Unofficial Portkey Archive

Luna Lovegood skipped merrily down the corridors of Hogwarts, ignoring the snickers of her fellow students when they saw her and whistling her favorite tune 'Weasley Is Our King' under her breath. She hadn't seen or talked to Ron since their chance meeting in the Room of Requirement but this did not faze her. That brief kiss had kept her spirits up and she found herself daydreaming even more than usual, if that was possible, about what it would be like to be Ronald Weasley's girlfriend.

Luna had been infatuated with him the moment she saw him on the Hogwarts Express at the beginning of her fourth year. The infatuation had grown to a crush and the crush had grown to....well....maybe not love but something close to it. She was able to hide her feelings behind her dreamy exterior and her subtle hints but even she found it hard to stop blushing whenever his eyes caught hers by chance. Luna had finally begun to convince herself that he felt nothing for her, especially after he had started dating Lavender Brown at the end of last year, but that kiss in the Room of Requirement had opened the door to her hopes once more. Maybe, just maybe, Ron felt something for her as well. Yes, he had run away from her right afterwards but it was he who kissed her. Nothing could erase that fact.

Luna had received a note by owl that morning at breakfast from Professor Dumbledore, telling her to come by his office at 7 o'clock for a short meeting. At first, she had been very curious but the thoughts of the meeting were promptly driven out of her mind as soon as Ron had walked into the Great Hall that morning with Lavender, Harry, and Hermione. Those blue eyes of his could just put her in an absolute daze. She so wished for the kind of relationship that Harry and Hermione had just acquired. Completely trusting and full of understanding and friendship.

As she continued to daydream, she noticed she had skipped right past the gargoyle that blocked the passage to Dumbledore's study. Luna retraced her steps and was about to say the password that had been written in the note, when angry voices caught her attention and she froze, listening curiously. The voices were coming from a corridor that was to the right of the gargoyle. Luna strained to hear the words but didn't have to wait too long when a shrill voice blasted toward her.

"What do you mean you can't do anything again tonight!? Lavender Brown's voice echoed angrily. "You can never do anything anymore, Ron, you're always busy it seems now. Yesterday, the day before, the day before that. What the bloody hell have you been doing and don't lie to me!"

Luna couldn't hear Ron's response except for a faint mumble of incoherent words. She heard Lavender give a snort of disbelief. "Meetings! That's the best you can come up with? Bullocks! You can't tell me you've suddenly become so important that you have been requested to attend a meeting every night this week?!"

"That was a low blow, Lav," Ron said in a now clearer voice filled with hurt.

A short silence followed this statement and Luna heard Lavender sigh. "I know, Ron, I'm sorry. I'm just upset. I'm your girlfriend for goodness sake! You can't even find time for me anymore, I thought you cared about me." There was a slight sniffle noise.

"I do care, Lav, it's just...well...I've been preoccupied...with....things," Ron said vaguely, an uncomfortable note in his voice.

"Just answer me this one question," Lavender snapped, back to her brisk tone, "Is it...is it another....girl?"

"Ah...well...no....no, not another girl...definitely not." But Luna could hear the panic in his voice and would bet anything his ears were turning red at the moment, like they always did when he was in a tight spot.

"Ronald Weasley!" Lavender yelled shrilly, "Do not lie to me!"

Ron started muttering more words under his breath and if Luna had been standing in sight of him, she would have seen that his face was the color of his hair and he was wringing his hands nervously, not daring to stare a fuming Lavender in the eyes. "No, Lav. There's no girl, honestly! Well.....not exactly any girl."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"Exactly what I said," Ron replied, seeming a little more confident, "I'm not dating anyone else, if that's what you think."

"Then if you're not dating anyone else, what did happen to make you so nervous?" Lavender said quietly, as if fearing the answer.

Luna held her breath. Would he tell his girlfriend the truth? Would he risk his relationship over the simple kiss they had shared? Luna bit her lip, feeling frightened. As much as she felt bad for Lavender, a small part of her wished Ron would say something and then Lavender would dump him and she would be free, free to finally admit her feelings, if Ron would listen and not be the dense idiot he usually was.

Ron knew he was in a bind. He could lie to Lavender but she had gotten as good as Hermione and could always tell when he was lying. He knew he should tell her the truth but the consequences....well...he shuddered to think about them.

So Ron mumbled a reply that sounded something like, "Rorequirekisslunlovgo."

