Chapter 10: Luna's Journey

"When are we going to start training with the Founders?" asked Fred.

"Fred, I am so glad you asked that, for we were about to begin another training session," said Salazar. "What I am about to teach you I already taught our heirs earlier today, but as we need more appetite acceleration potion, I get the privilege of teaching it again. I am going to split you up evenly amongst Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Luna, so they can assist anyone having trouble brewing the potion."

"That would be me," said Neville Longbottom dejectedly. "I'm really pants at potion making."

"Neville, you biggest problem with potions is Snape," said Harry.

"He's right, Neville," added Hermione. "You're the best in our year in Herbology, and I think anyone who does well in Herbology should do well in potions."

"Neville, Salazar told us that Snape is the worst excuse he's ever seen for a teacher, so how do you know if you're no good at something when the idiot teaching it is pants at teaching," said Ginny.

"If I tell you guys something I noticed last year, do you promise not to let anyone know I was the one who told you?" asked Daphne.

"Sure, Daphne, what is it?" asked Luna.

"Well, I noticed last year when Harry and Neville were making their potions correctly that's when Professor Snape was most likely to banish their potions, and when they did something wrong, that's when he would belittle them," said Daphne.

"I noticed that, as well," added Tracey. "That, plus I know Professor Snape saw Malfoy purposely sabotage both Harry's and Neville's potions more times than I could count."

"Did I here you correctly; Snape actually let another student purposely sabotage another student's potion?" questioned Calliope.

"Yes, ma'am, I did," answered Tracey.

"Why didn't you report this to the headmaster or another Professor?" asked Calliope.

"We didn't think anyone would do a thing about it, and we were afraid of what might have happened to us if the rest of Slytherin found out who snitched on Snape," answered the crying Daphne.

"Don't worry, we're going to get sack of Snape the day we get out of here," said Harry.

"Harry, it would please me if you would allow me the honor of sacking Snape, but I wish to do so in Hogwarts Great Hall, so the entire school can be present," said Salazar.

"Since you're the Founder of Slytherin, I think we could let you do that," said Harry.

"Great, now, let us commence with our potion's lesson," said the beaming Salazar.

"Wow, you were right, it's loads easier brewing potions when you don't have someone like Snape breathing down you neck," commented Neville, watching his potion brew. "I learned more from Salazar in one lesson than I did all last year from Snape.

"I didn't have Snape breathing down my neck, and I still learned more from Salazar in two hours than I did from the greasy haired git all last year," said Daphne.

"I agree, because the only ones to learn potions in Snape's class are the ones who read books," said Tracey.

"That's why we intend to let Salazar sack the greasy git," said Harry. Looking at the Founders, he asked, "When we sack Snape, could we sack Binns, Lockhart and Trelawney, too?"

"For Lockhart, yes, but for Binns and Trelawney I would prefer to relieve them of their teaching positions in private," said Rowena. "As neither one of them has harmed anyone else, I would prefer to use more tack with their dismissals."

"What's wrong with Professor Lockhart?" asked Susan. "Just look at all the books he's written; surely he's a worthy teacher."

"Gilderoy Lockhart is nothing but a poser," answered Ginny. "We've been reading though his books and discovered a lot of misinformation in them to say the least. Why, it's impossible for him to do three things he wrote about because they were all done at the same time on different continents."

"We can continue our discussion later, as it is now time for you to drink your potions and eat your meals," said Helga.

"There must be something wrong with my potion, because I don't feel loads hungrier like the rest of this lot does," commented Ron after downing a flagon of potion.

"Ron, it's not the potion, it's you," said the giggling Ginny. "You already eat so much, that Salazar's potion has no effect on you."

"She's right, mate, and I still bet you eat more than anyone else here," said Harry.

"Hah, hah, very funny," said Ron, filling his plate with food.

10

"When are going to get Remus Lupin and the girls Bill, Charlie, and Percy wanted?" asked Ginny, as they ate breakfast following their initial sleep period of the time compression cycle.

