Chapter 1
Harry found her by the Great Lake. Luna was kneeling, staring intently at something Harry couldn’t see. Her head was bowed, long blonde hair trailing in the water. Despite the cold, Luna wore a t-shirt, and a long skirt that looked better suited for summer. She had goose-pimples from the cold, but either didn’t notice or didn’t care. She was, as usual, barefoot. None of this surprised Harry. He cleared his throat awkwardly, waiting for her to notice him. He took a half-step forward, stumbling on the frozen ground. A tree branch snapped beneath his feet.
“I know you’re there Harry,” Luna said in her soft Irish accent.
Harry cringed inwardly. Of course she knew. The nargles had probably told her – sneaking bastards.
“Uh, well what’re you looking at?” He couldn’t tell her the real reason he had sought her, not yet.
Luna pointed at a bubble in the water, which Harry had to squint to see.
“Macvertivores.” Luna explained. “They’ll be hatching soon.”
Harry had never heard of Macvertivores. They certainly weren’t a creature he’d ever come across in Care of Magical Creatures. It was likely, he thought, that Luna was the only person who had heard of them.
Another bubble surfaced and Luna clapped her hands excitedly. “I’ve been tracking their progress ever since Professor Grubblyplank told me about the mating.”
Harry wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to know the details, so he said to distract her, “Aren’t you chilly?”
“Oh, no,” Luna replied. “This skirt is the longest item of clothing I own. It should help pull me underwater.”
Harry stared at her aghast. “You’re telling me you’re planning to see their birth underwater?”
Luna nodded, smiling. “Apparently their births are quite spectacular.”
More bubbles rose, Harry and Luna watching, until it looked to Harry like the water was boiling. The bubbles clumped together, growing and merging into one big bubble and then sunk as suddenly as they appeared. Luna took this as her cue.
She waded into the water towards the empty space where the bubbles had been. Harry stood by the edge of the lake, wringing his hands anxiously. Panic rose, knotting his stomach. The birth of the Mac-whatever’s might be a sight to behold but he was certain it wasn’t worth risking her life. He reassured himself: she’s more than capable of keeping herself safe. But if the Triwizard Tournament a few years back had taught him anything, it was the dangers of what lurked in Hogwarts’ Great Lake.
Once she was up to her neck in water, Luna turned and called; “would you care to join me, Mr Potter?”
It was as if she could read his mind. Perhaps Luna was secretly a Legilimen and extremely gifted at hiding it. Not bothering to reply, sure that she wouldn’t hear him over the wind, Harry shrugged off his coat, shirked his jeans and thermal top. He stood, shivering, in his boxers and vest. Remembering his watch, he unstrapped it, cast it aside, and walked into the water. He bit his lip to stop himself from crying out. The water was freezing, icy cold, lapping at his bare skin. He kept wading forwards, forcing his legs to move. Luna reached her hands out to him, pulling him towards her. Teeth chattering, they waited, Harry looking to Luna, Luna transfixed on the water.
“Any second now,” she murmured. She sniffed once, then twice: “smell that.”
Harry frowned, but did as she instructed. Once he smelt the strong scent of macaroni cheese, he was shocked he hadn’t noticed earlier.
“Luna, why does it smell like cheese- “
Harry stopped once he realised he was talking to the air. Luna was underwater.
Drawing in a deep breath, Harry dived.
Harry was relieved to see Luna wasn’t far from where they had been stood. Her hair pooled around her like a halo. Luna’s t-shirt had risen slightly, rippling in the water, exposing pale skin. Her skirt stuck to her legs, made skintight by the water. Harry blinked.
Luna noticed him, gave him the thumbs up and pointed.
The Macvertivores had just been born. Harry now understood why he had smelt cheese earlier. The creatures were all coated in a yellow goo-like substance and smelt overpoweringly cheesy. They were the most extraordinary creatures he had ever seen. Little balls of yellow with small brown eyes. They appeared, as Harry looked closer, to resemble pasta, moulded to form round bodies. He was reminded, unmistakably, of one of Dudley’s favourite dishes: macaroni cheese.
Luna was grinning, watching as a baby Macvertivore bobbed towards her, leaving a trail of bubbles behind it. She reached out a hand, and the Macvertivore sat in her palm, staring up at her. With her other hand, Luna gently stroked the creature. It made a little squeaking noise of appreciation.
Harry rose to the surface for a breath. A few seconds later Luna came up too, leaving the Macvertivore underwater.
This was just too weird, Harry thought. He’d seen some bizarre things at Hogwarts but this macaroni creature was nearing top of the list. But Luna’s eyes were sparkling so Harry bit his tongue and changed tact. “Luna, was that creature … made of pasta?”
His friend nodded; “they resemble Macaroni cheese. They’re endangered,” she continued, “but I can’t figure out why.”
Harry stared at her. For a student of Ravenclaw, she could be exceptionally dim-witted. “Probably because people think the Macvertivore is their dinner.”
Luna looked away, her mouth turning down. “I don’t think that’s it Harry. Good guess though.”
Harry raised his eyebrows. Dudley would’ve gobbled those cheesy pasta creatures right down, thinking nothing of the fact it swam right into his hand.
“The Macvertivore’s usually exist in the muggle world actually.” Luna told him. “The Great Lake isn’t really their climate but Professor Grubblyplank agreed to breed some here because of their endangerment.”
Ah yes. That explained a lot, Harry thought. If all the muggles were like the Dursley’s, he wasn’t surprised they were at risk of extinction. Nothing said convenience like your dinner just floating by, almost begging to be eaten. ‘The less effort, the better!’ Vernon Dursley always repeated as he ordered another takeaway. Harry kept his thoughts to himself though, and he and Luna waded back to the shore.
The cold air hit hard on Harry’s bare skin. He stumbled onto the bank, wheezing.
Luna glided up the bank effortlessly, seemingly not feeling the cold, and passed him his top. He thanked her, wondering, not for the first time, if Luna was from another planet. He felt surprisingly comfortable standing in his boxer shorts in front of her. They were, after all, friends (or at least he considered her his friend). Luna watched him buttoning his jeans and then his coat. Once he was fully dressed again, they walked back up to the castle together, Luna with a skip in her step.
They reached the bridge and before they parted, Luna to go to the owlery and Harry back to Gryffindor tower, Luna asked; “why did you come to see me?”
Harry looked at her in surprise. “You knew I was there for a different reason?”
She smiled. “Not everyone is as fascinated with the Macvertivores as I am.”
Luna had a point.
“I, uh, wanted to ask you… if –“ Harry dithered. “You, uh, had done the homework for Professor Flitwick.”
Both of them knew this was not the reason Harry had made the freezing trek to see her. A little crease appeared in Luna’s forehead and Harry had to stop himself from reaching out to smooth it away. Instead, Harry looked out over the bridge into the distance. Luna followed his gaze and said; “why don’t you ask me your question another time?”
Harry swallowed and nodded, hating himself for blushing.
“I’m glad you were there though.” Luna said softly.
Harry half-smiled. “Me too.”
Luna turned and began to walk to the Owlery. Harry had to stop himself calling after her. He felt as though a small light had been extinguished inside him. Head down and hands in his coat pockets, Harry walked back to Gryffindor common room, cursing himself inwardly.