Silver Moon - Harry X Luna, Part 1

Luna searched through the crowd of black, blue and red uniforms, looking for one black-robed young wizard in particular.  The entrance courtyard of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was a pandemonium of shouted goodbyes, fervent hugs, good-natured handshakes, and tearful faces as the students from the three magical schools bid farewell to new and old friends alike before they left for summer break.

As she searched, her mind wandered back over the past year, remembering her encounters with Harry that had resulted in a newfound friendship between them.

                                                                                   ***

"Harry Potter?  Harry Potter!" Dumbledore shouted into the silent room.  As she heard the Hogwarts headmaster speak, shock gripped Luna in an icy vice.  The cold tingled on her skin, and she feared her heart would stop as it fluttered and missed a beat.  Eyes wide, she searched the crowd frantically for a few moments before she found him.  There!  A curly-haired girl was pushing him forward, and one of the Weasley boys sat behind him.  She watched as he finally stepped forward and went to Dumbledore, knowing that every eye in the room was on him.  He looked numb.  I wonder if he feels as though his heart has stopped, she thought, just as I thought mine would.

The great hall was still and dead silent as Harry took the little piece of paper that had his name on it and made his way past the Goblet of Fire and the Tri-Wizard Cup.  Whispers began to circulate as he left the room, and from what she could overhear, Luna could tell that most people believed Harry had cheated.  How else could a fourth champion be drawn? someone said.  He's not old enough, said another.  He must have enchanted the paper he wrote his name on so that it would be drawn no matter what.

As soon as Harry was gone, the hall erupted into a chaos of shouting and protesting as many of the students mobbed the group of professors at the other end of the room, and the rest turned to each other in outraged conversation.  Luna sat still in the pandemonium around her and considered what she had heard.  No, he didn't cheat, she thought with calm certainty.  He's a fourth-year, just as I am.  He may be the Harry Potter, the boy who escaped death from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but he can't have the skills to do what he's being accused of.  Eventually everyone was dismissed to their dorms, so Luna got up and followed the crowd.  Maybe the Nargles had a hand in this, she thought absently as she too was sent to the Ravenclaw dorms.

---

The fog swirling under the bridge always made Luna think of a river.  It took on the appearance of a slow-moving stream, the way it eddied and flowed in little swirls.  She loved this cold weather.  It always made everything seem to have a mysterious nature about it, almost as if the very personality of the world changed when the weather did.  Who knew what strange things could happen on such a mysterious day?

The bridge was a long one, spanning the entire valley, but Luna loved walking along its length.  She was one of those rare people who thrive on solitude and the company of just their own thoughts.  She was aware of the nicknames the other students called her, and she knew they had to do with her strange habits and beliefs, including her propensity to spend so much of her time alone.  She had come to accept it and ignore it, though.  Such people simply did not understand her, and so did not warrant her special notice or worry.

With her mind thus occupied, she didn't notice Harry standing close to the bridge railing and looking out over the valley until she almost ran into him.

"Hello, Harry Potter," she said, causing him to turn his head and notice her for the first time.  She held her hand out and introduced herself.  "I'm Luna Lovegood."

"Pleased to meet you, Luna," he replied, and took her hand in greeting.  He's polite, she thought.  But then, he's always been polite to others.

"Coming from Hogsmeade?" he asked as he turned to look back out over the valley and lean his forearms on the bridge railing.  She took in the beauty of the scene too, and went to stand beside him.  "Yes, I had a bit of shopping to do.  What are you doing out here, Harry?"

He gave a little grimace and said, "thinking."

She waited for him to continue, but when he didn't, she asked, "About the egg, you mean?  Have you figured out its secret?"

He hesitated a moment before answering.  "Sort of.  Apparently it has something to do with mermaids in Black Lake, but I'm not really sure what else I can learn before the task begins."

"Hmm, that is a puzzle.  What could you be doing with mermaids under Black Lake, I wonder?"

"Exactly."

A few moments of silence passed before she looked at him again.  "Have you gone to the library?  I'm sure there are lots of books about the land surrounding Hogwarts.  It is the location of a renowned school of magic, after all."

Harry looked up quickly.  "The library?"  Luna nodded.  "And I bet Hermione would know just where to look…" he said quietly to himself.  Looking up at her again, he smiled and nodded his thanks.  "Thanks, Luna, and nice to meet you," he said before turning and hurrying back across the bridge toward Hogwarts.

"Goodbye, Harry."  Luna watched him go and thought, I wonder if he's thought about the fact that mermaids live under water…

---

"Luna!  Luna!"  Luna turned to see Harry running towards her, his robe streaming behind him.

"Hello, Harry," she said with a smile when he reached her.  "Is anything the matter?"

"Oh no, everything's fine.  It's just, I've been looking for you."  He looked around to see if anyone was in ear shot, then took a step closer.  "I wanted to thank you again for suggesting that I go to the library before that last task.  The books couldn't tell us much more than we already knew, but I met Neville in there, and he gave me gillyweed to survive the hour under water."

