Chapter 4
Luna
It felt nice being with Harry, after losing her mother her father had been broken, and she had been too young to understand what had happened to her father and how to help him but he was never himself, going after his fantasies and well he was not well mentally, he refused to see mind healer's and squandered money on idiotic things but she had to comply she just couldn't lose her father and so she did her best to help him, she had spent years trying to help him, and devoted a lot of her time to her father. But no one had been there for her when she was seven, no one had talked to her until Harry, he cared which was more than she could say about most the people.
"Harry are you there ", she asked
"Yes, Luna ", he called out
She walked over to the shrub from where Harry's voice was coming and found him brushing the soft mane of thestral foal.
She sat beside him.
Neither of them spoke, the silence that lasted was not out of awkwardness, both of them were lost, looking into the eyes of the thestral foal. They were pitch dark and felt warm. She snuggled Harry and felt him relax into her.
She could smell his hair they smelled like some old books and wet earth, and it felt nice.
The silence lasted for hours both of them were just lost in the moment, it was not until later when Foal mother came did the silence was broken.
"Harry let's go back to our dorms it is late ", she said
He nodded,
"You are quiet today? ", she asked
"Luna Ministry is posting dementors because Sirius black was found trying to enter Gryffindor dorm we might not be able to visit Forbidden Forest again this year “, he replied
It was news to her, she did not talk to her year mates actually to anyone except Harry.
She squeezed his hand, and said, " Don't worry we will be able to visit the forest again it may not be this year but next"
He nodded, and both of them quietly walked to the castle.
(Meanwhile Harry)
(some days later)
He was now going over fifth-year study material in charms and transfiguration, and he had come upon an interesting charm, It was called the Patronus charm which helped protect against dementors he had started learning it with a lot of free time present now that he was not going to the forest with luna, due to the presence of Dementors. Yes, they both occasionally went to Hagrid but with his teaching, he had very little time and so he and Luna mostly studied together and chatted or explored the castle together.
It was very fun to be with Luna, she was so kind and gentle even after all she had gone through
(In an Empty Classroom)
“Expecto Patronum”, He recited waving his wand
While Luna observed his wand motion and pronunciation of the Spell then after she was confident she tried the spell.
“Expecto Patronum”, Luna cast the spell for what was like a thirtieth time by now both of them could produce a shield which could repel four to five dementors though Luna’s shield was much stronger than his and the weird thing was that he was not jealous of Luna.
A brilliant white light came out of her wand and soon a creature materialised which he recognised as a Thestral a female one that too.
“Wow Luna that is amazing”, He said
“Thanks, Harry”, she replied and ran her hand through her Corporeal Patronus and a brief moment of silence Luna said
“Emily… I will name her Emily”
And with that, the thestral neighed and vanished in a plume of white smoke.
“Try again harry, I think you are close to mastering the spell”, Luna said
He had been using the memories of when he was first introduced into the wizarding world by Hagrid and that of when Norberta had cuddled him when he cared for her, but now he was going to use a memory which he thought was one of his most private and one towards which he had confused feeling.
He pictured Himself and Luna flying on Norberta, Luna tightly holding him and pressing her lips on his cheek and cast the spell
“Expecto Patronum”, he said with closed eyes and felt his eyes getting heavy and feeling himself being drained.
Then he heard clapping and opened his eyes to see Luna with a bright smile on her face.
“You did it Harry you did it”, she said
“I… I did it”, he said half dazed and looking at his corporeal patronus which resembled Luna’s except this one was a Male.
“Our Patronus they are so similar Harry”, Luna said observing
“Yes”, He replied
“I wonder if this is because of the memories that we used”, Luna said then continued.
“I used the one where we both flew on Norberta what about you Harry”
“I used that one too”, he replied
Luna’s smile was contagious and her words which came next filled him with a feeling that was hard to describe
“Do you like me Harry”, Luna said Blushing red
“Ye… Ye… Yes”, he squeaked he had never felt so nervous and turned red
“Ooo…. I like you too Harry”, she replied
“I…er… I…Um, would you…Um like to go to Hogsmeade with me”, he asked
The smile that formed on Luna’s face made his heart go leaps
“Yes, but I am a second year silly”, She replied
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Neville
He was quite sure that he had seen Sirius black running away as Ron had screamed, and he was quite nervous with the thought of facing a death eater as dangerous as Sirius black and not to forget that Bellatrix had also escaped Azkaban. It was not disclosed news but his mother had informed him that Bellatrix had escaped. He had seen what his mother could do when she had taught him how to defend himself and he had heard from her about Moody who was the best auror ministry had ever had and when Moody had not been able to win against Bellatrix what chance did he have.
He put aside those thoughts and began concentrating on finding a memory strong enough to create a Patronus shield, Today he would be trying for it again with Professor Lupin for what was like his fiftieth time. He had never grasped a spell so late and with all the help Hermione and Ron were to him he felt a little ashamed of not mastering it till now.
Luna
Now that both she and Harry could cast patronus charm they once again began exploring the Forbidden Forest, she had shown harry a colony of Bow truckles and she had always wanted to see those creatures they were so small and personally she found them cute.
But for now, she was content with becoming more familiar with the Thestral herd and a beautiful adder which Harry had found in the forest.