Chapter Thirteen: Day in the Limelight

-GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM-

"Gwen," the small voice broke her from her reading.

She smiled, "Yeah Draco?"

The child (he and Harry would be children until at least the end of the school year, apparently Dumbledore's guess had been a bit off) held out a pentagon shaped card, "I don't understand this…"

She grinned indulgently and set the book down to pluck him from the floor and set him in her lap.

"Comfy?" she asked quietly and he nodded, "Okay then." She gently took the card from him and looked at it. It was obviously one of the many that Ron had gifted to him. (Ron had gone through his Famous Witches and Wizards card collection and had gifted the duplicate cards he had to Draco and Harry for their Christmas presents from him).

(The boys also received; handmade sweaters from Mrs. Weasley (As did the American kids, Cedric, and Hermione), a couple books of Wizard fairytales (from Hermione and Percy), "practice wands" (courtesy of the Twins; the wands were a new invention, created by the Twins with some help from Hermione, that allowed magical children to expend some of their natural, unfocused magic in a safe way that allowed them to prepare for the real deal. They could only do simple and safe spells, such as those taught to first years at Hogwarts.) Ginny had written a small book of her favorite spells and had gifted the boys along with her copy of the 'Standard Book of Spells' assigned to first years. (If the practice wands worked and were marketed she might have a future in writing the spell books for them). The Diggorys had given a very large box of assorted Honeyduke's candies to each boy. And many other presents came but are too numerous to list.)

"So, let's see here," Gwen said, reading, "Morgan Le Fay, dates unknown, half-sister to King Arthur and master sorceress. Supposedly tutored by Merlin, dates unknown."

"Yes," Draco nodded, "I can read, but what does it mean?"

"Well," Gwen began, "she was a powerful witch but they don't know when she lived and they say Merlin taught her all she knew."

"But who's this King Arthur bloke?" the tiny blonde asked confusedly.

"Nobody's ever told you about King Arthur?" the redhead was dumbfounded; King Arthur was the most famous Brit of them all…well, alright, he was a Celt but honestly, who didn't know about King Arthur and his Knights and Camelot?!

"Nope." Draco replied hesitantly, afraid he had done something wrong.

"C'mon Draco," Gwen stood up with him on her hip, "We've gotta go send a note to my mom…"

"Alright?"

-ROOM OF REQUIREMENT-

"Did I do it right?" Harry asked softly, eagerly, watching the small stone levitate.

"Yeah, yeah ya did." Kevin grinned as Hermione nodded beamingly.

"You guys should get him the list for first years," Hermione told the American teen, "He might be a prodigy, if he has the chance that is…"

"Yeah, we'll ask the old geezer for a copy…"

"Nonsense, I have mine," she replied breezily, "When we go down to Hogsmeade we can get what he needs…I'm sure the Professors wouldn't mind tutoring him, except for Professor Snape of course but I can handle that subject."

"What're you talking about?" Harry asked.

"Well Runt we're gonna see if the teachers here will tutor you in magic, we'll get all the supplies you need," Kevin explained softly, rumblely.

"Really?!" Harry perked up.

"Probably, won't promise anything though. Might not happen…"

-SOMEWHERE IN HOGWARTS, PROBABLY NEAR THE DUNGEONS-

Ron always loved exploring the castle, albeit with Harry at his side, and today he had finally found the free time to do so.

He caught sight of two Slytherins snickering over a wand and snuck up to eavesdrop.

"She has any idea?" said one.

"No, stupid bint's so loony, probably thinks the Crumple-whatever took it…"

Ron frowned, awhile ago he had come across Luna looking for her wand. And now that he studied it, he squinted at the wand they held, it did look like hers.

"So," said the second one, "should we snap it?"

"Yeah, don't need nutters polluting the blood…" Ron was shocked. Destroying another wizard's wand was practically the same as binding their powers! Surely even Slytherins wouldn't do something that evil and wicked.

He watched, horrified as one of the two students raised the wand and set his knee in a position that made it clear he planned to break the wand over it. Gryffindor courage showing through, he dashed up, shouting as the Slytherins pulled their wands on him, "Expelliarmus!"

Three wands, the two Slytherins' and Luna's went flying, "Accio wands!" he continued and the wands flew to him.

The Slytherins began running but Ron was on a roll, "Petrificatus Totalus! Petrificatus Totalus" he cried out, freezing one and then the other. "Incarcerous!" he tied them up before pocketing their wands and Luna's.

"Mobilicorpus!" he shouted, levitating the pair and they headed towards Dumbledore's office. By some miracle they were not accosted by anyone, Slytherin, Prefect, or Professor, before they had arrived at the stone entrance. The redhead tried 'Pixie Stix' but that failed to elicit a response so he began listing off all the names of the candies and sweets he knew of, hoping to stumble across the password even if by accident.

Suddenly the entrance sprang to life, allowing Ron and his captives to step inside the rotating, spiral staircase as it began to rise.

"Professor Dumbledore," he rapped on the heavy wooden door, "Professor, some…friends and me need to talk to you about something."

"Come in Mister Weasley, come in." Dumbledore replied genially and so Ron did as bid.

"Professor Dumbledore," he began, setting his captives down, "These two stole Luna Lovegood's wand and were gonna break it. They tried to attack me when I made them stop…"

"My word," Dumbledore breathed, looking at the two students caught and bound together in disappointment, "Is this accusation true boys?"

"Yes Professor…"

Dumbledore frowned, "A hundred points from Slytherin each and you'll each be suspended for a month, have detentions with Professor Flitwick for two months, and have your wands confiscated at the end of classes each day for the rest of the year, you will not have them on the weekends or holidays. You will write a formal apology to Miss Lovegood each, you shall each make a public formal apology. You are barred from extracurricular activities for the rest of this school year, including Hogsmeade trips and Quidditch games regardless of if you play or watch. Your Head of House and The Head of House of Ravenclaw will be informed. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Mister Weasley, I assume you have their wands…"

"Right here Professor," Ron fished the wands from his robes and handed them over.

"And you have Miss Lovegood's as well correct?"

"Yes sir," he fished Luna's out, "nice and unbroken…"

"Right then, fifty points to Gryffindor for courage and twenty-five to Gryffindor for loyalty…"

"Thank you Professor!" his ears were tinted red.

"Professor Dumbledore?" a vague voice called.

"Ahh, Miss Lovegood!" the old wizard replied, "Impeccable timing as always…Mister Weasley has found your wand…."

"Is that true Ronald?" the girl's slightly bulbous eyes set on him.

"Yeah, well, it's nothing big…" his face joined his ears.

"Oh," she said breezily, "plenty of people take my things; no one ever gives them back."

He didn't know what made him do it, in fact such actions were usually left to Harry or Ginny or at the very least Hermione, but he pulled her into a tight hug, telling her, "Not anymore. If anyone takes anything of yours ever again come tell me and I'll sort it out okay?"

He looked down, "Um, Luna? Did someone take your shoes too?"

"They'll show up eventually, they always do."

He pulled back and pulled out his wand, saying simply, "Accio Luna's shoes."

Within seconds a pair of hiking boots came to them and he asked, "These them Luna?"

"Yes, thank you Ronald."

Dumbledore smiled, "Mister Weasley, can I depend on you to see to Miss Lovegood's comfort?"

"Yes sir Professor Dumbledore…C'mon Luna, we can move your stuff into Ginny's dorm, that way nobody can get to them."

With a hand to the small of Luna's back Ron guided her out and back to her tower. They gathered up her things and headed to Gryffindor third years girls' dormitory to find an extra bed added.