Book of Shadows
Chapter 19 – Crack that coconut
…
"You do it."
"No, you do it."
The library was a buzz of activity, busier than Irma Pince could ever remember it. Everywhere students surveyed the shelves and filled tables with their findings. The occasional shadow beast was swiftly dealt with, except for the strange ape who'd appeared one day and started putting the books away. That one had been allowed to stick around.
He hung off the shelf near Hermione Granger and her friends, curiously surveying the trio. The two boys stood behind the girl looking pensive and nervous while the girl herself didn't seem to notice them, head down over a piece of parchment writing furiously.
"Maybe we should just find another table. She's got this one pretty full."
"Yeah, maybe you're right."
It wasn't cowardice that caused them to give her a wide berth as they went looking for somewhere to sit, it was, uh, respect, yeah that's it. Respect for her personal space and not any kind of fear of what she might do if she were interrupted.
"She's been gettin crazier and crazier, I swear."
"She's sure their close to figuring out these shadow runes. I've seen some of the other students taking runes, they look a bit haggard."
Harry didn't think anyone was expecting them to figure out a completely new runic system by Christmas, except Hermione, "She's been real excited since they got that letter from the unspeakables."
"Crazy," Ron reiterated.
"Are you talking about me?"
"Hello Luna."
"Hello Harry. Hello Ronald."
Ron just stared at the blonde as he waited for his heart to stop trying to jump out his chest.
"How did your interview with Dumbledore go?" Harry asked.
"I thought it went rather well, though he continues to dodge me on the Heliopath questions."
"And the 'other' questions?"
"He answers those."
"Uh huh, and what would that answer have been?"
She looked at him a moment, pondering, then pulled out her faithful notepad and started going over her notes until Harry stood up and took her by the hands, which was more forward than any boy had ever been with her and she really didn't know how to react so she just waited for him to make the next move, cuz that's what nice girls do.
"Luna, did you ask him that question I asked you to ask him?"
"Yes Harry."
"And, what was his answer."
"Hm."
"Hm?"
"That's right."
Harry stared as he waited for his brain to catch up, "Was there anything else?"
"There was."
Pregnant pause… "What was it?"
"A note."
"A note?"
"Mm hm."
"Where is it?"
"In my pocket."
"Can I see it."
"You could, but I don't know if its proper for you to be sticking your hands in my pockets this early in our relationship."
Hearing the word 'relationship' his boy brain went into panic mode and immediately shut down. Seeing this, Luna took the opportunity to, reluctantly, slip a single hand free and go fishing in her pocket for the note the headmaster had asked her to give to Harry.
"Here it is."
"Huh?" Coming back online, Harry took the offered note and, after several attempts, retrieved his other hand so he could open it.
"What's it say?"
Harry quickly read the missive, then gave the other page a brief look, "He gave his permission."
"But," cuz there was always a but.
"But, we have to have adult supervision."
"Well, s'not the worst thing. Think Lupin would do it?"
"Probably," said Harry, though not looking all that keen on the idea.
"Is something the matter Harry?" Luna asked.
"Umbridge," a word the residents of Hogwarts, outside of Slytherin and Argus Filch, had come to consider synonymous with trouble, also several other words not to be repeated in front of children and women who are nursing.
"Forget about her Harry, you got Dumbledore's permission," said Ron.
"You really think that'll matter to her? She thinks she's above Dumbledore, and if she twists it right and brings in the ministry, is she really wrong?"
"Quite consistently wrong I think," Luna opined, "but I believe I understand your concern. You believe she will find out and disrupt anything you attempt to do."
"Why don't we just keep it a secret?"
"Then what was the point of getting permission?" The point was to not go skulking around like criminals, the point was to not get into trouble.
"Well, we have to have an adult. You said Lupin, she wouldn't mess with him, he's not a teacher."
"All the more reason. You've heard her talk Ron. It's no secret what she thinks of people like Remus, and Flitwick, and Firenze, and Hagrid if he was here."
"Guess we're lucky he isn't," Ron acknowledged, knowing how sensitive the big man was.
"Where is Hagrid?"
The two boys looked at each other, weighing the risk. Intrepid reporter and all.
"Luna, I need you to promise, this stays between us."
