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Title: Luca's on a Mission

Contributors: lucamoonstone, pb_prince, serpent_flower, kestralsfan

Edited by: Carla Lute

Posted: 2006-01-18 to 26

Game Date: September 8^th

Disclaimer: No one at Levicorpus owns Harry Potter, the world or its characters. We just like to play in J.K. Rowling’s world.

* * * * * * *

After classes, Luca seems to have gotten a grip on his troubles, back into his non-stardard manner of dress, but maintaining an almost business like air about him. He sat in the Slytherin Common room, Malcolm sticking close by, fetching whatever he needed or wanted, a few giving him the nickname of the "Gypsy's House Elf". He thought for a second and nodded to an idea, getting up and telling Malcom to wait.

He went looking for something he needed, knowing just where he could find it, and before long he was in the library with parchment and pen in hand, grabbing book after book, piling them in a stack and searching through them, reciting the spells, and potion ingredirents in Romanian as his pen jotted everything down.

He paused a second and took a secondary parchment, tapping his wand to it and turning it a rich metallic silver in color. He then tapped his pen and the ink became a rick vibrant emerald.

Dear Pansy,

I hope this letter finds you in good spirits. First I would like to ask if I may have your company sometime later this week in a nice dinner for two. I would like you to experience some of my native recipes.

Secondly, I would wonder if you would at all mind if I would be able to look through some of your 7th year schoolbooks, I have exceeded many expectations of more than a few teachers and would like a bit of practice in something more my skill level. Also if you could help me with a few of the subjects I'm having difficulty in, I would not need to rely on those of other houses for tutelage.

Luca

He folded the paper into an elegant oragami dove and sent it on it's way to Pansy. Then turned his attention to filling up page after page with notes.

* * * * * * *

Down in the Potion's lab, Blaise made his way up to Slughorn, who gave him a pleasant if weary smile. His manner had been a bit weary since the start of term. Blaise cast a quick glance at Pansy to see that she was hanging around to support him. "And how's our new prefect?" Slughorn asked, putting on an extra burst of energy that was obviously show. "Extra duties aren't straining you to badly are they?"

"No sir," Blaise said. "But I would like to make a request. You see there's this broom race in October, and I was wondering..."

But Slughorn was already shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Blaise. Professor McGonagall and I have already discussed this. I understand your disappointment, and I hope you'll forgive me for saying that I thought your mother was being a bit unfair in that Howler...But well, it is an annual race. You can always try again next year."

"I could be dead next year," Blaise said flatly.

Slughorn looked a bit startled. "Now, now, why would you say a thing like that, my boy?"

"We're in the middle of a war," Blaise said matter of factly. "We might all be dead next year."

Slughorn looked very uncomfortable. His smile had completely vanished at this point, and he looked a bit grim. "Be that as it may, we don't have to invite trouble. I'm sorry, Blaise, we simply can't allow you a week’s leave. It's not simply your case, but a matter of general policy. I hope you understand."

Blaise felt a rush of anger pulse through him, but Pansy stepped forward. He decided it was best to let her speak, so he hung back. At that moment, an origami dove flew in through the open door of the Potion's lab. Blaise had seen Draco use this particular mode of communication quite often. He felt a rush of hope cool his anger and snatched the dove out of the air.

A different flavor of anger returned as he read the letter. He tore it in two and tossed the pieces in a small waste bin, before turning back to Slughorn and Pansy.

Pansy stepped up. "Professor," she began, smiling sweetly. "I see your point. I mean, no one wants harm to come to Blaise." She turned her smile to her friend before continuing. "But surely you also understand that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for him. Next year--if we're all still alive--there might not even be a broom race. If He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named turns out to be the victor, all forms of entertainment may be banned." She glanced at Blaise when he grabbed something small out of the air, scowled at what was written, and threw it in a bin. She paused, then continued, deciding to try another tact. "Professor, Blaise could win this race. You know he could; he's one of the fastest flyers here. And just think, if he did, and he went on, he would be able to say that it was you who got him started." Play on his love of being associated with the famous, Pansy thought. "Think of it--'Professor Slughorn, he was the one who encouraged me to follow my dream'." Pansy sighed and linked her arm through Blaise's.

