Important A/N: I have changed Neville's power from predicting using objects, to controlling emotions. Unlike Hermione, he will not be able to detect emotions but only influence them. Which is why the two will have to work closely with those powers. I will edit this into previous chapters.
This chapter hasn't been beta'd, so all mistakes are my fault!
I changed it because the power was very vague, and too much like Luna's. Anyway, I hope you're okay with it. I will, when I find the time, edit the start chapters and change this detail.
Sorry for inconvenience!
Thanks to -- XlinzX, Samara Longbottom, Edwardslover09, zcubed, B00kw0rm92, Blossomgirl94, RandomnessisinmyNature, fun-club, Rebecca, yellow 14, notwolf, ally leigh, xXxrockablegirlxXx, Lightest'Ink, Catastrophe Cullen, Angel JJK and for all your wonderful reviews!
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P.S-- If you have the song "Innocence" by Avril Lavigne, I suggest you play it during the second break (I'll put the first word in bold so you'll know.). If you don't have it, you should play it on youtube. However, this is just my humble suggestion. J
"It's so easy, To think about Love, To Talk about Love, To wish for Love, But it's not always easy, To recognize Love, Even when we hold it.... In our hands." -- Jaka
Chapter Thirty-Four: Innocence
Luna sat quietly in the common room alone, feeling bored and tired. Although it was because of her jaded state that she felt tiredness sweep over her. The day had been very slow, and she had spent nearly all of it with Hermione; talking and training. Hermione had asked Luna to come with her for a day of physical training, and Luna accepted immediately. She really needed to build up her physical strength and fitness, and had been putting off training for quite some time.
Of course, when physical training started again tomorrow, she would be forced to. Nevertheless, she felt proud that she had completed three laps with Hermione, and the two had loudly marvelled on their improvement since they arrived.
She was relieved that there was some sort of improvement, because their friends were expecting something spectacular tomorrow. None of them had actually seen the heirs in action -- spare Ginny who had seen Neville fighting for a few moments. It was nerve-wracking to have the added pressure of supposedly being all-powerful on top of saving the world. Well, perhaps not saving the world, but at the very least Britain.
But this pressure was nothing to Luna, she could honestly tell you that. Luna took pressure like a pro, and was nothing short of the calm being she was in face of tomorrow's 'show' for their friends. If they made mistakes, their friends would realise they were just like everyone else -- just with that ever-mounting pressure. If they performed without a hitch, well, that one was spoken for.
She could admit though, that while she took pressure well, she was curious, for lack of better word, of Harry's reaction to her powers. As shallow and needy as it was, Luna wanted to impress him.
It wasn't something Luna was used to -- alike the awkward silences with Ginny. Luna never felt the need to impress anyone either, never cared enough to. She maintained that someone would like her for whatever she does, and wouldn't need to impress them. But something about Harry made her want to improve.
She wasn't sure what it was, but she rather liked the feeling.
Luna was aware that while Harry was one of the most caring, brilliant people she ever knew -- and a lot more adjectives -- starting anything with him would be wrong. Perhaps not wrong in theory, but in principal -- the fact that she had been in a relationship with his now dead best friend hit her every time she began to think anything beyond platonic for Harry Potter.
Albeit, Luna wasn't quite sure just what she felt for Harry Potter.
"Hey Luna." The voice abruptly brought her out of her thoughts, and Luna smiled.
Think of the devil.. "Harry, what are you doing here? I thought you four were getting a defence class."
He sat down on the couch next to her, "We were, but the next topic was patronus'. I showed them mine and then Lupin told me and Ginny we could go -- that patronus' were the end of the lesson and we knew how to perform one. Ginny waited for Blaise to finish up though so that Lupin could show her where Neville was."
"I see. I've never been more bored in my entire existence. Which is strange, because I should be able to find something to do -- training, writing, helping elves. But I don't want to.. And Hermione is with Trelawney, Draco with Dumbledore and Neville with Lainey. You four were at defence. I was left alone." Luna said the last part in mock sadness and very theatrically before she laughed.
Harry chuckled before a thought struck him, "Why aren't you training?"
"Pompfrey told me that I wasn't strong enough for a full session."
There was a silence where both people's thoughts were racing, searching for something to do to cure their unusual boredom. Luna thought it absurd that they couldn't find anything to do in such a huge castle.
Luna jumped up suddenly and outstretched her hand for Harry to take, "We'll explore the castle! I have been here so long, yet I've not explored this magnificent, old castle. There are so many rooms waiting to be found… secrets to be unveiled! Who knows what we'll find." She hauled Harry to his feet, "Come on!"
