The invitation was both expected and unexpected.

Ever since Harry had arrived at Hogwarts for his 6th year he had known that Prof. Slughorn was going to try and make him another name in his little black book. The man collected connections like children gathered up baseball cards. He wanted to be the man behind the scenes that everyone whispered to and spoke their secrets. Not because he wanted power… though with the rumors Remus had heard concerning how many scandals he was keeping buried, with only him knowing the full story, he could easily take control of Avalon or bring it crashing down on top of them all. But Slughorn wasn't interested in being in control. He wasn't even interested in being the man behind the curtain. No, according to Remus, Slughorn was only interested in being the person that everyone knew and went to when they needed a favor.

"But why?" Harry had asked, trying to wrap his head around someone who had done everything possible to look like a supervillain simply not wanting to do anything with what he had gathered. It was like someone training a prize fighting Pokemon that could take out the Pokemon league with a single blow and then keeping the Pokeball locked in a fireproof save and only opening it during holidays to show off to their cousins. It just wasn't logical.

"I asked him about that once," Sirius had stated. "It was at one of his parties. Great food. Good music too even if it was classical. I remember one 7th year was wearing a dress that was so low cut I could see her nip-"

"Sirius," Remus had warned him.

"Right. So I asked Slughorn about it, what he planned to do with all the people he was 'friends' with. Did he want to be some kind of crime boss and fixer or influencer. He said the last was the closest but not in the way I thought. See, he'd told me that in his youth he dreamed of creating a network that would make him the most powerful in all of Avalon. That information would pass through him and he would be able to influence law and policy. But you know what he found?"

"What?"

"It was hard work being that kind of man. And he didn't enjoy that. He loved making connections and getting people to need him… but he didn't like spending all his time crushing dreams and manipulating the populous just so that he could get more power then have to do even more work. Working out how to bring people together? That was a challenge. A fun challenge. But the standard things the powerful have to do if they want to claw their way to the top of the mountain and then stay there? Not what he was interested in."

Thus Harry knew that Slughorn would be coming to him to try and make a connection. Harry was Lily Potter's heir. He would be a gym leader in a few years. And he had already shown that he himself could create connections with those around him. Most people were a thread that might lead to the next interesting person for Slughorn to meet. Harry was a massive net; yank on one piece and so much more was pulled to the surface. There was simply no way that Slughorn wouldn't try and get him part of the Slug Club. It would be like a commercial fisherman seeing a school of rare tuna and not baiting his hook.

'That said… I didn't expect it to arrive like this,' Harry thought to himself as he looked at the, admittedly, beautifully designed invitation with elegant script and paper edging that always reminded Harry of paper doilies. He'd only seen an invitation like this once, when his aunt had gotten an invite to a wedding… by accident. It wasn't meant for the Dursley House but Aunt Petunia had refused to send it to the proper house, lying when the postman came asking for it back, claiming she'd thrown it out when in reality she kept it hidden in one of the drawers in her bedroom, looking at it occasionally and smiling as she traced her finger along the border and quietly read it over and over, memorizing the details. It didn't matter that the couple, whom she'd never actually met despite it being a small island, had divorced 2 years later… she still kept that invitation.

'Don't think I'll be doing that,' as he looked over the invitation. It had been delivered by a Sirfetch'd, the noble knight Pokemon wearing a sleeveless tunic with what Harry assumed was the family coat of arms of the Slughorn family (a Goodra behind two Gogoat horns… a bit on the nose, honestly, but he'd noticed that families in Avalon tended to have names that weren't that creative or subtle to begin with; his family name was Potter because his ancestor was a potter and his family count of arms was a pot). The white feathered Pokemon had landed before him and his friends, who had been having lunch outside as it was reported that the temperatures were going to drop by 30 degrees during the night and never rise up again (ever, according to the weather man but he might have been drunk as much of the news crew was doing that thanks to having to deliver Nocturne updates) so it was their last chance to enjoy being outside without shivering for quite some times. Thus it had been suggested to have lunch and then do their homework for their Monday classes out amongst the clouds and wind.

The Sirfetch'd had appeared suddenly, landing in a crouch before going into a series of wild sword swings and shield tosses that had been dazzling to the eyes. Slashing with his sword, tossing his shield in the air only to catch it by flipping over their heads, driving his leek into the ground and standing on the tip of the hilt, juggling his shield before finally leaping down and presenting an envelope to Harry with a nod and then walking away.