"What? What was that?" Lavender said impatiently, tapping her foot on the stone floor.

Ron breathed deeply and Luna's heart stopped momentarily. "I...I went to the Room of Requirement and I...I ki...kissed....Loon.....I mean Luna....Lo...Lovegood."

There was a very pregnant pause where Luna heard her heart start beating rapidly once more. Lavender's foot tapping had ceased and a silence so deep filled the area that Luna felt like screaming. Then a sound ripped through the silence like a gunshot. SMACK!

Luna jumped in surprise and her blue eyes almost bugged out of her head. A stumbling sound of a person hitting the wall was made and Ron's voice came out again. "Bloody.....Lav! Wait!"

Footsteps greeted Luna's ears and in a flash she hid behind the other side of the gargoyle, watching the scene unfold. Lavender emerged from the corridor, red in the face and silent tears falling from her eyes. A disheveled looking Ron sped after her and when he grabbed her arm she wrenched it away.

"Don't touch me," she spat, looking so hurt Luna momentarily felt bad for her, "I can't believe you! You cheated on me!"

"But --" Ron started.

"No," Lavender raised her hand up, "there is no excuse. We're over, Ron, over! Maybe in time I'll learn to forgive you and we can be friends again but for now, stay away from me." And bowing her head, she walked away toward the Gryffindor Common Room.

Luna was shocked at how well she took it, expecting Lavender to scream and shout and throw a temper tantrum. I guess she grew up, she thought.

Ron was standing still in the middle of the hall, clutching his red cheek and looking aghast. Luna stepped out from behind the gargoyle and approached him. "Something the matter, Ronald?" she said dreamily.

Ron started and then glared at her. "You were listening, weren't you?" he said bitterly, "Come to have a good laugh at me now?"

"Listening to what?" Luna replied vaguely, "Your little shouting match? Ah well, can't say I didn't see it coming."

Ron turned red once more and snapped, "How would you know? Its not like you pay attention nor care about my life!"

"I care more than you know," Luna said quietly under her breath.

"What?" Ron snapped again. He was angry, really angry. The girl that had ended his relationship had to hear it end and know she was the reason. What was he, cursed? He huffed loudly and continued to glare at her.

"Nothing," she said serenely, staring at him in that dazed way of hers.

Ron snorted and walked around her to the gargoyle. "'Chocolate Frog,'" he said dully. As he stepped onto the staircase he finally realized who was following him. "What are you doing?" he said suspiciously.

"Going to see Professor Dumbledore," was the response.

"Why?" he asked as they reached the wooden door that led into Dumbledore's study.

"I received a note at breakfast telling me to come here at 7."

Ron stared at her incredulously. "You received that note as well?" he said before he could stop himself.

"Yes, I guess it would seem so. I wonder what it is all about." Luna's large blue eyes lit up suddenly and an even dreamier looked passed over her face. "Oh! Maybe Dumbledore found some Shnorkles! Wait until Daddy hears about this!"

Ron snorted again. "Yeah, I bet it's Shnorkles! You know I'm so interested in them!" he said sarcastically.

Luna gave him a heated look. "Deny it all you want, Ronald, but there are so many creatures that exist that you refuse to acknowledge. One day though, you will see...."

Ron gave her a bored look. "Sure, Luna. Now will you open the door, I'd love to hear the real reason why we were called here."

Luna ignored the remark and knocked on the door before it slowly creaked open. They immediately noticed Dumbledore sitting behind his desk, stroking his Phoenix, Fawkes, as he chatted lightly with the two other students before him, Hannah Abbott from Hufflepuff and Blaise Zabini from Slytherin. The two kept exchanging dirty looks every few minutes, which didn't go unnoticed by Dumbledore, who was trying to hide a smile.

Ron, who was still smarting from his breakup with Lavender, glared grumpily at Blaise, who sneered back in response. Dumbledore looked up and smiled brightly. "Ah! Miss Lovegood and Mister Weasley! I'm so glad you could join us! Please, take a seat!" And like the day before, he flicked his wand and two more plush chairs appeared, which the new arrivals sat in. Ron crossed his arms over his chest and set his face. He had been looking forward to the meeting but now that he was here, he just wanted to leave and be alone for awhile. Having Luna and a Slytherin in the room wasn't helping matters.

