Chapter 9

Xenophilius smirked as he waited for Luna, Harry and the rest of the Merlins at Kings Cross station, along with Helen and Fredrick Granger.

This, he thought, is going to be good!

The Founder's Five stopped and stared, open mouthed. Hermione's parents stood on the platform in very nice, one would say regal wizard's robes, purple velvet, trimmed with ermine. They were, in fact, the very picture of Royalty. Tall and aloof, pleased to be among the common witches and wizards, and you are all so, so privileged to gaze upon our royal selves.

Following very proper bows and curtsies, hugs were exchanged all around. Luna's was no less enthusiastic, though she'd only been gone three days.

Harry formally introduced "Sir" Neville and "Dame" Pansy. The adults welcomed them into the extended family.

The Merlins went their separate ways, Hermione with her parents, Neville with his Nan, Pansy with the wide-eyed Parkinsons, and Harry and Luna with Xenophilius.

Once home, the children went to bed early, each saying, in their own way, "We've spent all day loading trunks and books and traveling and unloading and unpacking."

In fact, they were all hoping to meet in Dreamscape.

Sadly, Dreamscape was out of range. They evidently had to be at Hogwarts to share dreamtime - for now.

Luna woke Harry early the next day, so that, together they could clean the family room, and set up the altar for the evening's Yule Sabbat.

About an hour before sunset on the Winter's Solstice, Luna swept the area around the family altar clockwise. Yule symbols: Poinsettias, Pine Cones, and a decorated Yule Log added to the ambiance.

Xenophilius placed the gold God pillar candle at right top of altar. Luna set the white Goddess taper candle at the top left. Harry positioned a porcelain disk, adorned with a Pentagram, in the center of the altar. The cauldron, to the right of the altar, contained a black votive candle, wreathed by a sprig of holly. Luna used a silver plate to cover the cauldron. Harry set the green taper candle and mistletoe wreath behind the altar.

Xeno outlined a circle perimeter with eleven rune stones holding a twelfth rune in the palm of his left hand. The three mages sat quietly for a few minutes to ground and center. Luna smiled and touched a small music box that began to chime, 'This Endris Night.'

Father, then daughter, entered the circle, followed by Harry, who took the twelfth rune from Xeno and closed the charmed circle.

Coldfyre Flames of Yule colours: red, green, and gold, flared up between the stones. Dancing, flickering bright and multihued, yet icy cold to the touch. Xeno was a coldfyre master and could make the illusions of flames realistic or fanciful, indeed, one of his favorite pranks was to set someone alight with the harmless flame, then sit back and watch as others tried to extinguish the non-existent flames.

The Yule Ritual invokes the spirits of God and The Goddess, as well as The Elements. It is a happy sacrament to celebrate the turning of the year.

Their ritual concluded with Luna singing, "Awaken, my Lady,

"Awaken my Lady awake,

look upon your Child,

gentle and mild,

reborn, whilst a slumber you take.

subtle and hushed.

The Stag rushed,

the Green man,

Lord of the fertile,

forswears Thy denial

Gentle and benign."

She placed the white Goddess candle back in its holder at the left top of altar. Stepped back and assumed the Goddess position, hands raised, palms up, her face turned skyward. She nearly shouted, "All hail the Oak King, His rebirth; a promise All hail the Divine Child, Giver of Life All hail the Blessed Sun, reborn to the Mother for He retakes His throne at the end of Solstice Night!"

Xeno and Harry gave each other a manly embrace, each wishing nothing but harmony, love and happiness for the other.

Luna hugged her father, then Harry, bussing their cheeks as she did so, and repeated the Yule blessings.

Then came the cakes and spiced cider and songs. Luna was careful to take a small portion from each plate to leave for the "Wee Folkes."

The year before had been Harry's first Yuletide Sabbat, and he was surprised and delighted that the Lovegoods also celebrated Christmas. This year, on Christmas Morning, Harry and Luna received identical packages.

Opening them they found matching, light-grey hooded cloaks, softer than cashmere.

"Oh, Daddy, they're beautiful!"

"Try them on."

Harry went first and was shocked to see his body disappear beneath the fine wool, "I'm gone!"

"Daddy! You made these?"

