Harry Potter Story
What if it never happened?
Summary: What if Voldemort's Killing Curse was not used on Harry but on another boy instead. What if Voldemort was banished instead of being destroyed and what if the boy grew up to be friends with Luna 'Loony' Lovegood?
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Chapter Four: Not as expected
Alex's POV
I couldn't wait to get back to Hogwarts. I missed it so much but most of all, I missed my two best friends, Ginny and Luna. I smiled at the thought of them as I approached the familiar wall between platforms nine and ten. "Here goes." I said to myself as I ran at it full pelt. Once I had reached the other side, I realised that I was early. There was only a few people lining up and chatting outside the train. I decided to put my luggage on the train and look for a seat on the train. Once I stepped on the train, I realised just how wrong I had been. The few people outside were saying goodbye to their parents and guardians. Inside the train it was like a pack of sardines it was so packed. I pushed my way through the crowd and stepped into the first empty carriage I saw. Just as I sat down, a very pretty blonde girl poked her head in. "Excuse me, is any of these seats taken?" I shook my head and looked at the floor. The girl smiled and thanked me. She sat down in the seat opposite me and pulled out a magazine. I looked up and saw that it was the Quibbler. 'Hell, Luna's fathers magazine is getting popular' I thought stupidly. When the train finally started to move, I was standing up and was sent tumbling to the ground by the movement. I could hear the girl giggling lightly as I got back to my feet. I looked at her and couldn't help but smile. 'Why is this strange girl having this effect on me?' I thought to myself. Just then, the girl did something I'll never forget and she threw her magazine at me. Fortunately, those three years I spent in the mountains came in very handy for reflexes. I caught the magazine and handed it back to the girl. "Sorry, but why did you throw your magazine at me?" He asked her. She shrugged and said "There was a Wrackspurt near your head, so I tried to shoo it away by throwing this at you." I sighed and chuckled. We continued to make small talk all the way to Hogwarts. When we finally got onto the carriages, I realised that the same girl was on mine. "Hello again." She said kindly. "Hello." I replied simply. We made the journey all the way up to the castle in complete silence. As soon as we entered the Great Hall, I shouted with joy. I ran to my seat and sat down, earning a few strange looks but I didn't care. I was home and straight after dinner I was going up to the Owlery to send Ginny and Luna a letter. For all I knew, their appearances could have changed drastically and there was no way of knowing without sending a letter.
I sped off towards the Owlery as soon as I finished my dinner and quickly scribbled two letters, one for Ginny and Luna. I sent the owls off and watched as they spiralled down and into the Great Hall. I sat down and waited for the two, hoping they would arrive. I was waiting for ten minutes before the girl from the train walked in. Being the fool that I am, I thought that she was here to send a letter. "Hello once more." I said, getting a smile out of her. "Here to send a letter?" I asked. She shook her head and pulled out one of the letters I had just sent. "Nope, I'm here answering this one." I looked at her blonde hair and startling silver eyes. Then it hit me, how could I have been so stupid. "Luna? Luna Lovegood?" She nodded and said "Don't you mean Loony Lovegood?" I shot up and said "I told you I don't like it when people call you that! You're not loony!" She looked at me strangely then launched herself at me. "Alex! I can't believe it's really you!" I smiled and felt tears begin to roll down my cheeks. "I told you I'd come back didn't I?" She nodded and pulled away. "Where's Ginny? I sent her one too." Luna looked down sadly and said "Ginny's not coming. She didn't believe me that it was you. So I told her that she wouldn't know unless she came with me. She said no and I- I got mad and said the only reason she didn't want to come was the fact that she was afraid that Harry would get jealous. So she tried to hex me then shouted that she never wants to see me or you again!" I stepped back from Luna and stared at her. "You what?" I said, disbelievingly. "Why did you do that Luna?" No answer. Suddenly I felt a rage come over me. I walked over to Luna and grabbed her by her arms. "ANSWER ME LUNA! