Chapter 5: Collapse

Becca and Olivia were much colder toward Luna for the rest of the day. When Chloe was released from the hospital wing the following morning, things only got worse. Becca and Olivia sided with Chloe, and they made it clear that Luna was no longer welcome to sit with them during class or at meals.

Anne tried to hold the room together, but even she realized it was futile after the first week. Instead, she tried to split her time between the two groups. She was able to stop them from bullying Luna directly, but even she was unable to stop the teasing. The other girls, having lived with Luna for a month, provided Liam with even more ammunition for his mocking.

No longer welcome with the other first year Ravenclaws, Luna tried to spend as much time as she could outside of the common room. She started studying in quiet corners in the library and completed her homework in vacant classrooms around the castle. In her free time, she explored the castle both alone and together with Anne.

Without any reason to stay up in the common room, Luna started going to bed immediately after returning to the dorms right before curfew. This let her get up and downstairs for a peaceful breakfast before the others woke up, but there was little she could do to avoid the snubbing during lunch, dinner, and the classes.

It was a few weeks after the now infamous potions class incident, and Luna was down in the Great Hall finishing up her early breakfast. This time, Anne had woken up also to eat with her. There were only a few others in the hall this early on the Sunday morning. There were a few upper year Ravenclaws, a couple of Hufflepuffs, and what looked like the Gryffindor Quidditch team coming back from an early morning practice. The staff table only held Professor McGonagall, who was watching the students sitting at her house table with an amused smile.

"So, what's the plan," Anne asked as she scraped up the last of her scrambled eggs.

"I was thinking we should look for the kitchens," Luna replied. It would be a fun adventure, and they would likely be able to explore some new areas of the castle. If they actually found it, she may even be able to completely avoid the Great Hall for meals.

"Okay," Anne replied, already deep in thought. "How do you know there is a kitchen?"

"Well, food is one of the exceptions of Gamp's Law, so it can't be produced magically through transfiguration. Someone needs to be making it somewhere. I suspect it is probably house elves, but we won't know for sure until we find it."

"Any ideas where to start looking?"

"None."

"Well, it would need to be a fairly large room to store, let alone make all the food the castle goes through on a single day. Can we assume that the room is not magically expanded?"

"Probably," Luna replied as they walked out of the hall, "I mean, expansion charms are known to fail unexpectedly, so it is rather risky to use an expanded room. Then again, if it was constructed using wards it would probably be much more stable…"

"So, we're going to assume it is a physical room," Anne cut her off. "I mean, we need to start somewhere. Right?"

"I can't think of anywhere on the upper levels of the castle where a room that large could be. I mean, I can't see it being in any of the towers, so I guess the best bet is in the dungeons."

"Let's start from here and work our way outward. It may be closer to the hall to minimize the distance the food needs to be transported."

"Well…"

"We have to start somewhere."

"True," Luna replied.

They started their search on the floor below the Great Hall. Anne immediately started inspecting torch brackets lining the walls. Apparently, in muggle stories, torches and books in castles were often used to conceal secrets. The strategy was surprisingly useful, resulting in the discovery of a secret staircase connecting the third and fifth floors and a hidden room on the sixth.

While Luna normally tried to speak to the paintings and statues, this corridor was rather empty. The only decorations were two suits of armor along one side of the wall. Luna tried to speak to them, but she got no response. It was not much of a surprise. Many of the suits of armor were just that, suits of armor. Not all of them could be as talkative as the suit on the 3rd floor that cursed at any student who moved to close to it. A quick inspection of these suits revealed nothing spectacular about them.

Luna was still puzzled. There was something that still nagged her about them. She cocked her head to the side and looked down the corridor. It just looked lopsided. The corridor didn't have much decoration, but why were the two suits standing on the same side of the corridor so close together? Luna approached the wall between them, pushed on some of the stones, and was disappointed to find them completely solid. She tried tapping the wall with her wand to no avail.

Anne tapped her on her shoulder. "Um… Luna. I don't think there is anything in this corridor. We should move on."

