* * * Starring * * *
Emma Watson
"Hermione Granger"
Evanna Lynch
"Luna Lovegood"
Can't Fight the Moonlight
"Streets of London" Copyright © 2008
Episode Seventeen
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters appearing in the series of 'Harry Potter' films, created by author J.K. Rowling. Original characters are copyrighted to the original author (Rupert). This series is posted to Girls Loving Girls with full permission of the author. No copyright infringement is intended or implied.
Feedback: Every author in his or her own way makes it a point to ask for feedback when posting a story, well me I don't usually. But there are several reasons as to why a reader should consider taking the time to give it. The simple fact is that giving some form of feedback is truly the most important thing a reader can do after reading and enjoying a story. Hopefully in the process providing that author with at least one viable reason as to what you liked about the story. This small amount of time spent will no doubt inspire the author to write more and possibly at a quicker pace, knowing that they have a fan base who are waiting on their next works. So thanks for the feedback and please keep it comin.
Summary: None
Original Airdate: April 7, 2009 @ 9:00 p.m.
(following an ALL NEW 'Life as a (horny!) Teenage "Lesbian"')
Story Codes: no sex
Streets of London – Ralph McTell
So how can you tell me you're lonely,
And say for you that the sun don't shine?
Let me take you by the hand and lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something to make you change your mind
And have you seen the old man
Outside the seaman's mission
Memory fading with
The medal ribbons that he wears.
In our winter city,
The rain cries a little pity
For one more forgotten hero
And a world that doesn't care
Hermione and Luna were out walking. It was late in the evening and quite cold. Despite this they were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Luna loved to explore London by foot and she had managed to make Hermione like it as well. Hermione had to admit to herself that she really was like putty in Luna’s hands. If Luna had wanted to go to the moon, Hermione would gladly have followed.
“Ginny called today. She said that Molly had put a spell on the Burrow, keeping me out. Apparently I will turn into a toad if I walk past the gate. Ginny had found out from Arthur and she was kind enough to warn me.” Hermione said with a deep sigh, telling Luna about a conversation she had earlier in the day.
“Yes, Molly is not a very nice person. She really wasn’t very fond of having me play with Ginny.” Luna said.
“That’s horrible! When was this?” Hermione asked in an angered tone.
“It was before we started Hogwarts. I believe she didn’t think I was a good influence on Ginny.”
Hermione was starting to fume with anger. She could handle Molly being angry at her. She really didn’t care and had no intention of returning to the Burrow anyway. But hearing Molly’s opinion on Luna was making Hermione furious.
“Ohh, that self righteous pompous hag. How the hell can she call you a bad influence? You are the best influence in the world.” Hermione half screamed.
Despite Hermione’s anger Luna remained calm.
“One cannot let other opinions matter too much, or else one will be floating with the stream like a log. For me, there are only a few people whose opinion matters.” Luna proclaimed.
“Guess you’re right. As usual. She doesn’t know what’s she’s talking about. She doesn’t know that you’re the most wonderful person in the world.” Hermione said and gave Luna a quick peck on the cheek.
Hermione had expected a kiss in return, but instead Luan suddenly turned towards a dark alley near by.
“What?” Hermione asked.
“Can’t you feel it?”
And then suddenly Hermione could feel it. It was being channelled through Luna, and it wasn’t good. Whatever it was it sent a chill down Hermione’s spine and she felt the darkness with all her body.
“Dark magic.” Luna said with an intense look on her face.
The normal, happy, whimsical Luna was gone. This was Luna the fighter, Luna the warrior. Sensing dark magic really was more of an art than a science and Luna was very good at it. It was almost impossible to do in places like Hogwarts where the air was filled with magic. In the muggle world however where magic was rare it was easier.
“Wait.” Hermione said as Luna made her way through the alley.
“No.” Luna answered in a very determined voice.
Hermione had no choice, but to follow Luna into the alley. Both girls used their wands for light as they slowly explored the alley. Hermione saw him first. It was an old man, tattered and dirty, obviously homeless. He was sitting next to a dumpster, looking straight ahead.
“Hello.” Hermione tried.
There was no reaction. He didn’t move at all. Hermione thought for a moment that he was dead, but then she saw that his chest was moving. Luna sat down in front of him and waved her wand in front of his face, but again there was no reaction.
“He’s empty.” Luna said.
“Empty?”
“Yes. His mind is completely blank. Dark magic has been done to him.”
“You can feel all that?”
“Yes, there is definitely something wrong. I don’t know what spell or who has done it, but it is definitely a wizard or witch who has performed dark magic on him.” Luna spoke quickly and distinctly, very much unlike her usual self.
“We should turn this over to the Aurors. This is what they do.”
Luna looked at Hermione with a displeased look on her face. While Luna had stopped believing in the rotfang conspiracy, she still didn’t trust the ministry. She had often expressed this opinion, but Hermione had usually declined to discuss it for fear of causing a fight between them.
“I do realize we need help, but I really don’t want to involve the ministry.” Luna said with a stern voice.
“Why not? Tell me please why can’t get help from them. I know it was bad back in the old days, but this is a new ministry.”
Hermione could tolerate Luna’s distrust of the ministry in normal situations, but this was no normal situation. This was a potentially dangerous situation after all. For the first time in their relationship Hermione was starting to feel irritated.
“If I told you why you would never believe me.”
“It is some conspiracy is it? You think that the ministry somehow is involved in this don’t you?” Hermione asked.
“Yes.” Luna quickly answered.
“Ohh no. You’re still stuck in believing everything your father tells you. Luna you gotta grow up and find things out for your self for once. It is…”
“I HAVE” Luna snapped.
