Disclaimer: The characters and their world are the property of J.K. Rowling, various publishers and Warner Bros. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: My special thanks to aliceravenclaw and John Adams for all their help in beta reading this story and keeping me on character with Harry and the gang. Also for their many suggestions that made this story better than it would have been.
CHAPTER 6: THE MOON LILIES
But with the sweet, Harry Potter always seemed to suffer with the bitter as well. Professor Snape's animosity towards Gryffindor House in general, and Harry Potter in particular, remained unchanged. One day, in early October, Snape interrupted an argument between Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy. Ignoring the facts that Draco had started it, the Potion's Master deducted twenty points from Gryffindor and gave Ron a detention. Harry Potter, who was not even involved in the argument, was given a detention as well.
Both boys were furious as they stomped into the Great Hall for lunch, and sat down heavily at the Gryffindor Table on either side of Hermione. Luna Lovegood, from Ravenclaw table, watched as Harry came in flushed with anger. She got up and hurried over, coming up behind him. He was talking angrily with Hermione when he felt small, warm fingers gently stroke his neck.
"Hello, Harry." She said in her dreamy way. "Would you like to take a walk with me? It's a beautiful autumn day."
He turned on her fiercely, and then noticed her sweet, trusting smile. His anger quickly changed to embarrassment and after a second he responded, "I'd like that."
She reached down, took his hand and helped him up; and as she did so she looked over and gave Hermione a conspiratorial wink, which the older girl returned. She then led him out through the front doors. Hermione watched the two of them go and smiled to herself. Then she turned back to Ron and gently laid her hand on his.
"I just don't know how he can be so unfair…" Ron was saying.
"Professor Snape will never change, and it doesn't do any good to worry about it. Look at this lunch that the elves prepared, all of your favorites. Let's enjoy life and not worry about Snape."
Ron shrugged his shoulders and began to eat, which always made him feel better.
Luna led Harry out along the shore of the Black Lake, and then along a winding trail that led them into the Forbidden Forest. They missed their afternoon classes, for which Harry was certain they would both get a detention; but it was worth it. Luna took him deep into the forest to a special place she knew. It was a narrow canyon with a silvery stream running through it. The steep slopes on either side were heavily covered with ferns and wild flowers. They spent the afternoon lying on the bank of the stream just holding hands. It was so peaceful. Neither of them needed to say anything. When they returned for dinner Harry was calm and at peace, and had forgotten all about Professor Snape.
Surprisingly, the teachers didn't seem to object to them missing class. Professor McGonagall simply gave Harry the assignments and asked him to try and not let it happen again. Professor Flitwick actually winked at Harry when he explained that he had missed Charms because he was out walking with Luna Lovegood. Luna's instructors were equally lenient. It was all very strange, but Harry decided it was better not to ask questions.
- o -
That night, while Harry and Ron did their detention of scrubbing out cauldrons in the Potions Lab, Ginny and Neville volunteered to watch Draco Malfoy. Harry had loaned them his invisibility cloak, and warned them to be careful. They waited for Draco outside the concealed entrance to the Slytherin common room. Just before nine o'clock Draco emerged and began his rounds as a school Prefect, shooing a few late students back to their dormitories. Just before ten o'clock he made his way to the main stairs and hurried down to the great Oak doors. He looked around carefully to make sure he wasn't being followed, and then slipped out into the courtyard. Ginny and Neville followed as quickly as the cumbersome invisibility cloak would allow; their excitement growing with each passing second.
Once outside Malfoy stopped to listen and look around again. Ginny and Neville froze under the cloak and watched; but when he moved on again so did they. They went through this routine several times between the courtyard and the great stone gate, which marked the boundary of the school grounds. The two friends found they could walk better if they each put an arm around the other; but nonetheless they kept falling further and further behind.
As they passed through the gates they saw two forms standing in the shadow of the nearby trees. As they got closer they were able to recognize Malfoy's voice and a moment later the high pitched voice of Bellatrix Lestrange.
There she was, only twenty feet in front of him, the monster who had tortured his parents and destroyed his family. Neville's fingers tightened on his wand as he felt pure hatred rise inside him. This was the moment of justice for his parents and revenge for himself. One quick shot and there would be some measure of peace, at least some of the pain would be gone.
But then he felt something else; Ginny's tiny, warm hand in his. He looked down and saw her face in the moonlight, her eyes warm and trusting. She knew his pain, for he had told her; and she was alright with his decision, whatever it might be. Neville felt the hatred leave him to be replaced with love. He smiled down at her and he relaxed the grip on his wand. He would not risk her life, not for anything. He nodded his head to her, indicating that they should move closer.
