Disclaimer: Ah, Larissa, I think I'll stay here an extra day. Still no Eros. Did you really expect there to be? I'm nearly convinced that the Greek gods are no longer in Greece. I'll still head for Mt. Olympus though. It only makes sense to check all possible leads. Characters are still not mine and I own nothing…well except a computer.

A/N: I had originally expect the Loch Ness Monster to only last a chapter or two and it's now up to at least five, probably more. Gah! Good thing you all like it. Especially my Becca as this is her story. I'm also revising all of my stories so the rest of the Blitz will be The Great Coffee Quest which was inspired by my son so have a look at the new chapters. See you later!

The Loch Ness Monster

Chapter Four: Camping

Chapter Summary: Sherlock's never been camping. John discovers the benefits of Wizard Tents. Luna is amused and Harry exasperated. Fun times await.

Sherlock eyed the tent Luna and Harry had erected with some trepidation. He'd never been camping before and he wasn't all together sure he wanted to now. He should never have agreed to allow Harry and Luna to make the travel arrangements. Why would someone willingly sleep in such a flimsy piece of construction? "Are you sure this is safe?" He asked.

John had the gall to laugh at his words, Luna gave him one of her vague dreamy smiles and Harry snorted with mirth. "I can't believe you just asked that," John gasped out.

"What?" Sherlock asked in a harsh voice. "It's a completely accurate question! What if there are animals in these woods. Tigers or bears or snakes or mice? And what if it rains? How will we stay dry?"

Harry snickered now. "You've never been camping have you, Sherlock?" He moved to stand beside the older man and patted his shoulder. "We'll be fine. Why don't you take your suitcase in and get settled while we find some firewood?"

Sherlock's eyes lit up. "Can I start the fire?"

John nearly fell over from his laughing again. "Sure, why not?" He grinned. "At least we won't have to worry about you burning the flat down out here."

Luna looked over at them then. "Though we do have to be concern that he will burn down the forest or the tent," she remarked. "But I don't think he will."

Sherlock glared a bit at John and then huffily picked up his suitcase from the ground and strode to the tent flap. He looked at it dubiously and then lifted the flap and stepped inside.

"Brilliant!" They all heard him exclaim. Harry snickered again and Luna's smile became more amused and less dreamy. John stared at them both in confusion. "Magic is just brilliant!" Sherlock sounded very pleased.

"What's going on?" John asked the duo.

Sherlock evidently heard him and poked his head out of the tent flap. "You have to see this! Get in here, John. Forget the firewood." His head disappeared inside again and they all heard his shouts of joy and excitement.

"Sherlock," John called out. "We need firewood if we want to eat and keep warm tonight." He shook his head.

"Go on, John," Harry urged with mirth lighting his eyes. "Go see what has him so excited. We can handle gathering the firewood."

John shot him a skeptical look but complied with his wishes. He picked up his own suitcase and flipped open the flap to the tent. His eyes widened and he swung his head towards Harry and Luna only to find them leaning on each other laughing. "So no need for firewood then?"

Harry shook his head. "Go on, we're right behind you." He motioned with his hand for John to go on into the tent and John went. "There are four bedrooms but one of them has been turned into a potion's lab for Luna. The bedroom on the right down the hall is mine and Luna's you two can decide where you're going to sleep. Be warned though that the bedroom directly across from ours is decorated for Teddy. He won't mind one of you borrowing it but it's got toys and stuff in it. Bathroom's the door at the end of the hall. There's a tub and a shower. Kitchen's fully stocked and dinner should be ready in about two hours. I have to set up the wards before I start it." He shot a look over at Sherlock. Wouldn't want any creepy crawlies invading while we sleep."

"Funny, Harry," Sherlock scowled at the teasing. "Why does the flap look like a door from this side?"

Harry shrugged. "Do not ask me to explain the logic behind the decisions of wizards because so far as I can tell, there isn't any."

"Isn't that rather harsh on yourself?" Sherlock smirked. "You are a wizard, too."

Harry shrugged again. "I already know that I have no logic and very little common sense. That doesn't bother me." He grinned at Sherlock. "You need better insults if you thought that was one."

Sherlock scowled lightly and disappeared into the room that had been decorated for Teddy. John shrugged and lugged his suitcase and Sherlock's towards the bedrooms.

SH/JW HP/LL SH/JW HP/LL

Sherlock rolled his eyes as Harry dished up plates of Lemon-baked Chicken with quinoa and sautéed carrots for everyone. "I'm not hungry," he grumbled.

"Sherlock," John said warningly. "You haven't eaten anything today aside from some crisps on the train and even then you only ate four. Eat the meal that Harry made for us."

"Picky eater, are you, Sherlock?" Harry asked. "So was my cousin. Though his pickiness was more geared toward anything that wasn't nailed down."

