Hello and welcome to the third chapter in my first multi-chapter story 'Like a Lightning Bolt'. Another minor recap of my changes prior to the school year. Harry found out he has a lot of money and a talent for Runes, Harry and Hermione visited the pet shop and got Crookshanks without Ron, who is still in Egypt. Harry bought Hermione and himself brand new multi-compartment trunks and Hermione made Harry get a new wardrobe, no more cast offs for Harry Potter.
Some points made last chapter:1. Yes it is a lot of money, however, those charms and materials are expensive.
2. Yes, forced cliche, however I prefer cliche shopping trip to people being annoyed he suddenly has this stuff and demanding to know why.
3. Weightless and Feather-light are the same thing, different people call them differently in my story, sorry I did not make that point in a footnote.
4. I use footnoted, I am not the only author who does, don't complain, it won't change.
This chapter introduces the slight change of personalities I have for Ron, the twins don't really have a change, its more of how I imagine they would react in the situation.
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
"Spells"
Book Names
Disclaimer: If a giant three headed dog named Fluffy could just vanish into thin air after the first book, I do not own Harry Potter. Seriously though, I would've had a scene with Grawp playing with Fluffy and the Trio getting horrified that Fluffy has been there the whole time.
Chapter 3:
Waking up the day before heading off to Hogwarts, Harry decided to go through his trunk one more time, to make sure everything is packed where it needs to be packed. Of his two book shelf compartments, the first one on the rotation, handled by a nifty little spin dial located just above the lock, which was numbered as compartment 5, contained all of the books for this year's classes, as well as additional reading on the subjects, any of the books he had already read that he figured may have relevance for assignments, and most importantly, his parent's notebooks. Compartment 6, his second book shelf, contained the previous two years books as well as his Care of Magical Creatures books, his book on the duties of a lord, his book on Goblin culture, and several books he had bought the day before after a discussion with Hermione, including a few simplified books on law in the Wizarding World and a beginners guide to learning French. The interest in French came from finding out Hermione could speak it, figuring that if he too learnt the language it would allow the two to talk around people they don't trust to hear the subject of their discussions.
In Harry's clothing compartment, numbered 4, included all of Harry's new clothes, including new sets of robes for wearing during any important meetings Harry may have to have in the Wizarding World in which Muggle clothing may not be acceptable. The Muggle outfits, bought with pounds exchanged from Galleons for shopping in London, included several outfits that Hermione deemed nice, Harry just deemed them comfortable and fitting. Compartment number 3 contained all of Harry's Quidditch gear, his broom, broom servicing kit, a practice snitch bought for him first year by Wood, the dragonhide Seeker's gloves bought for him last year by the Chaser's, and his Gryffindor team uniform.
Compartment number 2 contained Harry's school supplies, things like parchment, quills, and ink. Hermione was quite upset with him when she found out he also included the prank set the Twins had gotten him in his 'School Supplies' compartment, until he reminded her that he just wanted to have a little bit of fun, if that fun involved Malfoy getting Dungbombs in his pants, Harry wasn't going to complain. Of course, that sort of fun would only occur if Harry's intended discussion with Draco, primarily to do with some of the research Harry had done into his family and then into known relatives, did not go as he hoped.
Compartment number 1 was Harry's general storage space, things like the photo album Hagrid made for him in first year were included in this compartment. The final compartment, number 7, was the potion storage compartment, after a recommendation from Tom, Harry had gotten some nutrient potions, recommended for wizards or witches suffering from malnourishment, like Harry. These potions were being stored in the phials section of the compartment, right near the top to make it easier to fetch one out before a meal. Harry kept a large stock of ingredients in here as well, figuring that he wouldn't need to break into Snape's stores if he had some of the less common ingredients at hand.
Just as Harry finished checking his trunk over, there was a knock at his door. Harry immediately knew who was behind the door, recognizing the little tune Hermione had a habit of tapping out when she knocked on doors. Getting up, giving Hedwig a treat as he went by her bedside perch, Harry opened the door to see his bushy haired friend reading a book, however, catching the flicker of her eyes, he knew she wasn't zoned out like she had a habit of getting just yet.
"Morning Mione, was just checking my trunk over again, don't want to risk leaving anything behind or having to rush to pack tomorrow." Harry said, smiling at her.
