HARRY POTTER AND

ICE CREAM DELIGHTS

Author: Luckner

Disclaimer: The characters and their world are the property of J.K. Rowling, various publishers and Warner Bros. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Notes: This is rather darker than previous chapters and involves the death of a familiar character. Also, Harry and his friends are trained on spells that teenagers should not have to know or use, but the war has begun.

CHAPTER 8: THE FAIRY KING

A week later as Harry and Luna were sitting down to breakfast a brown Barn Owl flew through the open window and landed gracefully on the kitchen table. Harry immediately recognized it as one of the school owls, and realized that their book lists must have arrived. He relieved the owl of two envelopes, gave her a strip of bacon from his plate, and after she gave him a hoot of thanks she flew out the window and back the way from which she had come.

"Hogwarts letters, Lu," he said cheerfully as he passed an envelope to the girl who sat on his left.

"I wish we were in the same year," Luna said wistfully as she studied her letter.

"And in the same house," Harry added with a grin.

"Oh Harry, you're not smart enough to be in Ravenclaw," she said sincerely, but Harry caught the mischievous note in her voice.

He quirked an eye at her and then answered her with assurance. "Well I figured that you could come over to Gryffindor. I saw the way you were throwing those hexes at me yesterday; you really seemed to be enjoying it."

Only because it was fun to watch you dodge them," she replied with a very Dumbledore-like twinkle in her eyes.

"You gave me quite a workout," Harry declared as he remembered the previous days training. It had involved physically dodging spells without the use of magic, and Tonks hadn't even allowed them to use their new shield charms. But he chuckled when he remembered how funny Ron looked as he hobbled his way to the pond after training. Hermione had hit Ron in the buttocks with a light stunning spell when he tried to spin away from her first attack. She had insisted that it was accidental, but Harry had noticed the smirk on her face as Ron gently eased himself into the water. Ginny and the twins were merciless as they imitated Ron's pained walk all the way down to the forest pool.

"Oh look, a costume ball for Halloween!" Luna said excitedly, interrupting his train of thought.

Harry glanced down at the bottom of the letter, and there in gold lettering was a note that stated that a costume ball would be held in the Great Hall on Halloween. Fourth year students and above were invited to attend the ball and a special dinner. The note further stated that students could bring their own costumes or materials would be provided.

"That sounds like so much fun," Luna exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.

Harry realized that he had better seize the moment while his courage held, and taking Luna's hand in his he asked her. "Luna, would you go to the Halloween Ball with me?"

"I would be delighted to accompany you, Harry," she replied with a giggle, and curtsied daintily.

"What costumes should we wear?" Harry asked eagerly.

"I know just the…." She started brightly, but then she stopped suddenly as a slight frown clouded her face. "No…that's not a good idea….What do you think we should wear?"

Harry was more than a little perplexed by her sudden change of attitude. Moments before Luna had been almost giddy with excitement, but now she was quiet and seemed almost a little sad.

"I don't know….What were you going to say?" He asked, trying to conceal the concern that he was feeling.

"Oh nothing; I thought I had an idea…but it wouldn't work," she replied evasively, and quickly changed the subject.

At first Harry passed over the matter as unimportant, but in the back of his mind he began to wonder what had so suddenly changed her attitude. During the rest of the day whenever Harry tried to bring up the subject of costumes Luna would quickly change the subject or ask that he make the selection for both on them.

That night, after she had gone to bed, Harry went downstairs to speak to her Father. The senior Lovegood had the habit of working late in his study at night and it was the perfect opportunity to have a private talk with him.

"Could I speak with you Sir?" Harry asked, as he waited outside of the door.

Philius Lovegood immediately noticed the concern in the young man's voice, and the serious look on his face, and he wondered what had happened to provoke such a formal request. "I always have time for my friends Harry, and please call me Philius," he said as he waved the young man to a comfortable chair opposite him

"There seems to be something wrong with Luna, and it's worrying me," Harry said without preamble.

The smile disappeared from his face and Philius Lovegood leaned forward in his chair. "Can you tell me anything more about it, Harry?" He said in a very serious voice.

