Chapter Two
Letters from Luna
It was the familiar voice that was undoubtedly Ron.
"Hullo Harry!"
The voice seemed to be coming from directly inside the wand. Harry spoke, trying to sound as cheerful as he could be, for he didn't want Ron to know how miserable he had been feeling.
"Hey Ron, this is bloody marvelous!"
Harry felt a bit stupid talking into his wand, but he had apparently done what he was supposed to, because Ron responded with "I know, this beats that dumb fellytone, doesn't it?" Ron said.
Harry didn't feel like correcting his best friend on the names of muggle artifacts, so he continued.
"Sure does. So what have you been up to?" Harry asked, trying to make conversation.
They usually didn't struggle for topics, but Harry's scar had not been hurting him all summer, and for this Harry was both relieved and frightened. He obviously, however, was not going to inform Ron of this. He didn't want to worry Ron, and he knew that's what would have happened.
"Not much here. Mum's made us de-gnome the garden twice a week of late. It's a bloody hassle. The little buggers seem to be rebelling against us and won't leave. Dad's even had to deal with some of the tougher ones after he got home. There hasn't been much for him to do in his normal department, but he's had to help out with the other areas that are becoming more important because of the times, and that's kept him out of the house the entire day."
Harry knew that this was a bit of a depressing topic for Ron, so he tried to change the subject.
"So how are the Cannons doing this season?" Harry asked.
Apparently, Ron was thankful for the change of pace too, and he went off on explaining about their thrilling victory over the Puddlemere United, and that Oliver Wood, Harry's former Gryffindor Quidditch captain and now reserve for the Puddlemere United, had played a fairly respectable game. Ron was talking about the possible trade of one of the chasers to the Appleby Arrows when Harry's attention was led to a loud thunk against his cabinet. Ron stopped in mid sentence, having apparently heard the disturbance on Harry's side. Harry walked over and saw what at first glance looked like a very old and dirty dust rag, but further examination would prove to baffle Harry more. The object that had landed in his room was a bird. Not an owl, which would normally deliver his mail, but a pigeon. An envelope was tied to the pigeon's leg, and Harry untied it, though still utterly confused at the presence of a mail carrying pigeon. As soon as the pigeon was free of the restraint that was tied to him, he hopped back up, looking proud, cooed as if declaring his leave, and flew out of the room. Harry then told Ron what had just happened.
"Well open the envelope the bird was carrying. Whoever sent a letter to you via pigeon must be off their rocker."
It was at that statement that both Harry and Ron came to the same idea.
"It can't be her Ron, it just can't be her."
"She of all people seems the type to pull a stunt like this, Harry. Open and let's see if we're right."
Harry opened the envelope and pulled out a letter. It was in a loopy scrawl that Harry had never seen. He read it aloud so that Ron could hear.
Hello Harry. I hope you are enjoying you summer holidays. Dad and I are having a marvelous time in Sweden. The place is packed with Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, and we might even take one back as a pet. They're lovely creatures, but you have to know where to find them. I hope you are feeling better about what happened to your godfather, and my mother spoke to him the other day and told me that he misses you greatly. Anyway, I read somewhere that your birthday was today, and so I thought I would present you with a gift for all you did for me last year. Strange as it seems, I don't have that many friends. People seem to think I'm crazy because I see and hear things other people don't. I just don't think they're as open with their senses as I am. See you September 1st.
Luna Lovegood
"She's nutters, that one is," Ron said after running the letter through his head. "You must have been more important to her than you thought. Any love in the air, Harry?" Ron asked jokingly.
Harry was not amused.
"Have you expressed your affection for Hermione yet, or are you waiting for her to realize that you are ten times better than Krum, Ron?" Harry thought to himself.
He knew that if he said that, the odds of him having a good rest of the summer would be decreased. Harry acted as if he had not heard what Ron's comment was, and proceeded to grab the box with Luna's present in it.
"Well, shall we see what she sent me?" Harry asked hesitantly.
"I s'pose so." Ron said.
Harry tore the wrapping off of the package to find a tattered box.
"It's a box Ron."
"Well, just a hunch here Harry, but you might want to open the box," Ron said sarcastically.
"That's not what I meant. What if it's.something only I can see, or something that's.her style?" Harry asked.
He wasn't too sure he wanted to know what was in the box, but he couldn't just leave it there without opening it.
"Alright, here it goes," Harry said.
Harry opened the box to find a note.
"Harry, I know you are a brilliant seeker in Quidditch, so I thought this might be of interest to you," He read.
"What is it?" Ron said, now seeming very inquisitive about the contents.
Harry removed the note and gasped at what he saw. He had heard of them before, but never had he seen one.
