Of Girls and Goddesses

Of Girls and Goddesses

Chapter VII

Harry sat up with a start, breathing heavily. His scar was burning, and he felt dizzy. The door to his room opened a crack, and a pale, white figure slipped into the room. It was Luna, who was wearing a long white nightgown, a dressing gown, and slippers.

"Harry, what's the matter? I was just about to fall asleep, and I heard you start screaming my name. You're lucky you didn't wake everyone in the house." She switched on a lamp and came nearer, looking at him closely.

"It was a nightmare," Harry babbled, rubbing his head, and feeling foolish. "I'm sorry, Luna. It was a bad dream."

"Your scar is hurting you," Luna said flatly. "Was it a bad dream, or was it a vision?"

She came and sat on the edge of the bed. Harry took a deep breath. "The pain is going away. I'm all right now."

He looked at her, still embarrassed. "I don't know what is was. It seemed so much like a dream at first. It wasn't like the other visions I had last year, where I could sense Voldemort's feelings. Something was different. Maybe it was because I could see myself in it. When I'm in Voldemort's head, I don't normally do that."

Luna brought her legs up on the bed, and leaned back against the headboard next to Harry. "You saw me, too? I was there? Where were we?"

"In the Shrieking Shack. I recognized it quite clearly."

She looked interested. "You've been inside it? I thought it was haunted."

"It's not haunted," Harry replied. "Do you remember Professor Lupin?"

"Of course. He was an excellent teacher, poor man."

Harry started explaining about the shack, and Remus Lupin and what had happened with Sirius during Harry's third year at Hogwarts. It took awhile, and Luna listened very carefully, trying to follow the complicated story.

"It looked cleaner," finished Harry, "but I'm sure it was the same building."

"And what we were doing there?"

"The casket that holds the scroll of Thoth was sitting on the floor in the upstairs bedroom. They supposedly found it when they excavated that temple in Egypt last year, and Voldemort is after it. Dumbledore told me that Voldemort wants immortality. He was trying to get us to open it for him. There's some kind of curse on it, and he didn't want to get hit with it."

Luna pushed her hair back behind her ear and eyed Harry thoughtfully. "Maybe you're seeing the future. Do you have any seer blood?"

"Not that I know of," Harry answered, but he was starting to wonder, since he'd been asked this so many times before.

"This all makes so much sense," said Luna, tucking her robe around her legs.

"It makes no sense!" Harry said sharply.

"Yes, it does. Ever since I found out Professor Croaker was working at Hogwarts, I've been wondering why Dumbledore hired him. He must be helping Dumbledore think of a way to protect the scroll. Croaker is an expert on ancient Egypt. He can read hieroglyphics as fast as he can read English. He was the head of the archeology department at that muggle museum he worked at, and he worked with a lot of people at other museums during that time on several famous touring Egyptian exhibitions. I wonder if Croaker persuaded his museum contacts to let him take charge of the scroll?"

"That doesn't make sense to me, either. Why would any museum just hand over a valuable artifact like that to an outsider, even if they did know that person was an expert? Wouldn't they have their own experts to look at things like that?"

"Yes," Luna agreed, "but Professor Croaker is an expert on the occult, as well as an archeologist. A lot of those muggles he worked closely with know he is a wizard. He admitted it to our class. If this casket has some kind of nasty curse engraved on it, the muggles wouldn't want to risk opening it any more than Voldemort would. The museum people are probably expecting Croaker to find a way to break the curse for them."

Harry thought hard. "If Croaker has it, he wouldn't want to keep it in Hogwarts, where someone might find it accidentally. If what you say is true, maybe he's hiding it in the Shrieking Shack. No one would have any reason to go there. Everyone in Hogsmeade certainly avoids it like the plague." Harry looked at Luna impressed. "I think you might have something here. When I get back to school, I'm going to ask Professor Croaker about it, or maybe Dumbledore. I'll tell them about the dream, or whatever it was." Harry rubbed his forehead again. "I am so tired, but now I'm almost afraid to go back to sleep. I wonder what will happen next?"