Dumbledore either didn't notice the tension in the room or chose to ignore it. He smiled at the four very different students and hoped they would be eager to join in his plan. He had thought of the idea some time ago, believing it to be suitable and necessary. He wanted the Four Heirs to succeed and he truly believed that they would but he also thought they might need a little something extra. Assigning a student from each specific House to an Heir as a sort of partner and helper may be just the thing. True, the Four Heirs needed to learn to trust each other but with their friends there, the transition may be easier and Dumbledore knew these four other students in front of him were very powerful as well. Their skills would be useful in the fight against Voldemort and the bond of friendship they all could form would help even more.

"Well," Dumbledore said finally, "I'm sure you have heard of the rumor of the Four Heirs of the Founders being discovered. It is no longer a rumor actually, it is fact, as a couple of you know." He nodded to Ron and Luna, who nodded back. "If you have noticed, you are each from a different House, I did this on purpose. Though the Four Heirs are extremely powerful and must learn to trust and respect one another, I also think that strong bonds of friendship must be kept and made at all costs. You all know the Four Heirs and are friends with them."

Blaise gave a cough and smirked at Ron, who gave him a disgusted look and rolled his eyes. Dumbledore did notice this and sighed. "Well, friends with some of them," he said blandly, eyeing the students. He cleared his throat and continued. "The connection between friends is some of the most powerful magic and can form very potent and hard to break shields around the people it involves. Though that bond lies slightly within the Heirs, it is still not completely there and that slight fracture could cause immense damage. I believe, if I send each of you to train with the Heirs and stay with them, that the connection could become even stronger and all of you may be able to bring together severed ends."

Dumbledore paused, the four students watching him with blank expressions, trying to absorb his news. "Of course, you will not leave right away, not with the Heirs themselves, who leave sometime tomorrow for their training area, but you will be taken there shortly afterward."

Hannah finally found her voice and spoke. "Professor, are you sure this is a good idea? I mean....what good can we do?"

"Miss Abbott, you four are more powerful then you know. Each of you are top students in your House, yes, even you, Mister Weasley," Dumbledore said as Ron made to open his mouth. He snapped it shut and blinked, looking taken aback. "I am purely going on instinct with this matter. I believe it will turn out to be for the best in the end. As I said before, friendship is a strong, deep connection, much like love, for in a way, it is love. That connection will be needed to help the Four Heirs through their many trials and though they have each other, like I said, you four might just be the way for them to bond together."

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair and watched their faces. They all seemed confused and apprehensive though slowly, looks of determination spread over their faces, though that dreamy look never truly left Luna. Ron still looked a little unsure about his abilities but he squared his shoulders and set his jaw, showing he was prepared for the challenge. Finally, the chance for him to prove his worth as a friend and as a skilled wizard.

"Well, I don't know about everyone else here, but I'm willing," Ron said through the silence, "I'll always be there for my friends and I definitely won't leave them now." Murmurs of agreement from the other three followed his statement and he briefly glanced Luna giving him a look of pride from the corner of his eye. He felt himself blushing and quickly looked away from her. Why is Luna Lovegood making me blush? he thought, squirming uncomfortably.

"Very good!" Dumbledore exclaimed, seeming extremely pleased. "Mister Zabini, you'll be partnered with Draco. Miss Abbott, you are with Ginny. Miss Lovegood, Hermione is with you. And Mister Weasley, naturally, Harry is your partner. I trust that each of you will support your friends through this difficult and trying time for them. They will need each of you. You may not be able to study everything they are but you will train for battle and prepare as if you will be fighting Voldemort yourselves." Ron shuddered involuntarily at the name and shifted his gaze around anxiously, as if expecting Voldemort to jump on top of him. Blaise smirked once more and forced a laugh down, not wanting to upset Dumbledore.

Blaise was a Slytherin but he was no Draco. He could be quite the arrogant, self-centered bastard when he wanted to be but there was a slight goodness to him that wasn't found in the usual Slytherin. He was cunning, yes, but not evil, part of the reason why he wasn't so popular among the Slytherins. He got along with Draco but that was only because Draco had took the time to understand Blaise a little. Draco, the most hated guy in the school, did, in fact, have a small soft spot on that cold heart of his. Something Blaise knew, if he ever told anyone, he would suddenly have to fear for his life. No one took Draco Malfoy's threats lightly.