"However, I know that you can't make special exceptions, so I suppose that Blaise will just have to accept that he'll never get to live out his dream." She began turning away, hoping that Slughorn would at least reconsider his answer.

Blaise took Pansy's arm like a gentleman, too distracted by Luca note to think the gesture odd. He gave one last look at Slughorn before turning with her. He felt like it was hopeless, but he did appreciate Pansy's trying.

* * * * * * *

Seamus walked into the library and headed for a table on the right when he saw Luca sitting at a table. Luca had just folded an origami dove and set it flying out of the library. The dove veered out of Seamus' way, and continued on its journey to wherever it was going.

"You look like you're on a mission," Seamus said, pulling a chair out and sitting across from Luca.

Luca looked up for a moment, his quills stopping as he stopped speaking.

"One could say that I suppose..." He smiled what he could, his accent heavy again from the constant Romanian escaping his lips.

"You are Sean McFinnigan, no? I am surprized a Gryffindor wished to share table with Slytherin these days, let alone myself. May I assist you in some way?"

He looked up, a touch of worry in his eyes, closing the books and setting them down, putting his cloak over them.

"Oh, no, its okay. I'm just a little bored," Seamus said. "And I don't mind sitting with you. You seem different than some of the other Slytherin students; you don't act stuck up or anything."

Seamus leaned back in his chair. "Besides, you looked kinda stressed out, like you could use a bit of a break." He leaned forward. "Hey, I'm with Harry and the others. I know you didn't do anything."

Luca smiled warmly at Seamus. He sighed a bit, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a candy, offering one to Seamus.

"My mother makes these and sends me them. Would you like one, they are candy garlic. Do not let the concept frighten you too much, an acquired taste but quite good."

He grinned and popped one into his mouth, sucking on the hard candy a bit.

"You are right on one thing, my friend. I am under much stress, but I do not mind. Tell me, are you and your family close?"

Seamus took the piece of candy, and his eye twitched slightly at the taste. It wasn't bad, but definitely an acquired taste.

"It's a bit different," He said. "But I could get used to these. Thanks."

"I'd say I'm close with my family. Well, probably closer to my Mother than my Father. He works a lot, and there's also the fact that Mam is the witch in the family. Dad's a Muggle."

Luca nodded and smiled a bit.

"I found out that I vill be seeing my family soon, our carnival is going to be making an extended stay in Hogsmeade, mostly for safety reason, but I know mother and father want to see me more often, and to make sure I am safe. This gives me mixed feelings though..."

Luca turned back to his parchments.

"So what does your family do, your family craft and business?"

"Well, my mother works with the Ministry of Magic, she helps with the sports department. And my dad is a clockmaker."

Seamus reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a pocket watch. It was carved out of cherry wood, with clean, simple lines of Ebony inlay around the edges. He opened it to reveal the delicate hands of the timepiece, a vibrant blue against the glass face and complex mechanisms visible behind it.

"This is one of his favorite pieces, he made it for me two years ago."

He closed the pocket watch, and offered it to Luca. "Take a look."

Luca took the watch into his hand looking it over, trying to remember something he saw a few days ago.

"There is Gryffindor, Longbottom. He is saying he had been given an odd watch, maybe your father could look at it no?"

Luca sat back a bit, he pulled out some notes and a few photographs he had taken from a distance, preparing his first report to the Diviner.

"I am most troubled my friend, if I may call you that. I feel there is much happening in the shadows of this fine school."

He admired the quality of the watch and handed it back.

"I vil say I am most surprised to have your company today Mr. McFinnigan. I was almost positive I was on the outs in this school by now."

