Chapter 9. When Luna Left

The day Luna left Chaos Club started as just another meeting.

As sometimes happens, Draco and Harry had left the rest of us alone to work on an experiment. They usually don't like to be around for experiments where they have information that might affect the results. This time they'd also insisted that Granger leave as well, which of course meant Greengrass and Bones left too.

We had separated into pairs to try spells from the booklets Harry and Draco had handed out. The parchment booklets contained instructions for very simple spells not traditionally taught to Wizarding children. One member of each pair was supposed to try the spells while his or her partner made notes on the results of each attempt. The catch was that each booklet contained a large number of variants on each spell, only one of which included correct pronunciation and wand movements, though of course we didn't know that at the time.

The experiment was meant to test whether intention or technique was more important in getting magic to work. It was basically a repetition of some experiments that Harry had done with Granger the year before. We might have wondered about this earlier in the term, but by then all the Chaos Club members understood how important replication is for the scientific method. Besides, Draco had consulted with Granger outside of Chaos Club, and they'd agreed it would be especially valuable to repeat this particular experiment with different experimenters. Granger herself admits that she probably has more belief in the importance of correct technique than most Hogwarts students have, which might have affected the results.

Once Draco and Harry had left the room, I got started on the exercise with Ginny. Luna didn't have a partner, but when we asked her to join us she just shook her head, eyes wide as usual, looking a little dazed. Instead, she wandered about the room with her pale eyebrows drawn together in a perplexed look. I never use that word, "perplexed," but somehow it really seems to fit with Luna, especially just then. She paused nearby, where Anthony Goldstein was practising with Neville, cocked her head to one side, and watched them intently. I saw them glance at her kind of awkwardly before continuing the exercise. I think they were doing their best to ignore her, but that it really wasn't possible. Luna really was standing a little too close to them, I thought, and I know the effect she can have on people. Eventually, they trailed off and turned to look back at her.

But, she wandered on then, to watch another pair with exactly the same cocked head and crinkled brow. After a minute or two, Neville and Goldstein shrugged and resumed. Ginny and I paused to watch a couple times as the same sequence repeated each time Luna approached a pair, but I think mostly we reckoned this was just another of Luna's little quirks.

At last, the Chaos Club leaders returned, along with them Granger, Bones, and Greengrass. Harry collected the notes we'd been making, and then Draco stood and explained Harry's hypothesis that magic might depend more on the expectations of the caster than on exact words or technique. The idea made a lot of sense to me, although the thought struck me that the Hogwarts faculty might not like the idea so much (sorry again, Headmistress! Please don't be too hard on Draco and Harry for suggesting it to us).

Luna had a very different reaction, though. As Draco began his explanation, she sat up a little taller in her seat between me and Ginny, and when I looked over I saw that the perplexed crinkle in her forehead had disappeared and her mouth had dropped open. By the time Draco had finished explaining, her slender hands were squeezed into fists and she looked furious. And then, for the first time since she'd been coming to Chaos Club, she spoke up. Her voice had the same drifting tones as usual, but now with a strange coldness I'd never heard before, "Mister Malfoy, are you saying that you deliberately tried to get us to cast spells incorrectly?"

Draco staggered back a little, clearly surprised that Luna had spoken at all, and it's not as if she is known for displaying anger. Granger, on the other hand, leaned forward with interest.

Luna went on, "I would have thought the Ancient and Most Noble House of Malfoy would know to show magic a bit of respect. After all, where would any of us be without it?"

Neville snickered a little from his spot to Draco's left and cut in, "Where would we be, Lovegood? Without magic, we'd be Muggles of course. Like Harry's dad. I can think of worse things. Haven't you listened to anything Harry has been telling us about Muggle science?"

Draco put a hand on Neville's arm, but Neville was already continuing with a nasty sneer in his voice, "But of course you haven't been listening, Looney. Who would expect anything else?"

Draco sighed, and said, "What exactly is your concern, Lovegood?"

"Concern?" Luna's large eyes were wider than ever, "It is wrong. You should know this. I do not know about Mister Potter-Evans-Verres, but you should know better."

Draco looked rather flustered, but said, "It really isn't that simple."

Harry spoke up then, "I think what Draco is trying to say is that it isn't enough to call something wrong. 'Wrong' is just a word. There is no right or wrong outside of the experiences of sentient beings, and the only coherent framework for resolving moral questions is by evaluating the consequences for sentient beings. We have a responsibility to question our beliefs and consider the outcomes. So what do you mean when you say that these experiments are wrong? Are you able to identify any harm caused by what we have been doing?"