"Just give me a second," Luna replied. There had to be something here – this corridor was just too suspiciously empty otherwise – but how could she find it? She turned around to look at Anne, but her eyes caught on the wall behind her. Both the statues' helmets were turned slightly. Could they be facing something instead? Luna walked to the wall and tapped the stone they seemed to be watching with her wand. Behind her there was a grinding sound, and the wall between the two sets of armor swung inward, revealing a slide descending into darkness.

"I guess there was something here after all," Anne whispered, "Where do you think it goes?"

"No idea," Luna replied. She braced herself and sat down on the slide "You want to see?"

"Not really, but that is why we are down here. Right?"

"Exactly," Luna replied with a grin. She took a deep breath and pushed off into the darkness.

The light of the entrance quickly vanished as she rounded bend after bend. The wind whipped by her as she kept accelerating, her hair streaming behind her. The slide ended without warning, and Luna was sent sprawling across the ground.

She looked around, but the room she was in was pitch black. She took her wand from behind her ear and whispered, "Lumos."

The room was small; she could touch both walls just by spreading out her arms. Along the walls were shelves holding what looked like cleaning supplies. A broom cupboard. There was a door a few feet in front of her, and Luna turned around to check if Anne was close, but only saw a stone wall. Shocked, she touched it to find that it felt solid beneath her fingers. It must be a one-way trick wall of some kind. Suddenly, Anne came shooting out of the wall and knocked Luna over. Her wand slipped out of her hand and the light went out.

"Sorry," Anne said as she stood up and offered a hand to help Luna up. "Where are we?"

"Not really sure. A storage closet of some kind," Luna replied, scrambling around on the floor for her wand. "Ready to find out?"

"Yeah."

Luna pushed open the door and daylight flooded in. Shocked, she walked over to the window on the opposite side of the corridor. "We're in one of the towers," She whispered.

"Well that's a useful secret passage," Anne replied. "It looks like we are on the sixth floor at least. Maybe even the seventh. Best guess is we're in the North Tower."

"Might as well ask someone," Luna muttered. She looked around the hall and walked up to the nearest portrait depicting a knight on a little pony. "Excuse me sir, but do you know where we are?"

"This is my private property. I should instead be asking you why you are trespassing?"

"I'm sorry sir knight for trespassing. We are students in the magic school of Hogwarts where your painting currently resides. Sadly, we are lost. Could you provide us with some guidance so we can leave your lands as quickly possible?"

"Well, there is a group of fair ladies that live a minute in that direction. If you continue further, you will eventually reach the residence of the oracle," the painting replied, gesturing to the left side of his frame. "The great marketplace is a short ride in the other direction."

"Thank you, sir knight. We are on a quest to find the school kitchens. Perhaps you know where they are?"

"A quest you say! Please tell me more."

"Well…"

"Thank you, good sir, we will take no more of your time," Anne cut in as she pulled Luna away.

"What was that for?" Luna asked as soon as they were out of earshot. "We could have gotten good information from him. Now we don't know where we are going."

"The corridor is on a slope. If we want to get back to the dungeons, we need to go down. Besides, the painting is a bit barmy. He doesn't realize he is a painting!" Anne exclaimed.

It took them a few minutes to find the staircase and begin their descent back to the entrance hall to resume their search. However, after a couple of hours of searching, they were no closer to finding the kitchens – despite possibly finding the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room.

Anne was ready to give up when Luna found the Fat Friar and decided to convince him to disclose the location of the kitchens. "You see. If apparition is impossible within Hogwarts, as Hogwarts A History claims, then any similar method of transportation should be impossible as well. However, food does appear on the table, meaning it must be either created or brought there somehow. Since we learned in Transfiguration that food can't be created, it must be transported. This puzzle is causing my friend significant mental anguish. Can't you see how much pain she is in." Anne gave a (helpful) groan from her spot on the floor. "How can two of our classes contradict each other?"

"Perhaps she should go to the hospital wing."

"We did that before, but it was only a temporary cure. The headaches returned as soon as the potion wore off. We must instead try to solve the cause of her cognitive dissonance. We must find the kitchens!"