"Well, I had some help… Molly Weasley lent me her magic spinning wheel and three sets of charmed knitting needles, and, um, Marissa, I mean, Healer Sessions came by for a couple of nights, I mean, days, when I couldn't figure out how to work the damn things… Anyway, she was very, um, obliging. Oh, yes, indeed. Very obliging."

For some reason, Xeno was getting redder by the minute.

He coughed and said, "Ahem, anyway, do you like them?"

Luna twirled hers above her head, then disappeared below it like a cheesy stage magician. Her disembodied voice sing songed, "Love it, love it, love it!"

Boxing day, the House of Merlin converged on the Longbottom Estate, where Augusta was let in on the 'Royal' prank. The matriarch did a classic spit-take with her tea, then laughed so hard she ended up in a coughing fit.

When she'd finally gotten control of herself, she sputtered out, "Oh yes, I can definitely use this in the Grande Dames' circle. By the time we're through, everyone will know young Harold is Royalty of the first water, and that my grandson is very well positioned in the Court."

Pansy sniggered, "I let on, by way of my family's spheres of influence, that the Royal Family of Guyana is so reclusive, and so exclusive that only someone truly worthy, and magically powerful could even know of their existence."

Hermione guffawed, "It's like The Emperor's New Clothes, only the worthy can see them!"

Xenophilius finally said, "Enough of plots and politics. It's Christmas, let's enjoy it!"

There were games and forfeits. A heroic snowball battle, followed by hot chocolate around the great fireplace.

Harry nodded to Xeno, who raised his wand like a maestro, conjuring fanfare from an invisible orchestra, as Harry wheeled a bright red Raleigh Roadster bicycle into the family room.

The Longbottom heir stood in awe, and a little trepidation.

"Hey, Neville, you've mastered a broom, this will be a breeze!"

Happily, the Longbottom Estates included three greenhouses with broad footpaths between tables laden with greenery. After a few wobbly starts, Neville got the hang of it. Soon he was zipping up and down the rows of tables.

Ruddy faced from exertion and excitement, Neville panted, "This is fun!"

He insisted everyone give it a go.

The girls demurred as they were in proper dresses for the holiday, until Xeno transfigured the bicycle into a 'step through' model.

"This is fun!" Pansy screeched as she navigated the greenhouse footpaths.

Hermione sniggered, "We should start a house cycling team, that way we can tour the countryside on weekends off."

Harry smirked, "We'll be able to leave the school grounds next September, because we'll be third-year students."

The Grangers invited the Lovegoods and Harry over for a quiet New Year's Eve celebration.

The day before they were to go, Xenophilius sat down with his daughter.

"Sweetie, um, would you mind, terribly. That is, um, you know I'm all alone in that house most of the year and, uh, I mean, ah…"

"Daddy, are you asking me if you can bring a date?"

"No! I mean, well, um… Yes?"

Luna threw her arms around her father and hugged him tight, "It's okay, Daddy. I miss her too. But Mummy doesn't want you to be lonely, and neither do I."

Xenophilius breathed an audible sigh of relief.

"So," Luna leaned back, grinning mischievously, "Who is she, do I know her?"

"Well, um, yes. I mean of course you know her… And her."

"You have two girlfriends?" Luna asked, her grin practically splitting her face.

"Well, you see, I meet a lot of people, women, um, witches and it's been over two years and well…"

"Who, Daddy?"

"Well, Marisa, you know, Healer Sessions?"

"And who else?"

"Um," he looked sheepish, scratched the back of his head, and sighed, "Aurora."

"As in Aurora Sinestra?"

He nodded, "Um hum."

"So who are you going to take to the Grangers tomorrow?"

"Ah, well… both?"

Luna "squee-eed" and hugged her Daddy again.

The Grangers welcomed Xenophilius and his lady friends, Harry and Luna for dinner on New Year's Eve, then spent the evening catching up. Marissa was the only one who hadn't yet heard about Luna's advanced placement.

"Let me see if I understand this. You're starting Hogwarts this year as a second term second year?"

Everyone nodded.

"And what's this I hear about a Prince Harold?"

They nearly all doubled over laughing at that one.

Around nine in the evening Fredrick asked, "Would you like to watch a video? We have quite a few."

