Luna
"You can see me?!" Harry flew out of the plane and stood in front of the girl.
"Can't everyone?"
"No!" This was not something he had ever experienced before. No one saw him unless he wanted them to!
"Are you dead?" Her sing-song voice asked.
"What? No...I'm having an out-of-body experience?"
The blonde didn't understand that. "You shouldn't let your soul out of its body. A Heliopath could burn it."
"A what?"
"Heliopath." She said as if everyone knew of them.
"I don't think I've ever heard of those before."
"A lot of people see them, maybe a Wrackspurt affected you? I didn't bring my Spectrespecs to see them." She looked sad at that.
"What's a Wrackspurt?"
"A Wrackspurt...They're invisible. They float in through your ears and make your brain go fuzzy. There's been a lot of them in this castle."
"Okay, I am so confused." Harry rubbed his temple.
"Definitely a Wrackspurt. I'll see if I can make some Spectrespecs for you too."
"...Thank you?"
"You're welcome." She went back to dancing.
This might be the strangest thing to ever happen to me "Luna is it?"
"Yes." She turned back to him.
"I'm sorry to interrupt your dancing, but I'm still confused about how you see me."
"You glow. It's really pretty. The red is all around you. I saw it when Ginny was sorted. You didn't look happy. Then you screamed. I thought you died but your body was still there. Maybe you're possessed? A new creature that I haven't heard of before?" She looked excited about that.
"Nothing is controlling me."
"Oh." She was disappointed. "Why don't you like Ginny?"
"She's a little off-putting. Fangirls scare me."
"We grew up next to each other. We would play wedding and I was always you."
"Great." He sighed. "Aren't you cold?" He motioned to her lack of shoes.
"Not really. I don't wear shoes at home. Besides mine were stolen by Nargles with some of my papers."
"More creatures I have never heard of?"
She nodded. "They infest mistletoe and are mischievous thieves. I made a necklace to keep them away but it was too late." She motioned to her corkscrew necklace. "I'm sure they'll bring them back."
That sounded odd, well odder. "Okay...look Luna I would appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone about this."
"I thought everyone knew?" She tilted her head again. "Okay." She shrugged.
"What are you doing out here anyway?"
"Dancing."
"I can see that! I meant why are you outside your dorm?"
"Why are you?"
"Technically I'm still in my bed." He countered with a grin.
"But your right here." She replied.
"Think of it like two me's. Body and soul."
"Oh. Well, I'm stuck. The password changed and I didn't hear it so I'm stuck outside my dorm." She shrugged.
"The Prefects did notice you were gone?"
"They're affected by Wrackspurt too. I told them I'd make a funnel for them but they didn't listen."
"Funnel?"
"It can clear your mind of the effects." She looked brighter. "I'll make one for you too!"
"Thanks again. I guess."
"What's it like to float? It looks fun."
"It is." He floated up and did a backflip. "I like to fly anyway so it's a blast."
Luna put her hand out and it passed through him. "It's cold..."
"I don't feel it." He shrugged.
"Can you move thing?"
Harry floated over and knocked off an armored sword. He picked it up and placed it back.
"So...you could be Nargles hiding from me." She looked at him seriously. "They move things and are hard to see."
"I'm not."
She narrowed her eyes briefly then nodded. "Okay."
Her back and forth was very unusual but he had to admit it was fun.
"Are you going to stay out here all night?"
"No. Someone will get the door eventually."
"That could take hours...why don't you go to Professor Flitwick?"
"He's busy with grading. I don't want to be a bother."
"Well... Then I can help you there." He said.
"Thank you." She smiled brightly.
The two went to Ravenclaw dorm. The door was shut tight.
With a quick look around Harry stayed out of sight of the portrait and then hit it with a spell. The door opened a few seconds later.
"Your magic is beautiful." She admired.
That's a new one. "I guess it is isn't it?"
"Yes. Thanks for the door. Now I'm going to get my Spectrespecs and make you some."
