When Lawn Gnomes Strike Back

max_theWanderer

Story Summary:
Luna tells a bedtime story to her daughter of lawn-gnomes striking back at two children.

When Lawn-Gnomes Strike Back

Chapter Summary:
Luna tells a bedtime story to her daughter about the consequences of throwing lawn-gnomes around.
Posted:
02/16/2006
Hits:
587
Author's Note:
Dedicated to Red Moon shippers, fans of Luna, fans of Ron and of course Snaper2


WHEN LAWN-GNOMES STRIKE BACK

Author's Notes: Dedicated to Red Moon shippers, fans of Luna and Snaper2

Is there anything that Ron does that will Luna forbid? Vice versa?

Luna forbids Ron to throw Lawn-Gnomes. She saids doing so will cause a gnome-revolt, and they will be plagued with the terror that is the Gnome Army.

- Snaper2

It is nearly after ten at night and Ronald Weasley has yet to come back from his work. His wife, Luna is sitting on a comfortable chair facing the fire from the fireplace. She could only here cackling sounds of fire burning the logs of wood that she had place earlier. The fire is the only light source that illuminates the living room but the room still remains dim. She is still sulking over Ron's sudden decision of not to join her for dinner earlier. Instead, she just had her dinner with her five-year old daughter Aurelia. Usually, Ron comes back on time to have dinner with both wife and daughter but this day, this very day seems unusual to her. She usually has a good appetite but on this day, and just two hours ago, she did not enjoy her meal well. Aurelia never minded about her mother's sudden lost of appetite and instead ate her meal as if this sudden occurrence of the day never happened at all!

After her dinner with her daughter, she would sent her up to her room, helps her to dress up for her sleep. Tomorrow, before her mother goes to work in the Quibbler's offices with her maternal grandfather, she will be left in her Grandma Molly's care until in the evening. She gets to play with her cousins from her Aunt Penny's children as well as Aunt Fleur's. Fortunately, she's the least of Molly's troubles and behaves just like her mother - calm at all times, truthful and most important of all, being sensible.

Throughout the evening, Luna remains anxious and worries about Ron's safety. This unusual occasion makes her "mental" - as Ron would exclaim most of the time. This is the first time that Ron has failed to turn up on time, more than two hours after the time he's suppose to arrive back home after work. At times, while waiting for him until now, she gets delusional over the idea of Ron being knocked over by some crazed Snorkack or being swarmed by Pygmies or maybe being Stunned by some unknown assailant or a crazed fan of his. She gets up from her chair, paces around the living room of their cottage before sitting down on her favorite chair, feeling nervous. She would do it all over again at the intervals of five minutes for the next hour.

The poor Aurelia could only see her father during dinner time and if there is something that requires Ron's help or attention, she has to say whatever she wants to say or needs help before the end of a day. Ron is a professional Quidditch Keeper for the Chudley Cannons. Because of the amount of training he has to go through as part of the squad's daily routine, he has to be at the team's training ground no more than eight in the morning. Due to Aurelia's young age, Luna would only wake her up about 10 to 15 minutes after Ron leaves for his work, and would make sure the little girl dresses herself up, eats her breakfast before leaving the cottage.

It has been a usual practice for her to cast Anti-Apparition wards on their cottage no later than nine in the evening disregarding of anyone, fearing that thieves would attempt to break in for the loot. They do have some priceless items here; some including those belonged to Luna's late mother, locked in their cupboards that an eagle-eye thief would force it open just to go for the steal. With no sign of Ron approaching the cottage at this ungodly hour (it's 11 p.m. already), Luna rises from the chair and goes upstairs to check on her daughter to see whether she is asleep. Somehow, her mind still remains heavy on Ron.

Luna opens the door to her daughter's room slowly without drawing the little girl's attention. To her surprise, Aurelia is still awake, apparently struggling to get some sleep. She gazes at her mother and she realizes that she shares the same sentiment as Luna; both are worried about Ron who has yet to return home since the evening. A candle lamp was placed on a small cabinet next to Aurelia's bed to keep her from being afraid of the dark as well as helping her to sleep. Aurelia's eyes are still open, and at large. Luna lowers herself and places her right hand on her daughter's forehead to see if her body is hot or not. She gives Aurelia a slight wry smile and the girl smiles back at her mother.

"Mummy?"

"Yes, sweetheart?" asks Luna. She could hear breathing pulses emanating from her daughter before ruffling her daughter's bright red hair that she inherited from Ron. She's too tired to stand and instead takes a chair nearby for a sit. Her back is in a mild pain and she leans against the chair, trying to seek comfort.

