That night, Harry and Ron left the common room at about quarter to
six. Ginny and Hermione had left earlier together, and Neville had gone out
just a little while before. They didn't want to seem too suspicious, all
leaving at once. Harry and Ron reached the Whomping Willow just a few
minutes after six, and when they got there Hermione, Ginny, and Neville
were already waiting.
They were just getting ready to freeze the tree so they could enter the secret passage when a voice behind Harry declared, "I'm coming too."
They turned around and saw Luna standing there with what looked to be a nearly lucid face. "What did you say?" asked Harry. He turned from Luna and glared at Ginny; assuming that she had told Luna they'd be here.
Ginny shook her head slightly, obviously saying without words "I didn't tell her."
"I said that I was coming with you. I think you're right. Dumbledore's Army should follow the same example of the Order of the Phoenix. It seems right. Lead. I'll follow." She had locked eyes with Harry and he stood dumb a few seconds after she finished speaking, though she didn't notice.
"Er, uh, how did you.?" he asked hopelessly.
"I was sitting at the same table with you in the library."
"But the Order?"
"You didn't mention it by name but I've known about that for a while now. It was obvious. Are we leaving yet? I'd love to see this place?"
Harry was still held captive by her eyes, the eyes that had haunted him throughout the summer, and only came out of his daze when Ron stomped on his foot and hissed, "Now what are we supposed to do?"
"I guess we bring her with us," said Harry.
"We can't do that!" hissed Hermione.
"I think Loony's off her rocker," whispered Ron.
"I think we can trust her," Harry said firmly. He looked at Ginny and Neville to back him up.
Neville shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. I think she's harmless. Well maybe not harmless considering what she did to Malfoy on the train.." he said quietly.
"She's not dumb. Luna may be different but she isn't dumb," Ginny said simply.
Harry knew that Ginny was going to argue with Ron and Hermione for a while yet and they didn't have time to waste. "Luna, follow me." He led the way in to the tree and down into the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack.
They were just getting ready to freeze the tree so they could enter the secret passage when a voice behind Harry declared, "I'm coming too."
They turned around and saw Luna standing there with what looked to be a nearly lucid face. "What did you say?" asked Harry. He turned from Luna and glared at Ginny; assuming that she had told Luna they'd be here.
Ginny shook her head slightly, obviously saying without words "I didn't tell her."
"I said that I was coming with you. I think you're right. Dumbledore's Army should follow the same example of the Order of the Phoenix. It seems right. Lead. I'll follow." She had locked eyes with Harry and he stood dumb a few seconds after she finished speaking, though she didn't notice.
"Er, uh, how did you.?" he asked hopelessly.
"I was sitting at the same table with you in the library."
"But the Order?"
"You didn't mention it by name but I've known about that for a while now. It was obvious. Are we leaving yet? I'd love to see this place?"
Harry was still held captive by her eyes, the eyes that had haunted him throughout the summer, and only came out of his daze when Ron stomped on his foot and hissed, "Now what are we supposed to do?"
"I guess we bring her with us," said Harry.
"We can't do that!" hissed Hermione.
"I think Loony's off her rocker," whispered Ron.
"I think we can trust her," Harry said firmly. He looked at Ginny and Neville to back him up.
Neville shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. I think she's harmless. Well maybe not harmless considering what she did to Malfoy on the train.." he said quietly.
"She's not dumb. Luna may be different but she isn't dumb," Ginny said simply.
Harry knew that Ginny was going to argue with Ron and Hermione for a while yet and they didn't have time to waste. "Luna, follow me." He led the way in to the tree and down into the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack.