(Okay, I promise this time there are plot developments that don't really
have anything to do with Luna/Harry, okay maybe a little)
Harry wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, but soon enough term started again. With the start of term again also came the start of Occlumency lessons with Delano, Quiditch practice, and Legilimency lessons with Luna. His first Legilimency lesson would be January 2 (a Friday) and term would start Monday.
Harry was just getting ready to go to his first Legilimency lesson and he realized that Ron, Ginny, and Hermione hadn't moved from where they were doing their homework.
"Y-y-you're not coming?" he asked. Suddenly he felt extremely nervous. This would be his first time seeing Luna since she left the Hogsmeade station at the beginning of the holidays. He wasn't sure he wanted to go see her by himself. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny (they'd ended up having to tell Ginny what Harry confessed) understood Harry's nervousness.
"Maybe next week, Harry. I think the two of you have a lot to talk about."
"But, I don't know what to say! I wasn't going to say anything," Harry said.
"You don't have to say anything then. We're not going to tell."
"Just make ordinary conversation and talk to her how you've been talking to her all year."
Harry shook his head and left, dreading the next hour.
"Hello, Harry." She was standing by the door.
"Hey, Luna." Harry listened to the words he had just spoken, he hadn't sounded nervous! That was a good sign, right?
"How was your holiday break?"
"Good. Yours?"
"Yeah. My dad and I tried to catch Phoenixes up at the reserve. They have a catch and release program we tried just for the fun it. Couldn't catch any."
Ha! this was Luna, the same Luna since he'd known her. Why had he even thought he was nervous? Everything was just like before.
"Did you and Ron and Hermione like the brownies I sent?"
"You sent those?" Hermione had tested the last brownie as many ways as she could and though it had several key ingredients found in truth potions, it was not any particular potion she recognized.
"Yes. How did they taste?"
"Fine, but why'd you put that truth serum in there?"
"Oh, it wasn't a truth serum, not strictly speaking anyway. Another of my own things. It was a Cognitive Lucidity Inducer. In other words, it helps you think clearly and say what you're thinking."
"That sounds an awful lot like a truth potion," he frowned dubiously.
"It's not. We'd better get started."
"Right."
"Any particular reason the others didn't show up tonight?"
He turned red and muttered, "Homework."
"Not true." She smiled placidly and took her usual seat on top of McGonagall's desk. "Occlumency is defensive. Now that you know how to defend yourself, you're ready to learn to attack. That's where Legilimency comes in. Legilimency is offensive magic."
It suddenly hit Harry like a ton of bricks. Snape's voice echoed in his mind, "It is very difficult to lie to a skilled Legilimensist, and you can only do it if you are a skilled Legilimensist." Or something to that effect. No wonder Luna knew he was lying when he said they hadn't come because of homework. From now on it might be better to answer her as honestly as possible, at least until he mastered Legilimency.
She took no notice of his little reverie, though Harry supposed it must have been at least a moment since either of them said anything. But she went on as though all was normal. "Sheer will. Legilimency and Occlumency have to do with sheer force of will more than anything else. You've heard me say the spell more than often enough. You know the wand motion. Try to break into my mind right now and I'll do nothing to stop you. Won't even try to block you out." She sat there, swinging her legs against the desk.
Harry hesitated, but said, "Legilimens!" and jabbed his wand. He was sure he had it right, but nothing happened.
"It wasn't important enough to you to break into my mind. You have to really want to, really need to. Again."
"Legilimens!"
She laughed. "That was worse than the first try. But I can see you're getting angry now. Forget anger. Forget embarrassment. Forget. Just forget it. Try again."
"Legilimens! Legilimens!" He continued to prove unsuccessful.
"You aren't concentrating. Do I need to pull out the force-write spell to help you get rid of anything you're thinking?"
"No," he said, a little too quickly. That was absolutely the last thing he needed . . .
"Alright then. Concentrate."
He wanted to know what was going on in her mind. He had to know. "Legilimens!" It felt like there was a little bit of give, as though he'd started to make progress; her natural defenses were beginning to weaken. He stopped, exhausted.
