Led by the Spirits

Disclaimer: Jk's world, I'm just living here.

A/N: I'm SO sorry I haven't updated in so long. But my muse had gone missing … but she's come back! HUZZAH! So here's the next chapter for Led by the Spirits!

-oOo-

Chapter Three

Gary

-oOo-

As the pressing sensation died away, Harry drew his wand and looked around. They were in a plain hallway lined with six doors on either side, each numbered accordingly. It was quite mundane really, he had expected something much more bizarre from Loony Luna Lovegood.

Harry mentally blanched as the thought crossed his mind. This is my WIFE! She's not loony! She's just … He looked down discreetly at the woman, her bold turnip earrings were peeping from beneath her white blond hair … she's just different, he finished as a smile claimed his lips. Luna was still clinging to his arm … a bit more tightly than she had to.

"Luna?" he asked, fighting the amusement from his face.

"Yes, Harry?" she asked, looking nervously at the plain door in front of them.

"You can let go now."

Luna looked up at him, big blue eyes catching his own green. For a moment the blue orbs were the only thing he could think of. They were pulling him in and not letting go. The monster in his chest awoke in an instant, but before it could take control Luna looked away. His whirling emotions sunk back into whatever hole they usually resided in, leaving him with a racing heart and almost breathless.

"I know," she told him, focusing back on the door.

Harry shook his head to clear it, blinking slowly as he took a deep breath. He had to quickly remind himself that they may be in danger, that a Death Eater could be hiding inside, waiting for them, or a curse could be laying dormant, filled with ill intent just for them … but her eyes wouldn't fade completely from his mind. This is getting way too … he felt like growling in frustration as the words wouldn't come. Everything was way too hectic, for starters! He couldn't even remember his own wedding! The next day everyone in the Wizarding World would know he'd gotten smashed and messed up big time. Ginny would want his head (or maybe his balls) when she found out that, a day after she dumped him, he had gone and gotten married. And now, to top it all off, his whole being wanted nothing more than to snog Luna senseless. Finally the word he had been looking for came to him. Real. This is getting way too real.

"I can't stand just looking at my front door any longer. Can we please just go inside or leave? I'd much prefer the latter, but either will do," Luna interrupted calmly. Harry snapped out of his musings and nodded quickly.

"Er-Yes … before we go inside I'd like to check for any Trip Wire Curses though … but for that I need my arm," Harry confessed, looking down the bridge of his nose at her. His wife looked up at him for a moment before reluctantly releasing her grip and taking a step back.

"Go ahead."

Harry felt a small cloud of pride inflate in his chest at her expression. Her fear was just hidden behind her eyes, but she was standing her ground when everything in her told her to run. It was people like Luna that he wanted by his side if the worst came to worst, and wands were blazing. His eyes widened, and he squashed the feeling down quickly, forcing his eyes to return to the door. What am I doing?! I get married and go all sentimental? All I can think of is my wife? … Wait… he shook his head again. Okay … Auror mode. I've got to keep focused … focused …

He quickly held out his wand before he could get sidetracked again.

"Ostendo sum quis est occultus," he said quietly, and a streak of white sparks shot from the tip of his wand. They eddied gently before drifting to the floor, but as soon as they touched the rough doormat they jumped away and formed an arc around it, the door frame, and part of the wall.

If any spell was on the door, the sparks would have clung to it, and from there he could cast a further spell to identify which spell was present, or more specifically what its intent was. It was quite useful and quite effective, but nowhere as efficient as Ron's magical eye. Ron could just look at the door and see exactly what spells were there, and how they were laid. He could dismantle an intricate spell in minutes without setting it off, where Finite Incantatem just broke it crudely … I bet he's gonna be pissed off at me when he reads that article … Harry brushed the thought aside.

"General wards?" he asked, eyes tracing the line the sparks had created.

"Yes. Just a Flame Retardant, a few Dampeners for Dark magic, Anti-Break-ins, and an Anti-Apparition ward," Luna listed, watching the sparks jump and shudder along the line they had formed with interest. Harry turned to her in surprise. A general ward just covered anti-break-ins and a typical doorbell-type spell that would inform the occupant when someone approached the door. Anti-Apparition wards were tricky, as were Flame Retardants … but Dampeners? They were highly advanced.

"That must have cost a bundle," he thought aloud. Luna frowned.

"Not really. The Anti-Apparition books cost a bit, and I couldn't get the Flame Retardants right … I kept setting the door on fire … it shouldn't have done that … I had to get two new doors … but I got it eventually," Luna said blandly as she got to her knees and inspected the sparks more closely.

