-Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling
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Loony for Luna: Forever from the Ashes
Chapter Three
Letters
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George Weasley had decided that he wasn't at all fond of the Weasley tradition of family dinner. This, because Ron, Harry, Ginny and Hermione had run into Luna in the village that afternoon and Luna, upon seeing them, had burst into tears but refused to tell them anything. Thus, dinner that evening was a rather frosty affair, the four glared at him throughout as if he were Voldemort himself.
"Ginny, pass me the butter would you?" He said, stubbornly pretending to not see her glowering at him.
"Get it yourself." she bit out through clenched teeth.
"Ginny..." Molly warned
"But mum..."
"Mum's right" Ron said "Just because George is acting like an arse doesn't mean you have to be rude"
Ginny looked up and him and grinned, then picked up the butter and slammed it on the table in front of George.
"Ginevra!"
"Sorry Mum."
"You know..."Ron spoke once again "It doesn't surprise me that George is being so horrible to Luna...he obviously has a bent to coldness...look what he was going to do to Harry two years ago."
George looked up "What are you babbling about?"
"I believe..." Harry jumped in "He means the plan you came up with to steal Luna from me when I was stuck for the summer back with the Dursley's."
"This again?" George rolled his eyes
"Well its hardly something a bloke is likely to just forget." Ron said reasonably
"Luna was never even his." George turned his attention back to his plate.
"That's not the point." Harry lifted his chin "The point is, you thought she was and you didn't really care that she might be my reason for living."
Ginny giggled and George grunted out an "Oh please."
Harry kicked Ginny lightly under the table" I'd say thats enough to prove that you've been not so trustworthy..."
"Or loyal." Ron added
Harry nodded "Or loyal, in the past. I'd say I, personally, have plenty of reason not to trust you."
"Well I don't think you have much to worry about Harry." George rolled his eyes "Considering I'm not about to steal your current woman " he looked over at Ginny then back to Harry "Am I?"
"Okay first..." Ginny grimaced "ewww..., Second, don't ever call me his woman again, and third, can we please get back to the issue at hand?"
"And just what is the issue at hand Miss NOT Harry's woman?" Percy asked
Ginny kicked him hard under the table.
"GINEVRA!" Molly slapped her hand down on the table.
"The issue at hand..."Hermione cut in "Is that you must have done something really terrible to make Luna cry like that."
"Well that's not really any of your business is it Granger?" He spat, his temper rising.
"George does have a point." Percy hunched over rubbing his ankle while trying to keep his glasses out of his plate..
"Thank you." George looked up at Percy "What happened is my business and mine alone."
"Ah..." Ron lifted a finger "But that's where you're wrong. Luna is one of our best mates, so what concerns her, concerns us. Even if it means kicking my own brothers stupid arse."
George wanted to vomit at the way Hermione beamed at Ron as he spoke.
"Language Ron." Arthur warned
"Yes sir." Ron looked down at his plate
"You know..." Percy grinned a little "Ron does have a point."
George rolled his eyes...he should have known it had been too good to be true. Percy had been agreeing with everyone lately as part of his making up for the years he had ditched the family in order to further his career at the ministry.
"Thanks Perce." George growled "Now shut up, would you?"
"You're welcome." He grinned openly now, ignoring the last.
"I'm sure George feels bad about rowing with Luna." Molly said as she stood and walked to the counter to pick up the pies and return them to the table. She set them down and put a hand on George's shoulder. "That's why I am positive he will apologize when he goes over tomorrow to get the hamper that he left behind."
"Oh no." George looked up in alarm. The others were smirking their heads off. "I'm not going back over there."
"Yes you are." Molly smiled innocently
"Not likely. Ginny can go."
Ginny shook her head smugly. "You're the one who left it there."
"You know..." Hermione began "I read a book once on psychology, you know, the study of the mind and behaviors...and it said that often people subconsciously do things on purpose."
"Meaning what?" George glared across the table at Hermione, daring her to say what he thought she was going to say.
"Meaning..." She grinned hugely "That you left that hamper so you would have an excuse to go back and see her again."
