Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

A/N: To be as short and sweet as possible. Many have many questions about this story. I have not seen any that won't be answered, but it may be a while. The first confrontation between Harry and Neville will open Chapter 4 and progress from there.

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Chapter 2

05 Jan 24

-oOo-

This time on Duel of Fate: Teen drama abounds as Harry meets Luna Lovegood and confronts her bullies.

-oOo-

December 7, 1994

Hogwarts, Scotland

"Hannah," Harry called out as the blonde was the first out of the door, with Susan just behind her and Megan giving him a glance he didn't know how to interpret.

Some around the greenhouses looked at him as he tried to make the door at the front of the greenhouse. By the time he was outside, the three Hufflepuff girls were gone. Sue walked up beside him, with Mandy stopping too. His other year mates just gave him an odd look.

"Bloody hell! None of them have talked to me since Monday," he said, trying to figure out where they could have gone. He couldn't see them by the other greenhouses and there was no way they could have made it to the school in the twenty seconds or so they had been out of sight.

"Maybe you should give it up for a lost cause. We have our tournament in a few weeks, and I trounced you yesterday with how distracted you are," Sue said, looking around.

"Why did you ask Jones instead of Abbott?" Mandy asked. Harry cast her a sidelong glance. Mandy was a dirty-blonde with large lips and deep brown eyes. Harry would say she was pretty and might go on a date if given the opportunity, but she wasn't who he was looking for right now.

Harry huffed and ran a hand over his neck. "It's nothing," he told her, starting to walk towards the school. Maybe they had gone to the library like they usually did after Herbology on a Wednesday morning?

"Abbott told him to ask Jones. Said she had been asked by another," Sue said conspiratorially.

Mandy sighed. "Oh, I see."

Sue smirked at the way Harry groaned. "You too? Don't you usually hang out with Padma and Terry?"

"They wanted to know what was going on with you and Abbott. Padma wants to know if you have a date for the ball yet. Do you really like Jones?" Mandy asked him as they made it to a door into the school. Harry opened it and held it for the girls.

"She's not Harry's type," Sue said.

Mandy looked to Sue with a curious gaze. Harry shrugged his shoulders. "She's alright," Harry replied.

Mandy giggled. "And who is your type?"

"Abbott," Sue said with a cheeky grin.

"We are just friends," Harry said, having thought a lot about what Kevin and Justin had said. Did he really like Hannah like that? He couldn't deny the way his insides turned to think she was going to the ball with someone else.

"Ah, huh," Mandy said, sharing a smirk with Sue. "You said that rather quickly."

Harry shrugged again. "I'm heading to the library. How about you too?"

"I need to get this herbology essay done," Mandy said, taking the right with him.

"I don't have anything else to do until this afternoon," Sue replied. "Who knows, maybe I can fluster you enough that you just fall over for me."

Harry gave the Asian girl a nasty look, causing Sue to laugh and Mandy giggle. "So, do you have a date for the Yule Ball?" Mandy asked again. "Padma would like you to ask her."

"The last time a girl asked me to ask her friend, it didn't work out," Harry told her.

"Well, you did miss that she was testing you," Mandy said. "It's no great secret that Abbott has been eyeing you all year. There have been a few others too."

"Like you?" he asked, hoping to frazzle her.

Mandy gave him a bright smile. "Maybe if you had asked me before Justin. You could ask Sue if you don't want to ask Padma."

Sue shook her head. "I'd more likely kill him if he tried to put his hands on me."

Harry snorted. "So, just like every other day."

"Pretty much," Sue agreed, her cheeky smile returning.

Mandy shook her head. "You two take this duelling thing way too seriously."

"I like it," Harry replied.

"It helps me work out my frustrations on Potter," Sue deadpanned.

Harry shot her a look. "One day does not mean you are better," he replied, vowing to himself he would not be distracted today.

"One day is the difference between a championship and last place," she countered.

"I will be ready for France," he replied.

"Sure, you will," Sue retorted.

