Harry had forgotten to close the drapes in his new bedroom before falling asleep so he was awakened by the suns rays as they pierced through the windows and into his face.
He could hear the birds singing outside and he smiled. His uncle would often complain about birds chirping nonsense in the morning, but Harry rarely heard it from his cupboard.
He smiled and walked to the window closest to his bed. He looked outside and was astonished by the view. Woods and hills as far as the eye could see. The sky was mostly clear with a few clouds here and there. The sight was striking. He didn't think he could ever get sick of it.
He glanced to the side and saw that there was a balcony that he must have missed yesterday. He stretched and put on a bathrobe before exploring the main area once again. He found a door between the dining and family rooms that he thought might lead out to the balcony.
On the other side of the door was a large sitting room with some book shelves. It looked like a pleasant place to relax and read. On another wall, he saw a glass door that clearly led outside.
The balcony was wonderful and somehow still very clean and well maintained. He wondered what enchantments might have been placed to keep it so well preserved. From here, Harry could really see the property properly.
He leaned over the railing and enjoyed the view. All of this was his. He still couldn't believe it. He'd gone from popper to prince practically overnight. He had a large home and an even larger wallet. He very much doubted that he'd have to work a traditional job ever unless he wanted to. No, he could spend the rest of his days living here without worry and he might even be happy with just that.
At that moment, Mrs Figg opened the door and stepped onto the balcony. "Good morning, Harry," she said. "Hungry? I've brought a tray."
Harry glanced at the tray that Mrs Figg had put down on a small table. There were some berries and sliced melon as well as buttered toast, and a steaming kettle of tea.
His stomach growled and he gave his thanks as he filled a plate with food.
They each looked off in the distance and enjoyed the view as they ate.
Harry was the first to break the silence. "Mrs Figg, do you think the Guild will accept me without a proper education?" He asked.
Mrs Figg peered over her cup of tea as she sipped. A while later she said, "Harry, what is it you're thinking? Don't you want to go to Hogwarts?"
"I don't know, Mrs Figg," he said with a shrug. "There are a lot of people there and I'm worried I won't be accepted. That I'll have to wear my mask all the time. It sounds exhausting."
Mrs Figg laughed a small understanding laugh and said, "Aye, it is at times, I assure you, to be in society. But, that's life, Harry, you can't just hide here."
"Why not? I have everything I need here. I have money. Why do I need school or to be part of magical society?" He asked.
Mrs Figg was looking at him with concern but she didn't say anything.
Harry thought he had made his point and that he had likely won their small argument.
"I doubt very much that you'd be considered by the Guild to be a viable candidate as a hermit, Harry," she said. "You're too famous. They'll see that as a huge asset as you'll be a shoe-in to keep tabs on the purebloods and ministry officials. Without that, they probably won't need you…"
Harry sighed and looked away. "Fine, I guess I don't need them then."
"Harry, what's gotten into you? You seemed thrilled at the idea earlier. I thought this is what you wanted?" Mrs Figg checked.
Harry didn't really know why he was acting this way. It was just a lot. Being here. Being a wizard. Finding out about his family. It was all just too much.
"I don't know Mrs Figg, just forget I said anything."
With that, he walked away back into the house.
It was several hours later and Harry was still in his room. He hadn't wanted to go out and face Mrs Figg. He was angry and he wasn't sure why.
He was laying on the floor with his legs extended upwards against his bed when there was a knock on the door.
"Harry, can I come in? I've got Loki," Mrs Figg said through the door.
Harry was tempted to remain quiet, but he had been missing Loki so he told them to come in.
He heard the door creak open and then what sounded like a very small horse running towards him. A moment later Loki was jumping on his chest and butting his head against Harry's chin, purring.
"I've missed you too," Harry said as he scratched behind Loki's ears.
Harry shifted and sat at the end of his bed, moving Loki to sit on his lap.
"Harry, you don't have to join the Guild if you don't want to," Mrs Figg said. "I never meant to… I thought it was what you wanted…"
"It all sounded so exciting," Harry said. "But I don't know if I'll fit in with the purebloods and ministry officials. It sounds exhausting. Why can't I just be a thief?!" He said with exasperation. "I don't even need magic to do that, do I?"
Harry looked at Mrs Figg. She was looking at him, her head tilted to the side as if she were studying him.
"Laddie," she said. "Did you ever attempt my challenge to sense and identify magical objects?"
Harry smacked his forehead. "Yes! I found the obelisk, the doorknob, and your bedroom door… But what's that got to do with anything?" He asked before continuing. "We're talking about whether or not I need to study at Hogwarts… and I don't need Hogwarts for that, clearly."
