Ethereal: Bluna

10. Room Of Requirement

"They're over there." Luna pointed at Leo and Lucas. They were both sitting in a corner, frantically debating which house was going to win the first Quidditch match since Hogwarts started.

"I'm telling you, Ravenclaw is very strategic."

"Well, Hufflepuff has an excellent seeker."

"Cut it out, you two." Maybell sat in the middle of them. "It's Em's first game. We're here to support our friend."

"I actually want my house to win." Lucas confessed.

Luna smiled at his comment. She had just realized how competitive and passionate her new friends were when it came to Quidditch. She enjoyed the sport, of course, but the interest lasted just a few minutes before she got distracted with her surroundings.

"Look!" Leo pointed at the teams that started to position themselves. "There's Em."

Luna tried to pay attention to the whole match, so she decided to pay attention Emerald. She seemed nervous, but as the game advanced, Luna realized she was actually a pretty good beater. That was until her gaze started to wonder to every thing that was worthy enough of attention. She had spent some time looking at the clouds, even, until Leo stood up to cheer up and startled her.

In the end, Ravenclaw won the match. Luna celebrated along with her friends and returned to the common room to wait for the team.

When Emerald entered the common room, she ran to her friends with a big smile on her face.

"Em, you were fantastic!" Maybell hugged her.

"Thank you for being there."

"You're a very skilled player." Luna added.

"And that dive you took to block a bludger? Brilliant!" Leo couldn't contain his excitement.

"The team is very happy." Emerald smiled. "I think they want to make a party."

"Ready to celebrate, then?"

Soon after, the Ravenclaw Tower was packed with people from all houses. Although they had lost, the Hufflepuff team was there. And Gryffindors and Slytherins rarely missed a party. Not even Blaise Zabini.

If he was being honest, the only reason he showed up to the party was because he hoped he found an easy distraction from the letter that haunted his thoughts ever since he read it.

Your dedication hasn't gone unnoticed. However, there has been no progress.

"Is there something strong to drink?" He asked Theo. "Firewhisky, perhaps?"

"Over there." He pointed at a table.

I recognize the risks involved in this situation, and that's why I've taken matters into my own hands.

Blaise took the bottle and filled his cup. He could feel the eyes of his friend on him, surprised by the amount of alcohol he was drinking, but he didn't comment on it.

He shook his head and payed attention to the conversation with his friends. They were talking about the Amortentia potion they had been asked to smell a few days ago in class, and then about Quidditch and the next match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw.

Blaise didn't make more than two comments the whole time they were chatting, as he was busy refilling his cup every five minutes.

"Draco missed this." Pansy said, snapping Blaise back to reality.

I've exercised caution to gather this information, but I require your immediate action to stay ahead of Draco Malfoy.

"I need some air." Without waiting for an answer, he started to walk towards the exit.

Find the Room of Requirement.

The alcohol kicked in and he felt a little dizzy.

"Get out of the way." He mumbled as he pushed some people with his body.

When he finally got out, he leaned his body on a wall and closed his eyes, trying to get rid of that awful feeling that got his heart beating strongly in his chest and made him nervous.

"Are you okay?" He heard a soft voice. Luna's voice.

She was standing in front of him with a worried expression. She took a step closer to him but stopped abruptly, as if she weren't sure that approaching him was the right thing to do.

"Hey." He tried to stand straight, but he almost slipped. "I'm a bit dizzy."

"I can see that."

"I should go back to my dorm."

"That's a good idea."

They didn't move.

"Do you need help getting back?" Luna asked.

"I—"

His answer was interrupted when they heard steps coming close. Filch.

Luna lifted a finger to her mouth, indicating him to stay silent, and Blaise's eyes lingered there for a few seconds before she took his hand and made him follow her to the stairs.

"Who's there?"

"Be quiet!" Luna whispered to Blaise when he started to make noise as he went up the stairs. "I doubt he'll follow us." She said when they finally stopped.

"Stop right there!" Filch steps were heard. He was following them.

Luna took Blaise's hand again and started to look around the hall.

"What are we doing?" He whispered. "He's coming. We need to hide."

She ignored him, still focused on the walls.

"Luna." He gave her hand a squeeze to catch her attention, but then it appeared.

The Room of Requirement appeared in front of them just in time for them to enter and hide.

"Luna, you found it." He laughed, watching the room in awe.

"I guess we truly needed it now, huh?" She smiled.

Blaise observed the objects surrounding them, things he had never seen before, some probably didn't work from how old they were.

"I don't know why I am surprised by all of this." He confessed as he walked, slightly touching the things that caught his attention.

"We're all drawn to new things."

He stopped in his tracks and smiled to himself, who he had only know for some weeks, and was already the only person who always found a way to validate his thoughts.

"Like this thing, for example." Luna stood in front of a big object covered in dust by a sheet. "I think it's a vanishing cabinet."

"What's that?" He asked, distracted.

"You don't know?" She sounded genuinely surprised. He raised his eyebrows in response. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply..."

"I'm not following, Luna."

"It was used by death eaters to transport from one place to another during the war."

And then it made sense. The task. The letter. His mother's words.

Find the object the Malfoys are desperately seeking.

________

fun fact: every time i need inspiration to write ethereal i listen to meet me in the pale moonlight by lana del rey