Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling

A/N YAY! I hit my 50k last night for NaNoWriMo ...which means I won...so I am finally able to start updating again. I am still working on my project for that though, so I will still be semi regular for a little bit yet, but will try to update as often as possible. Thanks to everyone for your reviews and patience. :) CJ
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The Year After

Chapter Thirteen

Repercussions

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Professor Flitwicks heart was heavy as he walked up the last flight of stairs that led to Ravenclaw tower. He had only been deputy headmaster for four short months, only a month and a half of that with students in his care, and already he felt he had failed in his duties. His hand gripped tight to the railing, his mind flashing back to the sight of Luna Lovegoods face…not in the bed in the hospital wing…but over the past two weeks. George Weasley was right to blame him, he had known something was seriously wrong with the girl yet he had not bothered to take her aside and question her. Instead, he sat idly by while she became more and more a living ghost, a shell of the happy, carefree girl she once was.

He could blame it on his extended duties, that he now had four times the amount of students to look after than he'd had previous years…but that was a cop out. He had failed Luna Lovegood…no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

There was no point in beating himself up about it, that wouldn't do anyone any good. The thing to do now was to get his legs back under him and do the proper thing…get to the truth…and he was prepared to spend all night doing it if that was what it took.

The eagle knocker rested as majestic and proud as ever, Professor Flitwick gave it a cursory glance and blurted out the answer to its ever-perplexing question…he'd had so much practice over the years he barely needed to puzzle over them anymore.

"A wise, well thought out answer Professor." The eagle closed its eyes and the door swung open. Professor Flitwick stepped in and curious eyes attached themselves the moment he cleared his throat. They had been expecting him for some time.

"I would like to see everyone; Prefects…gather those who are missing."

A slight murmur filled the room as the Prefects rushed up the rounding stairwell. They all knew what this was about; they had been waiting for this since word had spread about what had happened that afternoon in the potions dungeons. They had all known something was wrong with Luna, had in fact known that it was only a matter of time before something like this happened, but only two of them knew the catalyst…the others only suspected.

They arrived in groups of two and three then seated themselves in the squashy chairs around the comfortable Ravenclaw common room. Professor Flitwick looked around at them with disappointed eyes…he suspected that it was going to be a long night.

As they stared back it became quite clear…he was right.

Headmaster McGonagall stormed angrily through the Hogwarts hallways in search of the resident poltergeist. She had every ghost in the castle, including Moaning Myrtle, in on the search yet so far Peeves was proving to be elusive. She started as she passed a tapestry on the third floor…Nearly Headless Nick appeared from behind it.

"Headmaster." He bowed his head respectfully "I've covered the floor in its entirety, and so far not a sign of Peeves."

She felt a chill behind her and the Grey Lady appeared from behind a tapestry on the others side.

"Nor on the fourth floor Headmaster."

Headmaster McGonagall resisted the urge to sigh in frustration. Even among the school ghosts she had to keep a strong front…it was so tiring at times.

"Very well, Sir Nicholas, search the greenhouses" She turned to the Grey Lady. "Perhaps you could search the Astronomy Tower."

They began to drift through the tapestries again when a low whine came from the end of the hall. The Bloody Baron arrived; skulking behind him was Peeves, the rear brought up by the Fat Friar.

"Myrtle found him Headmaster…coward was hiding in a girls bathroom on the seventh floor." The Fat Friar said triumphantly "Horrible beast sent Myrtle running in tears and tried to get away but I caught him and kept him cornered until the Baron arrived."

The headmaster nodded in approval. "Well done."

The ghosts formed a circle around the headmaster and Peeves. They weren't going anywhere…they had been waiting for centuries to see Peeves get his comeuppance, they weren't about to leave now.

"Now Peeves, you helped some students with a charm on a teddy bear recently."

"A teddy bear hmmm?" Peeves rubbed his chin between his thumb and a finger. "I don't recall."

"You will recall." Headmaster McGonagall fixed him with an evil glare. She wasn't in the mood to play around. A part of her still bristled from the way she had been run roughshod over by George Weasley and worse, that he had essentially gotten his way, it didn't help matters that he had been right to angry.

