Living without Danger
Chapter 20: Heirs (Year 2)
By Anne B. Walsh
Chapter 20: Heirs
Harry had never been so surprised in his life.
His Pack — the new Pack —
We’re going to have to do something about that. It’s confusing.
He and his friends, then, had just repeated the oath for the third time when something had happened that he hadn’t expected at all. A red light had appeared around Hermione, and before she could let go of Ron and Draco’s hands, the light had spread to them as well, and from there all the way around the circle. Then it had cross-connected, shooting lines every which way, apparently joining each of them to every other one.
In the center of the circle, beneath the place where eight lines of light met in a star, the napkin holding their rings and necklaces had burst into flame, exactly as it had when the original Pack had made their pendants. That, Harry’d been expecting, or rather hoping for. It seemed they had succeeded.
When the fire had flickered out, the red light had vanished as well. They had just released hands and claimed their pendants, putting them on, when the second unexpected thing happened. The room seemed to waver and flicker, like an image on a television when the signal wasn’t coming in clearly, except that this was real —
And then they were somewhere else. Somewhere Harry recognized.
Hogwarts. Specifically, the Great Hall, in between the House tables. They were still sitting on the floor in their circle, Harry and the others in their traveling clothes and Neville in his pajamas, and every face Harry could see looked as amazed as he was himself.
"It is time," said a voice behind Harry. He turned just in time to see a man step out of thin air, a man dressed in red robes, with tawny hair going grey and wire-rimmed spectacles, who reminded him somehow of Dumbledore, and of Moony. Maybe it was the aura of authority that all three of them wore, seemingly unconscious but quite definite, the assumption that if they gave an order it would be obeyed.
"Time," the man continued, "to name the honorary Heirs." The capital letter on the word was audible.
Harry glanced at his friends. Seven pairs of eyes were all on him. He was obviously the one expected to do the talking.
Well, I am the alpha. It’s my job unless there’s someone better to do it.
He turned back around, standing up as he did. The man had been joined by a number of other people — a younger man and woman also dressed in red, a number of women in blue, a younger man and an older woman in yellow, and —
Oh, no way.
"Al?" he said in surprise.
Nine heads turned to face the dark-haired man at the back of the group, the only one wearing green. "Al?" repeated the younger man in red, incredulously. "You told them to call you Al?"
"And what’s so wrong with that?" said Al defensively. "I didn’t know how much they knew, all right? And I didn’t think they’d be here so soon. You have to admit this was unexpected."
"Al, what are you doing here?" asked Harry, ignoring this. "I thought you were dead."
"Well, technically, I am." Al came forward through the others. "This place is a sort of a dream, Harry. It’s kind of like a different reality... only not... stop laughing at me!" He rounded on the three younger women in blue, one blonde, one red-haired, one dark, who were all snickering. "You try explaining it to him — he’s twelve!"
"Why don’t you let someone with a bit more experience have a go?" suggested the dark-haired one, and flicked her fingers towards one of the tables.
Something changed at the corner of Harry’s eye, and he turned to see his Pack-parents sitting at the table, four in a row, regarding him with expressions ranging from pride (Padfoot) to "wait until I get you home, young man" (Letha).
"Just tell me one thing," said Danger, standing up. "How did you get to Longbottom House?"
Harry’s ability to register surprise was overloading, with the result that he was slipping into a state of false calm. It was with a mild sort of pride that he heard himself answering nonchalantly, "Borrowed the Weasleys’ car and flew there."
"And how did you know where Longbottom House was to be found?" asked Moony.
"Borrowed that magical map you keep in your desk."
"There’s a word for borrowing without permission," said Letha sternly. "And for leaving the Den without telling us. But we’ll discuss that later."
Padfoot caught Harry’s eye and gave him a thumbs-up and a wink. Harry grinned back. They’d be punished for sneaking out, he was sure, but it wouldn’t be too horrible. After all, they’d done it with style, and that counted for something.