Letters from Luna
It was the familiar voice that was undoubtedly Ron.
"Hullo Harry!"
The voice seemed to be coming from directly inside the wand. Harry spoke, trying to sound as cheerful as he could be, for he didn't want Ron to know how miserable he had been feeling.
"Hey Ron, this is bloody marvelous!"
Harry felt a bit stupid talking into his wand, but he had apparently done what he was supposed to, because Ron responded with "I know, this beats that dumb fellytone, doesn't it?" Ron said.
Harry didn't feel like correcting his best friend on the names of muggle artifacts, so he continued.
"Sure does. So what have you been up to?" Harry asked, trying to make conversation.
They usually didn't struggle for topics, but Harry's scar had not been hurting him all summer, and for this Harry was both relieved and frightened. He obviously, however, was not going to inform Ron of this. He didn't want to worry Ron, and he knew that's what would have happened.
"Not much here. Mum's made us de-gnome the garden twice a week of late. It's a bloody hassle. The little buggers seem to be rebelling against us and won't leave. Dad's even had to deal with some of the tougher ones after he got home. There hasn't been much for him to do in his normal department, but he's had to help out with the other areas that are becoming more important because of the times, and that's kept him out of the house the entire day."
Harry knew that this was a bit of a depressing topic for Ron, so he tried to change the subject.
"So how are the Cannons doing this season?" Harry asked.
Apparently, Ron was thankful for the change of pace too, and he went off on explaining about their thrilling victory over the Puddlemere United, and that Oliver Wood, Harry's former Gryffindor Quidditch captain and now reserve for the Puddlemere United, had played a fairly respectable game. Ron was talking about the possible trade of one of the chasers to the Appleby Arrows when Harry's attention was led to a loud thunk against his cabinet. Ron stopped in mid sentence, having apparently heard the disturbance on Harry's side. Harry walked over and saw what at first glance looked like a very old and dirty dust rag, but further examination would prove to baffle Harry more. The object that had landed in his room was a bird. Not an owl, which would normally deliver his mail, but a pigeon. An envelope was tied to the pigeon's leg, and Harry untied it, though still utterly confused at the presence of a mail carrying pigeon. As soon as the pigeon was free of the restraint that was tied to him, he hopped back up, looking proud, cooed as if declaring his leave, and flew out of the room. Harry then told Ron what had just happened.
"Well open the envelope the bird was carrying. Whoever sent a letter to you via pigeon must be off their rocker."
It was at that statement that both Harry and Ron came to the same idea.
"It can't be her Ron, it just can't be her."
"She of all people seems the type to pull a stunt like this, Harry. Open and let's see if we're right."
Harry opened the envelope and pulled out a letter. It was in a loopy scrawl that Harry had never seen. He read it aloud so that Ron could hear.
Hello Harry. I hope you are enjoying you summer holidays. Dad and I are having a marvelous time in Sweden. The place is packed with Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, and we might even take one back as a pet. They're lovely creatures, but you have to know where to find them. I hope you are feeling better about what happened to your godfather, and my mother spoke to him the other day and told me that he misses you greatly. Anyway, I read somewhere that your birthday was today, and so I thought I would present you with a gift for all you did for me last year. Strange as it seems, I don't have that many friends. People seem to think I'm crazy because I see and hear things other people don't. I just don't think they're as open with their senses as I am. See you September 1st.
Luna Lovegood
"She's nutters, that one is," Ron said after running the letter through his head. "You must have been more important to her than you thought. Any love in the air, Harry?" Ron asked jokingly.
Harry was not amused.
"Have you expressed your affection for Hermione yet, or are you waiting for her to realize that you are ten times better than Krum, Ron?" Harry thought to himself.
He knew that if he said that, the odds of him having a good rest of the summer would be decreased. Harry acted as if he had not heard what Ron's comment was, and proceeded to grab the box with Luna's present in it.
"Well, shall we see what she sent me?" Harry asked hesitantly.
"I s'pose so." Ron said.
Harry tore the wrapping off of the package to find a tattered box.
"It's a box Ron."
"Well, just a hunch here Harry, but you might want to open the box," Ron said sarcastically.
"That's not what I meant. What if it's.something only I can see, or something that's.her style?" Harry asked.
He wasn't too sure he wanted to know what was in the box, but he couldn't just leave it there without opening it.
"Alright, here it goes," Harry said.
Harry opened the box to find a note.
"Harry, I know you are a brilliant seeker in Quidditch, so I thought this might be of interest to you," He read.
"What is it?" Ron said, now seeming very inquisitive about the contents.
Harry removed the note and gasped at what he saw. He had heard of them before, but never had he seen one.