"It was rather strange, actually. We received our Hogwarts letters this morning and it said there would be a costume ball on Halloween. Luna seemed really happy when I asked her to go with me, but when I asked her about our costumes she suddenly went silent," the boy explained in a confused voice.

Luna's Father sat quietly for a moment, deep in thought, before he sat up straight and addressed the raven-haired boy who sat opposite him.

"I think that I know what the problem is, Harry. When I was in my sixth year at Hogwarts we had a costume ball for Halloween. The girl that I was supposed to take came down with a fever on the morning of the ball and wasn't able to attend, so I went alone. I was standing in the Great Hall and I looked across the room and saw the most beautiful girl that I had ever seen. She was wearing a shimmering green gown with a silver shawl, and I couldn't take my eyes off her. I went over and introduced myself, probably sounding like a prized fool, and she said that her name was Elizabeth. She and I spent the rest of the night together; indeed after that night we were rarely apart. She was Luna's Mother, Harry."

"I'm afraid that my daughter is quite the romantic, and she's always dreamed of wearing that same gown to her first ball. To her it's a symbol of her Mother, and of the love that she and I found together starting on that very night," Philius explained with a faraway look in his eyes.

"That's wonderful," Harry said sincerely. "But I don't see what the problem is. I would love to take Luna wearing her mother's gown."

"It isn't quite as simple as that. The costume that she wore was patterned after the royal gown that legend says is worn by Brighid, Queen of the Fairies. Luna's Grandmother knew all of the lore of the fairy folk who supposedly live in this forest, and she passed those stories onto her daughter," Philius continued.

"I still don't see the problem," Harry said in a perplexed voice.

"Well if Luna would be going as Queen Brighid then it would be expected for you to go as King Bres," the older man said with a very slight smile.

"What's wrong with going as a king? Wait a minute. If Luna's is going as the Fairy Queen then I would be….Oh no!" He declared as the reality hit him. Harry paled slightly as he realized that even if Malfoy didn't return to school, the other Slytherins would have a field day with it. He could already hear their jokes about his missing fairy wings and the uses to which he put fairy dust. Even the members of his own house would me merciless in their teasing. Harry Potter, the 'King of the Fairies.'

"Yes Harry, I think that's why Luna wants you to choose the costumes," Philius said seriously.

Harry got up almost in a daze and walked towards the door. "The King of the Fairies," he mumbled under his breath and shuddered.

"Good night, Harry. Sleep well," Philius said with a bit of a smile.

Harry turned briefly with a glazed look in his eyes, like a deer caught in the headlights of an automobile. "Uh…yah, sure," like he could possibly ever sleep again.

As he lay in bed, the candles flickering nervously on his nightstand, Harry couldn't even think about sleep. 'King of the Fairies' was a title that no teenaged boy would want, and it was clear to him why Luna didn't mention her Mother's costume. He was still sorting out his feelings for the young girl; but he liked her, he liked her a lot. He had never felt that way about anyone before, and he wondered if he might even be falling in love with her. She was smart and funny and made him feel good like no one else could. And here she was giving up her dream for him, a dream that she had carried with her since childhood and was connected with her Mother. She was giving it all up so he wouldn't feel embarrassed. Harry felt absolutely terrible and a bit ashamed.

Around midnight he heard a light knock at his door, and then it opened a crack. Luna stuck her head in cautiously, not wanting to wake him if he was asleep. "I saw the light under your door. Are you feeling alright Harry?"

The moment that he saw her, bathed in the silver moonlight from his open window, his mind was made up. "I'm fine Luna. I've just made up my mind about the costumes that I would like us to wear to the Halloween Ball. I would like to go as King Bres and I would like you to go as my queen."

Luna stood silently in the doorway for a second, her normal surprised look multiplied many times over. "Are you really sure, Harry?" She whispered, hardly daring to believe his words.

"Absolutely," he responded with a warm smile.

She ran forward and threw herself into his arms; nearly knocking the startled boy out of his bed. "Thank you, Harry, thank you," she sobbed as she buried her face in his chest. Harry held the young girl tightly, and felt her warm tears on his chest as Luna continued to cry happily.