Luna smiled at Harry, and leaned over to shut off the lamp. "Go to sleep, Harry. I'll sit here until you do. How's that?"

"That would be wonderful, Luna. Thank you." Harry felt a surge of gratitude for this strange girl, who seemed to drift in and out of his life whenever he needed someone to gently put him back on track. "I'm sorry to be such a big baby."

"You're not a baby. There are times when no one should have to be alone." Luna watched as Harry slumped back and closed his eyes. She waited until she was sure he was asleep, then impulsively decided to watch him for a little while longer in case he started dreaming again. She stretched out comfortably on top of his bedspread and propped her head up on her hand.

The next morning, when Neville, Ginny Ron, and Hermione met to go down to breakfast, they were surprised when Harry and Luna didn't come out of their rooms. Ginny knocked on Luna's door, and when there was no answer, she pushed it open.

"Luna's not there," Ginny said, surprised. "Do you think she and Harry already went down?"

"They have never gone downstairs without us before," Neville said. "Harry's door is partly open. "Let's go see if he's there."

He pushed open Harry's door, and gasped. Harry was still in bed sleeping and Luna was lying on top of the bed, sound asleep beside him.

"What the hell!" Ginny yelped, looking around Neville into the room. Harry and Luna woke up, and looked around, startled. "What do you two think you're doing?" Ginny continued furiously.

"Harry had a bad dream," Luna said, yawning. "I heard him shouting in his sleep and came in to see if he was all right. We talked about the dream until he calmed down. I was going to sit with him for awhile, and then go back to my room, but I must have fallen asleep. I'm sorry, Harry," Luna told him, climbing off his bed.

"It's okay, Luna," Harry answered quickly, embarrassed. He looked at the others. "You all can go ahead and go down to breakfast. We'll be down in a few minutes."

Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville backed out of the doorway to let Luna pass to her own room, and then started down the hall. When they were halfway down the stairs, and she was sure they were out of earshot, Ginny spoke. "Do you believe that?"

"Yes," Neville said, firmly. "Everyone knows Harry talks in his sleep."

"So you don't think they were up to anything else?" Ginny asked, snidely.

"Of course not," Hermione said briskly. "The very idea! If they were, Luna wouldn't have been lying on top of the covers, fully dressed, now would she?"

"I agree with Hermione," Ron said quickly, blushing a bit. "Besides, if Harry was going to get up to something like that, he wouldn't do it in someone else's house, with the whole lot of us down the hall."

Neville shrugged. "I don't care what they do anyway, as long as my gran doesn't find out. Let's just drop it. I want to eat and get out to the pond. The weather today is perfect for skating." He took Ginny's hand and led her into the dining room, and she allowed it.

Ginny, however, was very cool to Harry the rest of the day, not speaking to him or to Luna unless it was absolutely necessary, and not skating anywhere near him at the pond. Harry, who was still slightly embarrassed about the whole incident, appreciated how Ron, Neville and Hermione had let the subject go. As a matter of fact, he was almost grateful to Luna. Not only had she shown real concern for him, and given him a lot to think about concerning the scroll and Croaker, Harry knew very well that Hermione would have questioned him endlessly about his dream, if it hadn't meant having to bring up what she'd seen that morning. Harry was rather irritated with Ginny's obvious mistrust of him however, thinking it childish.

That night after dinner, Ginny had excused herself from the game room to go find a book in the library that she said she needed to finish an essay. Harry waited until Ron and Hermione were playing chess, and Luna was beating the devil out of Neville at darts, to slip out of the room and go after her. He found her curled up in a window seat, with a book on her lap, but she obviously wasn't reading it. She was glancing at the fire that was dancing in the huge, ornate fireplace. She looked up when he entered, and frowned.

"What are you doing here? Won't Luna miss you? Or will you make it up to her when you sleep together tonight?"

"We didn't sleep together! We just fell asleep together! Why are you so bothered about Luna?" Harry asked, exasperated. "We told you what happened, and it's the truth. I'd think as my friend, you'd at least be happy that someone showed me a little consideration when I was upset. "

"If it was so upsetting, why haven't you told us all about it? You know your dreams can be serious. Maybe we could help you figure it out."

