The Lion and the Eagle {Huna}

Chapter 8

Talking with Luna was much easier than it used to be, Harry found. She seemed to be making an effort to talk about things that interested him, an attempt he was mirroring.

"So who is dating who now?" Luna asked, smiling over the brim of her frothy drink at Harry.

"Ron and Hermione obviously," Harry said, sipping his second butterbeer. "Those two will get married one day."

"I do hope so, they are so well suited to each other. I think Parvati and Seamus are still dating." Luna added, "Also isn't Neville dating somebody? Was it Susan Bones... she was very nice in school. Used to stop people calling me Looney."

Harry shifted awkwardly before replying. "Um, no. Neville is dating Hannah Abbot," Luna raised a very pale eyebrow. "Ginny told me." He explained.

"How is Ginny going?" Luna asked interestedly, "I haven't seen her for ages."

"Oh she's great," Harry replied, grinning. "She's never been better."

"Has she got a new boyfriend?" Luna asked, frowning in thought. "Comac or something."

Harry shook his head vigorously, "No, no. That was just a rumour. She says she wants to be 'free of men' for a while, focus on her career."

Luna laughed, "I can't blame her! Speaking of careers, how's is your's going?"

"Brilliantly!" Harry said and went on a long tangent about the brilliance of quidditch. "And you?"

"Well, right now Dad and I are focusing on our travel plans."

"Oh, of course!" Harry said, who had forgotten. "Where will you go?"Harry asked,

"Several places; Eyre Mountain, Lilia's Lake, Warlock Flats are the certainties," Luna replied

Harry frowned at the names, "I don't recognise any of those places..." He wondered if they were real.

Luna looked dreamily out the window, "I suppose you wouldn't have, having growing up with muggles... Those places are wizard landscapes, hidden from muggles."

Harry's eyebrows rose, "But I've never heard mention of them from anyone at Hogwarts." He couldn't help wondering if Luna invented them.

Luna looked surprised, "Really? That's surprising. I know the Patil's went to Lilia's Lake most summers for swimming holidays, and I'm sure Emilia Rauht mentioned going skiing at Eyre Mountain."

Harry assumed Emilia Rauht was a witch in Ravenclaw, because he'd never heard of her. "I'm really surprised, what are they like?"

"Eyre Mountain is always covered in snow, summer and winter and many magical creatures of ice and snow origins dwell there. Lilia's Lake is the opposite, it's in Spain and it's a very tourist centred spot. It's massive, with heaps of creatures live in there, including mermaids."

"And the plains?" Harry urged her, interested in the information Luna was giving him.

"The warlock flats," Luna said thoughtfully, "They are a favourite place for lots of things, exploring, holidaying, hiking... I think they even have Hippogriff rides. Many people go there for research, like me and Dad, since lots of animals live there."

"Will it just be you and your dad?" Harry asked, finishing the butterbeer with a last gulp.

Luna frowned slightly, looking out the window at the wizarding town outside. "I.. don't think so. Dad said something about meeting a friend of his... Scamander or something... He has a son, Dad said."

Harry looked up quickly, "Our age?" He wondered why he was suddenly feeling protective, damn these feelings, Harry thought, they won't do.

"Yes..." Luna didn't seem to know much about the topic, and after several questions on Harry's behalf, he gave up finding more out about the mystery Scamander, whose name seemed familiar to Harry.

"Speaking of friends, I got a note from one this morning," Harry told Luna, "You remember Fleur Delecour?"

Luna's eyes brightened, "She was so kind to me, I remember she looked after us just after we were locked away. Why was she writing to you?"

"Well she's invited me to Shell Cottage next Thursday I think to see my niece and Fleur's sister." Luna looked slightly confused. "Here, read this. It will explain," He said, pushing the letter towards her.

Luna's eyes skimmed the letter and her eyebrows raised slightly, "What will her sister want with you?" She asked, passing the letter back.

"I don't know," Harry said, "Fleur said she wants to meet me... But I don't see why." His remarks seemed to trouble Luna, though he couldn't think why.

"How old would she be now?" Luna asked suddenly.

"Oh I don't know," Harry said easily, "Maybe, fifteen? Sixteen? It's hard to tell sometimes." He laughed and Luna smiled, looking out the window again.

******

"Where next?" Harry asked, looking around as he and Luna stepped out of the Three Broomsticks.

"Honeydukes," Luna said immediately, pointing over at the shop.

"You read my mind."

The lolly shop felt quite empty without the hordes of Hogwarts student's jostling around inside it. Luna looked around with her usual, faraway expression on her face before aiming for a large basket of chocoballs,

"These are MY favourite!" She laughed, as Harry picked up a lolly he had never seen before called 'Treacle Treat'.

"If you like treacle tart, you'll like this sweet." Harry read out from the lollies card. "Well, I love treacle tart so I'll get a few of these."

They didn't stay in the sweet shop for long, Harry paid for his Treacle Treats, a sugar quill and some pumpkin pasties after Luna had purchased her chocoballs and several chocolate frogs.

They pocketed their sweets since both agreed they were too full of butterbeer to eat the chocolate and lollies. As they exited the shop, Harry musted his courage and reached out. His fingers brushed the back of Luna's hand cautiously, his nerves were about to get the better of him until he felt Luna's fingers curl around his.

With glowing faces and joined hands, Luna and Harry walked down the main street of Hogsmeade, too embarrassed to speak.