At that moment Harry knew that his decision was the right one. The only person in the entire world whose opinion really mattered to him was nestled in his arms. If Luna decided that she wanted to go to the ball dressed as a Crumple-Horned Snorkack, he would gladly go as one himself.

He held her for a long time, until he looked at her eyes and realized that she had fallen asleep. Shortly afterwards he had fallen asleep himself, completely at peace.

When Harry woke up in the morning he felt a strange weight pressing on his chest. Opening his eyes he saw Luna's face just inches from his own with her arm thrown possessively across his stomach. She had a soft smile on her face and the very sight of her made Harry's stomach do a series of flips.

He saw no real reason why he should wake her, and he was quite comfortable himself, so he just lay back on the pillow and watched her. A few minutes later her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him with a sleepy smile. Even a sleepy smile from Luna literally lit up the entire room.

"Good morning," Harry said warmly.

"Morning," she replied in a sleepy voice and snuggled in closer to his shoulder. "Too early," she mumbled and closed her eyes to go back to sleep, a contented smile on her face.

If she didn't want to wake up he saw no reason why he should, so hugging her tightly he closed his own eyes and peacefully dozed off. It was an hour later when the two woke again, feeling rested and curiously happy.

"That was my best sleep ever," Harry said contentedly.

"Mine too," Luna replied shyly.

- o -

Breakfast was late that morning, but no one seemed to mind; and Philius Lovegood was tactful enough not to ask questions. It was a peaceful Sunday morning, and an unexpected summer storm had moved in the previous night and was now sending sheets of rain against the kitchen windows, making all of the occupants of the Lovegood cottage feel just a little bit lazy.

"So where do I get the costume for a fairy king?" Harry asked uncertainly.

"Can I make it for you, Harry?" Luna asked in a hopeful voice.

Harry looked at his friend appraisingly for a moment, and then he smiled. "I don't think that I could put myself in more trustworthy hands."

Luna grabbed his hand and pulled the surprised boy up two flights of stairs to the attic. Like every other room in the cottage the attic contained an abundance of windows, and the shadowy effects of the falling rain gave the chamber a strange and mysterious appearance. On one side of the attic he noticed shelf after shelf of ancient books, while the rest of the room was stacked high with heavy trunks.

"Don't ever let Hermione up here," he warned his friend.

"Why ever not?" She asked, confusion written on her face.

"Because with all of those books you'll never get her out," he answered with a smirk.

Luna responded with the musical laugh that he loved and then guided the young man towards the far wall where a large pile of ancient trunks were stacked up nearly to the roof. Luna used her wand to levitate the heavy trucks around until she found the one that she wanted. Opening the chest she carefully removed an intricately carved green lacquer box and set it on a nearby table. Harry saw his friend softly run her fingers over the carved lid, and he realized that the contents of the box must mean a great deal to the young woman. Lifting the lid, she carefully removed what turned out to be a forest-green colored silk gown covered with an intricate pattern of silver ivy leaves. To Harry's eyes the shimmering material seemed to almost glow in the dim light of the attic.

As she held the gown in front of herself, Harry was rather stunned by how beautiful she looked, and he realized that he was really looking forward to the ball. He had always thought that Luna was pretty but now he saw something more, something that made him want to be with her for a very long time

"My Grandmother always loved to sew, and she made this gown for my Mother when she was a girl; and now I get to wear it myself." Luna said in a reverent whisper. "Feel the fabric, Harry," she asked softly.

As he touched the material he was surprised that it felt like cool liquid slipping through his fingers. But there was also a strange energy running through the material, almost as if the dress itself was imbued with magic.

"What is it?" Harry asked in awe.

"It's Elfin Silk; my Grandmother had several friends who were elves, and they gave her the fabric as a gift," Luna replied. Then reaching deeper into the trunk she withdrew another bolt of the same rich fabric, only in a slightly darker green.

"I'll make your costume out of this material," she said with a reassuring smile.

As Harry touched the darker fabric he felt the same strange energy that he had felt in Luna's gown; and he looked forward to seeing the costume that Luna would create out of it.