"That's not necessary but thank you."
"Then a funnel."
"I...Okay fine." He relented.
"Yay!" She looked very excited.
She is odd but I kind of like her. "Hey if you want you can join my table tomorrow for breakfast." He offered.
Luna looked like Christmas morning came early. "I would like that."
"Good night Luna." He started but stopped. "Oh, one more thing."
Luna saw some shoes appear on her feet as his hand glowed.
"If the 'Nargles' take those let me know. I'll make more."
"Are we friends?" She asked hopefully.
"If you want." He smiled back.
When he floated off she smiled more. "Friends...."
Before he went to bed Harry had to tell Doc.
"Doc?!" He portaled in.
Stephen was astral floating with a book as his body slept.
"Shouldn't you be in bed?"
"Shouldn't you?"
"I am."
"Yeah. Yeah. Look I met a girl."
"Congratulations. Sirius is the one to talk to about that." Strange went back to his book.
"That is not what I meant!" Harry argued. "And that talk from Sirius and Remus was the thing of nightmares!!"
"I imagine, but why come to me?"
"Because she saw me! In astral."
"You know better than to be that careless." Stephen warped back to his body and sat up in bed.
"I wasn't walking around outside the plane. She saw me in it."
"That's not possible. Are you sure you didn't make a mistake?"
Harry glared back. "I know to be careful."
"I had to ask." Stephen threw his legs out of the bed and stood. "Who is this girl?"
"Her name is Luna Lovegood. She a first year in Ravenclaw."
"Has she said if she has seen anything else?"
"Well, she says she sees creatures I haven't heard of. She seems to think a lot of people are infested with some sort of pixies that hide in mistletoes."
Strange didn't know how to respond to that. "If she can see into the astral dimension then I need to meet her. Can you bring her here today?" He looked at the clock.
"I'll try but skipping out of school by myself is risky. With two though."
"I understand. Be careful. If need be I will come to have this discussion there. Do you trust her? She can't go around telling everyone about you."
"She's odd but I think she's okay. Then again I'm an embodiment of chaos so who am I to judge?"
"Odd?"
"She dances to no music. Oh, and the whole seeing me thing but it's the music that bothers me."
"Kids..." He sighed. "Get back to the school and keep an eye on her. I'm going to do some reading."
"On it Doc." Harry saluted and portaled out.
Probably best if I don't wake Wong up. I'll tell him when he comes to the library.
The thought was still eating him. How can a witch see Harry? One of there's. There had to be more to her than Harry knew.
Hermione didn't look pleased the next morning. She had the stack of books in front of her.
"Morning," Harry said.
"Hmm." She replied.
"Hermione!"
"Oh?" She realized that he was talking to her. "Sorry. I was thinking."
"A certain professor?" He guessed. "No, I didn't need to 'peak' to know."
"Yes...I looked over all these books and things stood out..."
"You reread all of these last night?!"
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Anyway. I noted these." She held up a parchment. "All of these are inconsistent. He says he used spells on creatures that are immune and times that overlap. How can he fight the banshee counties away when he is supposedly wrestling a werewolf the next day?!"
"So he's too lazy to alter the dates."
"This is infuriating! How can someone do this?"
"He's a fraud. The man will never accomplish anything like this himself so he lied and stole what he could."
She sulked more. "Can you show me what you saw?"
Harry did a quick look around and put his fingers to her temple.
Hermione saw all the memories. Lockhart interviews and then casting spells. Him doing so multiple times than writing the books. The smile he had as people bought them.
"That...fraud!" She growled.
"Yep."
She stood then began tossing the books into the fire.
"Wow....you're really mad."
"Lying, absorbed, aha!" She threw one after another away. "That man doesn't deserve any of these praises!"
"I agree."
"So she figured out that you don't lie?" Neville sat next to them.
"I didn't think he lied...just misunderstood. I was wrong." She argued. "Then he showed me and now I'm getting rid of this fiction."
"Technically it's true but not for him."
