Luna Lovegood and the Chamber of Secrets - Part 12

post by lsusr · 2020-12-31T20:02:33.759Z · LW · GW · 21 comments

"Stupefy," Professor Lockhart said.

Lord Voldemort spat a verbal non-somatic counterspell. He dodged too, just in case.

"Do not do that again," said Lord Voldemort.

Lord Voldemort cast another non-somatic spell. Animated skeleton hands grew from his wrists. He picked up Harry Potter's wand.

"Take a look at this map," Luna said, "Do you see this nargle? It will hunt you forever unless we work together to stop it."

Lord Voldemort's Legilimency tore through Luna's mind.

"It is almost here," said Professor Lockhart.

"Place your hands on my astrolabe," Luna said.

"Rennervate the boy to awaken after we leave," said Lord Voldemort to Professor Lockhart.

---

Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, Chief Warlock Amelia Bones and Auror Mad-Eye Moody burst into Harry Potter's office.

"What did you do this time?" said Auror Moody.

"Nothing," said Harry James Potter-Evans-Verres.

"Uh-huh," said Headmistress McGonagall.

---

The Forgotten Library was a regular heptagon centered around a giant Pensieve. Seven giant shelves radiated toward the corners. The shelves held brown tattered diaries, vials of silvery memories and endless stacks of stationary. Six desks were interlaced in six aisles between the seven shelves. The seventh aisle led to the entrance. Each desk was covered in parchment covered in Luna's handwriting. A flowchart on the far left desk said START HERE in giant letters.

Luna checked the Marauder's Map. The nargle moved faster than it had before.

According to Luna's notes, they had all three components of the ritual: the Sword of Gryffindor, the secrets of Slytherin and the Diadem of Ravenclaw. Lockhart wielded the sword. Lord Voldemort wielded the secrets. Luna placed Ravenclaw's Diadem on her head. The diadem forced Luna's thoughts into coherence.

---

There was an epic battle.

---

The vials had been smashed. The diaries had been burned. Something was missing.

Ravenclaw's horcrux continued to overwrite the Luna personality. Not yet. Luna had unanswered questions. The power of Gryffindor. What had destroyed Atlantis? The intellect of Ravenclaw. Where was Platform Nine and One Half? The secrets of Slytherin. What had happened to the third cauldron? The sacrifice of Hufflepuff.

Luna wondered where the Wrackspurt could have come from. It had to have been there before she shut the door. But the Wrackspurt had not immediately entered Luna's ears when she had first entered the compartment. There may not have been any free Wrackspurts in the compartment when Luna had entered it. Luna's trapped Wrackspurt must have been in someone else's ear.

But who? Luna's eyes slid from one end of her compartment to the other, as if nothing important existed in-between.

Luna never met Kirito on the train. He wasn't sorted into Hufflepuff. He didn't nudge her into exploring the kitchens. He didn't place a blanket over her the night she slept outside the Ravenclaw Common Room. He never founded Smite Club. He never joined Lockhart's dueling club. He didn't sacrifice himself to defeat the nargle. Kirito had never existed.

Where do vanished objects go?

Atlantis had never existed. Platform Nine and one Half had never existed. There had never been a third cauldron.

Why had Luna never worn shoes?

Luna yanked the diadem off her head.

"We just have one more loose end to tie up," said Professor Lockhart. The Sword of Gryffindor cut through Lord Voldemort's wards, counterspells and skull. Lord Voldemort died. Professor Quirrell revived. Professor Quirrell opened a portal to Hell underneath Professor Lockhart. The Sword of Gryffindor clattered to the floor.

"Is there a self-interested reason why I ought not to kill you too before I leave this room?" said Professor Quirrell to Luna.

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