Disclaimer: Same as usual, plus The Chronicles of Narnia created by C. S. Lewis.

Chapter Five

Midsummer

Over hill, over dale,
Thorough bush, thorough brier,
Over park, over pale,
Thorough flood, thorough fire,
I do wander everywhere,
Swifter than the moone's sphere;
And I serve the fairy queen,
To dew her orbs upon the green

- William Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream

June 19, 1996, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Scotland, UK

Neville Longbottom had planned to bring Hermione here, for this.

They'd been discussing Midsummer. Hermione had complained that the name made no sense. After all, the Summer Solstice was the beginning of Summer, so how could it be Midsummer? It was then that Neville realized just how many gaps there were in the education of the Smartest Witch of her Generation.

Not that most so-called Purebloods were any better, Neville thought. Most of them knew so little about their history and heritage.

He explained to Hermione that the term Midsummer dated to the ancient Celts, who saw the season as beginning in early May with Beltane, and concluding around the end of July, with the Solstice pretty much in the middle. So, cultures with a Celtic heritage still traditionally called it Midsummer.

How cultures marked this time when the days began to grow shorter, signifying the beginning of the shift towards Winter, varied from culture to culture. In ancient Sweden, it was a time for sacrifices. In Christianity, it marked the birth of John the Baptist. Celebrations centered around bonfires, though they were not allowed to have a Midsummer bonfire at Hogwarts. When Hogwarts was founded, the old Julian Calendar was still in use which placed Midsummer on the 24th, after the end of term. It was decided the End of Term Feast was celebration enough. Neville would have liked a Midsummer bonfire as part of the End of Term festivities, though. He was old fashioned in that way.

The Midsummer tradition that Neville wanted to show Hermione was one he came out here close to the Forbidden Forest (but not too close) every year for. Midsummer was considered to be one of the best times to harvest magical plants that bloomed in the season, such as Calendula, which had magical healing properties. Helga Hufflepuff had planted them here, far from their native region, and the magic she'd placed here allowed them to thrive for all these centuries.

But, Hermione was in the Hospital Wing due to the injuries she suffered from the previous night's raid of the Ministry of Magic. She and Neville, along with Luna Lovegood and Ron and Ginny Weasley, had gone with Harry to rescue his godfather, Sirius Black. It turned out to be a trap set by Voldemort's Death Eaters, hoping to retrieve some sort of prophecy. For six teens, they did rather well against twice their number of Death Eaters, but they were ultimately overwhelmed until they were rescued by the Order of the Phoenix. On the positive side, they proved that, despite the Ministry's denials, that Voldemort was alive. Unfortunately, it cost the life of Sirius Black, who fell through that strange Veil in the Department of Mysteries.

Neville had an idea of what that Veil was. Harry and Luna were hearing voices from it, so Neville was certain they knew what it was.

Why them? Why did they hear voices when the rest of them didn't? Neville and, he noticed, Ginny, felt something, and it had clearly frightened Ginny as much as it did him. Ron was too out of it from whatever happened to him to be really aware of anything, but Hermione... She kept denying that there was anything there but an empty archway. Hermione was incredibly gifted, magically, Neville knew. How could she not feel anything from the Veil? Curious...

Harry and Luna were also the ones who handled themselves best during the battle. Ron had had his brains scrambled, incapacitating him. Ginny's ankle was broken. Neville, himself, would up with a broken nose and a broken wand. Madame Pomfrey fixed his nose, but nothing could fix the wand that had once belonged to his Auror father. He wasn't looking forward to explaining to his grandmother why he'd need his wand replaced. Hopefully, Dumbledore or McGonagall would put in a good word for him. The worst injured was Hermione, who nearly lost her life.

Neville didn't regret joining Harry, though. His parents had been Aurors, and members of Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix, which had been formed to fight Voldemort. They'd been driven to madness by a group of Voldemort's Death Eaters. No, there was no question about it in Neville's mind. There were things worth fighting and, if necessary, dying for. Harry's own parents had been killed by the Dark Lord. Neville would stand by Harry, to the end.

That Harry had acquitted himself well was no surprise to Neville. Luna, though, had been a revelation. Neville had thought the girl strange and dotty, perhaps even mad. Yet, she'd not only demonstrated that Gryffindors didn't have the monopoly on bravery, but she was smart, a true Ravenclaw. However distracted she seemed to be, normally, the girl was absolutely focused when the chips were down, and cool as a cucumber, to borrow a Muggle expression. When they were being held by Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad, outnumbered and disarmed, she, alone of them, remained calm, quietly thinking ahead towards their next move and waiting for the opportunity to arise, which she was certain would come. When that opportunity came, and they escaped, she'd already worked out how they would get from Hogwarts in Scotland to the Ministry in London while the rest of them were busy yelling at each other.