"Ahh." She tossed the last one in the fire in anger. "That makes it worse."
"Wow..." Neville didn't believe he ever saw Hermione disrespect a book like that.
"Sirius is looking into it. He'll get all the evidence and take it to Susan's aunt."
"Director Bones. That is not someone I would want after me." Neville said. "Dad says she doesn't take any dragon dung from anyone."
"And we just continue? He's ruining people's futures." Hermione said.
"Hopefully not for very long. I can't just tell everyone that I read his mind and saw the truth." Harry reasoned.
"No...but he's going to be impossible in class now!"
"If we can put up with Snape then we can put up with Lockhart," Neville said.
"I'm hungry. Let's go-to breakfast. There's someone I want you two to meet."
"Hello, Harry." Luna sat across from them at the table.
"Hi, Luna." He turned to the rest of his friends. "This is Luna Lovegood. She's a Ravenclaw I met the other day."
"Hello." Neville greeted.
"Hello, Neville Longbottom." She greeted back. "Your parents are Aurors, right? Did they ever catch any Nargles? They have been stealing some of my things."
"Nargles?" Susan sat next to her with Blaise not far behind. "What are those?"
"Hello, Susan Bones." Luna smiled at her. "Your aunt must have found some. Or does she know of the army of Heliopaths the minister has?"
"What?"
"Nargles are small thieving pixies and Heliopaths are fire spirits. I heard Minister Fudge has an army of them."
"I am very confused," Blaise spoke.
"You must be affected by Wrackspurts."
"A what?" The boy asked.
"There's no such thing as those whatever you call them," Hermione argued.
"Didn't you believe there was no such thing as werewolves and dragons once?" Harry looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"That is not the same thing."
"Still a valid point."
"I have seen actual proof of them."
"Hermione you're a witch. You should be well aware that sometimes seeing isn't always believing. And sometimes believing is seeing."
"Do you believe these things exist?" She couldn't believe that.
"Mum always told me to keep an open mind. I mean new species are discovered every day."
"That doesn't mean these creatures exist."
"It doesn't mean they don't. Daddy goes on a trip every year to see if he can find proof of unknown creatures. I go with him sometimes." Luna said.
"Have you ever found any of these things?" Susan asked.
"Not yet, but if they could be found easily then they would have been."
Hermione and the rest were just as confused by the blonde. Harry seemed to be having good humor with it.
"How did you two meet?"
"Harry helped me get into the dorm after I was locked out."
"Someone snuck out after curfew," Blaise noted.
"It's quieter at night." Harry's shrugged.
"Why we're you locked out? Did you forget your password?"
"It changes sometimes. I didn't get the message it had." Luna began arranging her food in a pattern that no one understood.
"She's odd," Hermione whispered to Harry.
"That means she's not boring." He laughed back.
Hermione rolled her eyes and started her meal.
Luna didn't bring up the creatures again but did ask if anyone wanted a prescription for the Quibbler. Hermione immediately dismissed it as rubbish, although she didn't say it to the girl. She had learned from her friendship with Harry that she didn't have to vocalize all her opinions over every little thing.
I've seen some of these copies and they are ludicrous. This does explain her exotic beliefs. Her father is just as odd. Hermione thought.
Harry was curious and took Luna's copy to read later.
What shocked Hermione was when Neville asked a question to her about their Transfiguration homework. She didn't get to answer because Luna did. She explained everything perfectly and had the rest of the table a little stunned.
It was clear that, while she was unusual, she was in Ravenclaw for a reason.
When she handled a funnel-like thing to Harry it added to all the confusion.
"How did you meet her?" Hermione asked as they went to their first class.
"She saw me." He whispered back. "When I was 'flying' around the castle. We talked and she seems like a good person."
"She is a bit Barmy."
"Why?"
"She talks about creatures that don't exist."
"That hasn't been found yet. I like to keep an open mind. You should too."
"Open mind and believing in something without proof are different."
"Some would say that about gods and aliens," Neville said. "But you know they exist."
