whispers about The Order of the Phoenix. That was a vigilante group under Dumbledore that originally fought against Voldemort. No one is actually saying anything to me though.
I've been having some trouble sleeping though. In some ways it's probably because I'm not entirely over Hermione. How do you really just get over that sort of thing anyway? It's not like she's gone from my life. She's always there and now she's just across the room sleeping in the other bed. A few steps away and yet a thousand miles apart? I so very much miss the calm and pleasant vacation I had in France.
Your friend,
Luna
We finished our letter and sent it along via owl. Soon after that we found ourselves being carried by Fred and George Weasley outside. I decided not to use any spells on them since they seemed terribly excited and Luna pointed out that we were now technically their friend and business partner so they probably weren't planning on something horrible. Luna was right of course they had finished a sample of my broomstick rocket pack and wanted to show it to me. "Right show her the problem George."
Fred nodded and held out a broom with our rocket pack on it. "Okay so I'm going to hit the engine start now."
He hit the button and the broom rocketed into the air there was a sudden explosion of sound and the broom fell apart in splinters. The engine kept going though up and up until we couldn't see it anymore. One of the boys hit a button on a control pad and a small puff of smoke appeared way up high in the sky. "First one did the same thing and kept going, who knows where it is now."
I looked at George, who had spoken, and said, "Well without any atmosphere to apparate into the engine it will run out of fuel at some point. However an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless an outside force acts on it, so it is likely on its way out of the solar system."
"Crikey! Good thing we installed a remote detonator on this one. You see the problem though?" I think they said that at the same time since we heard it in stereo.
"Yes, the broom is shattering when it hits the sound barrier. I suppose we'll have to design some sort of throttle device for the jet pack." We thought about that for a short period even as we spoke our thoughts aloud, "I seem to have entirely forgotten that the broom's braking magic would not be nearly enough to stop the power of the jet pack. We'll need to add some sort of throttle control and did you actually make a remote control broom to test my jet pack?"
The twins nodded and we chuckled, "I guess that can be another product we sell yes?"
The three of us spent a good deal of time after that working on the rocket pack design out in the yard. Luckily I had the original specs for the jet engine on hand and we went through those as well figuring out what each part did and then figuring out how to make a throttle control that would be easy for a flyer on the broom to use. Hermione came out with some sandwiches and corn juice she looked on for a while and then said, "Where did you get the time to study jet engines?"
The boys pointed at me, "When she sent us the design for the jet pack."
"Last year in school around everything else, but mostly I just purchased a book with the design and modified it for my jet packs. I gave that to Fred and George here and they made one. We're working on actually understanding the design of the jet engine right now though. It may take some time before we figure out how to make a throttle though." Hermione looked at us and shook her head.
"Well remember that you're wandering dangerously into misuse of muggle artifacts will you?" She was right and apparently not interested in getting in trouble for breaking that rule since she left soon after. On the other hand I don't think she told anyone, so that was nice.
Dinner time came around and the three of us made a few finishing touches on the design and Fred and George promised that they would work on a new prototype when they got home.
After dinner we received a letter from Fluer:
August 15, 1995
Dear Luna,
I have heard of The Order you speak about and have started helping them out here in France. I've also found a part time job, but I can't say too much about that yet.
I am happy to hear that your business venture has a name now although LWWG may not be the best acronym in the world. Maybe no one will use it?
I feel bad that you are having such troubles with your sleep. I hope you have been continuing your Occulemency to keep bad dreams away. I'm sure you have been, but I worry about you because you are my friend. We are allowed to worry like that you know.
I miss you as well. It was nice having someone stay here. Gabrielle also says that I must tell you to come back soon and play with her more. I have told her that I will invite you over for the Yule holiday. Will you come?
Your friend,
Fluer
We weren't quite sure what to write at the time and the adults were talking with each other. The Order of the Phoenix meeting was in session I supposed. Why the actual government and auror force couldn't get off their arse and do the job was easy enough to explain. Minister Fudge wasn't going to do anything at all. There was yet another person who could do with a killing curse to the back in a dark alley. I wondered if I should start making a list, but decided that having the list would make it much too tempting to start crossing names off of it. So, I reminded myself, yet again, that Azkaban has horrible room service.
In any case we weren't terribly interested in what the adults were doing unlike the other young people in the room with us who were trying to listen to the floor. I think we weren't as interested because we didn't want to be tempted into giving the adults information. Especially since that information would incriminate us. I was enjoying this second chance at life and neither I, nor Luna wished it to end. So, instead of trying to eavesdrop and not quite ready to write our letter we wandered around the house and there it was.