Mandy rolled her eyes. "You two are worse than my sister and I. Seriously, though, Harry, if you don't find a date all the good ones will be taken," Mandy informed him.

"I don't really plan to go. I asked Megan because Hannah asked me to. Look where that got me," he reiterated. "I'll just turn in early that night since we are leaving for France the next day."

Mandy looked at him like he had a hole in his head. Sue looked to be thinking. "I think I will skip it too if no one asks me."

"I thought you wanted to go with Zabini?" Harry shot at her.

"He's going with Greengrass," Sue said.

"How do you know?" Mandy questioned as they made it to the library.

"I asked," Sue said, dropping her voice.

"You two really should go to the ball together if you don't ask Padma," Mandy tried to convince them.

"I really would kill Harry if he tried to feel me up," Sue said.

"Not that there is much to feel up," Harry said under his breath.

"What was that?" Sue demanded, her hand going for her wand and her eyes narrowing.

"Not that you have much of a chance with me," he said loudly. "Besides, Megan hasn't said yes or no yet." Sue didn't look convinced that was what he said. Mandy eyed them, looking like she was going to laugh at their antics.

They found most of the other Ravenclaws already at a large table in the library and the two girls moved to join them. Harry was going to go to his normal table, hidden in the back corner, when Padma caught his attention. "Join us today, Harry?"

Mandy had a mischievous grin while Sue shook her head.

"Last I saw, you could use the help, Potter," Terry Boot commented. He was a tall boy with sandy hair and brown eyes.

Harry made a face. "Not a fan of Herbology," he replied, but decided to sit anyways. He couldn't always be a loner. That, and some of his year mates seemed frustrated that he let some of his class grades slip. He was bright but didn't care he was at the top of class or not. As long as he did well on the duelling platform, it didn't matter to him. Most around the table did though.

Around the table were other Ravenclaws Terry Boot, Padma Patil, Morag MacDougal, Anthony Goldstien, Kevin Entwhistle and Lisa Turpin.

Padma was a pretty girl of Indian descent with black hair, dark eyes and a broad smile when she wasn't being serious. Morag was a girl with reddish hair, freckles and an infectious laugh. Lisa was a bit of a beauty in the making, with long brown hair, grey eyes and a penchant for gossip that turned Harry off of her.

Anthony was a boy that looked to be developing broad shoulders, short dark-brown hair and light brown eyes that always had an heir of superiority about him and always wanted to compare his grades to the others.

Kevin was much the opposite of Anthony. He was easy going but worked hard to maintain his spot in class. His short cropped dirty blonde hair was a bit spiky, like Harry's, and his blue tinged eyes always seemed to be looking at everyone around him when he wasn't absorbed in a book.

"You have the potion notes?" Padma asked, holding out the latest History of Magic notes.

"Yeah," Harry said, opening his bag.

"I still think that is cheating," Anthony told them.

"I have offered you a copy of my notes, but you didn't want to pay," Harry told his fellow Ravenclaw. Anthony was a typical Ravenclaw that wanted to horde all his knowledge, and eager to steal it from anyone else. Whatever gave him an advantage to get a better grade.

"You can work out your own star charts," Anthony told him.

"Here you go, Padma. Standard enchantment to only let you see them," he said, giving Anthony a look. The boy didn't look happy.

"Thanks, Harry," she said with a bright smile.

Sue shook her head. "If Flitwick knew what you did..."

"He would praise me for being smart and not working harder," Harry replied cheekily. "Besides, there is nothing in the student handbook about sharing notes or homework assignments. Just don't cheat on tests or classwork."

Sue snorted trying to keep her laughter in. "Explains why I beat you so often. You're lazy."

Harry shrugged. "Can't be that lazy to be two up on you this week so far."

"Can you two can it? There are some of us trying to work," Anthony snapped at them.

Harry gave the boy a level look before turning to Lisa. "Did you finish the essay on vampires?"

"I did," she said, reaching for her own bag. Harry handed his parchment to her, and they traded. It was common for most of them to do this to check over each other's homework.