George nearly exploded "That's BULLSHIT!"
"Right it's bullshit, sounds dead on to me." Harry said
"George! Harry!" Molly slammed her hand on the table, getting quite frustrated at how her children were acting as if they were a pack of animals. "The next person who uses that kind of language at my table is going to find themselves with a mouth full of canker-cap potion!"
Canker-cap potion was typically used to treat canker sores and while it was wildly effective, it also had the effect of sealing ones mouth closed for up to twelve hours.
"Sorry mum." They all mumbled, including Harry and Hermione.
"Now..." she sat down and began dishing out pies "I don't know about this psychology bit, but in this family we take responsibility for our actions."
"But mum..." George began only to be hushed
"But nothing. You left that hamper behind, and you will go fetch it." She nodded "Of course, no one can force you to apologize to Luna, but considering you were raised with proper manners..."
Ginny snorted "If he had proper manners..."
Molly silenced her with a look "...since you were raised with proper manners, I will count on you to do the right thing."
George nodded, his heart sinking in his chest. He was fairly positive that going anywhere near Luna Lovegood was very definitely not the right thing...for either of them.
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Luna sat deathly still, her back pressed against an old wardrobe. The wardrobe and its contents, along with some clothes and bedding, were the only thing she had been able to salvage from her room. In lap was the bottom half of a pink box that held old letters …mostly letters from George.
She hadn't meant to start reading them, she'd only meant to put the card with Fred's picture on it into the box. It was as if her hands had acquired a mind of their own as they reached down and pulled the thick stack of parchment out of the box.
She flipped through them, reading them randomly for almost an hour in the ever lengthening shadows, reading his words while fat tears rolled down her face.
September 6th
Dear Luna,
You wouldn't believe how quiet it is here now that both you and Angelina have gone. It's quite lonely really. Verity doesn't have your sense of humor, her smile isn't as beautiful as yours and she isn't near as good a kisser as you are. (Just kidding!)
Fred just read over my shoulder and tells me I should beware of curses sent through the mail. (Smiley face) He told me to tell you he misses you and he will look forward to seeing you at Christmas...as he knows I will never let him come along to Hogsmeade in October. (He's absolutely correct by the way.)
Well, I suppose I best go to sleep. We have a huge shipment coming in tomorrow and all will have to be inventoried and put away. Fred's no where near as much fun to do inventory with as you.
I miss you...and I love you,
George
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September 15th
Dear Luna,
Excellent! I'll look forward to seeing you on the 3rd then! Thanks for letting me know. Of course I can get away, don't be silly. I'm sure Fred and Verity can hold their own without me, even if it is a Saturday. It's not as busy as it was during the summer, most of the people who buy our stuff is with you off at school.
I envy them
Miss you and Love you,
George
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October 4th
Dear Luna,
I've never had a more miserable Sunday in my life. Not just having to leave you behind yesterday,(though that was pretty damned wretched too) but Mum had been by while I was gone and she invited us to Sunday dinner...I say invited to be polite, it was more like an order. Turns out she wanted to drill Fred and I to be sure we were taking proper precautions in the shop and flat. She seems to be worried that Fred and I might be imperiused and used to spy on the Order, as it is quite obvious Mum and Dad are part of it. She's apparently forgotten that Harry taught us DA members last year how to fight off the imperius curse. I don't think she realizes just how good a teacher Harry was.
Speaking of teachers, I still can't believe that Dumbledore finally let Snape teach DADA. I know you didn't want to worry me, but I wish you had told me sooner. Anyway...like I said yesterday...be careful around him. I know Dumbledore trusts him, but Dumbledore never sat a class with the slimy git. Promise me...
Love and Miss you like mad,
George
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November 18th
Dear Luna,
Don't be silly, you know that I trust your instincts. I think it would be great if Harry and Ginny hooked up, she's fancied him for the longest time and I know mum would love to have Harry as part of the family, not that he isn't already. Well, someday anyway. They're both far too young to even think about a permanent commitment and there is that whole nasty you-know-who thing hanging over Harry's head. I can't deny that I do worry a little about Ginny's safety if they do hook up...seems to me it would be like painting a target on her back and screaming "Here I am Voldemort...come and get me!" Ooops, sorry, I know how you hate it when I use his name.