"Morning Harry," Hermione pulled a bookmark out of her hair, surprising Harry, as this was clearly a new trick she had figured out, either that or the fact that Hermione so rarely stopped reading a book before finishing it to never see the bookmark before, "I was too, walking over to the station is going to require us leaving earlier if we want to avoid the Floo," Nodding his head while his face turned a little green, Harry was making it quite obvious his feelings on that idea, "Anyway, want to head down and get breakfast?"
"Yeah, I'm starving, let me just grab the book I was reading last night." Nodding her affirmative, Hermione watched as Harry walked in and picked up a book even she wasn't quite able to understand yet, still marvelling at Harry's apparent natural skill with Runes having made understanding the theory in the 3rd through 5th year books easy for him. Harry himself was quite amazed when he realized yesterday at breakfast that he had already read through the entire OWL level Runes books, and, with Hermione's prompting, had started on the warding book he purchased, figuring that if he could understand the concept quickly enough he might be able to read through his mother's notes on the subject.
As Harry walked down the stairs with Hermione to the ground floor of the Cauldron, Harry remembered his own surprise when he went back up to his room to grab the warding book and had noticed out of the corner of his eye that the Marauder's notebook was a bit more than a few sheets of parchment bound in leather. Harry had gotten so distracted trying to decipher the runic array that made up what he had previously assumed was simply designs put on the leather by one of the Marauder's, that Hermione had actually come up looking for him. Harry had only managed to decipher that the notebook was actually a much larger collection of notes from all of the Marauders, that spanned THOUSANDS of pages, with the ability to use the inside cover as a form of index to find specific subjects. Harry only just realizing that the only reason why he had been reading notes passed and prank descriptions being that was what was placed as the first sets of pages in the book.
"The sheepish look again, I take it that means you are mentally berating yourself for not noticing how the Marauder's had set out the book?" Hermione grinned at Harry, before Harry could retort, there were suddenly two people standing opposite them so quick, Harry would have sworn they apparated had they been old enough.
"Did we just hear Hermione right?" Began one of the red headed twins, "That our Harrykins has a book written by THE Marauders?" finished the other, the shock clearly written on their faces.
"Oh, hi guys, when did you get here? Where's Ron?" Harry purposefully ignored the question they asked to see their reactions.
"The git is stuffing his face over there," Left twin waved his hand vaguely behind them, "And an hour ago. Now quit dodging the question!" Right twin finished, the shock reducing their usual headache inducing twin speak into a less convoluted form.
"Yes, yes I do, and I will let you see it on two conditions," Harry raised his left hand holding up two fingers, seeing the duet nod, Harry continued, "Firstly, you tell me how you know about the Marauders," Nods met this declaration, the two of them clearly only waiting to hear the final condition before answering, "And secondly, what you're doing now, the half a sentence each, is the worst your twin speak is allowed to get around me and Hermione, Deal?" Harry stuck out his hand for the two of them to shake.
"Not Ron?" Asked Left, "Just you two?" Clarified Right.
"Yep, I'm not going to take away your right to mess with your sibling, it's your job after all." Smiling as the duet shook his hand ecstatically.
"We can do that," Began Left, Harry was really tempted to ask them who was meant to be Gred and who was meant to be Forge, just so he didn't have to keep calling them by their sides, "But we will tell you at school, but only you Harry," Continued Right, "We don't want our mother getting wind of it." They finished together. Nodding their heads, Harry and Hermione resisted the urge to laugh when the two performed an overly exaggerated bow before them.
"Ummm, is that Percy…. STRUTTING?" Asked Hermione, disbelief being the first thing she expressed upon noticing the twins older brother walking behind them.
"Yeah, he's acting like a right git," Left replied, "Acting all high and mighty cause," Right tapered off, "I'm Head Boy." Chorused the two together, clearly making fun of the rule abiding sibling.
Waving to the twins goodbye, Harry and Hermione swung by the bar, ordering their breakfast from Tom and saying hello to Mr and Mrs Weasley, who informed them that they were renting out rooms in the Cauldron for the night, purely to keep the kids from unpacking as soon as they got home. Denying the invitation to go through the Floo with the Weasley family, a small grin working its way onto Harry's face as he figured out a way to get the twins alone earlier, knowing that Ron would outright refuse to walk to the station from the Cauldron when he could just Floo there.
Waving goodbye to the Patriach and Matriach of the Weasley clan, the two headed over to where Mr Weasley, or Arthur as he insisted on being called, pointed out Ron, who, just like the twins said, was having breakfast. Taking a seat next to their oblivious friend, Harry smiled as he came up with an idea of what he was going to do. Seeing Tom begin to bring their food over, Harry leaned over and preparing to scare the crap out of Ron, Harry took in a breath.