The sick twisting disgust in the pit of our stomach and we've vomited again. Clean up the mess and head towards the feeling, there it is in this wall. An elf is attacking us now and ow! He bites. Stunning spell and a miss, another bite on our shin and we're thrown across a hall. Stunning spell and a hit! Body bind and another stunner just for good measure then we head back to the location.
We find a nest full of junk most likely bits and pieces of things that the elf wanted to keep, but inside the nest and along with the junk is a Locket! What do you know R.A.B was related to Sirius Black? If I had been sure of that before I would certainly have searched this house sooner.
In any case now is the time for the killing curse, no wait. Too many people about, damn oh well we'll just bring it home with us tomorrow and do the job there. For a moment we are briefly tempted to bring it to the older wizards, but seriously everyone knows adults are useless. Oh wait we have a tied up elf here. Big sigh and wouldn't any wizard or witch who was interested love to see that sigh? I bet they would have.
We knock on the door where the adults are discussing things. There is a sudden hush of voices, then the movement of chairs, and finally Professor McGonagall answers the knock by opening the door. She looks at us before her and speaks, "Oh Luna, this really isn't a discussion for you dear."
We nod, "I know ma'am, but the elf here attacked me. I was cleaning up in one of the rooms because I couldn't sleep and he attacked me."
"What on earth for?" She seems rather surprised.
We shrugged, "I really couldn't say. I stunned him and left him in a body bind. Sorry Mister Black!"
Said man sees us peering in at him and replies back, "Kreacher, no harm done Luna. He's something of a wild sort. Go ahead and bind him up if you need to."
McGonagall takes our hand, "I'll just get her back to bed. I think it may be not the best thing to be wandering about in this old house alone Luna dear."
Hermione and Ginny are in their beds pretending to sleep when I get up there. The professor closes the door behind us. So we've successfully found another Horcrux and are even now holing it on our person. We put it in a bag, then another bag, then our trunk. Even as we're doing that we know we'll end up having to explain ourselves to Hermione and Ginny.
I still feel nauseous even with three layers of distance between it and us. Hermione comes over and says, "What's going on Luna? Did you put something in your trunk?"
Stupid elf, why did it have to be here and why did I feel the dammed need to let the adults know about me binding it up? Why, because they would have found him in the morning and asked questions that's why. Right and we couldn't have used the floo and gone home with the item then destroy it and after that come back? Oh you stupid IDIOT!
Well it's too late now, "I'm feeling nauseous I was just," think quick and "putting away my hygiene products."
Ginny looks and says, "Oh I guess your cramps make you nauseous sometimes too."
We nod, "I just need to take a potion for them and it will be all right." This is not the time to mention Appoline's cramp relieving charm of that I am entirely sure.
I feel wretched for lying to Hermione like this, but it had to be done. The last thing I want is for her to get involved with Voldemort. Well second to last maybe, since the very last thing I want her to ever know is that I'm here in Luna's head. In any case is she were to get too involved with Voldemort he would just kill her or send goons to kill her in moments unlike Dumbledore who crafts complex plots that just happen to include her death.
Were we any different there? We were perfectly fine with putting Fluer in danger is it because she's older than Hermione? Yes I think so and more powerful as well if not quite as brilliant. Besides, Fluer was only our friend and Hermione well there was still that small ache. Unfair to her I suppose, but that's just the way it was. Neither Luna, nor I were willing to directly put Hermione in danger while we were okay with putting Fluer in danger. Maybe we should tell her to stop in our next letter? That's a good plan.
Just as soon as we stop feeling the need to dry heave we'll get right to it. We take our anti-nausea potion and lay down on the bed. That's zero help though and oh hell it feels so horrible there's no way sleep is going to come though because that vile thing just radiates its oozing sickness all over. How can they not feel it? It is like some horrible cancer, it pulses with malignancy, waiting to eat my very flesh. The night is slow and it hurts so much. It's beyond horrible and yet it is a part of me oh Merlin! It's some part of me and I swear I can feel it trying to rejoin me. I feel its fangs digging into my very skull.