"Well," Neville finally said, "you don't see that every day."

"You don't see that every lifetime," Hermione added.

"And to think we eat his cousins," Ron stated, earning shocked and startled looks from everyone. "What? We do! You don't enjoy eating poultry?" He jabbed his finger at Hermione. "That is a chicken salad sandwich right there in your hands! You are eating his cousin right now!"

"Yes but I don't go screaming at him that I am eating Cousin Billy!" Hermione complained. "Do you walk up to cows and tell them you are eating their aunts and uncles?"

"No but Fred and George did once," Ginny said with a shrug, snagging a pickle from a small dish that Dobby had brought from the kitchens. "Then the cows mooed and the Miltanks showed up and next thing we know it is Rollout city."

"That was a fun vacation," Ron said with a smirk.

Ginny nodded before looking at the invitation. "I can't believe he sent you that."

"I know," Harry grumbled. "Wanting me to attend-"

"I meant sending a paper invitation. Digital… get with the times." She rolled her eyes. "I could have made one that sparkled when you opened the email and the letters spun around and danced. A lot more attention grabbing."

"I think he wanted it to look classy and classic."

"You mean old and oldy," Ginny stated. Harry raised an eyebrow and mouthed 'oldy' and Ginny shrugged. "Trying to play off classy and classic. It didn't really work though, did it?"

"Not in the slightest."

"So mate," Ron said, "what are you going to-"

The ginger trainer stopped, looking over Harry shoulder. Turning the young man was surprised to see Sirfetch'd walking back towards them, same dignified look on his features.

"Uh… was I supposed to give you a-" Harry began only for the Sirfetch'd to leap into a new routine of swordplay and shield tossing before finally holding out an invitation to Luna, who happily accepted it and gave the messenger bird a piece of her salad. Snatching it up with a thanks the Sirfetch'd saluted her before hurrying off, the group several times opening their mouths to speak only to go quiet just in case the Pokemon returned. When it was finally gone the group of teens finally returned to eating their lunches.

"That just seems like a waste of energy," Neville commented, grabbing a bag of nacho chips and pulling it open; because one of them had called it a 'picnic' Dobby had decided they had to have picnic foods. And them being teenagers they really didn't care because even Hermione was willing to eat anything at the moment. "He could have given you your invitation when he gave Harry his."

"But we'd have missed out on the show!" Luna said with a pout. "Dinner and a show! It's like those Kanto Steak Houses!"

"Do NOT let her try cutting things and flipping them around," Ginny warned. "I like my body parts where they-oh, sorry Harry." She grimaced, looking down at his false hand.

He waved her off. "Believe me, as someone who HAS experienced that I am 100% for not cutting off limbs."

Luna slapped her forehead. "I just realized I never made a Luke Skywalker reference in the last 18 months. That is so terrible of me and its too late to do it now. Bad Luna!"

"Still, even with the performance… seems like it was a waste of time for the poor dear," Hermione said, finishing off her sandwich and selecting a wrapped brownie from the basket Dobby had left for them.

"Especially since we're just going to toss these out," Harry said, waving his invitation while turning towards Luna… who had her tongue stuck out as she used Neville's back to fill out her invitation.

"Do I want chicken or the fish?" Luna asked, tapping her chin with the pen.

"You hate fish," Neville pointed out.

Luna gave him a slight poke in the side. "Desks don't talk." She paused. "Or do they? I have wondered about that one in the common room…"

"Could be a desk-like Pokemon out there," Ron suggested.

"Are… are you RSVPing?" Harry asked in surprise.

"Yes, I am!" Luna said proudly, patting Harry on the head in a condescending manner. "Good boy! I knew you'd figure it out. Have a biscuit!" She handed Harry a cookie. He glowered at her and honestly thought about tossing it back at her but then Luna gave him the biggest, saddest, cutest puppy dog face and Harry, after a moment, let out a sigh and nibbled on the cookie just to keep her from getting upset. "Thank you. And yes, I am going to the party. It's on Halloween… don't worry, it's not a costume party. Prof. Slughorn was clear in the invite that it wasn't."