Harry couldn't stop his eyes widening. Most people hired professionals to cast such wards; they were just too complex for most magical folk.

"You cast the wards yourself?" he asked, his surprise evident. If she had, he had severely underestimated Luna's magical ability. Luna looked back at him in confusion

"You cast your own," she stated.

"Yes. But that's differe-" he stopped, knowing he would regret it if he finished the sentence. I'm not better than her. I don't want to sound like I think I am.

"How is it different?" she asked, looking back down as she poked at a spark.

"It isn't," he quickly agreed. "I'm just surprised, that's all. You're very powerful if these wards are as strong as they look." Harry knelt down beside her and pointed. "See how the sparks are in such a straight line?"

Luna nodded, eyes reflecting the tiny white lights ... they looked like they were filled with stars-FOCUS! "Usually the lines are jagged, and there are gaps. Even professional Warders' work is usually a little jagged." He explained quickly before standing back up.

"Shall we go inside?" he asked. Luna got back to her feet and nodded cautiously.

"What the hell. We all die someday," she said as she unlocked her door and went inside.

-oOo-

Luna felt the familiarity of her home wash over her frazzled nerves and ease them instantly. But beneath its welcome comfort, a sense of 'wrongness' lurked.

The bright walls and fluffy carpets were all the same. The vivid mismatched pillows that were strewn all over the purple couch, and her jungle of a bookcase were exactly as she left it … but something is definitely different.

Luna turned back to Harry to tell him this, only to notice he wasn't there. She turned back to see he had walked ahead and was checking each room before he entered it, wand held at the ready.

He was obviously in his element. With the possibility of danger she could see his eyes light up; with the threat of a hidden Death Eater she could tell his blood fizzed. He was made to be an Auror, that much was apparent.

Luna walked around, her racing heart set at ease knowing that Harry was there, willing to protect her, trying to pinpoint exactly what was wrong. Her old Ravenclaw scarf was still wrapped around her hat stand, her variety of shoes were still piled beside the door (ranging from Wellingtons to stilettos), and her current paper on the Crumple-Horned Snorkack was still sprawled across her kitchen table. Her eyes lit up as she realised what wasn't different, but missing.

"Gary!" Luna exclaimed.

Harry's head popped out from a room at her outburst, alarm in his eyes.

"What is it?" he demanded, worry clear on his face. But a second later he yelped, his face draining of all colour as he was bowled over by a whirling blur of purple.

-oOo-

Harry hit the ground with a shuddering thud, but he wasn't at all concerned about the throbbing pain now issuing from his shoulder. No, the THING crawling up his side was too distracting. Harry felt like his heart was about to explode as something crawled over him. He could feel tiny pricks trailing across his chest from the creature's tiny claws. He wanted to get the thing the hell off him, but for the first time his body had betrayed him, he was too afraid to move.

"Luna?" he called softly, his voice shaking. The creature began to chatter as it pulled at the collar of his shirt. Even though he wanted to screech and curse the purple monster off him, he didn't move in case the tiny thing had teeth. The thing got bored with his collar and turned to his face, pulling at his cheek with tiny purple fingers …

"LUNA!" he yelled, his voice breaking and the creature's head snapped up. It had beady black eyes and a tiny snub nose which twitched constantly like a rabbit's. It had curling grey horns atop its small head and as he watched, the horns unfurled and began to probe his features like antennae.

"LUNA!"

"Gary! Oh, you're safe!" Luna cried from above him. Before Harry could voice his confusion, orange-nailed hands slipped into his range of view and pulled the monster off him. He felt his muscles relax and his racing heart slow with its weight off his chest … and its claws.

"Luna. What the hell is that?" he asked slowly. He didn't move from his position on the floor, not only because he was sure his knees wouldn't hold him, but because he suddenly felt far too tired to try moving.

But Luna seemed to have forgotten he was there.

"Oh! Gary! You're okay! I feel terrible that I forgot about you, but I've had a very eventful night. Oh, are you hungry? I bet you are, but please stop eating my hair - there's a good Snorkack. Harry and I have to pack up my things, but after that I'll get you a big lunch. How's that, Gary?"

Harry opened his eyes as he heard the soft drone of purring, a blank expression on his face.

What the hell have I married into?

-oOo-

A/N:

Ostendo sum quis est occultus reveal what is hidden.

Sorry this chapter's shorter than the rest, but it just had to end there. Hehe, I love Harry and Luna … and GARY! Lol.

Mali Caren

(edited 10-Jan-2007 - td4)