After settling in, Harry was completing his rune translation when someone cleared their throat behind him. Harry turned. Everyone else at the table looked to the brunette that was looking at him. Megan looked a little nervous.

"Good morning, Megan," Harry said to her.

"Hello, Harry. Can we talk? In private?" she said, casting a glance around the table.

"Sure," he told her.

They got up, every eye on the two of them, and went into a row of books that was free of other students. Megan looked extremely nervous. Her eyes wouldn't meet his. "Harry, I'm flattered you asked me to the ball, but I can't go with you."

Harry shrugged. "Alright."

Her eyes shot up to his. "Just alright?"

"Just alright," he replied, unsure what else he was supposed to say.

"You aren't disappointed?" her nervousness was starting to turn into anger.

"What am I supposed to say? Hannah asked me to ask you. I really wasn't interested in going anyways," he replied. There was that growing part in him that if Hannah had wanted to go with him he would look forward to the ball.

Megan looked a little shocked for a moment. "Wait! Hannah told you to ask me?"

"Yeah," he replied.

Megan closed her eyes. "Oh, that stupid girl. Right. Thanks for asking, Harry, but I don't think it would have worked out. I need to go talk with someone."

"Sure. Megan?" he asked as she went to turn away. When she looked at him, it was his turn to be a little nervous. "Is Hannah ever going to talk with me again?"

Megan sighed. "I will do what I can. Thanks for asking me."

When Harry sat back at the table, all the girls were looking at him expectantly. It was Padma that voiced their question. "So, you and Jones?"

Harry shook his head, pulling his runes notebook to him. There were a few finger marks on the page. He looked up to see Anthony holding his hand tight. Served the idiot right for burning his fingers trying to take his stuff when Harry hadn't given him permission. Sue was giving him a smirk as she saw him look to the boy.

"No," Harry said back. "She just turned me down. You know that will sting for a few hours unless you ask for the counter-curse."

Anthony looked up at him. While some were looking between the two boys to see what might happen, others were looking at Harry as though he was a piece of meat.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Potter," Anthony said, the signs he was in pain on his face.

Harry shrugged. Sue looked ready to laugh. She liked the boy as much as Harry did. Padma and Lisa both spoke at once. "Who are you going to ask now?"

The girls gave each other a glare.

"No one," Harry said easily, settling into his work.

"You don't want to go?" Kevin asked.

"Not really," Harry said. Not if it wasn't Hannah.

"You have to go. No one's asked me yet," Padma spoke up.

Harry looked up to the girl. "Thanks for the offer, but I really don't want to go."

"Harry's pining over Abbott," Sue said.

"I am not," he shot back before he could catch himself.

"Oh, I see," Padma said, looking disappointed.

"You could just go with me," Lisa put in, batting her eyes. "You know, just to have some fun."

Harry shook his head and turned back to his revision. "I need to get this done. I have a session with Granger this afternoon."

He didn't see the disappointment from Lisa and the downtrodden expression from Padma. Sue gave them both a sympathetic look before turning to her own work. Anthony glared at him in between giving covetous looks to Lisa. Kevin gave Harry an uneasy look, as though he was guilty.

-oOo-

December 18, 1994

Hogwarts, Scotland

Hannah sighed as she looked over to Harry. She really botched things up with Harry and had been treating him like crap ever since. She still felt stung that he didn't catch on, but at the same time, she had chickened out to ask him and had told him to ask Megan out.

"You can just go up to him and apologize," Susie said from next to her.

"And tell him what? I really wanted to go to the ball with him? Oh, but sorry, I'm going with Kevin Entwhistle now? And the whole asking Megan thing was a joke?" she said rather forlornly.

"You didn't have to say yes to Kevin. I know you like Harry, Hannah," Megan said across from them.

"If he was a good guy, he should have asked you," Ernie commented towards Megan.