That made her stop. Years ago she would have scuffed at the idea of magic but now she is in a magical school...
I don't think they exist but Neville does make a good point. Harry and Wanda are both proof of the impossible...Maybe I am being a little close-minded?
Magical Perception is also known as the Unseeing Eye.
That was what Stephen landed on. It was a common thing for the followers of the mystic arts. The Astral Plane is not meant to be seen by anyone not well trained, yet somehow a young child did.
"How Is it you keep finding children that break the understanding of the universe?" Wong asked.
"Apparently I have a gift for it."
"When is Harry bringing this girl?"
"Should be any time."
A few minutes later, Harry and Luna portaled in.
"That was fun. Can we go somewhere else?" Luna asked.
"I'm not supposed to do it with you so probably not."
"Right." She saw the two men standing there, "Hello, Dr. Strange." The blonde looked around his large study. "Where are the Diricawls? Daddy says you have the last of them in your Sanctum."
"We do not," Wong said. "Where did he hear such a story?"
"He was certain of it. It's a shame, I wanted to pet one."
She then felt something pecking her leg. Harry had conjured a small Dodo next to her.
"He's adorable." Luna pet the bird.
"Unfortunately he can't exist for long."
"Awe..." She held the animal. "Why do they call it chaos when it makes something so cute?"
"That is a long explanation," Stephen said as he studied the girl. She didn't seem any different from all the other witches in their community. "Miss. Lovegood, Harry tells me you were able to see him when he was in the Astral Dimension."
"I just saw a quick sight. I see things like that. It never focuses before I can see it fully. But when I call to Harry he appeared."
"That is very unusual."
"It is." Wong agreed.
"She saw me in the plane and I think she can see more," Harry said.
"What did these creatures look like?"
Luna told the two about what she was talking about.
Some of the creatures made no sense to them but a few did.
"These Heliopaths. I think I know what you saw." Stephen began conjuring a flaming horse.
"I knew they existed!" Luna looked happy.
"In a way of speaking," Stephen replied. "This is a war horse. One of the many forms of combative magic. I believe you have the ability to see more than just one dimension."
He twisted the reality and opened the Mirror Dimension with Harry and himself, but the blond was left out. Luna looked around as they disappeared.
"She can't see us?"
"Cast a spell. Something big a flashy." Stephen instructed. "That should be easy for you."
"You're so funny," Harry said sarcastically. He pulled up his hand and formed a huge lion of red that roared in Luna's direction.
That got a response from her as she saw a glimpse of a huge animal making noise before it vanished.
"I think we have an idea." Strange and Harry came out of the dimension.
"Did you two see the Chimaocore?" She asked frantically. "A Manicore and a Chimera baby, but big."
"That was me, Luna," Harry explained. "I made a lion in the dimension and that was what you saw."
"Oh...but is there one here?"
"Not that I am aware of Miss. Lovegood."
"I'm at the point that I will no longer be surprised if something like that shows up." Wong huffed and left the three.
"He's a bit grumpy."
"That's Wong. You'll get used to it." Harry said. "Don't let him fool you. He's is a big softy at heart."
"I can tell."
"I think with some proper training you'll be able to better understand what you are seeing and how to limit the sight if you wish," Stephen said.
"Why limit it? I like seeing them."
"That will be up to you."
"Okay."
"Let me grab a book..."
His cloak flew off and came back with the book he had.
"Thank you Mister Cloak." Luna took the book from it. "He's funny." She said to Harry.
The cloak did a salute and flew back to Stephen. "I think she likes you."
"He's a nice cloak."
Stephen sat across from her and they began going over all that he had read. Luna followed as best she could. There was a lot she did understand, but she was a quick learner.
She was still disappointed that some of the creatures she saw were just constructs in another plane but held out hope for the Nargles and the Crumple-Horned Snorkack.
"What are you doing hanging around Potter?!"
Luna looked up from the none line she was walking and saw the three girls and smiled. "We're friends."