"Clearly," she said with a grin. "But I told you that I might take you to Hogsmeade if you found them, didn't I? It's time for a little trip, I think."
Harry tumbled out of the fireplace and just barely stopped himself before falling on his face. He straightened and coughed.
Mrs Figg proceeded to dust his robes, removing all the soot. "You'll get it eventually, laddie," she said.
Harry grumbled. He thought he'd gotten the hang of it. He'd barely stumbled at all when he'd flooed to his new home from Mrs Figg's.
"Enough grumbling, Harry," Mrs Figg said. "This is meant to be a happy trip."
She guided him over to the bar and they sat on a couple empty stools. Harry looked around and saw that there were quite a few patrons sitting throughout the pub. There were stairs that went up to a loft area that looked mostly empty. He thought he saw a small girl with blonde hair out of the corner of his eye but when he shifted to look, he blinked, and when he opened his eyes she was gone.
Mrs Figg waved at the bartender, who Harry thought was very attractive.
"Madam Rosmerta, will you please get us each a butterbeer?" Mrs Figg asked.
Madam Rosmerta looked at Harry and he felt the heat in his cheeks. He looked away.
"Bit young for a butterbeer, don't ya think?" she said.
Mrs Figg smiled and said, "The lad can handle it."
Madam Rosmerta shrugged, "If you say so," she said and brought them their drinks.
Harry took a sip of the butterbeer. "This is amazing, Mrs Figg!" He said. He took another sip and put the drink down.
"This place is called The Three Broomsticks and is frequented by students of Hogwarts," Mrs Figg said. "Your mother and father would visit this place every Hogsmeade weekend they could while they attended school. And I bet your father and his friends might have visited more frequently than that…" she said mischievously. "The school holds many secrets."
Harry thought of the map and cloak he'd read about in his father's journals. It probably made it easy for them to slip out of the castle.
"The store owners here in Hogsmeade tended to look the other way when your father visited outside the allowed weekend," Mrs Figg said.
Harry took another sip of his drink. He knew that Mrs Figg was trying to entice him with illegal trips and secret passageways. If Harry was being honest, it was working. He loved breaking the rules and sneaking around without being caught. He took another sip and finished his drink.
After they left the Three Broomsticks, they headed over to Zonko's shop. From outside, the shop looked very small. The windows were jammed packed with colorful product and posters enticing people inside. They opened the door and went inside. It was incredibly loud in here, Harry thought, not that it bothered him a bit. It was quite a bit more empty inside the joke shop compared to the Three Broomsticks but there were a few children which Harry guessed were locals. Their parents didn't seem to be anywhere nearby at least.
The man that Harry assumed was the owner, who was dressed flamboyantly and had a large top hat, walked over and greeted them. "The name is Zonko," he said. Harry shook the man's hand. When he did, a gooey green substance shot towards his face, but he dodged it just barely. Zonko frowned when his joke didn't land and then his eyes widened in shock.
"Mr Potter! I was not expecting to see you anytime soon. What a wonderful surprise!" He exclaimed excitedly. "Nice dodge by the way."
He then dragged the boy around the shop, filling a bag with various items as he explained what they were and what they did. Harry never got a word in, but it suited him just fine.
"Truly an honor to meet you. Your dad was a frequent visitor and I'm told he unleashed quite a few spectacles at the school with my products," he said to Harry. "And your grandparents," he paused to breathe, "they helped me open this shop here. I hadn't two knuts to rub together. My dad was a wizard and he died when I was young. My mum is a muggle and we struggled to get by. Your grandparents helped me out by investing in my shop," he finished with some enthusiasm.
"I had no idea," Harry said.
"And I am not the only one that your grandparents invested in. There are several shop owners here and on Diagon that owe your family for their success," Zonko continued.
"Yes, but times have changed I fear," Zonko said. "Lucius Malfoy has been trying to buy up all the shops here and at Diagon Alley. He wants to lease them out to only people he considers worthy." Zonko looked at Mrs Figg and said, "And you know what kind of people that excludes. It's getting harder and harder for new people to start their businesses. Before you know it, only purebloods will be able to set up in the magical villages."
"That's awful! Malfoy always was a knob, "Mrs Figg said. "His money is the only thing that kept him out of Azkaban, I reckon, the filthy death eater."
Harry laughed at Mrs Figg's name calling but was confused by the rest. He gathered that Malfoy was probably a rich pureblood that looked down on people outside his circle. He disliked him already.
Mrs Figg must have seen his confused look and said, "Malfoy is a death eater, a follower of Voldemort, and a dangerous one at that."