In the days that followed Luna spent every spare moment working on Harry's costume. Apparently many of the books in the attic had belonged to Luna's Grandmother, and dealt with the lives and customs of the fairy folk. Harry was sure that Hermione would have been impressed by how much research Luna was doing making his costume as authentic as possible.

When the other teens gathered at the Lovegood cottage the following day the subject on everyone's lips was the Halloween Ball and the costumes that they were going to wear. Hermione had been staying at the Weasleys for almost a week and was excited about attending another Hogwarts Ball. Ron, having learned his lesson after the 'Victor Krum affair,' had immediately asked Hermione to go with him. It was apparent that Ron had finally discovered that Hermione was a 'girl,' and a rather pretty one at that; and he wasn't taking any chances with someone else asking her first.

But when the question came to costumes the young wizard was at a total loss, and gladly allowed Hermione to make the decision. Ron was a little uncertain when she selected characters named Romeo and Juliet, but was reassured when Hermione told him that his costume would include a sword and a cape. Never one to be concerned about details, Ron never thought to ask Hermione about the rest of the costume.

But while Harry and his friends were eagerly looking forward to the upcoming school year, the forces of darkness were moving forward with their own plans.

- o -

Kingsley Shacklebolt was not a drinking man; that kind of weakness simply did not go along with his responsibilities as a senior Auror. But if anything could drive him to that vice it was his current assignment as Chief of Security for the fortress prison of Azkaban. He had been on the assignment for two months, and he had another month to wait until he would be rotated out; but those four short weeks seemed like an eternity.

Located far out in the icy waters of the North Sea, the fortress of Azkaban was as much a prison for the Aurors as it was for the inmates that they guarded. The actual prison operations were carried out by a force of one hundred Dementors; terrible creatures who could be best described as "soul-sucking fiends." But a small force of wizard Aurors was also required to receive incoming inmates, process inmate transfers for trial, and make sure that the Dementors didn't allow the prisoners to starve to death out of carelessness.

The Dementors which guarded the prison not only had a terrible effect on the prisoners, but also on the Aurors that rotated shifts on the island. After twelve hours in that accursed place Kingsley would leave thinking that he could never be happy again. He had never particularly liked chocolate, but since coming to the island he consumed an average of three pounds per day. The strange thing was that he hadn't gained weight with this strange diet, but had actually lost; along with all of the other guards.

Each day Kingsley would follow the winding trail that led from the small cottage that he shared with the other guards. It turned north along the edge of the rugged cliffs and then curved down to the rocky shore. There he would wait to catch the morning boat for the long, cold passage across the North Sea to the accursed island. He tried to make the wait as short as possible so he wouldn't have too much time thinking of the despair and depression that the day would bring. The boat to and from the island docked at an ancient stone wharf near the small muggle village of John O'Groats, at the far northeast corner of Scotland. The wharf was well warded against both dark wizards and the local muggle population, and served as home for two small pilot boats.

As their tours lengthened it became common practice for the Aurors to stop by a local pub called 'The Silent Woman' at the end of their shifts. The local muggles, mostly fishermen and farmers, gazed at the strangely dressed men with curiosity, but never spoke to them. In that lonely corner of Scotland a man's business was his own, and the men in the curious dress had long been patrons in the pub. There was sadness about these men that encouraged the sympathy of others, but not a desire for contact. Even the normally jovial barman kept his conversations as short as possible. They would stop by just after dark and order their drinks, and then go to a dark corner of the pub and drink in silence.

After a few drinks, but never too many, they would make their way home for a few hours of sleep; and then in the morning the routine would start again. A supply of Dreamless Sleeping Potion was standard issue for the Aurors assigned to Azkaban; for there was no other way for them to sleep.

It was for that reason that Kingsley found himself in the pub that night. The two guards who shared his shift had been too tired to go for a drink, but Kingsley felt that he really needed one. He ordered a glass of single-malt whiskey and went to the small table that had been unofficially reserved for the strange men. He sat alone and in silence as he sipped the caramel-colored liquor, hoping that it would numb his thoughts and bring some warmth to his body. As he drank he also took bites from a large bar of chocolate; a strange combination that the local muggles had observed before.