The rest of Harry’s Pack had come up behind him, so it was to all eight of them that Danger explained that this was a dream, or something similar to a dream, so they’d be waking up at some point later, and that this place was a sort of reflection of the Hogwarts they knew — except that this place was perhaps more real than the castle on earth, making that one the reflection and this the reality —
"But that’s a philosophical debate that we don’t need right now," said Moony. "All you really need to know is that this is the home of the Founders."
"The Founders?" blurted Ron. "Like, the actual Founders?"
Moony smiled. "Ask them yourself."
Ron turned to look with awe at the group of people in brightly colored robes, who were watching from a polite distance. "Are you really..."
"Godric Gryffindor," said the man who had appeared to them first, stepping forward. "My colleagues, Rowena Ravenclaw and Helga Hufflepuff." A distinguished, white-haired woman in blue and a cheerful woman in yellow with brown hair going silver gave little bows. "Salazar and one of his sons, Matthias, chose another path than this. His other son, Alexander, remains among us."
"So that’s why you’re a Parselmouth," said Harry in satisfaction. "You’re an heir of Slytherin."
"One of the originals." Al was sitting on another of the House tables, his feet on the bench below it. "Sadly, it’s my brother’s line that continues, not mine."
"Continues?" Hermione pounced on the word. "You mean there are heirs of Slytherin still alive? And heirs of Gryffindor, and Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff?"
"Oh, yes," said Hufflepuff. "It is rather surprising — I mean, over a thousand years, it would be easy for a line to die out — but all four of our bloodlines have continued into your day."
"Who are they?" asked Draco. "The heirs, I mean."
"Uh-uh, little fox," said Al, shaking his head. "We’re not allowed to tell you that. It would deprive you of all the fun."
Draco scowled at the man. "Fun?"
"Of finding them for yourselves." Al looked over the group, smiling enigmatically. "You can consider that your unofficial mission, if you like. Find the Heirs."
"The blood Heirs, that is," Gryffindor corrected him. "All of you are about to become honorary Heirs."
Harry felt a little shiver of excitement pass through him. "What does that mean? Do we get powers?"
"Not powers as such," said Ravenclaw. "The family talents cannot be granted out of the bloodline except under very special circumstances."
Harry nodded. "Like Moony and Danger."
"Precisely." Gryffindor looked a bit smug. "What we can give you, and will, are greater stores of the landmark ability of each House. Since you are all linked through your Pack-magic, each of you will be able to draw on each ability to a limited degree. We will also extend those powers which were granted to the first set of Pack-pendants to the second set — and you’re going to have to do something about finding a distinctive name for yourselves, having two Packs around is simply not going to work."
"Could one of us maybe be the Pride instead?" asked Ginny almost diffidently.
"A pride — a family of lions..." Gryffindor nodded, obviously pleased. "I hadn’t thought of that, and I should have. Shame on me. Well done, Ginevra."
Ginny blushed.
"We’ll be the Pride," Harry decided. "The cubs. Then the Pack can stay as it was."
"Very well." Gryffindor gave another nod. "That being settled, shall we proceed?"
"The Pack stands ready," said Moony, rising from his seat. "Harry?"
Harry looked around his friends, seeking for fear in their faces, and found none, only apprehension and excitement. "The Pride stands ready," he said, turning back to face Gryffindor.
"Then let the naming of the Heirs begin." Gryffindor flicked a look at Al, who nonchalantly climbed off the table just in time, as it and the other tables in the room vanished. Without any sense of motion at all, Harry found himself standing facing the dais at one end of the hall, with the rest of the Pack and the Pride standing beside him in a line. The ten Founders stood on the dais, facing them.
Al stepped forward. "I, Alexander Slytherin, do this day call forth those whom I wish to make my Heirs," he said formally. "Sirius Valentine Black, come forward."
Padfoot walked to the foot of the dais in front of Al, his movements more formal and controlled than Harry was used to seeing from him.
"Draco Regulus Black, son of Narcissa, come forward."
Harry heard his brother swallow nervously before he joined Padfoot.
Alex looked down at them. "Hear now the responsibilities of a true Heir of the House of Slytherin. To push onwards when others falter and fail. To prefer an artful solution to one of brute force, and to be the one who offers such a solution. To use all ethical means to your end, and to take the burden of any unethical means upon yourself, rather than tricking another into doing so. Will you accept these responsibilities?"