Hannah sighed again to see Harry turn a page in his book. He was sitting with most of his year mates at the Ravenclaw table. She didn't miss the way Padma or Lisa looked at him. "He is a good guy," she said. Not to mention handsome, muscular and magically powerful, she chastised herself. Hannah could feel that attraction between them, as could many other girls by the way Lavender told it. The buxom Gryffindor, arguably one of the top three girls for looks in their year if you included Susan and Greengrass, seemed to have her own crush on the boy.

"Just go up to him," Susie prodded.

"I can't. Maybe after Christmas," Hannah said.

"At least drag him off for a dance or two at the ball," Megan encouraged.

She sighed again. "I don't think he's going."

"He was just saying that," Ernie commented. "Who wouldn't want to go and see all the girls looking gorgeous?"

Susie giggled. "You just want to see Johnson."

Ernie looked towards the Gryffindor table. "Tell me she isn't good looking?"

"Not to mention two years older and involved with the twins," Hannah pointed out, looking over her shoulder. Fred, George, Lee, Angelina, Katie and Alicia were in their normal knot. No one knew which boy was taking which girl, but there were rumours that they all shared amongst themselves. And she did mean all of them.

"She's still good looking," Ernie said.

"And one of the best chasers in school," Megan said, looking a little envious at the girl.

"You'll beat her in the next game," Susie said. "Hannah, he's getting up. Go."

Hannah rebuffed the shove from her friend, her eyes finding Harry as he got up from the dinner meal. She wanted to go chase after him, but if she did, she knew she would ask him to go, if he didn't, and what would that make her? She had said yes to Kevin. "Leave off, Susie," Hannah grumbled.

"Chicken," Susan remarked.

"Don't start that, Susie, or do I need to remind you about that muggle boy at the beach last summer?" Hannah threatened her friend.

Susan blushed a little. "Don't you dare!"

"What Muggle boy?" Ernie asked, taking his eyes off Johnson.

"None you mind," Susan said a little heatedly.

Hannah was happy that the attention was off her as she watched Harry leave the great hall.

She really did need to pluck the courage to talk to him. She had been avoiding him for almost two weeks now.

-oOo-

December 24, 1994

Hogwarts, Scotland

Harry huffed. The band playing in the great hall was loud enough to be heard in Ravenclaw tower. He could go to his room, but Harry rarely got the chance to have the entire Ravenclaw library at his disposal, except over Christmas Break, and with every fourth year and above here this year, he hadn't been able to get at the library like he normally could.

By nine-thirty, he had had enough, unable to concentrate with the volume of music. Wanting to get some air, he went up to grab his winter cloak. It was ten minutes to leave the raven head behind and wander towards the courtyard by the transfiguration rooms.

He was hoping that with everything around the great hall and the back gardens open for the night, he would find a quiet spot. On the whole, he had.

A light snow was falling, leaving the courtyard covered in a fine layer of new snow. The trampled vestiges of boot marks were mostly gone. Curiously, there was a single track of what looked like feet and the markings of a cloak or dress that had partially wiped them away. There were some red marks in the snow that looked suspiciously like blood.

Curious, Harry made to follow them, thinking that this area had been declared off limits tonight to anyone attending the ball. The thumping music masked the sounds of crying until he came close to an alcove just inside the roofed back part of the courtyard.

Unsure if he wanted to disturb whatever this was, Harry was about to walk away when he caught sight of blonde hair. His heart shot into his mouth, thinking Hannah was there. Rounding a pillar to look into the alcove, Harry stopped to see a smaller girl huddled against the wall.

She was rubbing her feet, blood smears on her hands and shivering in a dress that looked a little thin for the weather, but nice for the ball. Harry recognized this girl, having seen her in Ravenclaw.

He moved towards her. The girl started. Her sky blue eyes looking like a deer caught in headlights to see him. She made to get up but fell back to the ground as her bloody feet wouldn't let her stand.

"Easy there," Harry told her.

"You aren't a nargle come to steal anything else from me tonight?" she asked, fear in her voice.

Harry held up his hands, palm open. "I don't steal anything from anyone. I'm sorry, I don't know your name," he said, edging closer.

