Author's Notes:

I've gotten back into the swing of grinding out chapters but am not sure how long it will be between updates. It all depends on my reading and what the muses push down my pipeline (read out of ideas or sense of humour falls flat, or my wife loads me up with another honey-do list)

This shout-out for stories by other writers, goes to the slew of stories by Stephen Ratcliffe, starting off with "Honor a Hufflepuff" (story 7640636) and all the other Harry Potter stories in the various combinations and permutations of characters and stories.

As usual, Ms Rowling maintains total control over her characters and the Harry Potter epic, and I am writing within the context of the Fifth Year (second half of 1995 through first half of 1996 - Order of Phoenix through Half-Blood Prince). Of course, we've gone off of the Canon Highway long, long ago (about 33 chapters to be exact…..)

Be warned. I do not stick to canon and may drift way off of the original storyline. I also have an annoying habit of misspelling words, using the wrong name and screwing up Japanese names and usage.

Feel free to post reviews and commentaries, but I insist that you login and post it under your real account name. Guest or anonymous reviews are subject to being designated troll-bait and will be moderated to death.

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(Meaning of the above: Kilroy was here)

Solar, Saturday, December 9th at 8:00PM

The piles of shopping bags had been enlarged, unloaded, sorted and stored away in various closets (mostly in Luna's new apartment euphemistically called "the Maid's Quarters"), along with various house elves providing additional storage cupboards for all the current school books and supplies. The Ladies Potter and Luna were crashing on the various couches while Harry and Dudley were finishing stashing the last of the "contraband" (read chips, chocolate bars, ice creams and carbonated beverages) with the help of Dobby and Winki.

Hermione was reading an owl-note from her parents and sat up straight. "Hey, everyone! Mom and Dad said that it is OK for all of us to spend a couple days over Christmas with them. Only caveat is that the sexes will be sleeping in separate rooms in separate parts of the house with at least two doors between the rooms."

Heads nodded and then pivoted in Harry's direction, while Hermione looked hard at the note again. "Yeah, they included Harry's Little Problem. He gets the guest room beside Mom and Dad's, and no night-time visitors."

The Ladies Potter all pouted, including Hermione. She read on. "We'll be met by them and a mini-bus when the Special arrives at King's Cross Station, then we'll load up and head for Crawley, do some shopping at the Queen's Square and the Count Mall next door on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day is church and dinner and opening gifts first thing in the morning, Boxing Day at the Weasley, Lovegood and Dursley households, then back to Crawley for a day of doing absolutely nothing. Then it's an International Portkey to visit Minazuki's family. And nothing until the Laird McGonalgall's New Year's Eve Levee. And that's it for us until we have to catch the Hogwarts Special for next term."

Minerva sighed. "And you left out all the staff and Board meetings that are taking place over Christmas because 'everyone is available'. Which means that I'll get sucked into all sorts of boring meetings while the rest of you are having fun."

Luna suddenly started and the looked at the clock on the mantelpiece, then sagged back into her previous slouch.

Minerva caught the sudden movement and looked at Luna. "OK, Luna, you suddenly remembered something but aren't talking about it. What's up, dear?"

Luna slid even further down in her seat and crossed her arms. "No, it's nothing, really. Just somewhere where I was supposed to be, but it's now too late and …. and…. And (big sigh) I'm no longer a Ravenclaw."

Ginny reached over and wrapped her childhood friend in a hug. "Yea, tonight's the night for the Ravenclaw try-outs for the Year-End Concert."

Minerva tapped her chin with her forefinger. "You know, Luna, but I don't recall seeing any paperwork actually revoking your house membership. Quite the opposite. I heard your room mates and their friends and the entire House being told off, informed that you would not be taking classes with them, and informing them that they would be paying for the replacement of anything and everything that got damaged or destroyed. No, nothing about transferring to another House."

Luna slumped even further down. "Yes, but they be saying just that, that I'm no longer a Hufflepuff."