"I don't need any more help figuring it out!"

"Oh, Luna is all you need now? That's nice, Harry. I thought you told me you cared about me, too, but all you do is shut me out! You've been doing it the whole time we've been here."

"Ginny, that's not fair. We've done pretty much everything as a group! All of us together! We eat together, skate together, do homework together, play games together, and talk together! I never once..."

"Yes, you have. You know you have! You've been leading me on when all the while you've liked Luna better than me."

"I have NOT led you on! I told you flat out that things would not work between us now. I don't know if it would work out with Luna, either. She's just my friend. I like you as a friend, too, but you can't expect me to feel exactly the same way about all of my friends. You're all very different people, and you all matter to me in different ways."

Ginny glared at him. She was in no mood to listen to anything else he had to say. "But Luna means the most, doesn't she? You do like her better than you like me!"

"Right now I do!" Harry snapped. "She doesn't badger me so much!" He turned and walked out of the room, fuming.

When he got back to the game room, Ron looked up. "Everything all right, mate?"

"Fine," Harry lied. "Just needed a few minutes of private time." He watched Ron beat Hermione at chess for the third time that night, and sighed. "Aren't you two sick of chess? How about a game of exploding snap? Neville? Luna? Are you in?"

"I'm in," Neville answered. "This girl's got a really wicked aim. The darts are starting to be ashamed of me. Anyone else want a butterbeer?"

"Bring them on," Ron said, enthusiastically.

The dynamics of the group had changed, though, Harry realized. It had started with Ron and Hermione, who were acting much more like a couple, even though no one wanted to risk mentioning it, in case it got their backs up. The attention Ginny was paying to Neville had begun to make him hope, and his grandmother noticing this, had begun to hope as well. She liked the spirited girl very much, and the fact that she was from a good, although poor family, didn't hurt. Mrs. Longbottom began to spend more time with Neville and Ginny.

Ginny had originally turned to Neville to help keep her away from Harry, because she was so angry with him, but she began to like Neville for himself. He had a core of sweetness that she found most comforting, and she certainly liked her stay at the manor. She just wished that things could have gone differently with Harry. She had loved him, or at least thought she loved him for so long, that now she was totally confused.

So was Neville, who had his own reasons for being interested in the situation. He knocked on Harry's door one evening as they were getting ready to go to dinner.

"Harry, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. Of course," Harry said, hoping it didn't have anything to do with what Harry had learned about Neville, himself and Voldemort's prophecy.

"You and Luna...is it real? I mean, do you think that she...oh, I don't know how to say it!" Neville looked down at his feet and blushed, before managing to stammer out, "Is she going to be your girlfriend?"

Harry hadn't expected this. "I don't know. I really don't. Maybe she could be, someday. I'm not sure. I just know that I like what I am when I'm with her. When I'm with Luna, I'm not thinking about what I'm going to get out of it, or what I need to give. I just am. I like that."

Neville hesitated. "What about Ginny? Everyone thought she was your girlfriend for the longest time. Wasn't she?"

Harry almost laughed with relief. "No, she wasn't, although I'll admit, we both considered it. Is that what you're worried about? Neville, if you want to try to stay with Ginny, go for it, with my blessing. With Ginny I was always thinking about what I needed to give. I could never just be me. I think she'd be much better off learning how to be the lady of the manor from your grandmother, than she would be dodging Voldemort's attacks with me."

Neville looked Harry straight in the eye. "Are you sure?"

"About Luna? No, I'm not, not at all. About Ginny? Yes, definitely."

That conversation left Neville very happy, and left Harry wondering more and more about Luna. They had certainly never talked about how things were going between them. Things just seemed to happen. Luna never once mentioned the way people were starting to divide up during various activities. She continued to drift along in her own inimitable way, enjoying herself and making things pleasant for Harry in small subtle ways, and Harry continued to let her do it.

