Disclaimer: Soooo Velestino? Gorgeous, simply gorgeous. Empty of Greek gods or London police detectives but I guess you can't have everything. I'll find both eventually. Sherlock and co. are not mine and I make no money off these amusing little stories.

A/N: Chapter one of the Sunday Blitz. Hope you like it. Let me know.

The Loch Ness Monster

Chapter Three: Conversations on a Train

Chapter Summary: What do the interesting conversations always happen while travelling? Sherlock and John meet Kreature and learn a bit more about Harry and Luna.

"The eyes of red mater?" Sherlock asked as the train began to move. "Care to explain?"

Luna shrugged lightly and tried to pull Harry out of the corner but he wouldn't budge. "If you ever meet the Weasley's you'll understand a bit better. Come on, Harrymine, you've warded the compartment. There's no way the Eyes can find you here and you know it." She finally gave up when he crossed his arms over his chest. "Fine then. Be overly dramatic."

John and Sherlock turned to look closer at Harry and found him scowling at the buildings that were passing faster and faster outside the window. "Should we be worried about these eyes?" John asked.

Luna gave him a small smile. "Not now. No matter what Harrymine thinks, the mother cannot fly without a broom nor can she run fast enough to catch this train."

"I know that," Harry grumbled. "But one of her many relatives may have snuck on the train before it left the station." He pushed himself farther back into the shadows until he nearly disappeared from sight. "My ears are still ringing from the last time she thinks she saw me and I didn't respond to her."

Luna pulled his hand from the shadows and held it in her own. "Howlers are a vile creation."

"What's a Howler?" Sherlock asked.

"They're letters that yell in the sender's voice," John told him. "I've only ever received one."

The buildings of London were merely a blur now. Harry leaned forward a bit. "Who sent you a Howler? I can't imagine anyone in your family would do that. Remus despised them."

A smile appeared on John's lips, almost of its own volition. "Your father, actually. Though your mother put her two pence in."

Interested, as always in stories about his parents, Harry leaned fully out of the shadows. "Why on earth would my parents send you a Howler?"

"They wanted me to know that they were very displeased that I'd missed their engagement party and to tell me that no excuses would be accepted if I had the temerity to miss the wedding." John chuckled a little. "Your mother could yell, I tell you. Your father didn't yell but that was almost worse."

Harry grinned back. "Harrymine yells." Luna told them with a small shudder. "It's loud. Very loud and scary."

Harry squeezed her hand. "I've only ever yelled at you once, Lunalove. I'm not sorry for it, you know."

Luna waved her free hand through the air. "Oh, I know. I deserved a scolding."

"What did you do?" Sherlock asked.

"Nearly blew up the house," Luna confessed. "I was making potions and got distracted by a Blibbering Humdinger and left it to boil over. Harrymine caught it before it did more than melt the table. Still he was very angry with me. He yelled for a whole five minutes and fumed at me for an hour or so. Now he makes sure Winky keeps an eye on me when I'm brewing."

Harry grinned suddenly. "I had nothing to do with that. Winky watches you on her own. She loves you and doesn't want you hurt."

"Who's—" Sherlock's question was cut off by a popping sound and a greenish gray creature with floppy ears and huge gray eyes appeared.

"Master Harry," the creature croaked out and held out a long spindly arm with a letter in its four fingers. "The bald one left this for you." He passed over the letter and glared at Sherlock and John. "Muggles," it spat. "Master shouldn't be consorting with Muggles."

"Kreature," Harry said in a warning tone.

"These aren't just any Muggles though, Kreature," Luna cut him off. "This is Teddy's uncle and The Great Sherlock Holmes."

Kreature eyed them speculatively. "Little Master's blood kin?" He frowned in thought. "And the Great Master Holmes? The one that can tell a witch or wizard from sight?"

"Yes," Luna nodded encouragingly.

"What stories have you been telling our family, Lunalove?" Harry laughed a little.

"I haven't told Kreature and Winky any stories," Luna objected. "I've only ever told them the truth. I never make up stories, Harrymine."

