Disclaimer: You know by now. Why are you ASKING!?
AN: Kind of an AU, where Luna is free for a bit longer? I'm playing a bit fast and loose with the timeline here.
It began with a few bottles of cough medicine.
Luna would walk into the shop and casually look around at the wares. Then, when nobody was looking (and with a clever bit of spellwork), she would remove a few bottles of cough medicine from the shelves.
She didn't like stealing. It made her feel uncomfortable to say the least, but she was being watched. Even attempting to buy the bottles was too risky. A bottle here, a bottle there, nothing too obvious and into her purse they went.
Then, as easily as she had entered, she left without a word. As she walked home, she pretended to ignore the two Ministry wizards following her from a distance. Even if they did follow her, she wasn't going anywhere noticeable. Just back to her home.
Dear Neville,
I had a look for the items that you requested. Sadly they will be unsuitable for use as a contraceptive, at least for most people. But, I DID find evidence of Plinkies in one of the aisles that I searched. It's amazing what you can find when you're not looking.
I'm going to go back there and see if I can do some more observations. It's so exciting to see these creatures in their natural habitat and I hope that I can get to learn a lot more about them.
Hope you're doing well.
Yours sincerely,
Luna.
Luna quickly read over the letter and put it in an envelope. Giving it to her snowy owl Cinder, she sent the message on it's way. Neville would know what she was saying, even if the people reading her letters didn't. (Well actually, she was hoping that they didn't. It would rather defeat the point of writing in code if they did.)
The next day she received a reply. The owl dropped the letter on the breakfast table just as she sat down to eat. With some trepidation, she opened the letter and began to read.
Dear Luna,
It's a shame that the items in question were unavailable, but it's great news about the Plinkies. You should spend some more time examining them. Also, some of our friends suggested that you try looking for Gobblewracks as well. It might be possible that they've taken up residence in another part of the muggle world and I think that you might appreciate the company.
As for me, well I think that Gran may have a touch of dragon fever. She's been irritable all day, wanting to know where I am all the time and picking on every little thing. It's maddening and it feels like she's just waiting for something to go wrong or for me to do something that she thinks that I shouldn't.
Yours sincerely,
Neville
Luna frowned slightly as she read the letter. It was already dangerous enough taking the cough medicines, but this was something else. The chances of her being caught would go up considerably and the people she was stealing from might not be able to survive as a business. (Or at least they would if certain wealthy individuals had discretely put money in the till.)
Then again, Neville wouldn't be asking unless he really had to.
She frowned again. It was no surprise that he was being watched. Neville was a known associate of Harry Potter and involved with the Dumbledore's Army from the very beginning. Even more than she was it seemed.
So later that day, Luna walked into the same pharmacist and began to browse.
She started with the cough medicines. It was easy, reliable and what she was expected to go for. She stood there, apparently taking notes and following apparently nothing at all, while all the while removing a few bottles of cough medicine here and there.
Then she moved on and took a closer look at the anti allergy pills with all kinds of brand names. She frowned and took a closer look at several different types at random, before putting them away. In the corner of her eye, she could see a bored looking young witch looking at various constipation sweets and pretending not to look at Luna.
Luna continued, moving her way to the antihistamine pills and once more, she began to surreptitiously steal a few boxes. A few boxes her, a few boxes there and all behind clever spellwork. She smiled, as if she had found something, and left the shop.
Once more, she was followed home, but this time it was almost as though the people following her weren't even trying.
Dear Neville,
I found a few Grobblewracks where you suggested and if only you had seen them! They had baby Grobblewracks floating about and they were so cute! I wish you were here. Dad is starting to get nervous though. I have to tell him where I'm going and even then he wants me back early. He's even starting to get clumsy. I'm not sure if that's something to be concerned about. What if he hurts himself while I'm at Hogwarts?
Your Gran is just worried about you. She's just like daddy really.
Oh I almost forgot, but there's some worrying growth of Ikali weeds in the Plumberries fields. Weeds that just get in the way and they're upsetting the balance of our garden. Do you have any advice on how to get rid of worrying growths? I would love to know.
Yours sincerely,
Luna
Hopefully Neville would have a solution to her problem, she thought to herself as she looked at the various bottles and pills that she had stolen so far. (Was it technically stealing if they were paid for by...unconventional means? She didn't really know.)
The following day, there was no letter. Luna walked down to the Pharmacy once more and once more she looked at the painkillers and cough medicines and antihistamine pills. Outside, she could see a pair of wizards joking about her and her clearly crazy ways. Good, she thought to herself. Let them think that. It might make them become even more careless if they thought that she was completely oblivious. (Although how on Earth ANYONE thought that these people were good at following people needed their heads examined in her opinion.)
The next day, an owl dropped a letter in her breakfast and Luna sighed. Gingerly removing the letter from her morning porridge, she was surprised to see that it was from a fellow Ravenclaw and not Neville.
Hello Luna,
I know that we don't know each other very well, but Neville asked me to stop by and help you with your little growth problem. The trouble is that I can't really explain it over a letter. Would it be okay if I came to your house? My parents are less worried about all that's going on, or at least they're trying hard not to show us that they're worried.
If your answer is yes, may I suggest that we meet via floo to confirm the details?
Yours sincerely,
Padma Patil.
Without pausing, Luna scribbled a quick yes, with a time set for that afternoon and sent the owl on it's way.
That afternoon, around half past two, Padma Patil's head appeared in the fireplace.
"Hi Luna," she said nervously and Luna smiled.
