Pansy felt herself gasping for breath and knew that Harry was in similar shape laying next to her. She realized that he would always be happy to take any excuse for them to shag, and as stunned as she had been by Luna, she couldn't help but admit that it did lead them to having a lot of fun.
The only problem was that they would have to wake up in less than six hours for a very full day of classes. And she still didn't feel like she could go to sleep just yet. Too many things were buzzing around in her head, and the blonde staying in the other room was at the center of them.
Harry chuckled next to her, which got her attention. "How does it feel?"
"How does what feel?"
"To finally have Luna's teasing on the other foot for once? I'm not sure if seeing her kiss you was more funny or sexy. You should have seen the look on your face."
"Yes, well, I just wasn't expecting another girl to feel that way about me," Pansy replied. "I'm used to seeing other girls that want you, but, I don't know. I guess I should have seen it coming. Maybe I'm a bad friend, for not realizing that about her."
"I don't think you're a bad friend," Harry disagreed. "She's never talked about wanting a girlfriend. But I did see it coming."
"Really?"
"Not about her wanting to kiss the both of us necessarily, but I've heard Luna say that other girls were pretty a few times. Can you remember her ever saying something like that about a guy?"
"Just you."
"Okay, well, let's go back to last year. Remember, she had us dress up in our Yule Ball outfits? As I recall, she said that I was handsome, but she gushed about how you were 'sex on two legs' and that was by far the most she's ever talked about anyone being attractive. Face it, Luna has great taste in girls. That's why she agrees with me about how hot you are."
"Uh huh," Pansy giggled. "Did you really tell her that I was tasty?"
"Yes, and I might not have only been talking about your lips either," he laughed. "On those rare occasions when it's just the two of us, what do you think Luna and I talk about? You mostly, and sex. Two of our favorite topics."
"Of course," Pansy sighed. "I really hope this doesn't make anything weird between us."
"With Luna?"
"Yeah."
"I'm not going to let it change anything," Harry shrugged. "Tomorrow, I'm going to treat her like our best friend, the same as always. She said she didn't want this to mess up our friendship, so that's what I'm going to do."
"It might be a little harder for me," Pansy admitted. "I never really thought of her wanting to do anything like that with me."
"Is Luna still our girl?"
"Yes," Pansy chuckled to herself. "Maybe even more now, in a way."
"Exactly. Do you want that to change?"
"No."
"Then don't let it change."
"That simple, huh?"
"It is for me," Harry answered.
"I guess I'll try to do the same then." Pansy thought to herself, trying to imagine talking to Luna tomorrow at breakfast without blushing or saying anything weird. Then she remembered that this was Luna, and saying something weird would be perfectly fine. Pansy just had to accept this new fact as something she hadn't realized about her friend. Luna wouldn't want there to be any problems- she'd said so, that's probably why she had made such a big deal about getting permission from them both. It really was all about her own perception, so Pansy would have to accept this new little quirk and...
When she thought of that word, it triggered a realization in her mind. Luna's other little quirks had been so easy for her to acknowledge. Pansy could let this one go as well because that's what she wanted to do. She loved Luna, maybe not in the physical way that her friend might enjoy, but she loved her. That was really all that mattered.
She rolled over to tell Harry about her epiphany and saw that he had already dozed off. If only she were such a simple-minded creature like him. Pansy smiled and curled her arm around his chest.
She loved two people, and they loved her. With that happy thought in mind, Pansy drifted off to sleep.
The next day at breakfast, everything seemed fine. Luna was in an especially good mood, and while they didn't say anything about the night before, the three friends enjoyed their breakfast and talked about their schedules for the day. She sat in the middle of them, her position of honor as the birthday girl, and a letter from her father soon arrived, wishing her well and talking about a gift he had waiting for her at home. It was apparently too large to send, but the Easter holiday was just a couple of weeks away, so Luna was more than willing to wait for it.
Judging by the smile on her face all day long, she was a lot more than happy.
Pansy was still tired from staying up so late, and so she suggested they take a nap between dinner and their Astronomy class that night. Harry yawned and nodded in agreement. Luna asked him a question about Runes for an assignment she had, which helped wake him up.
Other than that, it was a nice calm morning. Before they had to go to their lessons, Harry and Pansy stopped Luna in the hallway and wrapped her up in a big three way hug.
"Thank you both for last night," she whispered, her face squished in between Harry's chest and Pansy's shoulder.
"We love you, Luna," Harry replied.
"You're our girl," Pansy added with a smile. "Now, go and have a wonderful birthday."
"We'll see you at lunch."
She skipped off down the hall, a dazzling smile on her face as she waved goodbye at them.
The weeks passed until they reached that Easter holiday. Luna and her father were going to spend it in Greece. They all decided to skip the train ride this time, so they parted with her in Hogsmeade, where Xeno had come to pick his daughter up.
Therefore, Harry and Pansy took the Dobby express back to their flat.
That very evening, they ended going over to visit Vanessa. Steven was out playing a show with his band, but his very pregnant wife wasn't feeling up to going out.
"Do you know the due date?" Pansy asked with a huge smile as she brought her friend a glass of Coke and sat next to her on the couch.