Kreature looked hard at Sherlock. "You're not a Muggle." He stated knowledgably. "You have magic blood but you can't use it. Or you can but not the way witches and wizards can. You are special, Sherlock Holmes."

Sherlock stared into those large grey eyes. "Thank you." He said finally in a strange tone. "I understand now." Kreature nodded and disappeared with a pop.

"What do you understand, Sherlock Holmes?" Luna asked him.

John and Harry watched the two with shocked looks.

Sherlock blinked. "The same thing you do, Luna Potter," he told her and wouldn't say anymore. Luna smiled dreamily and nodded. "What did he give you?"

Harry looked down at the letter he'd forgotten about. "A letter from the Minister of Magic."

Sherlock scowled. "You weren't even in the same county," he declared. "Mycroft needs to keep his nose out. What does it say?"

Harry gave him a confused look and tore open the letter. "What are you talking about?" He asked vaguely as he read.

"Riddle's house blew up last night," John informed him. "Mycroft has been convinced that you did it."

"Mmm," Harry hummed his attention on the letter.

"Well," Sherlock pressed as Harry stayed silent even after his eyes had stopped moving over the letter.

Harry blinked and looked up at him. "What?" He frowned. "Oh. I wasn't there and I don't know where Mycroft gets his information but it certainly isn't from Kingsley. He's asking me to investigate the explosion."

"Maybe he's trying to lure you into a false sense of security." Sherlock suggested.

Harry shook his head. "No, not Kingsley."

Luna giggled. "He's dependent on Harrymine."

"What do you mean?" John asked.

"Here I'll read you his letter and then you'll understand." Harry told them. He opened the letter again and then started to read it aloud.

Harry,

I know that you're off on some trip with Luna but I really need your help on this one.

Last night the Riddle house exploded and the Muggle authorities cannot find the cause. The obliviators took care of things and now they think it's a gas line leak.

I know that after what happened to you there that you have no desire to go anywhere near the place and I promise it's the last time I'll ask for you to do this. But, I really need you. None of my investigators can find a cause for the explosion. I don't think they're looking very hard though. No one cares about an old Muggle house that belonged to the father of the worst Dark Lord in the last century.

Please Harry?

Kingsley Shacklebolt

Minister of Magic

"He's desperate, again." Harry sighed and looked torn.

"No," Luna said suddenly. "You are not going to cancel our trip to investigate a gas line leak that lead to an explosion. That house was old and uncared for. The pipes and lines and things were rusted and let in an Ullirg that sparked and caused the explosion."

"I wasn't intending to help out, Lunalove. Kingsley keeps asking for my help on everything. He needs to learn to stand on his own two feet if he expects to stay Minister. I can't help him all the time. I have my own life to lead."

Luna smiled again. "Good. It's about time you realize that." She turned to look out the window at the buildings that were slowly lessening. They were moving out of the city now and into the countryside. She settled back into her seat, knowing that the ride would be long. Scotland and Loch Ness were a long way off.

"How are we going to find the Loch Ness Monster?" John asked a few minutes later. "I know it's a Water Dragon but it's never actually been spotted that I know of. Not for real anyway."

"We'll figure it out when we get there," Harry said vaguely.

"So we're off with no plan whatsoever?" Sherlock squawked.

"Mmhm," Harry nodded and smiled brightly. "Any plan I make seems to fall apart halfway through so I've stopped making them."

"That's…" Sherlock paused.

"Clever," John grinned.

"Is it? How is it clever? Why is it clever?" Sherlock burst out. "I don't see why it's clever. I think it's idiotic."

"It's clever because it leaves room for change, Sherlock," John shook his head. "And I'll bet that Luna has a plan."

Luna turned her eyes from the window but not her face, so that she was looking at them from the corner of her eye. She smiled dreamily and then shifted her eyes back to the window again.

A/N: I'm going to cut this chapter off here. I've written it at least five different times and I'm still not happy with it. Oh well. And I'm starting the next chapter with them at the campsite. Hope you enjoyed the chapter anyway.