"I can't sleep. Can you be with me for a while? Daddy's still not home. That's strange. He should be home a long time ago. I'm worried," Aurelia's blue eyes, a mirror of Luna's are well wide, still gazing right at the face of her mother. She remains lying on the bed being covered with her blanket from waist down.

"I'm worried too, dear. Did you try to count sheep just now while trying to sleep?" Luna asks her daughter again. She gets up to close the door before returning to her chair to sit next to Aurelia.

"I still can't. Maybe you can tell me a story so that I can sleep."

Luna gives herself a slight chuckle before replying, "Alright, but I have might have more than one story in my mind. Which one do you want to hear, dear? Do you want something funny?" Her eyebrows went up upon asking that question to Aurelia.

"Something funny will be good, as long I can laugh," Aurelia replies in a very low, husky voice. She is still struggling to sleep. Her cousin, Marie, her Aunt Fleur's child told her sometime long ago about the bedtime stories parents would tell them; either folklore or real-life tales altered with humor as to help children to sleep.

Luna sighs for a moment, trying to think of a story that is humorous to both herself and Aurelia. After giving herself a few minutes of pondering a story that is right, she inches herself closer to Aurelia and replies to her in soft voice and a slight chuckle, "Alright, my dear Aurelia Frieda Weasley, pay good attention to what I'm trying to tell you. I will not stop unless you're asleep before I finish the whole story. Understand?"

Aurelia simply gives her mother a short nod of her head before Luna begins her story.

*

"Will you stand up!" cried Gertie, a red-headed girl to a female lawn gnome called Amis. "You're a very bad, disobedient gnome! You just won't stand up!"

My dear, gnomes simply do not respond to a child's and pestering. Yes, it is true that they sometimes humor children of their masters at some occasions, when they feel that children are in need of humor. They work, act and behave like an adult. They would only take orders from the lord or lady of the house. For instance, gnomes working at the Burrow would only respond to Grandma Molly or Grandpa Arthur's orders as long as it doesn't conflict with their life's principles. But children like you will not understand about this until you reach adulthood. Gnomes are like us, humans, at times they need shelter, they need breaks and they deserve respect!

It was no surprising that Amis will not stand up, because she was exhausted and spent the whole day chasing pests that might be plaguing the lawn of her master's house. But she sat down beautifully, giving herself a little break. But Amis had one little problem, she couldn't bend her legs straight or stand up properly. Gertie scooped Amis up and threw her into the middle of the lawn. Amis fell on her face, and a little bit was bruised from her pretty nose.

"That fat-looking gnome is just as annoying as that gnome you've just threw!" exclaimed Rufus, her slightly older red-headed brother. Rufus was just a year older than Gertie, but he's so fierce and protective of his little sister. Rufus has been trying to make the fat gnome grow thinner in an instant, but they had yet to understand that it will take some time with constant exercise and proper food before go thin.

"I can't see how to shape them up. Bother them!" Rufus continued. He tugged and pulled the fat gnome, who's called Farley so roughly, that gnome was shrieking in great pain when being dragged from his legs. Rufus gave a command for Farley to run and remove the weeds, even though it has been removed earlier by the other gnomes. But Farley was too exhausted to move already.

Red faced, and angered by the gnome's insolence, Rufus scooped Farley and threw him to a side of the lawn. Then he tried to stamp at Farley, but Farley managed to duck his stamping and ran as fast as he good as his legs could carry. Rufus was in a very bad temper. He looked for something else to do. He saw a long hose connected to a pipe, held it, turned on the tap and sprayed water the lawn randomly. The gnomes ran around to one end of the corner, running back to their shelter that their kind master had built for them, cowering with fear. Rufus was stamping on the lawn ground so hard, furious that no gnomes dare to come out after he had chased them off. Reluctantly, he turned off the water tap.

Gertie was watching Rufus' antics from far. Rufus turned to her and said, "Let's go out! I hate those little stubborn gnomes. They really seem to try and be stupid!"

"Well, let's hope they will behave themselves this afternoon, when Lisa and Calvin come for tea. Lisa was Rufus' blonde-head childhood friend living across the river. Calvin was Gertie's friend, who would be coming over for a moment while waiting for his parents to finish work. Gertie boasted, "I've got a good mind of keeping Amis in the pocket and not let her come to tea at all. Let's pretend that she can't stand up!"

The children left the lawn and went back to the house for their lunch. As soon as the gnomes heard them laughing over lunch, Amis began to cry because she knew her nose had been bruised.

The old wise gnome by the name of Chip spoke up. "Gnomes! I know we're not supposed to respond to anyone except our fair masters - but really, we simply must do something about these horrid children! Amis, stop crying. I'll mend that nose of yours."

