Title: Code of the Griffin
Author: Knife Hand
Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated
Spoilers: Nothing Specific, general for first few books.
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I do not own Hermione, or Luna, or Ginny, or Cho, or... I would buy them all but I am broke.
Summary: From a war ravaged future, someone is sent back in time to change the course of the war.
Dumbledore sat at the teacher's table in the Great Hall at dinner. He was pleased that the general feeling in the was positive, with the Yule Ball coming up next month and the recent news that Harry Potter and the other captured Order member were rescued.
He was concerned about the Order and what it would mean for his plans in regards to both the future of the Wizarding World and the defeat of Voldemort, but he could not fault them on their effectiveness when they did engage with Death Eaters. For now he planed but would not take action until he knew more.
Suddenly Dumbledore noticed every single Order member suddenly stopped and got a far away look in their eyes, some even putting one hand to their ear, something seeming to peak out behind the calm mask that all the Order members wore. After a few seconds, they all refocused on the room.
"Two minutes." Cedric called out.
Then, for the first time since the attack last year, every single Order member ran out of the room at full speed.
"All students say here." Dumbledore ordered before rising and making his way down the central corridor, followed by Madam Maxime, Karkaroff, and his four heads of house.
Before he even reached the doors into the corridor, Dumbledore heard the pounding a lot of feet. Opening the door he expected to see the Order decked out for combat and rushing out the door, but instead he the entire Order was standing at attention in squads, all dressed in their formal uniform. Then the front doors opened.
"Present arms." Cedric ordered, and they all saluted as four figures entered.
Hermione and Luna entered first, dressed in their combat uniforms and weapons, with Harry and Kate entered behind them, dressed in borrowed fatigues and Kate had a walking stick to help her with her injured left leg.
"Welcome home, Grand Marshall." Cedric said.
Dumbledore got the hint of a sense of relief from all of the Order members.
"Yes. Welcome back Lady Granger." Dumbledore said. "It is good to see you, Lord Potter, Miss Lovegood and Miss West."
Luna walked into her dorm room, locking the door behind her, and dropped the towel from around her body, revealing she was only dressed in a bra and a pair of panties. Michelle was sitting on one of the beds in a pair of very short pants and a tank top. Luna made her way over to the bed, her hair still damp, and lay down with her head on Michelle's lap. Michelle ran her hand over and over through Luna's long blonde hair.
"I'm glad you are back." Michelle said.
"Hmmm." Luna moaned contentedly.
Michelle sat petting Luna's hair in silence for a few minutes.
"Why did you say?" Michelle asked.
"Because it was Harry." Luna replied.
"Do you love him?" Michelle asked, tentatively after a few seconds.
Luna rolled onto her back and looked up at Michelle for a moment, then sat up next to her, both with their backs against the wall.
"In a way." Luna said, her voice serious as only a few people had ever heard from her. "Not in a romantic way. How can I explain…? I know what everyone calls me."
"You are not Loony." Michelle said.
"Yes, I am. Not to the extent everyone thinks, but I am insane." Luna explained. "I see things that no one else can see, and things that are not there, and I can often not tell the difference. The Loony persona I present to the world is my place to hide, a way to protect myself. Only three people have ever seen through to who I really am. You have made the effort to see through the mask, but you only see the surface of who I am. The Grand Marshall sees too, but I think that is a result of many years of her keen intellect observing. Harry on the other hand does not need see past the mask, he simply knows."
"What do you mean, he simply knows?" Michelle asked.
"I have experienced things in my life that you can not even imagine, nor would you want to. Harry had had the same kind of experiences. We have a bond of suffering and pain." Luna explained, with real sadness in her voice.
Michelle simply leaned over and hugged Luna.
Lord Voldemort screamed in rage. If he was strong enough, and not trapped in this infant-like body, he would have Crucioed the two Death Eaters in front of him. His plans were unravelling, and fast.
Over the summer, his Death Eater's attack on the Quidditch World Cup had failed miserably. Then his loyal servant, Barty Crouch Jr., had been discovered impersonating the new Hogwarts DADA teacher. Now the news out of Europe.
Some idiot in one of the groups he had set up on the Continent, either as a fallback position or as a power base for his future domination of Europe, had moved too visibly and without orders. Not only were they taken down by Potter's muggle loving group that had been at the World Cup, but then some of the Muggles they were working with, another thing that annoyed the Dark Lord, had captured the Potter boy, and then let him be rescued. If the idiots did go off and do something that happens to bring the Potter boy to them, the first thing they should have done was let him know.