"Not fucking soon enough," she grumbled. "Sorry. I've just had a bad week, and my ankles are swollen and I am so very, very ready for this baby to be born. She should be here around the first of June. Her mum will be very happy if she decides to come early, though."
Vanessa said the last bit while staring down at her belly. Pansy had to admit that she was pretty big, although she certainly wasn't going to say that out loud.
Harry had returned from another room holding a box full of old cassette tapes. "Do you want me to set this down?"
"No, I'll never be able to reach it." Vanessa looked over at Pansy. "Do you mind holding it while I find something?"
"Not at all." She held back a smile as she tried to keep her friend from straining anything as she started rifling through it, obviously looking for something in particular. A few minutes later, Vanessa let out a triumphant yelp.
"Aha! Here, we go." She handed a tape over to Harry. "Put this on please. Oh, and be sure to rewind it back to the beginning."
"What is it?" Pansy asked.
"Summer 85 mix tape," Harry read from the label as he went over to the stereo.
"I've been feeling nostalgic," Vanessa said with a dramatic sigh before she turned back to Pansy with a smile. "I was sixteen and I suddenly realized that I had the hugest crush on my older brother's best mate. He was in a band, and he had these eyes that just made me want to melt."
Pansy joined her in giggling while Harry sat in a chair next to them. How Soon Is Now? by the Smiths was the opening song.
"There was so much great dance music back in the Eighties," Vanessa continued. "I remember starting... oh, when I was about fifteen, sneaking out of the house to go to clubs. My dad wasn't too pleased with me back then, but mum never got on my case as long as I didn't come home too drunk, or god forbid, high. I thought that was a bit hypocritical at the time- I mean they had been hippies back in the day, you know? It's not like both of them hadn't done things like that. But I think mum was mostly just worried about me being taken advantage of or getting pregnant. Steven sort of helped keep that from happening, in a weird way."
"How so?" Pansy asked.
"Well, that summer I was daydreaming about him all the time, so I wasn't in the mood to let any other guys get in my knickers. But Steven was going out with this awful tramp. Becca," she growled. "God, I hated that bitch. She clearly was just sooo wrong for him."
"Not like you would have been," Pansy grinned.
"Exactly. In fact, before things were over, she cheated on him. Sadly, by that time, I'd met this guy named Gary, so when Steven was single again, I had gotten over my crush. I mean, not completely, I still thought about him from time to time, you know? But, that was how things went for us. It was three years later before we finally got together. You two are really lucky to have found each other so young."
"I couldn't agree more," Harry said with a smile. "Pansy's the best thing that ever happened to me."
"Of course I am," she responded with a tease.
"You know, I do expect to be invited to the wedding," Vanessa added. "Just as long as this little one isn't squeezing my bladder anymore, I'd really love to see it. They can be stressful, but they can also be really fun."
"We're not in a huge hurry," Pansy said. "We've got to finish school, so you've got awhile. Who knows, maybe by then, your little girl might even be able to enjoy it."
"I don't know if I'm going to wait that long," Harry piped up.
"We'll see." Pansy turned back to their hostess. "Have you decided on a name for her yet?"
"No. We've both thought of a lot of names, but it's taken us this long to narrow the list down. Ooh, I love this song!
'I will find a way and I will have you.' Vanessa was happily singing along. Pansy heard the lyrics and turned to smile at Harry. She had a feeling she knew what was on his mind- because it was the same thing that was always on his mind.
Her friend was cheering up as she listened to the music and talking about her own teen years. A few minutes later, Vanessa stopped and shifted in her seat. "She's kicking," she said with a smile to Pansy. "Do you want to feel her?"
She was already reaching her hand over even before she nodded in agreement, and Vanessa took her hand and slid it under the bottom of her shirt- then she felt it. Tiny little feet kicking against the side of her mother's stomach.
"Does that hurt?"
"Sometimes more than others," Vanessa replied while still grinning. "If she does it for too long, then yes. But I can't blame her for wanting to dance to the music, now can I?"
"I guess not," Pansy giggled. "Wow. This is so... so real. I haven't really been around a baby before."
"Do you want to feel her, Harry?" Vanessa asked. "Or is that too weird? I know some guys aren't into babies. We gals mostly stick together when it's pregnancy time, but Steven hasn't been too bad, over all. Don't tell him I said that, though. I've got to keep him on his toes."
"I'd love to," Harry smiled. "I didn't want to ask, in case it was weird. I wasn't sure if this was one of those things where guys and girls have to behave differently."
His smile grew even larger once he felt the movement and he looked over at Pansy who smirked.
"Not too soon," she shook her head.
"A lot of guys aren't interested, or they find the whole idea to be off putting. It's nice to see you aren't like that," Vanessa said. "Pansy, you'll have to make him stick to that for the future. Whenever you do decide to have kids, remember to slap Harry if he doesn't pamper you. Except when you don't want him to. Then, he'll just have to bugger off and leave you alone."
"That sounds confusing," Harry said.
"You won't be the one full of a baby and tons of hormones," Vanessa chuckled. "You'll have to deal with the confusion."
"I suppose that's fair."
"So, are you guys busy this week?"
"Not really," Pansy answered. "We've got a few things we want to do with our time off. Why?"