Luna lifted her chin in defiance, "Yes. Yes I can. Just because you cannot see it does not mean that no harm is done."

Padma then recited, "But what do you think you know, Lovegood? And how do you think you know it?"

"I know," said Luna, coldly, "I can feel it. Our ancestors – all of our ancestors, since we all have Wizarding ancestry – knew it too. Not everybody can feel it, but it is not wise to ignore ancient traditions." She turned from Padma to Draco, as she spoke, then looked directly at Harry before continuing, "You do not understand what you are doing."

Harry is always interested in new ideas, and I'm sure that he must have wondered a little at whether Luna really did have observational knowledge that he was not yet aware of. He must have hoped to learn more. I'm certain he did. But if he wanted Luna to stay and explain, he said the wrong thing, "Science is the path to real understanding. What exactly is it that you are feeling? Is there a way we can confirm what you say you're experiencing? What measurable predictions can be made based on your claims?" By the time he'd finished speaking, though, Luna had turned away and was gliding smoothly out of the room. She didn't stop to look back.

I felt torn. Everything Harry said made sense, but I'd never seen Luna so upset before. Ginny was not torn at all, though. While I hesitated, Ginny stood up angrily, strode around the outside of the circle of desks to Harry's chair, glared down at him and said, "Ron is right about you," and then hurried out of the room. I saw her pick up her pace as she exited, and knew that she was rushing to catch up with Luna. I was glad to know that Luna wouldn't be alone.

A long pause followed. I think everybody was too startled to speak. Eventually Neville drawled, "Well, no great loss. We don't want the likes of Looney Lovegood here anyway."

Anthony and Padma both laughed at that, but stopped abruptly as Neville went on, "And what use is that stupid Weasley girl if she's going to spend so much time with the Looney?" and Fred and George stood up from their desks. They were the oldest Chaos Club members at the meeting that day, very tall, and lean. Size doesn't mean much for a wizard, but the way they towered over the rest of us reminded us of their superior magical skill. I was glad to see them stand up, as I was furious at Neville too. It was good to have strong wizards on my side.

Fred had his wand out as he stood and was already beginning a curse, but his twin put a hand on his shoulder and he stopped. George said, "Violence isn't the answer," and I realized he wasn't just speaking to his brother.

There was another long pause then, after Fred unhappily lowered his wand. Still not knowing what to say, I looked around. Harry seemed to have something on his mind. Draco was looking very seriously from face to face, clearly trying to decide the best course of action. Granger looked thoughtful. Fred and George looked grim and remained standing.

Finally, Hannah Abbott spoke up in her tiny voice, "Neville Longbottom, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. You used to be a good Hufflepuff. What happened to your compassion?"

At this, Draco's indecision disappeared, and he turned to Bones, "Susan, you've got to talk to Abbott. We had an agreement: no more House politics."

Bones glared back at Draco, and declared, "I think Hannah has a point."

Draco turned to Greengrass, "Daphne, please talk to them."

Greengrass responded flatly, "I might consider it, but I'm not confident that your appeals to Susan and myself aren't also motivated by House politics of your own."

Draco looked annoyed and turned to Granger, "Hermione?"

Granger glared at him for a moment, but then gave a sort of a resigned sigh and said, "Daphne, I don't think Draco deserved that," then she paused, looked carefully at Draco, Hannah, and Bones in turn, and then studied Neville briefly before continuing, "Neville, I've never been so disgusted with you. But Hannah, this isn't about being a good Hufflepuff. It's about being a good person."

The relief on Draco's face was obvious, as he responded, "Thank you, Hermione. Neville, Hermione is right. You'd best apologize to the Weasleys. And I think you should find Luna and apologize to her, too."

Neville slumped in his chair, glaring at Draco for a moment, before Daphne added, "Please, Neville," and he slowly sat up, pushed himself up from his desk and went over to apologize to Fred and George before walking out of the classroom after Ginny and Luna. The Weasley twins glanced at each other as he left, then sat down again.

Granger had been watching Harry thoughtfully, but once everyone was mostly settled she turned slowly to Draco and she said slowly, "What I'm wondering, Draco, is why Lovegood kept saying that you, in particular, should know better."

Author's notes: Apologies for delay in publication of Chapter 9. My goal is to have Chapter 10 out on or before June 1, 2014.