"Very good. You're making progress. But you need to rest a few minutes. This spell takes a lot out of you when you're first learning it. Here." She took out a bag of cookies. "Eat them. I swear I didn't hex them or anything." She sat down at one of the student desks and Harry joined the seat next to hers.
For the first time that night, he noticed that her hair was brushed smooth instead of the normal straggly hair that it usually appeared to be. Just like when they went to Hogsmeade. Harry instinctly moved his chair away from her. She appeared not to notice. Harry also finally noticed that she was wearing the choker he gave, instead of her Butterbeer-cap necklace. Unfortunately, she still wore the radish earrings. Harry decided he'd have to find some excuse to get her a new pair of earrings. Stars would go nicely with the moon choker. Oops, she was talking. He should probably be listening.
" . . .mediation. It really helped with the Occlumency and may prove helpful here though I'd rather not waste time with it."
"Did you have a good summer?"
"You already asked that."
Oh, right. He had asked that. But now he had some real questions. "Do you really think it's necessary for me to learn Legilimency?"
"Yes."
"Does Dumbledore think it's necessary for me to learn Legilimency?"
"Yes. McGonagall brought the situation to him when I asked her about continuing the lessons into this new area of study."
"Do you think it's necessary for Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to learn Legilimency?"
"No. Ginny might have the skills for it however, but I see no reason for Ron or Hermione to have an interest in defensive magic. Reckless Gryffindors though they all are they don't seem to attract trouble nearly as much as you do, and they know enough for defensive purposes. They can join if they'd like."
He'd run out of questions. At least for once she'd given him real answers.
"Time to get working again, Harry." Luna went back to her place on the desk.
He worked for the better part of another hour (but with breaks every ten minutes because of the high energy needed for such a spell).
"I suppose you can be done for tonight. You look tired. But you're making progress."
The final couple of times Harry had been able to catch a glimmer of a couple memories, but he was still not doing well. If he was this bad without any extra defenses up, he'd never make it against someone actually trying to defend him or herself. He nodded. "Thanks, Luna. This really means a lot to me. I've got to be able to fight back when he comes after me. I've just got to."
"You'll be able to, Harry. It's nothing really."
"It takes time away from you doing your homework," he said, feeling guilty.
"My homework's done."
"Really? Isn't this your O.W.L. year?"
"And you aren't stressed out?"
"Should I be? I know the material."
Harry had to marvel. He remember even the Weasley twins had felt the OWL study crunch in their fifth year. "If you need any help-"
"I'll let you know."
Somehow, Harry doubted Luna would need his help. "Luna, about, you know, before Christmas . . ."
"What about before Christmas?"
He smiled a little sadly. "Never mind, Luna. Forget I said anything. Thanks, again." He walked away.
Back in the common room the Weasleys and Hermione were chatting where Harry had last seen them, their books momentarily forgotten "How'd it go?" asked Hermione.
"I didn't tell her," Harry said.
"I meant how did the lesson go?"
"Ohm that. Not too well. But I made a little progress near the end. And guess who sent us those brownies over Christmas?"
"Luna sent them? Why would she send brownies made with a truth potion in them when she wouldn't even be around to ask you questions?" asked Ron.
"She said it wasn't really a truth potion, strictly speaking. Just something she made. I think she called it a Cognitive Lucidity Inducer. She said it-"
"Helped you think clearly," finished Hermione.
"Yeah. And she said it also makes you more inclined to speak the truth once you're able to see things clearly."
"But why send it?"
Ginny said, "I think she was sending him a message. A warning. Saying that something's up and he better keep his mind sharp."
"That makes sense . . ." said Harry. He felt tired and went up to the dormitory and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Okay, you know the routine: you read and it's time to review (please?). Here's the next chapter preview. BTW I got the idea of putting up chapter previews from Lessa3 who writes wonderful Artemis Fowl fics. *
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* The next door opened to show Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with bullet holes in them. There was a pool of blood around them and Harry felt sick.
