Conflict of Interest
The moment Harry left the courtroom and entered the ministry atrium he was swarmed by legions of reporters, cameras flashed in every direction and Harry noticed Rita Skeeter leading the charge.
"Mr Potter where have you been?"
"Training and becoming a Barrister," Harry responded curtly used to dealing with reporters,
"Mr Potter how do you respond to people claiming you are a coward for abandoning us to You-Know-Who?" Rita asked
"No comment," Harry hissed turning away, Lauren was next to him and was being barraged by questions herself but all of her answers involved the same two words Harry directed at Rita Skeeter.
"Mr Potter why are you defending a rapist?"
"I'm not I'm trying to prove a man's innocence," Harry answered trying to pick up the pace but found he was locked in a circle of journalists.
"Mr Potter why did you bring a muggle with you? Surely she is not qualified to speak in a magical court,"
"She is more qualified than most of the people who speak in wizarding courts," Harry hissed darkly trying to keep his temper at bay,
"Now Mr Potter is that not impossible?" Rita Skeeter asked slyly and Harry was tempted to punch her luckily before he could make any definitive decision an explosive bang cleared the room.
"Scram you lot," a woman ordered with her wand in the air, she fired another round of loud sparks which cleared the majority of reporters, the few it did not confuse did not dare approach as the woman walked up to Harry. She was dressed in navy blue robes with dazzling silver stripes across the side, her dirty blond hair drooped to her waist and her deep silver grey eyes bored into Harry's much like the way they did many years ago.
"Luna Lovegood?" Harry questioned wondering if the woman could be the same, she looked both different and the same at the same time. She looked older obviously but still had her aura of dottiness not least encouraged by her large orange earrings
"Hello Harry," she smiled in a greeting that took him all the way back to their first meeting, her voice was slightly higher but it was mostly the same,
"Scram!" she suddenly warned at Rita Skeeter who was edging closer and Harry marvelled at the way she changed from a sweet welcoming woman to a cold threatening one.
"I have no idea who you are but I like you," Lauren smiled jumping forward with her hand outstretched, most wizards would have jumped back at this but Luna seemed delighted. Harry approached and was treated to a warm embrace from his old friend. Then she turned to Lauren clocking who she was.
"Oh hi, I saw you in the courtroom, amazing work beating that little. Sorry promised myself I'd stop swearing, but well done for beating the Weasel down," Luna grinned
"Not a fan?" Harry asked not sure of why Luna would be angry with Ron
"Hell no, me and Nev had a few stern words and fists with him when he published that book, Ginny to she went mental but... anyway how are you? Is this your wife?" Luna asked looking at Lauren
"Close but no," Harry told her with a grin
"Depends when he works up the courage to get down on one knee," Lauren pointed out with a jokey smile
"Oh tell me about, I spent about three years dropping hints to my husband," Luna laughed
"You're married?" Harry queried
"Yes, it's Luna Longbottom now," Luna laughed and Harry's mouth dropped, he had never imagined Neville getting married, in his mind's eye he was still the loveable boy who was always there. Harry hadn't thought of Neville in a long time and he felt slightly guilty about that.
"Congratulations," was all he could say
"Thanks, anyway I've got to get back to work but do you two want to come round ours for dinner tonight?" Luna wondered looking slightly hopefully
"We wouldn't want to intrude," Lauren began worried Luna was doing this because she felt she had to. However Harry knew Luna and he could tell she wanted to, if not she would have said. He kept quiet for that reason and he knew Luna would pretty much ensure they came.
"Off course not, me and Nev love having guests, we'd love to have you. We live in flat nine in the block just up the road, come round bring a bottle of something we'd love to catch up, anyway I've got to do a detailed report on the Crumple Horned Snorkack I found so see you later," Luna imposed before briskly walking away, whistling a tune Harry had never heard.
"She found one," Harry smiled thinking of all the people who called her crazy, Hermione among them and yet she had proved them all wrong. Hermione however was not someone he wanted to bump into just yet, he wanted to make sure who she was supporting in the case
"What?" Laruen wondered not fully hearing what Harry said.
"Nothing, come on we better go those lot aren't going to stay gone forever and we have plans," Harry commented hooking his arm around her waist and leading her out of the ministry.
Later
They had found Luna and Neville's home without much trouble, well they was an overstatement in Harry's mind as Lauren did most of the finding and he stuck to following.
"You made it," Luna beamed the moment she opened the door, she had changed from her work clothes and was wearing small fruit shaped earrings and Harry wondered if they were real fruit. It reminded him of that thing she used to wear but he couldn't remember the name
"Hello again," Laruen greeted as Luna bundled them into the house, it was a flat very much like the one Harry and Lauren owned. It was obviously very expensive and judging but the leather furniture and stained glass ornaments these two were not short of money
"Oh I forgot to let Nev know, one sec," Luna remembered marching near one of the polished wooden doors to where her husband was waiting
"Nev honey I forgot to tell you Harry Potter and his girlfriend are here for dinner," Luna announced and paused for a moment before he came running out of what turned out to be the bedroom. He was wearing casual attire; a t-shirt and jeans but Harry was blown away by how much he changed.
His fat had been replaced by muscle and not only was he much taller but his face was much older and yet the same, he looked at Harry full of shock before chuckling in a deep throaty voice that held only a memory of what it was.
"Harry Potter!" Neville announced bear hugging Harry without his consent for a few moments.
"You didn't tell me he was coming," Neville accused his wife who smiled innocently
"Slipped my mind, I better get the nargle protectors," she sighed with a mischievous grin as Neville turned to Lauren
"Nice to meet you," Lauren began a Neville grabbed her hand and shook it enthusiastically "I'm Neville and I'm head of the special Auror department,"
"Are they special forces?" Harry inquired and Neville nod
"Yeah, when Voldemort told the world he was back Dumbledore was a hero again and all the people who stood by him, so our esteemed minister put me in charge of the guys who charge right into the jaws of the death eaters a few years after I finished school," Neville explained obviously proud of his work and Harry resisted the urge to laugh. Here was Neville living the life Harry would have wanted back in his fifth year and yet he hadn't changed that much, he obviously resented the minister but proud of what he had accomplished. He had managed to shut down various cells of death eaters during his time and he seemed determined to live up to the title he had despite it being given to him because of what he represented and who he knew. He seemed to be doing well too seeing as he said the name with an air of confidence and mentioned sheepishly a few stories that sounded very brave in all honesty. It seemed Neville had caught a bit of modesty, something he never needed and never would as far as Harry was concerned.
"So Harry what are you doing here? I thought you were still in the muggle world barristering if that's a word," Neville asked confused, obviously his job meant he didn't hear the news straight away.
"It's not," Lauren pointed out
"How did you know what I was up to?" Harry asked knowing he hadn't kept in contact with any of his old friends
"Oh we kept tabs on you for a bit, just to make sure you were ok and I was impressed, tempted to come along to one of the trials to see how you did it but I thought it was best to leave you alone. I know you must have felt awful after your fifth year and to be honest I don't blame you for leaving," Neville assured him looking almost up at Harry, it should have been the other way round in all honest seeing as he was the special forces hero.
"I'm defending Draco Malfoy in the trial," then he paused wondering how Neville was going to react
"Ahh, I heard about that, it's not looking good for the guy," Neville sighed and Harry frowned not sure what Neville's opinion was
"Oh I don't think he did it, not that many people in the auror department do except from Tonks, Kingsley and a couple of others who are in the order but we know the type of people who do this and I happen to know that the knots involved with that case happened to be done by Ginny," Neville affirmed, Harry's eyes widened slightly.
"Oh when your with Luna you keep up with Luna, girl's got a different fetish every day," Neville chuckled and both Harry and Lauren grimaced, this was not the type of conversation they needed but Neville sensed this and changed it quite quickly.
"Anyway apparently it was you who took down Ron Weasley," Neville began looking at Harry piecing together what he heard vaguely with what he now knew.
"No that was her," Harry smiled pointing at Laruen who smiled sheepishly
"About time too, God his rise to fame was agonising," Neville sighed and Harry listened realising he was going to learn more about what happened during his time away.
"Well first he called you a coward for running away but everyone thought Voldemort was dead but when he did show himself Ron started saying he was the real power behind you. Apparently he planned your excursions into the chamber and the stone and his words overshadowed me, Hermione and the rest who knew he was full of it. Then he released a book about how heroic he was and people were saying he was the chosen one," Neville explained venomously and Harry felt shocked at how petty Ron had become. Or maybe he was always like that he just hadn't noticed back then
"So what happened?" Lauren asked unsure as to how the supposed "hero" had gone from rich and prestigious to what she had cross examined today.
"He was given control of a mission in my department, let's just say it ended with him in a hole crying while we did some real work," Neville smirked as Luna entered the room with a steaming plate.
"Good times," she commented overhearing their conversation,
"Indeed, almost as good as the time you won the medal for finding the Crumple Horned Snorkack," Neville pointed out and Luna cracked up
"Remember Hermione had to present it to me, she was so red in the face," Luna giggled and Harry joined in knowing how much she would hate it. Harry moved to ask about her then he heard a loud smash on the door
"Neville open up I need to talk to you!" Ron Weasley's voice crept into the air
"Oh goodie," Laruen sighed knowing this was not going to end well, it seemed everyone else was thinking the same thing.
