'You know', said Luna looking over at Harry as they prepared to get off of the train, 'I saw something mysterious just a few days ago.'

She climbed down to the platform below just after Harry and they stood for awhile looking around. Harry couldn't see Hermione, Ron or Ginny anywhere but just as he began to walk off with Luna in tow, Ginny came skipping towards them, her face pink. She was carrying Hedwig on her right arm and in her left was her knapsack.

'Here she is', she said stretching her arm out and Hedwig flew off from her to Harry's outstretched arm, 'mind if I walk up with you guys?'

'No problem', Harry said and Luna nodded as well.

'Did you really send the letter?' Harry asked and noticed that Luna was allowing Hedwig to peck her finger over and over again. There was a thin smile on her face as her finger got pecked and Harry found it a bit amusing to watch.

'Of course', Ginny said, 'we need to get a move on with it.'

'Well I suppose so', Harry said still looking at Luna and they began to walk off.

Harry noticed Malfoy teasing a second year and he heard laughter from Crabbe and Goyle as they watched on. He didn't see Hagrid anywhere and realised that maybe they had gotten off the train a little later than usual because someone had jinxed the compartment door, preventing it from sliding open. He could bet a thousand Galleons that is was Malfoy.

The place was completely dark already and as they walked up from the train to the gates. Harry noticed that the sky was grey, signalling a heavy downpour of rain later on in the night. He realised that that was all he needed right now because a deep exhaustion was taking him over and what he needed the most now was a deep, long sleep. Ginny hugged herself and puffed her cheeks out.

'You were saying earlier that you saw something mysterious Luna?' Harry pressed on and Luna who was staring absentmindedly into the distance turned to him and smiled.

'Why yes', she said diverting her eyes towards the castle, 'just the other day, daddy and I were in a shop looking for robes when we saw Professor Snape. Daddy chose a robe and left me to pay for it and while I was at the cashier, Professor Snape came up and it was very peculiar but he seemed to be in a happy mood.'

Ginny craned her neck to look at Luna and asked, 'a HAPPY mood?'

'Yes', Luna said still gazing off and she smiled, 'he looked over at me and when I greeted him, he smiled and said good day to you Miss Lovegood. I mean, at first I was a bit taken aback by such a greeting but then the cashier started talking to him and things got a bit even weirder.'

Harry was listening to her all right. What could be weirder than Snape actually smiling at Luna, much less anybody?

'What happened then?' he asked and realised that Ginny was about to ask the same question.

'Well, they began to talk', she continued, 'then Mr. Price, the cashier, told Professor Snape that he was still waiting on the invite to the WEDDING and Snape just smiled and said that it would never happen. I was about to put my change into my purse when Mr. Price said 'one day things will get too tempting and you will have to tell him'.

'Tell HIM?' both Harry and Ginny asked and Luna nodded.

'Yes, HIM. I mean it would be bad for Snape if he loved another woman and she had another', Luna said, 'especially if she is married.'

'What makes you think it was love they were talking about?' Ginny asked and Luna looked at her with a confused expression on her face.

'Well they mentioned a wedding didn't they? I suppose I was absolutely convinced when Snape replied that he had no intentions of revealing feelings for someone who deeply loathed him.'

'He said that?' Ginny and Harry asked in raised voices.

'Yes. The poor man, it's dreadful!'

They had now reached the gates and as they went through it, Professor Flitwick looked up and asked them for their names. Harry didn't have time to worry about Flitwick not knowing his name because he was deep in thought about who this 'him' was that Luna had mentioned. These things, these tiny details made him even more edgy that before because he realised it could affect the plan at any time. What if Snape indeed had a fiancée or a girlfriend and none of them knew about her? He rubbed his palms together to generate a bit of heat then looked at Ginny.

She was looking at him as well.

'Don't worry Harry', she said, 'the plan will be successful.'

'What plan?' Luna asked and she turned her dreamy gaze towards Harry.

'Oh uh, um nothing rather important', Harry murmured nervously and they climbed the castle steps.

'Alright', Luna said, 'well I'll see you two later', and she skipped off into the direction of the Hall.

'Bit strange isn't it?' Ginny asked looking at Harry. They had both stopped.

'Yea', Harry said looking at her, and for a fleeting moment he thought that her face was very pretty, especially her eyes, 'wonder who was this 'him'.'

'Could be anyone for all we know. Wonder who Snape's mysterious lover...is'

'And I', began a low, curt voice behind them, 'would like to know why the two of you are lingering outside of the Hall.'

Both of them spun around and came face to face with Snape who was looking down at them. Ginny gulped and Harry felt his throat become dry and his knees felt weak. Did Snape hear what they were saying?