"I will," answered both wizards together.
Al stretched out his hands and placed one on Draco’s right shoulder and one on Padfoot’s left. "I charge you, no matter the behavior of others, never to let your actions dishonor that House to which you now belong. Receive that power which is rightfully yours."
Green light wreathed all three figures for a moment, then vanished. Al returned to his place in the Founders’ line, and Padfoot and Draco to their places, Padfoot looking thoughtful and Draco lost for words.
"What’s it like?" asked Harry under his breath.
"Can’t explain. Wait till your turn."
The man and woman in yellow had stepped forward now. The man spoke first. "I, Adam Hufflepuff, do this day call forth Neville Francis Longbottom, son of Francis, son of Alice."
Neville looked about as astounded as he had the day Dumbledore had awarded him the points that gave Gryffindor the House Cup. Meghan had to nudge him to get him to move forward.
"I, Helga Hufflepuff, do this day call forth Gertrude Kelly Granger-Lupin, known as Danger, daughter of David, daughter of Rose."
Danger looked surprised, but came forward anyway.
"Hear now the responsibilities of a true Heir of the House of Hufflepuff," said Helga. "To do that work which is unending and often tiresome but necessary, with little to no thanks in return. To remain loyal to a just cause even when it seems an impossible dream. To follow one’s chosen leader faithfully but not blindly. Will you accept these responsibilities?"
"I will," said Neville, his voice shaking only a little, with Danger’s firm answer coming a moment later. Adam placed his hands on Neville’s shoulders and Helga on Danger’s, Helga reminded them once more of their obligation to their adopted House, and yellow light blazed around them, then faded. They returned to their places, Danger smiling as if she had a special secret and Neville looking somewhat bewildered.
The four women in blue came forward. The red-haired woman spoke first. "I, Margaret Ravenclaw, do this day call forth Meghan Lily Black, daughter of Sirius, daughter of Aletha."
The dark-haired woman was next. "I, Brenna Ravenclaw, do this day call forth Hermione Jane Granger-Lupin, daughter of David, daughter of Rose."
The blonde woman stepped up. "I, Sophia Ravenclaw, do this day call forth Luna Marie Lovegood, daughter of Gerald, daughter of Anita."
Luna looked Sophia over as she came to the dais. "You’ve talked to me before," she said. "You told me about the Hogwarts Den, last Christmas."
Sophia nodded, smiling down at Luna. "I did indeed. And I shall speak to you again, little seer, so heed my voice well when you hear it."
"Luna’s a seer?" whispered Harry to Draco.
"She saw us as humans when we were transformed," Draco whispered back. "And she did make that prophecy about the Den — I’d almost forgotten about it — that must be how you knew what to say to open the wall in the common room..."
Ravenclaw was giving them a look worthy of McGonagall. Draco promptly shut up.
"I, Rowena Ravenclaw, do this day call forth Aletha Carina Freeman-Black, daughter of William, daughter of Teresa."
Letha came forward, head held proudly.
"Hear now the responsibilities of a true Heir of the House of Ravenclaw," said Rowena. "To be ever diligent in learning, even when the knowledge is difficult or dangerous to acquire, or when it does not agree with a belief of one’s own. To share knowledge with others as it is needed, but not to press it where it is not wanted, unless the need is great. To work for the healing of all breaches and a common fellowship of those who love the truth. Will you accept these responsibilities?"
They would.
Rowena reminded the witches of their responsibility to their new House, and blue light shone brightly around each pair. Meghan looked as if she’d seen an angel when Margaret released her. Hermione appeared shocked but also ecstatic. Luna seemed much the same as ever, running a finger absently along her crescent-moon scar as she returned to her place in line. Letha’s face held something of the ‘angelic vision’ quality of Meghan’s, but there was something else, something that hadn’t been there before, a sort of peacefulness...
Draco elbowed him. He looked up. The two men and one woman in red had just taken their steps forward.
I suppose this is me, then.
The younger man spoke first. "I, Paul Gryffindor, do this day call forth Ronald Bilius Weasley, son of Arthur, son of Molly."
