Obligatory Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any character, story element or plot item originally published in the Harry Potter books or movies that I may refer to in this story. I'm merely playing in the sandbox.

"How did it work?"

"Like a charm. I think the rumors about the Marauders will help quell things. The twins were there and seemed to be drooling at the spellwork."

Sirius and Moony nodded. "Good. I'll have Dobby get the recording sphere later. I want to see the results."

"Maybe after breakfast? Why a grenade? I'm shocked Dumbledore didn't vanish it."

Sirius muttered something about a holy hand grenade, but Harry didn't get the reference. He did note Moony elbowing him before speaking. "Oh, I sent him a note," Moony said. "I warned him that you were going to make an example of a few people and that you wouldn't kill anyone."

"Oh. He's usually faster than that. He drew his wand, but never attempted to stop me…" Harry shook his head. "I had wondered at the moment but had other things on my mind."

"You know, he wrote back and asked if the twins had advised doing this. He apparently is aware of every prank they pull." Moony shook his head. "I never knew that as a professor. He only told me after Snape pulled his stunt. I'd honestly forgotten until he wrote back."

Harry sat down and ate a bite of bacon. "Makes sense. He's got control of the wards, I'm sure he'd have to know everything that went on if he took the time to look."

Before long, he was heading to the infirmary. Luna had been moved to a private room, but that didn't stop him. Winky warned her he was coming and then he appeared, seeing her bruising much reduced. "Hey."

"What did you do? You seem very satisfied with yourself."

"I am." For whatever reason, Luna didn't ask more. Harry reached out for her hand. "They're supposed to return your property. Part two of the plan was a trunk left in the common room with 'Luna's Property' etched on the lid. Items that are dropped there will be brought down to the Chamber so you can collect them. I'll get Winky or Sirius will get Dobby to collect your trunk so you can pack it back up."

He sighed. "I don't know how much they just took and hid or how much they destroyed. If you need anything, Sirius said he will authorize payments from the Potter vaults. It turns out that Remus can pull out of the main vaults with a guardian signature." He shook his head. "Goblin law is rather funny about these things."

"Thank you."

The door behind him opened and he turned, reaching for his wand with his free hand, then paused. Fleur, Viktor and Diggory were standing at the door. "May we come in?" Fleur asked, standing just forward. "We wanted to check on Luna."

"Thank you." She was now subdued, the smile now gone. "I really didn't think anyone cared. So many people ignore those that aren't part of their friend group."

Diggory stepped forward. "Harry said you were his only friend here. I think that means he cares." He placed his hand on his chest. "I'm sorry that my soon to be ex did this to you. I never knew she was like that, or I wouldn't have been with her."

"You're a good person, I don't think you'd be involved." She was silent. "Not all Hufflepuffs are like that, though."

"I don't understand this house system Hogwarts has," Fleur said.

"Agreed. It is...divisive."

Harry nodded. "It has definitely been divisive here." He kept his thoughts of his pending potential freedom to himself. He didn't want that getting around.

"What you did was clever." Viktor said.

"I had a lot of help. Honestly, I didn't know exactly what that grenade would do or the other spells that were laid around the table. I just knew what I said." Glancing over at them, he saw surprise on their faces, so he continued.

"Some of the best pranksters that ever walked the halls here were the Marauders. My late father was one, then there are two others that can be acknowledged. One betrayed my parents to Voldemort, so he is dead to anyone who knows." Harry frowned. "One of my tutors is a Marauder. Getting the wards in place without being caught was the hard part. The other stuff...I had a little help. The rest was his design with my input and some suggestions from someone he knows."

"Winky?"

"Yes, Luna, and Dobby."

She laughed a bit. "A little help. You can't help yourself either."

"I don't understand."

"Winky and Dobby are elves."

Fleur rolled her eyes. "Your sense of humor is like my father's."

Harry didn't know what to say, then looked at Luna as she moved. She was just smiling. "I told you that you weren't alone."