After drinking two glasses of whiskey Kingsley felt sufficiently numbed to begin his walk home. He gave the barman a casual wave and left the warmth of the bright little pub for the inky darkness outside. An icy wind off the North Sea hit him in the face like a frozen slap, and he quickly applied a warming charm to his body.

Pulling his heavy winter cloak tightly around himself he trudged wearily up the trail, the wind fighting him every bit of the way. There was no moon and the stars were obscured by the heavy cloud cover, making the trail almost impossible to follow in the dark. He would have to wait until he was away from the village before he could light his wand; too many muggles might otherwise see something that they shouldn't.

Suddenly the hairs on the back of his neck began to rise and his keen senses warned him of danger. He spun about, wand at the ready, but there was nothing but darkness and wind. Two red flashes warned him of the attack too late, and then there was only black.

When he awoke he found himself bound to a chair in a shabby room. The single window in the room was covered by heavy drapes, thickly coated by years of dust. The only light was provided by two candles on a table beside him. Three dark robed figures stood waiting in the shadows just opposite.

"It's nice of you to join us, Auror Shacklebolt," said a woman's voice out of the shadows. "Just a few questions and you can have a nice long rest."

"I'll tell you nothing," the man declared bravely.

"Oh, I think you'll tell us everything that we need to know," the woman said as she stepped forward into the light. Kingsley immediately recognized the demented features of Bellatrix Lestrange, and steeled himself for the torture to come.

Bellatrix saw the man's muscles stretch tight, and knew that he was preparing himself. It would have pleased her greatly to oblige him, but unfortunately she didn't have the time.

"You think torture?" she asked sweetly. "Oh nothing so crude I can assure you," she declared as she withdrew a small crystal bottle from her robes. The light blue fluid in the bottle sparkled brightly in the candlelight, and Kingsley's eyes widened as he recognized that it contained Veritaserum. Aurors were trained to resist the effects of Veritaserum, and Kingsley was as good as any. But no one could resist the effects of a double dose of the powerful chemical, which unfortunately also drove the victim into irreversible madness.

He strained against his bonds as his mouth was forced open and a quantity of the fluid was poured down his throat. Almost immediately his will to resist disappeared, and his only desire was to cooperate fully with those who questioned him.

"Now then, Kingsley, what is your Auror access code for Azkaban?" Bellatrix asked sweetly.

"Phoenix 435," the man replied in a monotone.

"And what is the procedure that is followed when transferring a prisoner from Azkaban to the mainland?"

The questioning proceeded for the next two hours, until finally Kingsley was no longer able to speak and Bellatrix had gotten all of the information that she desired.

"Do you wish us to kill him, Mistress?" One of the Death Eaters asked as they prepared to leave.

Bellatrix looked down at the trembling figure, lost forever in madness, and smiled wickedly. "He was so helpful to us that I don't think we should leave him like this; that would be unkind." Then she aimed her wand at his head and screamed, "Avada Kedavra!"

It was late that night when a man entered the cottage on the cliff. He walked into the bedroom and after stripping off his clothes dropped down into bed and went to sleep. The next morning, as a gale swept across the North Sea, he led the two other Aurors down the trail to the boat, and they set sail for another shift on the island. As usual few words were spoken during the trip but his coworkers noticed that Kingsley seemed even more distant than usual.

When the three reached the security checkpoint the leader touched his wand against a flat polished disk and in a strong, clear voice declared the access code, "Phoenix 435."

From the disk came a tired voice: "Glad to see that the storm didn't delay you, Kingsley. It's been a long night and we're bone tired."

After the change of shift was made the two junior Aurors went to check the posts and make sure the prisoners were fed, while Kingsley went to his office to wait. He felt the bone numbing cold that was more than a matter of degrees, and he wondered how the prisoners could endure it. At noon he called the others to his office and gave them some startling orders.

"I've received instructions that eight prisoners are being summoned to the Ministry for further questioning," he declared as he handed a list of names to Ellis.

The man scanned the list and a look of shock appeared in his eyes. "They can't be serious. These are the worst of the worst; they aren't going to say anything."

"I don't make the decisions, I just carry them out. They will be picked up in an hour," he said without raising his eyes. When the two men left Kingsley took another swig from the silver flask in his robes.