The girl took a stuttering breath. "Luna Lovegood. You are Harry Potter."

He nodded. "Luna, why are you running in the snow barefoot, and don't you have a cloak?"

The shivering girl regarded him for a few. "The nargles like to steal my stuff. I had nice shoes tonight but with so many people with stray thoughts, they were able to sneak in and steal them from under my seat."

Harry frowned. That didn't sound right. He had heard rumours this girl was barmy, but something about her explanation was funny. Not crazy funny. More like she was trying to make excuses. "I see. What do the nargles look like?"-

"Oh, there are many. Some have breasts. Some are male, I think. I think the ones tonight had shimmery dresses and hair with sparkles in them," Luna told him. "The nargles were being mean tonight and I had to leave."

"What about your date?" he asked her, knowing she wasn't a fourth year.

"The wrackspurts got to him," she said matter of fact.

"Right," Harry said. She gave him a look as though ready for him to do something to her. "Why are you out here, and not back up in the tower if you left the ball?"

"The raven won't let me in again," she said a little sadly.

"I have a hard time sometimes when I'm tired," he told her understandingly. Though, that hadn't happened to him since first year.

Luna shook her head. "No. The raven won't let me in," she reiterated.

Harry pursed his lips harder. "As in if you answer the riddle..."

"It won't open. It says 'Loons' are not allowed. What does a North American bird have to do with it," she questioned.

Harry looked at the poor girl, a sense of anger starting to build in him. She was obviously being bullied. Harry did not like bullies. He had dealt with his fair share at the orphanage and here. Though, since becoming one of Professor Flitwick's pupils, no-one besides Longbottom and Malfoy really seemed stupid enough to challenge him.

Harry unclasped his cloak and moved to put it around Luna. She flinched for a second before allowing him. "Come on. I'll get you to Madam Pomfrey and then deal with the nargles. Do they have names?"

"Oh, they don't like to be named," she said a little mysteriously.

"Of course not. But if you think of them, you will tell me? I'm just going to pick you up," he told her, moving to slide an arm under her knees and behind her back. Luna let him approach after a moment. He picked her up, her small frame seeming lighter than it should be for her height. Luna wrapped her arms around his neck, her body quaking from the cold. He had to push down the urge to march to the great hall and find those that were bothering her.

"You are warm," Luna said into his neck.

"I'll get you someplace that is even warmer," Harry told her, making his way towards the infirmary.

The castle had gone silent. The band probably taking a break. It was close to ten-thirty now. The dance was supposed to go to midnight. He was forced to go through the entry hall when he found the doors were locked in the way he wanted to go. He could hear laughter and talking from the great hall. A large group was outside the doors, just milling about. In the group, Harry thought he caught sight of Hannah. She was talking with Susan and Megan. There dates were nowhere to be seen.

He went by, still holding the shivering Luna in his arms.

A few minutes later, he walked into the infirmary. "Madam Pomfrey?" Harry called out.

"Oh, I like her," Luna whispered, sounding tired. At least she had stopped shivering.

"Madam Pomfrey?" Harry called out again, going towards the office. It was locked. Looking around, Harry moved to the closest bed, laying Luna down. He made sure she was wrapped in a blanket and his cloak before looking around again.

"Will you protect me from the nargles? Just for tonight?" Luna asked, sounding so small.

Harry looked her over. "The nargles won't bother you again."

Luna gave him a dreamy smile as her eyes drifted shut. It was a few minutes later that the matron came in.

"Who is in here tonight? Potter? Shouldn't you be at the ball?" she asked, looking upset that her nice evening was ruined.

"Madam Pomfrey, I found Luna Lovegood out in the courtyard by the transfiguration classrooms. She had been walking in the snow and I think she may have some frostbite and cut her feet," he told her.

The ire she had disappeared as she realized there was a patient in the bed behind him. "Oh, dear," she said, moving quickly to the bed. The woman muttered something, taking a few minutes to pull the blanket back and scan over the sleeping girl. "Her body temperature is low. What did she do to her feet? Is this her cloak? Where are her shoes?"