"Mine doesn't say that," Harry said with a frown. It did say that it was on the 31st of October, that food would be served, and that Harry could invite a guest if he wished, but it said nothing about costumes. Honestly that hadn't occurred to him. It was only when Luna held up her invite, which featured big bold letters at the bottom that stated, "Miss Lovegood, please don't dress up in anything" followed by "Costume. I meant costume. You must wear clothing" that he understood. "I see he researched you."

"I was so looking forward to wearing my Hedwig costume. That thing cost a lot of money and I really need to get more uses out of it then pretending to be your Pokemon." Luna smirked. "And then I was excited to get my Nudist on."

"You shouldn't," Harry said with a low growl. "It would have meant I had to kill a lot of Peeping Toms."

"Love is vowing to murder people for looking at your friend strip naked," Ginny said sagely.

"They should put that in a greeting card," Ron said.

Neville rolled his shoulders as he sat up straight. "Could we NOT talk about my girlfriend walking around naked for people other than me to see?"

"Fine!" Luna said, put upon before quickly looking at Harry, forgetting all about that conversation and returning to the topic at hand. "But yes, I am RSVPing and I think you should as well."

"Why?" Harry complained. "I want nothing to do with Slughorn."

"Why not?" Luna asked innocently.

"He just wants to use me."

"And?" Ginny said. "You are using Dumbledore, aren't you?"

"That's different," Harry argued.

"Because Slughorn is being honest?" Ginny pressed. "Would you prefer he lied about why he wanted to see you?" Harry glared at Ginny but she didn't back down. "If you even think of letting your mask slip, Harry James Potter, you will live to regret it. And that isn't a threat from me… its knowing that it will eat you alive that you treated me like that, or any of the rest of us."

That was like dumping ice water on his rate. At once Harry took a breath and bowed his head, shutting his eyes as he forced himself to calm down. "I'm sorry."

"I know," Ginny said in a far more gentle tone. "But we are Pride. We don't fight each other. Us against the world, remember?"

"Us against the world."

Ron looked at his sister and his best mate. "You two aren't going to use this moment to suddenly realize you love each other, right?"

Harry and Ginny looked at each other and… and began to gag.

"Damn it Ron!" Harry exclaimed in disgust.

"That's like incest!" Ginny complained.

Ron though held up his hands. "Hey, there are rumors. People see Neville and Luna together and figure we partner up as well."

"This isn't like with the Pack where they think all of them engage in sex party orgies, right?" Hermione said, wrinkling her nose at the thought.

"Nah," Ron said, waving off her idea. "Not in the slightest."

Hermione suddenly went stiff and then began to smack the red head on the shoulder. "Your shields are lowered you ass and no Luna and I would never do that!"

"Do what?" Luna asked, pressing her hand to her Bestest Best Friend's shoulder. Ever since the Ministry Hermione and Luna had shared a mental connection far stronger than the one Hermione had with anyone else outside of her own Pokémon. Just by having a bit of physical contact Luna could see everything Hermione's psychic powers let her see… including the thoughts Ron had let slip past his shields. "Oh… oh… no, we'd never do that." Hermione nodded firmly. "Hermione isn't that flexible to do that with her legs. I'd have to be the one on the bottom then-"

Ron looked at Neville and even as Hermione hit him again gave him a lot of loathing. "I hate you and want to be you so much."

"I know," Neville said with a smirk.

Ginny snapped her fingers. "Let's stop thinking about how limber Luna apparently is and how she should be giving the rest of us tips and focus on the rumors about me and Harry! Because… ugh." She did a full body shiver.

Normally Harry would have been offended that a woman held such revulsion at the idea of being with him. Wounded pride and all that. But in this case Harry was joining Ginny in the utter loathing at the idea of them being together like that. She was his mate's little sister and over the years had become a sister to him. The idea of being with her romantically was horrifying… it would be like being with Ron or Neville. He completely understood people being attracted to any members of his Pride but for him it was just like diving into a pool of mucus: utterly unappealing.

"Well, people think the reason why Harry and Jasmine broke up is because you two are having a torrid love affair," Ron told them.

"Jasmine and I didn't break up," Harry complained. Yes, the two of them were taking some time off but they hadn't broken up. They still sent pictures to each other of what they were doing, emails about how their lives were going… there was a barrier at the moment, one that Harry hated and hoped soon he'd be able to shatter, but for now it was there. They had to live their lives separately.