Peeves turned somersault midair and began to cackle, "I recall nothing Mineeeeerva" He followed it with a loud raspberry.

"You WILL recall!" She said angrily "Unless you wish to face an exterminator from the ministry!"

Peeves stopped mid raspberry, his eyes wide. "A…an exterminator! Surely, you wouldn't! Don't you love me?"

"You've been terrorizing the students in this school for decades Peeves, no one would be sorry to see you go."

"But you'd miss me…wouldn't you Minnie?" He laid his head on her shoulder and batted his beady eyes. "Wouldn't you? You lurves me!"

"You will tell me who had you help charm the teddy bear Peeves or I will send for an exterminator."

"Awww." Peeves tried his best to look humble, rubbing his toe on the floor and folding his arms behind his back. "It were just a joke, it wasn't to hurt no one."

"Names Peeves."

"But they said they would hex me if I told."

"You're a poltergeist!" Headmaster McGonagall was done playing games.

"But…"

"NAMES!"

Peeves sighed as if he was being horribly put upon.

"If I really must tell…" All thoughts of hesitating further vanished from his mind when the Bloody Baron began to move forward. He put his arms over his head to protect himself and screamed out the names.

"Bethanne Mayze and Gerta Bourne!"

The Bloody Baron took a step backwards and Peeves raced away to find a better place to hide.

Professor Flitwick stared around his house with abject disgust. Two hours and seventy-five house points later not one person had given up a single bit of information.

"That's another twenty-five points." He said angrily, gasps filled the air once again…they had begun the day in second place behind Gryffindor, by now they had to be close to falling behind Hufflepuff in last place.

"Just tell!" A fifth year girl said angrily, staring into a knot of girls who sat near the fireplace…all six had been staring at Bethanne and Gerta since the questioning had begun.

"We don't know anything!" One of the girls yelled back. It was partially true. They didn't know anything specific, all they had were suspicions.

"We all know who did it." A seventh year boy glared at the knot of girls.

"Did what?" Another girl within the knot spoke. "We don't even know that anything was done. Luna was flipping out from the first night we came back."

"And we all know certain people didn't exactly help matters." The boy glared back. "Or see anyone try to stop it."

"I didn't see you doing anything to stop it. Hypocrite."

"Enough!" Flitwick yelled. "I don't want conjecture, I want names. Someone altered a charm on something belonging to Miss Lovegood, now I want to know who."

"Bethanne and Gerta were her roommates." The fifth year glared over at them. She was tired; all she wanted was to go to bed.

"That doesn't mean anything." Gerta gave the girl a narrow eyed, dangerous look. "Besides, she hasn't been in our room for weeks."

"You should watch who you're telling lies about." Bethanne gave her a menacing glare.

There was a flash of emerald flames and Professor McGonagall's head appeared in the fire.

"Fillius, I wish a private word." He approached the fire then leaned down to allow for private conversation. He nodded and straightened.

"You may all go to bed, except the Prefects."

When the room had cleared and he was sure that all had disappeared into their rooms he nodded to the Prefects.

"Collect Bethanne Mayze and Gerta Bourne and bring them to the Headmasters office…have them bring their trunks."

The prefects looked around at one another and then back at Professor Flitwick.

"Yes Sir."

Percy bounced down the stairs nervously, he had already checked in on Luna and found the bedroom deserted…he was anxious to see how she was doing now that she was awake. Instead, he found his mother standing by the kitchen window, a letter in her hand.

"Morning mum."

"Oh, good morning dear." She looked up from the letter and smiled sadly.

He glanced at the letter in her hand. "Something wrong?"

"Yes and no." She let the letter roll closed and lay it on the counter. "They found the two girls who changed the charm on Luna's teddy bear…they were expelled last night."

"That's good isn't it?"

"Of course it is, but…well, it's just so sad…knowing that people can be so cruel. I know both of those girls' parents and they are lovely people. I can't imagine how they must feel about all of this."

Percy shrugged "It's not as if it is their fault."