"I haven't had much of a chance to go out lately, and I'm trying to organize a little get together on Friday night. Since I can't drink, and dancing is out now that I'm so swollen, I need my friends to entertain me. So, I'm wanting to get a bunch of people together to go to a karaoke bar. You can all drink and embarrass yourselves singing, and I can sit back and enjoy laughing at you. It's the least you can do for your poor pregnant friend."
"That sounds pretty fun actually," Pansy nodded. "We don't have anything we specifically were doing on Friday, so count on us showing up."
"Oh, thank you," Vanessa smiled, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "Jenny agreed right away, and Steven will be bringing the boys, but my cousin was such a bitch when I brought the idea up with her. I swear, if we weren't related, I'd like to smack her sometimes."
Pansy and Harry looked at each other briefly, both knowing they could relate more than they would probably ever admit to Vanessa.
The rest of their holidays sped past far too quickly. Harry and Pansy had a few assignments to complete that they knocked out during the days so they would have their nights free for whatever might catch their fancy.
They joined the Brightwells for a couple of meals as well, and Ruby gushed over her son's new girlfriend. She was clearly already planning the wedding, even if Simon had only been dating her for a few months. That didn't matter for his mother, who was more than ready for her son to settle down. Mortie teased his wife about it, saying that she was going to frighten the poor girl off with her zeal. Harry and Pansy just enjoyed listening to them tease each other over slices of fresh apple pie.
Soon enough that Friday rolled around, and Pansy had outfits picked out for them on their trip to the karaoke bar.
"Pansy, I think these pants might be too small," Harry said as he got dressed that evening.
She came over and peeked in at him in the bedroom. "Turn around."
He did as she asked and she responded with a smirk. "They look perfect to me."
"They're a bit tight."
"That's the idea," Pansy replied. "I'm planning on ogling your bum in those tight jeans of yours. With the way you're always drooling over me, it's only fair for you to be eye candy sometimes too."
"Oh," Harry looked over at her confused for a moment. "Alright."
"You really don't think of yourself as attractive, do you?"
"I guess I just don't think about it," he shrugged. "As long as you're happy."
"I suppose I can be vain and more than focused enough on our appearances for the both of us," Pansy scoffed. "This is just another way you'd be lost without me. You'd probably only go shopping when your clothes were worn out otherwise."
"You're probably right," Harry chuckled. "Are we going to be fashionably late tonight?"
"No," she shook her head. "Give me a few minutes and I'll be ready so we can leave."
"Alright."
A moment later though, she called him over to the bathroom. Harry saw her putting on some lipstick.
"I remember a certain spell you used last Halloween," Pansy began. "It let you mimic someone else's voice."
"Yes, and I remember how much you liked it too," Harry grinned. "Why do you mention it?"
"Because it would be perfect for tonight."
"True," he nodded.
"So why don't you go ahead and cast it on both of us?"
"Well..."
Pansy saw that Harry was ogling her as usual. She fought down a smile- it was one of the reasons she liked dressing up, after all. "Well what?"
"What do I get out of it?" he asked with a lusty grin.
"I'm sure I can make it worth your while. The better mood I'm in at the end of the night, the better mood you'll be in for the rest of the weekend."
"Sold!"
Pansy giggled as Harry grabbed his wand and cast the spell on the both of them. "Now, remember it will only work if we've heard the song before. So if it's something we don't know, we'll be out of luck."
"Why do you think I asked Vanessa to borrow a couple of those mix tapes of hers?"
"You are so devious," Harry answered with a laugh. "Even for something as simple as going out with some friends. Color me impressed."
"I'm glad you approve," she snorted. "Let me grab my purse."
Pansy had to smile when they arrived at the karaoke bar. Vanessa's best friend Jenny was there, and though she'd met her on a few occasions, Pansy couldn't ever remember seeing her with the same hair color. It was a dark blood red that night.
"I'm so glad you guys could make it," Jenny said as she waved them over. "Vanessa's already inside claiming a big table for us. I think she wanted to get off her feet too. Are you guys ready to be entertaining? Drunken silliness is expected."
"Harry's a natural at being silly, and the alcohol only seems to help," Pansy replied with a smirk.
"And I'll make sure Pansy joins us in being ridiculous."
"Thanks, Harry. I trust that means you're both ready for some serious drinking?"
Pansy had to roll her eyes at Harry's snort, obviously thinking of his godfather and the terrible jokes he would have made with a line like that.
"We've got to go back to school in a couple of days," Pansy answered. "We may as well party as hard as we can, while we can. This year has been a pain in a number of ways."
"Agreed," Harry nodded.
"Okay, well Steven, Richie, and Barbara are also already here. I'm going to be out here waiting for everyone else to arrive and flag them all down. Don't get too much of a head start on me, alright?"
"Want me to order you a drink?"
"You're a real friend, Pansy," Jenny smiled. "I'll have a martini to start. Hopefully I'll be in to join you soon."
Pansy wrapped her arm around Harry's and let him guide them through the crowd inside and over to the bar. They ordered the martini as well as two rum and Cokes and slipped over to where the rest of the party was waiting.
"Oh! You guys made it!" Vanessa cheered as Pansy sat down next to her and gave her a one-armed hug. "Thank you for not making me get up. I'd also normally be really glad to see that martini in your hand too."
