Chapter 4

Luna went back to Hogwarts rather confused. Confused by Rolf's confusion at her attempted advance, if that made any sense at all. She through herself into her classes, and people noticed. She was setting homework and remembering all her marking work, she wasn't nearly as scatterbrained as she normally was. Some people didn't think it was a good thing. Her students had always enjoyed her classes because of her apparent 'Lack of discipline.' others thought it was for a good, that Luna may a finally settled down to her teaching. McGonagal commented on this, to Luna's slight displeasure and increasing confusement. She didn't know what to think. And on top of that, Neville had started acting rather strange towards her. On top of that, Rolf had started writing her regularly. It felt like she was really getting to know him better. As September changed to October and October to November, the only thing Luna saw change was a slow decrease in her disciplinary measures. It was like Rolf's almost weekly letters were like a drug, taking her mind off things and making her feel much too happy for her work. Through his letters, she heard that he had gotten into the Healers course at St. Mungo's! This news came at dinner time and made her spill her pumpkin juice all over again. Neville, who had taken to sitting beside her again at mealtimes, had helped her sop it up. Luna found Neville was treating her a lot like this lately. He seemed to have gotten over losing Hannah, which was good for him. But the way he was acting now, well, it reminded her of when they were dating. Luna didn't know what that meant. Thinking about that made her feel more confused than usual. But her correspondence with Rolf was getting better. Her letters to him were comfortable and easy to write. First she started with talking him through things like 'The Quibbler' and how she had met Ginny Weasley (An awkward affair to do with two melted cauldrons and a fat mess of stink sap' to eventually things like her not-so-great time at Hogwarts. He started opening up to her too, telling her things that, he admitted, had never told anyone else in his life. Soon, Luna started talking about heavier things, like her mothers death and her rocky relationship with Neville. In the back of her mind, Luna hoped that Rolf might someday take Neville's route. Candy and flowers had made her feel incredibly special. In turn, Rolf started to tell her about his life. To her surprise, he'd had a rather rocky time at Hogwarts as well. And to her even larger surprise, Rolf had had a sister. A sister who's husband was a Death Eater. She had married him because of it. Yes, Salamary Crabbe had been a major Voldemort supporter. She had died in the battle of Hogwarts, but Rolf had seemed majorly unaffected by it. As he had said 'she was dead to me as soon as she married that scumbag'. His mother was still alive, but in St. Mungo's with permanent memory loss and his father was a prickly old man who was always wondering whether Rolf had found himself a lady yet. The way he wrote it, he was chuckling when he wrote it, but Luna wanted to take it as something more. Rolf's courses were going extraordinarily well, apparently his charm work had improved impressibly since he had left Hogwarts and he found the coursework almost too easy. But as November turned to December, their correspondence turned more serious, and, by consequence, more romantic. It was like Luna couldn't stop smiling, couldn't stop thinking about Rolf and her hopes of maybe, just maybe, a night in hogsmeade with him. Not as friends. As Luna went down to breakfast, she was expecting to receive another of Rolf's letters. As soon as she sat down in front of the chattering great hall, the post started streaming in, specks of brown, black and white against a bright white cloudy sky. Upon closer inspection, Luna realized that it was snowing. The first snow of the year! large, fluffy flakes fell so close to her head that she could reach up and touch them, but when her hand swept through a cluster of flakes, it past through the unsubstantial magical illusion. Her eyes scanned the parliament of owls for the large snowy owl that she could almost recognize better than her own spirited barn owl, called Astoria. The visibility was so bad, she couldn't see London until he landed in her breakfast. She huffed. Somehow, all owls found her breakfast an excellent place to land. He held a small scroll in his beak. Unrolling it, Luna found some excellent news.

Dear Luna.

I've done it! Finally! I've always wanted to be a healer, and I've finally got it! I took my final exams after I wrote you three days ago, and Healer Marigold said I passed with flying colours. I'd love to come up and see you for christmas, but my schedule'll be busy until christmas eve. I don't know if you have plans at all, but I'd love to come and see you then. I have a christmas surprise that I think you'll love. Write me back if you can meet me,

Love, Rolf.