Molly laughed, "People always blame the parents…just as the parents always blame themselves. I know I did."

Percy looked up in surprise; he couldn't begin to imagine why his mother would blame herself for anything. She was the best woman he had ever known, kind, caring, giving to a fault. He still bore and incredible amount of guilt for the way he had treated her…for the way he had treated her and his father. Molly noticed his reaction and smiled, reaching out to touch his hand.

"I blamed myself when you left. I thought perhaps I had done something wrong to make you want to leave us."

"No mum." He shook his head sadly "That was all on me. I was…well, there is a word for what I was but you don't like me using that sort of language. I thought I owned the world and if I did it right, I would be Minister of Magic in a matter of years. I let nothing stop me…not even common sense."

The guilt in his eyes was impossible to miss. Even after all these months, so much sadness, and so much pain. Would it ever go away or would it haunt him for the rest of his life?

"You're not that person anymore Percy, you changed. You came and you fought with us…you were…" she took a deep breath and let it out on a shuddering breath "…you were with Fred when he died. Your coming back…you have no idea how happy that made him. And look…look at how close you and George have become. That never could have happened with the old Percy."

Percy wanted to take comfort in her words. At the heart of it, he knew them to be true. That didn't erase the guilt.

"I think you need to make a decision on this job offer of yours." Molly gave him the 'about to interfere for your own good' look and Percy couldn't help but laugh. He had known this was bound to come up sooner or later…he would likely stay at the Burrow as long as George and Luna were, he didn't like being alone anymore.

"I know. I just wish I could be sure."

"Sure of what?"

"Of myself." As he spoke the words, he realized what his true problem had been all along. It wasn't his mistrust of the ministry that was holding him back…it was his mistrust of himself. He had already let his ambitions rule his life once…what was to say he wouldn't do it again?

"I don't trust myself to take the job mum, what's to stop me from being…him…again?"

"You do yourself a grave disservice Percy Weasley." Molly shook her head, a sad smile on her face as she looked at her prodigal son. "Do you think you could go through what you have and not be touched by it? Do you think your heart so cold that it would forget all you've learned? Kingsley hand chose you for this job because you have learned; you better than anybody else can help heal these people because you know their pain."

It was a different and wonderful feeling, knowing that his family believed in him … not because he studied hard and got twelve O.W.L.S., but because he had shown them through his actions what he was worthy of their trust. If the situations were reversed, he didn't know if he would be able to trust them. It was a lot to ask of a person.

"You really think I should take the job."

Molly patted his hand and turned her attention back out the window where George had just risen and taken Luna's hand to walk back to the house. She looked like a ghost; she was far too thin and was a long way from being well rested, even after having slept over twelve hours the day before. Molly would get some food into her and then send her back to bed, even though it didn't sit particularly well with her that it meant sending George along with her, she knew it was the only way Luna would go. But she had known all of this the night before, there was no going back now.

"If you are still feeling pause, think of how much you care about Luna." Molly flicked her wand so the refrigerator door flew open and the makings for breakfast flew out and began preparing themselves. "It's people like her who need you."

Molly patted his shoulder and then turned to the stove.

"Harry…" Ron trailed behind his best friend, a look of abject misery on his face. He still couldn't believe what Harry was making him do; it went against everything he believed in, everything he had believed in for the past eight years. "I don't want to do this."

"Ron, it's not like he is going to hurt you." Not for the first time, Harry felt like yelling at Ron to grow a spine. He had thought Ron would be different after all they had been through the year before, and in many ways he was. He was more decisive and not afraid to stand up for himself, particularly with Hermione. The best part was that he wasn't an easy mark for the Slytherins anymore; they would have a hard time if they planned to shake him on the Quidditch pitch this year as they had in the past.

Unfortunately, as much as Ron had changed for the better in some ways, there were plenty of ways that he was just as bad, if not worse, as ever. If he didn't want to do something, he had a tendency to whine about it.

"Malfoy's in a hospital bed Ron; just what do you think he is going to be able to do?"