Have they set the next Hogsmeade visit yet? Let me know when and I will be there waiting. I miss you so much.
I love you,
George
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December 3th
Dear Luna,
I don't care what Professor Trelawney says... I am definitely coming to see you on the 15th, storm or not. I miss you too much and it has been far too long since I last saw you.
I love you,
George
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December 17th
Dear Luna,
Fred and I went out today and got a Christmas tree, only problem is, we don't have anything to put on it. It looks kind of sad and lonely really, I mean it's sitting there in the corner all dark with no Christmas fairies to light it and no ornaments or angel for the top. You'll have to do something about that when you get here...Fred and I are useless when it comes to this sort of thing.
It a bit depressing to look at to be honest...it reminds me of me too much of how I feel with you so far away at school. I hated seeing you cry when I left, I have to admit, I felt a bit like crying myself. I miss you already so much.
This being apart is a great deal harder than I thought it was going to be, but I wouldn't change a thing...well, unless I could somehow make myself the same age as you so we could be in school together, or make you older so you would have finished school already. But then, I am sure you will want to go to wizards college when you finish. Well, since I can't do either it's rather a moot point. I just meant that...I want you to know that your worth it, this whole having to miss you thing, and I also want you to know that the time we are able to be together far makes up for the time we have to be apart.
I think Fred's having a hard time too, I know he misses Angie like mad. But she will be home two days after you and I'm really looking forward to us all being together over the holidays. Thanks by the way for voluntering to come and help in the shop while your home. I know it was because you knew we needed the extra help, what with Verity going to Finland with her husband for the holiday, that you offered, but it also means more time we can spend together.
I miss you so much right now I think I could cry
I love you,
George
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Luna looked away from the stack of letters. The last had made her tear up so much that the last lines were barely readable.
It didn't help that she finally understood the truth....that it was completely her fault that things had ended the way they had between her and George. She desperately wanted to know what George had intended to say to her but she also knew that the chances now of her ever finding out were less that negative five hundred.
He'd made it very clear... he didn't love her anymore. And the worst thing was...Luna had only herself to blame.
She put the stack of letters back in the box, then lay the card with the picture of Fred on top and put the lid on. She looked at it for a moment longer then set it on the ground next to her and reached for her wand and whispered the spell.
"Incendio."
Her heart immediately lurched as the flames began to crawl up the sides of the box and she longed to put out the flames.
"No...this is the right thing..." she sobbed "I have to let him go...it's the only way!"
The flames reached the lid and Luna reached for her wand once again.
"AQUAMENTI! AQUAMENTI!" She screamed as the box was saturated with water, putting out the fire. She lunged for it, tearing off the lid to assure herself that her precious letters were still in tact.
They were.
She sat, sobbing, trying to issue forth the spell that would return the box to like new. She choked on the words at first, but at last the box returned to its bright pink color. Once again she tore off the lid and extracted the stack of letters. The water had blurred the ink on the first few, the thick braid of burgundy ribbons was dripping wet, and the card with the picture of Fred had soaked through, badly blurring the ink, thought it was still legible.
One by one she dried out the letters and the card, then the braid of ribbons, returned them to the box, and returned the box to the wardrobe. It wouldn't do to keep them in the tent where she would constantly be drawn to them.
She might not be able to destroy them...but she didn't need to dwell on them either.
With a deep sigh she lunged herself to her hands and knees and tried to stand but was stopped with a horrifyingly sharp jolt of pain in her back. The pain shot down her arms and to the very tips of her fingers until her arms gave out under her and she tumbled and fell forward until she lay flat on her stomach...her face in the mud left from her Aquamenti spell.
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Chapter Four Preview
George arrives at Lunas
and what he finds could change everything.
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-A/N Sorry about the weird ending...it's not REALLY an evil cliffhanger, since I will be posting the next chapter immediately following this one. It was originally one chapter but it got entirely too long!