"Well, people think you got with Ginny. Some of the girls in Hufflepuff thinks it's romantic. Like James and Lily."

"Why… because I have red hair?" Ginny complained.

"What am I, fucking Oedipus?" Harry complained. "I need to bang my mom or something to deal with my emotional issues?"

Ron shrugged and snagged some of the cookies Luna had grabbed earlier. "Hey, they think Hermione and I are dating."

"…why?" Hermione asked, almost in a pleading tone.

"I think it's because it was the only combination that made sense," Ron pointed out. "Otherwise it would be me and Ginny and then we'd all need to kill ourselves."

"Someone is going to die if we continue this conversation," Ginny snapped.

"They… they do get that I'm dating Cedric, right?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah…" Ron said, rubbing the back of his head. "About that… they think he's dead."

"WHAT?!" Hermione screeched.

"Yeah, I thought it seemed weird too but hey, they had good theories."

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. "Does everyone in Avalon have brain damage? Did you all eat paint chips as children?"

"No, just Ron," Ginny said helpfully.

"Should I be concerned that this school is super homophobic and never considered that Ginny and I might be a couple or Ron and Harry might get together?" Hermione asked.

"They only pair Harry up with Draco," Ron said.

Luna looked at Harry and shuddered. "You have permission to shatter the mask for 10 seconds."

"Thank you," Harry said before throwing back his head and letting out an animalistic roar of fury at the idea of him being with Draco in any way, shape, or form other than him burying his corpse in a well hidden grave.

"Feel better?" Ginny asked. Harry nodded and she smiled. "Pushing aside us all being super horny and going off to bang each other… I think Luna is right and you should accept the invite Slughorn sent you."

"And we need to decide if I am getting the fish or the chicken," Luna reminded them.

"I don't want to go," Harry said. He knew he was sounding like a petulant brat but he couldn't help it. "I don't want to go and be gawked at."

Hermione gently reached out and patted Harry's knee. "I get that. You're sick and tired of the attention. But I think you are looking at this all wrong. It's not going to be like that. You do get that Slughorn is only inviting people that he thinks are important, right? In other words other future movers and shakers. This isn't a party where you need to be the star of the show. You are going to be surrounded by people who are used to everyone staring at them and wanting to focus on them. A private party for Avalon's future elite."

"And you don't have a problem with that?"

"Why would I?"

"Because it is saying that there are people better than you," Harry pointed out.

Hermione though merely stared at him with a dry, slightly annoyed look. "I get the feeling you are just trying to find reasons to make this out as something horrible." Harry glowered at that but Hermione pressed on. "There are plenty of parties out there that I'm not invited to. It doesn't bother me that he only singled out you and Luna. I know who I am. I know what I can do." She snagged a pop from the cooler and cracked it open. "In fact I find it rather amusing that Slughorn doesn't realize how special the rest of us are. He'll regret that."

Harry looked to the rest of them, hoping to find someone that would agree with him. "Don't look at me, I want to go unnoticed," Ginny pointed out. "If people know how good I am then I've made a horrible mistake."

Ron nodded his head as well. "It's honestly still up in the air who is going to run the Weasley Gym. After what happened with J… what happened, mum and da and I aren't on the same page when it comes to a lot of things." Harry grimaced at the reminder of what had happened to Jack; a lot of his issues with Avalon could be tied back to him and then to the incident with Ginger. It didn't help they'd both occurred within a day of each other. "I'm still technically the heir but I've made it clear if I take over things are going to be wildly different. They aren't happy about that."

"I'm sorry, mate," Harry said, patting his friend on the shoulder. "That just… sucks."

"It sucks," Ron echoed. "But you can't use it as an excuse to get off topic and not discuss you going to the party."

"Oh for fuck's sake," Harry complained. He looked at Neville. "What's your excuse?"

"Slughorn quietly approached me this morning and said since I was going to be Luna's plus one anyway he didn't think it made sense to send two I invitations."

Harry blinked at that.