"Yeah, he was in a hospital bed the night Dumbledore was killed too, remember?" Ron stopped outside the heavy wooden doors that lead to the hospital wing. He hated these doors, they were too familiar. They were the part of Hogwarts he would miss the least.

"Maybe, but he didn't do it from the hospital bed." Harry shuddered with the memory. "Look, I feel partly responsible for his being here; I just want to make sure he's okay."

Ron rolled his eyes; it was so like Harry to blame himself. He and the others had been trying to talk him away from it since the afternoon before, but George had been right in a way. They should have told him that Luna was as bad as she was, they never should have waited for him to come to Hogsmeade. If they hadn't, things never would have gotten this bad, Luna wouldn't be in the shape she was now.

Ron couldn't have cared less about what had happened to Draco Malfoy. He was part of the reason Luna was the way she was now, even if not directly, it didn't remove the culpability; it was his house she had been held in after all. As far as he was concerned, the little bastard had it coming to him and it was a big part of why he didn't want to be where he was now, it was why Hermione and Ginny had flat out refused.

"Couldn't we send a note?" Ron groused as Harry pushed open the heavy wooden door.

Harry cuffed Ron on the shoulder, pushing him inside. "Come on."

The room was quiet and empty except in the farthest corner where Madam Pomfrey fussed behind a pair of curtains; it was where Harry remembered her having put Draco. He cleared his throat loudly to get her attention, and a moment later, her head poked through the gap between the screens.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley…Miss Lovegood went home with your parents last night, I thought you knew."

"Err...yeah, we know." Ron shuffled his feet nervously, looking as if he wanted more than anything to run for the door and never come back…which he did. "Only, Harry wants…I mean, we, wanted to see Malfoy."

"Oh!" Her eyes were huge, round as the gold chargers they put under the dinner plates when they had feasts on special occasions. She had never thought she would see the day when Harry Potter would come to see Draco Malfoy and now she wondered if she should send for the headmistress … perhaps they blamed the Malfoy boy for what happened the day before. The last thing she wanted was more blood shed.

Harry grinned a little at the expression on her face, considering their history it wasn't difficult to imagine just where he mind had gone. It wouldn't have been the first time they had drawn one another's blood; it had only been a year and a half before that he had put Draco in there after nearly killing him with the Sectumsempra.

"It's fine, really." He said, raising his hands in the air. "I just wanted to see if he's okay."

"And you Mr. Weasley?" She turned her sharp eyes on Ron. His face was red and mutinous. He obviously didn't like being there but he was the last person who would attack without being attacked first. The war had turned him into a pacifist; it was one of the little known side effects of watching your brother die. Once the anger and rage fade, all you are left with is the idea of pointless the violence is.

"He's safe." He turned away, his face impassive. "I won't attack the ruddy little bastard." He mumbled behind Harry's back so low that Harry had to strain to hear.

"Very well then." She pulled the curtains apart enough to step through, then stood on the other side and made the gap wider. Gawkers had been coming in using all manner of excuses to get a look at "Loony Lovegood poor victim" and Madam Pomfrey was determined to protect his privacy, even if it meant keeping him there longer than he really needed to be there.

Harry swallowed nervously as he stepped through the gap. He had imagined all manner of things and he was thankful to see that none of them was true. But for a few scrapes, Draco Malfoy looked none the worse for wear. There were long lines where the skin was still raw where deep cuts had been healed, and there was a bandage on the back on his head that was held in place with a long strip of gauze wrapped several times around his head, but other wise, he looked the same as always.

Yet, he looked little like the Draco Malfoy Harry knew. There was something strange in his eyes, as if something had been removed and then replaced with something else. They were still icy blue, but as Harry sat in a chair at the side of the bed, he realized with a jolt what was missing.

Draco no longer looked down at him with arrogance. Instead, there was something that looked very much like respect. Even more shockingly, when his eyes moved to Ron, the look of respect didn't waver in the slightest.

It was almost unnerving, in a peaceful, calming sort of way.

"Okay Malfoy?" He spoke nervously when Madam Pomfrey left them alone.