Harry was incensed at the thought of a follower of Voldemort walking free. Was the Ministry of Magic really so corrupt?
Mrs. Figg and Zonko continued chatting and Harry looked around as he waited for the adults to finish their conversation. He caught a glimpse of long blonde hair at the end of one of the aisle before it disappeared around the corner. He wondered if he might be being followed and decided to investigate. Mrs Figg nodded as he gestured that he wanted to look around. Zonko continued on. The man was clearly a talker.
Harry casually transitioned into his sneaky mode but tried to maintain an air of inconspicuousness since it was the middle of the day and he was in a shop full of patrons. He walked lightly down the aisle he had seen the blonde haired girl last. He felt his senses heighten as he focused all his attention on his target. He thought he could hear the girl breathing just around the corner. He finally made it to the end of the aisle and decided to jump out and catch her unaware. However, when he cleared the aisle, there was no one there.
Harry thought it was probably a good thing. What if the girl wasn't following him and he had just jumped out and scared her? That would have been a bit embarrassing and hard to explain away. He stood there awkwardly with his hand on the back of his neck. He continued walking around the shop, peeking down each aisle, but he never found the girl again.
He returned to Mrs Figg and Zonko and thanked Zonko for giving him so much stuff for free and then he and Mrs Figg walked over to Honeydukes so Harry could buy a cauldron full of treats.
Harry could smell the sweets from outside the shop. His mouth began to water as he looked at the items on display. Harry was most enticed by the baked goods. A little bell chimed as they entered the shop and to his surprise, it was void of any other patrons, and it didn't take long to understand why. At the checkout counter was a tall man with long silvery blonde hair talking loudly with the store owner. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't even seem to notice that someone else had entered the shop. Harry felt a weird energy about the place, as if something was encouraging him to leave the shop immediately.
Before he could comply with the impulse, Mrs Figg put a finger to her lips and motioned Harry to follow her down one of the aisles far away from the checkout counter. When they got far enough away, she whispered to Harry, "That is Lucius Malfoy talking with the store owner, Ambrosius Flume."
Harry's eyes widened at the revelation. He could hear the two talking loudly but they were far enough away that he couldn't hear what was being said. "Do you think I can get closer so I can listen in without being seen?" he asked Mrs Figg.
Mrs Figg frowned in thought before responding, "Go ahead and give it a shot, but make sure your scar stays covered just in case. I don't want him noticing you if we can help it. He knows me and the two of us do not get along at all, so I'll stay here. If he saw both of us together, he might make the connection, but it's still not likely."
Mrs Figg brushed his hair with her fingers so his scar was covered.
He began creeping across the shop, which he noticed was bigger on the inside, just like Zonko's. He wondered if all magical buildings were enchanted like this. It would make sense, he reckoned.
As he got closer, the impulse to leave returned. He pushed through the impulse as he started to pick up on the conversation. It sounded like the Flumes had borrowed money from Malfoy and Malfoy was calling for the payment in full.
"Please, Mr Malfoy, you told us that we could pay you back over the course of 10 years… we don't have that kind of money," Mr Flume said.
Harry was now in the aisle just over from the checkout counter. He had crouched down low so that he could peer through the shelf. He watched as Mr Malfoy unrolled a piece of parchment and slammed it on the counter, making Mr Flume flinch. "If you look at the contract that YOU signed, it says here that I can require the full loan to be repaid plus interest if you miss a payment."
Harry could still only see the back of Malfoy's head, but he could see Mr Flume gulp, he was clearly afraid of Mr Malfoy. Harry didn't blame him really, a menacing energy was rolling off Malfoy in waves. Harry had a thought just then. Maybe Malfoy was using some kind of enchanted object to create the effect. He started his meditation exercise. This would be a good chance to push his limits a bit and see if he could sense and identify objects from further away than he had at Mrs Figgs old house.
It didn't take nearly as long this time. He suspected that it was because he was already so focused as he was sneaking around. A moment later he was reaching out with his senses. He was right, Malfoy was using something. Harry could feel the menacing energy concentrated around a ring on Malfoys finger. Harry wondered if there was an activation phrase or some other way to control the object. It wouldn't be practical for it to be active all the time. Maybe the ring had to be worn in order to be activated. Harry very much wanted to check but didn't really want to come face to face with Malfoy just now. Mrs Figg would not be happy.
Harry returned his attention to the conversation.
Mr Mafloy was in the middle of a tirade "... you missed your payment last week. I'm a businessman and I won't be taken advantage of! Take your whining to someone else. A deal is a deal and if you don't repay your loan in 30 days, then I'll be forced to take collateral as agreed here," he pointed angrily to a paragraph on the contract, "which you agreed to when you took the loan!"