"BOO!" Ron leapt so high off his chair that he nearly missed in while falling back down due to the frightened flailing.
"WHA-HA-WHO-WHA? HARRY?!" Ron's confused gaze made Harry and Hermione burst out laughing, "What the HELL was that for? And when did you get there?"
"About 2 minutes ago," Harry stopped and thanked Tom as he placed the plates down, "We were saying hello to the twins and your parents."
"Being ambushed and questioned by the twins isn't exactly saying hello Harry. Have you managed to do your homework Ron?"
"Bloody hell, knew I forgot to do something." Ron muttered, a little louder than what he meant it to be, judging by how he tried to avoid looking at Hermione's judging stare.
"Well, you might want to get it done today Ron, considering we go back tomorrow. Wouldn't want Snape to have more reason to hate you." Harry and Ron ignored Hermione's muttered correction of Snape's name. As Harry began to eat, he leaned over and opened his book to the page he had been up to, reading on a form of small area warding that doesn't require a wardstone, only a small runic array.
"So, how long have you two been here?" Asked Ron, not actually looking up as he went back to eating.
"I've been here for two weeks, Hermione got here a week ago," Harry muttered over his book, "Oh yeah, Mione got a cat."
"You WHAT?!" Ron's shout was only just discernable over the food in his mouth.
"I got a cat, his name is Crookshanks." Hermione muttered over her book, only half paying attention to the conversation, her attention more focused on reading and eating.
"Why would you get a c- is Harry READING at the breakfast table?!" Ron's sudden realization that Hermione wasn't the only one reading quite thoroughly distracted him from the subject of Crookshanks.
"Uh yeah?" Harry's eyebrow raised as he tried to figure out the reason behind Ron's scepticism, "Why is that such an alarming thing? I read."
"Harry, you like, never read. Why, is the book about Quidditch? Cause if so, then I understand."
"No, it's an introductory book on warding, primarily the simple stuff, like warding a small area to keep people away from it and such."
"Simple stuff? Bill only ever mentioned anything like that when he was like, a seventh year!" Ron's wide eyes showed his disbelief at the notion of something his eldest brother found annoying to learn being deemed simple.
"I get Runes." Harry's simple response was backed up by a shrug, Harry's way of showing he didn't understand why, just that he did.
"Huh?" Ron turned to Hermione, who had looked over her book to see what Ron was getting louder over.
"He gets Runes," She shrugged as well, not really knowing if there was a better way to convey their lack of understanding on the how, "He read the 3rd through 5th year books for it in a day and a half."
"Why would you even WANT to read books on Runes Harry?" Ron turned back to Harry, confusion being the most rampant expression upon his face.
"Because I'm taking it? I would have told you, but your parents took you and your siblings home after we pulled Ginny out of the Chamber."
"But, WHY would you change your subjects?"
"I want to take my studies seriously, I mean, honestly, and how helpful would Divination be against Voldemort?" Harry, not wanting to start an argument with Ron, decided to change the subject, "Oh yeah, me and Mione are going to walk to the station early tomorrow so we don't have to use the Floo Network, want to walk there with us?"
"Um, how early is early, and how far a walk is it?"
"Well, we are going to leave here at about half past nine, we'll get there around about half past ten.(1)" Harry through the roundabout guess on the time to get there that he and Hermione had figured out while walking through London.
"Umm, no thanks, I'd prefer to use the Floo." Ron began to eat again, having calmed down while Harry was remembering the approximate time it took to get to the station.
"Okay, guess we will see you when you get there." Harry began to eat and read again, Hermione having gone back to reading once Harry changed the subject.
Once they had finished eating, Harry and Hermione went to go double-check with Tom that they didn't owe any more money on the rooms they rented for their stays. Upon receiving the all clear on the payments, Hermione went up to her room, to go and put her book back, while Harry, seeing the twins, decided to ask them now if they would like to walk with them.
"Gred, Forge, I have an alteration to our deal to propose." Harry said, sliding into the seat opposite the two.
"Well well, Harrykins has a proposition for us," began the one who nodded at Gred, "I think we should hear it out," continued Forge, "Well, we're listening." The two said at once.
"Instead of waiting till we get to Hogwarts, how about the two of you join me and Hermione tomorrow when we walk over to the station. Muggles won't know what we're talking about, and the chance of a witch or wizard hearing will be nearly nothing while we walk there. Plus, whatever you tell me I was going to tell her anyway."