"Sorry, we got it for Jenny."
"I'll try not to pout too hard. I swear, when this baby's born I'm going to become a raging alcoholic at this rate to make up for all this lost time."
Harry snorted and sat down too. "Hey everybody. How many more are coming?"
"Four more, assuming Paul can make it," Steven replied. "He was working late today but he's supposed to get here when he can."
"Probably wants to see Jenny again," Vanessa grinned before turning to Pansy to explain. "They're on-again in the revolving door that seems to be their relationship."
"When did that happen?"
"At a New Year's Eve party where I didn't get to have a bottle of champagne," she again mock pouted. "Next year I'm having two."
"I think we might be able to make that one," Pansy said. "Hopefully it will be a less stressful holiday season than this most recent one was. And we'll have a baby to buy presents for!"
"They grow so quick when they're small. She'll be wearing out her onesies by then. Having a summer birthday might be pretty nice, now that I think of it. Every six months we can have people help buy her new outfits that she'll outgrow by the time the seasons change again."
"Is there going to be a baby shower?"
"Yes, next month. You'll be away at school, sadly."
"I'll try to get in contact," Pansy answered. "We should be able to send you a gift if nothing else."
"Alright, who is going first?" Steven asked.
"I had two shots to start things off nicely," Richie replied. "Any requests?"
"Do a Madonna song," Jenny yelled as she came in with Paul in tow. "It will sound wonderful with that deep voice of yours."
The poor drummer shook his head as his band mates laughed, but he took a big drink and headed over for the stage.
A moment later, when he began serenading them with a hilarious version of Material Girl everyone in the group was soon laughing their heads off.
"This was a brilliant idea," Pansy whispered in Vanessa's ear before turning to Harry. "Drink up, we're going next."
He took a deep breath as he looked at his girlfriend and only nodded as he tossed back the rest of his drink. She'd already finished hers. Harry was glad that he had his wand in a pocket as he was pretty sure they would both need a sobering charm or two before the night was over.
Pansy pulled him with her as she practically bounced onto the stage. She was soon looking through the song list before picking one out and turning to him with a gleam in her eye. And Harry had to start off, of course.
He was thankful for the liquid courage as well as the fact that it was at least a song he'd heard before. A week before, specifically.
Mostly though, he was glad that he had a prompt for the lyrics. "You are an obsession..."
Pansy was happily dancing along, microphone in hand as she waited for her section. He had to admit, a duet about an obsessive love affair was pretty fitting for the two of them. And watching her sing and dance was a lot of fun, even as he felt kind of silly beside her. Pansy was a much better performer.
He was going to have to drink a lot more to properly loosen up.
Vanessa and her friends were cheering them on though, and they congratulated them when the song was over. Harry immediately went back to the bar for another round.
"That was great," Vanessa smiled when Pansy sat down next to her. "This summer, assuming I can ever get a babysitter for a few hours, we simply have to go out dancing again."
"I'll be there as soon as I can. We've got some big exams coming up in June, but after that, I don't want to think about anything for a couple of months."
"I remember what that was like. In a lot of ways, school can be pretty fun, but I was glad to be done with it in the end," Vanessa replied. "Harry ran off pretty quick. I guess he's needing to get some more drinks in him pretty badly."
"He's not nearly as extroverted as I am," Pansy said. "He can be when he needs to, but it doesn't come naturally to him. I blame the evil shits that he grew up with. Sometimes, I think if I could, I'd kill those bastards."
"Were they abusive?" Vanessa whispered, looking around furtively.
"Yes. Harry doesn't like to talk about it."
"I think I understand a little better now. You were his first serious girlfriend, weren't you?"
"Yes."
"It makes sense," Vanessa nodded. "He's probably more strongly attached to you because of it. Just be careful. Crap like that in your past can be trouble for years to come."
"I know. Harry has said that his life before me was like a bad dream that he woke up from," Pansy shrugged. "That just means he's stuck with me. I've put way too much work in on him to let him go."
"I don't think he'd want that anyway. I've seen the way he treats you," Vanessa snorted. "He pampers you like a princess."
"I know," Pansy smirked. "Lucky me."
"Lucky you what?" Harry asked as he returned with two more drinks.
"Oh, Harry, would you get me another Virgin Mary?"
"Sure."
As he got up and walked back to the bar, Pansy turned back to her friend. "Look how well I've got him trained. He's even fetching you drinks."
"Well, I am a pregnant woman. He has to be nice to me."
"True," Pansy agreed as she took a sip. "I think I've got a new favorite drink."
"You should try tequila," Jenny piped up as she sat down after coming back from the restroom. "It always makes my nights more fun."
"That's because you only drink it when you're looking to have sex," Vanessa scoffed.
"What can I say? It's liquid panty remover. I just can't help myself."
"Uh huh," Vanessa snorted. "I assume that Paul is getting you one right now then?"
"He knows me well," Jenny teased with a huge smile.
"Will you two just make up your minds one of these days? Make him put a ring on that finger and then you can get to work at joining me in the pudding club. My little girl is going to need some good friends to grow up with, you know?"
"Not all of us are in a rush for that sort of thing," Jenny replied with a roll of her eyes. "Now, Pansy, let me introduce you to the marvel that is tequila. Believe me, Harry will thank me before the night is over."