Luna couldn't stop grinning all through breakfast, which didn't last long. She wasn't going to eat her porridge after it had had owl feet in it. But before she could get up, another owl fluttered down, knocking the porridge she wasn't going to eat off the table. It bounced once and spilt, splashing milk everywhere. Muttering reparo, the bowl fixed itself and landed nicely on the table. Terego and the porridge sucked itself into her wand and disappeared. Only after cleaning up did she pluck the note from

the strange owls beak.

Luna.

I've never noticed how beautiful you were. I've been blind to you for so long, but I've seen the light. You are my one and only, my sweetheart forever. I hope you'll remember me, and what we could have. I hope you'll take me back.

Even though the note wasn't signed, Luna knew who it was from immediately. So this was why Neville was acting so incredibly odd. The letter was too sappy. She didn't know if this was how they had always been, but it seemed too thick, even from him. Luna hoped he was trying to really lay on the charm, because if she had swooned so easily over such crap, Luna knew she had had to be really, really in love. Slightly disgusted, she tucked the note away anyway, knowing it was only a matter of time.

Neville hurried down to breakfast after scribbling his note on a piece of spare parchment. He had been careful to decorate it with curling hearts in sparkling ink, dotting the eyes with sparkles, just the way she had used to love. After his breakup with Hannah, he had felt himself falling for Luna. And he fell, hard. When he had finally landed, he felt as if he had the wind knocked out of him, realizing what had just happened. He had been the one to break it off with Luna. But now it was like he realized he was wrong. Wrong and ready to admit it, to. So he started with a letter. He did sign it; he didn't need to. Luna would know who it was from. But he wasn't quite ready to ask her out again. he was scared. He was scared that she was going to say no. So before the owl had even left for the dining hall, he wrote another note.

The second note came in the middle of the Hufflepuff/Slytherin third year Charms class. It was delivered by a chuckling fifth year who had obviously read it. All though the seal had been hastily redone with magic, she could tell it had been read. Luna returned to her desk and sat down heavily, tearing open the purple wax seal. It was from Neville again.

Luna.

I'm Sorry I broke your heart. I'm so desperately sorry that I can't say. I think I've been so stupid and I've fallen for you hard again. I know you know it's me. Please take me back.

Luna shook her head. She crumpled the note and tossed it away. She didn't want to take Neville back. She already had someone else. Well, almost. And even if she didn't, she wouldn't want Neville back. He had broken her heart and it hadn't been fun, even if she knew it wasn't working. It wouldn't work now, either. Neville had been hurt enough, and so had she. Luna didn't want any casualties this time. Not now.

five more notes came that week. Three in class and two at mealtimes. Neville hadn't given any sign that he was writing the notes, but she knew it was him. He watched her tuck the notes into her robes, as she was careful to do when she knew he was watching. There were two particularly sappy ones that she resisted the urge to drop-kick them across the great hall. Rolf wrote twice more, and Luna was careful to open those were Neville wouldn't see. Part of Luna was horrified for seemingly leading Neville on like this, pretending to keep his notes when she through them out first chance she got, sometimes without reading them. But she knew that Neville would give up with notes soon and ask her out in person, but every time she lifted her quill to write a reply, the words wouldn't come. She remembered the night before the start of term when she figured she'd be ecstatic if Neville wanted her back, but now she hardly recognized that Luna. She treasured Rolf's letters that were always long and substantial, asking her questions, prompting her to write back. She had kept every letter of his in her trunk, where as Neville's she had tossed in the bin as soon as Neville himself had gone. But she couldn't keep hiding like this. And one day, it caught up with her.

Neville cornered her outside the Charms classroom as she was heading down to lunch a week and a half after he had sent the first note. It was Thursday. Neville normally didn't go up to that part of the castle, so Neville new something was up. He looked to the side awkwardly and ran a hand through his slightly ruffled hair. Luna took a breath as Neville walked up to her. "hey, Luna." He began. "I was wondering…" He tried again "I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me tomorrow night." His words weren't rushed at all, they were strong and slow. Luna couldn't say no. She just couldn't. She had no logical reason to, Rolf wasn't going out with her tomorrow. And even if she didn't like Neville like that anymore, there was no reason she could let him down easy. But in the back of her head, she knew that wouldn't work. And Luna couldn't say no. To tell the truth, she couldn't say no very often. Luna tried not to let her expression show on her face. She knew she couldn't be hurt by Neville anymore, but could she hurt Neville? She hoped not. Alright. This time. "Alright, Neville." He smiled. "I'll meet you in the entrance hall, say, eight o'clock?" Luna nodded. He happily walked away. Luna smacked her forehead. What had she done? There was one thing she needed to do right now. She had to disrupt this ill-fated date before it went to far. She needed to find Teddy Lupin.

