Chapter 21: Moonage Daydream
Harry blinked and the next two weeks had flown by. With the help of their newest course books- and the extras they picked out- Hermione and he had enough to keep themselves busy for the remaining two weeks, though not all of them were helpful.
"I can't believe it!" Hermione slammed Travels with Trolls down. "There isn't a useful bit of information in this book!"
"Told you," Harry said, prompting Hermione to glare at him. "They're basically fiction novels. He's so vague about how did everything that I wonder if he actually did do them.
"But that's… that's so… dishonest," Hermione huffed out. "To think an author would do that!"
"If I wanted to be famous, that's what I would do," Harry said. "Just make up some fantastical stories from faraway lands, publish it in a book. Suddenly (Harry snapped his fingers) I'm famous."
"That's all good and fine but to think he'd able to TEACH!"
To have an author be dishonest, to have a book not be truth, was at odds with her entire world view.
"We'll just have to do it ourselves, like we do with Potions," Harry said while he picked up a book.
"I skimmed the books and thought they were useless so I sent Hedwig out for this," Harry handed her the book.
On a black leather cover she read Defending for the defenseless.
"It's second copy of the one Neville gave me for my birthday. This goes through basic defense spells like expelliarmus and protego," Harry explained. "It also has other spells that could be helpful."
Moving to sit next to her, Harry opened the book to different sections.
"Here's the leg-locker. If your enemy can't move their feet apart, it is harder for them to dodge. Then Immobulus and its variations. Immobulus prevents the individual from moving at all while Moblicorpus allows you to levitate them off the ground.
Harry kept flipping pages.
"Then there's Impedimenta which slows down enemies or projectiles. Next to that you have Confrigo and Bombarda for exploding objects. Confrigo is a fiery explosion while Bombarda creates more shrapnel and here's other curses to bludgeon an enemy. This one here," he pointed to a page. "Is a piercing hex. Requires a lot of control that one, the book says. If you aim improperly you will kill the person."
"Wow, Harry," Hermione was amazed. "This is really in depth. It'll take us years to learn all these!"
"This book even has a section on shielding," Harry kept flipping through pages Apparently if you time your wand motions exactly, you can deflect spells rather than having a shield absorb them. The incantion is Deflecto.
"No use tiring yourself out shielding when you can simply deflect minor hexes and jinxes but you have to have excellent reflexes and timing. But the benefit is the motion is a simple sweep and the direction you sweep is the direction you'll deflect."
"Fascinating," Hermione was flipping through the pages, eagerly drinking in the knowledge.
"I was thinking this could be advantageous," Harry said. "If we're ever surrounded, we could use this to deflect spells into our enemies, forcing them to shield or maybe even take them down with friendly fire."
"Oh!" Harry flipped to another section. "There's another section about defending your area. Look here: this is a list of spells to make an area secure. They aren't perfect but it would be a good option if anyone ever has to go on the run.
"During the last war, a lot of muggleborn-sorry First Gens- had to go on the run, lest they be captured and interrogated for 'stealing magic.' I figure if there is another war, it would be good to teach this to as may First Gens as we possibly can."
"You are amazing, Harry Potter," Hermione loved the thought that he had put into this.
"If Lockhart is going to be useless then we cannot afford to be," Harry said simply. "I bought this for you so can have one."
"Harry…" Hermione whined.
"It isn't a gift," Harry said. "You said you would be with me every step of the way. If you're going to be at my side through everything, we must work together to be as much of a force as we can be."
"Stronger together?" Hermione offered her usual phrase.
"Stronger together," Harry replied in kind.
Finally, September 1 arrived and they were heading back to Hogwarts again. Since it was a Tuesday, Richard and Helen were booked up solid. They only had enough time to drop the kids off at the station before heading to work. Even though they were plenty early, Harry and Hermione didn't mind. They found a place serving tea in King's Cross and sat down to watch all the people head in to work.
At 10, they made their way to the platform. Walking forward, heading toward the barrier. Right before, the hair on Harry's arms stood on end. He tried to brake but it was too late.
WHAM! Both their carts slammed into the solid wall. Hedwig's cage fell, leading to raucous screeches from the bird.
"Oy! What's all this then?" A guard walked over.
"Sorry, sir," Harry said. "We lost control of our carts."
"I'll say," he walked closer. "Which train are you boarding? Where are your parents?"
Hermione shifted uncomfortably and Harry retreated a few steps.
"Not to worry, officer," a familiar voice cut in. "I have them."
Harry looked up to see Amelia standing there with Susan.
"These yours then?" The officer asked.
"They are with me, yes. Thank you for your care, you best be off now."
He tipped his cap and moved along.
