Tales of a Spiritual Warrior

Chapter Nine: For the Benefit of St. Mungo's, and the DA

When the Lovegoods picked up Harry to take him to the New Year's Eve Benefit, he was stuck by how nice Luna looked. Not that Harry was the type to judge anyone solely on looks, but over the last year, her face had filled out a bit, and the way she had done her hair that night also made her more attractive. She had woven it up onto the top of her head in an intricate fashion, with a scattering of delicate silk flowers of an off-white color. The rich, soft, rose colored robe was trimmed around the neck and sleeves with piping of the same off-white color, sewn with small pearls. When he saw her, he was struck dumb by the change in her. She would never be classically beautiful, but she could be lovely when looked at the right way.

"Do I look all right?"

"You look beautiful," Harry admitted.

"I've tried to tell her that she looks all right," Mr.Lovegood said, "but she seems to think I talk just to hear myself."

"Sometimes you do, Dad," Luna said mischievously.

The party was being held in a hall called the Athanor Center, and it was quite crowded there. A thousand candles blazed and the soft music of a string quartet floated across the room. Pansy Parkinson was standing across the room with a short, balding wizard and a dumpy looking witch that Harry assumed were her parents. Harry was irritated to see Draco and Narcissa Malfoy beside them.

"You didn't tell us the Malfoys would be here," Luna chided her father.

"You two must learn that it's better to face the Malfoys wherever they are than let them catch you unawares. It prevents them from stabbing you in the back."

Mr. Lovegood stopped to talk to some people he knew through his job, and Harry went with Luna to check out the food. Assorted fruits, vegetables, cubed cheeses and hors d'oeuvres were piled on silver platters; there were large trays of shrimp and cocktail sauce sitting on ice, and at one end of the table there were many small, tempting desserts. They took a few cream puffs and eclairs, and went to stand to one side of the room.

"Harry! Harry!"

They were pleased to see Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom approaching with his formidable grandmother. Ginny was wearing the same robes she had worn to the Yule ball in fourth year, and they were getting a bit short on her. Harry felt a pang of sympathy, but Neville seemed too happy to care.

"Grandmother, you remember Harry Potter, don't you? And this is Luna Lovegood. Luna's in Ginny's year, but in Ravenclaw."

"Of course I remember Harry, and I'm very pleased to meet you Miss Lovegood. Your father was a good friend to my son, when they were at school together. I quite long to see that dear man again! Is he here?"

"Yes, ma'am. He's over there." Luna pointed, and Mrs. Longbottom excused herself to go and find him.

"I didn't know you two were going to be here," Neville said, excitedly.

"We didn't know you were!" Harry answered.

"My gran does a lot to help St. Mungo's," Neville replied awkwardly. "Because of my mum and dad, you know."

Ginny put a comforting hand on Neville's arm, and changed the subject. "Did you see Draco Malfoy with that cow, Parkinson? I don't know how he can even show his face here, and I don't know where she ever got those robes. She's drowning in frills," Ginny giggled.

Luna sighed. "Daddy always says money isn't everything."

Neville and Harry left the girls gossiping happily and went to get some punch.

"How are you getting on with Mrs. Longbottom?" Luna asked Ginny.

"I think she likes me. She says Neville is a different person with me, and she seems to mean it as a compliment. It's fun playing the lady of the manor. My parents weren't sure about me coming to visit, but believe me, you have to be on your best behavior around Neville's grandmother!"

Draco Malfoy approached Ginny and Luna unexpectedly, startling them.

"Well, well, a loony and a weasel, trying to prove themselves equal to their betters! This would make a gargoyle laugh!"

"Harry..." Luna began, but was quickly interrupted.

"Potter is busy at the moment, and I need to speak to you. Have you given any thought to what we discussed earlier in the year?"

"There was nothing to think about and we have nothing to discuss," Luna told him. "Would you like a cream puff? They have some with plain whipped cream, and some with strawberry cream."

"No, I don't want a cream puff! Are you sure we have nothing to discuss?" Malfoy said, confused by Luna's casual manner. "You don't want your secret known, do you?"

