Dawn Rivera

Lord Voldemort's Request

Harry and Ron leave the hospital wing first thing on Monday morning, restored to full health by the ministrations of Madam Pomfrey and now able to enjoy the benefits of having been knocked out and poisoned, the best of which is that Hermione and I are now friends with Ron again. Hermione and I even escort them down to breakfast, bringing with us the news that Ginny has argued with Dean.

"What did they row about?" Harry asks, trying to sound casual as they turned into a seventh-floor corridor which is deserted but for a very small girl who was examining a tapestry of trolls in tutus. She looks terrified at the sight of the approaching sixth-years and drops the heavy brass scales she is carrying.

"It's all right," I say kindly, hurrying forwards to help her. I feel a strange affection towards her. "Here..." I tap the broken scales with my hand and think, "Reparo."

The girl does not say thank you, but remains rooted to the spot as we pass and watch us out of sight, a kind of longing in her eyes, a look I'm sure I've seen somewhere before; Ron glances back at her.

"I swear they're getting smaller," he says.

"Never mind her," says Danny, a little impatiently. "What did Ginny and Dean row about, Hermione and Dawn?"

"Oh, Dean was laughing about McLaggen hitting that Bludger at you," says Hermione.

"It must've looked funny," says Ron reasonably.

"It didn't look funny at all!" I say hotly. "It looked terrible, and if Coote and Peakes hadn't caught Harry he could have been very badly hurt!"

"Yeah, well, there was no need for Ginny and Dean to split up over it," says Harry, still casual. "Or are they still together?"

"Yes, they are - but why are you so interested?" asks Hermione, giving Harry a sharp look.

"He just doesn't want his Quidditch team messed up again!" Danny says hastily, but Hermione and I continue to look suspicious, and I am most annoyed when a voice behind us calls, "Harry!", giving him an excuse to turn his back on us.

"Oh, hi, Luna."

"I went to the hospital wing to find you," says Luna, rummaging in her bag. "But they said you'd left..."

She thrusts what appears to be a great onion, a large spotted toadstool and a considerable amount of what looks like cat litter into Ron's hands, finally pulling out a rather grubby scroll of parchment that she hands to Harry.

"...I've been told to give you this."

It is a small roll of parchment, which I recognise at once as another invitation to a lesson with Dumbledore.

"Tonight," Danny tells Ron, Hermione and I, once Harry has unrolled it.

"Nice commentary last match!" says Ron to Luna, as she takes back the green onion , the toadstool and the cat litter. Luna smiles vaguely.

"You're making fun of me, aren't you?" she says. "Everyone says I was dreadful."

"No, I'm serious!" says Ron earnestly. "I can't remember enjoying commentary more! What is this, by the way?" he adds, holding the onionlike object up to eye-level.

"Oh, it's a Gurdyroot," she says, stuffing the cat litter and the toadstool back into her bag. You can keep it if you like, I've got a few of them. They're really excellent for warding off Gulping Plimpies."

And she walks away, leaving Rom chortling, still clutching the Gurdyroot.

"You know, she's grown on me, Luna," he says, as we set off again for the Great Hall. "I know she's insane, but it's in a good - "

He stops talking very suddenly. Lavender Brown is standing at the foot of the marble staircase looking thunderous.

"Hi," says Ron nervously.

"C'mon," Harry mutters to Hermione and I, and we speed past, though not before we hear Lavender say, "Why didn't you tell me you were getting out today? And why was she with you?"

Ron looks both sulky and annoyed when he appears at breakfast half an hour later, and although he sits with Lavender, I do not see them exchange a word all the time they are together. Hermione is acting as though she is quite oblivious to all of this, but once or twice I see an inexplicable smirk cross her face. All today she seems in a particularly good mood, which is infectious, and this evening in the common room we even consent to look over Harry and Danny's Herbology essays, something we were resolutely refusing to do up to this point, because we knew that Harry and Danny will then let Ron copy their work.

"Thanks a lot, Hermione and Dawn," says Danny, giving us hasty pats on the back as he checks his watch. "Listen, Harry, you've got to hurry or you'll be late for Dumbledore..."

We do not answer, but merely cross out a few of their feebler sentences in a weary sort of way. Grinning, Harry leans down and kisses me before hurrying out through the portrait hole. Danny lies back in his chair in a content sort of way.

*

Question of the chapter: Harry or Mrs Dursley?