Chapter - 19 : Preperation Part - 2

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After dinner in the Ravenclaw common room was an opportunity to get some work done. A substantial portion of the House gathered at the tables, read the books (everyone who didn't know for certain suspected the Ravenclaws had their own library up in their tower), and did their study, both assigned and optional.

However, a new figure came walking in to the common room, having answered the riddle at the entrance way. Those who saw him fell silent, and a circle of silence spread as the regular whispered tutoring ceased and more and more looked up to see the cause of this disruption.

Harry Potter stepped out into the blue carpeted room, wearing the Diadem of Ravenclaw glimmering on his head, an unmistakable aura of magic around him that none could readily identify.

The Boy Who Lived walked calmly over the carpeted floor, to a somewhat dim (and thus, unpopular) corner, where a young lady with blonde hair had been at a chipped table doing her homework, all alone.

Harry placed his hand carefully on Luna's shoulder in an obvious gesture of friendship, and faced the room. "This young lady has done me a tremendous service. I owe her, and will hear of it if she is... not treated well."

Eyes grew round as the boy subtly shifted his position and general realization spread that he was also wearing the Sword of Gryffindor sheathed at his hip.

The boy popped the top off a bottle of pumpkin juice, acting just as if an entire room was not staring at him, and poured from the bottle into a golden cup, which he offered to Luna. "Care for a drink?"

She shot him startled eyes, then nodded, accepted the cup and drank, then offered it gingerly back.

Harry accepted back the goblet, gave her a smile, nodded to her, and left as casually as if he'd visited the place every day and was not the center of attention.

On the threshold he paused, and as if just having thought of something, and leaned back to call into the room, "Oh, and I'll be holding a study group of my own later this month to share a few things I've picked up. You're all welcome to come, of course. Luna will have all the necessary contact information once I start setting it up."

Once he'd gone Luna was predictably swarmed with curious Ravenclaws, and among the invitations to share better tables, offers to study partner, and girls slipping off to return stolen things to Luna's trunk, one question came in from an innocent first year who'd never done Luna any wrong.

"Why did that man offer you a drink? Were you thirsty?"

The blonde looked down on a girl, only a year or so younger than her, gazing back at her innocently. After desperately thinking of something to say, she swallowed heavily and settled on the truth. "When someone offers you a chance to drink from a chalice as sought after and rare as the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff, there's no polite way to refuse."

Shocked silence spread outward as if from a physical blast of pressure.

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"You realize you've just stepped out of reality and into the realm of myth, don't you?" Hermione asked, teasingly hefting her books, which she clutched to her chest in an effort to hide her growing attraction, despite the thick robes doing it for her. Tossing her hair, she added, "I mean, at first you were just The-Boy-Who-Lived, and only person ever recorded to have survived a killing curse. Now you're the first person to be seen with the Diadem of Ravenclaw since the Founder herself died, and as if that weren't enough, you had to show off your possession of artifacts of two more. People will be half expecting you to be conversing with Merlin in the halls!"

Hermione flicked more hair out of her face. "What with that 'Heir of Slytherin' nonsense going on last year, people will think you are the heir to all four of the Founders."

"If I could've arranged it, I would've worn Slytherin's locket in there as well." Harry told her in reply, hurrying her along a corridor. "I know that cave where it's hidden, but couldn't get away for long enough to retrieve it.

Hermione looked on him in confusion. "But why do you want people to be all excited about you? There will be more books about you before the year is out, I'm certain of it! Whatever happened to wanting to be 'just Harry'?"

He gave her a warm smile in return, and continued hustling her along under the cover of his invisibility cloak. Wherever place he wanted to go, he wanted to get there in a hurry. "Everyone capable of seeing 'just Harry' already knows me that way. And that person is you. I think it's time for everyone else to see some glimpses of The-Boy-Who-Lived they've been looking for. I've been disappointing them on that point for years."

"You know, Ron sees you as you are," Hermione defended. But her companion vigorously shook his head.

"No," Harry disagreed. "Tell me, how many empty compartments did you pass by on your search for Neville's toad, on our train ride that first year?"

"Dozens." Hermione shrugged in confusion. "It wasn't very full. They can't pack the train too full, for fear of pressing students who don't get along too tightly together, and starting conflicts. They also can't tell beforehand how many friends will want to share compartments, as opposed to couples who want to be alone together, so there has to be some wiggle room. And that year it was very open, with lots of people clustered together."

Harry nodded, still speeding them along stealthily. "When Ron stuck his head in the door of my compartment, he said everywhere else was full. Plus, I was left outside the platform without instructions as to how to get on, when his mother came by using wizard only words like 'muggle' and asking her children to tell her the number for the platform. I latched onto them and they helped me on. Now, can you tell me what's suspicious about that?"

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