11

Pain. That's what he felt as he tried to resist the groggy feeling in his body. A tiredness he never had experienced before struck his back, making him buckle into the bed as he tried to sit up. A groan reached his ears, he recognized the voice.

"Ron?"

"Yeah mate?"

"Have you catched that Hippogriff's number?"

"You're the one wearing glasses."

Harry Potter wheezed from pain as he tried to laugh, making the redhead chortle.

"I've finally got the last laugh-!" A pillow hit him square in the face, muffling his voice.

"Shut up, Weasley." Seamus Finnigan grimaced, his head and right arm hanging down from the bed after the throw.

Coughing, Harry put his pair of round glasses crookedly on his nose. He looked around the dorm and glanced towards his friends in confusion.

"When did we come back?"

"You don't remember as well?"

Neville walked up with a limp and helped Harry stand up. They almost fell to the floor, however the raven haired boy leaned against the nearby chair, saving them both from embarrassment.

"You've overdone yourself, Potter." Dean Thomas snickered from between the sheets of his bed. "Maybe we should unionize."

"Younion eyes?"

"Never mind."

After a quick stop at the bathroom the boys eventually got down the stairs. Seeing the familiar mop of bushy hair, Harry approached the couch from behind.

"I can hear you, Harry." said Hermione with audible hoarseness in her throat.

"Did you tire yourself out by yelling at me." She could feel his smile as he placed his lips on her right temple.

"I am a little bit under the weather... maybe?" She cutely scrunched her nose.

"You ought to keep your man on a leash, Granger." Parvati chimed from the loveseat next to them.

"I'm all in for a wild night, but only if I remember it." Lavender said in her unnecessary sultry tone.

"Brown!" The men in room chuckled at Hermione's dirty look towards the blonde.

"It seems we all had a great time." Ron gulped, seeing the flirtatious gaze of Lavender.

"We should go." Hermione took Harry's hand.

"Yeah, it's going to be one long ride down." Harry remarked.

While traversing the unnecessarily difficult today staircases, they're getting funny looks from the rest of the school. It wasn't everyday you could see a platoon of groaning and eeping students riding a staircase, clinging on the handrails for their dear lives. The Griffindors woobled under the chattering and giggling into the Great Hall.

"The Puffs aren't better themselves." Ron commented.

Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott were leaning with their elbows against the table, an unusual sight for sure. Harry noticed every single DA member facing a challenge with keeping their backs straight. Almost everyone that is.

"Luna is quite foward today." Harry couldn't help but smile, seeing the girl sitting casually on Benedict's lap, so close to the staff's table. However, he wondered why did the older teen have such a sour face.

"Where does she keep those puddings?" Hermione saw two small towers of bowls piled up before the small Ravenclaw.

"Maybe its the second, third and forth stomach for desserts of legends." Harry chuckled.

"Wish I had that." Lavender watched the small blonde continue eating with gusto.

"You look great... Lavender."

"Why thank you, Ron." She fluttered her eyelashes at the stuttering redheaded mess of a teen.

Harry and Hermione grinned, seeing the not so hidden display between them.

"Should we have a double date, next Hogsmeade weekend?" Harry whispered into her ear, after helping her sit down.

"Matchmaking?" She asked with a playful smirk. "I'll mention it later."

The Weasley twins whistled and saluted the younger pair as they sat at the opposite side of the table.

"Wood would've been proud, Harrikins." Fred wiggled his brows

"You would've won his approval for being so ruthless." said George without skipping a beat.

"Thanks... I guess." Harry didn't know whether they were once again trying their best at similar sounding words or was his head so tired that everything sounded like rumbling nonsense.

Trying to smear butter with trembling hands quickly got stale, leaving no choice but to chow down on the crispy fresh baked bread, curtesy of the hardworking elves. Taking a sip of tea every now and then to make the food pass faster Harry tried to make head or tail of yesterday's night.

"I keep forgetting something." His quiet whisper was overheard by the nearby Neville Longbottom.

"First time, huh?" The boy has been making major strides lately, something that made Harry's endeavors even more worthwhile.

"Hmm..." Harry Potter acknowledged the statement with a resigned nod. He didn't like this at all.

"We should hurry up." Hermione's gaze tried to burn the offending morning edition of The Prophet. Another smear campaign was launched by the lovely editors of Diagon Alley's greatest toe rags.

"Another one saying how I'm the new Dark Lord?" Her boyfriend asked.

A moving picture of one Dolores standing before a crowd of wizards and witches took the whole front page. The title "Historical downfall of Wizarding Education" in bold promised another side dish of hogwash.

"Now she's blaming muggleborn for it. Quite rich coming from the worst teacher of DADA."

