Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Raven's Snake. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I do not own Harry Potter, Warner, and JK Rowling do.
Zeb rolled his eyes as the group of Slytherins he stood near hissed cries about those within the school. It almost made him want to roll his eyes.
Umbridge and her foul taint washed over Hogwarts quickly. He had expected someone like Dumbledore to oppose her, to dash her against the rocks like the waves of the storm.
Still? He had not been able to relax. Dumbledore had relaxed, retreated, and slithered back into the school. He had been familiar with it for now. He had slowly thrown himself into the shadows.
the map had drawn them into the shadows and he would not be able to try and deal with it.
"I almost pity Potter," Zeb said as he leaned against the wall with but a few seconds of silence. "There is almost no way we can deal with it now," Zeb stated.
He had been too tired, too relaxed. He was unable to try and deal with it for now as he cracked his finger. It was a dancing nightmare he had wished to end for now as he clicked his fingers and then rubbed at his head.
He had been silent lest he all fall apart; not once did it seem to be happening that way. He had been familiar with it to the end of the day, he did not wish to have to do that… Not now and not ever. He would not ever allow it to have happened that way.
No, he would break it all to pieces sooner or later. There were a lot of things upon his mind, something which would break sooner or later. He had better problems to figure out than that one, knowing whatever would come next and for good reason… It would be something chaotic, something painful.
To be fair? He could not imagine that they would be fighting an uphill battle for now as he clicked his fingers, set his jaw, and walked with a purpose that only he understood for now, knowing what was happening next.
There was only so much to figure out what was happening next before he clicked his fingers and paused to grasp at the metaphorical straws that could and would not have been able to think of it.
Zeb hummed, looking at Luna as he realized just how odd the contrast between them was. She was smaller and meek; her pale skin made her namesake sound far more suiting.
Yet? This girl despite how she was? She was nice, she was welcoming, and her theories? Though they seemed insane? Zeb could not deny there was a charm about them for how it was and how she acted for now.
She looked over at him, her eyes ablaze with an energy, a zest for the world around her.
"I like them," Luna said.
"I… Enjoy having them around." Zeb said before rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "Please do not tell me you have wandered around to find me," Zeb stated.
"I did not. I know what classes we have." Zeb heard. "One of your classmates said so," Luna stated.
"You are very observant, aren't you?" Zeb asked, the wry outline of a smile across his face.
"I am a Ravenclaw," Luna said as Zeb hummed.
"Old hat doesn't lie," Zeb stated before they rounded the corner.
Zeb looked at Luna. This girl was the one person he could consider a friend now. Why? Zeb did not know Luna, he had zero idea who she was and what she could do.
Yet? By hook or by crook? He did, he refused to care about it as of now. She paused to think as it was all done for now…. He had a lot more to deal with.
Luna was tired, too tired for now to let it end… Zeb looked at her, she did not want to be done at the end of the time being.
Zeb looked to the side; she was too fascinated as it became obvious that they had drawn too much attention.
Luna did not look scared; she did not even bat an eye at things when it came down to it. Zeb could tell Luna was caring, she was kind and he? He was not, he was a Slytherin, deceit, cunning? All part of him, he could not change that, could he?
No, he doubted he could… Or even that he would, all part. Luna looked at him and smiled.
"It is fine to be scared," Luna said as Zeb went to speak and finally thought better of it now and for good reason.
All of it? All such options were irrelevant now, they were aimed at others and eager to think, to act.
He was silent, he would remain silent, and for a good reason, whatever came next? Zeb and Luna would handle it… But it was clear to him that they had more to discuss, more to understand.
Despite himself? All he wished to do something, to figure it all out and see it ended.
He looked at her and realized that Luna was not odd, she was just different. He realized quite well that something was going to be less… They held onto nothing, were nothing…. They held onto so much and for so long that it was internalized within them.
Zeb would laugh if he could, he would laugh if he did not find this insane. The madness, fun as it was, would not end sooner or later.
"I am scared," Zeb admitted a few seconds later. "Very, very scared," Zeb stated as he frowned.
"So am I," Luna stated before Zeb raised an eyebrow. "I do not know what happens at school…. This school was home." Luna stated.