"He has a point," "That he does, shall we agree?" "Get out of using the Floo?" "And escape Percy for longer," "It's a deal!" They both finished at once.
"Excellent, meet you guys down here tomorrow morning at half past nine, that's when we are leaving." Having finished his offer and receiving the confirmation from the twins that they understood, Harry got up and took his book up to his room, intending on having a relaxing day. After all, the day after he would be going to Hogwarts, and he didn't want to be too tired for that.
(Line Break)
Just as they had been told, the twins were ready and waiting to go at the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron at half past nine, having said goodbye to their parent's minutes before. After a last minute check with Ron to make sure he didn't want to go, the four set off from the Cauldron, trunks in tow, on their way to King's Cross station. After approximately five minutes of general conversation, they decided to get down to business.
"Alright, you want to see the book, so, how do you know about the Marauders?" Harry raised an eyebrow as he finished.
"From this!" Gred whipped out a blank piece of parchment, Hermione looked confused and Harry was a little excited, considering what it could possibly be, "We nicked it from Filch's office and figured out how it works," Forge turned to his twin as they prepared their big reveal, "The Marauders-"
"Map!" Shouted Harry, realizing as soon as they said they nicked it from Filch, remembering the passage he read where Wormtail had lost them the map by arguing with Filch.
"Hang on, you know what it is?" They chorused.
"Yes! My father mentioned it all the damn time in the book. He and Padfoot were furious with Wormtail when he got it taken off him!" Harry was keeping his hands clenched, resisting the urge to grab the map off of them.
"Your dad?" Gred said, mouth wide open in surprise, "James Potter was a MARAUDER?" Forge's jaw hung even lower than Gred's, "WHICH ONE!?" They shouted together.
"Prongs, my dad was Prongs, so named because he took on the Animagus form of a Stag, Padfoot was a Grim like Dog, Wormtail was a Rat, and lastly, Moony was a werewolf." Upon hearing this, the two twins turned to Harry, dropped to the floor into a kneeling position, and, like knights handing their king a sword, the two presented the map to Harry.
"Take it oh Son of Prongs," Began Gred, "It is our duty to pass this onto a Marauder's heir!" Finished Forge.
"Umm, right. I take it this is how you two always get away with your pranks?" Asked Hermione, deciding to enter into this part of the conversation, having read of the map and the basics of how it functions, Hermione was more than willing to allow the map to be out of a teacher's hands. Considering the teacher's effectively had one of their own in the Headmaster's office, though apparently he never checks it, considering Harry remembered seeing the table it was a part of shoved into a corner behind two bookcases, covered in dust.
"Why yes it is," "We learnt all the passages off by heart," "And with our knowledge of such," "We rarely use it anymore anyway!
"Well then, I will take it from you. Also, because you two have attempted to keep the Marauders alive through your own pranks and use of the map, I have another proposition for the two of you." Harry slipped the map into his back pocket, covering where it was sticking out with his shirt.
"What would this proposition be?" "If it's supposed to be on par with the map," "Then we want to know."
"Well," Leaning in closer to the two so only they could hear, "Hermione and I were going to continue another practice of the Marauders, we have already figured out everything in theory, we just need to work on the practical stuff once we get to the castle, which of course, you will be able to help with." At the twin's nods, Harry continued, "We are going to become Animagi, would you like to join us?"
"Hell!" "Yes!"
"Excellent, well then, we will need to figure out where we can brew a potion that is, well, even more illegal than say, the Polyjuice, to brew without government permission. Then it will just be working out how to change forms, something which will be made simpler by the Marauder's notes on the process from when they did it." The twins nodded, telling Harry that when they got to the train, they would show him a place on the map to go to for them to brew the potion without being detected.
The four continued walking, talking about things like Quidditch, which pranks they were going to pull, the twins talking about how they use the spot they were going to show them to brew all the potions they use in pranks, as well as practicing Potions work away from Snape, to ensure they get good Potions scores regardless of Snape's teaching. When that subject was brought up, Hermione became very interested, apparently, there was a teacher who Hermione despised, Snape having done a lot to personally contribute to her loss of absolute respect for all teacher's and authority figures.
