The Hogwarts Lonely Hearts Club

Desperately Seeking Harry

There seemed to be a storm raging through the halls of Hogwarts, a swirling vortex of fierce energy that originated on the far side of the castle and had travelled all the way to the ground floor. It was restless, angry and getting worse by the minute. It was making a very strange sound, too, for a storm ... it was a single word, being repeated over and over again.

"No."

"Harry, please! We need you!"

"I said no!" Harry snapped again. "How many times do I have tell you? Just go away."

"I wont, not until you agree to do this."

Harry stopped at the final turn of the Main Staircase and glowered at the small crowd of students hurrying behind in his wake. "Lisa ... sod off. I'm not doing it and that's final. Just leave me alone."

"Harry, come on," Mandy Brocklehurst cajoled as Harry moved off along the First-Floor corridor. "It's just one time. After that you can go back to the peace and quiet."

"Yeah, because we wont give you any until you agree," Lisa Turpin added eagerly.

"I said no!" Harry yelled, his voice rising significantly this time. "What's wrong with you lot? Which part of 'no' don't you bloody understand? Why cant you get it into your thick skulls that I'm not interested?"

"Because we don't believe you," Lisa persevered courageously. "The glory of Ravenclaw is at stake and I know how much you love the House. Please, Harry, we need you ... Ravenclaw needs you."

"Tough luck," Harry sniped. "I'm not doing it and that's the end of it. Now leave me the hell alone."

And with that Harry darted behind a statue that hid a secret passage, slammed the heavy door behind him and finally escaped his pursuers.

***

The first Hermione heard of the commotion was when it reached the corridor outside of the library. Thinking it was Viktor Krum and his entourage causing all the racket, Hermione got up from her desk and marched outside to tell them off for disturbing her. She'd never done this for interrupting her work before, but this time they'd gone too far.

After all, Hermione was busy penning her reply to Harry's letter and nothing was allowed to get in the way of this most important task.

But as Hermione pulled open the library door, she heard the last of Harry's tirade and was just in time to see him vanish behind the statue. Clearly Harry Potter had more secrets than Hermione had ever expected.

"Don't worry, Mand, we'll get him back at the Common Room," Lisa Turpin was saying in a huff. "This isn't over yet, not by far. Come on."

Then they scuttled off as the crowd dispersed, leaving behind Luna Lovegood, who was curiously examining Harry's escape route with her wand. Hermione ambled over to her.

"Hello, Luna," Hermione began brightly. "What was that all about?"

"Oh, hello Hermione," Luna replied in deep surprise. She hadn't expected anyone to voluntarily talk to her today, unless it was Harry Potter. She looked up at Hermione. "Do you mean all that? Well, that was all about Harry."

Hermione felt herself tauten and realised how odd a reaction that was. But she couldn't help it.

"Is he okay?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

"Oh, yes," Luna smiled, brightly. "He's just in one of his bad moods. It'll pass. They usually do."

"Usually?" Hermione queried.

"Yes, usually," Luna parroted. "Sometimes they last for days, but then they go away. He probably wont talk to anyone or see anyone till it does, just in case he says something that he doesn't really mean. He does that sometimes. Not to me, though. He always manages to stay nice to me."