They heard Malfoy ask, "What about the shield, has the Master got the shield yet?"
Bellatrix replied harshly, "It's only a matter of time; they will either make it or feel our Master's wrath."
"And the sword, has it been found?"
"The search continues, but it will be found."
As Bellatrix and Draco moved deeper into the trees their voices faded, and Neville knew they couldn't follow. He knew that moving through the dry leaves their footsteps would most certainly be heard. As they passed out of earshot he heard one last word, and then nothing more. That last word was "Astragal."
A few minutes later Malfoy emerged from the forest and returned to the castle. Neville and Ginny followed him back to the Slythern common room, and then the two rushed back to the Gryffindor Tower.
"Where's Harry?" Ginny exclaimed as they rushed up to Ron and Hermione, who were sitting together on a sofa in the Gryffindor common room.
Ron smiled at Hermione, and then said to Ginny. "He and Luna are checking out the stars up on the Astronomy Tower,"
"We've got to find him. Now! Bellatrix Lestrange is in the forest."
Harry and Luna were sitting in a dark corner of the Astronomy Tower enjoying the stars, the peace, and a few kisses, when Ron's voice shattered the midnight silence.
"Harry! Luna! Where are you?"
Harry looked at Luna in frustration as he replied, "Over here Ron. Tired of living are you?"
"Harry…I'm sorry." Ron stammered, out of breath. "But Bellatrix Lestrange was in the forest with Malfoy."
"What! Are you sure?"
"Yes." Neville replied. "Ginny and I both saw her, and we overheard some of their conversation."
"We need to tell Dumbledore right away." Harry exclaimed. He took Luna's hand and ran for the stairs, the other four following close behind.
When they reached the gargoyle that guarded Professor Dumbledore's Office they met Professor McGonagall.
"We need to see Professor Dumbledore immediately," Harry declared.
Seeing the urgency on his face, Professor McGonagall didn't stop to ask questions, but led them directly up to the Headmaster's office. As Ginny and Neville began to relate their story, concern became plainly evident on the old Headmaster's face, and he visibly winced at the mention of the word "Astragal."
When Neville finished Ron exclaimed, "I'm really surprised you didn't take a shot at her, Neville."
"I wanted to…I really did." Neville said, shaking. "But I couldn't take the risk with Ginny there."
Ginny reached over and put a comforting hand on Neville's arm.
"Thanks Neville," Ron said sincerely, "for looking after my little sister."
"You both did very well." Dumbledore said. "Bellatrix Lestrange is a very dangerous witch."
"But why is Voldemort looking for a sword and shield? What good would they do him?" Hermione asked in bewilderment.
"Of all people, Miss Granger, you should know that things are not always what they seem. This particular sword and shield have tremendous power." Dumbledore responded. "Have any of you ever heard of Astragal?"
"He was the Court Wizard of Alexander the Great." Luna said with confidence.
"Very good, Miss Lovegood; but he was a great deal more than that. Astragal was one of the most powerful wizards who ever lived. Besides being a brilliant wizard, he was also a master alchemist and metallurgist. He started his career as Court Wizard to Alexander's father, Philip of Macedon, in 350 B.C. Like so many muggles before and since, Philip dreamed of world conquest. He ordered Astragal to create a sword of absolute power and a shield that would protect the holder against any muggle or magical power. Astragal not only carried out his instructions, he exceeded them."
"As near as we can understand, the sword projected a pulse of magical energy that was absolutely irresistible. With it, Philip was able to conquer all of ancient Greece. But Philip was assassinated before Astragal was able to complete the protective shield charm. The sword, and later the shield, went to his son Alexander, and with them he conquered the known world."
"But Alexander died a relatively young man, how was that possible if he possessed a protective shield?" Hermione asked.
"The charm only protected the wearer against muggle and magical power, Alexander died of Tigris Fever."
"What happened to the sword and shield after his death?" Harry asked, finding history intensely interesting for once.
"Well, legend has it that the sword went to Alexander's favorite general, Ptolemy. He went on to found a dynasty in Egypt that endured almost three hundred years. The sword disappeared at some point during that time. The shield charm was cremated with Alexander, as none of his generals trusted anyone else to possess it. The sword reappeared some six hundred years later carrying a different name. It was then known as Excalibur, the sword of King Arthur. When Arthur died the sword is said to have been buried with him."
There was a stunned silence in the room following Dumbledore's announcement.
Hermione was the first to break the silence. "But I read that when they found King Arthur's body at Glastonbury there was no sign of a sword. What happened to it?"
