Heaven ♡ Luna Lovegood

09.

Chapter Nine

It was a surprise for everyone when detention only consisted of going into the Forbidden Forest with Hagrid. It wasn't even a terrifying experience; though they were working, Hagrid kept them all in high spirits. Knowing Snape's track record, Annie was honestly surprised that they weren't enduring the Cruciatus Curse at minimum.

Time passed, to the time when winter had well and truly fallen. Snow lay thick on the ground, and the Great Lake was frozen over with ice. A constant chill seemed to hang in the air of the Hogwarts castle that no amount of jumpers and scarves could cover up.

It wasn't made any easier by the fact that the Carrows seemed to take pleasure in keeping all the fires except the ones in the common rooms off, just to watch the students freeze.

It was particularly cold outside. Whenever Annie and Luna had to stumble outside for Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures, they stayed huddled together to try and find some warmth as they remained outdoors, their feet sinking into the snow.

The colder nights, however, had not put off the movements of the DA. Led by Ginny, Neville, and Luna, the DA still crept out at night to wreck havoc in the Carows' regime - the only difference was that they were more rugged up than usual. Poor first years were being held in the dungeons, kept overnight to freeze as punishment, and now it was common practice to break in and take the terrified students back to the warmth of their common rooms where someone would be waiting with a cup of hot chocolate, courtesy from the elves in the kitchens.

Despite the chill, Annie still made regular visits to the greenhouses with Luna. Luna would often sit in a corner and read, whether it be the Quibbler or some book on magical creatures. They'd talk cheerily, the greenhouses always providing Annie with just the right touch of home to make her feel separate from the Carrows, even if just for a little while.

"You know, if you keep going like this, the first years won't have anything left yo do for Herbology," Luna commented, as Annie repotted several plants.

Annie shrugged. "I only tend to the things Professor Sprout is yet to show them, or won't be for a long time. She's grateful for the help, too, especially with winter having fallen and the plants needing more care than usual." She reached over to grab a watering can and poured it over the plants. It would've been easier to use Aguamenti, but Annie didn't care.

Luna walked on over and inspected the plants Annie had been working on for the past hour and a half.

"They're coming along really well," she noted with a dreamy smile. "You have a natural affinity for plants."

Annie blushed, just like she always did when Luna complimented her. She pulled her red hair over her cheeks, hoping the blush would blend in.

"This is what I'm going to do when I leave Hogwarts," Annie mused, voice quiet and dreamlike, as she inspected a plant for any damage. "I'm going to study plants, breed them, create new ones and look after them. You know, a herbologist."

It was all Annie had ever wanted to do since she was a little girl. She wanted to be surrounded by plants for the rest of her life - it would feel unnatural to do anything but. Sure, Potions might be somewhat agreeable, but using dead ingredients was nothing like being surrounded by life and looking after them each day.

Becoming a herbologist was Annie's dream.

Luna beamed. "That will be perfect for you."

"Yeah. And it will probably take me away from England a lot, so I don't have to be surrounded by all this misery and fear. Can you imagine how free the rest of the world will feel?"

Annie basked monetarily in the daydream. You-Know-Who was currently only in power in Britain. But what about America? China? Jamaica? Australia? Japan? So many different and unique species of plants grew all over the world, in countries that were so far out of You-Know-Who's reach. Annie might never return to Britain again and could enjoy travelling, being free, and doing what she loved for the rest of her life.

"That is, if You-Know-Who's control doesn't spread to other countries over the next few years," she realised in a small whisper, the small hope dying.

"It won't," Luna reassured. "You forget, we still have Harry Potter."

Annie laughed humourlessly. "He seems to have disappeared off the face of the Earth."

What use was a saviour if he spent all his time in hiding? Annie felt almost guilty thinking of him like that, but they had heard no news. Surely there would've been at least some small rumours if Harry Potter was doing something to fight back... Why hadn't they heard about him?

Luna, however, didn't look deterred by this at all. Surprisingly, she was smiling.

"I know Harry Potter," she said. "And I can tell you now that out there, fighting. He wouldn't be satisfied otherwise. Besides," here she stared intently at Annie, "If you were You-Know-Who, would you want any information about him to get out? Harry is a figure everyone would follow. Reporting his actions would only start a spark that could flare up into a fire."

Annie taped at her friend. No wonder the Sorting Hat had placed her in Ravenclaw.

"I see." Wanting to get on to a more cheerful topic Annie asked, "Hey, Luna. What do you want to do after school?"

Her answer came instantly.

"Travel and study animals. That would be fairly interesting, I think."

From all the times Luna had poured over Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and her obsession with mystical creatures that had no proof existed, Annie thought Luna would be more than just interested with that new job. If fit her like a glove.

Then Annie gasped, a lightbulb flicking on in her head after Luna's words.

"Luna, we should travel together!" she exclaimed excitedly. "Think about it! Travel together, join each other on our adventures, stay together in the same places - it would be perfect, Luna!"

Herself and Luna, together, just the two of them, discovering all kinds of new natural wonders and having each other to confine in and marvel with. Just the two of them. The thought made Annie's cheeks heat up again and her heart flutter in excitement.

Luna looked just as excited by the idea; she clasped her hands together in front of her and smiled. "It sounds lovely. I'd really like that."

Annie grinned back, and then her watch screamed at her. The two jumped and Annie hastily checked the time (the watch falling silent as she did so) - it was time to head back to the castle for dinner.

With great reluctance the two trekked away from the greenhouses and outside, where they had to navigate through the snow.

However, the trip wasn't uneventful: Annie was walking ahead when something hard and slightly wet splatter on her back. She froze, stunned, then turned around when delirious peals of laughter met her ears.

Luna was laughing.

She'd thrown a snowball at her - that was the start of a snowball fight.

"You're not getting away with that!" Annie yelled, and grabbed a handful of snow in her gloved hands. She threw it at Luna, where it landed square on her neck. Annie barely had time to laugh before she was dodging another snowball.

The two of them chased each other to the castle, throwing snowballs and dodging them. They arrived in the Great Hall cold and slightly muddy and, for the first time anyone in the castle could remember since the Carrows and Snape took over, two students collapsed into helpless fits of laughter.