Harry laughed at Luna's child-like enthusiasm, "Okay, okay, let's go."
Her smile was beaming and Harry faltered a little in his own enthusiasm.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Let's try this one, this has to be better." Luna had obviously gone the wrong way, because instead of searching through ancient and ordinate bedrooms with hidden secrets and a story behind it, she and Harry stumbled through empty rooms with various desks, book cases and things that Hermione would generally like to see. Luna was a Ravenclaw, and she did love books, but not on Hermione's scale.
They were now on the floor below the heirs rooms, where their friends were staying -- but Harry and Luna had gone in an opposite direction. Their exploring had been rather unfulfilled so far, but Luna was holding out for at least one room with some promise.
Her mouth parted in surprise as she looked at the room. The walls were a deep blue, with gold lights on the walls. There was a black couch to the right of the room with a cherry coffee table in front of it. What interested Luna most however, was the large, white grand piano in the middle of the room. It gleamed in the light of the gold hangings, the polished surface glinting. It looked brand new, but of course, there was no way it could be.
"What is this room?" Harry asked, puzzled.
Luna barely registered the question and walked slowly over to the piano, staring at it in awe. She had an urge to run her fingers over the keys, but another to leave it as pristine as she found it.
Music suddenly started playing from the piano, and Luna jumped away in surprise. She had definitely not been expecting that. The melody was slow, but rhythmic and calming and she automatically began singing words to it as she listened. "Waking up I see everything is okay.." She thought, then turned to Harry.
"Dance with me, Harry,"
He shook his head bashfully, "I'd love to, but I err.. Don't dance."
I found a place so safe,not a single tear
The first time in my life and now it's so clear
Feel calm I belong,I'm so happy here
It's so strong and now
I let myself be sincere
Luna smiled, walked over to him and slipped her hand into his. "You do with me," Her voice wasn't commanding or demanding, but rather light and kind. She led them to the middle of the floor next to the piano, then placing one of Harry's hands on her waist and keeping hold of the other one.
I wouldn't change a thing about it
This is the best feeling
This innocence is brilliant, I hope that it will stay
This moment is perfect, please don't go away
I need you now
And I'll hold on to it, don't you let it pass you by
It's the state of bliss you think you're dreaming
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling
It's so beautiful, it makes you wanna cry
She took the lead at first, until he decided that he was comfortable enough to take the mans position in leading the two around the small area of floor. As the melody played and picked up in what was seemingly the chorus, Harry span Luna and she laughed a little.
Her laughter quickly died as she caught sight of his gaze. Those emerald green eyes, that captivated more girls than Harry knew of, were staring intently into her own blue eyes with such fervour and affection that Luna felt herself falter in her step for a minute. Her heart was beating ferociously in her chest as she attempted to distinguish between the torrent of emotions washing over her at that moment.
It's the state of bliss you think you're dreaming
It's the happiness inside that you're feeling
It's so beautiful, it makes you wanna cry
She recognised that the song had stopped playing, that it was only the two of them now to be heard. Luna thought her heart was about to beat out of her chest, and was sure he could hear it as well as she.
Her chest actually hurt with what she was feeling -- but it wasn't a bad hurt, it was an overwhelming feeling that was enveloping her entirely, making her feel slightly insecure but she felt a thrill from it.
He had stopped dancing, and they were simply standing in the middle of the floor now. Saying nothing, hearing nothing but the sound of the shallow breaths mingling together each time they exhaled.
Luna wanted to kiss him. She wanted to reach up and lightly plant a kiss on his lips, to savour a moment of intimacy with him.
Harry apparently decided something then, as he began leaning towards Luna, his eyes still open as he read her. The music abruptly began again, picking up where it left off, and the two teens started. Harry almost instantly recovered and began swaying them again.
But Luna knew the moment was lost; the intensity in his eyes gone, and the spark ignited had gone out for the moment. It was always there, but had really flared then.
The piano seemed louder this time, but Luna knew this was probably just her. She seemed aware of everything around her now, and it was frightening. She never cared for anything outside her own bubble, unless she needed to -- like observing friends -- but outside that, Luna wasn't aware of much, she wasn't aware of herself.
Her thoughts were directed to the piano again, and she spoke aloud, "I wonder how it's playing. Must be a charm of some sort.."
Harry shook his head, seemingly shaking his thoughts away, and grinned, "Maybe it's a ghost."