Mr Malfoy turned on his heel and walked towards the exit, his cloak billowing behind him. Harry guessed that Malfoy had likely practiced that exit many times to get it just right. At first he was impressed but the thought caused him to grimace. He didn't like Malfoy on principle seeing as how he was a death eater. Still, the theatrics might be useful. Harry would have to practice his own exit if he was going to fit in with the purebloods.
As soon as Malfoy left, the room lightened considerably. 'That ring, however it worked, was a powerful object indeed,' Harry thought. A moment later he heard a shaky breath come from the checkout counter. Mr Flume was obviously still shaken up from his encounter.
"I never should have agreed to do business with that man." Mr Flume said out loud to himself.
Harry thought of his vault full of gold and what Zonko had said about his grandparents investing in shop owners now and then. He wondered what they would do in his position. Harry, who hated bullies like Malfoy, was inclined to offer his help but wasn't sure how to go about it. He wanted to run the idea past Mrs Figg, but he wasn't sure how he was going to get back to her without being noticed now that Mr Flume wasn't distracted. A moment later, his wish was answered however, as he saw Mr Flume turn and walk into a back room.
Taking his chance, Harry walked back over to Mrs Figg. He told her what he'd overheard and what he'd discovered about Mr Malfoy's ring.
"That was some good work, laddie, I'm impressed." Mrs Figg said with a smile. She shook her head and chuckled, "You have good instincts and the Guild would be foolish not to accept you as a candidate… That is, if you decide you want to become part of the Guild."
Harry frowned, he still wasn't sure he was up to it, but he definitely wanted to do something about the likes of Malfoy and he figured the Guild would be the best resource. Mrs Figg seemed to believe in his abilities. Maybe he just needed to get over his self doubt.
Instead of voicing his thoughts to Mrs Figg, he decided to change the topic back towards Mr Flume and his deal with Malfoy.
"Do you think we could help out Mr Flume? All that money is just lying useless in my vault and I think this is the kind of thing my grandparents would want me to do," he said.
Mrs Figg frowned and muttered to herself a bit as she worked through her thoughts.
"It sounds like Malfoy was hoping for a chance to take Honeydukes as collateral eventually. He won't like us thwarting his 'll have to be careful and we'll need a solid contract."
Harry nodded in understanding.
"I think this will be a good learning experience for you," Mrs Figg continued, "but you need to make a choice."
Harry wondered what she was getting at.
"On the one hand, you do not want to make yourself a public enemy of Malfoy right now. You'd be outmatched," she said. Harry scowled but knew she was right.
"On the other hand, the lighter pureblood families will adore you for picking up your family's mantle as a budding philanthropist."
Harry was deep in thought, weighing his options. He wondered if there was a middle ground they could take. It was obviously well known enough that his grandparents invested in businesses. Maybe he could just treat this as an investment instead of a donation. If he made efforts to make deals with other shop owners then it wouldn't look so targeted and might throw Malfoy off his trail. The older wizard would probably still be put out at the competition but it wouldn't be clear that Harry was going out of his way to thwart the man.
He brought up his thoughts with Mrs Figg who nodded in understanding. "That could work," she said. "Let's simmer on this while we shop."
They walked over and Mrs Figg opened the door so it would chime as if they'd just entered. They grabbed a cauldron to fill with goodies and then they saw Mr and Mrs Flume come out of the back room. The old couple waved and welcomed Harry and Mrs Figg as if nothing was wrong.
Harry took the cauldron from Mrs Figg and began to fill it with sweets as he continued to think up a plan for how to help the Flume's without making enemies or damaging reputations. He grabbed a bunch of Chocolate Frogs, Acid Pops, and some Sugar Quills. He was enticed into buying some Pepper Imps by a moving poster that showed the consumer smoking from the ears and breathing fire. Mrs Figg let him know that it did wonders for sinus issues, which Harry thought was interesting.
Harry shuddered at the display of Mr. Spindle's Lick "O" Rish Spiders crawling around inside a jar. He wasn't a huge fan of licorice anyways.
He saw Mrs Figg eying some Crystallised Pineapple and grabbed some when she walked away to give as a gift later.
They perused the shop and added more and more sweets to his cauldron until it was overflowing.
Finally, they decided to go and make their purchase. Harry assumed he'd be set on sweets for quite a while.
If Mr Flume was shocked at the amount of sweets Harry was buying, he didn't let on. While the man had a smile on his face and was polite, Harry could tell that his mind was elsewhere. Harry decided to trust his instincts and with a glance at Mrs Figg he made his decision.