Chip placed his little bony finger on Amis' nose. Then a soft blue light glowed at Amis's nose. He had fixed her nose. "There!" he exclaimed. "You look all right again. So stop crying or your tears will not help to make your nose better. Just smile okay?"

Another old grumpy gnome by the name of Benny spoke loudly and gloomily. "What a pity we belong to children like these. I agree that our masters treated us well, but these children...look at my neck! Gertie's fingernails as well her rough handling had scarred my neck!"

"Well, what about me!" said that pinkish face, female gnome by the name of Bertha. "I lost the little tail of mine when Rufus pulled it! To this day it never grew back! I feel cold at the back without my little tail and I'm sure I look dreadful!"

Benny said crossly, gesturing to the other gnomes in witness, "Look at some of us there. Some of us are meant to be abused or thrown all over the garden. The children seem to think us as toys! It's a shame. Some of the structures that are meant to be our shelter and for part of working as well as toys for fun are chipped, flung around the lawn and trodden on, leaving us to do their dirty work of repairing it and putting it back to order!"

"Half of my hair has gone," said the curly-haired gnome, Janis. "It used to be so pretty." She opened and shut her eyes. Among all the gnomes, she's the only one among her kind to try to be humorous at anyone in addition to her masters. She could say "Mi-mi" as if she was a doll with a string behind her back.

"Let's go on strike!" said Chip suddenly. The other gnomes stared at him suddenly.

"What does that mean?" asked Benny. "It sounds as if you want us to be matches and strike. I don't want to burst into flames and kill myself in the process, thank you!"

Chip laughed. "No, it doesn't mean that. When workmen like us go on strike means that they stop work and won't do any more until their troubles are put right. It isn't a very noble thing to do, but we might try it with Gertie and Rufus, just to see if it makes any difference to their behavior."

"Well, but how can we go on strike?" asked Amis, puzzled. "We don't do any work."

"Well, instead of being friendly, we just go and attack them and hit them!" said Chip. "If they pick anyone of us and throw him or her into the middle of the lawn, then we go in groups and attack them, not to the extreme point. If they damage our little house or the things that our kind masters built for us, we have to make them fix it! If they ask you to run, then you refuse to run. If they try to make you close and open your eyes, Bertha, you must close and refuse to open your eyes!"

"It's a very good idea!" exclaimed an unknown gnome from far. The next instant, the other gnomes echoed the gnome's support.

"Splendid!" said Chip. "Now, be quiet! The children are coming back again. Let's get back to work."

The mother came in with the children. She made them to help her to clean up the lawn as well as repair the tiny structures and some toys that they messed up with. The mother was surprised that the gnomes disappeared and into the small house. "How badly you treat these things and those gnomes! I'm ashamed of you two!"

Gertie and Rufus sulked. They put away the repair and cleaning tools away and then went to wash for dinner. "We'll show Lisa how that tailless gnome (Bertha) opens and shuts her eyes, walks and talks," said Gertie to Rufus. "She doesn't even have a single gnome as we do!"

"And I'll show to our cousin Calvin how fast and funny Farley can run," said Rufus. "Though he's just a fat gnome, but he's cute and funny."

"We'll try to make those other gnomes form a big tower by stacking themselves up," said Gertie. "And we'll make that little Bertha say "Mimi" over a hundred times!"

The gnomes listened. Gertie and Rufus could make all the plans they liked. If the gnomes didn't want to play, they wouldn't. A few minutes before three o'clock, they were out into the lawn. All the gnomes went back to work, unsure of which one will the children will pick for their playing time.

At three o'clock, Lisa and Calvin came to the house. They were two very nice children, with good manners. They were thrilled to see the lawn gnomes that Gertie and Rufus had, since they do not have one of those in their own home.

"I'll show you how fast and funny this gnome of mine can run," said Rufus, and he held Farley up. He placed Farley onto a spot with a thin white line lined up horizontally in front, in which he set up earlier. "Now you watch!" he said. "My gnome will go running around wild past this line, straight up to that little pole that I've put up, make a turn and run back to the line. You just watch. He's funny!"

But it wasn't a bit funny. As soon as that gnome got running, Farley just walked briskly. He did not run at all. Rufus became suspicious. He picked up Farley and placed him behind the thin white line and barked an order to run towards the little pole. The gnome started running again, but it was panting for its breath and fell unexpectedly onto the ground. Rufus again picked him up and placed him behind the line.

"It doesn't seem to run well as what you would expect," said Calvin. "Everything goes wrong. I think I would rather see something else like pictures that I took by myself or maybe play with some of my own toys!"