Somehow our eyes close and then we are somewhere else. I am walking into a small muggle house it is late night and no one is awake. I creep into each room and stun the occupants then bring them into their living room. There is a middle aged man with greying hair and the barest hint of bristles on his cheeks. With him is a middle aged woman with wide hips and a slightly sagging belly. The two are placed so that they are seated on the couch and two young children are placed on the floor. The boy is perhaps eight and the girl is eleven.
What happens next is horrifying. I wake them all then kill the children one at a time. The girl I literally rip apart with magic tearing her arms, legs, and head off then rip the rest of her to bloody bits of flesh. All the while the family is screaming at me. They beg me to stop even as I transfigure a pebble into a giant boulder and slowly roll it over the boy. There is a horrible squishing sound and the middle aged woman faints.
I wake her up and slowly break each bone in the woman's body she screams with each break and I have to wake her from unconsciousness a few times, but she lives through the process. The pain must be agonizing for her, but I'm not done yet. I use my magic and flay her alive.
When the woman is finally dead the man begs and pleads for me to kill him and I slowly dig my hand into his chest and pull out his beating heart, but he's still alive. I leave him that way alive and staring at his heart beating outside his chest. Alive to stare at the horrible wreckage I have made of him and his family.
I walk out of the house blood all over me and I cast a spell. Above the house appears a giant skull with a snake in it. I smile at it and giggle a bit because the wizards who clean the scene up will have to kill the muggle man themselves. I wonder how much it will horrify them and I laugh with delight.
We wake with the blood still dripping down our hands. Somehow we cast a silent silencing spell before we scream. Think carefully now there's no blood it was the dream and it was him. Not me not really me, I wouldn't ever certainly not and enjoy it . . . no . . . no . . .
The sick twisted thing in my bags whispers softly that I would enjoy it. That if I just let it in I could feel how much fun it will be and I am done with this thing now. We get up and grab our bag no one is even awake yet because it is barely four in the morning.
With the thing in our hands its whispers continue to torment me. But, I refuse to heed them; refuse to listen to the sweet siren's song of blood and death that it promises. I refuse damn it! Into the nearest floo and out at my house. My father, I mean Xenophilius, is certainly asleep and his room is far away from mine. Into my room where there are wards we head.
There we take out the locket and feel it trying to get in, we are covered with the blood of innocents and doesn't it feel good? Fr a moment we feel the blood streaming over our body and I almost want to smile at the feeling. We rip our clothes off and scream silently no more. No more from this dammned sick thing.
We use the killing curse on the locket and a voice says, "See you enjoy killing. You're me and you know it. You enjoyed ki. . ." The voice fades away and blissful relief floods through us. We collapse into our own bed tired and yet victorious.
"Luna! Luna! Are you here? Your Floo connection was wide open from the Black Manor. Sirius said it had been opened at like four this morning. Oh where could she be?" That sounded like Hermione.
"Well she's not in here; I've never seen so many empty firewhisky bottles in one room before." There was Ginny's voice.
Probably Xenophilius' room "Young ladies we do not just wander through people's rooms. We should be polite and knock first besides; this seems to be her father's suite." That was Professor McGonagall apparently reminding the ladies how to properly search a house.
We hear feet walking about and slowly begin to move. The Professor's voice sounds again, "You mentioned that she was having feminine issues last evening?"
What a proper English lady she was. I walked out of my room forgetting what my state of dress might be and spoke, "I'm here and I'm okay. Just couldn't sleep well last night. I felt so ill, so I . . ."
"Young Lady there are young gentlemen present!" Were there? Oh yes apparently Harry and Ron were here too and they were staring at us even as she spoke. They were staring at us because we were entirely naked.
Oh yes we had ripped our clothes off hadn't we? Both of us had apparently forgotten that and thus we turned and hurried back to our room, "Sorry! I'll just get dressed!"
A few minutes later we came out in jeans and a blouse. Harry and Ron were staring at the floor and Professor McGonagall was saying, "Much better Miss Lovegood. The others here were concerned so I brought the over using the floo connection you irresponsibly left open."
There was scolding and concern in the same sentence that took an interesting talent. Was it any wonder Dumbledore chose someone like her for his second at the school? Not to me she was the perfect 'yes' woman and an excellent example of a stuffy English woman, even if she was actually Scottish. "Well I'm feeling much better now, sorry to have worried everyone."
"It's all right Luna did you want to come back with us for the day?" I looked at Ginny and shrugged. It wasn't a horrible idea and they clearly wanted to spend time with us.