"I've been better." He smiled wryly "And worse. Madam Pomfrey said I can get out of here later tonight, so I can't be too bad off."

Harry nodded, wishing Ron would sit instead of fidgeting behind him.

"We brought your bag from the potions room." He nodded to the spot next to his chair.

"Thanks, I hate to think how behind I am, even after just one day." He looked at them again "It was nice of you to do that."

"Malfoy…I wanted to say, about what happened, it wasn't Luna's fault, not really."

Draco looked away from Harry to stare at the striped pattern on the screen that surrounded the bed. He had known this was why Potter had come, that they would get around to it eventually, but now that they had, he desperately wished they hadn't. He hated thinking about that time.

"It wasn't her fault at all." His voice was just above a whisper, "It was mine, my family, and the people my family was involved with. The Dark Lord."

Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Draco wasn't finished.

"Do you remember, how I used to brag about my father?" He looked back at Harry and Ron, Ron in particular now. "I thought he was such a great man with his pure blood and vows to rid the world of 'mudbloods.'" He looked sick for having said the word though he had once used it pride; his face radiated with disgust. "God how I hate that fucking word."

He shuddered again, seeming lost in a world of his own private hell. He was quiet for a moment and then he came back to himself.

"Is she going to be okay? Luna I mean?" His eyes were shocking again; they were filled with great concern.

"She's home with my family." Ron spoke, his face was shell shocked as he slid into a chair next to Harry. My brother will help her, he always does."

"It's good that she has someone." He nodded and a wan smile crossed his face again. "My father is back in Azkaban you know. After we left here in July he turned himself in so he could finish his two year sentence for breaking into the ministry for stealing the prophecy."

Harry was very nearly impressed. "Who are you and what have you done with Draco Malfoy?"

The wry smile crossed Draco's lips again for a moment before disappearing again. The far away look returned as his eyes drifted back to the stripes on the screen.

"He died on the Astronomy tower eighteen months ago." He sighed and settled back against the pillows, ignoring the throb in the back of his head. He thought for a long silent moment, so long that Harry and Ron thought he might have fallen asleep. When he spoke, his voice was a whisper so soft they had to strain to hear.

"Yes, I'm certain that's where he died."

In her hopes of tempting Luna, Molly had outdone herself in a breakfast feast that was only rivaled at Christmas. There were biscuits, and cinnamon rolls, pancakes, and Omelets… sans peppers of course, sausage and bacon and fried potatoes with fresh squeezed orange juice. Yet, Luna took only a little bit of Omelet and orange juice, leaving the rest alone.

"Are you sure you wouldn't like more dear?" Molly gave Luna a pleading look, she hadn't even finished the little bit of food she had taken.

"Thank you, but I'm not very hungry." She smiled, hoping to please her; she picked up her glass of orange juice and drained it. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get her off her back.

"Dad." Percy looked at his father, a small smile on his face. "I'll need to go in with you today."

"Why is that?" Arthur looked at him hopefully. He knew that since the incident with Luna, Percy had been leaning towards taking the job.

"I've decided to take the job at the ministry."

He looked at Luna, knowing she would be pleased. Instead, she had turned a greenish color, her eyes red and watery.

"I'm sorry, excuse me." She jumped from the table and into the bathroom, George close on her heels.

"Well…err…" Arthur looked after them worriedly, and then turned back to Percy. "That's wonderful news. Kingsley will be pleased."

Percy nodded; their eyes were all on the bathroom door in the hallway.

"Thanks dad."

"I shouldn't have drunk that juice so fast." Luna said with a last shudder over the toilet. "I tried so hard to eat, and now it's all gone to waste."

George rang a washcloth out in the sink and then knelt down on the floor in front of her and put it on her forehead.

"Maybe you could try to eat a little more before you go back to sleep."

She looked at him in horror. "I don't think so."

"Okay." He nodded and pulled her into his arms. "Better now?"

Luna nodded weakly. She hated this, hated every moment. She didn't understand how she had gotten here; how had she become this weak broken thing that couldn't even drink a whole glass of juice? Yes, she had been through terrible things, but she had always been a strong person … shouldn't her strength have been enough to carry her through?