Rolf headed to the fourth third floor of St. Mungo's. As he passed the bronze plaque that read 'creature-related injuries', he started thinking about Luna again. He found that he was starting to get to know the girl in the letters, and starting to fall. And know he knew he was falling. When people talked about falling in love, he thought it was just a silly figure of speech. He didn't actually think they were falling, but it was true. He felt as if the ground had literally been tugged from under his feet and he was hurtling downwards. He didn't know what would happen when he finally reached land again. His thoughts kept turning to the last time they had seen each other. When ever he thought about it, he could feel Luna's hand on his chest again, over his heart thumping impossibly fast. He hoped with all his heart that their visit on Christsmas eve went well. He was hesitant to call it a date, but he wished he could. Rolf was startled out of his reverie by a crowd of blue robes rushing past them. Turning like one large, giant beast, they flooded into an open door. Rolf was left feeling distinctly ruffled and hardly surprised. After three months of the training course, he had gotten used to rushes like that. Something major had happened, and they needed all the superior Healers they could find. Rolf was, obviously, not a superior Healer. He didn't get too much work as the trainee Healer for the Avril Melange Ward. It was one that dealt with much less serious bites, from things that were primarily non-magical, like snakes or very large dogs. They were often fixed in a matter of minutes and the patients were sent on their way. At the moment, there was nobody in the Avril Melange ward. He'd like to go see Luna, maybe, but he knew without asking she was busy. Rolf headed back for his office, his feet feeling like they were made of led. He hadn't gotten enough sleep last night, a witch had come in with her son who had had his arm bitten half-off by their guard dog. Apparently, he had tried to feed it a treat and the dog mistook the meaning for 'treat' It hadn't been too hard to fix, but it resulting in Rolf staying up half the night, answering the witch's nervous questions. In the end, he had sent her home with a painkilling potion for the boy and an angry prod with his wand for the mother. Normally, he wasn't that irritable, but it had been two in the morning. It was six by the time he got to sleep again and seven when he woke up. Giving up sleep as a lost cause, he had left to find something to do.

Rolf shoved open the door to his office. It wasn't large, but it was enough for a desk and a chair and one enchanted window, an enchanted window that actually was openable. When opened, it showed just the muggle street unless you told it to be something else. The problem was, he could never see anything real through the window when it was closed, which was why the disembodied tapping sound surprised him at first. Startled, Rolf crossed the room in one stride and through open the window. The smelly muggle street below him stank with an odour disturbingly like urine. Grumbling about the unreliable charm on his window, he said, quite clearly, "The Forest of Dean" Instead of the sunny forest that he had pictured, the window changed instead to a red cliff soaked with sea spray and covered with dry dirt and tiny tufts of brown grass. He grunted and helped the unfamiliar owl inside his window, slamming it closed. As the window's bottom hit the sill, the image flickered and switched to the Eifell Tower, then, finally, to the forest of dean. "Thank you." he said sarcastically. He recognized the scroll at once. It was from his father.

Dear Rolf.

Hello from your father. I here you finally found yourself a job! good for you, and thank

you for notifying me as soon as possible.

Rolf could hear the sarcasm in his father's voice. He hadn't written to him at all in the past for months.

I heard from a friend who works with you at St. Mungo's that you didn't seem to be

fully applying yourself to your work? why is this, son? I've known that you always

wanted to be a Healer, and you were crushed when you failed Charms-

Rolf snorted. He hadn't failed Charms

And you've finally managed your dream, don't blow it now.

If I don't hear the reason you've dropped this within the next week

I will be coming personally to meet her.

Love your father

Harold Scamander.

How assuming he was. Rolf snorted and let the letter drift to the floor. The owl, his father must have gotten a new one, pecked at his arm, drawing blood. Rolf swore and smacked at it, but the owl just fluttered up and landed on the far corner of the desk where it sat ruffling it's feathers irritably. He was right of course, though. Luna must be the reason his work was dropping, even though there wasn't much work to drop. Fishing in a drawer in her desk, he pulled out a sheath of parchment and a self-inking quill. Tearing off the bottom portion of the parchment, he sucked on the end of his quill, then wrote.