We went back to the Black Manor with the group and ended up playing some games. Hermione had brought Monopoly and it was rather funny to see Ron and Ginny trying to play. Everything seemed to be fine until Dumbledore came in and said, "I was wondering if I could speak with Miss Lovegood in private."
The others smiled and probably didn't think anything of it. Me, on the other hand, I know he suspects something. We go through the floo to his office in Hogwarts because "He forgot to get something"
It is more like he wanted to intimidate us and didn't want to question us in neutral territory. Here is his power base and here is where naughty students get read the riot act. He has us sit while he pretends to look for his forgotten item and then he takes a seat at his desk.
His mind probe hits us and I swat it away. "You know Luna I've been very concerned about you since the diary incident. Last year you performed at a level beyond that of any witch your age has ever performed you know that yes?"
Rhetorical question he's searching. We sit quietly and let him continue, "Last evening Kreacher attacked you and you stunned and bound him. This morning when we freed him he was talking about how he had failed to hold on to something. I had to stun him then feed him a calming potion."
We waited for his reveal not showing anything on our face. "He said he had a locket given to him by Rubeus Black. That is Sirius' brother who died in the service to the dark lord. Kreacher said you found the locket."
We sighed and pulled the now destroyed item from a pocket. "Here you are sir."
He stared at it, "Destroyed, but how?"
"Just how I found it sir maybe Rubeus Black did it?" That was a straight up lie. "Same as the Diary isn't it sir? The one that took me over and had Voldemort in it. Harry killed it with a Basilisk fang. I just knew from seeing this that it was the same."
He frowns, what don't we look trustworthy? We're just a sweet innocent almost fifteen year old girl with a vague smile and innocent blue eyes. "You didn't bring it to us last night though."
"No sir, I felt ill from remembering all about the diary. Plus I had some feminine issued and it was a rather rotten night. I suppose it all passed my mind." He clearly isn't buying it entirely and here he comes to try peeking in our mind. A stronger probe this time and I let him see me holding the destroyed locket.
"Next time I hope you'll bring it to someone in authority?" Meaning him I suppose.
"Oh well I suppose so sir. I had intended to do that and then there were the muzzy miffles about and they helped it to just slip my mind." Vague smile and show him that I really might believe such creatures are about.
"Well I don't want to keep you from your friends or your summer fun." He stood and we went back to the Black Manor. I was very sure right then that we were now playing a very dangerous game, but we always had been and, as I mentioned, Dumbledore wouldn't just kill us outright. No he'd make a plan that would somehow end up putting us in a position where we could easily die.
I planned to disappoint him if that happened again. Luna assuredly agrees with that.
August 21, 1995
Dear Fluer,
Terribly sorry for the delay, I have been working with Fred and George on our rocket pack for brooms and on some other fascinating ideas. I was thinking about that mirror we saw and how it could be more than just a two way communication device. We could enchant them in a way that would allow people to call whomever they liked, something a bit like a telephone or portable floo. I'm including a possible design on that since you saw the mirror too.
I will admit that we avoided getting Hermione involved in the process. I think it's just better that way working too closely with her and sleeping in the same room would have just made things even worse. Someday I hope the pain will just go away.
I'm glad to hear you have a part time job now. I also hope no one decides to use the acronym you just created. Although it is probably better than SPEW, which is Hermione's society for protecting elves, wouldn't you say?
It is perfectly okay that you worry. I know that's what friends do, but I have been thinking. It is unfair of me to include you in what I am doing to combat the Dark Lord. I won't ask you to stop helping the Order of the Phoenix, but it is wrong for me to get you involved with what I am doing.
Also, I will be happy to join your family for the Yule holiday as long as my father is also invited?
Your friend,
Luna
We received Fluer's response a few days later:
August 17, 1995
Dear Luna,
Sadly this will be my last letter for a while since I am starting my new job tomorrow.
I've included some suggestions for your mirror idea.
As for your suggestion that I cease helping you, well I refuse. I will try to help you no matter what you may request because you are my friend.
Your friend,
Fluer
That was the last letter we received from Fluer that summer. It was also the last letter we sent. We desperately hoped that despite what the French witch said we could keep her away from danger. It wasn't fair of us to include her we realized that now.
The rest of the week before school started was nice, but perhaps not as full of fun as the trip to France had been. I guess that was because even as the new school year loomed before us there was an even bigger threat on the horizon. One that Luna and I now planned to face alone.
Note: Minor apologies for my atrocious grammar. The comma and I are ruthless enemies . . .
