“Hello, Luna,” Harry said sitting down at the table. She had avoided him yesterday after she got out of the hospital wing, but he had managed to track her down eventually. It was an isolated little corner. Harry looked around. Isolated but at least three visible exits. Good place to escape from if someone tried to ambush her.

Luna tried to stand and leave but Harry held his hands out placatingly.

“I just want to talk. None of the bullies will bother you while I’m around,” Harry said.

Luna hesitated before sitting down again.

“Why are you here Harry Potter? Now the rest will only be worse to me,” she said in a distant voice.

Harry drummed his fingers on the table.

“Do you know my history, Luna?” Harry asked, “What happened to me growing up?”

Luna nodded, “Father is the owner of the Quibbler. Small newspaper. He wouldn’t let me read the court records of your case, but he said it was a lot of bad things. He refused to publish some of the stories that tried to minimize what happened to you. Dumbledore’s old allies didn’t like him very much for a while after that.”

“I had to deal with constant bullying growing up,” Harry continued, “My cousin Dudley often would convince one of my classmates to pretend to be my friend. It was always the setup for some prank or a way to twist the knife deeper when they mocked me later. But I fell for it each time. They did not like me because I was different. In many ways.”

Luna nodded and stared intently at Harry as he spoke.

“Did you try to go to the teachers?” she asked softly.

“Yes,” Harry said, “None cared. Several reported me to my Uncle and I was punished as a result. I learned to not trust them.”

“What did you do? How did you make it stop?” Luna asked hopefully.

“I didn’t,” Harry said, “I just took it and didn’t complain. When I got older the bullies became bored with my disinterest and moved onto better targets. But they still prodded me every once in a while to see if something had changed. I just felt… numb, like the world was gray and far away. It was only when I came here and made friends that I knew that things could be better. That I could have friends. Even now I still think sometimes that they might be another trick. That they will betray me at the perfect moment and start laughing. It was only when I was adopted by Neville’s family that I had a real home to go back to. That I knew for sure that at least all of it wasn’t all a trick.”

“How does that help me?” Luna stated, seeming annoyed at Harry’s words, “Coming to Hogwarts has only been the same for me. It has been very lonely. Even Ginny Weasley only spends a little time with me and I don’t want the bullies to bother her because of me if we were closer friends.”

“I did that, just surviving passively because I was alone in the world,” Harry replied, “If I had died then no one would have shed a tear or noticed that I was gone. I still can’t get angry about it at all. Even now most people dislike me or think me too strange or famous to talk to me for long. Without my friends then things would be the same as before, like how they were at my Aunts and Uncles place. But you don’t have to be like that. You can be my friend, and I’ll protect you from the bullies... I promise. I don’t want you to fall into the gray empty state like I did. Like I still might be now.”

There was a long silence as they stared at each other, Luna’s eyes blazing with intense focus on Harry’s face. He felt a knot curling up tight in his chest. He hadn’t been truly thinking as he spoke to her. Was that how he really felt? But as he thought about it… it was true. He did worry that Neville and especially Ron might betray him somehow. And despite his increased emotions as he grew older, he still was fairly passive and calm most of the time. He worried that if he did something wrong and his friends left him that he would return to the dull… robot… he had been before.

“I don’t think you’re like that, Harry,” Luna said with more focus than Harry had heard her speak with before, “I can see the wrackspurts dancing around you all the time. Especially now. They are drawn to emotions. You’re just as emotional if not more than I am!”

Harry blinked. Wrackspurts?

“What are wrackspurts?” Harry asked, “I’ve never heard about them before.”

“They are tiny invisible magical creatures that buzz around your head. They look a little like gnats. Oh, some are floating away now. Are you feeling calmer than before?”

Harry was feeling a little better now, so he nodded. Those creatures had never been mentioned in any of the books he read before... Interesting.

“So, do you want to be friends?” Harry asked.

“Yes, Harry,” Luna said her voice becoming dreamier, “I would like that.”

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“Will you tell me who your bullies are?” Harry asked, “I can get some revenge for you if you’d like?”

“I don’t think you should,” Luna said, “It’s about two third of the Ravenclaw girls. They all take turns making mean comments or insulting me. A few Hufflepuffs too. It’s only about a quarter of the Ravenclaw boys though. It is only about fifteen to twenty that actually attack me.”

Harry tilted his head to the side.

“That is quite a lot,” he said, “Do you know all of their names? I want to make sure to try to only target people who are involved.”

“What?” Luna said, “There’s so many… you can’t target them all! That’s why I couldn’t tell Flitwick.”

Harry shook his head, “I can. We just need one big display to show that they can’t target you anymore. I think... I’m not the best at this social stuff. Do you mind if I bring Ginny and Hermione into this? They could really help us figure this out and I’m sure Ginny would want to help you. She seemed worried and angry yesterday when she left the medical wing after seeing you.”