Neville made a mental note never to challenge Luna at poker.

An old Muggle belief about Midsummer Eve was that witches would have meetings with Otherworldly powerful beings. But that, of course, was a ridiculous superstition, Neville thought.

"Hello, Neville."

Neville looked up to see Luna, smiling. Where had she come from?

"Professor Flitwick and I are going to the Forbidden Forest to meet with some powerful Otherworldly beings. Wanna come?"

Luna hadn't planned on seeing Neville, today. She needed Professor Flitwick to come to the meeting with her because they'd need his help, and he was part goblin, his grandfather being the famous goblin known as Horsehung. That name accounted for why such a beautiful witch like Felicia Flitwick would take a goblin as her husband. Luna wasn't the only Ravenclaw girl to wonder if her Head of House had inherited a certain trait from his grandfather, but it would have been inappropriate to ask.

Despite being a powerful wizard and dueling champion, and despite always having been on the side of the Light, Flitwick wasn't a member of Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix. In fact, there wasn't a single Ravenclaw in the Order. It seemed that Dumbledore didn't want Ravenclaws in his organization, which was mostly made up of his fellow Gryffindors, but there were even a few Slytherins, there.

In the previous timeline, Luna felt insulted when she learned of this. Ravenclaws less trustworthy than Slytherins? No Ravenclaw had joined the Death Eaters, which was more than could be said for Dumbledore's precious Gryffindors. Thinking of that, though, led Luna to understanding.

The Order of the Phoenix was, in it's own way, as much a Cult of Personality built around it's charasmatic leader as the Death Eaters. Dumbledore demanded unquestioning obedience from his worshipful followers every bit as much as Voldemort did, and manipulated and used them as ruthlessly as the Dark Lord. Ravenclaws, unlike the other Houses, weren't even loyal to one another. Ravenclaws had to learn to look at things from every angle just to answer the Eagle's riddles to get into their Common Room, every day. That made them unsuitable to someone who required unquestioning obedience from his followers. A Ravenclaw would ask too many inconvenient questions.

And Luna had all sorts of inconvenient questions once all was said and done. Dumbledore had intentionally made certain that Harry's childhood from the death of his parents when he was a year old until he attended Hogwarts at 11 would be one of constant abuse and misery from his relatives. And, weren't the deaths of Harry's parents convenient to Dumbledore's master plan to manipulate Harry into a sacrificial pig he sought to kill at the right moment? All for the Greater Good, of course...

The deaths of Harry's parents raised even more problematic questions. Dumbledore had cast a Fidelius Charm to hide them from Voldemort. The Secret Keeper was believed, for years, to be Sirius Black, Harry's godfather. However, they chose Peter Pettigrew as Secret Keeper, instead. Pettigrew betrayed them to Voldemort, and Sirius was blamed and thrown into Azkaban without a trial. Yet... Dumbledore had been the one to cast the Fidelius Charm, so he had to have known that Pettigrew was the Secret Keeper.

Dumbledore had to have known they'd put an innocent man in Azkaban, the very man who would have had custody of Harry, and would have raised him in a loving and supportive environment. It wasn't as though the Ministry wouldn't have listened to Dumbledore. He was Head of the Wizengamot, the High Court of Wizarding Britain. His word was enough to keep a marked and repentant Death Eater, Severus Snape, out of Azkaban.

Then, there was how Dumbledore conducted the war. He constantly withheld vital information needed to save lives from those who most needed it. The most glaring example had been during the final year of the war, after the Headmaster's death. He'd left no instructions for the Order, even though he'd known he was dying for a year. Harry, Hermione, and Ron had spent most of that year trying to figure out the most obscure clues Dumbledore had left them regarding the Deathly Hallows. Some argued in Dumbledore's defence that he thought it important that they figure things out on their own, so they could learn. Under other circumstances, that would have been all well and good, but... With so many being tortured and murdered, this wasn't a time for games.

It wasn't just Harry that Dumbledore had been willing to sacrifice. So many died so Dumbledore's master plan could succeed. Why could the man not consider any other possibilities but what he, alone, decided was the only course of action?

Then, there was his conduct as Headmaster. Every year, the school would be attacked, the students in constant danger, because Dumbledore had gone out of his way to make the school a constant target. Surely, there were safer places to hide the Philosopher's Stone. And really, how safe had Dumbledore made the protections if three first year students could get past them? And some of his teaching appointments... Trelawney, Snape, Hagrid... All experts at their subjects, yes, but horrible at teaching them. Dumbledore was basing his teaching appointments entirely on having his pieces in place for what he seemed to see as a chess game with Riddle, at the expense of properly educating the future of Wizarding Britain.