"Mr Flume," he said reluctantly, "I may have overheard your conversation with Mr Malfoy earlier…"
As if broken from a trance, Mr Flume's head shot up and he locked eyes with Harry before glancing up at Mrs Figg.
"You look just like your father, Mr Potter," the man said. "Caught him in my shop with his three friends often enough. If I didn't know better I'd swear there was a secret entrance from Hogwarts in my cellar…"
The man shook his head and said, "I am sorry you overheard us. That wasn't very professional of Mr Malfoy. His visit was expected, but not timely."
Mrs Figg took over for Harry, "We're sorry for dropping an ease, but we walked in when Mr Malfoy was here and you didn't notice. Harry here has a desire to help and we have an offer for you, no strings attached."
"Well, there are some strings," Harry clarified. "I don't exactly want to make an enemy of Mr Malfoy just now. I'd like to help, but I'm a bit hesitant to oppose Malfoy so openly."
Harry shared his idea with Mr Flume who for his part, listened intently. Hope was practically etched onto his face.
"Ah I see, so this will be more of an investment and less of a donation then?" Mr Flume checked.
"Sort of," Harry said, "I'm willing to donate the money needed to cover Malfoy's interest, but the remainder of your loan will be covered as an investment. I'll become a silent part owner in your company and I'll take a cut each month, but you'll be able to buy me out if you want."
Harry cleared his throat and said, "In return, I ask that you spread the word to the other shop owners that I'm looking for investment opportunities."
Harry was worried that Mr Flume was going to reject his offer. He dared a glance at Mrs Figg but he couldn't guess at her thoughts as her face was blank as slate. She was a good business woman.
Finally, after what felt like ages, Mr Flume said, "Your grandparents were good people, son, otherwise I would be more hesitant. I'll have to run this by the misses, but I do believe we can come to an agreement. How'd you like to stop by for supper tonight so we can go over some of the finer details and I'll invite a couple other shop owners so you can see I've fulfilled your requirement?"
Harry nodded enthusiastically and agreed after Mrs Figg nodded her consent. They made to complete their purchase but Mr Flume offered to hold onto it until after supper.
Harry was a bit tired as they exited the shop, but he was exhilarated by everything he had been able to pull off. First the sneaking and spying, the successful use of his newly discovered power, and then finally being able to successfully navigate the beginning stages of investment. All in the name of justice and preventing a knob from bullying good people.
They decided to do a bit more shopping and exploring until supper. Mrs Figg showed him what the villagers called the Shrieking Shack, but let him in on the secret. One of his dad's best friends had been a werewolf and had been able to use the shack each month during his transition. The monthly screams had scared the villagers for seven years before it went silent. Now the shack was nothing more than a tourist attraction.
After the shack, they went up a hill that overlooked the valley. There were several benches running along the edge of an overlook. They took a seat that faced Hogwarts and Harry looked on in awe of the giant castle.
As they looked on, Mrs Figg said, "Hogwarts is a rite of passage that most kids would die for. As a squib-," Harry flinched. "-I never had the chance."
Of course she'd be upset at Harry for even considering giving up this chance, he thought.
Harry apologized for being an insensitive git about the whole thing. "I'm sorry, Mrs Figg, you're right of course. I'm just being stupid," he said.
Mrs Figg waved him off. She had a big smile on her face.
"Don't worry about the Guild for now, Harry, you can decide later. I just hope you know how much of an impact you could have as a member," she said.
"I've made my decision, Mrs Figg, I'll attend Hogwarts and join the Guild if they'll have me," he said.
Mrs Figg smiled at him and they sat in silence as they looked over the valley.
Harry was feeling a bit off, like he was being watched. He remembered the blonde girl he'd seen earlier that day. He wanted to look around and see if he was right, but didn't want to give anything away. He remembered his experience in Honeydukes with Malfoy's ring. He wondered if he would be able to pick up on someone else's presence with his ability. He had been so focused on objects so far that he hadn't thought to even try. He imagined the experience would be pretty similar.
He took a deep breath and tried to focus his attention on his feelings. He closed his eyes as he continued to breathe in and out. He focused his attention first on Mrs Figg. She was a squib so he might not be able to pick up on her. He felt silly, since he knew she was sitting right next to him, but he tried anyway. At first, he thought he got nothing and he was ready to call it quits, but just as he was about to shift further out, he thought he picked up on an inkling of something. It was a near intangible feeling, like an empty vessel eager to be filled. He felt sad for Mrs Figg.