Ginny nudged her. "Yeah, but do they have the authority to make it so? The only ones who can do that is Professor Flitwick and the Headmaster and Headmistress. Flitwick totally approved of the rant and said nothing later. Minerva hasn't said anything along those lines or any house lines at all today, and no one's heard Professor Snape say anything. He was too busy smirking at the expressions from Ravenclaw when the whole thing came down around their ears. I did see what I thought was him waving at us from the Head Table as we left, but that could have been him signaling for help because he was laughing so hard that he'd stopped breathing. What say we head for the Room of Requirement and get you signed in?"

Luna shrugged and put on a pout until her friend dragged her to her feet. "Winki! Can you side-along us to the Room of Requirement this very instant?"

Winki stood up and dusted off her skirts, and nodded. "Yes, Miss Ginny MAAM! Do you want to arrive quietly or gather everyone's attentions?"

Ginny smiled and started dragging Luna in Winki's direction. "Thank you Winki. I think that the quietly possible arrival is the best one. Others are trying to audition an we wouldn't want them to claim that we thrown them off and ruined their chances deliberately, would we?"

Winki proceeded to try stuffing her hands into her mouth while graining like a banshee. Finally gaining control of herself, she smiled and nodded. "Miss Ginny MAAM! So we goes in as quiets as mouses, right?"

"Right," said Ginny as she held out her hand to Winky, who promptly stepped in between then and the threesome disapparated with a faint "pffft!"

Minerva stood up and looked around at the others. "Well? Shall we get on over before all the fun is over and Luna's had her auditin?"

All the others stood up, put away what they had been doing and headed for the door to the hallway.

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Room Of Requirement, Saturday, December 9th at 8:10PM

The residents of the Solar and their friends, crept in to the Room of Requirement and found seats in the rear of the section closest to the stage. Myrtle spotted Luna and Ginny occupying one of the seats closest to the stage, well away from the Ravenclaws that were occupying the rest of the section and plainly ignoring the glares and whispers circulating through most of the girls in the Ravenclaw huddle.

Professor Flitwick spotted the arrival of the Solar crowd and nodded in their direction as he approached the chalkboard set up at the edge of the stage and called out a name. That person stood up and came down and up unto the stage, passed their music to Seamus Finnegan who was manning an upright piano off to the side. A little bit of shuffling of music and Seamus hit a single note. The student nodded and Seamus started the opening chords of the song and the student rolled through the piece.

Minerva leaned over the seats and whispered at everyone, "standard auditioning process. The judges are dead center over there and are taking notes on stage presence, the reaction of the audience, and how well they can sing the piece. Looks like we have a few before they reach Luna's name."

Everyone nodded and shifted deeper in their seats, keeping a general eye on the Ravenclaws and their behavior.

When Luna's turn came and Professor Flitwick called her name, the reaction of the Ravenclaws was not muted in the least. Flitwick glared at the students and said sharply, "Miss Lovegood is still a Hogwarts student and still is a member of Ravenclaw House. She has every right to audition, and you will be quiet. If I have to start applying detentions and taking points, I will. Your one and only warning."

He gave a quick glance in the direction of the Potters and gave a sharp nod, then motioned Luna to come up on the stage.

Luna stopped at the table beside Seamus and found a piece of music that had previously been used and drew it out, then handed it to Seamus. He took a quick look at the title and then at Luna, who nodded back and smiled at him, then proceeded to the mark at the front of the stage.

Seamus hit her note and she pointed upwards. Seamus hit a higher note and Luna again gave the "higher" gesture then walked over and gently tapped a key, well up the keyboard. Seamus looked at her with raised eyebrows and she nodded. He hit the note and she nodded, the returned to her mark on the stage and looked straight back at Seamus. "Follow my lead," she said and drew a deep breath.

Hark when the night is falling
Hear! Hear the pipes are calling,
Loudly and proudly calling,
Down thro' the glen.
There where the hills are sleeping,
Now feel the blood a-leaping,
High as the spirits of the old Highland men.

Towering in gallant fame,
Scotland my mountain hame,
High may your proud standards gloriously wave,
Land of my high endeavour,
Land of the shining river,
Land of my heart for ever,
Scotland the brave.

High in the misty Highlands,
Out by the purple islands,
Brave are the hearts that beat
Beneath Scottish skies.
Wild are the winds to meet you,
Staunch are the friends that greet you,
Kind as the love that shines from fair maidens' eyes.