Harry couldn't keep the anger out of his voice. "She said that nargles stole her shoes. I gave her my cloak."

"It is a good thing you have warming charms on it. What are nargles?"

"I don't know, but I suspect she's being bullied. She flinched when I got close," he informed the matron.

Madam Pomfrey looked upset herself. "Would you go find Professor Flitwick? He should be made aware of this. You did good, Potter. I'll heal her feet and she will need to stay here for the night."

Harry nodded and left to go find his mentor and Head-of-House. Whoever had done that to the waif of a girl had better hope Harry didn't come across them tonight. Harry wasn't sure he would be able to stop himself from beating them bloody.

He stormed down to the great hall. The band had started again, and most were on the dance floor, jumping up and down to the fast beat song. Harry caught sight of the banner declaring 'The Weird Sisters' before seeing professor Flitwick talking with Professor Sprout and some other man with red hair. Harry would guess him to be a Weasley, since there were few with that distinctive red hair that looked more like a carrot than the auburn of his mother.

Flitwick caught sight of him as Harry marched over. The other two stopped. "Professor Flitwick, Madam Pomfrey has requested that you come to the hospital wing right away," Harry told him.

Such faith did the man have in one of his proteges that he didn't even question Harry before saying, "Right away. If you excuse me."

Harry cast a nasty glance towards his fellow classmates. Once he found out who, they would not be pleased with his reaction. Flitwick caught the look and his brow scrunched.

They were out of the great hall before his master asked, "What is this about, Harry?"

"Do you know Luna Lovegood, sir?"

The man nodded. "Third year. Daughter of Xenophilius Lovegood, who is the proprietor of the Quibbler. A rather bright girl, but I'm not sure she isn't always there. I do enjoy her interpretations of many of the charms theories. Why?"

"Lovegood is in the infirmary. I found her in the courtyard by the transfiguration classrooms. Her feet were cut up and almost frost bitten. She didn't have a cloak and said her shoes were stolen by something called a nargle from the great hall. It sounds like her date was mean to her and I think nargles are other Ravenclaws," Harry told him.

The man frowned. "You are certain?"

"No, but I don't think she is seeing fantastical creatures," Harry told him.

Flitwick nodded. They were silent the rest of the walk. Madam Pomfrey met them at the door. Harry listened as she told his master about Luna's condition. Her body temperature was back up to a reasonable temperature. Her feet both had scraps and a few cuts, probably from running on the hard paving stones of the of the corridors and caught them on edges not worn down by the centuries of students that had walked the halls.

"What I don't get is why she didn't go back to Ravenclaw tower," Madam Pomfrey said.

Harry spoke up, "Lovegood said the raven wouldn't open for her."

Flitwick looked pensive. "I wouldn't think that Ms Lovegood would find it hard to answer most questions."

"No, Professor. She said the raven would not let her in," Harry said. Flitwick got his meaning this time and a stormy look crossed his face.

"I see. Thank you, Potter and you too, Poppy. See that she is taken care of. I will investigate what is going on. Potter, you should head back to your room for the night," Flitwick told him.

"Lovegood asked me to stay and keep an eye on her," Harry said.

Pomfrey looked a little uneasy at the prospect. Flitwick looked into his eyes for a moment. "Very well, Potter. Poppy, he has my permission."

After a moment, she huffed, "Fine. You will stay quiet and not cause any issues."

"Yes, ma'am," Harry replied, moving to a chair. "Sellafor."

His casual use of the spell had a brow raise on Madam Pomfrey as Harry transmogrified the stiff hospital chair into a large plush arm chair. "I was thinking you would sleep in the bed next to her."

"I'll be alright here for the night," Harry told her, taking a blanket off the bed next to him.

When Professor Flitwick and Madam Pomfrey walked away, he heard her make a comment, "That is NEWT level work."

His master replied. "That was child's play. I have said many times I think we teach some of our students too slowly, while others need years more teaching."

