The Eagle and The Snake: A Tragic Love Story

22. Train Tales

Luna and Carly's first mission was made even easier when Harry ended up sitting in their compartment on the Hogwarts Express. Since getting close to Harry was their assignment, they knew they needed to take every opportunity to be around him.
Carly had also never sat with Harry on the way to Hogwarts, as the two have never gotten on before, and she was looking to spending quality time with him.

Hermione and Ron were off getting their Prefect duties, from the Head boy and girl, so Luna, Carly, Harry, and Ginny got a seat together with their friend Neville Longbottom.
Since the girls were in the company of other people, they couldn't act too friendly towards each other. So, Luna took out the latest edition of the Quibbler from her bag and began to read it.
Carly decided to read as well, and removed a book on dark magic from her pocket, that had a fake cover, so no one would know what she was reading.

There was an awkward silence in the compartment, as the train left the station, which Harry tried to fill.
"So, Neville, get up to anything fun over the holidays?" Asked Harry.
"Yes, my uncle got me a new plant for my birthday, and I can't wait to show it to Professor Sprout, as it's very rare. It's called Mimbulus Mimbletonia" revealed Neville, as he produced a strange looking plant from his bag, that looked like a cactus with large pusy spots.
"Does it do anything?" Questioned Harry.
"Loads of things, and it's got this great defence mechanism. Here, hold Trevor and I'll show you" said Neville, as he handed Harry his toad.

Neville then pulled his wand out from his trouser pocket, and gave the plant a short jab with it.
This caused the plant to eject a foul smelling green and yellow goo all around the train compartment, covering the group and all of their belongings.
"Well, this is an interesting turn of events" commented Luna, as she lowered her book and looked around at the mess they were all now sitting in.
"I'm so sorry guys, I didn't know that would happen. I've never tried that before" apologised Neville.

"Don't worry about it" sighed Carly.
She then turned to face Luna, and softly wiped away some of the goo from Luna's face.
To anyone else, it was a harmless gesture, but for the girls it was much more than that. And Luna felt her cheeks redden at her girlfriend's soft touch.
"Stinksap isn't poisonous though" reassured Neville.
"Good to know" mumbled Harry, as he spat some goo from his mouth and onto the floor.

Suddenly the compartment door opened and Cho Chang stepped inside.
"Hi Harry- Oh, bad timing" Cho said awkwardly as she looked at the Stinksap covering the compartment.
"No, it's perfect timing. We all love sitting in goo. Why don't you join us?" Carly suggested sarcastically, as she indicated to the empty seat beside her.
"Um, maybe I'll come back later" replied Cho, before stepping out of the space, and closing the door behind her.
"Well, that went well" grumbled Harry, as he watched his crush leave.

"Scourgify!" Commanded Ginny, as she waved her wand, causing all the Stinksap to vanish.
"Nice one" praised Carly.
"You're welcome" shrugged Ginny.
"I'm sorry about that" Neville apologised again.
"Forget it" sighed Harry, as he handed Trevor back to Neville.
"If Cho really liked you Harry, she wouldn't care about this little incident" said Ginny, through gritted teeth.
Both Luna and Carly could tell that Ginny fancied Harry, but Harry himself seemed oblivious, as he was to most things.
"I just wish she had seen me doing something a bit cooler, and not holding a toad while covered in goo" admitted Harry.

"It's like Ginny said, if Cho likes you too, then this Stinksap situation won't have put her off you" reassured Carly.
"I hope you're right... You could have been a little nicer to her though" replied Harry cooly.
"I'm not the one with a crush on her, as that would be weird. You're the one who's going to have to pick up the courage to ask her out. And you'd better be quick, or someone else will get in there before you" warned Carly.
"Cho is very popular. All of the boys in Ravenclaw like her, and people from other houses" added Luna.

"Thanks, that makes me feel so much better. Having loads of competition definitely makes this easier" sighed Harry sarcastically.
"Don't take it out on her, just because you're too cowardly to ask Cho out" scolded Carly.
"I am not a coward. I've faced Voldemort like half a dozen times" snapped Harry.
"Yet, you won't ask out the girl you like"
"I could if I wanted to"
"Go on then"
"Alright, by the end of the year I will have asked out Cho"
"I'll hold you to that".

Carly grinned and winked at Harry, letting him know that she was only teasing and pushing him, because she wanted him to be happy.
And if being with Cho would make him happy, then Carly would push them together, so that she could take credit for their relationship, as that would endear Harry to her.
"We should go and get changed into our robes" suggested Carly, as she looked over at Luna, wanting to spend some alone time with her girlfriend, before they reached the castle.
"Yes, let's get out of these Muggle clothes" agreed Luna, as she took out her Ravenclaw robes from her bag, and stood to her feet.

The girls then moved out of their compartment and headed for the nearest toliets to get changed in.
On the way, they passed Ron and Hermione, and they directed them towards the carriage that Harry and the others were in.
"Do you think we could get chosen as Prefects next year?" Asked Luna.
"Maybe. It depends on whether or not Dumbledore still likes us by the end of the year" Carly said quietly.
"It's not just up to him though, because the Heads of house have a say too" reminded Luna.
"If that's the case, then I have no hope, because Snape hates me".

"Snape might like you more this term" said Luna.
"I doubt that our shared ally will make him like me any more than normal" admitted Carly, who didn't want to mention their connection to Voldemort, as they weren't in a safe place.
"I guess we'll have to wait and see... I still can't believe Ron got chosen as a Prefect over Harry" replied Luna.
"Me neither. Harry was pretty miffed when he found out, and I'm still not sure he's over it. I'm hoping I can use this to our advantage. If we can form a wedge between Harry, and Hermione and Ron. Then we might be able to get closer to him, and make him decide that we are the only ones he can rely on".

"That's a good idea. If we show him that we are sympathetic, and understand what he's going through, then he will definitely want to confide in us, and not Hermione and Ron" agreed Luna.
"I hate that I have to isolate Harry from his friends. Since he is my brother. But we need him to trust us, if we want to achieve our goals for this year" replied Carly, as her and Luna stepped into the toilet to get changed.
"Remember, that Harry only started treating you nicely at the end of last term, because he was in a low place. He was awful to you when we started at Hogwarts. And when you were at your lowest, he wasn't there. Harry only wants to be your brother when it suits him. But you and I have been there for each other since day one" reminded Luna.

"I know. And I wasn't having doubts about our mission. It's just hard that I have to deceive my family, in order to get us what we want" sighed Carly.
Luna took hold of Carly's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"This isn't something we want to do. It's something we have to do. Not only do we not have a choice. This is the only way we will ever be able to live free, and have a normal life" replied Luna.
"You're right, as usual... And now that we are alone, I would very much like to kiss you" smiled Carly.
Luna blushed, "I have no problems with that".
"Good".