Zeb supposed she was right, Hogwarts was home. It was a sanctuary for those students who dared to care for magic and a home to nurture their growing minds. Now? Now their home felt more like a prison, a cage the ministry wished to keep them in and bang on the bars when it amused them.
He would not wish to relax, nor even figure out what needed to be done as even his brain could not fathom a way from this prison.
Only Dumbledore did and he? He did not seem to wish to barge from his cage anytime soon. Whatever the reason? Zeb could not fathom it, that was not a thought meant for him TO fathom now.
Luna seemed to realize that Zeb was eager to try and figure out when it came down to it as of now before she wished to try and figure it out now.
Luna dragged him by the hand towards the top of the stairs. Her eyes were small but they were full of energy and it became harder and harder to hide the fact that she cared about it.
Luna seemed to look back at him before she thought once more as she crashed it down to the ground.
To be fair? Luna could understand when it came crashing down that the school was a cage for now.
Luna watched as Zeb hummed before both stopped at the top of the stairs, too much had been going on when it came down to it.
"There is a war coming," Luna stated before she looked over at Zeb as he paused.
"Yes… There is." Zeb stated before he frowned.
Both had been eager to think of it when it was all said and done. Both looked over dozens of people, knowing that there was something down at the time being, she had not once seemed to be done and dusted.
Luna seemed to be done and dusted as she wished to be done and figured it out now when it came to a head.
"Are you ok?" Luna asked to which Zeb shook his head and then turned to the side.
"Fair enough," Luna said before she looked once now and then thought once more as she wished to grow it for now.
Luna was eager to think of it now when it came crashing down to it. They had a LOT of things to understand, a lot of things to control…. But this? This was not one of those problems when it came down to it.
Luna seemed to be eager to think of it as she tapped her feet on the ground, the cold seeming to hurt less than the mirth dancing through her face.
She seemed to be done and dusted, she did not at all know what was growing on her mind as she looked to the side.
He sighed before he looked to the side, something about it all came crashing to the ground, something about it all seemed to be going on now.
Zeb was silent, unsure… Very much had been done and dusted before she looked to the side as she smirked once more, something which needed to be done with it.
Zeb looked at Luna, watching as her eyes seemed to glow. Today was odd, too interesting for him to blink as he smiled, wishing to relax for now and then thought of what was growing on his mind.
Zeb seemed to be done and thinking of it all. Zeb sighed before he crossed his arms, Luna wished to relax for now.
"Are you going to be ok now?" Zeb asked as Luna frowned, looking at her with her head tilted to the side.
She was like a dog, her being kicked was something which would have enraged her if it had been so. Granted, she was so damn innocent that he could not have begun to think of it all the same way. It was odd, very damn odd now, and for good reason.
Zeb seemed to think of it when he smiled before he looked to the side, an idea which seemed to be thinking of it when all of it was all too done.
Zeb began to think of what was growing for now, something for now as he hummed once more. Zeb was curious as to her next move… She was a very eager woman and he guessed nothing bothered her once more in life.
Zeb seemed to be smiling as she nodded, the tilt of her head seemed to right itself.
"I can be… Why?" Luna asked as Zeb hummed before he grasped it once more.
Luna smirked, watching as Zeb frowned and then thought of it once more… An idea was growing in his mind, a magical chaos that built itself upwards more and more with each little idea for now.
Luna raised an eyebrow before Zeb hummed and then thought of it. Yes. It seemed to be easier and easier to think of it all now as a little game in her mind.
Each time Luna tilted her head? It reminded Zeb of an owl, perhaps she was like one in terms of intelligence and wisdom… However, he suspected she may not like the comparison to an animal who lived by hunting field mice and swallowing them whole.
Such was life, it seemed… Such was life, an idea passed through his head on the idea of it all coming to the forefront which had yet to be made entirely whole.
If nothing else? He could say she made him laugh at the end of it all now and for good reason. It was worth it to at least make a friend laugh now.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will show more of both Luna and Zeb relaxing and the next move the group tries now. Until the 900–6500-word chapter, Lighting Wolf out!
P.S: I am aware it takes a while for the story to be updated. I apologize but I do not consistently update this story.