He shook his head. "We're here for you, not for me now." At that, he looked around. "Why are we in this private room? You were in the infirmary before."

"Several of the Ravenclaws have been coming in for help with what you did. Nothing she's done has worked. Cho tried to attack me, but several of the others jumped on her and dragged her away from me." She looked at him with the same calm gaze she almost always had. "They were afraid of you coming after them."

"As they should be," Viktor said. "I agree with Fleur. There is nothing worse than a bully."

Harry nodded. "Definitely. That's why I stopped where I did. I had a lot of advantages there. If I had gone further, I would have been the bully." He exhaled. "So, did everyone figure their egg out?"

Each nodded, but Diggory was curious. "How did you? I was going to suggest the Prefect's bath."

"Someone happens to know Mermish when they hear it." He gestured to Luna.

Cedric shook his head. "I had a hint from Moody, for some reason. He suggested that I might tell you. I don't know why he thought we were talking." Diggory just frowned. "Ha…Potter…I…"

"Harry. Call me Harry, the others are. We're in this together, even though I'm hoping Fleur wins. She apologized first." Luna giggled a little at his comment.

"I apologized at the table."

"Oh, was that an apology?" Smirking, Harry shrugged. "Fleur is prettier than you, though." Luna laughed again, more her normal laugh, and it warmed Harry's heart to hear it. The others had joined her, Fleur preening slightly, then winking at Harry or Luna, he wasn't sure from the perspective.

"Fine," Diggory said. "Call me Cedric, though."

Harry nodded, sketching a bow that was just shy of sarcastic. "The only thing I can't figure out is the 'what you'll miss most' part. Everything of mine is out of reach for the judges."

"Maybe they didn't think to change the riddle when you disappeared."

"Maybe." He glanced at Luna, but Luna didn't say anything. From the fact that she wouldn't look directly at him, he still suspected she knew something he didn't.

Thanks to a little digging on Harry's part, Harry arranged for a little diversion on the thirteenth of February. He walked in again to the Great Hall. Ravenclaw all turned to stare at him, the first of those in the hall that had noticed his entrance. Soon, he had the entire Hall's attention. He approached Luna, who looked at him, this time perplexed.

"What's... I don't understand."

"You mean I managed to surprise you?" Harry smirked, then produced a small box. "Happy Birthday."

She took the box slowly, looking at it with a bit of surprise. "I...don't know what to say. Thank you." She was quiet as she said this.

"You're welcome. Would you care to do something a bit different for dinner?"

She looked around at the others at her table, all keeping their distance. "Yes."

She stood and took his arm as they walked out. Unsurprised, Harry heard other footfalls behind them. They rounded a corner and he used his freehand to activate his concealment charm. He held his finger up in front of his lips, then they turned to see Granger round the corner, followed by Ginny. Surprisingly, Ginny was trying to hold her back.

"I told you that it was pointless. If he wants you to know, he'll tell you."

"But I have to know! Why wouldn't he tell me?"

"You're not friends anymore, Hermione." Ginny shook her head, taking Neville's hand. "You made it clear to him.

"I... I want to..." She didn't finish the sentence, just turned around and walked back to the Hall.

"You should do something about this."

Harry nodded. "I will. I need to figure out how to do it, though. I'm not just going to answer some questions because she has to know." He sighed. "Sirius says I'm pretty close with my Occlumency. Once I have that to sufficient level, I can have the conversation with her without slipping into an argument."

"That makes sense."

He nodded. "Come on, there's a lemon cake waiting for you."

"I love lemon cake." She clapped her hands and hopped slightly.

"You told Winky, that was her idea."

She smiled broadly as they walked to a clear classroom to call on Winky.

A/N: My thanks to hellion117 for the suggestion in his comment. It has been years since I watched Holy Grail and the idea never occurred to me.

Funny note. Somehow, during the writing of the original draft, this is now chapter 11a. I have four chapter 11s somehow? That's going to take some editing, but I should have it fixed in about a month, giving the once-a-week publication schedule.