Arriving at King's Cross at half past ten, the four began their way down to platforms 9 and 10. Reaching the barrier between Platform 9 ¾ and the Muggle world, as they had discussed on the way there, the group intended on passing through the barrier as inconspicuously as possible. The twins simply propped up against the barrier, before they allowed themselves to fall through it, pulling there trolleys at the same time. Harry and Hermione leaned up against the barrier, talking casually, Harry slowly pushing his and Hermione's trolleys through the barrier where the twins pulled them through, before the two of them ducked in as well.
After moving over to the twins and collecting their trolleys the four of them moved over to the train and began loading their luggage onto the train. Hermione's trunk was first, and, once both her trunk and Crookshanks were on the train, she moved to go and get a compartment for them. After helping Harry get his trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the train the twins waved him off, telling him they were going to go and meet up with Lee, a friend of theirs, to discuss some business. Walking down the train Harry saw a familiar head of blonde hair, Harry decided now was the best time to talk to Malfoy(2), potentially curtailing Draco aggravating Ron, while also avoiding having this discussion with his Slytherin hating friend. Knocking on the door and receiving a response, Harry opened the door.
"Potter? What are you doing here?" Draco sneered as he looked at Harry.
"Well Heir Malfoy," At the typical beginning of a political discussion, Malfoy's sneer left his face, "I, Heir Potter, would like to extend my apologies for my crass disregard of your hand of friendship at the beginning of our first year. At the time, I was woefully unaware of the political aspects of what I was doing, being raised by Muggles, and my reaction was therefore rude and uncalled for. I also apologise for any transgressions that have occurred between us since then as a result of that first meeting. I will however admit that the rudeness I displayed at the time was not entirely uncalled for, as at the time you were being rude to the first friend I had ever made, I merely reacted as any child raised in the Muggle world would. I would like to extend to you an offer of friendship, or at the very least neutrality, to you, as, in light of recent information I have obtained after looking into my family further, I believe it would benefit us the most to not be hostile to one another. Would you not say so, cousin?" Harry watched throughout his entire well-rehearsed speech as Draco's emotions danced through his eyes. Thanking Hermione internally for her help in making a sophisticated and political apology in accordance with the guidelines that were set in the books on politics he had read.
"I, for now, accept only the offer of neutrality. As you said, we have quarrelled in the past and going from hostile to friends might do more damage to any possible friendship we may have than if we at least manage at a level of neutrality first," Draco's diplomatic response made Harry smile, as this had been one of the better outcomes he and Hermione had theorised would occur, "On the subject of your apology, I accept it, and offer my own for my own part in how I acted at the beginning of our first year, and therefore all further transgressions. On the subject of our relation, I would be more than willing to inform my mother if you would also like to correspond with her, she being my connection to you, she is also one of the only two capable of giving you any information on the Black family, with Sirius a wanted criminal," Draco did not miss the flash of irritation in Harry's eyes, assuming it to be irritation at the man who betrayed his family, as opposed to Harry's annoyance at his deduction that Sirius was innocent, or at the least not a murderer, "And Aunt Bella locked up in Azkaban."
"Apology accepted, and I would like that, any chance to learn about any part of my heritage is alright with me, I actually sent my owl off with an introductory letter to our cousin Nymphadora, in the hopes that she might wish to correspond, or at judge for me whether or not her mother would be okay with me talking to her about the family that disowned her." Harry smiled at first, before a slight frown became apparent as he finished.
"Yes, I am well aware of how some family members can react to being questioned about their family after being disowned, not all of them are willing to speak about them, some can even become violent I have heard."
"Well than cousin, I must be off to find my compartment," Sticking out his hand, Draco shook it, muttering his own goodbye in response, "And goodbye to you as well Heirs Crabbe and Goyle." The two brutes, having remained quiet and seated, grunted as Harry left, not having a problem with him if Malfoy did not.
Shortly after Harry left Draco's compartment, Harry bumped into a classmate of his, Neville Longbottom. Greeting Neville and helping him up, while also remembering what he, Hermione, and Ron had done to Neville in first year, frowned a little, deciding that he should apologise for that as well. Also not seeing any harm in potentially having another good friend, Harry decided to speak.
"Neville, I realize it may be considered a little late for it, but," Taking in a deep breath, making sure he had what he wanted to say securely in his mind before he spoke, Harry continued, "Heir Longbottom, I, Heir Potter, do apologise for the attack on your person performed by myself, Ms Granger, and Mr Weasley during the end of our first year. It was not right of us to attack you, and it is even worse that no apology has been given until now."