-oOo-

December 25, 1994

Hogwarts, Scotland

Luna was still sleeping as the sun made it's lazy appearance over the horizon about nine in the morning. This far north, the days were short, and the tempers even more so when many felt trapped in the school with a heavy snow, intermingled with sleet and ice from time to time, fell on the grounds.

Being Christmas morning, and the night after the Yule Ball, there was a mixture of reactions throughout the castle. Some were already up, having torn through their presents and enjoying what had been gifted to them.

Others were still sleeping in, enjoying their warm beds in the cold castle after a night of dancing and fun.

It was to this general malaise that the Ravenclaw house was suddenly brought out of as Harry Potter stepped into the common room, a thunderous look on his face. The few that had wondered out of their rooms fell silent as he gazed around the room.

The seventh year prefect, Penelope Clearwater, catching his look, stood up. "Are you alright, Potter?"

"Luna Lovegood. Who has been stealing her stuff?" He met the eyes of anyone that would meet him. There were a dozen people down here, and three girls in a corner seemed to suddenly shrink in on themselves. Harry narrowed his burning green eyes on them.

Clearwater looked a little confused. "I'm sorry, who?"

"Luna Lovegood. Are those her roommates?" Harry asked, his wand coming up and pointing at the three third year girls. "Where are Luna's shoes from last night?" His voice was low and deadly.

Clearwater pulled her own wand. "Professor Flitwick said we are having a meeting at one to discuss something going on in the house. What do you know about it and is this about whomever Lovegood is?"

Harry didn't pay attention as the three girls pulled their own wands. He could see the fear in their eyes. "We didn't do anything."

"Where are her shoes? And her cloak?" Harry asked.

"Stand down, Potter," Clearwater said, moving to stand between him and the girls.

"Stay out of my way, Clearwater," Harry warned. "Where are her things?"

"We don't have them," a brunette said. Her wand raised. It was shaking so badly Harry doubted she would hit the broad side of the castle.

"Where?" he asked again, his patience on tenterhooks.

"Do you know what he is talking about?" Clearwater asked turning to the girls. Harry had never had an issue with this prefect and always found her to be fair.

"We don't know," a raven hair girl said. "It wasn't us."

"And who put the charm on the raven to keep her out?" Harry demanded. His wand raised and he settled into a fairly aggressive duelling stance.

Clearwater looked surprised. "You can't enchant the raven head to do that."

"Luna has been locked out. I could detect the residual magic. Professor Flitwick must have dispelled it last night after I took Lovegood to the hospital. Last chance to tell me who and where her stuff is," he warned the girls. "Clearwater, stay out of this."

The seventh-year girl had stepped between him and the younger girls again. No one else in the common room was speaking up, many feeling uneasy at the power that was starting to radiate off of him.

"Potter, we will go get Professor Flitwick and resolve this," she told him.

Harry wouldn't hurt the girls, at least no more than a day in the infirmary would heal. Knowing he couldn't afford to get into trouble, instead he took a step back. "Accio Luna's lost stuff," he said in a dead calm.

One of the girls screamed in pain as she was jerked off the couch. A necklace jumped out of her shirt and the chain broke after a second, leaving a red mark on her throat. A few other things came out of the girls pockets. A shoe, a quill, three books, a burned set of notes, some marbles and a few other smaller things flew out from various places in the common room. Half of them were hidden on shelves, on top of rafters, or other places that someone would not just casually loose something.

Clearwater looked ready to yell at him and the girls when there was a crash from above them, followed by a few more crashes from the stairs that led to the girls' dorms. A scream or two followed the crashes. Harry's anger grew to see the pile of stuff growing at his feet. They all ducked as a window shattered. A cloak, two pairs of shoes, a picture frame and a few other things flew in.

There were other crashes from the boys dorms, but not as many.

A scream and the sound of someone being dragged down the stairs, followed by other footsteps, came to them. A few seconds later, a girl with a Ravenclaw coloured scarf was dragged into the room. She had been dragged by her feet. Her face was red, and she was only able to get it off when she came to a skidding halt at his feet.