"Come on, you should take your potion and get some sleep." He kissed her forehead and began to stand; her trembling began with the mention of the word sleep.

"You don't have to be afraid; I'll be with you."

"But your mum…"

"I told you, we worked it out."

"I am afraid." Her voice was weak and shaky. Once again, George cursed the people who were responsible for Luna being like this. Voldemort, and Jarrett Conlish, Bethanne Mayze and Gerta Bourne and every single person who had pointed fingers at her and laughed. He cursed McGonagall and Flitwick, and though he knew it wasn't fair, he cursed Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione too. He had trusted them to look out for her… and they had failed.

"You don't have anything to be afraid of." He whispered softly against her hair. He meant it, if he had his way, Luna would have nothing to fear ever again. "You are going to better Luna. Someday soon, you will be strong again. Until that day comes, I'll take care of you."

Luna had never thought of herself as the kind of person who would need a man to take care of her, the war had changed that. It was her refusal to admit she needed help that had lead to her breakdown in the potions lab. She wasn't going to be so foolish again. She was going to get better, she was going to overcome this…and, she was going to accept whatever help was offered to do it.

"Mum will have your potion ready by now." He pulled back, took her hand, and then pushed the bathroom door open. "You need to sleep."

"Oh Luna." Molly exclaimed when they emerged from the hallway. "Sit down dear."

Luna was thankful to see that Percy and Mr. Weasley had finished breakfast and left for the Ministry. She would congratulate Percy on his new job when she saw him later, she felt horrible for ruining his announcement.

Molly set a tumbler with crimson liquid in front of her and a plate with a biscuit spread with butter and strawberry jam. Luna looked at the plate with the expression of someone about to be forced to eat glass.

"I know you're not hungry." Molly patted her hand. "But Poppy…that is to say, Madam Pomfrey, says that prolonged use of the dreamless sleep potion can upset your stomach, so you should try to eat a little before you take it."

Luna nodded morosely; wondering a little if this was a clever ruse of Mrs. Weasley's to get her to eat a little.

"Now, while you eat, I suppose now is as good a time as any to discuss a few, well…rules."

George grinned a little; he had been preparing himself for this since the moment his mother had mentioned that there would be rules for him and Luna sleeping in the same bed. What he hadn't been prepared for was her pulling a thick scroll from the pocket of her robe. The last number he saw before it rolled off the table was rule number forty-eight.

"Rule number one." Molly began "The bedroom door remains open at all times. Rule number two. No kissing. Rule number…"

"No kissing?" George looked up, the smirk on his face replaced with horror. "What if I want to kiss her goodnight?"

"You can do it at the bottom of the stairs." Molly turned back to her list. "Rule number three, no communal dressing. Rule number four. Proper bed clothing must be worn at all times, night gowns must reach the ankle, and full pajamas must be worn, no boxers…."

George sighed and leaned back in his chair. He had been right the night before…this was what she meant by his having a long day ahead. Luna had already drank her potion and would be asleep in a few minutes…Lucky her. He considered, for a moment, picking up the tumbler and licking out any remaining potion.

"Rule number eight. Dirty laundry must be kept in separate hampers and washed separately. Rule number nine…"

George sighed as Luna's head fell against his shoulder. He put his arm around her, settling her head against his chest, then settled in for the rest of the list.

At least his mum wasn't calling herself the High Inquisitor Mother and her rules weren't Decrees.

George looked around the kitchen and noted to his considerable relief that there wasn't a black quill in sight.

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Chapter Fourteen Preview

Headmistress McGonagall addresses

the student body and makes changes in Hogwarts policy in the aftermath of Luna's breakdown.

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An incident causes Ginny

and Hermione to question their feelings about Draco Malfoy;

and an old rivalry is reborn.

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Percy begins his

new job, and the process of hiring staff leads

to complications

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George and Luna grow

even closer and Molly is forced to battle between

her morals and doing what she knows

is best for Luna.

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(Note: Previews are subject to change due to inspiration or whim)

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