Nice owl. He bites. And if you must know, I never failed Charms and her name is

Luna Lovegood. I've only met her in person twice but we've been exchanging letters

for three months now. I think she's amazing. She's teaching at Hogwarts, so I'm going to take her

out in Hogsmeade on Christmas eve. No, nothing is official. Not even that we're dating. Hope it is soon.

She's pretty and smart, I hope you have the chance to meet her soon. But please, please don't barge up and

introduce yourself. I didn't write you because I had nothing to tell.

Your son

Rolf Scamander

He signed his name with a flourish, read it over and tied it with an overlong piece of string that he had to wrap around the rolled-up letter five times before tying it. Rolf swatted at the owl as it tried to peck him again and gave him the letter to clamp in his beak. The stupid bird took it rather resentfully and flew at the window. Rolf laughed as it smacked into the clear glass. he reached behind his head and pulled up the window latch. The bird gave him one last rude peck and disappeared into Muggle London. "And goodbye to you as well" He said, putting his boots on his desk.

Luna found Teddy Lupin at dinner time that day. She didn't underestimate Teddy's havoc-wreaking abilities, but even she doubted he would be able to pull off the full-scale fiasco she needed him to if she told him tomorrow morning. Even Teddy heading into Hogsmeade was a risk, but this was something she couldn't trust to anybody else. Luna waited for him outside the Dining hall, pretending to be studying a tapestry of Mallina the Malicious, a witch with wild eyes and strait black hair that came down to the bottom of her ears, holding a house-elf by the neck in each of her hands. When Teddy came out, laughing with his friends, she took out her wand and aimed carefully at Teddy's backside. In her head, she whispered "Diffindo" Luna remembered Harry telling her about using this to get Diggory on his own in his fourth year. And it worked, too. "Go on ahead guys, the new passwords 'balmy buttocks'" As Teddy knelt to collect his stuff, Luna hurried out as if to help him. When he straitened up, his things clutched in a messy armful, Luna was standing in front of him. He was almost as tall as her already. Today, his hair was almost as blonde as her own, but it still forked up in it's ever-artful points. "Teddy. I need your help."

She towed him into an empty classroom down the hall, where he dumped his stuff on an empty desk. A quill rolled off the desk. Teddy, possibly wanting to display his prowess of summoning charms to his teacher, called it back up to his hand with a quick "Accio." In her head, Luna though 'great. Another way to make Teddy Lupin even lazier.' "I need your help." She repeated. Teddy looked at her quizzically "What would Professor Lovegood want with me?" Luna frowned. "I'm asking you this as Auntie Looney." His eyebrows raised a quarter of an inch. "Professor Neville wants to take me out again, and I couldn't say no. The problem is, I really, really don't want to, but I don't want to lead him on or hurt him again." Teddy smirked at her. "Auntie Looney needs help with her love life." Luna could have slapped the insolent look right off his face. She didn't, though. She needed Teddy's help and this wasn't something she could really write to his grandmother about, was it? She would've asked Rolf, but it would look like she was friend zoning him completely, and that was exactly what she didn't want. Luna continued explaining what she needed. By the end of it, Teddy's face had absolutely lit up. "You want me to deliberately, purposefully and completely cause a gorgeous commotion in Madam Pudifoots teashop?" His eyes were glowing with glee. "Sneak out to hogsmeade on a school night… I don't think even Uncle George did that. And make a huge mess?" Luna nodded. "That's about it. Try not to destroy the teashop, I don't want to inconvenience Madam Pudifoot at all." Teddy gave a little nod, as if this was entirely inconsequential. "And I won't get in trouble? This isn't some sort of scam?" Luna shook her head. "But don't get caught by any other teachers and for heavens sake, if you need to make an excuse, try not to drag me into it. If your about to get expelled, then maybe. Your education is more important than my job." Teddy didn't react to this. "You don't mind if I message Uncle George? He might be able to reply before I have to get set up, but I already have a way into hogsmead. Don't worry I won't drag you into it. I'll need plenty of Party Balls and I can mash up Snackboxes stuff and put it in the sugar bowls. Oh, this'll be fun!"