"Yeah, even Puddletwick has some worthy pros. Like sleeping during our lessons." George snored, mocking the substitute they've got from the Ministry.

"At least you have free time." Ron scowled, trying to bite the sandwich and not his poor hurting fingers. "We lot have to endure his insisted slew of family photos. I don't want to see Madam Scorchmender again."

"What, didn't like her collection of shoes?" asked Seamus.

"She has bloody Pixie heads as the tips. What are you on, mate?"

"It does sound funny though." Ginny snickered. "Especially since they cry each time she supposedly stubs her toe."

"Vile that woman." Dean Thomas couldn't help but shiver at the thought that she might have just done that in spite.

"Personally I find it funny." Neville chimed in, blushing in the process.

"Gilderoy flashbacks at this hour?" Parvati sighed. "Nothing but regrets."

"Yeah, should've pressed harder for those hair charms of his." Lavender added.

The Griffindors laughed, triggering a row of short yelps of pain.

-------

"This is just wonderful." said Professor Flitwick in his usual cheerful manner, holding a piece of parchment.

"This is why we'd like to apply for leave on December 3rd, sir." Benedict smiled.

"I understand why Ms. Lovegood as she's family." The small teacher looked perplexed. "However, why you as well Mr. Everest?"

"For convenience, Mr. Flitwick. Apparently, I need a bodyguard." Luna's calm voice sent chills up the men's spines. Flitwick's gaze moved towards Benedict, looking for an explanation, however the youth wasn't looking too keen on giving one.

"And I think its befitting of a Head Boy to congratulate personally, on behalf of Hogwarts for the wonderful miracle of birthing triplets. I believe its been almost 200 years since we've had that in our community." Benedict replied.

"226 to be exact." The blonde added.

"Well... alright then." The wizard chuckled. "Since both of you are so vocal about this I'll allow it. Should I apply for the usage of the castle's Floo Network?"

"It'd be much appreciated, Professor." Benedict bowed.

Having gotten what they had came for the pair excused themselves from the office, wishing goodnight to their head of house. The journey back to their dorm went on in an awkward silence, until the older teen finally caved in.

"I already said I'm sorry... Luna."

The blonde almost smiled seeing the pitiful gaze, his eyes reflecting warm wisps of nearby candlelight.

"You can't always solve my problems, Benny." She locked her arm around his. "I'm not a burden."

"I don't-?" He stopped, Luna's delicate finger touching his lips.

"I know." She backed her hand. "However, I want you to promise me something."

Benedict Everest cursed as they got closer to the dorms entrance. Luna left him hanging, not divulging anything. Seeing her triumphant wry smile he just wanted to pinch the living hell of her dimpled cheeks.

"If you're done planning your own demise," she released his arm and faced him, "then I want you to promise me one thing."

"Hopefully it's not more puddings. I'll let you know that I take your health seriously, you little rabbit." His eyes focused on hers, challenging her.

"I'll eat what I need, Sparky." She stepped closer, her smile changing into a more somber one. "Promise me... that you'll never leave me behind."

"Never? Even I can't defy death my Marshmallow Queen." He patted her head, slowly but with care. "But sure, I promise to not leave you alone."

"That'll suffice, I suppose." That wasn't quite the answer she was hoping for. "I'll have to ask mom on how to handle you."

"That confidant?"

"She had straightened out Daddy after all." She leaped into the passageway, humming a soft tune.

"I don't the sound of that...not one bit." Resigned he followed, the entrance closing right behind him.

-----

Harry Potter's fingers were nervously twitching around his wand as he was walking through the dark corridors of Hogwarts. He slipped out of the dorm in the middle of the night, his trusty invisible cloak shielding him from the prying eyes of various portraits. The whole day he felt that something was out of place. He couldn't remember anything, no matter how much he tried and he wasn't alone in this. However, why didn't anyone question it? Why almost nobody had entertained the thought that something must have gone wrong? Did they all experienced a wide spread magical accident while training? Or was something more foul at play? Harry sweated against the wall as he almost lost his balance, regret started sinking in as he had done it again; charging into danger like a fool.

'Hermione will kill me for sure after this.' He quickened his steps, his target almost in reach.

'I need answers.'

The familiar seventh corridor's tapestry stood before him. After steeling his resolve he walked back and forth, thinking about the club's usual training spot. However, no matter how many times he walked the wall wasn't showing any signs of changing. He reckoned it was because his thoughts were too jumbled for the magic to capture his intent. After taking a deep breath and counting to ten he got his mind cleared. Once again he passed the tapestry left and right, however to no avail.

'Is the room gone?' He touched the cold surface af the wall. 'If so... then we have a problem.'