Harry Potter and the Year After

Chapter Seventy-two: Mysteries Revisited

Chapter 72: Mysteries Revisited

"I remember that there are ten of them..." said Luna, looking at the shelves of stores in Neville's storage closet. The three of them stood in the twilit greenhouse. It was dark enough that Hermione lit her wand tip. But because all three of them were now holding large canning jars full of herbs, Hermione had been forced to tuck her wand behind her ear. Neville and Luna had both done the same.

"So we have clove for force and orris and hawthorne, each for their protective properties," said Hermione, holding up the three bottles in her arms.

"And angelica..." Neville said, looking down at the bottles he was holding in his arms. "Bay... asafetida... geranium..."

"And I've got the betony and camphor... there's just one more," Luna said, as she skimmed over the labels in front of her. "It's like a wand wood I think. I'm having a hard time remembering. It's been quite a while."

"Vine?" Hermione asked.

"No..." answered Luna, still slowly reading.

"Holly?"

"No..."

"Ash?"

"No..."

"Cherry?"

"No... You know, I think I'm less likely to remember if you keep naming all the different types of wood."

Hermione fell silent.

But then Neville asked, "Elder?" He was standing in front of the 'E' section and had just spotted it.

"Oh, yes, that's it," Luna said calmly. She picked it up and tucked it under her arm.

Then, they quickly walked out to the closest greenhouse workbench and set the jars down. Luna took some of each of the herbs and stuffed them all into one of the burlap sacks that were normally used for storing seeds.

After hurrying down the twilit grounds of Hogwarts, they Apparated away to Luna's house from the front gate.

***

Harry re-entered the Hospital Wing with his Invisibility Cloak slung over one arm and the Marauder's Map folded into the back pocket of his jeans. As he neared Ginny's bedside, he nearly tripped when he saw that Madam Pomfrey was lying on the floor, flat on her back.

"Did you stun her? Why is she on the floor?" he yelled in a whisper. He immediately levitated her and magically carried her back toward her private chambers. Draco and Ron followed him.

"We hadn't discussed who would hit her with the spell, so we both did," Draco explained.

And then Ron elaborated, "At the same time." Harry shook his head as he led Madam Pomfrey's unconscious body through what appeared to be a sort of study and then through a kitchen and living room and finally found a bedroom. He lowered her onto a neatly made bed in a plain, drab sort of bedroom. The three boys gazed down at her.

"Obliviate her," Ron suggested to Harry.

"I'm not very good at that one," Harry admitted.

Ron nodded. "Well, I've never even tried it."

"I unfortunately have a bit of practice at that one," Draco said. Before Harry's mind had a chance to wonder, Draco continued, "Things I did last year... it's nothing I'm proud of..."

Harry and Ron said nothing while Draco pulled out his wand. Then, silently, he Obliviated her.

***

Since Luna's father hadn't been home, Neville, Hermione and Luna were able to get the book rather quickly, as well as a salt shaker full of salt from the kitchen area and leave the house undisturbed otherwise. The three then Apparated to the phone booth entrance to the Ministry of Magic. They had to wait a few minutes while six witches all piled out of the phone booth and then Disapparated before Hermione, Luna and Neville could enter.

"I wonder if they'll have beat us here," Neville wondered aloud, the burlap sack slung over his shoulder.

"We'll find out soon," Hermione said as she dialed.

Luna had the book tucked under her arm. "I wonder if there's anything else we needed," she said, staring up at the ceiling of the little booth.

"Really?" Hermione said, a little sharper than she'd intended.

"Well, check the book," Neville said gently.

"Oh, good idea," Luna said as they descended into the Ministry.

***

Under the cover of the Invisibility Cloak, Harry carried Ginny in his arms. He made her magically weightless with Mobilicorpus.

Draco and Ron walked ahead of him. Ron had the Marauder's Map so they could try to avoid as many people as possible.

They made it down to the Entrance Hall before passing by anyone.

"Ron, what are you doing with Malfoy?" Seamus called from behind them. He'd been standing talking to a sixth year girl named Astoria. Ron and Draco had been hoping that he wouldn't notice them.

Draco and Ron both stopped and turned, facing Harry and Ginny (though they were invisible). "You're not going to fight him, are you?" Seamus was coming closer.

"No, we're just, er, having a chat," Ron said, glancing over at Draco.

Meanwhile, Draco muttered, "Get down, Potter." Harry knelt down, laying his arms on the floor and holding Ginny close so the Cloak still covered her completely.

Seamus was coming closer still. Then, as he was nearly at Harry's back, Draco shot out a silent Confundus charm, aiming high so as to avoid Harry and Ginny. Seamus looked confused.

"See you later," Ron said, turning away from Seamus. Then, the three boys continued with Ginny out of the front double doors.

***

Hermione, Neville and Luna got to the lifts easily enough. Once they got on, they rode down a few floors before anyone else got on with them.

A witch with a long, crooked nose which she covered partially with half-moon spectacles stepped on. It was only a few seconds after the grate shut that she turned and cleared her throat. "Are you... forgive me, are you Hermione Granger? I recognize you from the papers... And you're even wearing Gryffindor robes..."

Hermione looked at her and smiled. "You know, I get that all the time. Ha, ha!"

"You're... you're not her?" she said, smiling politely, "Why are you wearing Gryffindor robes?" And then she glanced up at Neville. "You look familiar too..." She wagged her finger at him.

"He's an underwear model," Luna said matter-of-factly. "You might have seen him in the muggle magazines."

"Oh," the witch said, blushing and looking away. She got off at the next floor.

As soon as the grate slammed shut, Hermione and Neville burst out laughing. Luna smiled as she watched them laugh.

But as they rode down the last three levels, they both quickly quieted. The lift seemed to rattle even louder than usual because of the silence surrounding it.

"The Department of Mysteries," said the cool voice overhead.

Hermione, Neville and Luna got off. The lift rode back up without them.

"Should we wait for them here?" Neville asked, glancing between the two girls.

"They could already be waiting for us in the, erm, death room," Hermione said. But then, another lift rattled its way down and the grate slid loudly open. Ron got off, his wand out and hanging in his hand at his side. Draco followed and then Harry pulled off the Invisibility Cloak while Ginny hovered in the air, still unconscious.

Everyone waited while Harry shoved the Invisibility Cloak into the pocket of his robe.

"Well, who remembers which door we're supposed to pick?" Harry asked, walking forward as he held Ginny in his arms again. "I surely don't."