As red the girl was, Harry's face was completely placid.

The girl with shoulder length brown hair was coughing and spluttering as she tried to catch her breath. Clearwater snapped. "What the bloody hell was that? Edgecombe, is that your scarf?"

Cho Chang, a pretty Asian girl, was followed by Renee Terrier and Emmaline Vance. All three looked panicked. Harry felt disgusted to see the prefects badge on Chang's shirt.

"This is all of Lovegood's stolen items," he said, showing the pile that must have been most of a trunk's worth of items. "All the people that had this stuff stole it from her."

"We didn't steal anything. We always told her where to find it," one of the third year girls said.

Edgecombe raised her wand. "Stupefy!"

Harry didn't think. He had been trained to avoid and then counter. He had natural instincts that had been honed to be near the top of his age group on the International Duelling ring. As such, Harry barely leaned back to dodge the spell. His wand was a blur of movement. The past few months of non-verbal training had him casting a low level bludgeoning charm to knock the girl over. Just as that spell hit her, his second spell ripped her wand out of her hands, and the third had ropes wrapping around her.

All three were done before anyone could react. Clearwater was just casting a disarming hex as Chang had her wand up. Several boys had just reached the bottom of the stairs as he sidestepped Clearwater's spell and swiped his wand at the three sixth years.

The air around him went from still to hurricane force in the blink of the eye. None of them were expecting it, landing on their backs. Harry knew he couldn't hurt them the way he wanted, but he wouldn't go easy.

He brought his wand around to throw ropes around them but caught a white energy blur out of the corner of his eye. Harry jumped, rolled and came back up. His wand let out a series of bludgeoning, disarming and even a shield hammer charm as a Protego shield went up before Anthony Goldstien.

A few of his spells impacted the boys. One went down, rolling as a bludgeoning curse hit his left shoulder. Another impacted an older boy in the stomach, shortly emptying his stomach as he doubled over on the floor.

Kevin was behind them. He ducked, holding his hands up with no wand.

Clearwater cast a few stunners and another disarming spell at him. Harry cast a shield and advanced on Goldstien and a sixth year boy. He didn't get time to do anything as he suddenly felt a pain in his arm. Reacting, he ducked and dove behind a couch as two more cutting hexes passed over him and hit the backside of his shield.

"DEPULSO!" Harry cried out, the first verbal spell that he had used. The couch and side table he had dove behind flew across the room. He heard two screams at it smashed into the older girls.

He was about to do the same to the couch that Goldstien and the other boy was behind when a cannon sound went off. "What is going on here!" Flitwick called out in an amplified voice.

Harry had his wand pointing towards the couch. Clearwater had a shield up, protecting the three third-year girls, who all looked like they were ready to soil themselves.

"Potter attacked Chang and the others!" Goldstien accused, rubbing his wrist as he pointed towards him.

"I didn't throw the first spell and I didn't cast anything that would seriously hurt anyone," Harry exclaimed, knowing he was in a world of trouble.

"Professor, Potter accused Rivers, Jenkins and Rosier of stealing Lovegood's stuff. When they didn't own up to it, he cast a summoning charm on Lovegood's stuff." She pointed to the pile on the floor.

There was crying coming from where the couch had hit the other girls. "My arm. I think it's broken."

Flitwick looked at the couch. There were legs sticking out from it and it was obvious he had hurt Chang. Harry had the insane notion of wicked witch…

Flitwick gave him a reproachful look. "We will talk later. Go to my office. Ms Clearwell, help me get everyone that is hurt to the hospital, and then we can figure out the rest of this. Ms Turner, please return all these items to Ms Lovegood's bed."

Harry didn't feel that bad for what he had done as he walked out of the common room. His head was held high as more in the house knew not to cross Harry Potter, and to leave Luna Lovegood alone.

-oOo-

The next time on Duel of Fate: Harry faces the music of his actions while attracting the attention of the headmaster. Oh, and more teen drama.