"Arthur wasn't buried at Glastonbury." Luna responded dreamily. "He rests on the Isle of Avalon."
"Oh, Luna, that's just a myth." Hermione responded knowingly. "Monks discovered Arthur's grave near Glastonbury Cathedral eight hundred years ago."
"I'm afraid, Miss Granger, that it is you who are mistaken." Professor Dumbledore said, interrupting. "While there is much truth in books, everything in books is not the truth. Centuries ago there was great concern that dark wizards were searching for Arthur's tomb in an attempt to find the Sword of Astragal. A false grave was set up at Glastonbury to divert attention from his real tomb on Avalon. The island itself is unplottable and its coordinates have long been lost to history; but it appears that the Dark Lord thinks that he can find it. But even if he were to find the location of the island itself he might fail. Legend has it that only a true priestess of the Celtic Goddess Brigit can raise the mists that conceal it. And the ceremony can only be preformed one day out of the year."
"But Celtic rituals are still being practiced today. Couldn't Voldemort find a priestess to conduct the ceremony?" Ginny asked.
"It's not as simple as that." Dumbledore replied. "The qualities of faith, courage and purity of heart required of a Priestess of Brigit are quite rare and unique, especially in these times. Also, a specific spell must be cast, and its nature is unknown. Nevertheless, I doubt Voldemort would have carried it this far unless he was confident that he could raise the mist."
"What can we do?" Harry asked decisively.
"All we can do is what we are doing. Information is what we need. Everything we can learn about Astragal, King Arthur, the sword, and Avalon is important. As to the shield charm, it appears that Voldemort is attempting to recreate it using the kidnapped alchemists."
"But is that possible? Hermione asked.
"Unfortunately, Lord Voldemort has a habit of doing the impossible, and we must be prepared for that to continue. You have all done very well tonight; you have given us a chance to stop him. Now that we know what his objective is, we can try to be prepared. I will call all the members of the Order here tonight and inform them of these latest developments. Because of the late hour, and the importance of this work, I am excusing all of you from class tomorrow. Get a good night's sleep and start fresh in the morning."
- o -
The days that followed were filled with school work, library research and Quidditch practice that took up almost every spare moment. At times it seemed to Harry that they were practically living in the library. All six teens were determined to find the Sword of Astragal before Voldemort could get his hands on it. Even Ron willingly immersed himself in research; that is, when he wasn't following Malfoy.
Progress was slow at first, but then one night in early October Hermione Granger made a major discovery. The six of them had eaten dinner together, and then had gone up to the library to do their homework. Working together, they quickly finished their assignments and then went on to their separate tasks. While Ron and Harry left to follow Malfoy, the other four settled down to another long night of research.
Hermione had spent the last three days translating an ancient text on Celtic religious practices. Her progress had been painfully slow; translating one word at a time using a heavy, leather bound dictionary. But for some reason she thought there might be something useful in the book, and she kept at it. Luna, who sat across from her, found the Celtic language much easier to read. She was literally breezing through a text on Celtic religious sites, hoping to find a clue to the location of Avalon. Ginny and Neville were at the table also, gathering biographical information on Alfred Mahan, a renowned alchemist and the latest kidnap victim.
Hermione looked up at the clock on the wall and stifled a yawn. It was nearly 11 o'clock and she was bone tired. She decided to call it a night and finish the text during lunch the next day. She took one last look at the paragraph she was working on before marking the page. At that moment she saw a word that she had almost given up hope of finding. Could it be? Yes, it was definitely Avalon!
"Luna! Look at this." She exclaimed, and pushed the book across the table, putting her finger on the paragraph in question.
Luna began to read, mumbling the words as she did so. She looked perplexed for a moment, and then read the page again. Then a wide grin spread across her face.
"Hermione, you've found it." She exclaimed.
"Found what?" The older girl asked.
"The spell to raise the mist," Luna said excitedly. "The spell to raise the mists of Avalon."
Neville, Ginny and Hermione crowded around as Luna began to read the elemental chant to the Goddess Brigit out loud:
By the earth that is her body
And the water that is her blood
By the air that is her breath
And the fire that is her spirit
I ask the goddess to raise the mist
And reveal the sacred isle.
All thought of sleep and tiredness was now gone; Hermione grabbed the book and rushed out of the library, the three others right behind her. They never noticed the shadowy figure watching them from the cover of the book shelves. Pansy Parkinson smiled to herself; she was expecting just another boring night watching from the shadows, but they had actually found something. It was all going just as Draco had said it would; the Dark Lord would be very pleased.