"Thank you, Auntie Amelia," Harry let out a heavy breath. "I wasn't sure how I would answer those questions. What are you doing here, though?"
"When you mentioned there being a possible threat to the school and a mildly unhinged house elf, I took extra precautions."
Drawing her wand, Amelia waved it in a complicated pattern and suddenly everyone was made to walk around the pillar.
"Hmm…" she waved again at the barrier. "Looks like someone has frozen it. An easy enough fix though,"
After a few moments, the barrier was unfrozen, allowing Harry, Hermione and Susan to move on through. Saying farewell to Amelia, who promised to say behind to make sure the barrier didn't freeze back up.
Moving through the train, they noticed a lot of compartments starting to fill in. A third of the way down the train they found a small girl with blonde hair sitting alone in a compartment. She was reading an odd magazine and kicking her feet in the air.
"Do you mind if we join you?" Harry asked.
"Not at all," the girl put down her paper and locked each of them in an odd gaze. Her protuberant silver-blue eyes gave her an airy, aloof look. "The nargles told me to expect company."
"Well you might be joined by a few more, if that is okay?" Hermione asked.
"Oh the plimpies said that would happen. Though they never said how many."
Reeling from this girl, a slightly dazed Hermione sat down across from her as Harry stowed their trunks overhead. It was at this point that Hermione noticed Susan's owl, a black screech owl.
"Oh I didn't know you had an owl," Hermione commented. The owl had luminous yellow eyes that searched out the compartment.
"This is Icarus," Susan said. "I named him that because his feathers look like he flew too close to the sun and got burned."
Hermione giggled as Icarus looked over at Hedwig. Screeching to get her attention, Hedwig locked him with a look that, for an owl, seemed ambivalent. Turning on her perch, she put her head under her wing and fell asleep.
Before long, the compartment was filled when Neville and Hannah joined them. Luna looked around the compartment, observing every occupant in turn.
"Oh hello, Luna," Neville said. "I didn't realize you were here. How are you?"
"Oh I am fine, thank you Neville," the girl replied. "Daddy and I went searching for the Snorkack again but couldn't find it again."
"Snorkack?" Harry asked.
"Crumple-Horned Snorkack," Luna said with a smile. "They are supposed to be rare and impossible to spot. Daddy and I go looking for them every year. We searched through the Swedish woods but didn't find them."
"They're not real, Luna," Susan said. "They're mythological creatures; they don't exist."
"Oh yes they do."
"Prove they exist," Hermione said.
"Prove they don't," Harry added. "Growing up, we were told that Unicorns and Centaurs were mythical and didn't exist. What if this is just like that?"
"You are an odd one, Harry Potter," Luna's mask fell for a second as relief showed on her face. "Nothing like what the Wrackspurts say you are."
"Well… thank you?" Harry didn't know how to respond. "I never introduced myself. Harry Potter, miss…"
Harry extended a hand which Luna daintily shook.
"Luna Lovegood, though most people call me Loony," her airy voice returned to full force.
"Why do that call you that?" Harry probed.
"Well probably because I am," Luna said. "My dad runs the Quibbler and we search for many, many fantastical creatures. Most people think I am…odd."
"Most people think I'm the Boy-Who-Lived," Harry said. "But I'm simply Harry, in spite of what others think."
"You are an odd one, Harry Potter," Luna said.
"That's true, Luna," Neville chuckled. "You don't even know the half of it. Odd is being generous."
"Oi!" Harry shouted to general laughter.
"Luna lives by us," Neville said before introducing everyone else. "This is Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones and Hermione Granger. All of you? This is Luna Lovegood."
"Good to meet you, Luna," Hermione offered a hand. "I am sorry if I offended you earlier."
"Oh you just have your head full with blizzing whingies," she said. "Maybe one day they will clear and you can begin to believe in the Snorkacks."
Before Hermione could respond, the door slammed open.
"There you are!" Ron Weasley was out of breath as it appeared he was running to the station. "I've been looking all over! What are you doing sitting with Loony?"
Harry narrowed his eyes. Time to nip this in the bud, he thought.
"We were just introduced to LUNA," Harry put some steel into his voice. "She's actually quite friendly."
"Yeah but she's so…odd," Ron sneered a little.
"No odder than a boy who only talks Quidditch and chess," Harry shot back.
"Or plants and dirt," Neville offered.
"Or books," Hermione and Susan said at the same time. Hermione looked at Susan, winked and said "jinx."
"We are all odd, or LOONY, in our ways," Harry said. "Either embrace it and celebrate it or move along."
"Whatever, guys," Ron said as he moved to find Dean and Seamus.