Harry wouldn't actually end up thanking her, but he did get some practice in using the sobering charm. He and Pansy would have been a mess otherwise. As it was, after the usual type of late night fun, the ever vigilant Dobby made sure they got a late night snack and plenty of water. Waking up the next day without a hangover was a huge relief, especially to Pansy.
Soon, it was time for them to head back to Hogwarts and back to all the lessons leading up to their OWLs which were now less than two months away. Some people were already starting to study- Harry briefly sighed as he saw Hermione burying herself under a table groaning with books and parchment one night in the library. The professors were encouraging them to start preparing, but he found it hard to care. There were simply too many other important things going on in the wider world that however well he might do on some exams didn't really matter to him.
That was driven home even harder one Wednesday morning when the Daily Prophet announced yet another Death Eater attack. This time both Bellatrix and her husband had been spotted leaving behind carnage and the Dark Mark in the sky.
This led to Susan Bones coming over asking to speak to Harry the next day at breakfast. Pansy scowled but followed along as they left the Great Hall to find somewhere private. Luna came along as well, hoping to keep Pansy in a good mood as she knew exactly how much she disliked the Hufflepuff girl.
Harry checked three rooms before finding one without a magical portrait. He figured that if this was some sort of message from Amelia Bones then a bit of caution would be a good idea.
"This one will do," he said as he closed the door and nodded to Pansy who began casting charms to ensure they wouldn't be overheard or interrupted. "Now, what can I do for you?"
"My aunt sent me a letter about, well, you've seen the most recent attack," Susan replied. "The ministry is in turmoil right now. She said that most of her aurors are practically in revolt. They know this is more than just some random attacks, but they can't officially do anything or Fudge will cause even more problems. We need... I don't know exactly, but we need to do something. Anyway, aunt Amelia asked to meet you this weekend. We've got Hogsmeade coming up, so she was hoping you could come see her."
"I could do that," Harry nodded. "I don't know how much help I can be, but maybe Amelia has some idea."
"I have a thought," Luna interjected. "We know that the Daily Prophet has been following the official position from the minister leaving out all mention of Riddle. I could ask my father to come along. Maybe an article in the Quibbler that lays out the truth could help rouse the public. Especially if my favorite wizard agrees to an interview."
She looked at him with pleading eyes and Harry laughed. "How can I say no to that face?"
"You can't," Luna grinned.
"I think my aunt would go along with that," Susan added. "It could give even more authority if the head of the DMLE goes on record too. I'm not sure if she wants to go that far, but we might need to do something drastic. I just hope it wouldn't cause too many problems with her job. But from everything I've heard from her recently, it's been a nightmare trying to keep everything in working order."
"Yeah, I imagine it wouldn't be a good place to work right now," Harry replied. "So, Saturday afternoon then?"
"If that works for you, yes. She said she wanted to meet at the Hog's Head. Apparently the bartender there owes her a favor, so she can have a private room set aside without any problems."
"Okay. I might contact a few others that may be able to help. Alastor Moody has given me good advice in the past, and if anyone knows how to hurt the Death Eaters, it's him. Plus, he already is working with your aunt, so maybe the two of them can come up with something more. If they need me to be a figurehead- or if 'the boy who lived' doing an interview helps get through to some of the sheep out there- well, better that than getting attacked again."
"We might be able to save some lives," Susan said. "There were four deaths in this most recent attack. Did you see that they've raised the bounty on all of the ones that escaped from Azkaban? They're up to five thousand galleons each, ten thousand for the two Lestranges. That's a fortune."
"You'd almost think there would be some sort of bounty hunters for that amount of money," Harry chuckled. "Someone's got to be desperate enough to try to track some of them down."
"I think most people are still too afraid because of what happened in the last war. That's what my aunt said anyway."
"I should go if I want to get a letter to my father quickly," Luna piped up.
"Why don't you just write something and I can take it to Hedwig?" Harry suggested. "We've got a free period first thing this morning, and I know Hedwig would like the chance to stretch her wings."
"Good idea."
"Is there anything else you need Susan?"
"Oh, um, no. I don't think so," she muttered with a small blush. "Are we going to have another meeting of the group soon?"
"Quidditch practice tomorrow night, I'm afraid. Angelina's been wanting to run more of them because we've got that final match coming up in three weeks. She's determined to finish school as a champion again."
"Ravenclaw doesn't have a chance against you guys. Oh, um, no offense Luna."
"That's quite alright, Susan," the blonde said with a look of indifference. "I always root for Harry anyway. I'm not particularly close with anyone in my house. Now, if Pansy played too, then we might have a problem."
"No thanks," she snorted. "That sport is for maniacs like Harry. I'll just be content with my victory celebration with my boyfriend."
"Well, I should be going then," Susan said. "I've got an assignment to work on and I should write my aunt to let her know you said yes, Harry. Um, talk to you later."
"Bye," Harry said as she hurried out the door.
"Meow," Luna teased as she looked at Pansy. "Did you really need to get the claws out like that? Susan seems pretty harmless."
"Bitch shouldn't be interested in my boyfriend then," she growled.