He decided to reach out further and see if he could sense who or what was causing him to feel like he was being watched. It might just be his imagination, but he had to try and find out. This was a good exercise of his ability to sense magic, if nothing else. He reached out and imagined a dome expanding. As the dome expanded over objects, he would pick up on minor inklings or impressions of what the object might be. There were a few magical plants on the hill top but he hadn't been able to identify them. He certainly hadn't noticed them on his walk up here.
He pushed the dome boundary a bit further, but it was getting harder to maintain his concentration. A moment later and his focus fizzled out entirely.
"That was most impressive," he heard in the distance. Mrs Figg jumped as if shocked. Apparently she hadn't been aware that they were no longer alone. It was nice to know that she wasn't perfect and that he had hope in pulling one over on her every now and then in the future.
"I could see your aura expanding further and further. I've never seen someone do that before, it was fascinating," the voice said before Harry saw a small blonde girl that he guessed was around his age hop out of a tree just outside where he guessed his focus had fizzled out.
The girl continued to walk towards them and Harry noticed that she was barefoot. He looked over at Mrs Figg, but except for a single raised eyebrow, she gave no indication of her thoughts.
When the girl was close enough, Harry raised from his seat and extended his hand towards the girl inviting her to take his hand. "My name is Harry Potter," he said. The girl looked at his extended hand with her head tilted to the side as if in thought. She made no move to shake his hand and Harry lowered it, blushing.
"It's nice to meet you, Harry," she said. "I'm sorry for following you, but you have the most intriguing aura and I admit I was drawn to you."
Harry didn't know what to say.
Mrs Figg stepped in and said, "I'm Mrs Figg, Harry's guardian, and who might you be?"
The girl looked at Mrs Figg, her thumb and index finger holding her chin as if inspecting the woman. She finally answered, "My name is Luna Lovegood."
Harry noticed Mrs Figg flinch ever slightly but it was so subtle he doubted the girl, Luna, had noticed.
"Lovegood you say," Mrs Figg said. "You must be Xeno and Pandora's daughter then?"
Luna nodded.
Mrs Figg looked around, her hands out palms up as she asked, "And are your parents nearby? I didn't think you lived near Hogsmeade…"
"My parents are always with me," Luna said with her hands on her heart, "But no, I'm afraid they both died recently and I'm here on my own."
Harry frowned. He felt bad for her, but she seemed a bit off. What did she mean her parents were always with her? What was all the talk about auras?
Mrs Figg continued, "Oh I'm sorry to hear that. I didn't know either of them well, but I understood them to be good people."
"That's nice of you to say," Luna said.
Mrs Figg didn't seem to know what else to say.
Harry had been silent so far but he had been busy observing. He'd noticed several things that indicated that Luna was in trouble. Aside from being barefoot, he also noticed that her dress was rather worn out, the edges frayed. She was also very thin, and had circles under her eyes. He was familiar with the look, having only recently been able to cure himself of his own. There were bruises on her shins and elbows that at first glance looked like what a normal child would have after an afternoon playing outside, but Harry could tell they were rather old. She was having a hard time healing. She was starving.
Harry decided to try and sense her again, now that she was closer. He was curious what he'd read from her. He closed his eyes and pushed his focus outward, like before. When the boundary of his mental dome reached the girl, she giggled in delight. He was able to read the girl almost instantly. Unlike Mrs Figg, this girl was full of serene energy. It felt like he'd plunged his head into a cloud and he was dreaming. He felt boundless, like nothing was impossible and everything was possible. There was a twinge of sadness surrounding the girl, on the edges, but overall she felt calm and resolved to be happy.
He pulled back and returned his focus to the physical world, his eyes wide. Mrs Figg was looking at him curiously, but she didn't say anything.
Luna groaned in disappointment, "aww, I like your aura, Harry, it has a calming and curious presence like a cat."
"I umm, like your aura too, Luna," he said awkwardly as he tried to use the new term. It was like trying to speak another language, but it was helpful to put words to his ability. "Your… aura… felt like a dream of endless possibilities."
Luna giggled at his description but had a beaming smile on her face. Harry noticed some missing teeth and frowned.
Mrs Figg must have picked up on the details as well because she was frowning as well. "Do you have any plans tonight, Ms Lovegood?" she asked the girl.
"It's a full moon tonight so I was hoping to be able to visit the mooncalves on the next hill, but other than that I don't."
"How would you feel about joining us for supper at Mr Flume's house?" Mrs Figg asked.
Luna's eyes grew wide and she said, "I'd like that, thank you!"
