Harry gazed up at the rook-shaped building in front of him. It looked more serene during the day, when not surrounded by death eaters, and engulfed by fiendfyre.
"Look Harry. These are our dirigible plum bushes." Luna danced like a fae from stories of old around the magical and mundane plants that littered the rookery's garden. All she needed was the flowers in her hair and the tendency to claw her way through people's intestines.
"Interesting plant. I don't think I've seen them before. Do they have magical properties?"
"Their fruit enhances your ability to accept the extraordinary."
"Really?"
She paused by one of the bushes. "You sound like you're having problems believing it." she plucked one off the bush and proffered it to him. "Would you like one?"
"Oh, I believe it. Umm… could I take it and eat it later?"
"That's probably a good idea, Harry. They're poisonous if not cooked before eating."
He coughed, and looked down at the fruit he'd just accepted from Luna. He wondered if she'd have told him that before he'd started to chow down. He had a bezoar in his bag, but getting poisoned still wasn't on his to-do list. He carefully put the fruit into his bag. "Thank you Luna. Do you eat them?"
"Oh yes."
He grinned. A plant that made you more gullible would definitely come in useful, especially if the noble house rings didn't block it.
"A Nargle just appeared by your head, Harry."
"Oh?"
"Oops, it just got eaten by a kerfuffling scribblebug." She smiled a dreamy smile. "They're really very useful."
He shook his head. Being around Luna was an experience. He'd been in Voldemort's head for years, but Luna's presence was surreal.
"Are we going to see the back garden too?"
Luna beamed at him. "Yes, Harry."
Harry stalked his prey down Diagon Alley like a lion stalks an antelope. His quarry spent a few minutes window-shopping the quidditch store, another ten minutes eating an ice cream in Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, before finally stepping into Flourish and Blotts.
He crept, unseen, through the rows of books, keeping an eye on the long black hair that swept around corners. Its wearer was clearly looking for something specific. Something that would get it into trouble if found buying it. Why else would she be alone?
The girl spent a long time looking at one book in particular. From two bookshelves away, he recognised the oversized tome as Hatcher Romulo's Updated Compendium of Defence Against the Dark Arts. She tucked it under her arm, walked to the counter, head held high, and proceeded to have a loud argument with the store clerk, who refused to sell her a book restricted to those who were of age.
Eventually, frustrated, the girl gave up and left the store in a huff.
Opportunity.
He swigged an ageing potion, ghosted to the counter, bought the book the girl had left behind, causing more than a slight eyebrow raise from the clerk, and left the store, drawing his hood up over his head to hide his face.
He'd been waiting a long time for a good moment to slip Alexandra Black a private invitation to a Greengrass party. This would do fine. He lifted a small envelope from his bag, and slipped it just behind the tome's front cover. His rapid footsteps soon caught up with the Black heiress outside a junk store.
"Heiress Black."
She hesitated before turning. Even her shoulders looked guilty.
"Here." He handed over the book, which she took in stunned silence. "Next time, use one of these." He wiggled another ageing potion before turning to leave."
"Wait!" He heard Alexandra call from behind him, "Who are y—."
He disapparated with a *crack*.
Harry was impressed.
He sat, cross-legged, opposite Luna who was likewise seated.
"Your occlumency barriers are very good Luna."
"Thank you, Harry. Mummy always insists I work hard on them."
"Have you ever thought about taking the next logical step and learning wandless magic? With the level you're at it shouldn't be that difficult."
"But I don't have anyone who can teach me wandless magic. Could you teach me wandless magic, Harry?"
"I- yes. Yes I can, Luna."
"Yay. I like being your friend, Harry."
Harry made another mental notch on his surreal-Luna-Lovegood-moment tally.
"I like being your friend too. You make it very easy." And he meant it. Luna was so open and accepting of everything. Maybe it was time to take the next step.
"Luna, I need to tell you something."
"What do you need to tell me, Harry?"
"I don't really look like this."
"Oh? What do you really look like?"
"Like this." He swigged a liquid finite.
"You look like Harry Potter."
"Yes I— wait what?"
"Well obviously you sort of look like John Potter, but John Potter doesn't have that scar on his forehead, so the only thing you can look like is Harry Potter."
"But, you know about Harry Potter?"
"I know he's a nice boy who's going to teach me wandless magic."
"I- right. That works. Let's go with that."
That little exchange was surely worth at least three notches.
Adult-Lord-Slytherin-Harry, complete with black and emerald mask, stood in the grand ballroom of Greengrass Manor, sipping on a glass of white. Child-Daphne stood to his side, sipping on a glass of pumpkin juice, scanning the hall for interestingness. The party had started a good hour ago, and one guest in particular had yet to show.
.
.
.
🍀Visit my site at tiendup for more advanced content...🍀
🍀Read the complete novel in PDF, available at my Store!🍀
https://sunflowersfic.tiendup.com/