Harry wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, but soon enough term started again. With the start of term again also came the start of Occlumency lessons with Delano, Quiditch practice, and Legilimency lessons with Luna. His first Legilimency lesson would be January 2 (a Friday) and term would start Monday.
Harry was just getting ready to go to his first Legilimency lesson and he realized that Ron, Ginny, and Hermione hadn't moved from where they were doing their homework.
"Y-y-you're not coming?" he asked. Suddenly he felt extremely nervous. This would be his first time seeing Luna since she left the Hogsmeade station at the beginning of the holidays. He wasn't sure he wanted to go see her by himself. Ron, Hermione, and Ginny (they'd ended up having to tell Ginny what Harry confessed) understood Harry's nervousness.
"Maybe next week, Harry. I think the two of you have a lot to talk about."
"But, I don't know what to say! I wasn't going to say anything," Harry said.
"You don't have to say anything then. We're not going to tell."
"Just make ordinary conversation and talk to her how you've been talking to her all year."
Harry shook his head and left, dreading the next hour.
"Hello, Harry." She was standing by the door.
"Hey, Luna." Harry listened to the words he had just spoken, he hadn't sounded nervous! That was a good sign, right?
"How was your holiday break?"
"Good. Yours?"
"Yeah. My dad and I tried to catch Phoenixes up at the reserve. They have a catch and release program we tried just for the fun it. Couldn't catch any."
Ha! this was Luna, the same Luna since he'd known her. Why had he even thought he was nervous? Everything was just like before.
"Did you and Ron and Hermione like the brownies I sent?"
"You sent those?" Hermione had tested the last brownie as many ways as she could and though it had several key ingredients found in truth potions, it was not any particular potion she recognized.
"Yes. How did they taste?"
"Fine, but why'd you put that truth serum in there?"
"Oh, it wasn't a truth serum, not strictly speaking anyway. Another of my own things. It was a Cognitive Lucidity Inducer. In other words, it helps you think clearly and say what you're thinking."
"That sounds an awful lot like a truth potion," he frowned dubiously.
"It's not. We'd better get started."
"Right."
"Any particular reason the others didn't show up tonight?"
He turned red and muttered, "Homework."
"Not true." She smiled placidly and took her usual seat on top of McGonagall's desk. "Occlumency is defensive. Now that you know how to defend yourself, you're ready to learn to attack. That's where Legilimency comes in. Legilimency is offensive magic."
It suddenly hit Harry like a ton of bricks. Snape's voice echoed in his mind, "It is very difficult to lie to a skilled Legilimensist, and you can only do it if you are a skilled Legilimensist." Or something to that effect. No wonder Luna knew he was lying when he said they hadn't come because of homework. From now on it might be better to answer her as honestly as possible, at least until he mastered Legilimency.
She took no notice of his little reverie, though Harry supposed it must have been at least a moment since either of them said anything. But she went on as though all was normal. "Sheer will. Legilimency and Occlumency have to do with sheer force of will more than anything else. You've heard me say the spell more than often enough. You know the wand motion. Try to break into my mind right now and I'll do nothing to stop you. Won't even try to block you out." She sat there, swinging her legs against the desk.
Harry hesitated, but said, "Legilimens!" and jabbed his wand. He was sure he had it right, but nothing happened.
"It wasn't important enough to you to break into my mind. You have to really want to, really need to. Again."
"Legilimens!"
She laughed. "That was worse than the first try. But I can see you're getting angry now. Forget anger. Forget embarrassment. Forget. Just forget it. Try again."
"Legilimens! Legilimens!" He continued to prove unsuccessful.
"You aren't concentrating. Do I need to pull out the force-write spell to help you get rid of anything you're thinking?"
"No," he said, a little too quickly. That was absolutely the last thing he needed . . .
"Alright then. Concentrate."
He wanted to know what was going on in her mind. He had to know. "Legilimens!" It felt like there was a little bit of give, as though he'd started to make progress; her natural defenses were beginning to weaken. He stopped, exhausted.