Her reporter instincts warred with her feminine instincts as she debated the terms. In the end, feminine instincts won; she nodded.
"Hagrid went to negotiate with the giants."
"Negotiate what?"
"Them staying out of things when Voldemort decides to stop hiding and make his play for Britain."
"Don't, say his name," Ron flinched.
Harry noticed that Luna did not.
"I suppose it would be good if they remained neutral," said Luna. "There really aren't many of them left. Another war might well be enough to wipe them out."
It was a thoughtful, well-reasoned assessment, and Harry didn't know why it upset him. "So, that's it. You're not going to question what I just said."
"Should I?"
"Most everyone else was saying I was crazy when I said he was back," and those were just the polite ones.
"I don't think you would lie to me… at least, I think I would know if you were lying to me and I don't think you are lying to me. Are you lying to me Harry?"
"No."
"Then I believe you."
It was an odd thing to hear, I believe you. It made him feel, odd, he didn't know how to describe it. Ron described it as "barmy," not quite as under his breath as he'd probably intended.
"So, are we doing this thing, with Lupin?"
Harry sighed, flopping into his chair, and carelessly tossing the note onto the table, "I guess. It's not going to work out though. She will show up. She will cause problems, and then we'll all be in trouble."
"There must be something we can do," said Luna. "Perhaps we could out smart her."
Ron gave the girl a sour look, "How?"
Luna shrugged, "I don't know, but Harry does."
"I do?" The girl nodded. "What makes you say that?"
"She's your enemy. As she is obsessed with you, you are obsessed with her. You've already predicted her reaction."
"Yeah but, that wasn't ..." or was it.
"It's a tough nut to crack, but you can do it. You're already on the right track, so come on Harry, crack that coconut."
It was hard not to smile at such an absurd encouragement. If only it came with an instruction manual on how to reach the desired conclusion, that would have been even better, because from where he stood, there was no answer. Anything he was involved in had already been targeted. Anything he tried to start would surely be banned. As long as he was in charge… he was in charge?
"But what if I wasn't?"
"What's that mate?"
"Shh!" Luna shushed.
"She'd walk over Lupin, he couldn't stand up to her—but maybe—no, no Dumbledore wouldn't have time—and Flitwick—but what about—and he's ministry too, would he, and her come to think of it."
Luna smiled, "I think he's got it."
"Yeah," said Harry, returning the smile, "I think I've got it to."
"Got what?"
"Geez! Would you all, stop, sneaking up on me!" Ron exclaimed.
Hermione stared half dazed before returning her attention to Harry, "Got what now?" she asked again.
"Hermione, are you alright?"
"No," she scowled. "I'm not getting anywhere, and I have a headache. Now, got what?"
"Just, something we're trying to put together," Harry hedged, not wishing to dump anything more on his clearly overworked friend.
"What? Is it important? Do you need help?"
"I don't think you should be asking them that," said Luna.
"Why?" Hermione glared at the younger girl.
"There trying to be nice and not tell you, so you won't put even more work on yourself than you already have. You don't really look like you could handle much more."
"I'm fine," she protested sharply.
"Didn't you just say you had a headache," Harry jumped in, pulling the potent glare away from the Ravenclaw.
"It's nothing. I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
"Excuse me!"
He knew he was treading thin ice, but he also knew that left to her own devices Hermione would work herself into the ground and then start digging.
"You look terrible," said Harry, standing so he was eye to eye. "Why don't we go back to the tower, you can have a lie down and see if that helps. Come on, you look tired."
"It's nothing I told you, I'm fi…"
Her breath hitched when two strong hands took hold of her, "Let's go back to the tower, and you can have a lie down, now."
It caught her by surprise, the command in that low, serious tone. It was a sort of authority, the kind you weren't simply given, the kind people responded to without thinking. For a girl like Hermione, who respected authority almost to the point of fetish, she could no more disobey that authoritative tone than she could not read a book.
"Yes Harry," she said meekly.
"Ron, Luna, I'll see you later," and with that he took the bushy-haired girl and they left the library.
"Cor!"
"I agree. That was most impressive."
"You were saying about cracking coconuts," said Ron. "If he can do that, Umbridge ought to be easy."