They made their way back to the village. Mrs Figg walked ahead and said, "I'm just going to hurry ahead to have a chat with Mrs Flume before dinner. You two take your time walking back."
Harry understood that Mrs Figg was likely letting their hosts know they'd have an extra guest tonight and to ward off any awkward questions.
Harry and Luna walked side by side in silence. At one point Luna tripped and Harry caught her arm so she wouldn't fall. Luna looped her arm in his after that and nestled into his shoulder after that. Harry, who was not very used to physical contact, was surprised at how natural it felt to have her on his arm.
Harry gathered his courage and asked, "Can I ask what happened to your shoes?"
Luna shrugged and said, "I took them off so I could soak my feet in a stream and forgot to put them back on."
Harry decided not to ask how long ago that had been.
Instead, he said, "Since we're visiting some friends tonight, what do you say to me treating you to a new pair of shoes?"
"That sounds nice," she said simply. "Just as long as they're easy to take off."
Harry smiled and then steered them down the street towards a clothing shop he'd seen earlier.
A little while later, Luna was outfitted in a new outfit that Harry had bought her. Harry had expected a bit of a fight from the girl, but she didn't seem to mind Harry buying her things. She kept it simple, however, and didn't take advantage.
Now back outside, Luna was standing there with her shoes in hand, still barefoot. Harry just smiled. He guessed she'd just preferred being barefoot at this point.
They walked over to Honeydukes, at which point Luna put her new shoes on, and walked inside.
They were welcomed into the apartment on the second level by Mrs Flume and Mrs Figg, who fawned over Luna in her new outfit. Luna seemed pleased with the attention and gave a small curtsy.
"Nice job, Harry," Mrs Figg whispered to him as he pulled out Luna's chair. Mrs Figgs lessons on etiquette were really helping out with this new scenario. Harry and Luna were the last to reply and everyone waved off his apology when he offered it. Everyone seemed happy to be invited and seemed to know why they were here.
Besides the Flumes, there were three other shop owners seated around the table. Mr Flume made the introductions then and Harry learned that the three shop owners he didn't recognize were Feona Greengrass, Harold Weekes, and Zacharia Fenby who respectively owned Dogweed and Deathcap, Spinwitches Sporting Needs, and The Magic Neep.
Mrs Figg then introduced herself, Harry, and Luna to the group. Harry noticed that Luna often had a vacant expression on her face, but assumed she was off in her own world or maybe scoping out their auras. Nobody seemed to mind her presence there.
They served dinner and began to talk and eat and Harry learned several things.
Feona and Harold were both pureblood or near enough to it to not be bothered. Zacharia, however, was a halfblood who had recently purchased The Magic Neep from the previous owner. It had taken his entire inheritance to make the purchase of the building, Harry had learned, and he needed help buying supplies. Feona and Harold had been blacklisted by Malfoy, who he'd learned was the primary owner of several suppliers.
"Before they died, your grandparents owned several of the businesses that Malfoy has since taken over. He was able to use their absence to build quite the portfolio," Mrs Figg had said.
"Right," said Harry. "And now he's bullying everyone into doing what he wants."
Harry was fuming. Voldermort had orchestrated his parents and grandparents deaths and now one of his death eaters was free and taking advantage of the absence his family had left behind.
Feona Greengrass broke the silence, "We have a plan, but we need the capital to pull it off. With you in our corner, we should be able to correct what's happened. The process will be slow, but if we do it right then Malfoy may end up being unaware that anything is going on at all."
At that, Luna said, "Mr Malfoy does have quite a few wrackspurts, so I expect you're right."
Everyone stopped at that comment and Mrs Figg politely asked, "What are wrackspurts, Luna?"
"They're tricky creatures that infest one's mind. They're invisible and cause confusion and unclear thoughts," Luna clarified. "Mr Malfoy had quite the infestation."
Harry noticed that most everyone had a very skeptical look on their face and chose to come to Luna's defense. "Yeah, I think you're right Luna."
At Harry's statement everyone nodded their head in agreement.
"Thanks Harry, you're a kind soul," Luna said before eating more of her dinner.
Feona finished explaining the plan to the group and Mrs Figg seemed to agree it was a good plan.
After that, they served dessert. Everyone was quite pleased with the discussion and seemed to be in agreement.
"I'll have a friend of mine draft up the contracts for each of you and Mr Potter here." Mrs Figg said. I'll owl them over for your signatures if you agree. If you don't simply send a reply back requesting any corrections."
They all nodded their agreement to the plan.
"I will be including a non-disclosure to my involvement. It's not well known that Harry has re-entered the magical world and that he's in my care. As far as the community at large knows, Harry is still living with his muggle relatives. I'd like to maintain that ruse for as long as we can, for his protection."
