The Investigations of Luna Lovegood by TopToasterGryffies
Chapter Notes: This chapter was written by ms weasley of Gryffindor house.
Chapter Three – Conversations and Confrontations
The sun’s first rays were streaming in through the window, casting patterns of light onto the five beds. It was still quite early, and it seemed unlikely that any of the five girls would awake for another couple of hours.
Well – I say unlikely. Luna Lovegood was already awake.
She sat perched upon her own bed, fully-dressed, with her customary quill stuck behind one ear. Luna sighed. Why would anyone want to steal my picture? Daddy was so happy about it, too. She shuffled slightly on the edge of her bed. I’ll have to write and tell him.
She slipped off the bed, and sat down to open one of her drawers. Let’s see… Black sock, blue sock, Gurdyroot, white sock…
At the sound of her rummaging, one of her roommates stirred sleepily. Eleanor squinted in the direction of the noise.
“Luna,” she began, resignedly, “what are you doing?”
“I’m looking for my ink-bottle.”
Eleanor raised an eyebrow. “And you left it – in your sock-drawer?”
“Well, I thought I did,” Luna continued her search. “Ah! Here it is.”
She turned to address Eleanor, only to find that her roommate had rolled over and gone back to sleep. Luna blinked for a moment at the girl’s sleeping form, before heading out of the dormitory, clutching ink and parchment.
It was slightly strange, seeing the corridors empty of the usual life and noise. Humming a little to herself, Luna walked dreamily up to the Owlery. As she approached the tower, she was surprised to hear hurried footsteps heading her way. She was even more surprised to see that they belonged to Ron Weasley.
“Good morning,” she said brightly. “Are you getting an early start?”
“Erm, yeah,” he replied, looking slightly shifty. “Getting an early start.”
Luna smiled. Not surprising, really. It takes a while to get used to rising before eight.
“You?” he asked.
“I still haven’t found my picture,” Luna sighed. “Nobody’s picked it up. I’m going up to the Owlery to send a letter to Daddy.”
“Oh, you can’t do that!” Ron went slightly pink.
Luna was surprised. “Why not?”
“Well…the owls have… rabies.” He nodded emphatically. “Highly contagious and very dangerous. They’ve been quarantined.”
“Oh. The poor things.” Luna’s eyes widened. “Why were you in there?”
“I’ve been… helping Hagrid with them.”
“That’s nice of you,” Luna told him. “Daddy was only saying, the other week, that we ought to be careful about Wrackspurts. There’s been new evidence suggesting that they infect animals, too.”
“Oh.”
“Yes. It’s quite shocking. Well, I’ll see you later.”
Luna smiled thoughtfully, and turned to head back down the corridor.
I’ll have to find the picture for myself.
***
“Hi Luna.” Harry looked up, half-way through applying marmalade to his toast, to find the fifth-year Ravenclaw smiling at them all. “Have you found your picture?”
“Not yet,” Luna told them matter-of-factly. “I’ve been back and had another look. I definitely didn’t drop it. I just can’t think who might have taken it.”
Ginny gave her a sympathetic look. “Maybe you should report it to a teacher. I’m sure they’d help you find it.”
But Luna was suddenly lost in thought. The teachers… She recalled quite clearly Professor Dumbledore’s mentioning a photo during the welcoming feast. Perhaps she knew where to find her picture after all!
“That’s it!” she exclaimed loudly, drawing curious glances from some nearby Gryffindors. “Professor Dumbledore stole it – I’m sure of it. And Professor McGonagall is in on it too. I should have realized!”
“What?” Hermione spluttered, almost choking on her pumpkin-juice.
But Luna was already making plans. “I’d better be off, then.” She beamed at Ron. “Good luck with the rabies, Ronald!”
Several passing second-years gave Ron nervous glances.
***
However, getting her picture back was proving more difficult than Luna originally expected. Already, half of her lunch-time had been spent outside the stone gargoyle, attempting to get in. She smiled patiently, for the tenth time.
“Open up, please! I need to get my picture back,” she told the gargoyle solemnly.
“Alright, Luna?” A passing third-year gave her a thumbs-up. “Trying to get into the Headmaster’s office to see if you can set his bird on fire?”
Luna shook her head. “I’m trying to get in so that I can get a picture back.”
“Oh.” He looked momentarily disconcerted, and then brightened. “Stealing one of the portraits?”
“No. It’s my picture.”
He shrugged. “Alright then. Password’s Acid Pops – I overheard McGonagall this morning.”
“Thank you, Mitchell.” Luna beamed at him.
“Not a problem.” He looked wistful. “It’s a pity McGonagall also caught me and said that this year I’m not to go just for the sweets.”
She nodded sympathetically. “That is a shame.”
Mitchell grinned. “Just bring me some sherbet lemons back, if you can.”
Luna smiled as he walked off, before giving the password and making her way up the spiral-staircase. She paused at the top, and then knocked determinedly on the oak door. A calm voice answered.
“Come in!”
Luna walked into the beautiful circular room, only pausing for a second to wave back at one of the portraits that adorned the walls. Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk, his fingers tapping a light rhythm on its wooden surface.
“Ah, Ms. Lovegood. Is there anything particular I can help you with?”
Luna decided, on the spur of the moment, that honesty was the best policy.
“Actually, Professor, I was wondering if you had stolen my photograph of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack, and were planning to sell it so that you and Professor McGonagall have enough money to go on a nice holiday this year.”
Dumbledore scratched his chin. “No, I’m afraid I haven’t, Ms. Lovegood.”
“Oh. Well, that’s alright then.”
Dumbledore smiled. “Sherbet lemon?”
***
Luna watched distractedly, as a group of fourth-years came running past, holding what she could only assume was a rather disgruntled Bowtruckle. My only lead gone. This is going to be much harder than I thought it was…
“Hey, Loony!” She turned around, surprised, to see Adam Corner standing by a window. “Looking for something?”
Luna blinked. “Yes, actually. Daddy will be ever so disappointed.” She sighed sadly. “I was going to send it back to him today, too.”
Adam, who had seemed oddly pleased with himself, now gave her a very strange look. He suddenly looked uncomfortable.
“Er... Yeah, well. Good luck with that, then.”
He turned on his heel, and practically ran down the corridor, his backpack slung over one shoulder. Luna stared after him, bemused. What a strange boy…
She continued down the corridor, turning left and heading into the Ravenclaw Common Room. Luna smiled as she noticed Anna sitting nearby. The bespectacled girl looked up at her approach.
“Have you found your picture yet, Luna?”
“No.” Luna shook her head. “Professor Dumbledore says that he really doesn’t have time for a holiday at the moment.”
Clearly not sure how to respond, Anna compromised with a nod. “Oh. Do you want to come up to the owlery with me? You know, to take your mind off things?”
“Oh, no.” Luna’s eyes widened. “I wouldn’t do that. All the owls have rabies, you know. It’s very contagious.”
Anna looked extremely puzzled. “Owls can’t get rabies.”
“They can’t?”
“No – rabies is a disease that only presents itself in mammals.”
Luna was suddenly silent. But… then… No – surely not?
“Luna, are you alright?”
I’ll have to be cleverer about this one. Luna suddenly brightened.
“Anna, I need your help.”
“Do you want me to help you to look for your picture?”
“No,” Luna smiled brightly. “I was actually wondering if I could borrow your clothes.”