It was a joke, but the music stopped unexpectedly, and paused for two minutes, before starting again.
Harry looked back at Luna, eyes wide, "Do you want to go back now?"
She glanced around the room one last time and nodded, "Yes, let's go." She knew that her feelings for Harry Potter were now irrevocable, and it was only a matter of time before it all blew up.
~*~*~*~*~
Hermione was beginning to get irritated; after all, she could only take so much nonsense from Trelawney. Trelawney had spouted all sorts of stories about love blooming in the castle that Hermione had tuned her out.
Hermione Granger. Hermione Granger had tuned out a teacher.
It was a drastic measure, but Hermione felt that it was deserved -- if she had to endure one more moment of listening, she may have stormed out as in third year. She wasn't even sure why Trelawney was still allowed to teach, and she was even beginning to think Trelawney making Harry's prophecy was a fluke.
No, of course it was a fluke. A one-time thing that Sybil sailed through the rest of her life on.
Hermione huffed, some people were just so incompetent.
And then to top the icing on the cake -- not only was Blaise Zabini flirting with her sister, but her sister was now fully crushing on Severus Snape. Hermione couldn't understand it -- admittedly, didn't really want to understand it. But Emilia had been gazing at Snape for the last fifteen minutes, sighing contently and shivering every few minutes.
Emilia made Hermione sick sometimes.
Also, every time Snape so much glanced at Emilia, her face lit up red. Each time Hermione rolled her eyes.
This wasn't what she had meant when she said Emilia could watch Snape teach her. Emilia had just come from watching the other friends doing patronus', and decided to come along to see Hermione's training with Snape.
After Trelawney's lesson, Hermione had been looking forward to something logical and slightly fun. This was definitely not her idea of fun.
There was some cruel sense of victory she was feeling though -- Draco Malfoy was now with Trelawney, and Hermione was taking vindictive delight in it.
"Granger, pay attention!"
"Sorry sir," Emilia mumbled
Snape rolled his eyes, "Hermione Granger. The one I'm teaching."
Emilia's cheeks turned a deeper red, something Hermione had thought impossible, "Oh. Sorry."
"Hermione, can you now read the mind of Emilia?"
"Definitely, she's like an open book."
"I'm a muggle." Emilia mumbled defensively.
"And what of the other heirs? You need to be able to break through the barriers, but to keep thoughts of muggles and weak wizards at bay while you're busy. Same with emotions. You need to block that part of your brain, the one that is picking up on these emotions and thoughts."
"The other heirs are more difficult to read, but I can do it if I concentrate. Other people's thoughts come easily, and I can hear muggles loud and clear. Sometimes, if I am stressed or need to concentrate, I'll block them out automatically. I don't know how I do it though. ."
"You need to block them out. Just act on that for now, think of the feeling, of blocking all those unwanted emotions and thoughts out. You've done.. Better than expected, Granger, and soon enough Longbottom will be in our lessons, too. He'll set all progress back to zero."
"Neville's come a long way, sir! You haven't taught him since fifth year!" Hermione objected, and then covered her mouth. She wasn't going to apologise though. He had no place insulting Neville, when he hadn't taught the boy in months. Also, Hermione was still in a bad mood.
Snape's eyes narrowed, "Respect goes a long way. You're dismissed."
Hermione took long strides towards the door; hurrying to get out, but making sure it didn't look like she was storming out. Emilia threw one last glance at the professor before following Hermione out.
Severus raised his eyebrow at the look Emilia have him. "Strange girl."
~*~*~*~*~
Neville frowned as he felt his emotions change, which unconsciously turned his frown into a relaxed smile. He felt a calmness overcome him, so much so that he yawned and felt like lying on the floor and sleeping.
His eyes focused on Lainey, "Are you doing that?"
She smiled and nodded, "Yes. This is what you'll be able to do. Do you remember, at the start of our training lessons, I told you I'd teach you when you were ready?" (1)
"Yeah.."
"Well, you are now ready. You've come a long way -- and you can do occulemency now, too. Your powers are thriving and you've never been in a better place to learn how to wean this power."
Neville thought for a moment; had he really come that far? He didn't feel like he had changed much since he arrived at the castle, but everyone else seemed to think he did. He did feel a little more confident, and relaxed in himself since he arrived, but otherwise, he still felt like the Neville Longbottom from Hogwarts.
He still was the Neville Longbottom from Hogwarts -- because that was who he was, but that didn't mean he couldn't improve. His ability to control his magic was growing daily, as was his confidence and self-assurance, but he was still the same Neville. Just an overall better Neville.