Much to Anne's shock, he revealed that the door was hidden behind a painting of fruit which could be accessed by tickling the pear. The kitchen turned out to in fact be staffed by over a hundred house elves. While Anne accepted a glass of water, Luna started to interrogate them on the exact mechanics of the house tables.

"How on earth did that work," Anne asked as they returned to the common room. The house elves had not only fed them a full meal, but they had insisted on giving them several biscuits which Luna had adamantly refused to accept.

"What? I just told them I didn't want any."

"Not the biscuits. The Friar. How did you know how to get him to tell us where the entrance was?"

"I didn't really know it would work per se, but when people think they know everything about you, it can be useful to play to their assumptions. We are Ravenclaws, so of course it is reasonable that we are troubled by some abstract magical contradiction. That way, they don't question anything too much since it aligns to their expectations."


Luna and Anne were slowly making their way back up to the common room after breakfast. Ever since their discovery of the kitchens earlier that week, Luna had been taking as many meals as possible outside of the Great Hall. She still ate breakfast early, but this allowed her to avoid Chloe, Liam, and the other Ravenclaws except in classes and at night. Besides, the house elves were much better company than the teasing of her year mates. This morning, Anne had agreed to join her while their roommates slept in after Astronomy but was taking the opportunity to try to convince Luna to stop isolating herself so much.

"You really need to stop hiding at every opportunity."

"Why? It seems to be working," Luna retorted.

"Because running away from problems doesn't solve anything. It just delays everything."

"That's kind of the point."

"Are you really happy with the way things are going?"

"Well, I wouldn't say happy, but I'm adapting."

"Luna," Anne sighed, "As the one stuck in the middle of this argument, you really need to talk to Chloe."

"No. You were the one who said that I should give it time. She hates me now."

They had finally reached the entrance hall, and Anne collapsed onto the staircase, putting her head in her hands.

"What's wrong," Luna asked.

"It's nothing."

"It's obviously not nothing. Besides, you would never let me get away with an answer like that."

"Fine. You want to know what's wrong? I'll tell you. You have no idea how exhausting it is being stuck in the middle of this. I can't believe that I am the only one who sees this is a problem. We all used to get along so well. Don't you want that back?"

"Of course. There's just nothing I can do to fix it," Luna sighed, "I get how you are being pulled in opposite directions by trying to stay friends with both me and Chloe. I would understand if you felt you can't be my friend anymore. It's not fair to expect this of you."

"Oh no you don't," Anne stood up, pushing Luna back, "Don't you dare! You do not get to get rid of me that easily Luna Lovegood. I won't let you push me away like Becca, or Chloe, or Ginny. I am your friend! Don't you dare!"

"Okay. I'm sorry. I was just saying…" Luna trailed off with another glare from Anne.

"Speaking of Ginny, she is right over there," Anne said, pointing across the entrance hall. Ginny had just walked out of the Great Hall and slipped out the main doors.

"Okay…"

"You should go talk to her. I don't know exactly what happened between you, but you said you were close for your entire lives."

Luna nodded. She really did need to try to talk to Ginny again. There was something off about her during their previous conversation in the library. Whatever Luna had done, she needed to talk to Ginny about it. Their friendship meant too much to allow it to simply fall apart. She walked over to the closet where she kept the bundle of chocolate frogs specifically for this occasion. She dropped them into her bag and took a deep breath before following Ginny outside.

The day was overcast and wet, so the grounds were mostly empty, despite being the weekend. Luna scanned the grounds trying to find where Ginny had gone. The lake was empty, and the only ones near the greenhouses were Professor Sprout with what appeared to be some NEWT students. Eventually, Luna spotted Ginny's telltale red hair down near Hagrid's pumpkin patch at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Luna took off jogging down the path, wondering how Ginny had gotten down there so quickly.

Ginny was leaning against a tree when an out of breath Luna caught up. She was waiting for her, but her face was completely inscrutable. "Ginny," Luna took a moment to catch her breath before continuing, "I need to talk to you."