"You just don't like her because of her big boobies," Luna said with a frown. "Boobies are a wonderful thing, so you shouldn't have bad feelings towards them. Harry, you're going to have to remind Pansy exactly who has your favorite boobies."
"I certainly don't have anything better to do with my free period," he grinned.
"One moment," Luna said. "Winky?"
The little house-elf arrived with a pop. "What can Winky do for miss Luna?"
"Could you get me a piece of parchment and writing materials? I need to send a letter to my father."
"Winky could take a message to master."
"Oh, that's true, but my friend Harry's owl would enjoy the flight. Thank you for the offer though." As Winky popped away, Luna turned back to Harry. "Once I've got this finished, you can stop by the owlery, then drag Pansy to a broom closet and improve her mood."
"I like the way you think, Luna."
"I like the way I think too."
And so it was that a motley group met that Saturday afternoon in Hogsmeade. Harry, Pansy, and Luna had come together, and they ran into Xenophilius, Sirius, Tonks, and Moody who were waiting for them alongside Amelia and Susan Bones inside the Hog's Head right by the bar.
They soon followed the elder Bones up the stairs to an open door where there were a number of chairs sitting around an old table.
"I wasn't aware that we'd have quite so many people joining us today," Amelia began as she duplicated a couple of the chairs while Alastor began sealing the door and casting a number of privacy charms.
"Harry contacted me when he was trying to get in touch with Mad-Eye," Sirius replied. "Plus, I try to advise my godson when he's potentially looking at something as public as an interview. I'm somewhat surprised that his lawyer isn't here today too."
"I actually forgot," Harry shrugged. "We could always run it by Sam and see if he has any suggestions before going to print."
"As for me, I'm just here to keep Sirius out of trouble," Tonks said with a grin. "Mum told me he needed a minder, and from everything I've seen, she's right."
"They're trustworthy enough," Moody grunted. "I wouldn't have let them in otherwise."
"Alright, Alastor. Tonks, you know some of this already anyway. We've got a big problem at the ministry. Fudge and his cronies might be burying their heads in the sand, but my department knows that there's more going on here and that we're having to fight through red tape when we should be ramping up to deal with these terrorists. I know you told a lot of your fellow students about what happened at the end of last year, Harry, and I thank you for that. They told their families and the word got out to a lot of people, even if some of them would rather not believe it. Unfortunately, we've had Fudge putting pressure on the paper to keep from admitting what we all know to be true."
"It's not surprising," Harry sighed. "They're mostly still so terrified that they can't even say his name. That's why I try to always call him Tom Riddle instead. I mean, that is his actual name, plus I assume that if he doesn't want to go by it then he's probably ashamed of being so normal. Calling himself the Dark Lord Tom wouldn't inspire so much fear. That's something we should probably push if we're going to do an interview."
"I could do that," Xenophilius nodded. "The Truth About the Dark Lord Tom might make for a good headline."
"You should probably put me at the top," Harry muttered. "The first official interview with the boy who lived will get a lot of interest, even from people who might otherwise believe the official ministry position about all these attacks. I don't really like it, but I am famous. We might as well use that for a good cause."
"I agree," Luna said. "You could use the bit about the Dark Lord Tom as a secondary headline, or maybe use it as an inside header, but for the cover we want something about Harry Potter's first official interview. That would also throw some salt in the eyes of the Prophet, getting that over on them."
"I like it," Xeno nodded. "Would you care to go on record as well, Madam Bones?"
"I believe I should. We probably do want to have Sam McKenzie here though for the interview. He's dealt with the ministry for decades, and he's probably better at wording things for public consumption than most of us would be."
"That is why I hired him," Harry agreed. "I guess I could try to floo him to see if he's available."
"Why don't you do that and we can order some refreshments downstairs while we wait," Amelia suggested.
"I'll stay to keep an eye on the room," Moody growled. "We don't want any intruders or eavesdroppers."
"Good idea Alastor," Harry grinned. "Want us to order something for you?"
"I've got my own." He pulled out a hip flask and took a swig.
"Okay. Could someone get me a butterbeer?" Harry asked.
"I'll get it, Harry," Sirius replied. "You go make your floo call."
Harry got up and a few of them followed him down the stairs. While the others went over to the bar and began talking to the gruff old bar man, he headed for the fireplace and stuck his head in.
"Sam? Are you home?"
A moment later, he heard a voice call out asking him to wait. "Harry, please tell me you don't have an emergency. Knowing your luck, this can't be a simple business call."
"Hey, don't jinx me," Harry snorted. "And this is a simple business call for once. I've got a group of concerned citizens who have gathered and we're speaking about putting together a sort of press release. It was suggested that your expertise would be of great help."
"Fine," Sam huffed. "But I'm billing you extra for the lack of notice. Do I need to dress up?"
"You know the Hog's Head?"
"I'll take that as a no," Sam chuckled. "Give me a few minutes to find my shoes on and I'll be right over."
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
Harry climbed back to his feet and turned around where he spotted several of his companions over at the bar getting drinks. Pansy saw him and winked holding two bottles of butterbeer. She really did take good care of him.
Most of the patrons of this little pub seemed pretty disreputable, and a number of them wore cloaks with hoods up and stuck to the dingy shadows of the place. He could only imagine what sort of trouble the barkeep might have had to deal with, especially since he was apparently on decent terms with the head of the DMLE. It certainly wasn't the friendly and loud atmosphere of the Three Broomsticks.