Given that teaching was no longer Dumbledore's priority, Luna thought he should have gone ahead and accepted the position of Minister for Magic. But then, she mused, he wouldn't have been able to manipulate Harry so closely, his most important Pawn to sacrifice in his little game.

When she had brought up these issues with Harry and Hermione after Voldemort's downfall, their eyes seemed to glaze over. It wasn't an Imperius Curse, but... Something had been done to them, something to make them more... malleable. Probably several somethings.

Harry had even named a child for Dumbledore. Not only that, but the child's middle name was after Professor Snape. While there was a lot to admire about Severus Snape, the man had made Harry's Hogwarts years Hell. Now, Luna was all in favor of Harry forgiving those who had harmed him, but... Harry might as well have added "Tom" as a third name for his child.

Like most of the Order of the Phoenix, Harry had come to worship Dumbledore, despite everything the Headmaster had done to him.

Hindsight, they say, is 20/20. Luna, however, would actually be able to use that hindsight. When she was done, Harry Potter wouldn't be "Dumbledore's man, through and through." He'd be his own man. And, if he chose, he'd be hers, too.

One of the first things she noticed upon awakening in her 15 year old body was how out of shape she was. Oh, she was in very good shape for a witch her age, but... not in the sort of condition she'd become accustomed to. The Wizarding culture, as how she felt reminded her, relied too much on their magic.

Ozma and Dorothy changed all that for her. Oz, despite being a Fairyland, was heavily influenced by Hindu and Buddhist practices and philosophies. The Queen and Princess had trained her, developed her body in unity with her mind and spirit. Now, her body was out of sync with mind and spirit. And her diet...

Well, she'd begin getting things in order after she and Professor Flitwick finished their business this evening.

They approached the Forbidden Forest, which was being clouded in mist. They didn't intend anyone else from the school to see them, but here was Neville, harvesting plants. What to do? Luna thought for a moment... but not too long. No, times like this didn't called for too much careful consideration, pros and cons, long term consequences... This called for acting on whim.

Professor Flitwick knew what she was about to do before they even approached Neville.

"You've got your fairy glamour back up," he noted.

"Yes." She smiled. "If one is going to lead a boy into an enchanted forest, one should do it properly."

She frowned, realizing something.

"I should have brought an apple."

Flitwick smiled, reached into a pocket in his robes, and handed her an apple.

"I thought to bring one just in case you wanted to lure a boy, there. Picked from a tree in the Forbidden Forest, itself."

Luna's eyes lit up in delight.

"Thank you, Professor!"

"So," Neville said, holding the fruit, "it's from the Forbidden Forest?"

Flitwick smiled and replied, "Yes. Few know of it, but there's an orchard, there, planted originally by Helga Hufflepuff, herself. That's where we're going, in fact."

"My Uncle Algie said the apple trees we have at home came from seeds from the Forbidden Forest..."

"You have apple trees?" Luna asked.

"Yeah, I... wassail them every Twelfth Night... I know a lot of people think it's silly, these days..."

"Wassailing the apple trees is an important ritual, Neville."

"I know, but most people..."

"Don't matter. It blesses and awakens the trees so they'll provide a good crop. The Dryads love it. Of course, it gets them a bit drunk..."

Neville laughed at the thought of drunk Dryads.

Flitwick said, "Go ahead and take a bite. It's perfectly safe."

Neville did so, and the apple was delicious. Just like the ones at home. He wanted nothing more, right at that moment, to visit the parents of his own apple trees. But, it was the Forbidden Forest... And they probably didn't want him along... Sure, they'd just invited him, but...

"Come with?" Luna asked. "The apple trees would love to meet you."

Neville thought for a moment, but knew what he wanted. Yes, it was the Forbidden Forest, and he was being invited into it by someone who, well, frightened him a bit, even with a trusted Professor coming with them. Luna had always been a bit Otherworldly, and now she seemed more a Fairy Maiden than ever. Entering an enchanted wood with a Fairy Maiden was known to be dangerous, especially if they've offered you an apple.

The hell with it. He'd just raided the Ministry of Magic and fought Death Eaters. He could summon his Gryffindor courage for this.

"I'd be honored," he answered, and they crossed the mists into the woods.

The apple trees were breathtaking, as were the beings standing under them.

Luna made introductions, so Neville formally met High Queen Titania and High King Oberon of the Seelie Court, and King Jareth and Queen Sarah of the Unseelie Court. The final introduction was the most startling.

"And this," Luna said, "is my Godmother, Queen Alice of Wonderland."

Alice replied, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Neville," amused at his shocked expression.

Luna decided to let him off the hook.

"Yes, she's Alice of Wonderland."

