Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling

Chapter 9: OotP 4: Home

(Thoughts)

(Oh shit! It's the headmaster! Run for it!) thought Luna's younger self.

(No! Stand and Fight!) the sword demanded inside of Luna's head.

(Calm down, both of you) admonished Luna's mother.

(Quiet! All of you! I've got to be prepared to block any Legilimency probes he may send at us) thought Luna.

"I said: How does your father feel about this?" asked Dumbledore.

"He doesn't know yet," replied Luna.

"I see," said Dumbledore with his eyes twinkling.

"Harry, I know you don't like staying with your relatives, but this is not the way," said Dumbledore. "Surely you must have been told that the Gryffindor ring disappeared from my hand when it appeared before you? You can't get away with this. She's only fourteen."

"It's not about my relatives, it's about training," replied Harry. "We need to be able to do magic over the summer so that I can prepare to face Voldemort."

"But you need the protection of the blood wards," said Dumbledore.

"YOUR BLOOD WARDS DON"T BLOODY WORK!" yelled Harry. "When I went back to pick up my possessions, there was a strange woman in my room just waiting for me!"

"You must mean Miss Tonks," said Dumbledore. "I sent her to guard over and protect you."

"So now I'm a bloody prisoner kept under lock and key by you!" growled Harry.

"Harry, it's not like that at all," said Dumbledore. "Come back with me. We'll get a quick annulment and you can spend the rest of the summer with your godfather."

During this whole time, Dumbledore had been careful to avoid eye contact with Harry. Now he turned his attention to Luna. When she felt his gentle Legilimency probe touch her mind, Luna opened up to him that part of her mind that she kept closed to the others. She flooded his mind with images of death and horror that she had witnessed in the future.

"Aaahh!" Dumbledore screamed as he clutched his head.

"Does Master wish to use the wards to remove this person?" asked the house elf.

"Yes. How do I do that?" asked Harry.

"Simply say: I, Lord Gryffindor, cast this person out," said the elf.

"Harry, don't!" pleaded Dumbledore.

"I, Lord Gryffindor, cast Albus Dumbledore out," said Harry.

With a popping sound, Dumbledore vanished.

"What happens to people who are cast out by the wards?" asked Harry.

"Their memory of the castle's location is erased and they are transported to the middle of the Bermuda Triangle, Master Lord Gryffindor sir," replied the house elf.

"Please, call me Harry," said Harry as he offered his hand. "You are?"

"Moo." said Luna.

"Binky, Master Harry sir"

"Moo!" said Luna.

"Do I own you?" Harry asked the house elf.

"Moooo!" said Luna.

"Yes, Master Harry Sir," replied Binky.

"Moooooooo!" said Luna.

"You're right, Luna. Hermione is going to have a cow when she finds out," said Harry. "How many house elves do I own?"

"There are thirty-two in Castle Gryffindor, Master Harry sir," answered Binky.

Binky gave his new Lord and Lady a tour of the Castle, which had been extensively renovated over the centuries. The most recent upgrade had been done in the late 1940's by Harry's grandfather and the castle had all of the modern amenities of that era including running water and electricity. There was an extensive library including a large section on magical history.

After dinner, Harry and Luna retired to the Library. They sat in comfortable armchairs reading for several hours until Harry stifled a yawn.

Luna closed her book and rose to her feet.

"Harry, I think it's time we went to bed," said Luna sleepily.

Harry sprang to his feet with a goofy grin on his face. When they came to the master bedroom, Harry stopped her and picked Luna up.

"I believe there is a tradition about carrying the bride over the threshold," he said, carrying his bride into the room. Once he'd carried her to the bed, Harry gave Luna a deep, passionate, kiss to which she responded eagerly. Not breaking contact, Harry set her down upon the bed and leaned her back. By now, Luna was moaning with pleasure as their tongues danced with each other. Suddenly, Luna stiffened and pushed Harry away.

"Stop! Stop!" Luna panted.

"What's wrong?" panted Harry.

"I just think we're going too fast," replied Luna.

"But we're married," responded Harry.

"So that we can do magic over the summer," reminded Luna. "Yesterday you said that you hadn't even considered me as a possible girlfriend."

"Is this about Amanda and Stan?" asked Harry.