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" She whimpered and struggled to break free. When she couldn't break free she resorted to magic and blasted both of us back. I fell to the ground and she hit the far wall, earning a loud crack from the wood. I shot up and rushed over to her. Normally I would have checked if she was alright but anger still clouded my judgement. I put my hands on the wall, on either side of Luna, stopping her from escaping. I managed to keep my voice low as I said "Luna, answer me!" She shook her head, getting my anger up again. I pulled my arm back, made a fist and punched the wooden wall behind her. She jumped and looked at me fearfully before whispering "What happened to you? You've changed." I stared at her, shocked and hurt that she said that. I hung my head and sighed. "I know Luna." I whispered back. "I have changed, but only because it was so hard for me being away from you and Ginny. Every day I woke up and I had to force myself to not jump off of the mountain. When I sent you those letters, I was struggling to not cry. And when you both replied, it helped me to see it through. I had to change Luna. I had to become tougher and colder than I was. It was what that mountain did to me. No friends, no contact with the outside world and worst of all no contact with you or Ginny. It tore me apart Luna, in ways that you can't even imagine. When Kingsley was teaching me the Patronus Charm, he actually got a real Dementor. The only happy memory I could think of was the one of you clearing me of Wrackspurts and Ginny smiling at me. It was the happiest moment of my life and I never forgot it." I would have continued but I got all choked up and could only let out a small sigh. Luna stopped trying to escape and looked at me. She put a hand on my cheek. "Do you really mean that? About the Dementor I mean?" I nodded and kept looking at the floor. Then Luna did something that was typically-her. "I'd love to see your Patronus Alex. I've never seen one before." I smiled and stepped back. I pulled out my wand and looked directly at Luna. "Expecto Patronum!" I cried. Luna watched in delight as a silvery eagle flew out of the tip of my wand. It flew around a bit then landed on my shoulder before vanishing. Luna smiled at me and said softly "It's beautiful. I never knew they were like that. May I ask why yours is an eagle though?" I smiled. "Kingsley told me that it was because I love flying and I am humble. Personally, I think it's just because I love to fly." Luna giggled. "I see Kingsley was right." She laughed and soon I was laughing with her. We were cut off by a small voice saying "Alex? Is it really you?" I spun around to find Ginny looking at me, Blaise Zabini, the boy from the train in first year had his arm around her. "Ginny. How are you? And why are you with Zabini?" Blaise sneered and said "Because I'm her boyfriend dimwit." I looked at Ginny and smiled. "Does he make you happy?" She nodded but I could tell it was strained. I chuckled and shook my head. "What are you laughing at Johnson?" I just shook my head again and didn't answer. Then he made a huge mistake. "Well, you should be thanking me. Now that Ginny is taken you can ask Loony Lovegood out to search for her fucked up imaginations." He laughed maliciously after saying that and, to my surprise Luna pushed past me and ran out of the Owlery crying. I felt the same anger as before, well up inside me and focus itself on one spell. "Reducto Expellium!" I roared, using the Blastback spell Kingsley taught me. Zabini was sent flying into the higher perches of the Owlery and came crashing down with a dull 'thud.' I walked over to him and snarled "Never insult Luna again. Don't even look at her. If I find out that you hurt her physically or verbally I will make you suffer." I walked away from him but was blocked off by Ginny. "What?" I barked at her. She smiled and said "It is you." I was about to answer her when she just grabbed me and kissed me. I was so shocked that I froze up. When she broke the kiss, she looked at me and smiled. "It's good to have you back Alex." Then she stepped to the side and let me leave.
I walked back to the Gryffindor common room in a daze. 'Ginny had just kissed me.' I couldn't get my head around it. I just couldn't. By the time I got back to the common room, Ginny had already returned. When she saw me, she ran right up to me and kissed me on the cheek. I looked down at my old friend and made my mind up. "Ginny, would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me?" She beamed and said that she would. I smiled but at the same time I couldn't help but think 'Luna is going to kill me.'