Teddy had never been this excited. Not even when… Nope, not then either. Alright, the hallway-ceiling-puking-party he had thrown in september might have topped it. But not really. This required careful, meticulous planning. It would be mayhem, but perfectly controlled mayhem. Until everyone started puking. Then it would be interesting. He would set the Party Balls on a timer and plant them in the lamps. He'd use one of the Weazley Wizard Wheezes Insta-tunnels to get into the teashop basement, and, with the help of some clever accomplices, the shop would be perfectly rigged for detonation by go-to hour of eight thirty. No one would have ever seen anything like this before. Not even Umbridge and the wild-fire fireworks and the portable swamp. Ohhh, fireworks would be good. And it would be great if he could find some way to incorporate a portable swamp, as well. Teddy sat up in his bed in the third-highest floor of the Gryffindor boys dormitory. With a soft whistle, he called all his friends up with them. Teddy performed disillusionment charms on the all. He'd found them in a book once and realised he needed to learn them. They had been an unbelievably invaluable aid to rule-breaking ever since. The portrait hole seemed to open and close on its own, waking the fat lady up with a moan. You could only hear footsteps if you listened very, very closely.

Luna got another letter from Rolf that morning. She didn't read it, but tucked it in her impressively bright turquoise sparkling robes immediately without Neville seeing. She'd read it later. For now, the stupid owl had finally thought to avoid her food and landed on the very edge of the table, knocking a tureen of sausages over the edge instead. At least, thought Luna, her own plate of bacon and eggs had remained mercifully untouched. She raked over Gryffindor table with her eyes and found Teddy catching her own. He gave her a wild smile and a thumbs up. He looked as if he had stayed up much too late last night, and somehow she doubted it was for homework. She gave him a terse smile in return and turned her attention back to her food.