Sherlock scoffed. "I'm not picky," he sneered. "I'm just not hungry. I don't eat while I'm on a case; digestion slows down my thinking."

"What is there to think about on this case tonight?" Luna asked. "Harrymine is going to go to sleep tonight and then when he gets up in the morning he'll ask the snakes around here if they've seen Nessie. If none of them have then he'll call to her in Parseltongue; she'll be sure to answer that. Dragons do, you know. So you should eat."

Sherlock frowned at her and then grabbed his fork and picked at a bite of the Lemon Chicken. His eyes widened and he dug in with more enthusiasm. "This is really good, Harry." He said a few minutes later.

Harry blushed a bit. "Thank you. I hope you both like strawberry tortes."

Sherlock's head whipped up. "Berries? Strawberries?"

Luna smiled vaguely again. "Fresh one's at that. Harrymine only ever makes anything from scratch and using the freshest ingredients he can procure."

Sherlock pushed his nearly empty plate away and gazed at Harry expectantly. "I'm finished. Where's dessert?"

John chuckled, Luna giggled and disappeared through the door to the small kitchen while Harry gathered the plates and followed her. "Coming right up, Master Holmes, sir."

Sherlock smirked at their backs. His antics had banished that shadowed look from Harry's eyes, at least. Soldiers were so easy to manipulate. Act out a bit and they focused on you and not on whatever was bothering them. His mercurial moods were guaranteed to lift John out of the depression and anger that his nightmares always left him in and now it seemed they worked on Harry as well.

Luna gave him a knowing look when she and Harry brought the desserts in but said nothing. Sherlock happily devoured the sweet torte. "Why did the Minister ask you to help?" He asked while John was doing the dishes a bit later. He was supposed to be helping but he stood by the counter with the towel in his hands without ever touching a single dish.

Luna tried to scowl but her face wasn't made for such an expression and she looked rather amusing. "Kingsley is of the impression that just because Harrymine defeated the Dork Lard he has an answer for everything."

"He's an idiot," Sherlock growled. "Seriously, simply because Harry can throw a well-placed spell doesn't mean that he knows how many atoms are in a grain of sand."

"7.8 x 10 the 19th power," Harry answered immediately. Then he grinned at John and Sherlock's shocked faces. "I'm more than just a pretty face or a quick and accurate caster, gentlemen."

"So it would seem, Mr. Potter," Sherlock said in his poshest voice.

Harry stumbled backwards and sat heavily in his chair. "Don't DO that! You sounded just like your brother."

Sherlock tried to scowl but it came out very weak and was followed quickly by a small delighted smile. "Then don't be so condescending, Harry. Can I see the potions lab, now?"

Luna gave him the most direct look that she had all day. "Of course." She grabbed his hand and pulled him along with her. "I have the most wonderful pixies dust and the hair from a selkie and, of course, a bunch of snake's venom from all different kinds of snakes."

"You do realize that Sherlock will keep her in there all night, don't you, Harry?" John asked as they disappeared down the hallway.

Harry laughed and shook his head. "If she doesn't keep him in there all night, maybe. Want to play cards or something?"

"Sure, as long as we're not playing Gobstones or Exploding Snap," John answered with a shudder at the memories. "Remus used to play Gobstones with me and I couldn't stand being squirted with that stinky stuff. And your mother delighted in exploding my eyebrows every chance I gave her. Lily was ace at Exploding Snap."

"Really?" Harry leaned forward. "No one ever told me that before." He grinned. "What other games did she play? I know she didn't like Quidditch."

John raised an eyebrow at him. "Now who told you that? Your mother loved Quidditch. She never played on the teams but she loved to watch. Truthfully your mother was rather blood thirsty when it came to sports. She loved football and rugby too. Especially rugby." John shivered again. "She was so completely vicious. No one ever wanted to play against her. Your dad was the one who didn't really care much for Quidditch. Oh, don't get me wrong, he was very good at it and would have been over the moon about you playing on the team your first year but he was a very easy going guy. Not all that competitive when it came to sports."

Harry's eyes were as large as saucers with his surprise. "I never knew that. Sirius said he'd have been really proud of me and that he adored Quidditch."

"Ah, that makes some sense," John nodded. "Sirius adored Quidditch so naturally everyone else did too. He wasn't lying to you he just couldn't conceive of James enjoying flying but not being as enamoured of Quidditch as he was. So what were you thinking of playing…though if you're anything like your mother then maybe we should just read quietly or something."

Harry's green eyes twinkled and his grin was more than a bit predatory. "I was thinking along the lines of poker. The Weasley twins taught me a few years ago. I'm not competitive at all, John, I assure you."

John glared at him. "Why do I believe that to be one of the biggest lies you've ever told?" He asked shrewdly.

Harry's laugh filled the room and bounced off the walls. John only shook his head and followed the younger man to the front room.