Dumbledore broke through Blaise's thoughts. "Well, that's settled. I will hold a meeting once more when I want you four to start to prepare for your own move to Illustris, the training grounds. For now, your regular studies shall continue but, I warn you, tell no one of this. There are many people within these walls and outside these walls that would love to see Hogwarts brought to destruction. This must not happen. Tell no one, not even the Heirs, they will learn in due time. Act as if nothing shall happen and I will contact you again. Now, off to your Common Rooms! Class tomorrow!" Dumbledore smiled once more at them and they all got up to leave. "Ah, Mister Weasley? May I have a private word with you?"

"Oh, um....sure, Professor," he said quickly before dropping back down in his seat. Luna smiled vaguely at him again before sweeping from the room and once more, Ron felt that funny tug in his stomach and red creeped up his neck again. Bloody hell, he thought.

Once the door shut behind Hannah, Ron turned to Dumbledore and raised his eyebrows questioningly. Dumbledore watched him carefully before saying, "Mister Weasley..ah...well...Ron, I just wanted to say that you should never sell yourself short. I know that you doubt your abilities as a wizard with being a friend of Harry Potter's and Hermione Granger's, both of them amazing in magic, but you too, are a powerful wizard. Maybe not in the same way as Harry and Hermione but you will find you will be needed by them eventually. Your friendship is a greater value then you realize and both of them would not be where they are today without you. Do understand this, I know it may be hard to believe, but you are gifted. Never, ever doubt that." Dumbledore stared seriously at Ron, who was biting his lip, looking almost close to tears.

"Thank you, Professor," he whispered, "I needed to hear that."

Dumbledore smiled gently. "I know. Very well, off you go now."

Ron stood up and walked to the door, feeling a great deal better suddenly. His foot almost out the door, the voice behind him stopped him mid-stride. "Oh, and Mister Weasley," Dumbledore said quickly, "you might want to snatch up the young Ravenclaw while you have the chance."

Ron sputtered and turned sharply to Dumbledore, who merely winked at him. Not able to form a response, Ron left the room dumbfounded, leaving a highly amused Professor.

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Author's Note: Hugs and kisses to all of you for your continuous support and your absolutely amazing reviews! You guys bring me to tears practically. I never thought this story would go off so well and I am so please it has. Oh, I can not thank you guys enough! :)

I forgot to mention in the last author's note about whether anyone got the meaning of the title for chapter 10 right....there was actually a double meaning. One reviewer got the first meaning so cheers to NateP for picking up that! Many other people got the second meaning about how together, H/Hr's love for each other will heal many scars like phoenix tears, so, thumbs up to those people. :)

Thank you to everyone for telling me to ignore reviewers that are so nasty. I know I should but sometimes a certain review can really hit you wrong. Thanks for the support though, you guys are, as always, amazing!

Ah...and to crzy4Dan: I know you said no promises but wow, you'd really consider that?! I know I don't qualify for these current awards cause this story is not finished but I'm still very flattered that you'd consider me. Thanks!!

Well, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I have had a few people say that they don't want Ron too much in this fic cause he's not a main character and is really not important but I can't help it, I love Ron, and even though he may end up with Hermione (which I'd be very upset about, lol) I still love him, :). Him, along with the twins, add a comic relief to the canons that is really needed. He may be immature but he's funny and I adore his character. I want him in this story because he is such an important part of Harry and Hermione's lives, especially Harry's. Harry wouldn't be who he is without Ron and I really want to stress their friendship in this fic, as I made obvious in this chapter. So, Ron will be a part of this story. This is a three couple fic so expect more Ron/Luna interaction, especially now that Lavender's out of the picture, hehe, I'm evil, lol. I hope you enjoyed their banter and the two new canon characters I added. I realize Blaise may not be a boy in the canon but for the purposes of this story, Blaise is a male. And, for anyone wondering, I'm not planning a Blaise/Hannah relationship unless the story suddenly leaps in that direction, I really don't see it as logical anyways. Hufflepuff and Slytherin are just too extreme. I don't know much about their characters either, as Blaise was mentioned only once in Book 1 and Hannah only in passing, I'll write them as I see they might be.

Thank you for all the well wishes to Europe. To anyone who was wondering, I'm going to be in London, Paris, and Scotland until July 12. I'll try and post one more chapter before I leave! Please please review this one and I'll love you forever! :)
Much Love,
PhoenixFirebolt