"Nobody would want to be friends with you."
"Loony has no friends."
"I do too. We had breakfast together." She said happily.
"I guess it's fitting you have to find friends in a different house. It's not like you belong in Ravenclaw." She grabbed one of Luna's notes and walked away.
The other two pushed Luna hard until she fell to the ground. She lost her smile and went to the library away from them.
None of the girls knew that Harry and Hermione were coming down the corridor and overheard the whole thing at the end. She had to hold him back from hexing all three.
"Why did you stop me?!"
She motioned to the professor walking down the hall.
Snape.
"Right..." The bastard would have me in detention all year if he caught me.
They quickly followed Luna to the library.
"Luna." Hermione sat in front of the blonde. "How long has that been going on?"
"Since I was sorted." She didn't seem to bother with it.
"That was weeks ago."
"They think I'm odd." She shrugged. "They're infested with Wrackspurt. I told them I would make funnels for them but they just got worse."
"Luna there's no such thing as Wrackspurt." Hermione huffed. "And those girls are just being bullies. I know."
"Luna you need to go to your head of house."
"Professor Flitwick is a busy man. Besides once their infestation is cleared up they'll be nice."
"Luna... " Hermione pushed what she wanted to say about her imaginary animals away. "Are they the ones stealing your stuff?"
"They are," Harry said. "I may have dug a little deeper."
"You need to tell someone. A prefect at least."
"They didn't stop them in the dorm. So they won't now." She shrugged back.
"The prefects know?!"
"They didn't seem to want me to bother them."
"Luna people are stealing your things, locking you out after curfew, and the prefects don't care. Come on." He offered. "We'll go with you."
"Right." Hermione agreed.
"Are we friends too?"
"Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine." She accepted. Even if they are different. I know what she's going through and I don't want to see it again.
Luna's smile was so bright. Harry felt the surge of emotions from her. He liked it when it was happiness. That was the best one.
The three made their way to Flitwicks office next.
"Mr. Potter. Miss Lovegood. Miss Granger. What brings you to me?" Professor Flitwick asked after they knocked and came in.
"Luna is having her things stolen by her dorm mates."
"What?" The small professor stood.
"It's true. We saw them bullying her."
"Miss. Lovegood?"
"They don't mean to be. The Wa..."
"Luna please don't make excuses for them. There are no creatures affecting their minds."
"I have heard some talks about some of the exotic animals your father writes about."
"Do you have a subscription?"
"I may have picked up a copy or two, but back to the matter at hand. What is this about bullying?"
They gave him the story of what happened in the hall.
"That is unfortunate. But unless it was seen by a professor there is little I can do. It is your word against theirs."
"What about the thing they stole? Her clothes and shoes?"
"Do you have any proof that they are the ones? If so I will personally check their belongings. If not again I can't go off rumors."
"I have an idea," Hermione said after a few seconds.
"Miss. Granger?"
"It might be underhanded but I think we can get them to confess."
"Oh, now you have my attention." Harry smiled.
"This is your doing."
"I regret nothing."
Flitwick held in a smirk. Perhaps I should throw in a few gallons to the pool? They do remind me of James and Lily when they started dating.
It's a shame I only saw the last year of them before graduating.
By the end of the week, Luna found all her socks missing. That was exactly what Hermione wanted.
The trap was sprung.
That night during the feast Flitwick called everyone's attention. After everyone quieted he began.
"It has come to my attention that some members of my house have been stealing the belongings of their 'fellow' housemate. To say I am disappointed is an understatement."
Harry saw some of the Ravenclaws tenses up. He could feel them. Gotcha.
Flitwick conjured up a large hourglass. "I will give the transgressors one chance. Come forward and the punishment will not be light but it will be far worse if you do not."
No one moved.
"Very well." He sighed and turned the timekeeper over. "Unknown to the thieves, the belongings were charmed by a trusted individual. A small curse."
"Curse?" Dumbledore asked.