As it was, Luna never got a chance to read Rolf's letter, her classes were too busy that day, and the looming threat of her date with Neville hung over her head like a large niffler-stuffed mistletoe. The students would be heading home for christmas on Saturday, Neville had asked her out just in time for her to secure Teddy's help. As seven o'clock approached, Luna headed to her office and put on nice robes of a pale. lacy pink. She pulled her hair out of its messy bun and let it fall down her back, poking a miniature sunflower in her hair that went nicely with the pink of her bright robes. Biting her freshly lipsticked lips, she headed to the entrance hall, pulling on her heavy winter cloak. Outside was bitterly cold. Neville stood wearing elegant emerald dress robes and a long Gryffindor scarf. The red and green clashed together with a nice, holiday-y feel. In the front of her dress robes, the letter from Rolf still sat. She didn't know why, but she had tucked the letter she hadn't read yet in her pocket. Maybe it would act as a thin light of hope, reminding she could read it when she got back from this fiasco. Maybe, also, it would act as a good encouragement to break it off solidly with Neville this time. "Hello, Luna." He bowed elegantly, his arm offered out to her. Oddly, she felt her heart flutter a bit. This was how someone should treat a lady. No. Not Neville. Rolf, think Rolf. Suddenly, Luna's memories of Neville, who had broken her heart, who just didn't work. She had no feelings for the man standing in front of her, who was taking her out. Luna had watched Harry's relationship with Cho Chang. She knew rebound relationships hardly ever worked. If she waited, it would fall apart on its own, but someone would be hurt and she didn't want to wait. She took Neville's arm, staying as far away from him as possible, even thought the cold whistled through the open front of her coat and through the thin dress robes. Oddly enough, the piece of paper tucked against her chest made a better barrier from the cold than the thin layers of cloth, so it made the letter feel oddly warm. They reached Hogsmeade with rubbed raw, rosy cheeks and cold faces. Luna breathed a sigh of great relief as they passed the three broomsticks and the turnoff to the Hogshead. He was, thankfully, heady strait for Madam Pudifoots teashop. The door opened on smoothly oiled hinges, opening a world of bright pink. The walls were pale pink, and there was mistletoe hanging over the tables. Luna actually could see the nargles poking their ugly heads out. Silver-painted christmas trees stood along the walls, and the windows showed the peaceful image of the snowy hogsmeade. Harp and flute music hummed from small elf-like creatures that stood on a substantial, fluffy white cloud that shifted over the tables, spewing puffs of pink snow that melted on the heads of the lovers underneath them. Luna couldn't believe she had once thought the teashop was flirty and romantic; now she just found it sickeningly sweet. Neville led her by the arm to a vacant table and ordered them both coffees. When they came, Neville dropped two spoons of sugar in his and took a sip, making a face. "too hot." He grinned a little bit. Luna nervously checked her watch. Eight twenty four. Just a little longer. Luna never thought she'd be disturbed so much by Neville's presence that she'd be counting down the minutes until she could get away from him, but here it was. In the light, she could see the faint silleoute of a Party Ball sitting dormant. He must've set it on a timer. She glanced around the shop and saw similar sillheoutes in each and ever light fixture. Teddy really did take pride in his work. Everything but school work, that was. Neville seemed to be prepping himself for something. Luna took a breath and checked her watch again, hoping Neville didn't notice. Eight twenty five. Getting there. "Luna, I'm sorry for what I did. I'm sorry for hurting you and I don't know what I was thinking." He paused to gauge her expression. Luna prayed it remained believable. "I don't know why I went with Hannah. Maybe it was to make you jealous, I didn't know what I was thinking." Luna honestly didn't believe this. Neville had seemed happier when he was with Hannah than during their entire relationship. He was deluding himself. "I really want you to come back to me, I don't know what I'll do without you." Of course, he couldn't give her the easy way out, couldn't say 'if you don't want me I understand' He wasn't entirely innocent as he looked. He might have thought this out entirely before hand, but then again, he might just be winging it. If he had planned it all out, she was almost sorry to interrupt Neville's plan. She checked her watch under the table. Eight twenty nine. one minute. Neville moved a bit closer as the harp and flute music moved closer, hovering above their table, dropping pink flakes into her hair and into her coffee. Neville looked up and smiled, as if he found it amusing. Luna was just plain annoyed. Neville pointed up. At first she thought he was pointing at the cloud. "Look. Mistletoe." Luna shook her head. "It's full of Nargles, you know." At that moment, one of the small, ugly, gnome-like creatures chose to stab it's head out at Neville, bearing tiny fangs. Neville yelped and tipped his chair over, causing a crash that broke many snogging couples. Sheepishly, he set his chair back up with a wave of his wand, sat down and admitted "I always thought you were kidding. Nargles, what a name." He laughed nervously and leant closer, his elbow inches from the delicate ceramic sugar bowl. Luna flicked her eyes down at her watch. Eight thirty two. Any time now, Teddy. Luna tried not to lean away from him, but every impulse in her body screamed to. Instead she gave a bit of a shiver and leant in, just enough for Neville to reach. Their lips met, and if felt as if they sparked. The shock ran through her body, but instead of pleasure, she just felt disgust. She was disgusted with it. Somehow, Neville couldn't tell, he still kissed her passionately while she sat stiffly, strait-backed and horrified. His lips were feverishly hot against hers, and somehow she imagined Neville was Rolf, and she was tempted to sink into his kiss, twirl her fingers into his hair as she used to do. She stiffened again. Not Rolf. This was not Rolf. The letter in her chest burned quickly, but she must have been imagining it. Neville didn't break the kiss off, even when Luna counted a minute had past. Hurry up, Teddy! When she couldn't take the horrible kiss any longer, Luna pulled herself back. Just as the sound of at least thirty Party Balls went off at once.

Teddy and two of his friends crouched in the instant-made tunnel that led right into Madam Pudifoots. The shop didn't actually have a cellar, which was all the better for Teddy. Even though it was "Auntie Looney" who provided the influence and reason for this fiasco/prank, Teddy still had his own agenda. Either him or one of his mates had popped up every thirty seconds since eight-thirty. Their tunnel ended up right under a table. It was lucky Madam Pudifoot had such an eye for elegance, because without the long, embroidered white tablecloth, they would've been spotted in a second. Even despite telling Professor Lovegood he would get his friends help, but not tell them what they were up to, he had still ending up bursting the beans, but threatening the wrath of Looney if they ever told a soul. Even if he didn't harbour much respect for too many of his teachers, he did respect Professor Lovegood, because he didn't want to be another verbal punching bag for his grandmother.