"Hello Padma. Would you like to come through?" Luna asked. Padma looked dubiously at the house and nodded.
"Yes...I suppose that I should. Holds on, I'm coming through."
Less than thirty seconds later, Padma was on the floor of the Lovegood's home.
"I have just the charm you need," she said after looking at the garden. "Just follow my wand movements."
Luna watched as Padma moved her wand in what was essentially a nonsensical pattern. There was a slight glow in the garden, a light blue with green tendrils. Then she had a go of her own, with Padma correcting her as they went. It was actually surprisingly entertaining. Almost like having friends in Ravenclaw.
There was a glow as they completed their movements and Luna smiled.
"Thank you Padma," she said and Padma nodded.
She handed Luna a small purse.
"So you don't have any further growth problems, there's a special potion in this bag to help keep it in check," she said and Luna nodded.
"Thank you Padma. I needed your help. Why don't you stay for tea?"
Padma shook her head.
"My grandma is cooking up a special dinner and I can't miss it or there'll be trouble," she said and Luna shrugged. "I'll see you at school."
"Bye," Luna said as Padma vanished into the fireplace.
That night, Luna put all the pills and bottles that she had stolen into the bag. In the morning, it was empty and a new letter arrived with the morning post.
Dear Luna,
I hope you liked Padma's help. She knows the charms and I didn't. She was really helpful when Gran's garden was getting overwhelmed.
Out of curiousity, are the Plinkies breeding? Is it possible that they could expand their colony to two or three times their size? I don't think that they get the chance to expand elsewhere.
Be careful when you visit them. Don't want the muggles getting any ideas that something is wrong.
I ran into a boggart the other day. It had taken up residence in Gran's room, but I managed to get rid of it. Gran's complaining about them getting out of hand and all over the place and it's getting pretty annoying. Still, Snape in a vulture hat and green handbag is good for a laugh.
Yours sincerely,
Neville
Luna frowned. Doubling the amount she was taking was going to make it harder. Her watchers might have been lax, but they weren't completely blind. If they noticed what she was doing, they might take a closer look at what she was stealing and what it might be used for. That would be bad. Then again, he wouldn't be asking if he had any other choice. Neville was under greater survelliance than ever and it seemed like the other sources they had were under pressure.
Still, it was possible. Grabbing a quill, she began to write her reply.
Dear Neville,
I'm almost certain that the Plimpies are about to start expanding the size of their colony. They're becoming more active and buzzing about like crazy. They might be a bit more cautious if I spend too much time there though. I don't think that they're going to triple in size. They don't normally.
The muggles haven't noticed anything. There's normally a few people in there and I'm being careful. But they might start to notice a larger colony. I'll have to make sure that they don't.
The Grobblewracks are getting nervous though. They're approaching the second mating season and it can get intense.
Yours sincrely,
Luna
As she had done for the past few days, she walked into the pharmacy and began to browse. Sanitary products, cough medicines, anti-allergy pills and mints were all on her journey. She could feel her heart pounding and her mouth felt worryingly dry. Still, she continued to act as though there was nothing unusual was happening. She stole a few more bottles of cough medicine and antihistamine pills, just under twice the amount she had stolen before.. The two witches following her appeared to have seen nothing, but it was possible that it could just as easily have been an act. (She didn't think that it was, but it was possible)
That evening, just as she was getting ready for bed, another letter arrived.
Dear Luna,
I'm sure that the Grobblewracks are going to be okay. I'm sure that they're just a bit nervous. They're going to have children of their own after all.
Do you think that the Plinkies could make a rapid expansion one day, say the day before the we go back? It would be cool to see them as part of a larger colony. It might not happen, but it would be nice to see.
Yours sincerely,
Neville
Luna frowned. Was it possible to increase the amount she was taking that much? That was going to be very difficult. She wasn't even sure that she could pull it off. She needed to think about it.
She walked into the Pharmacy that day, deep in thought and not concentrating on what she was doing. She browsed the shelves, wandering the store without apparent purpose. She tracked every angle that she was being watched from and how many angles she would have to cover to be sure. She stole some more antihistamine pills and cough medicines, casting her spells without really thinking about them.
That evening, she pulled out a quill and parchment and began to write.
Dear Neville,
The muggles are upsetting the Plinkies. I'm worried about them and they're getting very tetchy. If they're going to make a rapid expansion, they're going to do it at night and it will probably go wrong. I wish that I could see it. Plinky expansion is so much more interesting at night, but the muggles close the Pharmacy down at night. I don't think that they would welcome a night visit, even if I could explain.
Looking forward to seeing you on the Hogwarts Express!
Yours sincerely,
Luna
Luna frowned as she watched her owl disappear into the distance. She didn't like having to say no, but what else could she do? It simply wasn't possible to pull this off.
She received a reply less than an hour later.
Dear Luna,
It's a shame about the muggles, but we can't endanger the Plinkies or the Grobblewracks. They can't afford to be caught out. Just keep on observing them the same as you have been.
Looking forward to seeing you on the Hogwarts Express as well. I can't believe that it's only a day away!
Yours sincerely,
Neville
A sense of relief washed over Luna. Although she knew that it was irrational, she felt like she was somehow letting everyone down.
The next day was a normal day. She visited the same Pharmacy, stole the same medicines and packed her suitcase for the journey back to Hogwarts. It was going to be a big day tomorrow!
AN: Yeah, I hate it too. But I'm out of time and this round was difficult enough as it is.