Unfortunately, that meant that Harry didn't see anything odd about the figure that moved towards his group of friends that was still at the bar. Alastor would have been so disappointed in him.
In the blink of an eye, the cloaked man reached out and grabbed for his target. But if Harry hadn't already learned that a parent could somehow break the laws of magic and reality judging by his parents' sacrifice that somehow saved him, he would always remember that moment.
The figure pushed past and reached out for Luna only for Xeno, in the blink of an eye, to step in the way and deflect the man in black. A piece of parchment was still falling to the floor behind him as the two of them disappeared with a crack.
"Daddy!"
For the last several months, Antonin Dolohov had dreamed of once again being unleashed on the world. The Lestranges had been allowed out, Bellatrix ever the favorite- even after her impetuous attack on her blood traitor sister had cost them the life of Rabastan. One dead mudblood was hardly worth the price of losing one of the master's most loyal followers.
It had made the Dark Lord more cautious for a time, although that night when they had been ambushed had once again changed things. Mad-Eye Moody, that old warhorse, was still a thorn in their side and he had somehow wiped out a significant portion of the master's forces.
The master's timeline had been moved up because of it.
That was why Dolohov was now in Hogsmeade. He had followed Potter and his two little whores into the Hog's Head. It was a lucky break that they had chosen such a spot- his dark cloak and pulled up hood would not be out of place there. The Death Eaters had surreptitiously used it before and none had been wiser.
Another lucky break happened when Moody himself had not been paying enough attention. Dolohov had been using a glamour just in case, but there were rumors that the old man's special eye could see through that sort of thing. The old man was apparently losing this touch. When the group went upstairs, Dolohov's task became one of waiting.
After nearly fifteen years, he had done plenty of waiting. Another hour wouldn't matter too much.
He had seen the little blood traitor whore that was now Potter's girlfriend- that fool Edmund Parkinson's daughter- and oh how he wished that he could have an hour or two alone with the little slut. He wouldn't kill her, unless the master had ordered it, but sending her back to Potter broken and violated would have been an even more savory treat.
In fact, that day in Hogsmeade, he could practically taste all of the little blood traitor whores. The word of the attack on the sons of several old families, in the Slytherin common room no less, had spread like an angry flame through the Death Eaters over the holidays, and the fact that so many pureblood daughters had dared to go against them was something that had most of them wanting to go out for blood. Potter had somehow turned most of what should have been fine, pure Slytherin witches into practically an entire generation of blood traitors.
They would all pay soon.
And that little weakling Goyle junior would be right beside them. If his father hadn't been killed in the January raid, the Dark Lord would have made him kill his own son for his treachery.
If all went according to plan today, Dolohov would have at least one play thing at his mercy though.
The plan was simple enough, even if he still wondered exactly why the master had ordered them all to leave the Parkinson girl alone. Something about how old magic had protected Potter before and that they were not to risk it again. If all went well though, she would soon enough be alone and vulnerable.
That was just the way Antonin Dolohov liked his women. Or his prey. It was all the same, really.
The Lovegood witch would have to be good enough for now. She was the target, and though she was to be a hostage at first, once she had worn out her usefulness, the Dark Lord had promised he would let them have her to do with as they pleased. Having a crucial role that day would put him at the front of the line too.
Finally, several of them came back down the stairs. While Potter went over to use the floo, the others gathered at the bar. Ordering drinks, unaware, and thankfully without Moody- now was his chance. Amelia Bones and her tasty little niece were there too, and oh if he could, Antonin would grab her as well. Two hostages would be better than one.
But as he moved towards the bar, ordering a shot of firewhisky and placing the parchment under the edge of the glass, the group shifted a bit. Lovegood and her father were still nearby, but the redhead was out of reach. Such a shame, but he would always have another chance later- especially as Amelia Bones was near the top of the list of people that the Dark Lord would be getting rid of very soon.
Dolohov downed his shot, palmed his wand and took a deep breath. Before they noticed anything, he crashed into the group and reached out for the girl just as he began to apparate.
But the damn fool next to her shoved her aside and grabbed onto him instead... and with that, Antonin knew that as soon as he arrived, the Dark Lord would not be pleased.
Hearing Luna's cry of alarm had Harry racing across the room. Xeno and the cloaked man had disappeared, and Harry had a feeling this was not some random attack. He picked up the parchment from the ground as some of the others were scanning the room for any other potential attackers while Pansy had her arms wrapped around Luna as she sobbed.
"What does it say, Harry?" Sirius asked.
He looked down and started to read. "It says that if I want to see the girl alive again, then..."
But before he could say anymore, Harry's scar felt like it was exploding. He didn't know it, but he let out a scream as he fell to the ground unconscious.
"CRUCIO!"
Dolohov writhed as the Dark Lord punished him for his mistake. He had used it on the damned father first, but now it was his turn.
His nerves were still screaming out even as he realized the Dark Lord had released him from his torment. The cold hissing voice made it clear that he had better have a good explanation if he didn't want another dose.
"Now, Antonin, tell me why you have brought me the wrong person? I believe my instructions were quite clear."
