Reaper's Heir (Book 3)

Chapter 6

Chapter VI

We didn't end up going to tryouts the next day. Marcus Flint got into a fight with Oliver Wood and went to the hospital wing with a broken nose. No one was sure what had started the fight or what Wood looked like at the end, but there were rumors of missing teeth and points being taken from both houses. So tryouts were postponed until at least the next week and I found myself wandering into the forbidden forest instead. Even though it had only been a couple of hours since the announcement had been made, students were already gossiping among themselves about the fight. A trio of hufflepuff girls had been whispering to each other about it as I'd walked past, asking who had started the fight and who they each thought had won. I had no interest in finding out. It reminded me far too much of the sorts of fights Dudley and his gang always started.

I stopped and took my shoes off before stepping into the clearing, watching the thestral herd as they mingled closer to the trees. A couple trilled and came over to me, lowering their heads so I could pat their noses.

"Hello," I dug into my bag, pulling out some meat scraps. "I had to steal these from the kitchen and Fred and George looked at me like I'd grown a second head or something, so you'd better enjoy them." The thestrals ate the scraps, nudging me for more. There was a rustling behind me and I turned, hand already on my wand. "Luna!"

She smiled at me, large grey eyes shining. "Hello Maeve."

We passed most of the afternoon, petting the thestrals and talking about how our summers had been. Luna told me about the magazine her father published for and dug a copy of the latest issue out of her bag. I took the magazine, flipping through it, eyes skimming over the articles. At Luna's insistence that I keep it, I put it in my bag and we continued walking. Eventually, having said goodbye to the thestral herd, we made our way back to the castle.

"Luna, have you ever heard of The Grim?" She shook her head and I flipped through the quibbler again, stopping on an article about something called a crumple-horned snorkack. "Well, I've been reading about it. I found a book in the library about death omens." To be honest, I had only gone to the library this morning and started reading the book to keep my mind off what had happened with the boggart yesterday. And the argument with Harry afterward.

I can't believe he thought I was over it, just because we didn't talk about it. It's not like he ever asked if I was okay afterward.

"Maeve!" Daphne came from across the courtyard, Blaise following behind her. "We've been looking for you all day. Blaise has been sulking about because of tryouts being cancelled, so we were going to go to dinner early and then figure out something to do."

"I have not been sulking." Blaise grumbled. He looked over at Luna. "Who is that?"

I wrapped an arm around Luna. "This is Luna. She's a friend of mine."

Daphne stuck her hand out, smiling. "I'm Daphne Greengrass. It's lovely to meet you."

Luna shook Daphne's hand after a moment of silence and Blaise followed their lead before we all made our way to the great hall. We sat near the end of the slytherin table, Luna happily settling in next to me. The few other students in the room shot us curious looks at her sitting with us. We all ate and talked, the tables gradually filling up as more students came back from whatever activities they had been doing.

"So Luna, you're a second year, right?" At Luna's nod, Daphne continued. "How are your classes? Are any teachers giving you any trouble?"

Luna shook her head. "My classes are fine. Professor Flitwick would talk to any teachers if they were giving me a hard time. He's a very nice head of house. The real problems are the wrackspurts and my things going missing."