"Pooh!" said Rufus rudely and made Farley run again. But this time, Farley just stood there. The gnome did not move at all. It was on strike! And then, it jumped at Rufus.

Then Gertie showed Bertha the semi-hairless gnome to Lisa. "At times, she opens her mouth and can squeak "Mimi"! She can walk and talk too," she said. "Now look."

Bertha shut her eyes - but she wouldn't open them! Gertie shook her hard, but without avail. Bertha was on strike and refused to open her eyes. She wouldn't talk either. And instead of saying "Mimi" when her tail got pulled, she said "Haha!" just as if she was laughing at Gertie.

"Stupid doll!" cried Gertie and threw her down. "I hate her!"

"Don't be so rough with her," said Lisa and gave her a soft nudge. "She's a darling."

Bertha opened her eyes at once and looked at Lisa. Lisa was delighted. "There! She opened her eyes for me!"

Gertie snatched the doll from her. Bertha at once shut her eyes and refused to open them.

"She's on strike!" said Lisa with a laugh. "She doesn't like you, so she won't do anything for you!"

"Don't be silly," said Gertie, but secretly she felt puzzled. Why wouldn't Bertha open her eyes for her and yet open them once for Lisa?

The children went to place some toy models of building structures in the middle of the lawn, including building a tower formed from a block of bricks. Gertie and Rufus had half, Calvin and Lisa had half as well. No matter how carefully Gertie tried to balance the toy bricks on one another, they fell off with a thud. Neither she nor Rufus could build a wall.

For Calvin and Lisa though, the bricks behaved very well for them, and the two built a fine miniature house with two chimneys at each end!

"The bricks will build for us, but not for you," said Calvin with a laugh. He could sense that the gnomes' magic were behind those mysterious occurrences. "You said you hated that "Bertha" just now, Gertie - well, it almost looks as if the gnomes hate you!" Nothing went right that afternoon for Gertie and Rufus. Gonzo the speed gnome was moving round and round the lawn and then ran into the little gnome house there, refusing to come out. Benny won't turn head-over-heels even when he's wound up. He just stood there, but that was all. He wouldn't go over and over.

As soon as Lisa picked Benny up and set him down on the floor, he performed beautifully. "He likes me," said Lisa. "But he doesn't like you, Rufus. Ask him nicely again and see if he will somersault for you."

But no, he wouldn't. Rufus went red and felt angry. Calvin wouldn't let him throw the gnome down or pinch him hard. "No, don't be rough and unkind," he said. "Nearly all the lovely gnomes here are bruised, angry, and hateful in some way. No wonder they won't do anything for you!"

All the sudden the gnomes stopped their work and gazed upon the two children very hard. They just dropped their equipment, refusing to continue their work. Nothing would play with them at all. It was very odd. Slowly, they formed into a big square and started marching towards Gertie and Rufus. This time though, they faces turned into one angry dwarf.

"We'll have to go now," said Lisa, when the visit was over. "Thank you for having us. And do be nice to those gnomes in the future. I'm sure they're all on strike. I should be very ashamed if I have gnomes and they won't want to play with me!"

Rufus starred at Gertie when they were along again. "Funny, isn't it, Gertie?" he asked. "It really does seem as if those gnomes, the big Gnome Army are on strike.

"We shouldn't have been so horrid and impatient with them!" said Gertie regretfully, almost in tears. "Let's be nicer. So awful that those gnomes won't spend a time or two to humor us or do anything for us - but all kind of things for Lisa and Calvin!"

The gnomes are still marching at them. In desperation, Rufus sank to his knees and said, "All right! We'd be nicer and see if you gnomes stop striking! But I'm sure they won't!"

Gonzo the gnome suddenly ran out of the hole of the gnomes' house and raced across the lawn to Rufus. Benny began to turn head-over-heels at once. Bertha opened her eyes, looked at Gertie and said "Mimi" quite clearly!

"Look at that!" exclaimed Rufus. "I believe that the gnomes must have heard what we said. And look - Farley's beginning to run in a funny manner! I think it wants me to show me that it can run and go round without rushing off them!"

He scooped Farley up and placed him behind the white line and with a finger snap, the little gnome started running and circled around the pole ahead such in a way people see it running ridiculously. "There you are!" exclaimed Rufus. "It's quite all right now. The gnomes aren't on strike anymore. And I hope they never will be again."