"Nothing dangerous Headmaster. Just humbling."
"Perhaps this would be better for a private discussion with your house?"
"I have to disagree Albus." The Head of Ravenclaw argued. "They went out of their way to humiliate and embarrass one of their own. Actions have consequences."
Most of the other teachers agreed. Some just to see what was being planned.
"If the one responsible does not come forward before this runs out. They will find their own belonging no longer on their person. The hex only applies to those who have taken from the individual. No one else."
When the sand started to pour the whole student population began looking for someone missing something.
Suddenly some voices called out from the back of the tables.
"Stop!!" Three Ravenclaw girls ran toward the front.
All three were missing their shoes and socks. Their ties disappeared next.
Flitwick stopped the hourglass. The small and gentle professor had a look on his face that no one had seen before.
"You three. To my office."
"Professor..."
"NOW!!!!"
The girls ran faster than they had ever had.
"To the student who brought this to me, you have my gratitude. I will not name who or what house but they know. Now I have three of my Claws to 'talk' to."
"That can't be good," Neville said.
"Depends on who you are," Harry smirked as he turned to Hermione. "Whoever came up with that idea for the vanishing clothes hex is a genius. Probably one of the smartest people in the school."
Hermione gave him a small smile. "I'm sure they would appreciate that compliment." Pranks on bullies...what has this boy done to me?
She caught sight of Luna looking very peaceful as her tormentors were gone.
Worth it. She may be strange and her creatures make no sense, I doubt they even exist, but no one deserves to have their things stolen or locked out.
That evening was a very quiet one for the Ravenclaw table.
Their points were at the lowest level they had been in a long time. All the students were glaring at the three girls who caused it.
They thought bullying and tormenting were fine when they did it to Luna but now they were on the receiving end. That and they were going to be in detention every Saturday until the end of the year.
The funny part was Flitwick was going to make it a month but their refusal to come forward and the fact that they didn't feel bad over what they did to Luna sent him over.
Harry notice two of the Prefects were not the same anymore.
Flitwick must have found out they weren't doing their duties.
He also saw Luna smiling at him. Wearing her original shoes.
He smiled at her and wink back.
Blood splattered from his claws. The man fell to the ground lifeless.
The man more wolf than human read the paper he took from his 'acquaintance'. It was the only way he stayed up to date on what happened outside the woods he thrived in.
Meaningless until he returns. All the freedom he offered to us was intoxicating. All the fresh blood to give my 'gift' to.
The headline had one of his favorites on it.
Lupin...I still remember the fear he had when I turned him.
The smile quickly vanished when he read the full article. Instead, animalistic fury erupted from him.
"Muggles?! Muggles dare taint my people!!"
"Taint is a strong word."
Greyback found a man in a hood standing on the hill above him. "Good. I was still peckish." He jumped up to the man claws ready.
Whoever it was did some strange movements with his hand and the feared werewolf was locked spread eagle in glowing chains. He fought but the bidding was unmoving.
"One of the Stranges group? Come to take my head to him?"
"Strange has made many enemies from all factions. Not all of us believe it is our duty to involve ourselves with yours. I am one of them."
"So what do you want?"
"In a moment." The hooded man pulled something out of his cloak. "A gift."
It was a small orb. White in color. Almost resembling the moon itself.
"What is that?!"
"Freedom. With this, you can transform without the full moon."
"Impossible." He snarled.
The orb floated in the air and Greyback felt the change coming. The welcome of his full power!
Then it stopped. The change went back as the orb came back down. As it dropped into the man's hand the bidding fell.
"Use this." He laid the orb on a stump. "Do with it what you will."
"Who are you?!"
"Neither an ally nor enemy. I am balanced."
"Why do this? Why give me that?"
He didn't get an answer as the man disappeared.
His sent was gone and so were all traces of him. Except for the orb.
Greyback was hesitant but grabbed it and held the moon close.
If this is true..I will test it fully first. Then I have to gather the pack. We have a muggle to 'invite' to dinner.