“Yes,” Luna said, smiling absentmindedly, “She was quite mad on my behalf. I should have told her what was really happening, I wasn’t being a very good friend to her... But I don’t know Hermione that well.”

“Don’t worry, Luna,” he said, “We can tell Ginny first. I’m sure she won’t mind. Ginny can vouch for Hermione.”

Harry stood and Luna stared at him.

“No need to wait, right?” Harry said, “Why don’t we go find her right now?”

Luna hesitated but then picked up her bags and nodded a little hesitantly, “Okay,”

— — —

“...Oh by Merlin! I’m so sorry Luna, I should have known! I’m such a bad friend,” Ginny said while hugging Luna.

Luna accepted the hug but remained stiff, blinking slowly like an owl as she stood there.

“You’re not angry I didn’t tell you sooner?” Luna asked.

“Of course not! I should have noticed, thanks for helping her, Harry,” Ginny gushed before her tone grew angry, “Oh, when I get my hands on those girls I’m going to curse them so bad! No one messes with my Luna!”

Luna smiled slightly at Ginny's words and Harry felt better too to see things working out between them.

“Should we tell Hermione and get her help?” he asked them after the initial excitement calmed down from Luna telling the full story to Ginny.

Luna turned to Ginny, who pursed her lips and thought for a second.

She glanced at Luna, “I don’t know,” Ginny started hesitantly, “It is up to Luna really. I trust Hermione, but Luna doesn’t know her at all.”

“If you both think so, I think we should do it,” Luna replied easily.

— — —

Hermione agreed as well after an explanation by the group. They were discussing on what they should do between the three friends. Luna mostly just sat there smiling dreamily and staring at each of them in turn as if she was just happy to be involved.

Harry had an idea that he should have thought of before. Fred and George were experienced in this kind of ‘prank’. They could give them ideas and support in pulling it off if it was framed the right way.

Hermione didn’t like the idea too much and argued against it when Harry brought it up. Ginny was on the fence, trusting her brothers but thinking they wouldn’t take it seriously enough. Luna just observed and didn’t give her opinion. After a while it was decided that Harry and Ginny would plan things with Fred and George while Hermione would stay with Luna and make sure no one attacked her again in the hallways. Hermione didn’t seem to like Fred and George too much, so it was best if she was left behind for now.

— — —

“...please do it for Luna! Those horrible bullies have been tormenting her for over a year.” Ginny pleaded as Fred and George stood there with serious expressions. They still seemed a little skeptical at the scale of what they were proposing, which involved launching a retaliation against all of the people in Ravenclaw who had all participated in the bullying of Luna all at once. They had an itemized list of all the people Luna remembered who had bullied her and how severe it had been for each of them.

“And consider the legend of pranking almost an entire house of students,” Harry added when the twins still seemed hesitant, “More risk, and more reward. What would Sirius do?”

George groaned, “You just had to bring him into this don’t you? But he’s not exactly wrong, Fred,” he said after glancing at his brother.

“It would be truly legendary,” Fred agreed before turning to stare at Ginny, “Don’t say we never do anything for you little sister,” he said with a slightly mocking lilt. Ginny looked furious at their casual attitude, but Harry saw the tension in their faces and the way they kept glancing at each other. They wanted to help, but knew the difference between what they had been doing and what this plan involved. If the school cracked down hard, suspension or expulsion was on the table for the pranksters. They needed another push to fully get on board to risk everything on their last year in school.

“I see your hesitation,” Harry said, “If we get caught then we tell the school, and more importantly the press, the full story. They won’t expel you for this, especially when I’m involved. Not only is your father the current leader of the light faction and therefore dominant political party, but my godfather is Sirius Black. Together they have enough influence to stop us from being seriously punished.”

“Why not tell everyone now?” Fred asked, “Surely Flitwick could deal with something like this?”

“People will go behind his back,” Ginny angrily, “He hasn’t noticed anything wrong happening up to now, why would notice it again after we tell him? He’ll just give some detentions and then when they are free they’ll bully Luna twice as hard as before.”

“Good enough for us,” George said, “Now let’s get the other ladies in here. We need a full council of pranking for a plan this big and you’re lucky you came to us for some expert advice.”

Ginny left to go fetch Hermione and Luna while Harry waited behind.

And when they got back, they began to plan.

When they finished they all agreed. It might not be the best plan. It might not be the easiest. But it was one that might work. One fell swoop to pay back everyone that had hurt Luna and send a message to them to back off. Although there would be some collateral damage unfortunately even if things went perfectly. Oh, well.

Fred and George gave the others a mock salute as they all left. It was time for everyone to make their preparations.