Riddles.

Chapter II

Riddles.

Dear pimples, if you're going to live on my face, I need to see some rent.
- Irrelevant quotes brought to you by Heckyehbaconpancakes. I would have so much money.

Author's Note:

It's a Christmas miracle! Or just a festive wintery miracle if you don't celebrate Christmas. Do NOT expect a new year's miracle. Because it will not come.

Rating: T because of language. It's not too bad. It may change for later chapters.

Disclaimer: I'm not going to say this again - I don't own anything other than my plot line. The original plot line is by JK Rowling, so anything similar to that is hers. I thought of this version of Harry Potter by myself. So this story is mine, just not the universe it was created in.

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Chapter II

Luna and Hermione were standing outside the looming oak doors of the Great Hall. Their belongings would be taken to their new dorms after the feast and sorting ceremony (an ordeal that would drag on for an unmeasurable amount of time) - Hermione's, no doubt, going straight to the dungeons.

Luna had now memorised the entire first passage of her book and was whispering it under her breath to not draw too much attention to herself - practically hauling a book the size of a small elephant around the Hogwarts grounds on their first day was not, exactly, going to help the pair blend in for the time being. Unsurprisingly, Luna's plan wasn't as subtle as she'd intended to be: Hermione had taken to glaring at the general areas of snickering that were building to the overall hum of the room. Luna looked as if she were oblivious to the whole thing, although Hermione suspected that she just didn't care.

This was proven further when the infamous Draco Malfoy, flanked either side by his two cronies, - seeming much less intimidating to Hermione than they had hoped - strode towards the newfound friends, the rows of students parting for him like the Red Sea as to not fall upon his wrath. A wrath that could be reduced to a grain of sand when compared with Luna's. Stopping a few feet from Hermione, Draco plastered a smirk on his face upon looking at Luna - who seemed suddenly extremely invested in the confrontation hanging in the air. A small ring had formed around the group - a dozen or so ears (not so subtly) listened intently for the eruption that was anticipated by everyone within eyesight.

As the sea of people edged closer, Luna  spoke to Hermione with a slightly louder voice than usual. "It's almost as if we're in Egypt. Although I do hope that this time around the sea comes crashing down just a tad sooner." Hermione seemed to be the only one to understand the reference, chuckling as Luna let out her own fit of giggles. A few more heads turned at the outburst that earned a snarl from Draco.

"I see you've made a new friend, mudblood. Loony Lovegood - were there no more rats left in the gutters for you to choose from?" A ripple of snickers flooded through the room followed by a smirk from the blonde.

Hermione just snickered. "I'm afraid you're going to have to do much better than that. It seems, Luna, that he does believe himself to be the new Moses. I suppose that would make us the Egyptians. With weapons and armor and a whole kingdom behind us. Although I think our morals have changed drastically since the first time."

Luna smiled her oh-so-innocent fairy smile and announced to all of the eagerly awaiting ears,"Oh, Draco dear, how's the back. I heard what happened on the train. How embarrassing. Defeated by a girl. A muggleborn, no less."

Draco's nostrils flared and his fists shook as he leant forwards to breathe heavily into Hermione's ear. "You'll pay for that mudblood. Watch your back." With a hiss, he once again melted into the crowd, Crabbe and Goyle following close behind. "Oh, I will, Draco dear." Hermione couldn't hold it any longer, a long string of giggles rippled through her, setting off the rest of the first years. Luna went back to her mumblings, a small smile playing on her lips as she did.