He needed to tell his friends because he didn't want to do all the work with setting up the teashop on his own, and because his plan wasn't eight thirty. It was 'wait until they kiss' His friend Lenny, who had been standing on Jacobs back, poked his head back down the hole. Teddy felt sorry for Jacob. He had taken his turns holding Lenny up, too. Lenny was almost hysterical with penned up laughter. "Oh, you need to see this. Professor Longbottom's leaning in, snogging her senseless and Professor Lovegoods just sitting there, rigid as a board." He doubled over with laughter and tumbled like a bowling ball as Teddy knocked him off of Jacobs back and leapt up to see for himself. He was surprised nobody had heard the loud, hollow 'umph' Lenny had made. Carefully lifting the table cloth with his hand, he saw one of the funniest things of his life. True, Lenny had described it personally. It was as if Professor Longbottom was kissing a two-by-four, but it didn't make it any less worth it to see it in person. Teddy jumped back down the hole, laughing hard, and obliged to get on his hands and knees so Jacob could see. He hoped down after five seconds while Teddy groped for his wand. Finding it, he grasped it and waved it towards the pink-tiled floor of Madam Pudifoots teashop. "Incantatem eu*"

First was the Party balls. Suddenly, incredibly loud music was drowning out the peaceful harp sounds and ricocheting off the walls. People yelped and clapped their hands to their ears. Pink snow wasn't the only thing falling from the ceiling, now their were buckets and buckets of confetti diving in at once. And a little later, as people sipped their tea, their was vomiting and fainting galore. Somehow, Teddy had created a delayed effect on the skiving snack box charm. She reminded herself to give him extra marks in charms for that. It would take incredible skill to tamper with Weasley Wizards products. Soon, the musicians on the cloud spouted terrific nosebleeds. Luna could tell because soon, pink blood wasn't the only thing falling from the clouds. Luna leapt up in disgust. She backed away from the cloud, mirroring Neville, who's eyes looked a little glazed from his one-way snog. About five seconds after Luna jumped up, half of the people in the teashop popped into canaries. But they didn't change back in five seconds. Instead, they continually molted and regrew feathers, like large, yellow phoenix's. Another excellent tampering charm, thought Luna. She figured that, as a teacher, she shouldn't really be praising this sort of thing, even in her head. And it was for her benefit. She didn't know how many points for Gryffindor this was worth. Luna didn't realize that the letter from Rolf had slipped onto the table until Neville picked it up. "What's this?" He asked, checking the address. "Rolf Scamander. Who's Rolf Scamander?" Luna snatched at the letter. "A friend." Neville poked at the ribbon and it unfurled, possibly accidentally, in his hand. His eyes scanned the paper, expression growing worse and worse until Luna could hardly bear it any more. "Dear Luna" He read. "My father wrote about what he heard about my job as a trainee Healer, and he said he didn't think I was doing good enough. He asked, and I quote 'who is she?' I wrote him back and told him it was you. I think I like you, Luna. I've been falling in love with the girl in your letters, and I can't wait to see you again. I hope you feel the same way as I do. I have reason to believe you do. And if you do, I'm incredibly sorry for my painfully slow uptake. This is my first time in something like this, as I'm sure you'll realize. I can't wait for Christmas eve, all my love, Rolf." Luna groaned. In a different situation, she would have been absolutely overjoyed. If only she had read it at breakfast. She might've cancelled her date with Neville right then and there, he had been sitting right beside her. But now, having it read to her by the man that she supposedly harboured feelings for, it was like a swish of a sharp, carved axe, sealing her doom. But with the look Neville gave her, it felt more like a dull axe. Maybe it would be more like Nearly Headless Nick, slow and painful, being hit in the neck with a dull axe. "So this is why." He started. "I thought you'd be all too happy to go out with me. I thought you'd be happy when Hannah cut it off with me. No wonder you didn't seem happy when I asked you out!" His expression was horrible, painful and hurt. With all the bright confetti, loud music, pink snow and, more ominously, blood, pouring around them, it didn't seem entirely real, but Luna knew it was. "Why did you say yes? Why didn't you just turn me down right them?" He didn't let her answer. "Fine, Luna. Goodnight. I hope you and this 'Rolf'" he said it with the same tone as he'd say 'Severus Snape' or 'Percy Weasley's Cauldron-bottoms report' "Get along well." He turned on his heel and shoved off into the snow. Luna stood, with blood, puke and confetti forming a puddle around her shoes, and remembered the letter. Blood, confetti and puke had never smelt so sweet.


*Actual latin for Activate Spell, like Accio for come or Expecto Patronum for I await a guardian. Thank google translate.