"Harry knows, and he doesn't care."

"Don't kid yourself, Loony."

"Bugger off, Malfoy," said Ginny, putting a protective hand on Luna's elbow.

"I'm talking to Lovegood, not you," Malfoy snapped, grabbing Luna by the arm and pulling her away from Ginny.

"Take your hands off her, Malfoy," Harry said sharply, appearing at Luna's side. "Did you forget what I told you?"

"What's this...a quarrel over a girl? That's not like you, Draco," The teens all looked up to find Pansy and her father had joined them. Pansy glared daggers at Luna.

"Just a misunderstanding," Draco replied, but as Pansy and her father turned away. He muttered quietly, "I'll finish this conversation later. You're not safe anywhere, Potter. Remember that." He followed Pansy and her father, his hands in his pockets, a glum expression on his face.

"What did he mean by that?" asked Neville, worried. "Is he talking about Hogwarts? Was Luna right about Voldemort?"

"That," said Luna, shaking her head, "is something only he knows."

When they were well away from Harry and his friends, Mr. Parkinson stared at Draco and sneered, "What were you doing? Why are you raising Potter's temper by handling his little slag in front of his eyes? If you're trying to taunt him into doing something foolish, there will be better opportunities. Besides, you are insulting my daughter and the arrangements your father has made for you by making such a scene in public. Forget the Lovegood brat and concentrate on what we've asked you to do. We need information, not confrontation"

There were no more confrontations between the opposing factions that night, but when Harry and his friends got back to school, they had much to discuss with the other members of the Dark Arts group, which they had decided to reconvene to discuss the situation.

Cho Chang had decided to come to the meeting, which surprised Harry. She was obviously still upset about her friend, Marietta, but not so upset that she could miss hearing what Harry had to say.

"So you think Voldemort may be planning to attack Hogwarts eventually?" Ernie Macmillian said, incredulously.

"It's possible," said Luna, who was sitting on a cushion in the Room of Requirement beside Harry.

Colin and Dennis Creevey both flinched visibly, and everyone looked concerned.

"So what should we do?" asked Hannah Abbott. "Flitwick is doing the best he can, but he's completely overwhelmed."

"That's why we need to begin practicing on our own again. We don't have to do it in secret anymore," Hermione told her. "If an attack comes, we may need to defend ourselves and the younger students."

"Let's begin by reviewing," Harry told them, and they all got off their cushions and took out their wands.

Between Quidditch practice, Dark Arts practice, and his regular lessons, Harry didn't have much time to spend alone with Luna. One evening when they were able to take a quick walk around the freezing grounds, he apologized to her for it, but she just leaned closer in to his side, and brushed off his apology.

"I don't need to see you at my side twenty-four hours a day to know that you care about me. I know that you will never let me down."

"You understand it all, Luna. I'll never love anyone else the way I love you. I swear it."

"Don't make me a promise like that, Harry. I don't need it, and I don't want it. We don't know what's going to happen. If anything happens to me, I would hope you'd remember me this way, but I would also want you to go on living your life, and continuing the fight."

"Don't say that! I don't even want to think about it! But if it makes you feel any better, I would keep fighting. If anything happens to you because of me, I swear Voldemort won't be able to find a corner in hell deep enough to hide in!"

He kissed her, then, with a passion she'd never sensed in him before, and it frightened her in its intensity.

She sighed. "Let us hope it doesn't come to that."

Luna's 16^th birthday was in February, and Harry drew on every romantic notion he had ever heard of, muggle or magic, to make it special for her. He enlisted the help of some of her Ravenclaw dorm mates, and when Luna woke up on her birthday, she found a huge bunch of flowers beside her bed, and a brightly wrapped package at the foot of it. Opening the package, she found a pale pink jumper that was so soft she felt like hugging it. Luna and Harry met early for breakfast and she thanked him most sincerely.

"I like the way soft things feel myself," Harry grinned, and Luna whacked him playfully on the arm.