Less than an hour later the three Aurors led the shackled prisoners out through the heavy steel doors and down to the dock, where they waited for the escort of guards to arrive. The eight prisoners were under restraining as well as silencing spells, and were incapable of any movement more than gently swaying in the wind. A few minutes later the two Aurors lay dead on the rocks by the crashing surf and eight Death Eaters were on their way to freedom.

- o -

The next morning Harry and his friends were waiting outside for their teachers to arrive and give them another lesson in offensive and defensive spells. The teens had gotten up a scratch game of Quidditch, and were flying joyfully over the wide meadow on brooms that had been brought from home for just such an opportunity. To Harry's surprise Luna had turned out to be an excellent flyer in her own right; flying on an ancient orange-colored Clean Sweep that she had inherited from her Mother. In spite of the fact that her twenty-year-old broom was hopelessly obsolete, the young girl was able to get remarkable performance out of it. In the weeks that Harry had spent at the cottage in the meadow, the two teens had spent many happy hours flying through the trees of the Lovegood forest.

Fred Weasley had just scored a goal against his brother Ron, and was showing off a bit for a laughing Susan Bones, when Remus Lupin walked slowly out into the meadow. The teens soared down to land gracefully in front of him, wide smiles on every face. But the minute that they saw his expression they sobered up and prepared for bad news; and it wasn't long in coming.

"Yesterday there was a breakout at Azabkan and eight Death Eaters escaped. Two of the Auror guards were found dead on the island and Kingsley Shacklebolt was found dead near the village of John O'Groats on the mainland. The evidence indicates that someone used Polyjuice Potion to gain access to the island, killed the guards, and helped the inmates escape. Tonks has been called to duty to secure the island and the remaining prisoners," Remus said with a sigh.

"I have to go," Alicia Spinnet said urgently, and kissed George on the cheek.

"Be safe," he urged as she apparated away.

Harry felt especially bad, as he had considered Kingsley a personal friend. The two had spent a considerable amount of time together at Grimmauld Place the previous summer, and had gotten to know each other quite well. Harry found that he particularly liked the imposing man; he had a good sense of humor and was always willing to talk about the relative value of different offensive or defensive spells.

None of the teens felt much like training after hearing the news, but neither did they feel like going home. They settled down under a large oak tree on the edge of the meadow in silence, each deep within his or her own thoughts. Somehow being together made it easier for them to accept the fact that the war had now broken out, and that there would be no going back.

Remus Lupin, though far from a teenager himself, felt comfortable enough with the young people to join them in their silent vigil. He realized that the coming war would likely strip away whatever childhood innocence they had left, and might cost them their lives as well. He noticed how Luna and Harry had moved close together, and each seemed to find a measure of security in the touch of the other. Indeed all of them seemed to find comfort in the closeness of their friends; and for that Remus was happy.

"What happens now?" Harry asked, breaking the silence.

Remus sighed, a rather defeated look on his face, and hesitated a moment while gathering his thoughts. "The Death Eaters that escaped were some of Voldemort's strongest lieutenants, as well as some of the most brutal of his followers. Lucius Malfoy had a particular gift for planning, and we suspect that he was behind the Death Eater attack at the Ministry. Walden Macnair and Rodolphus Lestrange are two of the most vicious of his followers, and seem to take pleasure in the torture of their victims. My guess is that Voldemort will follow the same course that he did in the first war and begin with a campaign of terrorism targeted against prominent wizarding families. Of course, he might also attempt some kind of dramatic attack to further destabilize the Ministry.

At the mention of Walden Macnair and Rodolphus Lestrange, Neville Longbottom visibly stiffened. These were two of the Death Eaters who had tortured his parents into insanity, and it was something that he could never forget.

"Remus, will you teach me the Killing Curse?" Neville asked grimly.

Everyone was silent for a moment as they digested what their friend had just asked, and what he was clearly preparing himself to do.

"Would you teach me as well, Remus? I think it's time that I learned," Harry said with grim resolution.

Neville gave Harry an appreciative smile as Ron and Luna simultaneously asked that they be included as well. If this was to be war then they were determined that they would know how to fight it.