"I'll sign, of course," said Mr Flume. "It will help keep Malfoy off our trail anyways if he's stuck searching for our benefactor."
"Yes, I'll sign as well," Feona said. "We can reveal Harry's involvement at a more opportune moment in the future."
The rest of the group agreed as well.
After that, the group dissipated in intervals. It wasn't unusual for the shop owners to mingle, but they wanted to reduce any rumors from spreading.
After everyone but the Flumes had left, Luna said, "That was a lovely dinner Mrs and Mr Flume. Thank you for having me."
"You are welcome anytime, dear," Mrs Flume said and Mr Flume nodded his agreement.
"Harry, the full moon is out, can we go see the mooncalves now?" Luna asked.
Mrs Figg nodded and they gave their goodbyes to the Flumes.
Mr Flume handed Harry his cauldron of sweets from earlier and insisted that since Harry was going to be part owner, that he needed not to pay.
Outside the store, Luna promptly removed her shoes and the trio made their way down the path that led to a large field that was known for mooncalf sightings.
Luna resumed her place on Harry's arm and they followed Mrs Figg down the path. Several times, Harry felt Luna lean her head against his shoulder.
They climbed a steep hill and Harry nearly lost his breath. Luna struggled a bit due to her poor health, but Harry and Mrs Figg guided her along providing support when needed. From the top of the hill they had a great view of the field. Harry looked up at the sky and saw that the moon was obscured by a large gray cloud. He hoped it would move so the moon could come out. He could see that the cloud was slowly moving and that the moon would eventually be able to shine down on them. He was glad that he'd finally be able to see a herd of mooncalves.
Harry could tell that Luna was tired, so he went to sit down and then pulled her into his lap. She cuddled up with him and he noticed Mrs Figg try to hide a smile. He could tell that the woman was as fond of the young girl as he was. Harry could hardly believe that they'd only met for the first time earlier today. He already knew he'd do anything for her. His first friend, he reminded himself. It was good to have a friend.
Harry looked up at the sky again and could see the moon was about to break free from the cloud. He nudged Luna, who was falling asleep, at the exact moment that the moonlight shone down on the field. Luna perked up and looked down at the field.
"Look," she said. "Just there."
She pointed down at the tree line where several large boulders were. A moment later, a herd of mooncalves came frolicking from behind one of the boulders. Harry had no idea where it had been before the moon came out. He remembered reading that they tended to live in burrows or caves and only came out at a full moon. If you were lucky, you'd get to witness them do their dance, but it was a rare sighting.
"I hope they'll dance for us," Luna said.
Mrs Figg smiled and said, "I have a good feeling that they will."
Sure enough, the moon calves began to jump around in a circle. Soon, they were jumping in sync with each other. They began to twirl and sway as a group. Harry was entranced. He strained his eyes to stay open so he wouldn't miss any of it. Luna squeezed him tightly and murmured something but he couldn't make sense of it. He squeezed her softly in return.
In a moment, the spell ended and the mooncalves began to frolic back to the group of boulders.
Harry was sad that it had ended so quickly but considered himself lucky to have seen it at all.
Mrs Figg was looking down at them and said, "Alright, I think it's time to get going. Luna dear, would you like to come with us?"
If Luna was startled by the invitation, it didn't show. She simply smiled and said, "Oh yes, I would love to come live with you."
Harry chuckled at her, unsure if she had misunderstood Mrs Figg's invitation or if she had simply known what Mrs Figg was really asking.
They made their way back to the main street in no time and used the floo at The Three Cauldrons to travel home. It was an uneventful trip, of which Harry was very grateful. It had been a very full day and he was very tired.
Once back in the main hall, Mrs Figg left Harry to show Luna to her new room while she returned to her quarters.
Harry and Luna walked hand in hand as Harry showed her around. He didn't go into much detail, tired as he was, and Luna didn't seem to be paying attention anyways.
When he got to his family quarters, he explained that he'd been staying in his fathers old room and she was free to take either the room Sirius Black had used or his grandparent's old room. Luna frowned, "Can I just stay with you in your room?"
Harry blushed. She wanted to share his room? "Are you sure you don't want your own room?" he asked.
"Maybe later," she said. "Right now, I just don't want to be alone. I've been alone a really long time and it's lonely."
Harry chuckled quietly at her description. He understood what it was to be alone and lonely. "All right, you can stay with me for now but I'm not sure how long Mrs Figg will allow you to stay in my room. It's not proper."
"She won't mind," Luna said matter of factly as she pulled Harry into his room after her.