Harry and Luna both piped up, "Star Wars?"

Hermione brought out the boxed set, "All three of them."

The children plopped down on the floor before the screen. Xeno's dates, Marisa and Aurora bracketed him on the couch.

The witches and wizards cheered, during the climactic scene, when Obi-Wan's spirit told young Skywalker, "Use the Force, Luke."

Fredrick and Helen smiled at the grown wizards, for whom this was all as new as magic was to them.

Ten minutes to midnight, the Grangers paused the video to catch Big Ben tolling in the new year, and the ensuing fireworks.

As the world's most celebrated clock chimed the hour, Fredrick and Helen kissed, as did Xeno and Marisa and Aurora. Harry, Hermione and Luna copied the adults.

It was cute, and the grownups smiled at the innocent displays of affection, but, for the children, there was nothing magic about it.

Not this year, at least.

The following Sunday, the Founder's Five took up the last passenger compartment on the Hogwarts Express.

Hermione affixed her Prefect's badge to the front of her robes and excused herself, "I have to attend a meeting in the Head's compartment, up front."

Harry looked up from his second-year transfiguration text and asked, "Do you want me to go with you?"

"No, I'll be fine."

Three minutes later, Luna's signaling mirror buzzed. She opened it and heard, "…some kind of joke. What's a buck-toothed little firstie doing, wearing a badge?"

"As it happens, I'm a second year." Hermione said, her voice calm, "Now let me pass. I don't want to be late for the Prefect's meeting."

"I'm a third year, and I don't have to do anything you tell me to."

"Will you let me pass?"

"No. Ask me nicely."

"I did. Now I'm telling you."

"Ooh, I'm scared. Ickle firstie Prefect is telling me… Urk!"

Harry and Neville, followed closely by Pansy and Luna, had run up the passageway to find a brute of a boy stuck to the ceiling and Hermione putting her wand away. She turned and smiled as her 'backup' had arrived. "Levitation combined with a sticking charm. He'll be up there for, oh, I'd guess an hour or so."

Then, looking at the scrum of students that had formed in the aisle she asked, "Will you let me pass, please? I have a meeting to attend and some house points to deduct."

Those familiar with the story of Moses parting the Red Sea would have appreciated the allegory, as, even in the narrow railway car passageway, the crowd parted before her.

Harry asked, "Can Prefects deduct points?"

Pansy answered, "Prefects can recommend point deductions, which then have to be acted on by that Prefect's Head of House."

Harry smiled, "Oh I think any point deductions Hermione recommends will stand, after all," and he pointed up, "The git pretending to be a ceiling tile up there confronted a Prefect in front of several witnesses."

From overhead came a muffled cry, inarticulate, owing to the boy's face being stuck to the ceiling.

Pansy chuckled, then said, in a voice that carried to the surrounding compartments, "Oh, don't worry, Warrington, the spell will wear off. I just hope no one is directly below you when it does. Someone might get squished."

Cuthbert Warrington whimpered piteously.

Hermione returned to the compartment and smirked, "Some idiot in Slytherin put Warrington up to that. I think it was the Slytherin girl's Prefect. She seemed very put-out with me. I think she's lost a bet, as well as ten points from her house, even before the train arrives in Hogsmeade."

She passed a small, wrapped bundle to Harry, saying, "Here."

"What's this, then?"

"Open it."

Harry unwrapped his own Prefect's badge.

"Oh great, it's not as if I don't have enough to be getting on with."

"The Head Girl reminded Dumbledore that houses had to have two prefects, regardless of their size. We were going to make the presentation at the returning feast, but, in light of Warrington's actions, we thought it best to give it to you now. Besides," she put both hands over her heart in an over-the-top theatrical swoon, "would you send me out to patrol those dark, scary hallways all by myself?"

"You're never by yourself at Hogwarts, Friar Mike is always near you, just like the Baron attends me."

Hermione pouted cutely, "You don't want to spend time with me?"

Luna shook her head, "I guess the honeymoon's over…"

"What honeymoon? We're not married!"

Luna pulled Hermione into a hug, "There, there, Your Grace. We shall console each other as His Highness is being a Royal pain."

Harry looked pleadingly at Pansy, "I'm never going to win with these two, am I?"