"Thank you," Luna's mask fell again. "That was a nice thing to say. I wonder if I'll have any friends like you do, Harry Potter."
"Just Harry," he replied with a smile. "To my friends, it is just Harry."
It took all of Luna's control to keep from cracking.
"Thank you, Harry," Luna smiled, leading Hermione to reach over and squeeze Harry's hand, offering a smile to him as well. At that the train started to pull away, heading back toward Hogwarts. Suddenly, Harry needed to use the restroom. Popping out to take care of his sudden need, Harry walked to the restroom. On the way back someone called out.
"Potter!" Harry looked over his shoulder to see an irate Greg Goyle. "What the fuck was that!? You offer us friendship but then ignore us all summer long!? We wrote to you and you never responded."
"Whoa guys," Harry held up his hands and backpedaled. "I apologize for any perceived insult. At the beginning of summer, I had a visit from a house elf. He told me not to come back, took some rather extreme steps to make sure that didn't happen. One of the ways he did that was to block my mail from getting to me.
"I was serious when I talked about friendship and I've even had a conversation with Susan Bones about finding a space wherein we can spend time together outside of classes. A combination study hall and all-purpose common room. I like the Gryffindor one but it's hard to spend time with students from other house."
Crabbe visibly relaxed.
"I am sorry, Harry," he said. "We have had a… difficult summer. Our fathers gravitated between trying to have us manipulate you to get closer to you and pressuring us to cut off ties."
"My father has threatened to disown me," Goyle said. "We were hoping to get your help and advice."
"What did you do since you did not hear from me?" Harry asked.
"Only what a true Slytherin would do," Crabbe smirked. "We told our fathers what they wanted to hear. We said we'd stay close to you and try to bring you to their side, their viewpoint."
"Exceptionally smart," Harry said. "If you need anything special from me, let me know."
"Will do," Goyle said. "I'm glad you weren't just leading us on. I'd really hate to be known as the guy who beat up the Boy-Who-Lived."
Laughing Harry walked back toward his compartment. On the way, he spotted Ginny in a compartment talking to the small blonde boy Harry met in Diagon. When he was within sight, he groaned seeing a blonde head of Harry. He was just close enough to hear his pestilent voice.
"Where's Potter, Mudblood?"
"Why so interested, Malfoy? Don't tell me you're becoming… attracted to the Boy-Who-Lived?" Hermione's voice was laced with sarcasm.
"I'm not a poofter, mudblood!"
"So you're just here for, what, verbal sparring matches?"
"I'm also intrigued to know that," Harry stepped closer. "Why are you so focused on me?"
"I… well…" Draco stammered. "It's time you learned your place in this world is all. You and your mudblood, both!"
"Wow Draco," Harry leaned into the doorframe of the compartment. "You just play all the hits don't you? I think you need to add more material to your repertoire."
"You just don't know anything," Draco spat. "Cavorting with blood traitors and mudbloods. I gave you an opportunity last year and you spat in my face."
"You told me to come be your friend and drop the company I was with. I still shook your hand and treated you with more respect than you treated my company. Since then, you have antagonized Hermione and me like it was your mission."
"There's more to life than bitter pettiness," Harry said. "All it has given you is fewer friends. Now buzz off and let us finish the trip free of your presence. Seriously the fumes you are emitting are toxic."
Draco huffed and stormed off.
"I really wish he'd learn," Harry groaned as he took a seat in the compartment.
"I don't," Neville said through laughter. "You dismantling his arguments and dismissing him is the highlight of my day. Nobody gets under his skin the way you do. For everyone else it's 'my father will hear about this' but you put him off his game so much he forgets."
"Man I can't wait until Auntie gets to nail his dad," Susan said. "Then he might be less of a berk."
"She won't be able to," Luna said without looking up. "Not as long as he's so close to the minister. Malfoy is the secret agent in Minister Fudge's Rotfang Conspiracy."
The other compartment members looked at one another and laughed.
"Oh Luna," Harry said laughing. "I don't know half of what you said but Merlin do I like the way you say it."
At Harry's comment, Luna joined in on the laughter, filling the compartment with raucous laughter as they postulated all the devious ways Lucius was working the Minister. They only stopped to buy the usual treats from the trolley.
"I imagine it has to be something to do with his hair," Neville said, wiping a tear from his eyes. "I don't even think his first name is Lucius; I think he changed because it sounds like luscious."
Between gales of laughter, Hermione looked out the window.
"Merlin's pants!" She shouted. "We're almost there!"
Neville and Harry stepped out to let the ladies change and they swapped places after. Before long, they stepped off the train onto the platform.
"Firs' years! Firs' years!" Hagrid called.