The four students raced down the hallway to the stone gargoyle that guarded Professor Dumbledore's office, the sound of their running echoing in the midnight stillness. Earlier in the semester Professor Dumbledore had decided that it was important for all of them to have the password to his office. Hermione quickly called out "Peppermint Humbugs," and the gargoyle moved out of the way. They rushed up the stairs and knocked on the door, entering the moment he responded. They had apparently interrupted a meeting with Professor McGonagall.
"We're sorry to interrupt," Hermione blurted out, "but we've found something important." And she quickly laid the open book on the desk in front of the Headmaster.
As Professor Dumbledore read the page his eyes widened. "This is indeed important. While it unfortunately does not give the location of Avalon, it is certainly the key to open the door. You have all done very well indeed."
After they left Dumbledore's Office, Hermione was all prepared to return to the library and resume the search, but the other three talked her out of it. Instead they went to the Gryffindor common room. Ron and Harry had returned a short time before, but their own exhaustion quickly disappeared as Hermione related the exciting news about the night's discovery.
- o -
But it wasn't all work. Harry was determined that he and Luna would have at least a little private time together. Sometimes they would skip a lunch and go flying together, or they would take an evening walk by the lake hand in hand. These times meant a great deal to both of them; reminding them that no matter what happened, they were no longer alone.
One evening, about a half hour before curfew, Harry came down to the Gryffindor common room. He was carrying a warm winter cloak over his arm and was wearing a heavy jacket besides. The nights were cold in the Forbidden Forest, and he wanted to be prepared. He walked over to Ron and Hermione, who were doing homework at a table by the fire.
"Hi Harry. Come to do your homework?" Then, noticing his heavy cloak, Hermione asked with concern, "Going out, Harry?"
"Yes, Luna and I are going for a walk in the forest. She thinks the Moon Lilies will be in bloom tonight." Then turning to Ron he added, "Neville is going to help you follow Malfoy tonight."
"Oh Harry, you're not going to waste your time…" And then Hermione stopped and bit her lip. She was about to call Luna's flowers a myth, but now she knew better. She also knew that Harry's time with Luna was precious, and was to be cherished. "I'm sorry, Harry. I hope you and Luna have a wonderful time."
Looking out the window at the full harvest moon, Harry smiled. "Don't worry, we will." He then winked at Ron and went out through the portrait hole.
Ron turned to Hermione and asked, "What exactly is a Moon Lily?"
"It's an old legend." She replied. "It's a magical flower that's only supposed to bloom in the autumn on nights with a full moon. Legend says that it only blooms in the presence of those in love. It's also called 'Love in Bloom.'"
Ron smiled to himself. "What say we put the books away for tonight and enjoy the fire?"
Hermione's first inclination was to argue, but then she thought better of it. "That would be nice,"
She replied, blushing slightly.
When Harry reached the entrance to the Ravenclaw Tower, Luna was already waiting for him. They walked down the Grand Staircase hand in hand. As they crossed the lawn walking down towards the Forbidden Forest, Harry noticed that everything was bathed in the silvery glow of the full moon. The night was almost as bright as day, and the few clouds that danced across the sky looked almost florescent. Looking over at Luna, he thought how lovely she looked and how well the moonlight suited her.
Walking into the forest together, Harry didn't feel the fears he had in the past; with Luna by his side everything was perfect and safe. They came to a small clearing and Luna indicated that they should sit down on some rocks. She pointed to some low, green, rather innocuous looking plants in the center of the clearing.
"I discovered them here in my first year, and I've come every year since; but I've never seen them bloom. But perhaps they will this year," Luna said hopefully
As Harry sat on the rocks, his arm around Luna's shoulders, he noticed the silvery moonlight filtering down through the trees. He concluded that he couldn't have found a more romantic spot if he tried. They talked in low whispers, and soon completely forgot about the Moon Lilies.
Suddenly the clearing was enveloped in a beautiful and almost overpowering scent. The two teens looked over at the bed of flowers, and realized that they had burst into bloom. The flowers seemed to reflect the moonlight in their own silvery color, and their scent was dazzlingly beautiful.
Later that night, long after midnight, they walked back to the castle together. It had been a night that they would both always remember. As he fell asleep, Harry could still see Luna's beautiful face in the moonlight.
The next morning at breakfast Hermione asked a dreamy Harry Potter how his night had gone. "Perfect," he whispered, as if lost in another world. He then produced a glorious silver lily and handed it to Hermione. "Luna wanted you to have this." He then got up from the table and walked over to meet his girlfriend as she came in through the large Oak doors.