"Very good. You're making progress. But you need to rest a few minutes. This spell takes a lot out of you when you're first learning it. Here." She took out a bag of cookies. "Eat them. I swear I didn't hex them or anything." She sat down at one of the student desks and Harry joined the seat next to hers.
For the first time that night, he noticed that her hair was brushed smooth instead of the normal straggly hair that it usually appeared to be. Just like when they went to Hogsmeade. Harry instinctly moved his chair away from her. She appeared not to notice. Harry also finally noticed that she was wearing the choker he gave, instead of her Butterbeer-cap necklace. Unfortunately, she still wore the radish earrings. Harry decided he'd have to find some excuse to get her a new pair of earrings. Stars would go nicely with the moon choker. Oops, she was talking. He should probably be listening.
" . . .mediation. It really helped with the Occlumency and may prove helpful here though I'd rather not waste time with it."
"Did you have a good summer?"
"You already asked that."
Oh, right. He had asked that. But now he had some real questions. "Do you really think it's necessary for me to learn Legilimency?"
"Yes."
"Does Dumbledore think it's necessary for me to learn Legilimency?"
"Yes. McGonagall brought the situation to him when I asked her about continuing the lessons into this new area of study."
"Do you think it's necessary for Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to learn Legilimency?"
"No. Ginny might have the skills for it however, but I see no reason for Ron or Hermione to have an interest in defensive magic. Reckless Gryffindors though they all are they don't seem to attract trouble nearly as much as you do, and they know enough for defensive purposes. They can join if they'd like."
He'd run out of questions. At least for once she'd given him real answers.
"Time to get working again, Harry." Luna went back to her place on the desk.
He worked for the better part of another hour (but with breaks every ten minutes because of the high energy needed for such a spell).
"I suppose you can be done for tonight. You look tired. But you're making progress."
The final couple of times Harry had been able to catch a glimmer of a couple memories, but he was still not doing well. If he was this bad without any extra defenses up, he'd never make it against someone actually trying to defend him or herself. He nodded. "Thanks, Luna. This really means a lot to me. I've got to be able to fight back when he comes after me. I've just got to."
"You'll be able to, Harry. It's nothing really."
"It takes time away from you doing your homework," he said, feeling guilty.
"My homework's done."
"Really? Isn't this your O.W.L. year?"
"And you aren't stressed out?"
"Should I be? I know the material."
Harry had to marvel. He remember even the Weasley twins had felt the OWL study crunch in their fifth year. "If you need any help-"
"I'll let you know."
Somehow, Harry doubted Luna would need his help. "Luna, about, you know, before Christmas . . ."
"What about before Christmas?"
He smiled a little sadly. "Never mind, Luna. Forget I said anything. Thanks, again." He walked away.
Back in the common room the Weasleys and Hermione were chatting where Harry had last seen them, their books momentarily forgotten "How'd it go?" asked Hermione.
"I didn't tell her," Harry said.
"I meant how did the lesson go?"
"Ohm that. Not too well. But I made a little progress near the end. And guess who sent us those brownies over Christmas?"
"Luna sent them? Why would she send brownies made with a truth potion in them when she wouldn't even be around to ask you questions?" asked Ron.
"She said it wasn't really a truth potion, strictly speaking. Just something she made. I think she called it a Cognitive Lucidity Inducer. She said it-"
"Helped you think clearly," finished Hermione.
"Yeah. And she said it also makes you more inclined to speak the truth once you're able to see things clearly."
"But why send it?"
Ginny said, "I think she was sending him a message. A warning. Saying that something's up and he better keep his mind sharp."
"That makes sense . . ." said Harry. He felt tired and went up to the dormitory and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Okay, you know the routine: you read and it's time to review (please?). Here's the next chapter preview. BTW I got the idea of putting up chapter previews from Lessa3 who writes wonderful Artemis Fowl fics. *
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* The next door opened to show Mr. and Mrs. Weasley with bullet holes in them. There was a pool of blood around them and Harry felt sick.