Pansy smiled, shook her head and said, "Nope. Best to learn that now while you're young and still trainable."

With a heavy sigh, he pinned the Prefect's badge to the front of his robes. "There. Happy?"

Hermione looked at Luna, then nodded. "Better, but you have to work more on your grovelling if this marriage is going to work."

Harry groaned as the girls laughed.

)O(

At Hogsmeade Station, they got off, then helped direct students, especially the first years, to the carriages.

Neville stopped and stared at what he could see pulling the coaches. "What are those?"

Luna took his hand and walked him over to the thestral, "Here, see? He's very gentle."

He reached out his hand to touch a leathery flank.

Harry, Hermione, and Pansy could only see Luna and Neville petting thin air.

Luna held out her hands to her best friends, "Come here. Feel this."

Harry and Hermione were dumbstruck as they touched the unseen animal. Both could feel the ridges and furrows of a massive ribcage under taut, thin skin.

"Invisible… what, horses?" Harry asked.

"No," Luna explained, "They're a little like horses, but they have great big wings folded along their backs."

Hermione was impressed, "Like Pegasus?"

"No, more like big bat's wings."

"Oh."

Pansy refused to touch the thestrals, citing her family's belief in their inherent bad luck.

They got into the carriage, Neville and Pansy on one side, Harry, flanked by Hermione and Luna on the other.

"So, how is it that you and Neville can see them?" Harry asked.

Luna looked up, eyes brimming with unshed tears, "To see one, you have to have seen someone die…"

In a moment of terrible clarity, Harry remembered what Xeno had told him about the horrible and tragic death of his wife. He cursed his own stupidity and pulled Luna into a fierce hug.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

Hermione leaned over and put a consoling hand on Luna's thin shoulder. She knew Luna had lost her mother, but hadn't been privy to any of the gory details.

Pansy was holding both Neville's hands, "You okay?"

He nodded, then said, "I was my Granddad. He and Nan were having one of their rows, and he suddenly, just, just stopped. He grabbed his arm and looked at me, and then at Nan, and said, "Uh oh," and… died."

Luna, sniffling on Harry's robes said, "It was my Mum. It was horrible."

Pansy said, "That's why people don't like thestrals. If you can see one, it means you saw someone die."

Luna sighed, "It's not their fault, and they're really useful, and sweet, and very intelligent. They're like post owls, they'll carry you anywhere, just hop on and say where."

Pansy snorted, "Like I'm going to get on a bloody great, invisible, bat-winged horse."

Hermione, rubbing Luna's back as she held Harry tight, caught Pansy's eye and nodded, "I can't think of any good reason why I'd want to."

Soon enough they were at the welcoming feast, enjoying their new status as second year students. Right up until the moment when Dumbledore singled them out for 'recognition.'

"And welcome to our newest second year students, including one who has never set foot in a first year's classroom, all at the Merlin's Table."

Grumbles of resentment ensued.

Until Professor Sinestra stood, and raised her goblet, "Owing to their willingness to work twice as hard as any five students I can name, and more than one professor. The praise is well earned, very well done, Merlin's House."

Spatters of polite applause, amid residual grumbling.

Filius Flitwick stood on his chair and added, "And the end of term exam marks were the highest I've seen, particularly for those students in the Charms club, yet another of their innovations."

Minerva McGonagall stood and raised her goblet for the stellar marks in the last terms transfiguration exams.

More applause, which stilled as Severus Snape stood.

"At this rate, members of the House of Merlin will be testing for their NEWTs by fifth year, and bringing as many as they can along with them."

Pomona Sprout stood and shouted, "Anyone willing to work hard enough, that is."

Laughter and cheers filled the halls.

Harry and company ducked their heads in embarrassment from the spontaneous accolades.

Albus Dumbledore smiled benignly, but inside was seething. His attempt to foment resentment against the Founder's House had backfired spectacularly. And how is it that Cuthbert Warrington, big strapping lad that he is, couldn't prevent the diminutive Miss Granger from attending her first Prefect's meeting? Her absence would have allowed him to, regretfully, reclaim her Prefect Badge and, quite possibly, re-sort the fifth house.

Now Mister Evans was a Prefect as well, yet another loophole he'd failed to close in time.

What's wrong with these people, don't they know that everything Albus Dumbledore does is for the Greater Good? Can't they realise, sacrifices have to be made?

It was time to look at his options.

Harry Potter is missing, presumed dead. Perhaps the minions of the Dark Lord shunted him off to another dimension? That would explain much.

Who else would satisfy the parameters of the prophecy?

Longbottom.

Neville Longbottom.

Not the chosen one, per se, but a possible emergency standby.

A spare.

Neville, enjoying his meal and the company of his best friends felt a sudden chill.

He looked up to the Head's table and saw Albus Dumbledore smiling down at him.

)O(

As the House of Merlin prepared for bed, and Dreamscape, Neville asked, "Did you see the way the Headmaster was staring at me all through dinner?"

The other's nodded.

"Should I be worried?"

Harry mused aloud, "If Dumbledore singles you out for something, I'd find somewhere else to be."

Luna had a room all to herself, but asked if she could share with Hermione for their first night back in the castle.

"No worries, come on, it's a big bed."

They were soon asleep, being greeted by the castle ghosts.

Lady Helena pulled Luna into a gentle hug, "Welcome, child, to Dreamscape. If you have any questions, we shall try to puzzle them out, together."

Luna luxuriated in the ghosts embrace, "So nice, so warm…"

To which the Lady Helena laughed, "Only in your dreams, little one!"

The five students and their attendant ghosts retired to the library.

Harry and Hermione were the first to see them.

"Lady Helena," Harry asked, pointing to a swirling mass of glowing motes orbiting a small crystal ball, "What are those?"

The ghost looked startled, "I don't know, my lord, I've never seen the like."

"Luna?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Are those…"

"Yes, Harry. Those are Nargelites."

Hermione was speechless, then disappeared from the Dreamscape library as she woke up.

Which, she decided, must be the equivalent of fainting in the waking world.

She was so excited by what she'd seen, she had trouble relaxing enough to get back to sleep, and back to her friends. Finally, after what seemed like an age, she reappeared in the dream library.

Harry and Luna were coaxing the golden motes to swirl clockwise, then counter-clockwise around the crystal globe.

Neville put his hand into the swirling cloud, but the motes flowed around or passed through his fingers a little like smoke and a little like water.

Pansy allowed that they were pretty, but didn't see the practicality of them.

Neville smiled and said, "Pansy, luv, if you can see them, you can see magic."

She beamed at the endearment, and, in doing so, attracted some of the glowing motes to herself.

"They seem to like happy thoughts." Hermione observed.

Pansy frowned, and lost her attendant specks of light, "But, Luna can see them in the waking world, we can only see them in dreamscape."

Luna smiled, "For now."

)O(

Defense Against the Dark Arts was, indeed, more practical for second year students. There was an equal emphasis on theory and practice. There was duelling practice, but second year students were limited to simple disarming and basic shielding spells.

The older second years were, at first, reluctant to hex the tiny Merlins, but having a petite blonde hand you your arse in a duel was all it took for the gloves to come off. The Merlins were quick, and precise.

Stanley Biggs, second year Hufflepuff, decided that he'd had enough for one day and sent a surreptitious binding hex at Pansy's back as she was duelling Marietta Edgecombe.

Apparently, Stanley missed the memo, concerning the Merlins.

Mister Biggs found himself doing a ceiling tile imitation thirty feet up. His muffled screams stopped the other duels in progress.

"Muh, Miss Granger! Puh, Please release Muh, Mister Buh, Biggs."

"Certainly, Professor, as soon as you remove five House points from Hufflepuff for conduct unbecoming a 'Puff."

There were several intakes of breath. In a House known for cooperation and fair play to be charged with 'conduct unbecoming' was tantamount to a scarlet letter.

"Buh, But I duh, didn't see him, duh, do anything!"

Hermione tapped her copper badge, "I saw him, Professor Quirrell."

Harry stood by his housemate, as did Luna and Neville, who first undid the binding hex and helped Pansy to her feet.

"Very well, fuh, five puh, points from Hufflepuff."

Hermione didn't bother to look up, she simply pointed her wand skyward and whispered, "Fin-ee-tay," stretching out the syllables as she did.

Biggs screamed as he fell to the stone floor, stopping mere millimetres short of serious injury.