"During your last training period during this cycle," said Helga.

"What are we going to do now?" asked Luna.

"I believe it's time for Luna to visit her family's ancestral home with the aid of Ginny, Hermione, and me," said Harry.

"An excellent suggestion Harry, and while you're away we'll being teaching the rest of your group Occlumency," said Rowena.

"Oh, thank-you, so much," said Luna

"Won't it be too risky for them to be on their own?" asked Bill.

"They will have their Phoenix with them, and as they are still in a time compression period no one will be able to see them," answered Godric.

"That being said, I'd still feel better if an adult went with them," Bill added.

"Only wizards who are not yet of age may accompany them to Luna's and her mother's ancestral home, so if anyone goes with us it would have to be Calliope," said Hermione.

"Don't forget about me," commented Lily. "As a ghost I may not be able to do more than to watch over you and go for help if needed, but I would like to go with you, just the same."

"I would be most honored if both of you accompanied us, but I do have to warn you that no magic aside from accidental magic may be used once we get to the village of Anchor Shropshire," said Luna.

10

"What a quaint old village," commented Calliope upon their arrival in village of Anchor Shropshire.

"Just look at those people over there," said Ginny. "I know they're moving, but to me they look just like statues."

"What are laughing at, Harry?" asked Hermione.

"See that bloke over there by those row houses," said Harry. "He's about to get drenched with water."

"I'd say it's dirty dish water he's about to get doused with," added Hermione. "I wonder what he did to make that woman throw her dirty dishwater at him."

"Maybe it's just accidental," commented Luna. "Although, that woman does have a rather feral grin on her face, so I'd have to say he must have done something to upset her. Anyway, over there is the sign for B4368, and Mummy told us we must take the road north out of the village, and from there it will be my task to find our ancestral home."

"Luna, as this is your journey to find, please lead the way, and we shall follow," said Harry.

"Okay, follow me," said Luna, leading the way as she went skipping and giggling down the road. Noticing the others were not skipping, she stopped, turned, and said, "Would everyone please skip along with me."

"I don't know how to skip," said Harry.

"Then let's teach you, it's really easy," said Ginny, taking hold of Harry's right arm. "Hermione, take hold of his left, and let's show him how to skip."

"Good work, girls," said Lily, smiling at her children and their friends.

"Harry, you're loads better at than my other brothers are, and this is your first try," said the giggling Ginny. "Percy and Ron are the worst, though. They both fall flat on their faces if they try skipping."

"Oh, look over there," squealed Luna about thirty minutes later. "I just saw a blibbering humdinger along this path a moment ago, and I am quite certain my family would have picked a home where they are found. Let's see where this path takes us."

"Luna, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't see a path anywhere around here," commented Harry.

"It's right here in front of me," said Luna. "It leads into that dense wood over there in the distance, and I believe this is the path we should take."

"Luna, are you sure, because I don't see a path or a wood anywhere around here," said Hermione.

"There's a dense wood about only about a hundred feet from here," said Luna, pointing toward what to the others looked like some old scrubland. Seeing the confused looks on the others' faces, she added, "Maybe I'm the only who can see it. If you can't see it, then you'll just have to follow me."

"It feels like we're walking on mulch," commented Harry, as they followed Luna.

"We're walking along a tree bark lined path," said Luna. Seeing Harry about to run into a tree, she quickly grabbed him, and added, "Harry, there is a huge tree not more than two feet in front of you."

"Blimey, there really is a tree right in front of me," said Harry, reaching out to touch the tree.

"Let's all hold hands, so I can lead the rest of you through the wood," said Luna.

"I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't see a thing," commented Ginny, as she entered the wood. Shaking her head, she thought to herself, "That's odd; I can't hear anything, either."

"Can the rest of you lot hear me in your minds," the three girls all heard Harry say in their minds.

"Yes, we can," the three girls all answered.