Ron looked surprised to hear his name, as if he’d thought he wouldn’t be called. He went forward a little hesitantly, but seemed to gain nerve as he got closer.
The woman spoke. "I, Maura Gryffindor, do this day call forth Remus John Lupin, son of John, son of Katherine."
Moony walked to the dais with no sign of surprise or hesitation.
"I, Godric Gryffindor, do this day call forth Harry James Potter, son of James, son of Lily."
Harry started forward.
"And Ginevra Molly Weasley, daughter of Arthur, daughter of Molly."
Harry almost stopped in surprise. He wants us both?
Moony made a little motion with his hand, not a Marauder sign, just a simple "keep moving," and Harry obeyed as Ginny came out of the line and joined him. They walked the last few steps together to stand in front of the Founder of their House.
Godric looked down at them, his keen yellow-gold eyes meeting each of theirs in turn. "Hear now the responsibilities of a true Heir of the House of Gryffindor. To meet all challenges bravely, putting fear aside. To always defend those who cannot defend themselves. To lead faithfully and well, recalling that all great leaders are servants of those they lead. Will you accept these responsibilities?"
"I will," said Harry in the strongest voice he could muster. Ron nodded, then quickly said it aloud at Paul’s gesture. Moony’s response was quiet but positive.
Everyone looked at Ginny. She took a deep breath. "Yes. I will."
Godric stepped closer to them and put one hand on Harry’s left shoulder and one on Ginny’s right. "I charge you, no matter the behavior of others, never to let your actions dishonor that House to which you now belong. Receive that power which is rightfully yours."
Harry realized in that moment why Draco hadn’t been able to tell him what it felt like. There were too many sensations to name just one.
He was a prism hanging in a window, and the sun had just come out... he was a crowded auditorium in which a concert was beginning... he was a log of wood in a fire, radiating heat and light and changing from one thing into another... he was a cookie baking in an oven, a spice cookie, he could smell the cinnamon and cloves...
Harry realized he had his eyes closed and opened them just in time to see a red light fading around him. He also realized something else.
Ginny dropped his hand as if it were a dragon egg when she noticed she was holding it. "Sorry," she stammered, turning bright red. "I didn’t mean to."
"No, I think I did it," said Harry, wanting to reassure her. "It’s all right, either way."
Ginny nodded, her eyes on the floor. They hastily returned to their places in the line.
"I charge you all," said Godric when the line was complete again, "to use these powers always for good, never for evil, but to recall that life is a difficult and a complicated thing. And I remind you not to be too quick to deal out death and judgment, for even the very wise cannot see all ends. Let our ceremony be ended, in the name of all that is good."
"Let it be so," said the other nine Founders in chorus.
Paul Gryffindor let out an exaggerated sigh. "Finally. Now we can get to the really important stuff."
"Like what?" asked Padfoot.
"Two words. Par tee."
Padfoot grinned. "Think I could handle that."
A long table appeared against one of the walls, filled with interesting-looking dishes and a large punch bowl. Comfortable chairs and low tables materialized nearby. A section of the room got the smoky look that Harry knew meant a Privacy Spell had been used on it, and fiery letters formed a sign on it:
Dance Floor
Enter at your own risk
"Well, let’s get started, then," said Margaret Ravenclaw, descending the steps of the dais and heading for the snack table.
It was an excellent party, in Harry’s opinion. The food was delicious — he especially liked a sort of sweetened cheese dip sprinkled with chocolate and cinnamon, and the crunchy fried flatbread wedges that went with it — and the adults were including him and his friends in their conversations, and not talking down to them. The Pack-parents did this as a matter of course, but very few other adults Harry had met did so.
Al pulled him aside after his first trip to the snack table. "I’m sorry I didn’t tell you who I was before this," he said apologetically. "I thought there’d be time. Even Sophie’s best estimates didn’t have you eight doing this before at least your third year, and here it is not even quite your second yet. What brought this on?"
Harry glanced around. "The Pack told me about a prophecy," he said quietly.
"Ah, yes, that. ‘Born as the seventh month dies’ and all that, right?"
"Right." Harry frowned. "Don’t you know?"
"Know what? About the prophecy?"