When the visit was drawing to a close, Harry had planned out what he was going to say to Dumbledore and Croaker with Luna, who had given him what he considered excellent advice. Ron and Hermione had gone for days without having a quarrel, and Neville had enjoyed the best holiday he could remember. Mrs. Longbottom assured them, as they got ready to go to the train, that they were all welcome in her home at any time, and they all assured her that they would like nothing better than to return as soon as possible.

When classes started up again, Harry asked Professor Croaker if he would be willing to arrange a meeting for both of them with Professor Dumbledore, and Croaker, who was very curious about what Harry wanted to say to them, agreed to do so.

When they got to Dumbledore's office, Harry and Croaker had barely sat down in front of the headmaster's desk when Harry asked bluntly, "Is the scroll of Thoth in the Shrieking Shack?"

Dumbledore half rose out of his seat. Croaker gasped, whirling in his chair to look at Harry. Even Fawkes fluttered about on his perch.

"Why would you ask that?" Dumbledore said, looking intently over his half-moon glasses into Harry's eyes.

"Over the holiday, I had a dream, or a vision, or something, about the scroll. I saw it in the Shrieking Shack. That is, I saw the casket that holds it. It was gold, and had statues of Egyptian goddesses at each of the corners. There was ancient Egyptian writing on the lid. I couldn't read it, but Luna could. She was in my dream, too."

"Luna Lovegood?" Croaker asked, interested.

"Yes, she's a very good friend of mine. She went with us to Neville Longbottom's house for Christmas. In my dream Luna was standing in one of the upstairs bedrooms at the shack, in front of the casket, reading the writing on the lid. I heard her say some names. Not just the name of Isis, but three other names as well. Nephthys, Selket, and Neith, I think it was."

"What happened next?" Dumbledore asked, intently.

"Voldemort was there. He told Luna to open the casket. He told her if she didn't do it, he would kill me, so she did."

"What happened then?" Croaker asked.

"I saw a bright light. It practically blinded me, and I started screaming Luna's name. I actually screamed so loud, she heard me in her bedroom across the hall, and came into my room. I told her about the dream, and she asked me if I was in Voldemort's mind. I don't think I was. I could see myself. I wasn't seeing what Voldemort was seeing, the way I did last year. Then she asked me if I was seeing the future. I don't think I was doing that either. I never have done anything like that before. Do you have any idea what I WAS doing?"

Croaker and Dumbledore looked at each other alarmed, and Dumbledore began to speak, choosing his words with care. "The casket IS in Professor Croaker's care, and the names you mention ARE engraved on the lid. I think your dream might have occurred right after he took charge of the casket. There must be some kind of connection between Voldemort wanting the casket, and you seeing it, but I admit, Harry, I am at a loss as to what it might be."

"Perhaps the scroll's fate has some connection to Harry's fate," Croaker said. "This interests me very much. Especially since Luna Lovegood is involved. Of all of the girls I've seen at Hogwarts, she comes closest to the type of girl I would expect to fit into the Circle of Isis."

"What does that mean," Harry asked, alarmed. "Is she in danger?"

"I hope not," Croaker replied. "I mean that Miss Lovegood is the sort of girl that Isis would have prized as a pupil. Like Isis, she has many facets, as a strong, powerful female, besides being loyal. The power of the ancient witches is said to come down through time to touch certain young women. Perhaps Miss Lovegood is one of them."

Croaker considered Harry thoughtfully, and continued. "Isis has another name: Astet. It means 'throne' and is one of the symbols of a king. Without a throne, kings would have to stand, unstable and unsupported. Miss Lovegood has given you a lot of support, has she not? She has been a throne, in a sense, lifting you up. To the Egyptians who honored her, Isis was someone who understood pain. If they suffered a loss, they knew she had suffered as well. Those who suffered because of love felt especially close to her." Croaker hesitated. "If you ever see a statue of Isis, you'll usually see her most often wearing a solar crown."

Harry nodded. "I know the ancient Egyptians were guided by the sun."

Croaker hesitated. "Isis does not wear the disk of our sun, Harry. She wears the disk of the star the Egyptians called Sopdet, and the Greeks called Sothis. They called it the sun behind the sun. It is the brightest star in the sky."

Tears sprang up unbidden, in Harry's eyes. "Sirius?'