Remus looked at the teens sadly, knowing the terrible thing that they were asking. He was also certain that he would be breaking the law teaching the curse to anyone, and especially a group of teenagers. But he also knew that in the coming weeks their very lives might depend on knowing the deadly curse. Finally he made up his mind.

"Will those of you who wish to learn the curse please raise your hands?" He asked.

One by one each of the teens raised their hands.

"Very well, I guess you do need to learn," Remus said with regret evident in his voice.

"The wand movement for the Avada Kedavra is a short stabbing motion along with the incantation. The key to this spell is strong intent and determination. You have to be able to visualize your opponent dead and force your magic out to make it so."

He looked at the teens carefully, but no one faltered. In spite of the fact that Susan Bones turned rather pale, she seemed as grimly determined as the rest.

"Very well, I would like you all to try the wand movement and incantation. But be very careful; this is a very dangerous spell.

By the end of the day Remus was confident that the teens understood the mechanics of the spell, but whether they could use it against another human being only time would tell.

A few days later Harry stood next to Luna and her Father at the funeral of Kingsley Shacklebolt and the other two Aurors. Harry felt he had to attend, and Luna was unwilling to allow him to go without her. They noticed that their other friends were in attendance as well, all wearing sad but determined faces. Luna wore a long black dress that Philius explained she had last worn to her own Mother's funeral. Now, with some alterations, she was wearing it again.

Harry found the sight of Luna in black mourning to be particularly disturbing. He felt that she belonged in gay colors, and he never wanted to see her in black again.

Professor Dumbledore conducted the service, and Harry never saw the Headmaster looking so old and tired. Minister of Magic Fudge, who should have been present, was literally barricaded in the Ministry; fighting a loosing battle to hold onto his position. With the escape from Askaban the last of his support had crumbled, and his few remaining followers had turned against him. Within a week, thanks in part to strong support from the Quibbler, Amelia Bones had taken over his responsibilities as the new Minister of Magic. But there was no jubilation following the succession, just a grim determination that the war must be won, whatever the cost.

- o -

The summer had passed quickly for the teens, and they were rather surprised when the last week of August arrived and it was time to get ready for school. Tonks had returned from her special assignment to Askaban, and she and Remus had agreed to serve as a security escort for the group. Everyone was still in rather dark and somber moods, and even the combined efforts of Luna and Tonks seemed unable to bring them out of it. Fred and George made a half-hearted effort to tease Ron and Hermione, but dropped the idea when neither teen responded.

After they had purchased their books and supplies Tonks got a sudden idea. "I'm hungry and I'm going to get something to eat," she declared, leaving no room for discussion. She led the group down the alley to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. The group sought out a quiet corner and Remus enlarged the table so that it could accommodate all of them.

"Have any of you tried the new 'Harry Potter Special' that just came out?" She asked brightly.

"The what?" Harry asked in surprise.

When you and Luna exposed the truth about the Daily Prophet, Florean created a new sundae to celebrate; and it's named after you." Tonks declared with a wicked gleam in her eye. "We're all going to have one; and blushing won't help," she added as she saw the boy's face turn crimson.

Harry groaned and wished with all of his might that he could become invisible; but when Luna slipped her hand into his he relaxed a bit and resigned himself to the embarrassment that was to come.

A few minutes later Tonks emerged from the building leading a small troop of waiters who were guiding several floating trays. As a large bowl was set before Harry he got his first look at the 'Harry Potter Special.' It consisted of a chocolate and vanilla ice cream castle that looked remarkably like Hogwarts and a strawberry version of himself charmed to fly above it. The castle was dripping with hot fudge and sprinkled with nuts, and Harry had to admit that he was getting hungry just looking at it.

"It looks just like you, Harry," Tonks declared as she used her wand to direct the strawberry image from her castle into her mouth. "And tastes good too," she declared to the amusement of everyone. Soon everyone was laughing and joking, usually at Harry's expense. But the young man was taking it all good naturedly, and admitted that he was having a rather good time. It was good that they could enjoy that last weekend of summer, for Voldemort was at last ready to move forward with his plans.