*

Luna finishes her story and Aurelia could barely see her mother with one eye closed. Slowly, the girl closes her other eye and breathing pulses immediately take over her. Luna nods her head in satisfaction knowing that her daughter just drifts off to sleep. After blowing off the candle, she leaves the room and closes the door slowly and gently before leaving. Downstairs, the entrance to the cottage has been open and judging from that, Luna could only figure that Ron has just arrive back home. She is not happy to see him coming back at this ungodly hour.

"Where have you been at this ungodly hour, Ronald Weasley?" Luna asks in deep voice, keeping herself hidden in the shadows. Ron could not see her. He just drops his kit bag down and anxiously cast his eyes around the room.

"I'm sorry, honey. I'm late. I should have called you but...," said Ron. Before he could continue, Luna smacks his face real hard. Ron recoils, part of his face turned red from the slap mark. He brandishes out his wand and cast a Lumos spell. He could only see her face well lit from the tip of his wand.

"You are making me and Aurelia worrying about you throughout the whole evening! I made sure that before you leave for your training your bag has a mirror so that you can let me know if there's something up that you couldn't come back in time! Why didn't you use the mirror? I bought that thing from Diagon Alley just to make convenient for you and I! I know it's troublesome to have Pig sending owl mails to you and I all the time, and you never make use of the mirror at all? I wasted a few sickles for that thing! Would you care to explain yourself, Won-Won? It's 2 a.m already," Luna crosses her arms, awaiting his answer with a disgruntle look on her face.

Ron frowns and replies, "I'm sorry. Forgive me. We've just had victory celebrations. I was too busy. All my teammates are pushing me to join them for dinner and late night fun at pubs. For that I've forgotten to let you know about it. You see...today, our team won the Quidditch Association Cup. We beat Puddlemere at a very tight margin, 170-150." He kneels down at Luna, looks up at her face and says, "Please, don't get angry for that. It's my first medal that I've won in my professional career. Surely every team member of the winning squad will not want to miss the celebrations after winning something, right, Luna?" His eyes are concentrating on him, trying to proof his unintentional mistake and innocence. He shows his medal as to convince Luna further.

After a few moments Luna could only give him short smile. She extends her hand and pulls Ron up. She murmurs, "I can understand that, Ronald. Let's go to bed."

Ron knows that he has seen Luna behaving exactly as his mother. He also knows that he has made a mistake of not informing her as early as possible. So, the only logical step to do is to ask say something sensible and logical with the hopes that whatever he says would appease her and sedate her. As Ron follows suit with Luna to their bedroom, Ron asks Luna, "So how did you and little Aurelia keep yourselves in company while waiting for me?"

Luna gives Ron a stern glance and says, "Waiting for you? Well, I told Aurelia a bedtime story until she fell asleep just now."

Ron removes his shirt, places it on a chair and asks, "What story? Is it a fairy tale?"

"Yes, Ronald. I told her a story," says Luna firmly. She changes her clothing into her nightgown before continuing, "I told her the story of you and Ginny throwing lawn-gnomes around."

"What!" Ron yelps in surprise. "Why did you tell her of that of those bloody gnomes?"

Luna could not hide her laughter and smile. She has let loose of Ron's past to Aurelia. Surely she has an intention of telling that to their daughter. She shrugs for a moment before replying, "When I visited your home for the first time I told you not to throw lawn-gnomes around. And until the day I'm gone from the face of this earth, I will not allow you to do it! I forbid it, toy! Your mother told me of that occasion one day when you were out. I purposely told our daughter with hopes she learns to appreciate other creatures, not treating them as dolls to be thrown around, Ronald Weasley!"

"Oh no," Ron shakes his head in regret.

"Anyhow, I did not tell her directly about you. I told her with you as Rufus. You should be thankful that I didn't humiliate your image and dignity in front of our daughter. You owe Aurelia an apology and that's what I want you to do before you go for your daily training!" says Luna furiously. With that, she marches towards the bed for sleep.

Ron has just finish changing into his bedclothes and goes to bed. He is struggling to put up a good rebuttal at Luna. He mutters the Nox spell to dispel the light spell emitting so brightly on his wand. He places his wand on the small drawer to his left.

He lies on the bed, looking at the ceiling before turning to Luna and mutters, "I'm so sorry, Loony. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry." He sighs for a moment before continuing, "I'll make do of everything tomorrow. I'll take Aurelia out for some fun. I'm off tomorrow, so does this make you happy, now Luna? I'll make breakfast, I'll tidy up the house, are you happy?"

She turns her head to Ron and gives him a smile that will make him happy before sleep.

"You're my king, Ronald."

FINIS

Author's Endnotes: This story was born out of the answer above. Feel free to review this story sans ship bashing.


This story was born out of Snaper2's answer. Feel free to review this story sans bashing.