Harry Potter and the Deep Freeze

Uninvited Guests

The warm midday sun streamed through the window of Harry's flat, lighting the small table where Harry and Luna sat. Plates of sandwiches, crisps, and a pitcher of pumpkin juice were spread out between them, and the atmosphere was relaxed. Luna was in her usual whimsical mood, describing her most recent encounter with a flock of Bowtruckles.

"They were quite agitated," Luna said dreamily, plucking a crisp from her plate. "I think they're picking up on the magical disturbances. You know, Bowtruckles are very sensitive to shifts in magical auras. It might be worth considering their behavior when planning your dome."

Harry nodded thoughtfully, sipping from his glass. "That's a good point, Luna. I hadn't thought about how smaller creatures might react to the freeze. Maybe we can build some shelters for them inside the dome too."

Luna smiled, her silver eyes twinkling. "They'd appreciate that, Harry. It's nice to see you thinking about the little ones."

Just as Harry was about to reply, there was a loud, insistent knock on the door.

"I wasn't expecting anyone," Harry said, frowning. He stood, moving toward the door. Before he could even reach it, the knocking turned into banging.

"Harry! Open up!"

The familiar voice of Ron Weasley rang through the flat, followed immediately by Hermione's sharper tone. "We know you're in there, Harry!"

Harry froze, his stomach twisting. Luna looked up, curious but calm.

"Should I leave?" she asked softly.

"No," Harry said quickly, shaking his head. "Stay. They'll just come back if I don't deal with this now."

Taking a deep breath, Harry opened the door.

Ron stormed in immediately, his face flushed with anger. "What the bloody hell, mate? We haven't heard from you in weeks!"

Hermione followed close behind, her expression a mixture of annoyance and concern. "We've been worried, Harry! You disappear, don't answer our owls, and now we find you here, eating lunch like everything's fine?"

Harry held up his hands, trying to keep his voice calm. "I've been busy."

"Busy?" Ron snapped, glaring at him. "Too busy to let us know you're still alive?"

Before Harry could respond, Hermione's eyes landed on Luna, who was still seated at the table, nibbling on a sandwich. Her eyebrows shot up.

"And Luna's here?" Hermione said, her tone sharp. "You've been ignoring us, but you have time for a lunch date with Luna?"

Luna tilted her head, unbothered by Hermione's tone. "It's not a date. We're discussing important matters."

Hermione scoffed, crossing her arms. "Oh, really? What matters could possibly be more important than keeping your friends informed, Harry?"

Harry clenched his jaw, taking a step forward. "I didn't tell you because I'm handling something big, and I needed time to figure it out without distractions."

"Without distractions?" Ron repeated, his voice rising. "We're your best friends, Harry! If something's going on, you should've come to us!"

Harry's eyes hardened, his patience thinning. "That's exactly why I didn't."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes.

"It means I can't trust everyone right now," Harry said bluntly. "And I don't have time to explain everything to people who might not even believe me."

Ron looked stunned, as if Harry had slapped him. "Not trust us? What the hell, Harry? After everything we've been through?"

"You don't understand," Harry said, his voice tight. "This isn't like anything we've faced before. I've had to make hard choices about who I involve, and I need people who will follow my lead without questioning every decision."

Hermione's face flushed with anger. "So, what? You've decided we're not good enough to help you anymore?"

"It's not about that," Harry said, his voice rising. "It's about doing what's necessary to stop something catastrophic. I'm sorry if that hurts, but I don't have the luxury of worrying about feelings right now."

Luna stood then, her soft voice cutting through the tension. "Harry's telling the truth," she said simply. "There's something very serious happening, and he's working to fix it. I'm helping him, and I think you should too—if you really care about him."

Hermione stared at Luna, her jaw tight, but didn't respond. Ron, however, looked directly at Harry. "If it's that serious, why wouldn't you trust us? We're your family, Harry."

For a moment, Harry hesitated, his heart aching. He remembered the way Ron and Hermione had stood by him through so many battles, so many dangers. But he also remembered their betrayal in the frozen future—the way their fear and desperation had outweighed their loyalty.

"I'm doing what I think is best," Harry said quietly. "You might not agree, but I need to follow my instincts on this."

Ron shook his head, his expression hurt and angry. "Fine, mate. Do what you want. But don't come crawling back when it all falls apart."

Hermione shot Harry one last glare before grabbing Ron's arm. "Let's go, Ron. Clearly, we're not welcome here."

As they stormed out, slamming the door behind them, Harry leaned against the wall, letting out a shaky breath.

Luna walked over, her presence calm and steady. "That was difficult for you," she said softly.

"Yeah," Harry admitted, rubbing his temples. "But it had to be done."

"You're making the right choices, Harry," Luna said, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Even if they don't understand now, they will someday."

Harry nodded, grateful for her support. "Thanks, Luna. Let's finish lunch. We've got a lot of work to do."

Luna smiled, and they returned to the table, the tension lingering but the resolve in Harry's heart growing stronger.