"Oh I see," she said, her eyes glowing with interest.  "So that's how you did it.  I'm glad you were successful," she added with a smile.

"Yes, and mostly thanks to you.  I'm grateful, Luna," he said, a boyish grin lighting up his face this time.  "See you around," he said over his shoulder as he walked away.

She just nodded and smiled quietly to herself.

---

Only a few days had passed since the fateful night of the Tri-Wizard Tournament's third task, but Luna knew the outcome of the competition wasn't the foremost thought on everyone's minds.

The whole school felt as if a physical shroud of melancholy had fallen over it.  Luna could feel its weight as surely as she could feel the grief over Cedric Diggory's sudden death, and she saw it plainly in the faces of her fellow students.  But there was no small bit of fear there as well – she knew rumors were beginning to circulate.  The Dark Lord was alive and back, and was even more powerful than ever?  Such was the story Harry had told, and, according to him, the Dark Lord was responsible for Cedric's death.

Alongside her grief for the poor boy's death, Luna felt sorry for Harry as well.  Being famous, getting involved in every unfortunate event that happened at Hogwarts – it wasn't the best way to win people over, and Luna knew that this latest piece of news wasn't being received very well.

It's all so sad, she thought.  How is Harry, I wonder?  Maybe it would be a good idea to find him and see how he's doing.  After all, he doesn't have many close friends, and he'll probably feel better knowing he has one more supporter.

She searched the library, asked if he was in the Gryffindor dormitories, and even looked in most of the classrooms, but in the end she was unsuccessful.  Oh well, she thought as she climbed the stairs to the owlery.  Maybe I'll come upon him by chance.

Just as she was about to turn the corner and enter through the doorway, Harry appeared suddenly, coming out just as she was going in.

"Luna!" he said in surprise.  "What are you doing up here?"

"Oh!  Hello Harry, I was just coming up to check on the owls," she said as her heart began to return to its normal pace.  "There are many dangers to owls up here, you know.  The Nargles can be very mischievous."

He gave her a funny look, but then shook his head and said, "well I was just in there, and I can assure you that the owls are all fine."

"And are you, Harry?"

He had been making his way past her to start down the stairs again, but he hesitated and turned back at her question.  "What do you mean?" he asked, a little warily.

"I mean are you alright?"  Luna took a step towards him and looked at him keenly, waiting until he met her eyes before continuing.  "You were the only one that saw how Cedric died," she said gently.  "It can't be easy hearing these rumors going around, and we're all still grieving."

Harry just looked away.  "Yeah, I know.  I just… I just don't understand why people have such a problem believing me," he said suddenly, frustration coloring his face.  He looked up at Luna, and she could see the anger and hurt reflected there.  "Just because news is bad doesn't mean it's automatically not true!  I saw him!  And I saw him kill Cedric Diggory!  Why would I lie about that?  How else could Cedric have died?  And besides, if I was to lie about something, why would I lie about something so serious?  I'm not stupid!  And I'm certainly not a liar!"

Luna just waited and let him speak, knowing that what he needed at the moment was someone to listen to him.  When he was finished, he looked as though he was either trying to hold back tears or more angry words.

"Not everyone believes you're lying, Harry," Luna said finally, putting a hand on his shoulder as a gesture of comfort.  "I believe you, as do your two best friends, and many of the professors do too.  Dumbledore is and always has been on your side.  You do have friends here, Harry."

Harry drew a long sigh and nodded.  "Yeah, yeah I know.  Sorry about that Luna."

She took her hand back and gave him a small smile.  "That's quite alright, Harry."

He sighed and nodded.  "Well thanks for hearing me out, anyway, Luna.  You're a good friend.  I'll see you later."  She gave a small wave as he turned and began the long trip back down the owlery stairs.


                                                                                    ***

Each memory brought a smile to Luna's face.  Harry was unique and interesting, and he had a knack for finding the worst sort of trouble; she knew that being his friend wouldn't be boring.  Just as she had the thought, she finally found Harry in the chaos of students – under the covered hallway that ran around the outside perimeter of the courtyard.

She hurried over to him, knowing that he probably had his own goodbyes to say.  "Harry!" she called when she was just a little way behind him.  He didn't hear her at first, so she called again, "Harry Potter!"

He turned this time, and smiled upon seeing her there.  "Luna!  Are you off soon?"

"Yes.  I wanted to come say goodbye," she said, pushing a strand of blond hair back over her shoulder.

"I see.  Well you've been a great friend, Luna.  Thanks for everything."  He held out a hand, and she saw a small piece of folded paper in the palm of his hand.  She looked at him quizzically as she took it.  "I'll write if you will," he said as she opened it and saw an address written there.

"Of course I will," she said, tucking the little scrap into a pocket.  "I hope you have a good summer, Harry.  Watch out for the Nargles."

"I will."  He smiled and she turned to go find her bags.  Yes, it had been a good – if eventful – year at Hogwarts, and she wondered what future years would hold for her and her friends.