"Why is that?"

"Because you are my best friend, and we have barely spoken since the start of term. I know you're angry at me for some reason. You make that much clear in the library."

Ginny didn't respond. She just stood there, watching her with an odd look in her eye. One Luna had never seen before.

"Can you tell me what I did? Here," Luna continued, pulling a chocolate frog out of her bag, "I brought this as a peace offering. Please, just tell me what I can do?"

Ginny just chuckled. "What makes you think I am angry at you?"

"You've been distant since after the train ride."

"Fine. Since you obviously can't take a hint, I guess I will have to just say it." Ginny paused and met Luna's gaze with hard eyes, "I don't need you anymore."

"What?"

"You heard me. I haven't been avoiding you. I just have no reason to seek you out."

"But… But why?"

"Because I'm at Hogwarts now. I am finding much more appropriate colleagues. I have no more need for you trailing after me like a lost puppy anymore."

"You don't mean that."

"Of course, I do," Ginny said with a cruel smile, "Before, granted, I had nothing better to do with my time, and you were a useful minion. But now? Why do I need to waste my time with a delusional, troubled girl?"

"No. We were friends," Luna cried. Ginny turned to start walking away, but Luna grabbed her shoulder, "Don't walk away from me."

Suddenly, there was a bang, and Luna collapsed to the ground. She looked up to see Ginny standing there with her wand drawn. "Don't you EVER touch me again! In fact, stay away from me."

Luna just sat there in the mud, shocked. "You're not Ginny."

Ginny froze and asked, "What did you say?"

"I said," Luna said, struggling to stand up. "You're not Ginny."

"Of course, I am," not-Ginny replied with a sickly smile.

"No, you're not."

"I am the same girl who you helped carry inside after I fell from the tree and broke my leg. I taught you how to fly on a broom. I am the one you ran to crying after your Mum died," not-Ginny smirked when Luna recoiled as if slapped. "You know, for a Ravenclaw, you really are a fool. I should have dropped you years ago."

With that, not-Ginny walked into the Forbidden Forest and vanished from view.


A few hours later, Anne found Luna laying on her bed with the curtains pulled around her. "I take it the conversation with Ginny didn't go well."

"No, it went great," Luna scowled, staring up at the canopy over her bed.

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. She's not Ginny," Luna replied. "Not anymore."

"What does that mean?"

"I wish I knew." Luna sat up and asked, "Why are you here Anne?"

"Checking up on you isn't enough of a reason?"

"No."

"Mainly to remind you that we have potions in twelve minutes, and Professor Snape probably won't take kindly to us being late."

"Us?"

"Yes, us," Anne replied as she fished around in her trunk for the package of cat food. It was double potions this afternoon, so she needed to feed Pumpernickel before they left. "If I left you alone, you would just stay here and mope all afternoon."

"Why is it always Wednesdays?"

"Huh?"

"This fight with Ginny and before that was the accident in Potions and before that…Why is it always Wednesdays?"

"I don't know. Maybe the day just doesn't like you."

"I suppose."

"It doesn't matter. You are coming with me to class."

Luna groaned.

"Now!"

"Fine. I'm coming," Luna replied as she stood. She picked up her bag from the floor where it was tossed upon her return to the room that morning and followed Anne out of the dorm room. Neither of them noticed the broken chocolate frog box laying on the floor.


"Well, I feel that lesson went rather well," Anne said.

"That's only because your potion happened to be the exact correct shade of grey," Luna replied.

"Well yes. Are you going to come to dinner in the Great Hall today?"

"Probably. No one spent the lesson glaring at me, so I should probably take that as a good sign. You can go ahead. I want to stop by the dorm to get the paper to read just in case."

"I'll come with you. We're going to be early anyways."

"Why do I think that this is a not so subtle plot to keep me from running off to the kitchens for dinner?"

"Who said it isn't?" Anne replied with a smile.