Croaker nodded. "In legend, the star, Sirius, is the home of Isis, and sacred to her. Tell me the truth, Harry. Does it fit? I know Miss Lovegood went to the Ministry with you, and she is a loyal friend, but did she help you with your loss?"

'Yes," Harry choked. "When I couldn't stand to talk to anyone about Sirius, I was able to talk to Luna. I keep finding myself telling her all sorts of things that I've never talked about to anyone. I don't understand it, but I've come to accept it, and it's been sort of comforting. I don't understand about this power coming down, though. Was Isis a witch or a real goddess? Was she immortal, too, or did she die? When someone dies, isn't whatever power they have usually lost? I know it's possible for protection to linger. That fact has saved my life, but this is still confusing for me. Is it normal? Is it usual?"

"Isis had more power than most of us can ever dream of. Her spirit may very well still rise from the dark," Croaker told him. "You know there are ways for a wizard or witch to preserve their power, to pass it on and continue their work. You saw one way when you saw Tom Riddle's diary."

"Do you really think the power of Isis has come down to Luna? And is that good or bad?"

"It can only be good," Dumbledore answered. "Isis was said to be powerful, beautiful, and loving beyond all human understanding. The witches throughout history who have been linked to her have done extraordinary things. We must look further into this. The connection may be between Luna and the scroll, and you may be caught in the middle because of your close friendship with Luna, and the connection you have with Voldemort, who seeks the scroll. You are all becoming bound together, in my opinion. The fact that you saw Luna being able to open the casket is significant."

"But I don't know what happened next, after she opened it. I didn't see that part," Harry said hotly. "I don't want Luna used to test that curse on the scroll of Thoth. If anything happens to her, I won't be able to stand it. I've had enough of losing people I love!"

Croaker interrupted smoothly. "I don't want her anywhere near that casket until we understand just what this means, but I do want to spend some time with her, to see if I can determine whether or not she has any involvement with ancient power. I would like you, if you are willing, to be present. Miss Lovegood might be more comfortable that way."

"If you're going to do anything to Luna, I want to be there," Harry said, determined.

"Very well," Dumbledore said. "That is settled. I will see if she would be willing to assist us. You may go, Harry, but say nothing of this to anyone for now."

"I promise," Harry said with a shrug.

When he had gone, Croaker looked at Dumbledore with interest. "How long has it been since Hogwarts has had a girl with Isis powers?"

"It has been many years, but what I find even more interesting, is that Harry said he loved Luna Lovegood, and didn't even seem to realize what he was saying. That's not the sort of thing that Harry discusses easily. He doesn't let his feelings out very often around me, unless it's a crisis situation. That worries me in these troubled times. His connection with her is deep, even if he doesn't realize how deep it is yet. Harry is too young to be so emotionally involved with a girl, no matter how intelligent or powerful she may be, and Luna is even younger than he is, seven months younger, if I'm not mistaken."

Croaker shrugged. "If they are meant to be together, then it will happen. If they are not, it won't. Harry's no longer a child you can hide away, Albus. You can't stop Harry from growing up, or shield him from the truth any more. And as for Miss Lovegood, by the time she was Luna's age, Tuthankhamun's wife had been queen for several years and had twice tried to bear him an heir."

"Oh, please!" Dumbledore said, rolling his eyes, "I don't even want to think about that!"

"Oh, I doubt if you have to worry about anything like that happening with Harry," Croaker said calmly, "but both of these young people have seen as much as others twice their age. We have to remember that, and treat them with respect."

"I have tried to be more open with Harry since last year," Dumbledore said, almost humbly. "I will attempt to be the same with Luna Lovegood."

Croaker stood up and shrugged. "I will go and talk to Flitwick and McGonagall. I will let them know that there is an association of some sort between Harry, Voldemort, Miss Lovegood and the scroll of Thoth. We will need their help to make sure I have plenty of time to cover all the information I have to get through with Miss Lovegood."

"I'm glad you are here," Dumbledore said, with feeling. "This is not my area of expertise."

"This job gets more interesting every day," Croaker acknowledged. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world."