Harry nodded.
"Yes, I do, but I didn’t know that they’d told you about it. They sealed the room where they were doing it — we knew they were telling you something, and we guessed it might be that, but we had no way to be sure."
"I thought you were supposed to be all-powerful," said Harry teasingly.
"No, not by a long shot." Al made a face. "Dead boring, that. Wouldn’t ever be any challenges. So you decided to form a Pack-bond because of the prophecy?"
"More or less."
"Good. Excellent. Quite possibly the best thing you could have done." Al looked highly satisfied. "My distant relative won’t have a clue what hit him."
"Your what?"
"The present-day blood Heir of Slytherin. We’re not allowed to tell you who he is, or even that he is a he — could be a female Heir, has been in the past. Or there could be more than one. So keep your eyes open."
Over Al’s shoulder, Harry could see Meghan tugging Neville towards the dance floor. "I will." His eyes came back to Al, and he noticed with surprise that the man looked anxious. "Something wrong?"
"No, nothing’s wrong... but I did want to ask you something."
"Go ahead." Harry took another pretzel off his plate and bit off one of the top loops.
"Well, I need to tell you something first." Al’s eyes flicked around the room, making sure they wouldn’t be overheard. "I wanted you as an Heir. But I was only allowed two, and your godfather and your brother were better picks on qualifications alone. I hope you don’t mind."
"Why should I mind? They’ll make great Heirs of Slytherin."
"Yes, but so would you have. So I want to offer you something. It’s not done very often — all right, I’ll be honest, it’s never been done. But you deserve it. I want to make you a secondary Heir. A kind of cousin to the line, if you like." Al’s voice changed. "You definitely have one qualification they don’t."
Harry grinned. "Which I have no idea how I got, unless I picked it up from Voldemort."
"What, is he teaching classes now? Beginning Parseltongue and Elementary Dark Magic?"
Harry laughed aloud. "I’d be honored," he said in English.
"All right. You heard the spiel back there, so I don’t have to repeat it — don’t do anything to bring shame on the House, or you’ll answer to me, understand?" Al sounded so like Padfoot in his lecturing mode that Harry had to laugh again. "Best of luck with it." He leaned forward and put his hand against Harry’s chest where his newly reformed Pack-pendants hung, and Harry felt a little spark jump from Al to him. For one instant, he felt as if he were being filled with deliberate, cool, green power like water filling a bowl...
"And by the way, the name is Alex. I hate Al."
"So, why did you tell us to call you that, then?"
"Because I didn’t know how much Danger had told you about us, and I didn’t want to give everything away right away. Oh, and you remember when you were asking me about the people who used your Den before you?"
"Yeah."
Alex spread his hands expansively. "All around you."
"You used the Den?"
"We made the Den. Well, not me, or any of the other younger ones — my dad, Rick, Gaga, and Weena. It was their special meeting room."
Harry stared at the man. "Weena?"
"If you ever call her that to her face, I will deny telling you about it," said Alex hastily. "She hates it more than Helga hates Gaga."
Harry took one look at the gracious figure of Rowena Ravenclaw, in earnest discussion with Moony and Letha about something, and started laughing like he’d never stop.
Everything after that seemed to blur into a pleasant mélange of eating, talking, dancing, laughing, music, and light. Harry caught bits and pieces of happenings: Danger was scolding Godric for stealing a line from J.R.R. Tolkien, to which Godric replied, "My dear, who do you think gave Tolkien the line in the first place?" On the dance floor, Meghan was trying to teach Neville how to waltz without stepping on her feet so much, and Padfoot was giving Hermione a refresher on one of the set dances.
Luna and the Ravenclaw daughters were off in a corner, having an earnest and almost unintelligible conversation about animals Harry had never even heard of. Draco and Ron were taking turns tossing nuts into the air for the other one to catch in his mouth. Harry joined them, and so did Alex and Paul Gryffindor and Adam Hufflepuff, and they kept the game going for quite a long time...
xXxXx
Harry blinked, wondering what he was doing on the floor, why the room seemed so small, and why he couldn’t feel one of his legs.