"That's Hagrid," Harry said to Luna. "He takes care of the grounds. He will take you to the school for the first time.
"Don't worry about the sorting," Harry continued. Luna was tough to read but when you learned her tics, it became easier. Harry could tell she was nervous. "It's all very basic and no matter which house you're in, we will still be friends."
Together they moved with a little more pep in Luna's step. She was, in fact, skipping she was so happy. As they were about to part, Harry froze. In front of the carriages stood some scary skeletal-looking horse creatures with wings. Looking around, he saw that Hermione saw them too.
"Oh you can see the Thestrals?" Luna asked. "Aren't they beautiful."
"Have they always been here?" Harry asked aloud.
"They have for me," Neville said.
"Why didn't I notice them before?" Harry wondered.
"Only those who have seen death can see them," Luna said, simply. "For me, it was my mum…. Two years ago."
Hermione took pity on the young waif and wrapped her in a signature Hermione hug.
"I'm so sorry, Luna," she said. "Last year, we saw one of our professors die. Though I guess we weren't paying attention last summer when we took the carriages away from the school."
"Right!" Harry said. "We should have seen them then."
"Well don't worry," Luna said. "You're just as sane as I am."
Laughing her own special laugh, Luna skipped off toward the boats, leaving a pensive Harry and Hermione behind. On the trip up, they were joined by Ron who was talking about Ginny.
"So I told her she had to answer the riddle of the Sphinx to get sorted!" Ron burst out laughing.
"Ronald!" Hermione said. "Is this a family tradition?"
"Pretty much," Ron said.
"And wasn't that wonderful for you last year?" Harry asked.
"It was hilarious!" Ron said. "You know… later on… after."
"So you decided your sister should get the same experience?"
"Basically, yeah," Ron said, making Harry and Hermione roll their eyes. "Come on, I want to get good seats for the sorting!"
Sitting in the Great Hall, Harry, Hermione, Neville and Ron, Harry leaving a little space to his left, all sat down together as Professor McGonagall lead a host of first years into the hall. Setting the hat on the stool, the hat sang its song and the sorting began in earnest.
"Creevey, Colin!"
The blonde boy from Diagon stepped through the group and hoisted himself, literally because he was so small, onto the stool. The hat took a full minute before shouting.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry clapped for their newest housemate. Colin bounced off the stool and bounded toward the table.
"Harry!" He waived energetically. "I'm in the same house as the great Harry Potter!"
Harry blushed as the small boy heaped praise on him, suddenly becoming very interested in the next sorting of a boy to Hufflepuff.
Soon it was time for Luna. Daintily, she sat on the stool and saw the hat drop over her eyes. They waited… and waited… until.
"FINE! If that's what you want…" the hat actually sounded annoyed.
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat called out.
Serenely, Luna slipped off the stool and flounced toward Gryffindor to general applause.
"Loony? A Gryff?" Ron was incredulous.
"Didn't you see?" Harry said. "Luna debated with the hat, frustrated it. Only a Gryffindor would do that. Also, you need to knock it off with the Loony business."
"But…"
"But nothing," Harry was firm. "Call her by her name, as you would any other housemate."
Whatever reply Ron was going to say, he swallowed it as the girl sat down next to Harry.
"Congratulations, Luna!" Harry said.
"Thank you, Harry," Luna said. "The hat was quite resolute that I belonged in Ravenclaw but I decided I belonged with my friends instead."
"You would have been a wonderful Ravenclaw," Hermione said. "The hat tried to put me there too until finally landing on Gryffindor."
They turned back to watch the rest of the sorting ending with Ginny who was promptly sorted into Gryffindor. Sitting down with the recently-sorted Demelza Robbins, Ginny took to staring at Harry. Between her staring and Colin constantly trying to get his attention, Harry was rather uncomfortable.
Dumbledore stood, offered his usual welcome and the feast began. After the desserts finally faded from view, Dumbledore welcomed his students back, reminding them about the Forbidden Forest. At that, the prefects stood and called the first years to them, leading them toward their respective common rooms. Harry was about to head up when Professor McGonagall called for him.
"Mr Potter!" she said. "Professor Dumbledore has requested you and Miss Granger to meet him in his office."
"Will you come as well?" He asked.
"Of course. It is my job as your head of house," she gave a small smile. "And your guardian."
Together, they walked on, toward the Headmaster's office, ready to face whatever awaited them.
(A/N: Luna is my second favorite HP character and so I couldn't resist bringing her in early. Honestly, she's as much a delight to write as she is to read.
I debated back and forth between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor but her spending the train ride with Harry and co. I figured she'd want to be in Gryffindor with them.
Moonage Daydream by David Bowie is a track title I think is so perfectly Luna.)