"What about them?" asked Luna?

"Are you hooked up with them?" asked Harry.

Luna burst out laughing!

"Are you lovers with Ron and Hermione?" giggled Luna.

Harry hung his head in embarrassment.

"Look, we're married now," explained Luna. "It will happen, just not tonight. When you can convince me that you've really, genuinely fallen in love with me, you'll find me quite easy to seduce."

"Right. I'll sleep in one of the other bedrooms," said Harry as he started to rise.

Luna pulled him back down onto the bed.

"I'd really rather we share a bed," said Luna. "We are, after all, married. Let's just cuddle up together and sleep together and not do anything else."

"Okay," said Harry. "I'll just go change into my pajamas."

"Oh," said Luna. "This brings up another thing. I don't like to wear anything to bed. If I sleep in the nude, are you going to be able to control yourself? We are going to have to get used to seeing each other naked anyway."

"If cuddling my naked wife is all I can get tonight, I think I can live with that," said Harry.

The next day, they toured Ravenclaw Tower. It was a massive, seventy story tower that, like Gryffindor Castle, had Muggle repellent and Notice-me-not charms on it. It was maintained by a large staff of house elves who kept it in good condition, even though it had not been modernized since the 16th century. The biggest asset of Ravenclaw Tower was, not surprisingly, its library. It was obvious that the books in the Ravenclaw vault had been a small minority of the books from the Ravenclaw collection. There was floor after floor filled with books. Many of the ones that had not been considered rare and valuable enough to preserve in the vault back in the 16th century had become quite valuable, indeed.

On the third day, they visited Hufflepuff Manor. It was a 14th century country manor with lush gardens. After the serfs had been set free, their place had been taken by some Mennonite witches and wizards that farmed the land and paid a share of their crops to the house elf who managed the estate. These Mennonites were a lot more conservative than their Muggle counterparts, and didn't use any technology more recent than the 14th century. Inspecting the gardens, it became apparent that the seeds in the vault were just a backup in case the magical crops here failed. The Wards placed on the estate had kept all outsiders from the Manor since the 16th century. Hufflepuff Manor also boasted what must have been the best potions lab in the world, best in the 14th century anyway.

Harry and Luna spent the rest of the week studying their new books. One day, Luna made a startling discovery!

"Harry, look at this!" bubbled Luna as she pointed out an obscure spell from one of the Legilimency books she had gotten from the Ravenclaw vault. "If we cast this spell, we will be able to instantly absorb all of the knowledge from any book we touch. True, it will be book knowledge and not practical knowledge. We will still have to practice any new magic we absorb in order to get good at it. But think how much faster we could learn if we didn't have to waste time reading and comprehending!"

After this, their knowledge grew exponentially!

Harry mate,

Things have been in an uproar here ever since you sent Hedwig with your last letter. I don't know what you've done. The adults won't tell us. But I hope that you are okay.

Ron

Dear Harry,

Thanks for the seeds that you sent me. I've planted them in my green house and have been doing research on them. Where did you get them? Some of them have been thought extinct for centuries! Do you know where to get more?

Yours truly,

Neville

Dear Harry,

Thank you for the book on Advanced Occlumency Techniques. Remember how mad Professor Snape got when we first started teaching ourselves Occlumency, back in 2nd year? Ron and I are staying with Padfoot. All of the adults are very angry with you but won't tell us why. Can you?

Your Friend,

Hermione

My Sister,

Thank you for the potion that removes the ministry's restriction on underage magic. Where did you get it? Since I got it, I've been practicing spells out of the Dark Arts book you sent me. They are a real hoot!

You father came to visit me again. You really need to tell him that you got married. Or at least, let him know that you are okay. I try to reassure him, but I won't betray your confidence. He won't hear it from me, but HE NEEDS TO KNOW!

Friends Forever

As in Spirit

We are Together,

Amanda

For next two months, Harry and Luna divided their time between absorbing the knowledge from every book they could get their hands on, practicing the magic they had learned in those books, and corresponding with various members of the D.A. that they had sent books to. One morning, Luna opened the Daily Prophet and gasped!

"Great Merlin Harry, Look!" exclaimed Luna.

The headline read: Harry Potter's cousin receives the Dementor's kiss!