Part 2

The effects of the prankster pumpkin juice finally wore off after Fred and George administered a small pink sweet to everyone. Laughing juice was something many of them had needed if the truth be told. Even Severus had colour in his cheeks and Hermione noticed that he held a warmth in his dark brown eyes that she had never seen before.

There was a positive vibration in the air which also made a nice change, and it was the first incident since the battle in HollowValley that everyone had got together and simply had a good time. “After all, it’s Christmas.” both Fred and George repeated in sequence while giving out the curable boiled sweets.

They were right of course, in the same way Karis was right when she told Harry that one has to carry on living, and must shut away the fear and the anxiety, and to be as normal as possible in these difficult times.

It was then he remembered that she hadn’t told him what it was she wanted to talk to him about.

“Karis, what was it you wanted to tell me earlier when I came in here?” he asked, while regaining their position at the table.

“Oh Yes, sorry, it was that bloody pumpkin juice putting me off.” she replied. “Right, well I wanted to ask you if you have had any strange dreams as of late?”

Harry thought for a few seconds, and then frowned, while shaking his head he replied. “Not that I can remember. Why do you ask?”

“Well it’s just that now you are gaining a strong power in Occlumency I thought that maybe you had unlocked some hidden memories. I have done that before while asleep without meaning too, I ventured so far back that I found myself in my Mother’s womb once, it was a ghastly experience!”

Harry looked up at Karis with a mix of amusement and horror. “Karis, that is not right!”

She giggled at his upturned nose. “No, it’s not really, is it!” she smiled; but the memory of it made her stomach churn.

Harry thought for a few seconds what Karis had said when he had an idea.

“Karis, you can help me remember what happened.” He said, with a mixture of excitement and sorrow.

Karis started up at him with a wave of melancholy. “No Harry, I can’t do that, because it simply isn’t my place to. I would have to open your mind and delve into an old hidden memory, and that is not why I am here, and besides, you know the truth, you have been told what happened to your parents.”

Harry felt his stomach knot and he started to flush red in the face. “But, you could help me remember them. Help me remember Karis, please!” He begged, his heart pumping so fast he could practically feel his blood pumping through his veins.

She paused, while watching him intently, her eyes glazing with sadness. “Harry, I don’t know if that is a good idea, I really don’t feel that watching your parents being murdered is something any child should witness.”

Harry felt his shackles rise. “I’m not a child Karis, I think we have had this conversation before.” He snapped.

“You’re right, I’m sorry. But, please don’t ask me to do something like this again.”

Karis turned her head away from him after she spoke these words, she felt so sorry for Harry, but she knew what she was talking about, she couldn’t let him witness that. She was thankful that he was only a year old when it happened, so as not to remember such devastation is a blessing in her opinion.

Harry started to feel sick, how could there have been so much laughter in this room, how could he have been so happy when only an hour later he felt like his insides were being ripped apart. He wanted to understand her decision, but he knew deep down she was right, but he didn’t care, he wanted to see them one more time in the flesh, because he felt he never had, he couldn’t remember their faces or their voices, to him it would be a gift.

“I just want to see them one more time Karis.” He whispered.

Her heart melted at his one last desperate attempt to convince her that it was a feasible thing to do. She stayed silent for a few moments, while seeming to be deep in thought.

“If you just want to see them again then MAYBE I can help.” She emphasised on the maybe, very strongly.

“Please elaborate Karis, I’m dying here.” He shot her a quick smile, but he really was growing inpatient.

“Well personally I refuse to open your mind Harry.” she replied. Harry opened his mouth to argue with her, not understanding why she was being so unreasonable. “But there might be another way.” she added quickly while holding up her hand for him to remain patient.

“What’s that?” he asked

“I’m not entirely sure but I will have a think about it, I remember reading something in one of my scrolls. Just don’t expect anything to happen though, because to be honest Harry I’m not sure if it will work.”

Harry huffed a huge sigh, he felt let down. This woman, he thought, could find the truth that lies within the hidden and deep buried memories of his mind. Yet, she was refusing too, she said maybe, but for Harry, maybe just wasn’t good enough!

He got up from his chair. “I’m going to bed.” he muttered to her miserably and said a goodnight to everyone in the Great Hall while pacing towards the exit door.

Everyone in the hall stayed silent for a few moments and then Luna politely excused herself from the table and left the hall in search for Harry.

She ran along the halls, her mousy brown hair flowing freely behind her, she was about to give up when she noticed him heading up the moving staircase.

“HARRY.” She yelled up to him.

He stopped and looked down to see Luna on his tail, he sighed but he waited for her, he however felt quite pleased that she was there, he always found it easy to talk to her.

She trudged up to him, her breathing now heavy and her cheeks now a glowing rosy pink, which showed off her blue eyes.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” she huffed.

“Back to the dorm, I didn’t want to be down there anymore.” he replied with a sigh.

“What has Karis gone and said now to upset you?” Luna blurted.

Harry looked taken aback slightly at her persistence but replied to her question. “She doesn’t upset me all the time Luna.”

“Oh really Harry, well every time you look sad or down it’s because of her. She has a habit of hurting your feelings, you just can’t see it.”

“Luna, you are being a little unfair, and besides you don’t know what our conversation was about!” he shot back.

“Well I know enough to see you stormed out the room.” replied Luna, with concern. “I would never hurt you like she does.”

Harry frowned but then quickly regained his composure. “Luna, I think we need to talk.”

“I know, and I’m sorry, I can’t help the way I feel about you Harry. Maybe we are spending too much time together.” she replied while putting her head down.

Harry looked at her; he couldn’t help but to notice how great she looked in casual attire. With her long green velvet skirt and cream silk gypsy top; her long mousy hair flowing over her shoulders and her large blue eyes that sparkled most when in his presence. He tried to ignore the radish earrings and the butterbeer cork necklace, but instead he told himself they didn’t matter. He was now seeing her in a different light, she was growing into a beautiful young woman and for a split second he had an urgent desire to kiss her.

He shook his head, so as to change his route of thinking. “I don’t want to see less of you Luna, I care for you, but me and Karis we have a connection that people don’t understand, even I don’t understand it sometimes, I just know I couldn’t bear anything to happen to her.”

“What about me?” Would you dive to save me to?” she asked with a serious note but also one of sadness.

Harry stared at her for a few moments and then walked towards this girl who had only ever been honest with him, and besides Hermione and Ron, had been there for him when he needed someone to talk too. He could relate to her too in so many ways that he couldn’t with anyone else; including Karis.

He stroked her cheek and as their eyes met, they stared into each-others for a few moments, and then Harry smiled at her and kissed her gently on the forehead then pulled her into a tight embrace.

“Of course I would.” He whispered in to her ear.

He could feel her body shudder under his grip and it was then he realised how much this girl really did care for him, and the feeling he himself held right now, holding her in his arms was one of warmth and contentment, and he didn’t want to let her go. As he kissed her goodnight on the cheek and walked towards the Gryffindor Common Room, he knew that tonight he had a lot of thinking to do and a decision to make.