The next day they had a trip to Hogsmeade, and Luna wore the pink jumper to the birthday luncheon Harry had planned for her at the Three Broomsticks. Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny joined them, and they had a pleasant meal. After lunch Harry took Luna for her last gift. He bought her a snowy owl that looked a lot like Hedwig, and Luna named him Pyske, the Swedish version of the word pixie.

Harry had hoped to spend Easter with the Luna. Emmitt Lovegood was all for it, but Dumbledore was against it, insisting that he wanted Harry to stay at Hogwarts. He infuriated Harry by refusing to tell him why, only that he feared something was coming.

"Do you know whether or not Voldemort and his escaped Death Eaters are still in Europe?"

"I believe so. They have moved somewhat further west, but they are still on the continent," Dumbledore answered.

"The why..." Harry began, but Dumbledore dismissed him.

Luna was considering spending Easter at the castle with Harry, and they were making plans to have time alone together, when Ron and Ginny Weasley were suddenly summoned from Gryffindor tower a few days before the holiday was due to begin. They had not been gone long, when Professor McGonagall appeared. "Miss Granger, Mr. Potter, I would like you to go and get the Weasleys' things. I believe they have already begun to pack, so it should not be difficult. They are leaving the castle tonight."

"Why?" Luna asked, showing some concern.

Professor McGonagall gave her a long look, and then gave Harry a longer one. She was obviously irritated to see Luna in Gryffindor tower, but refrained from commenting, having more important things to think about. "They have had bad news from the continent. Charlie Weasley was found dead last night."

All of the teens were struck dumb at this news. McGonagall left, and Harry went with Neville to get Ron's trunk. Luna went with Hermione to pack Ginny's. Tears were streaming down Hermione's face, but she stood tall, and Luna admired her more at that moment than she ever had before.

"Poor Mrs. Weasley!" Hermione sighed. "She's always been afraid of losing someone to the Death Eaters."

"Perhaps it was not them," Luna said carefully. "I know it looks suspicious, since Voldemort is in Europe, but Charlie was in a dangerous business. I hate to jump to conclusions."

"Charlie WAS in a dangerous business. He was trying to recruit foreign wizards to support Dumbledore, just like Viktor was."

"Oh!" Luna understood at once, and her usual unshakable optimism was gone. "Then Voldemort is definitely trying to undermine outside support for Dumbledore."

"I think so. When he comes back to attack, we'll be on our own. Even the foreign wizards who are against him will not want to get involved. They will be too afraid." Hermione sighed. "I must write to mum and dad and tell them about Charlie. I'll have to go to the Burrow instead of going home for Easter. Ron and his family will need all the support they can get. I must be with them."

"Shall daddy and I come to the funeral, too, or would they feel better if I stayed away?"

Hermione was shocked. "You are our friend, Luna. I know you and Ron haven't always gotten along, but I'm sure they will expect you to be there. I know you and your father have known the Weasley family a long time."

Luna looked at Hermione, troubled. "When I was a little girl, I had a crush on Ronald. I followed him everywhere. I drove him mad. It was silly. He'll never forget it."

"I'm sure he's forgotten it already. He's never even mentioned it to me, and you know, Ron and I..."

"I know, and I'm happy for you. It's better this way. Ron needs someone passionate. That family has always been very emotional. I was always too phlegmatic for him."

"There's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes it's better that way. You're good for Harry, I know. I love Harry, but I could never handle him the way you do. Sometimes he needs toning down. I'm happy he has you. "

"Thank you, Hermione. That means a lot tome," said Luna softly.

The girls finished packing Ginny's trunk and took it downstairs, where Neville and Harry were waiting with Ron's. Dumbledore himself soon appeared. "Ginny and Ron will be leaving shortly for the Burrow to be with their parents and brothers. Charlie's body will be returning from Romania the day after tomorrow. I trust I will see you all at the funeral?"

The teens nodded, with the exception of Harry. "Professor..."

Dumbledore looked at Harry piercingly. "You may attend, too, Harry. I will be sending you to Grimmauld Place to stay with Professor Lupin for the duration of the holiday. He will escort you everywhere you need to go."

"Thank you."

And then Dumbledore left them, each to their own thoughts.