"Luna, lead us back out of the wood, because I don't think Mum and Calliope can see or hear us," thought Harry. Once back outside the wood, he asked, "Mum and Calliope, could either of you see or hear us when we entered the wood?"

"I could see all of you, but could not hear a thing," answered Lily.

"That's more than I could do, because I couldn't see or hear a thing," answered Calliope.

"The four of us can communicate telepathically with each other, so why don't continue on holding hands with Luna leading the way, and Mrs. Potter trailing behind," suggested Hermione.

"It will seem like blind leading the blind, but I'm game if the rest of you are," replied Calliope.

"Before we reenter the wood, let me try an experiment," said Luna. "I'm going to attempt sending what I see telepathically to the other three."

"Luna, this place is breathtaking," said Hermione, receiving images of what Luna could see. "What are those little creatures buzzing all around you other threes' heads?"

"Those are blubbering humdingers, and you have them surrounding you, as well," answered Luna.

"Amazing," said Ginny. "Let's reenter the wood, so we can see what other neat things we can see through Luna's eyes."

"Okay, everyone hold hands again, and let's continue on our journey," said Luna.

"Can anyone hear me now that I can see what's surrounding me?" asked Calliope after what seemed hours of walking around blind with no sound.

"I believe we all can," said Hermione.

"Welcome my heir to your ancestral family home," said the spirit of a woman, looking a lot like Luna that had appeared in the center of a vast clearing. "Tell me dear, what is your name and that of your traveling companions."

"My name is Luna Lynda Lovegood, and these are my best friends, Hermione Jean Granger, Harry James Potter, his sister Ginevra Molly Weasley, Harry's and Ginevra's mother Lily Potter, and Harry's and Ginevra's godmother Calliope Jameson," answered Luna.

"Tell me, dear, why is it that your mother could not accompany you on your journey to find our ancestral home," asked the spirit.

"She passed over two years ago," answered Luna with tears streaming down her face. "However, after I learned Harry, Ginevra, Hermione, and I were all heirs of the founders of Hogwarts, I was able to visit my mother in the spirit world, and it she who asked my friends to take her place in accompanying me on my journey. Mrs. Potter and Calliope came along so we could have some adults accompanying us, as well."

"Tell me, how were able to guide the others through the wood only you as our family's heir could see and hear in?" asked the spirit.

"I can communicate telepathically with the other three heirs, and they could see and hear where we were going through my eyes and ears," answered Luna. "As a ghost Mrs. Potter could see through the wood, and we just held hands to guide Calliope through, as well."

"Very interesting, you can communicate telepathically with the other three heirs, a most valuable non-magical gift," commented the spirit. Smiling, she instructed, "You dear, have been deemed worthy of being our heir, and it is now time for you to select your gifts."

"May I share the gifts I received and the ones I already have with the ones that accompanied me on my journey?" asked Luna.

"Other than Lily, because we cannot impart gifts on spirits, yes you may," answered the spirit.

"Then, I choose no further gifts, for I already have all that I need with my friends and the gifts I already possess," said Luna.

"You my dear are the wisest of all heirs that have passed through this wood, and I hereby bestow on you all gifts this wood can provide," said the spirit. With a wave of her hands a huge tent appeared, she added, "Each of you enter the tent, and after you partake of the food we have prepared you are to lie down and enter a period of enchanted slumber."

"What gifts are we to receive?" asked Luna.

"That, my dear, I cannot tell you, for the gifts shall be different for each of you," said the spirit. "Lily, the one gift I can give you is knowledge of this place, so while the others sleep you may go tell others of their enchanted slumber and return to watch over them."

10

"Lily, my darling, is something wrong?" asked James Potter, seeing his wife appear in the Hall of the Founders.

"No, luv, everything is fine," answered Lily. "Our children, the other two heirs, and Calliope have all entered an enchanted slumber, and when the reawaken they shall have received gifts. I know not what these gifts are to be, but suffice it to say Luna has made a most wise choice."