Chapter 15:
Albus Dumbledore paced back and forth in his office, the soft light of the desk lamp casting long shadows across the room. The normally serene and composed headmaster was visibly agitated, his usually calm demeanor disrupted by the mounting stress.
The storm outside raged on, the relentless wind howling against the windows. His desk was strewn with parchments and reports, but his usual sense of order had disintegrated into chaos. The wards that had once been his domain seemed to have slipped from his control, a matter that had become more pressing with each passing hour. The magical protections around Hogwarts, which he had always used to his advantage was now gone.
To make matters worse, he had recently learned that he was no longer considered Harry Potter's guardian. This revelation had left him feeling powerless he needed the potter money to pay off the Weasley and continue to fund the order of Phoenix
Dumbledore muttered to himself, his voice tinged with frustration. “Why is it that I am no longer the one guiding him? Does he not trust me? How is Luna Fae…?” He trailed off, shaking his head in disbelief. Luna Lovegood, with her unpredictable behavior and seemingly chaotic influence, had all made sense now Merlin help him.
Suddenly a late night owl flew into his office. “Oh what could it be now!” Dumbledore says calmly.
===
"Hello, me," Luna responded with a faint smile, though there was a gravity to the moment that she couldn't ignore.
"Hello, little moon," the other alicorn responded, her gaze piercing.
"So," Luna began, her voice soft but curious, "what needs to be done from here?"
The elder Luna tilted her head, considering her answer before speaking. "Memories. You must find them. They are the key to your past and future, though I cannot tell you exactly where they lie. Such things often hide in plain sight, waiting for you to see them with open eyes."
Luna pondered the cryptic response. "So, I'm to search for what I’ve lost?" she asked.
"Yes," the elder Luna said, her form flickering slightly in the dream’s haze. "Only when you’ve found what has been taken can you move forward and truly unlock your full potential. The answers you seek are closer than you think."
The red moon seemed to pulse with energy as the elder alicorn began to fade, leaving Luna alone once more in the vast emptiness.
===
Harry waited anxiously as Luna stirred awake. He had been holding his breath, worried about what she might have seen or learned.
"So, how did it go?" Harry asked, trying to sound casual despite his concern.
Luna smiled, sitting up and stretching. "It's what I thought it would be, but... I have a quest now."
Harry couldn’t help but chuckle at her tone. "Alright, what’s the quest?"
Luna leaped to her feet, a burst of energy taking over as the moonlight shone through a break in the storm clouds, the rain still pouring outside. Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she dramatically pointed toward the window. "WE ARE GOING TO STEAL THE MOON!" she declared, breaking out into villainous laughter.
Harry stared at her, trying to hold back his amusement. "And what in the world are we going to do with that much cheese, Luna?" he asked, pretending to be serious.
Luna paused mid-laugh, blinking at Harry’s unexpected question. "Cheese?" she repeated, momentarily thrown off by his response.
"Yeah," Harry continued, arms crossed. "I mean, I love cheese, but a whole moon's worth? That seems a bit... excessive."
Luna, regaining her composure, flicked her hair as her own laughter suddenly over whelmed her.
“Harry, who ever said you did not have a sense of humor lied.” Luna says giggling
“Right, well its getting late I feel like we should turn in for the night and maybe continue to explore this quest tomorrow.” Harry says with a smile
Just as the mood seemed to settle, Luna’s laughter faded. Her expression turned serious as she looked at him intently. "Harry... do you want me to join you in your dreams again tonight?"
Harry stilled, considering her offer carefully. "We need to talk about that, actually," he said softly. "There’s something going on in my dreams, something I don’t understand. If you feel like you need to come into them, I trust you, but… just be careful."
Luna nodded solemnly, sensing the weight of his words. As Harry stepped closer, he brushed a stray strand of hair from her face and gently kissed her forehead.
"I'll be careful," she whispered. "We’ll figure this out, Harry. Together."