"T-That's alright Ha-Heir Potter," Neville stuttered at first, not expecting the apology or the formal manner in which Harry spoke, "I refused to listen to why the three of you needed to leave. I was just worried about House Points and refused to be persuaded that whatever reason you came up with for sneaking out was right. I sort of forced Hermione's hand in the matter, and for that I apologise."
"Apology not needed Heir Longbottom," Harry smiled as he began, his tone of voice less formal, "As I'm sure you can tell Neville, I only recently learned of my future lordship and of my family's importance, after looking into it, I discovered that our families were allies in the past?"
"Yes. The Potter and Longbottom families were in an alliance for a long time. If, if you are getting at the possibility of rekindling the alliance, then I invite you to owl my grandmother," Harry picked up on Neville's slight shudder at the mention of the woman, "Dowager Longbottom, she can inform you of the recent political climate as well as help you with any possible questions you have about being a Lord."
"I will do just that, as it was my intention to rekindle our family alliance," Holding out his hand and shaking it with Neville, Harry cracked a large smile, "Now, have you got a compartment Neville? Because if not, Hermione should have found one for me, her and Ron if you would like to join us. Well, Ron isn't here yet, he decided to Floo here closer to the time, Hermione and I walked with the twins from the Cauldron."
"I would like that." Neville smiled, a little bit of confidence creeping onto his face as they began looking for Hermione. Passing a compartment with a shabby looking older man, Harry assumed him to be the new Defence Professor, they found Hermione, reading a book, in the very next compartment. She was not alone however, there appeared to be a blonde haired girl sitting in there as well, reading a magazine from the looks of it. By the trim of her robes, Harry assumed her to be a Ravenclaw(3). The girl smiled up at the two as they entered the compartment, Harry sitting next to Hermione and Neville sitting next to the blonde haired girl, saying hello to Hermione as they sat down.
"Hello Harry Potter, hello Neville Longbottom." She said, a dreamy tone coming from her mouth as she spoke.
"Um, hi?" Both replied.
"Oh, sorry, I forgot you two don't know who I am. I am Luna Lovegood, 2nd year Ravenclaw." Luna nodded to herself as she finished, as reassuring herself that she got the facts right.
"Well it's nice to meet you Luna." Harry and Neville both smiled at her as Harry talked, Harry noticing a slight twitch on Hermione's face as he did so.
"Don't mind Hermione, she is just a little cross at me after our discussion on Magi-zoology." Luna smiled as if it was a perfectly normal occurrence. Catching Hermione mumbling about creatures that aren't in books, Harry grinned, coming up with a solution that might make Hermione either mad at him, or not so mad at Luna.
"You know Mione," Harry smiled as she lowered the book to look at him curiously, "Books don't have all the information, after all, someone had to have found the animal in order to document it properly to put it in a book in the first place. Which just means that nobody may have caught whatever creature wasn't in the books, so they don't have enough information on it to print it in books yet." Luna's gigawatt smile at Harry attempting to stick up for her made Harry himself smile. Hermione's shocked face as she realized that Harry was right, and that books were therefore not the be all end all of information, as there could still be information needed to be discovered, made Harry and Neville burst out laughing.
The foursome began to talk together, Hermione joining in after she got over her realization, while they waited for the train to leave and for Ron to show up.
(Line Break)
There you go, the third chapter, things are starting to move along and we finally get to Hogwarts next chapter YAY! But first, here is the small number of notes for this chapter:
(1) I have no idea how long it would take to walk from the Leaky Cauldron to King's Cross Station.
(2) This lordly stuff taking place on the train, hadn't intended on it at all, Draco was still an unknown and I wasn't sure how I was going to get Neville in the compartment. While trying to figure it out that just kind of seemed to flow out onto the page.
(3) Also completely unintentional, but then again, I did intend on Harry meeting her soon, Luna is far too awesome to be bullied and Harry and Neville won't stand for it.
Now, still, at this point I do not have any pairings set aside, so, if you DO want to voice an opinion you may have, I am willing to listen, as long as it is a Het pairing that you justify and does not include Ginny or Ron, I am willing to listen.
Also, there is a large chance that I will be posting an Interlude, most likely about the Weasley's holiday in Egypt, which will actually cover some changes I am having Ron follow through with as well. This is mainly because I have a lot, and I mean A LOT more on my plate then I originally believed I would this Semester. Combining that with the difficulties I am having writing the main two points of the next chapter, an Interlude is of high likelihood.
Well, until next time,
Lucison.