Chapter XXII: The Blood Moon

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Luna was the first to wake that morning, and she let the snoozing Harry continue to doze, he had earned his sleep. She shakily walked to the chest of drawers, she rubbed her legs, and put on a new set of robes; she was feeling like a light purple today. She finished dressing and proceeded to quickly braid her hair so that it was out of her way, at least during breakfast. She hummed a merry tune and took her wand from the table and placed it in her robe pocket, safely within reach.

She saw James as he exited his room and she waved to him. "Good morning there James, pleasant dreams?" she patted him on the back as he came to her side. His hair looked so like Harry's. I do wonder what our first one will look like, Luna dreamed about whose traits would be most prominent.

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, and Luna smiled and wondered if he was trying to feel stubble from a beard- no such luck this morning, Dear.

"No, to be quite frank, my dreams were disturbing," he said warily, looking up into her grey eyes. Luna saw a shadow behind his eyes, a shadow of uncertainty. He looked away and focused on walking down the corridor with her, carefully speaking low so as not to wake the still sleeping siblings and adults.

"I used to have bad dreams, James. You know how I got rid of them?" Luna looked at him, and turning to go down the stairs, her hand holding onto the railing.

"I haven't a clue, what did you do, Luna?" he too taking the steps in time with her footsteps.

"I used to sing, it worked kind of like a Patronus for me, course, you know all about those," she finished her descent and escorted James into the kitchen where Knoby was already preparing eggs, toast and morning cereals.

"A very pleasant morning to you, Miss Luna and Master James!" Knoby smiled and offered them orange juice.

"Thank you, Knoby," Luna said, accepting the larger of the two glasses while James took the half sized one. They both sat down at the table and continued their conversation, pausing only to take a hearty sniff of Knoby's superb cooking. The sound of Knoby's instruments were heard scraping against metal as he prepared their meal.

"Luna…I can, call you Luna, right? You won't mind?" James asked politely, a sheepish grin on his face, like a boy caught getting into the cookie jar.

"Of course you may. We are family."

James smiled, "Yeah. Well, I want to tell someone about my dream…I know you won't tell Al or Lily…"

"I wouldn't tell a soul, living or dead," she sounded reassuring and she hoped he would trust her with something so personal, oh to be so trusted by Harry's oldest would be immense progress- she so wanted to be a good friend and stepparent to them all.

"I had a bad dream, it was very dark, I mean…I don't know what I mean," he shrugged, trying to find the right words. "I saw a mausoleum, and on the top where a cross usually is, res..rested a cloud colored pink and it rained… red drops," he steadied his breathing which had begun to increase.

She listened intently, and she focused intently on his eyes, "Yes?" she asked, easing him along.

"The scene changed. I saw a building…it was very old looking, like it hadn't been occupied in years. The sign there, the only word recognizable was 'Orpha' and on the sidewalk at my feet laid two bloody handprints."

Luna's eyes grew wide in wonder; this was a gothic and most terrifying sounding dream.

"The scene changed again. I…" he looked into her eyes. "It changed again, and I saw the estate house…or what looked to be the estate house… only it was…wasn't as impressive looking. There were vines covering the iron gateway…and instead of phoenix statues along the pathways to the house…there were peacocks. Their necks were bleeding…but they were all made of stone…"

Luna swallowed hard, and realized she was out of juice. She could see the terror welling in James' eyes, and she also saw springs of tears waiting to pour. She reached across the table and placed a hand upon his, she squeezed lightly- encouragingly, "Go on, dear…"

"Then I looked up into the sky, and there hanging high was a blood red full moon, and a noose was wrapped around its length and from it hung…hhhung…." James said no more, his cheeks turned red and it was as though someone had silenced him.

Luna was spellbound, eyes fixed on his as though trying to peer into his depths, needing to know what hung from the noose. Luna wanted to say something, it was all so very cryptic, but all she could do was get up from her chair, and hug him tightly. She patted his hair as he burst into tears, crying into her shoulder length blonde hair, and she held him as she would her own child, "There, there dear, don't be upset, everything is alright…it was a dream…"

Luna tried to focus on James, but couldn't help noticing that Knoby had stopped preparing the meal, his orb like eyes were transfixed upon the two of them, scrambled egg falling onto the hardwood. Plop, plop, plop. "Knoby…Knoby, is everything alright?" Luna said, causing James to look to the House Elf as well.

"Master…Master James," the House Elf inquired, walking closer to the two. "Did Master see…" Knoby swallowed, a deep gulping noise was heard, like water dripping in a cave. "an animal?"

James' eyes grew almost as wide as Knoby's, and he nodded slowly, comprehension dawning on him like the morning sun dawned on the dewy grass outside. "It was, a dog…no…I tell you a lie…Knoby. It was a wolf, with bright red eyes."

"Master, Miss Luna, Knoby should say that halfway through the night, Master Teddy was taken ill, he is inconsolable and untreatable- Knoby tried everything Knoby knew how," Knoby said, bowing deeply. "Perhaps, the dream relates to Master Teddy?"

"I don't want the dream having to do with Teddy…Knoby, do you think it means Teddy is marked …to …die?" James said shakily, eyes still red with tears.

"I don't think that is what the dream means, James…I will look into it personally, however, I do not want you mentioning it to anyone other than myself and Knoby. Can you do that for me if I promise to keep Teddy safe?" Luna asked, wiping away his tears.

James was quiet and Luna felt as though he could utter no response, Knoby patted him boldly on the shoulder.

"Do not worry, Master James. Miss Luna is a skilled witch, and a boon to mankind," Knoby said, bowing low to Luna.

"Find out what it means, Luna, if it means anything at all…" James seemed to regret his tears, and his moment of breakdown, and he quickly wiped away the evidence he was ever crying. He helped a protesting Knoby clean up the fallen eggs, and nodded to Luna as he left her with the House Elf.

"Strange things, Knoby. Strange things have taken this house I feel," Luna said wisely.

"Should Knoby keep an eye out for anything particular, Miss Luna?" Knoby said, returning to the stove where the good eggs were only lightly brown, not completely burned.

Luna nodded at the eggs, "Those will be fine. Yes, Knoby, I would like you to do two things for me today. First, shall be most easy."

"Name it, Miss Luna." Knoby said, serving her eggs and refilling her glass of orange juice.

"I find myself down to my last change of clothes, could you return to Number 3 York Lane, and fetch my wardrobe," she counted off on her fingers, "next to the bookshelf you will find an orange crate full of magazines- bring that; they are most important, also put everything from the top drawer of my chest of drawers into the traveling chest you will find in my closet. You have no idea how I miss those possessions, Knobs. Can you do that for me first?" Luna looked to her friend and folded her hands together.

"It will be Knoby's pleasure. What next Miss?" Knoby said, raising his head proudly.

"As you know Knoby, today is the day the children are set to go back to school. I need you to keep an eye on James for me until he leaves, don't let him know you're doing it though, and should he question you on it, deny all knowledge of it. That is all I require right now."

"Should you need anything more, Miss, do not hesitate to ask, Knoby lives to serve the noble house of Potter."

"Thank you Dear." and she reached down, and hugged the House Elf, who returned the embrace.

"It is my joy." Knoby said elated.

"The others should be up shortly, I'm going to go help them get ready for school." Luna rose up free from Knoby, and grabbed her breakfast to go.

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AN: Reviews appreciated and loved, thanks to Dream for Beta reading and useful suggestions. Love, as always, TowerMage.

www(dot)fanfiction.(net)/DreamStallion33