Towering in gallant fame,
Scotland my mountain hame,
High may your proud standards gloriously wave,
Land of my high endeavour,
Land of the shining river,
Land of my heart for ever,
Scotland the brave.

Far off in sunlit places,
Sad are the Scottish faces,
Yearning to feel the kiss
Of sweet Scottish rain.
Where tropic skies are beaming,
Love sets the heart a-dreaming,
Longing and dreaming for the homeland again.

Towering in gallant fame,
Scotland my mountain hame,
High may your proud standards gloriously wave,
Land of my high endeavour,
Land of the shining river,
Land of my heart for ever,
Scotland the brave.

"Oh, my!" went Minerva. "That was a brave, brave thing to do, or totally foolish."

The reaction of the Ravenclaws was less subtle. They booed and shouted at her to get off of the stage, that she was not a proper Ravenclaw. The judges and Professor Flitwick stood and glared at the mov-scene playing out in front of him.

"QUIET!" he shouted and the cry echoed off of the back rafters of the Hall as the RavenclawsFroze and Flitwick pointed at the leader of the loudest of the Ravenclaw. ""You! Mandy Brocklehurst! What have you got against Luna singing that song or it just her presence that you object to? Choose your words carefully, and Lord Potter is right behind you and WILL exercise his perogatives that he laid out and I will fully support his actions."

Mandy stood up, practically shaking in her shoes, and mumbled something. "Speak clarly, Miss Brocklehurst", sounding much like Professor Snape at his most sarcastic.

Mandy's head snapped up and she said clearly, "the song that she sang is not in the Karioke book that you'd provided for us to select the songs from. She sang a song out of that list and it can't be judged."

Flitwick nodded. "And when did I provide the book and gave the rule/"

"Wh-wh-when you first arrived."

"And did anyone communicate that infomraiton to Miss Lovegood when she arrived, albeit a bit late?"

Mandy looked at her feet and murmured, "no, sir. No one did."

"Ah! Then Miss Lovegood cannot be judged based upon that presentations. I suggest that you provide her with either the book or a selection from the book so that she can PROPERLY audition."

Mandy pulled open the copy of the book at random and looked at the selection in front of her. "It'sGetting Better, by Mama Cass."

"Thank you, Miss Brocklehurst. You can sit down."

Flitwick turned to Luna who was standing there on the verge of tears. Flitwick spoke quietly, "Miss Lovegood. Luna, are you familiar with that song? Do you need to have the words or the music?"

Luna slowly shook her head, then looked at Seamus. "I'll do this a capella. Thank you, Seamus."

Seamus shrugged back at her, and Luna retook her mark on the stage. Several deep breaths were taken and she started in a lower register but note and pitch perfect.

Once I believed that when love came to me
It would come with rockets, bells and poetry
But with me and you it just started quietly and grew
And believe it or not
Now there's something groovy and good
Bout whatever we got
And it's getting better
Growing stronger warm and wilder
Getting better every day, better every day
I don't feel all turned on and starry eyed
I just feel a sweet contentment deep inside
Holding you at night just seems kind of natural and right
And it's not hard to see
That it isn't half of what it's going to turn out to be
Cause it's getting better
Growing stronger, warm and wilder
Getting better every day, better every day
And just like a flower that takes time to bloom
This love of ours is taking time to grow
Ba da da da da da da da da da da da
And I don't mind waitin', don't mind waitin'
Cause no matter how long it takes
The two of us know
That it's getting better
Growing stronger, warm and wilder
Getting better every day, better every day.

As the last notes faded away in echoes, the judges stood up and applauded, followed by Professor Flitwick doing the same and everyone else except the Ravenclaws standing and applauding. Then a couple Ravenclaws who were not part of the crowd that had been actively bullying Luna stood and started applauding, then clapping faster and faster until the Hall was filled with thundering clapping.

The remaining Ravenclaws stayed in their seats, not happy at all at the turn of events.

When the applause died away, Luna looked at Mandy and said "Mandy, you had no way of knowing that but that was my mother's favourite song. She and I sang it every day until she had her unfortuante accident and died. Since then, it's been my only real comfort in Ravenclaw House."

She then turned to the judges and bowed to them, then ran off the end of the stage and ran to her friends from the Solar and tried giving them a mass hug.