He sat up and got an answer to at least two of his questions. The room seemed small because it was — they were back in Neville’s bedroom. And one of his legs must have gone to sleep as a result of Ginny Weasley’s head resting on it.
And we were on the floor last night when we went to sleep, so we’re still there.
The rest of the Pride lay in various attitudes of rest, still in their rough circle, and all showing signs of beginning to wake up.
The Pride. I like that. Harry smiled down at Ginny’s sleeping form. It was a good idea.
But I wish she’d get over whatever this is that she’s got about me. It’s starting to get annoying.
Ron yawned enormously and opened his eyes. "Morning," he said sleepily.
"Morning." Harry looked out the window at the clear blue sky.
"Happy birthday."
"Thanks." Something was bothering him about that sky, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
"Nice day," Ron observed, sitting up. "No clouds anywhere..."
"Which means we can’t drive back," said Harry, suddenly realizing. "Or at least not in the air."
Ron looked worried. "I can’t drive on the road," he said. "I’ve never driven in traffic. And I don’t look old enough, I’d get pulled over for sure."
Harry groaned. "We should definitely have thought about this before we came."
"Wait," said Ron, frowning in concentration. "Your parents were there last night — in the dream..." He looked over at Harry. "You did have a funny dream about Hogwarts and the Founders, didn’t you?"
Harry nodded. "And naming us honorary Heirs — you and Ginny and I are all Heirs of Gryffindor now."
"Your parents were there with us. And Mrs. Danger asked you how you got here, and Mr. Moony how you knew where it was. So they know we’re here."
Harry felt stupid. "Of course. One of them will come by Floo, or Apparate here, and bring the car back — they all know how to drive — and we can go home by Floo."
"And get started on being punished." Ron grimaced. "I probably won’t see you for the rest of the summer."
Harry shrugged. "It’s only a month. Then we’ll be back to school. New Defense teacher — and the Pack-parents still won’t tell us who — and harder classes, and more Snape."
"We need to prank him extra hard this year," said Draco, opening his eyes. "To make up for not doing it last year."
"How long have you been awake?" asked Ron.
"Long enough to hear Harry talking about school. Did I miss anything?"
"Just that we should probably stay here until one of the Pack-parents comes for us. They know we’re here, and one of them is going to have to take the Weasleys’ car home, since we’re not old enough to drive on the road, and it’s too clear a day for flying."
Draco nodded. "Has anyone looked at your pendants?" he asked. "To see how they’re different?"
"No, not yet." Harry pulled his out of his shirt and stopped in surprise. "One big difference." He held them up for the other boys to see — other cubs, he corrected himself, as Hermione sat up, rubbing her eyes. Three of his pendants now sparkled with a small, multifaceted, translucent red gem, set in a hole directly beneath the one for the chain, so that the gem showed on both sides of the medallion. The fourth had a gem as well, but this one was green.
"Nice," said Draco, pulling out his own. "All mine are green — because of the Heir thing, d’you think?"
"Definitely," said Harry. Ron’s gems were all red, and Hermione’s all blue, bearing out the theory that their color was based on the House they’d been adopted into.
And I have one green one because of the secondary Heir bit...
Ron studied the carvings on his medallions. "This one’s got some Muggle thing on it," he said. "And a muffin tin on the other side."
"Let me see?" Hermione took the pendant from Ron. "That’s a battery, like your dad collects. It’s for your mum and dad. And isn’t that a chess piece down in the corner there? For your granddad?"
"Yeah, it is." Ron looked pleased. "Then there’s one with animals — four of them — a couple of cats, a bird, and a deer..." He turned it over. "And three on this side. Two dog-looking things and a monkey."
"That’s us," said Harry. "The Pride. Wolf, fox, demiguise, cat, lynx, owl, and doe — and hawk, for you, but you won’t have yourself."
"Then this next one — animals again. Lizard with wings, a dragon maybe, and another cat, and a couple of birds on the other side."
"That sounds familiar," said Draco. He scanned his own pendants. "Does it look like this?" He lengthened his chain and tossed the medallions to Ron, who compared them.
"Yes. They’re just alike, no different at all."
Hermione, looking around the room, made a little squealing noise. "Look — isn’t it adorable?"