"Forgive me, m-master," he groaned out before straightening up as best he could. "It is the girl's father. He stopped me from reaching the girl at the last moment."
"Is that true?" Voldemort turned to the bound form of Xenophilius Lovegood and looked him over. "Are you the father of Luna Lovegood? Answer me, worm!"
"Yes."
"I see." The Dark Lord paced for a moment as Crouch spoke up.
"Perhaps he will serve as a hostage just as well, my lord. Knowing Potter's supposed heroism, it seems unlikely that the boy will leave him to suffer. I believe the plan can still proceed."
"Yes, Barty. Everything should work out. But let me remind you all because I will not tolerate any further failures. Bring me that prophecy at all costs. If the boy can be captured or wounded, then I will be pleased. But he is not to be killed. Potter must suffer, he must know utter misery, he must in fact beg for death before I am done with him. Am I clear?"
"Yes, my lord," the Death Eaters all replied as they bowed.
"And what of the hostage, my lord?" Bellatrix asked.
"He won't be the sort of reward that many of you might have enjoyed," Voldemort chuckled. "But I suppose he might still be of some entertainment. Once he has outlived his purpose, do with him as you will. But above all, do not fail to bring me that orb.
"Bella, I will be most displeased if we lose any more of my followers due to carelessness. Do not take the boy lightly, or any that might be with him either. Am I understood?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Good. All of you will follow the lead of Augustus as he takes you down to the Department of Mysteries. Do not make any mistakes and do not fail me. Go now, and tonight we will celebrate our victory."
"Harry! Harry, wake up, please," Pansy's voice called to him and he felt something cool upon his forehead.
"What happened?"
"You screamed and collapsed when your scar burst open. It bled again. Please, tell me that doesn't mean what I'm afraid it means." Her voice was worried, but he didn't have any good news for her.
"I know where Xeno is."
"We read the note, Harry," Sirius replied. "Riddle's using him as bait, right? It was supposed to be Luna."
"Fucking hell," Harry muttered as he sat up. Luna was still crying as she sat next to Pansy. They were back in the room upstairs as Moody and Amelia were talking quietly behind the rest of the group. "I'm going after him."
"Harry, that's what they want," Sirius shook his head. "You're the real target here. Xeno just... got in the way. Unfortunately."
Luna let out a little sob at that and Harry reached over and pulled her to him. After the hug, he looked her in the eye and wiped away her tears.
"You listen to me, Luna. I am not willing to let you join Pansy and I in the orphan club. I promise you, I am going to bring Xeno home."
She nodded in response before hugging him tightly again.
"If we're going, she would be a liability," Alastor said. "I'm sorry, but it's true. We'll have trouble enough dealing with Death Eaters."
"I know," Harry said as he stood up. "We're going to need reinforcements though."
"I already thought of that, lad. I sent a message to Albus to have him join us immediately and to bring the cavalry. As for Amelia-"
"We're going to the ministry anyway," she continued. "We'll have someone stop by the auror department first and send out the emergency signal."
"Won't the ministry be busy?" Harry asked.
"It's the weekend, Harry," she snorted. "Most ministry workers would be horrified to think of working more than they had to."
"That might save lives, actually." Harry was already on his feet and heading for the door.
"Aunty, I want to come too," Susan said.
"No, Susan."
"But-"
"I'm sorry, but your parents would never allow it, and neither will I. You're my only niece, and I will stun you and leave you behind if I have to."
"Stay with us," Pansy suggested as she helped the still shocked Luna down the stairs. "We can wait for the headmaster and whoever he brings and we can tell them what we know."
They were soon back in front of the bar again, where Moody stopped briefly. "Sorry to do this, Abe, but Albus will be coming by. Keep an eye on the girls till he gets here, please?"
"Aye, Alastor, but you'll owe me one."
"Put it on my tab."
The barman snorted, but he pulled out a fresh round of butterbeers for the three girls who sat down in front of him. He also conjured up a clean rag, possibly the only clean thing they'd seen in the entire place, and handed it over to Luna.
The door slammed open and Parvati raced in, followed by her sister.
"Harry, what's going on?"
"What are you doing here?"
"Half the village heard Luna's screaming. Now, answer the damn question."
"A Death Eater kidnapped her father. We're mounting a rescue."
"Then I can come with you," Parvati said.
"Sis, you can't," Padma argued before being cut off.
"I can and I will. What do you think we've been learning with Harry for? Besides, only those Slytherins Carter and Abbot are any better than me when we duel, and neither of them are here. And I know a lot more healing than Harry does."
"Mother and father-"
"Aren't here," she once again shook off her sister. "I'm doing this. Don't try to stop me."
"Harry, please talk some sense into her," Padma begged.
"We don't have time. I'm not turning down any help right now. But Parvati, you need to follow our lead. Don't be reckless and don't make any mistakes. I don't plan on losing any friends today."
"I can do that."
"Good. Dobby?"
"Dobby is here sir," the elf answered without any sign that he had arrived. "Dobby will make sure master Harry and his friends all come home safe."
"I know you will," Harry nodded. "We're heading to the Department of Mysteries. Everyone stay together and be sharp. Expect our enemies to be waiting for us."
The floo roared to life as Alastor stepped through and the rescue party was on its way.