When they reached the common room, Luna skipped up the stairs while Anne waited. She arrived at the first landing and tried to remember exactly where she left the latest edition of the Quibbler. It probably wasn't in her trunk, and she would not have left it sitting out. Maybe inside the nightstand?

Luna opened the door to their room and froze. Her bag fell from her arms and at least one of her ink bottles shattered. Her mouth fell open, but she couldn't hear anything. Anne appeared behind her, extremely concerned, at least until she looked into the room. There, in the center of the floor, lay Pumpernickel next to a half-eaten chocolate frog.

Anne rushed forward and cradled the kitten with tears streaming down her face. Other girls started appearing in the staircase. Luna felt herself get pushed out of the way as one of the older girls – a prefect – approached Anne. The girl shook her head, and Anne cried harder.

Anne turned to her with the kitten still cradled in her arms and eyes red from crying, and she said something. Luna couldn't hear what she said. She didn't want to hear what she said. She already knew.

Luna felt the walls starting to close in on her. Her legs felt weak. There were too many people filling the staircase. The silence was too loud. She had to get away. She turned and ran. She pushed past the girls clogging the staircase, dashed through the common room, and ran out into the corridor. She didn't know where she was going. She just had to get away.

So, she ran.


Luna didn't attend the funeral. The rest of the first year Ravenclaws held the small ceremony on the shore of the lake right on the edge of the forbidden forest. They dug a small grave and buried Pumpernickel in a little shoe box. Penelope, the prefect the day before, had cast a spell on it to ensure the kitten was not disturbed by the creatures that roamed the forest. The girls stood there by the little dirt mound and each said a few words in memory of their former dorm mate.

Luna watched the procession from the branch of a tree, high above. She watched as Chloe, Becca, and Olivia left to give Anne some time alone. Eventually, Anne also turned and made her way back to the castle. Luna waited until they all vanished from view before descending from her perch. She stood before the resting place of the kitten and said three words. "I'm so sorry."

After all, what else could she even say?


Tom, I think I might be going crazy.

What do you mean Ginny? What happened?

Well, Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, was attacked tonight during or after the feast. She was petrified somehow.

So…

Tom. I remember going down to the feast, but I only remember the beginning. I don't remember eating anything or leaving. I'm in my room now, and I don't know how I got here!

Ginny, you need to calm down. Remember the meditation trick I taught you? Try that. Close your eyes and picture a flame.

…Okay, I'm a bit calmer, but I really can't remember what happened again. This isn't the first time this year either. Tom, I think I might be losing my mind!

I am sure there is a logical explanation for everything. We just need to think. Now. I know you were at the feast for a while because you described some of the puddings for me that were served for dessert. I doubt you had the time or the skills to attack that cat. Besides, it would be incredibly unlike you. The bigger concern is the missing memory. I know stress and anxiety can cause forgetfulness and a bit of memory loss…

But Tom…

Ginerva, let me finish. I know it may be difficult to worry less because you are worried about the memory loss but worrying is probably only making the situation worse. It could also be a bad reaction to some of the magic in the castle or a stray hex someone hit you with on the way back to the common room.

Maybe I should go to Madam Pomfrey?

Who?

The school nurse. She may be able to find out what's wrong with me.

Ginny, most likely nothing is wrong with you. If there was, one of your brothers or I would have noticed. If she realizes it is caused by stress, which it almost definitely is, then she will tell your parents, and they will pull you out of Hogwarts. Is that what you want? To be homeschooled.

NO!

Then trust me. If I am right, and I always am, then it will get better on its own with time. Meanwhile, you should use me as a resource.

What do you mean?

Write to me. If you tell me what you have done and what your plans are, then if you forget something, I can remind you. It is what a diary is for, after all.

I'm still worried.

I know you are, Ginny. People who are upset or angry tend to make irrational and poor decisions. You should trust me when in situations like this. I can help you see things clearly. I only want to help you.

I know.

I am not trying to dismiss your fears. I just think we should monitor the situation for a bit before making any snap decisions.

No, you're right Tom. I was being impulsive. Thank you.


A/N: I apologize to the Pumpernickel fans.