Harry looked. Meghan was nestled up beside Neville, who had draped one arm over her. She was holding his hand in her sleep.
"That goes a little beyond adorable, into bizarre," said Draco, looking slightly alarmed. "That’s my sister."
"Yes, and Neville’s our Packmate," said Harry. "Or Pridemate, I guess. Sorry, Ron, we got distracted — what were you saying?"
"This third one, with the dragon and the cat and the birds, it’s exactly alike with Draco’s and mine. Do you have it?"
"I think so..." Harry looked over his pendants. "Yes."
"What does it mean?"
Harry frowned, trying to think if the Pack-parents had ever mentioned anything about that particular pendant... "I don’t know, actually. They’ve never said. So we have a mystery. What about your fourth one?"
"It’s blank," said Ron, displaying it. "Just the jewel, no carvings on it at all. What about yours?"
Harry pulled out his fourth one and blinked in surprise. "One side of this used to be blank. Now it’s got... it’s got you, Ron. Look." He handed his friend the pendant. "Right there, flying."
Ron ran his finger over the carving of the hawk, closing his eyes, leaning forward as if he could feel the wind against his face right now.
"And Luna, the owl," said Hermione, examining her own pendant. "And the demiguise for Neville, and the lynx for Ginny..."
As if the sound of her name had penetrated her sleep, Ginny roused. She blinked sleepily at the room for a moment, then sat up with a strangled gasp as she realized where she was lying.
"Did you sleep well?" asked Harry. Ginny nodded, flushing red, and quickly looked somewhere else.
"Will Ginny’s have the same as mine?" asked Ron.
"The same first one," said Harry, electing to look somewhere other than at Ginny, who was obviously distressed by the way she’d spent the night. "Because you’re brother and sister. Danger and Hermione have the same first one. But her other one will be different — she’ll have you, the hawk, but not her, so no lynx."
"How come we don’t have ourselves?"
"Didn’t we ever explain what these are for?" asked Harry in surprise.
"No. Or not a lot. I know they tell you if someone’s in trouble, but not how, not really."
"They change temperature," said Hermione. "They get hot if someone’s upset, and cold if someone’s in danger of dying — like ‘mortal peril’ on your clock. And that person’s carving glows, so you can tell who it is."
"Harry, which of yours has the green one?" asked Draco.
"The one we don’t know much about," said Harry, displaying it. "The one that’s the same for all of us."
"Wonder if that means anything." Draco’s attention was suddenly pulled away as Luna, lying next to him, yawned and stretched. "Good morning," he said to her. "How did you sleep?"
"Very well, thank you. I had an interesting dream." Luna sat up slowly, looking around Neville’s bedroom. "All about Hogwarts and the Founders. You were all there. Did you have it too?"
"Yes, we all did. Can we see your pendants?"
Luna’s gems were blue. Her last pendant, like Ron’s, was blank, and her first one had carvings that baffled Harry. One side looked like a bowl, and the other some odd creature that he’d never seen before.
Luna had no such trouble. "The bowl is for Mum," she said. "For the scrying spell. And that’s a Crumple-Horned Snorkack for Daddy. He’d like to catch one and study it someday."
Hermione bristled up and was about to say something.
"Have a look at mine, Luna," said Draco quickly. "That’s you, right there, the owl."
"I look very wise," said Luna in a pleased voice, studying the carving. "I like it."
"Shouldn’t they be waking up?" asked Ginny quietly, looking at Neville and Meghan.
Hermione frowned. "Yes, they should. Meghan’s a light sleeper, she shouldn’t have slept through all this noise. I wonder what’s going on?"
xXxXx
Heaven...
I’m in heaven...
Neville knew he was dreaming. He had to be dreaming. His feet never moved this surely in real life. And he had never owned anything nearly as nice as the handsome black dress robes he was wearing.
He wasn’t overly eager to wake up.
Especially because he was holding Meghan against him in the pose the song suggested for finding heaven. She wore a blue dress with a corsage of red and yellow roses on her wrist, and she looked older than she was in real life...
And I feel older. Taller.
I wish I had a mirror.