"Good, I'm ready."
Lainey nodded, "Excellent. Now, the thing about this power we have, is that we can only control emotions -- if it can even be called that. We're influencing emotions, even perhaps forcing emotions. We cannot detect the emotion people are feeling, but influence a different one onto others. Am I making sense?"
He nodded, "Yeah, kind of."
"I've a question," A voice piped from the side, and the two turned to the girl, "What if you 'influence' an emotion onto them that they're already feeling?"
Lainey paused, "Well, that is uncommon, because using common sense you can usually sense what emotions a person is feeling. However, if that was to happen, the person would simply feel that emotion heightened. It's not recommended, though, it can have bad effects.
"I see." Ginny threw Neville a smile, "It's a brilliant power, Nev. No wonder you got it."
He blushed lightly but smiled at her, "Thanks, Gin."
Lainey watched the interaction with curiosity and more than slight annoyance. There was obviously some sparks about to fly between the two, and Lainey would just have to accept that Neville Longbottom -- a student and sixteen year old -- would never feel anything but friendly towards her. It was strangely easier to accept than she thought, although she had somewhat expected it. There were four girls in the castle his age, he was bound to have a little crush on one of them.
Lainey cleared her throat as the two continued to exchange blushes and compliments. Ugh. "Neville, do you want to learn or not?"
Her voice had come out harsher than intended, and Neville snapped to attention immediately, "Yes, sorry Miss."
"And Miss--" Lainey stopped. She didn't know the girls name. What had Neville introduced her as?… Jenny Weasel? No..
"Ginny Weasley." The girl supplied and Lainey nodded -- Ginny Weasley was the name!
"Right, Miss Weasley, could you please stand to the wall and refrain from interrupting practice again?"
The girls eyes flashed, but with a hasty look from Neville she relented, "Fine." Her footsteps were loud as she stomped over the wall and leaned against it with a scowl on her face.
How petulant, Lainey thought. "Now Neville, I need you to try and calm me. Visualise an aura overcoming me, I give colours to emotions -- it's easier to influence it that way. Green is calm for me, but you can invent your own colours. It just helps you manage the emotion more and influence and picture it better…"
Neville nodded and tried to do it without success. He had a feeling this was going to be a long lesson…
~*~*~*~*~
Draco didn't particularly care if Blaise was in the room while he trained, it didn't make him perform any differently to normal. Whether Blaise was impressed or disappointed with his powers didn't matter to Draco, but this class was getting very monotonous.
He didn't mind Trelawney at all; she was a laugh and a half.
But nothing ever happened in the class -- the first and only time he got any sort of spiritual contact was through his mother. Well, he thought it was his mother, but it could've been his imagination.
Despite this 'encounter' with his mother, Draco thought the class was beginning to be a waste of time. He was also understanding what that malevolent glint in Granger's eye as she left was about now.
Stupid Granger delighting in his torment.
Blaise was leaning on his forearms, looking as if he were about to fall asleep. Trelawney had her eyes closed, and while one would think she was asleep, she perceived if to be reading the future. Draco sighed and leaned back in his chair, stretching languidly as he prepared himself for another hour of boredom.
Dumbledore's training had gone without a hitch -- Draco barely answered the Headmaster, and performed all of his powers correctly. He nearly beat Dumbledore, too. Telekenises was a snap, Draco thought arrogantly.
"Don't get too comfortable there, Malfoy." The voice reverberated through Draco and he jumped up from his chair, glancing tentatively around the room.
"What was that?" He poked Blaise, but the boy continued to snore.
"Is ferret afraid? Haha," The voice laughed and Draco's eyes narrowed. It sounded suspiciously like…
But that couldn't be right. Even if he could contact the boy after death, why would that idiot come to Draco?
When Dumbledore told him he would be able to contact spirits after death, Draco hadn't imagined this. Although what is someone supposed to think? Draco made his hasty retreat out of the room, ignoring the loud guffaws echoing through the room -- only being heard by him though.
Yes, he was nearly sure he knew who that boy was. It was just his luck that he would have to talk to him after death, too.
~*~*~*~
Well, what do you think? ;)
(1) -- Neville's powers have been changed and this is the explanation instead of 'I can't teach you this power, it just comes to you' because it's a different power. You know what I mean? I will -- eventually -- get around to changing it at the start of the story. I think it's chapter thirteen and a few from there..
I'm also NOT about to make an Emilia/Snape thing so don't worry. Nooo way.
Thanks for reading!
xCNx