Luna’s normally calm face was contorted in anger. The young blonde was radiating anger and confidence. Hermione was dumb struck and frankly a little scared.
“I really wish you would have a little more confidence in me. Listen and listen good.” Luna demanded.
Hermione obeyed.
.
“”I have it all back in the apartment. Let’s go back.” Luna said.
She then picked up her phone and dialled.
“Yes, Hello. This is Luna. I have found another one. He really can’t take care of him self. Can you come and pick him up please?”
“Yes, exactly like the others.”
Luna then went on talking giving the address and a few other details before hanging up and turning to Hermione.
“Now we wait for someone to come pick him up.” Luna said in a calm, but determined tone.
“Who did you call?”
“A shelter.” Luna answered curtly.
“What do you mean by another one?”
“Just wait, OK?”
Luna was obviously angry, something Hermione had never experienced before. She had seen Luna in battle of course, but even then Luna wasn’t like this. In battle she was cool and concentrated. Hermione realized of course that the reason for Luna’s anger was the fact that Hermione didn’t trust her on this. However this issue was too important to budge on.
“Luna this is serious. Whatever has happened here is in the jurisdiction of the ministry and they can deal with it. You know very well that I fight for what I believe in, but this is best turned over to the professionals.”
“Don’t you think I know how serious this is?” Luna snapped.
“Yes, but…”
“I know more about this than you think. And that is exactly why I don’t want to call the ministry. Now, we shouldn’t speak any more until we are back in the apartment.” Luna declared.
Hermione was about to speak, but she quickly changed her mind. Luna was right about one thing after all. There was no point in discussing this until Luna had shared what she knew. Hermione tentatively tried to enter Luna’s mind, but found it completely blocked. Luna gave her a glare indicating that there was no point in trying that again. They waited in tense silence for about ten minutes before a car pulled up on the street. A woman in her late fifties stepped out. Luna went to greet her and they spoke for a while before they entered the alley. The woman nodded at Hermione before bending down, trying to contact the man. He was still completely unresponsive.
“We need to leave now. I trust you to take good care of him.” Luna said to the woman.
“Of course.” She answered and gave Luna a warm smile.
Luna then led Hermione out to the street and then into another dark alley. Once safely out of view from anyone else she quickly disapparated. They usually did this together, but Luna was clearly not in the mood for that. Hermione sighed deeply and tried to focus. It was hard with the fight burdening her mind, but she managed it and appeared in Luna’s living room. Luna was not in the room, but she did call out to Hermione from her office. It was a small room cluttered with books and papers that Luna used when she wrote her articles.
“Sit down.” Luna said and made a chair appear.
It moved forward and hit Hermione right in the back of her knees, forcing her to sit down.
“Now, what relay made me disappointed is that you still think I go by unconfirmed rumours. I thought you had a little more confidence in me that that.”
“I’m sorry, it’s just that…”
“Working as a journalist you have to find things out for your self. You don’t think I get that, but I do.”
Hermione realized that there was no point in saying anything until Luna was done. The blonde started to rummage through her desk until she found a paper which she handed to Hermione.
“This is a list off all people who have had their minds emptied just like that man we saw. I have been around to homeless shelters and hospitals and they are all the same. At first I just thought of it as a story for the Quibbler, but it is clearly more serious than that. All except one are still alive; he died in a hospital. Fortunately most of them were found in time. There are also those who have been found frozen to death, some of them might have been erased. It is hard to tell.”
Hermione looked at the list. It contained 19 names in total. It also contained information on when and where they had been found. All dates were from the last few months. It was all written in Luna’s handwriting. While Hermione studied the list Luna handed her a map of London.
“The red dots are where living people have been found. The blue dots are where dead people have found. They had all frozen to death, but what is suspicious is that none of them had tried to cover up. They were all found sitting down, leaning against a wall just like the man we found.”
Hermione nodded in understanding.
“Now do you see a pattern?” Luna asked.
Hermione looked closely. There was indeed a pattern. About a third of the dots could be found very close to an address that Hermione recognised very well. It was that of the Ministry of Magic. Hermione could hardly believe it. She looked back and forth between the list and the map and it was all meticulously done and correct. Based on this evidence Hermione really had to draw the same conclusions. The ministry was somehow involved in this.
“I hope this is enough evidence for you.” Luna said.
“Ohhh, yes. Luna I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you. I really should have trusted you more.” Hermione said with tear-filled eyes.
Hermione rose from her chair and approached Luna. Fortunately Luna was not one to hold a grudge; she threw herself in Hermione’s arms and started to sob.
“It just hurt so much that you didn’t trust me. You remember what I said before that there are only a few people whose opinions matter to me and you are one of them.”
“I’m so so sorry. I will never do that again.”
Luna’s sobbing subsided, but she kept holding on to Hermione, something the former Gryffindor immensely enjoyed. Luna’s soft warm body made all thoughts of the fight and that poor man disappear. Hermione could also feel how Luna’s mind opened up again and Hermione could feel the love flowing from her girlfriend. Hermione lost track on how long the hug lasted, it felt like they both needed it after their first fight. After a while however Luna disentangled herself and spoke.
“I should have told you earlier, but I wanted to be absolutely sure. I know that you demand solid evidence. I am sure now and this is something we have to fix.” Luna said.
“Yes it is. I can do some research tonight, but then I think it is time to bring in some help. And we know exactly who to call don’t we?
Written by
Rupert
Tuesday Night on... "Taboo Tv" (SPRING 2009)
* * 8:00 * *
Life as a (horny!)
Teenage "Lesbian"
* * 9:00 * *
Can't Fight the Moonlight
* * 9:30 * *
The Blackmail Diaries
(Book One)