One appeared in front of him, hovering at his eye level and staying in front of him as he rotated in the moves of the dance.
Dreams are great.
He was older. At least fourteen. Which would make Meghan eleven. Three years wasn’t so much difference, really...
"Can I stay here?" he asked wistfully.
"We have to leave soon," Meghan answered without taking her face away from his. "We’ll need to wake up. But we can always come back."
"Tomorrow night, then?"
Now she did pull away, to grin at him. "It’s a date."
The song came to a close as he twirled her expertly, out and back in, and she tilted her face up and planted a kiss on his cheek, making him blush a little.
xXxXx
Remus rang the doorbell of Longbottom House and waited. A few moments passed before the door opened. "Mr. Lupin," Augusta Longbottom greeted him.
"Mrs. Longbottom. I believe you and Neville have some unexpected visitors. I’m here to bring them home."
Mrs. Longbottom frowned. "Not that I know of."
"They may not have come downstairs yet, then," said Remus. "May I come in?"
"Not have come downstairs?" repeated Mrs. Longbottom, stepping aside. "What, may I ask, is going on?"
"Last night, our four, Ron and Ginny Weasley, and Luna Lovegood ‘borrowed’ Arthur Weasley’s car and went for a joyride. I have reason to believe they ended up here. They may well be up in Neville’s bedroom right now."
"Let us see, then." Mrs. Longbottom swept up the stairs, Remus behind her.
A burst of children’s laughter stopped them at the second landing. "It’s a wand shooting flowers!" giggled a voice which Remus had no trouble identifying as Meghan. "And the one on the other side has sparks coming from it!"
Mrs. Longbottom nodded. "It would seem you’re correct."
Neville’s door was shut. Mrs. Longbottom knocked briskly on it.
"Coming!" called Neville’s voice, sounding a bit startled. Two or three thumps and a large amount of scurrying later, Neville opened the door, doing his best to look innocent. "Good morning, Gran, Mr. Lupin."
"Good morning, Neville."
"Hello, Neville," said Remus. "Are you all alone in there, or might there be a few spare children I could have?"
Neville smiled at the joke. "You can come out," he called. "It’s all right."
Cubs appeared from everywhere Remus would have thought to hide, and one or two places he might not have. "Good morning," he said with a smile. "I assume you haven’t had breakfast yet?"
Harry shook his head cautiously.
"Good. Because you’ll be cooking for everyone for a while, Harry, since Danger’s off her feet for a few days. And when you’re not doing that, you’ll be cleaning — and that goes for all of you. You’re about to find out just how much Danger does around the Den when you’re not looking."
"Is that our punishment?" asked Hermione. "Cooking and cleaning?"
"Unless we come up with something better, yes. Though I can’t speak for your mother," he said to Ron and Ginny. "I was instructed to send you straight home, and Molly did not sound pleased with you."
Ron nodded, looking a little unhappy, but as if it were no more than he’d expected.
"And your father would like you to leave a note the next time you go out at night, Luna, but he understands that you were worried about getting everyone else caught, so he’s not going to punish you this time."
Luna accepted this with equanimity, nodding and tucking the necklace she was wearing back into her shirt. Except that it wasn’t just a necklace, Remus realized with a slight shock. Luna was wearing Pack-pendants. Or would hers be Pride-pendants?
This may take some getting used to.
"May the children use your Floo?" he asked Mrs. Longbottom. "I’ll have to drive Arthur’s car back, but there’s no reason they shouldn’t get home quickly."
"Of course. Say goodbye to your friends, Neville."
"Can Neville come and stay with us?" blurted Harry, obviously seizing the moment.
Remus raised an eyebrow. "The day after sneaking out in the middle of the night and stealing a car is not the best time to be asking for favors, Harry..."
"Sorry," mumbled Harry, looking at the floor.
Remus smiled to himself. "But if his gran agrees, I think that could be arranged. Maybe for a week or two near the end of the summer." He looked at Mrs. Longbottom.
"I see no reason why not," she said. "As long as he won’t be any trouble to you."
"No trouble at all. We’ll owl you to work out details."
The children were grinning at each other when they thought he wasn’t looking.