But no. Some muggle pawns had taken charge of the boy and two others. Of course they had no idea that a man, if he still could be called that, like Voldemort even existed. They had wanted to know what European faction the captives were from and why they were moving into their territory. At least at first. It quickly devolved into torture for torture's sake.
If they were not dead, and filthy muggles, Voldemort might have considered them suitable recruits. But now Potter was free and back in England.
"Summon Lucius." The Dark Lord ordered.
He needed to plan, and put pressure on Potter.
"And milk Nagini." He shouted after the departing Death Eaters.
Harry sat with his back against a cold stone wall, the wind whipping through his clothes and the weak sunlight shining down on him. Despite the cold of early December, today Harry needed to be outside, in an open space away from confining walls.
The Hogwarts grounds were deserted, as all the students were in class and at this time of day the Order patrol was in the Forbidden Forrest. But Harry did not have class, or Order duties. The teachers had given him some a few weeks out of classes to recover, although he did have to do some assignments to make up the missed work. He was not worried though, this year, before the deployment, he had been fourth in the year, behind Hermione, a Slytherin called Daphne Greengrass, and Susan Bones. His assignments were all progressing well, so he had been able to take the break easily when the need to be outside had come over him.
"This patch of snow free?"
Harry's head snapped around at the voice but even before the move was complete he relaxed.
"Sure Sis." He replied.
Kate West hurdled the small stone dividing wall and settled down right next to Harry. She needed to be outside too. They didn't talk about it but they both knew. They needed time, something that the Grand Marshall had given them by pulling them from the active duty roster. They still training and Order classes, but were not assigned watches or patrols.
After almost an hour, Kate finally stood, and began brushing off her pants.
"I got a session with Wallace." Kate said.
"And I got to get back to my assignments." Harry replied, also standing.
On impulse Harry gave Kate a hug, she stiffened for a second and then relaxed into the sibling like hug.
"Good luck with the shrink, Sis."
"Thanks, Bro."
"Excuse me, Staff Sergeant Potter." A female voice said behind him in French.
Harry, walking through the sparse crowd in the main courtyard, turned to find a darked haired, seventeen year old girl in a Baubuxton Uniform, who was wearing a black armband.
"You must be Janet Renault." Harry replied, keeping the conversation in French.
"Yes, Staff Sergeant." Janet replied. "First let me express my relief that Sergeant West and yourself were rescued."
"Thank you. Is there something I can help you with?" he asked.
"I wished to ask you if you wished to go to the Yule Ball with me." Janet said.
"Miss Renault, I am three years younger that you. Is there not some older students you would prefer to go with?"
"I find you interesting. Even before you went away." She admitted.
"Miss Renault… Janet. To be honest I am not even sure I will be attending the Yule Ball. Please do not misunderstand. I have been through a lot recently. This is not a not, but it is not a yes either." Harry replied.
"I understand. I will await your response." Janet replied, before nodding, turning and leaving.
Harry, Hermione and Ron sat in the Gryffindor common room late at night, the embers of the fire glowing in the almost deserted room.
"After Miss Renault, seven other girls asked me to the Yule Ball." Harry said. "But they all seem to be part of the Boy-Who-Lived fan club."
"Well, Renault isn't." Ron replied, "Fleur… Champion Delacour said that there is no Boy-Who-Lived publicity in France. None of them knew who you were before they came here and they only judge you on what you do."
"That's good to know." Harry replied.
"So what do you going to do?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know." Harry replied, rubbing his head. "Are you two going?"
"Yeah." Ron replied with a blush.
"So did you ask Fleur or did she ask you?" Hermione said, putting aside their Order roles and just being friends.
"Umm… I asked." Ron said, his face now as red as his hair.
"What about you, Mione?" Harry asked, taking the pressure of his male best friend.
"I will be attending, but I will not be taking a date. I will be officially representing the Order." Hermione replied. "If you want my advice, go with Miss Renault and have some fun. I don't think she is expecting anything and that she genuinely finds you interesting."
"You think?" Harry said.
"Go for it mate. Besides, she is one of the hottest Baubuxton girls."
"Charming Ron." Hermione quipped.
TBC…