"And... She's your Godmother?"

"Uh huh. I know it's a lot to take in..."

"It explains a lot, actually."

"Ah," Alice said. "Good to see I've been such a good influence. Luna has told us of your bravery."

"Well, I... I'm not really that brave... I just... did what needed done."

"That's what we all do, Neville. You should visit Wonderland."

"I..."

"You'd love some of the flora. Though, some of it is rather rude... I'm curious to see how it would respond to you. Luna tells me you've been having difficulty with Potions?"

"Well, yeah. I'm rubbish at them."

"Perhaps you simply haven't been taught properly? My fellow Wonderland Queen is excellent at Potions. She'd be delighted to teach you."

Luna added, "Mirana's very nice. You'd like her."

"Consider it," Alice said.

Neville didn't quite know what to say. This woman, this Fairy Queen, was who his mother was named for. And, she was inviting him into her realm.

"Ahem," interrupted Titania. "There is someone else that wishes to be introduced to Neville, though they know each other, already." She looked to a branch, and Neville's eyes followed.

In the branches was crouched a petite, nymph-like, beautiful young woman, smiling at Neville. Her eyes were green, as was her hair. Only well placed apple tree leaves kept her from being nude. Neville had never met her, but somehow... He knew her. Gracefully, as one would expect from such a being, she landed in front of him.

"Neville," Flitwick said, formally, "this is Afal o'r Bendigedig."

"H-Hello," Neville said.

"Hello, Neville," she replied, smiling warmly.

"You're... a Dryad."

"Yes."

"And this," he asked motioning to the tree, "is your tree?"

"All the apple trees of this grove are me, yes. Grown from the first tree the Blessed Hufflepuff planted, here."

"I... Our apple trees at home... I was told they were from seeds..."

"They are me as well, yes."

Neville was overwhelmed.

"You have taken very good care of me, Neville. You bless and awaken me on Twelfth Night, just as Pomona has, here. You have shown me great love and honor. I have missed you when you've been away."

"I've... missed you, too. But... I had..."

"School, I know..."

She then did something he found even more overwhelming. She kissed him. She tasted of the most delicious, juiciest, apples. He was overcome by the very essence of her.

When he came back to his senses, he still couldn't look at anything but her. There was a look in her eyes he couldn't place. Was it hunger? Longing? Desire?

"I think..." he heard a male voice say, was it Oberon? "We should give them some privacy while we conduct our business."

Give who privacy? Neville wondered.

His question was answered when Afal jumped into his arms, wrapping her own arms and legs around him, sending them both to the ground.

He looked and, to his shock, saw the others leaving.

Luna smiled and said, "Have fun, Neville. We'll be back, later."

Before he could argue, Afal kissed him again. This time there was tongue. He suddenly didn't mind being left alone with her.

It was a lovely sight when she and Professor Flitwick returned, Luna thought. Neville was rather embarrassed, trying to cover himself, though. She didn't see why, as Nature had gifted him quite nicely. She was impressed.

"You're a very lucky Dryad, Afal," she said.

"I know!" responded Afal, with delight.

He dressed quickly, and it was time to return to the school.

"I have to go..." he said to Afal.

"I know..."

"I'll see you again... if you want..."

"I'll see you when you get home! I live there too, remember?"

"Oh yeah..."

How was he going to explain this to his grandmother?

As they were closing on the castle, Neville had a question.

"Aren't Dryads usually the spirit of a single tree? How does she have groves?"

Flitwick answered, "Helga Hufflepuff performed the magic, assisted by Rowena Ravenclaw."

"But why?"

"A single tree will die. Helga made it so any trees from seeds of the original would still be Afal." He paused for a moment, then added, "You remember that Salazar Slytherin left behind a basilisk in a hidden place?"

"Yes."

"Helga left behind Afal. As for why... Only Helga and Rowena knew. I suppose the rest of us will learn when the time comes for whatever her purpose is."

Whatever their reason was, Neville was thankful they did.

"So, what do you want to do, now?" he asked.

"I thought we'd have something to eat, then visit Hermione. Alice lent me this." She took a vial out of a pocket. "It's a cordial made from the juice of fire-flowers. It will heal almost any wound."

"Fire-flowers... I've never heard of them."

"They're not native to this world."

"Ah... Where's that from, then?"

Luna paused, then answered, "Father Christmas, originally."

Neville realized that before today that answer wouldn't have made perfect sense.

He wondered how many of the other things she'd spoken of that he'd dismissed as daft were true.

"So..." he ventured to ask, "how many of those creatures you talk about are from... these other worlds?"

Luna smiled, and answered, "Nobody ever thinks to ask that. While we're eating, I'll tell you a story..."