Harry smirked, "How did you know I'd cast a silent cushioning charm?"

Hermione answered, loud enough to be heard by the students standing near, "I didn't."

The message was loud and clear.

Do not mess with a Merlin.

Walking into the hall after class, Harry looked back as his housemates and said, "All set for tonight?"

He was answered by four grim smiles.

)O(

Albus looked over the student tables and smiled, a benign Sovereign in his own little Kingdom. Everything and everyone where they're supposed to be.

So why were they all suddenly screaming?

Everyone in the Great Hall was staring and pointing at the Professor's table, specifically at Quirrell, who's turban was now a brightly blazing torch. To which Quirinus was completely oblivious.

Dumbledore saw the flames, smelled the unmistakable odour of burnt hair and did the only thing he could think of at the moment.

Pointing his wand, he shouted, "inundantiamaxima!"

Those muggle children familiar with a wide open fire hose would have recognized the torrent of water that pummelled Professor Quirrell, knocking him sideways and back from the table.

Sputtering, he rose and screamed, "Are you insane, Old Man? You could have killed us!"

He doubled over in pain and the screaming renewed, not because Quirrell's turban was on fire, said turban was plastered wetly against the far wall.

No, the children were screaming because there was a face; ugly and reptilian, with slits for nostrils and bright red eyes, sticking out of the back of Quirrell's head.

"Merlin's beard!"

"Stop him, stun him!"

"Get the children out!"

The one table where there was no panicked screaming was Merlin's table, and it was to this island of calm that Quirrellmort directed his gaze, "Why can't I read you?" the reptilian face screeched, "I can read all those around you, but I can't read you! You did this, didn't you?"

Harry shouted, "Stupefy and incarcerous on three, two, one… Stupefy, incarcerous!"

But Voldemort wouldn't be so easily caught.

Quirrell, unconscious and bound by thick ropes, slumped face-first onto the table.

A menacing buzz filled the room, increasing in volume and pitch until it was almost physically painful. Then stopped.

The ominous silence that followed was shattered when the back of Quirrell's head exploded blood and puss and a sickly yellowish fluid.

Voldemort exorcised himself from his host.

A floating, disembodied brain hovered above the staff table, trailing fibrous ribbons that must have been, at one time, blood vessels and nerve tissue.

Luna screamed, "Don't let any part of him touch you!"

The brain bobbed toward Aurora Sinestra, who fired off cutting hexes, to no avail.

The brain still came.

Dumbledore reached for his wand, but whatever he'd planned wouldn't be fast enough.

Hermione cried, "Harry, no!"

Eleven year old Harold Evans had jumped onto his House table, then onto the professors raised platform when Luna screamed. He smiled grimly at his Housemates, half-turned, and did a flying tackle over the staff table, knocking Professor Sinestra down just as the gory tendrils would have touched her.

Instead, they touched Harry.

The side of his face, the back of his neck, his forearms and hands.

Where the tendrils touched him they sizzled and crackled and burst into flames.

Harry took a few burns, but the thing that had been Voldemort flared up, then blazed like a torch.

There was something eerily reassuring about an unholy terror screaming in unholy terror.

Harry looked away from the retreating, flaming obscenity, then regarded his left arm.

"Huh," he heard himself say, "Is it supposed to bend that way?"

Just before he blacked out.

)O(

Big shout-out to Tommy King, Brit-picker extraordinaire, who volunteers his valuable time to give this story an authentic British voice.

Cheers, mate!

I wrote about three pages describing a Wiccan Yule Sabbat, then realized that, as beautiful as it is to experience, to read about it? Not so much. I attend a Midnight Mass every Christmas Eve, and love the ceremony and the beautiful music, but to write a description about it? No, not something I'd like to read. If you would like to learn the whole, detailed ritual, go to www dot wicca dot com.

I have Neville referring to his grandmother as Nan, something British kids are known to call their grandmothers. I know, I know, it's Gran in the books. But hey, this is fanfiction, and I like how Nan sounds, also, this is yet another way in which my first/second year Neville is different from the one in canon.

Oh and a cyber cookie goes out to Dericof Diname who recognized Voldie's floaty brainy form as a cognivore from my story, Battered Hearts.