"Oh, so now he is assuming I am going to bring my sexy secret agent in training boyfriend with me!" Luna complained. "He thinks that I'll just dress you up in a nice suit so you can be my arm candy as I walk in? I'll show him! I'll bring you anyway!" Nodding to herself at that "logic" Luna finally turned to Harry. "Permission to go Mistress of Veela so I can explain why you are being a prig about this and how it is important for you to go to the party?"

"Uh… granted?"

"Neato," Luna said before her eyes flashed green and her entire demeanor changed to that of her more mature, confident, in-control self. All at once an aura of peace and contentment filled the air and caused all of the Pride to sit a bit easier, letting out small happy sighs as Luna radiated positive, comforting emotions. "Thank you," she said, sounding far more grown up. She turned to Harry and smiled at him with such grace that he just wanted to curl up in her lap and let her take all his worries away. It was a startling reminder that Luna was growing up. It might not seem like it, with her antics and her silliness but she was. He'd always seen her as the baby of the group, the little sister that they all needed to protect and coddle even as they bemoaned her goofiness… but here she was taking the role of adult and parent to them and it left Harry speechless. "Come here," she commanded and Harry scooted over, Luna wrapping an arm around him.

That close to the Mistress of Veela left Harry feeling like he was being wrapped in the softest blanket and given a mug of coco.

"You have lived almost your entire life with people controlling you, or at least trying to. First the Dursleys, then Avalon and Hogwarts. People asking you to do this, do that, no we meant this way Harry, we changed our minds and now you should go about things differently. It's a wonder you aren't insane. Or more insane. We're all mad, I think." She began to run her fingers through his hair, fingernails scratching lightly on his scalp. "But I get it… you haven't had control for so long that all you want now in life is to have control. But what you fail to see is that this quest to push away people isn't healthy either."

"So I should embrace people that want to use me?" Harry asked stubbornly.

But Luna merely smiled. "I think you should give them a chance. To prove that they aren't what you fear and loathe. Yes, Slughorn wants something from you. You can get things from him. Use each other to achieve your goals. It's what you are doing with Dumbledore."

"That's different," Harry said again. He knew his friends wanted him to explain but he couldn't. Not if he wanted to keep them safe.

"This isn't his first party, you know," Luna stated. "He had another one a week ago. I enjoyed myself."

"You… you already went to one of his parties?" Hermione asked. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because I wanted to make sure it was safe for Harry to go to. I knew that Slughorn would ask Harry to come to one so I decided I needed to look into it first, to make sure he wouldn't be in danger."

"You shouldn't have done that," Ginny told her, shocked that Luna had hid this from them. "You could have been hurt-" Luna held out her hand and a ball of green flames formed within it, filled with conflicting emotions that the Pride all knew, if hit with, would drive them into trembling wrecks. "Right, I keep forgetting you're a badass now."

"I am," Luna said with a confidence smile before looking back at Harry, snuffing the ball out. "It is all very dignified. It isn't some wild party or a stuffy dinner. The conversations were very stimulating. Slughorn doesn't merely choose people who are going to be powerful… he carefully selects interesting people as well. The right balance of different opinions to stimulate conversation while being careful that we have enough in common that there won't be bitter fights. But not so similar that we form little cliques. I believe that's why Hermione didn't get an invite, or Ron and Ginny. And I doubt very much that Draco will be attending this party, for example."

"Good," Harry muttered. He was keeping his distance when it came to the blonde ponce. Mostly because he knew if he didn't he'd finish their confrontation in the alley and he'd have to find some lime to deal with the dead body.

"You can't keep isolating yourself," Luna finally said sadly. "Yes, the world is a horrid place… but there is also joy and light and love. But you have to search for it. Dig it up from the muck and the dirt. And I think this is a way for you to do it. You don't do Battle Club anymore, you've stepped away from Gauntlet, you mostly keep to yourself or with us… but you can't just decide that part of the world sucks so you aren't going to risk yourself again." She took his hand in her own. "And there is one other reason to go."

"And that is?"

"Because I'm asking."

Harry glared at her. "That isn't fair."

"Life isn't fair. Life's also a bitch and so am I."

He glowered before letting out a sigh. "Pen."

Luna smiled and shook off her Mistress of Veela persona. "Whooo! Head rush being serious and mature all the time."

Harry, though, was finishing of the RSVP before pulling out his dex and typing a quick out a text.

'Hey Jasmine. Was wondering what you were doing Oct. 31'