Seamus looked across the table at the troubled look on Luca's face.

"Yeah, some of the students might not like to hang around you, but I don't mind."

His attention moved to the notes that Luca had pulled from his bag.

"Sorry, I can be nosy sometimes. If you don't mind me asking, what's troubling you so much?" He said, pointing toward Luca's notes.

Luca have a hesitant smile, but then remembered all his noted were in Romanian. He slid them out a bit, studying over what he had wrote.

"You see English is second language, so I have quite a different set of obstacles in studying for classes. Not to mention my people use a different system for what you call Arithmancy, I feel most behind the bar in this class, but I enjoy the challenge. In my family one is expected to overcome all obstacles, so I must redouble my efforts to please them, you see."

Luca slumped a bit, it was obvious he has not been sleeping well.

"Not to mention my people are the eternal scapegoat of any and all troubles. Take look at recent event as example. Malcolm got caught in practical joke gone wrong, blames me. It ees investigated, and he confesses to crime. Yet afterwards people are STILL saying I am responsible. Prefect of my own house spreads untruth about me. Those who I was hoping to call friend now look at me with distrust. Why do people do this to me? I do not know."

Luca sat back, organizing his notes, then smiles at Seamus.

"Tell me more of where you are from, I wonder what it is like to live in such stillness."

"I've lived in Ireland all my life," Seamus said. He gazed out of the window, trying to imagine life as Luca had lived it, constantly moving. "I guess I never really thought about it. Living in one spot, that is. I always enjoyed myself, I live in a small town near a Quidditch pitch, with beautiful mountains nearby."

Seamus noticed he was still holding his watch, fidgeting with its cover. He placed it back in his robe, wondering why right now he was so preoccupied with thoughts about his family.

"I always thought it'd be really interesting to move around a lot, like you have. Add a bit of excitement into life."

Luca chuckled and grinned, thinking he had finally found a true friend in Seamus. He relaxed a bit and looked around slyly. He leaned in and spoke in a whisper.

"You see with us being on the move so much, and our people's reputation; we have had little fear in your You-Know-Who wizard. Why all this fear, he is but one man, yes? If student like Harry Potter can defeat him several times over, your Ministry can surely hold him accountable for crimes, no? Why all this fear of him?"

"That's just it," Seamus said. "Nobody's sure why Harry has been able to defeat him. He is the only person who has survived the Killing Curse. And as a baby! Without any knowledge of spells or magic, he was protected and survived. Vold... You-Know-Who has caused so much damage; he's killed so many. It's hard not to be afraid.

"It seemed safer here with Dumbledore. They say he was the only one that You-Know-Who was afraid of. I just hope Harry can destroy him, because Harry's now the only one that You-Know-Who is afraid of. I don't know everything about him, but from the stories and from what's happened to Harry in the past few years, I can understand why he's so feared."

Luca leaned forward, looking Seamus in the eye.

"We Romani have a belief, that names grant power. To know someone's name is to have power over them, so we have three names, one for ourselves and our closest, one for our clan and traveling caravan, and one to outsiders. By calling this Voldemort "You-Know-Who" is to give him power. Be not afraid of this man, say his name and know you do not fear him. You grant him power through your fear."

Luca sat back, packing up a few of his supplies and smiled that Cheshire Cat grin, stretching out.

"I am curious about your Harry Potter, too. But in our culture we have many stories of the bizarre and unusual, many Dark Lord's histories intermingle with our own, it is sad to say. We are known for many negative things before our positives, but know that despite our secrecy, which we hold dear to us, we too want to see your Voldemort out of the picture. I only fear those who I have called ally in the past have been turned against me by rumor and deception."

He lowered his gaze, honestly sad about the fact that so few trusted him

"I am hoping to make impact with my stories for newspaper. Ever since I was first year, the time when I met rite Skeeter, I have been following her reports in Prophet. I aspire to be like her, showing emotion behind the stories and pictures. It is difficult, English being second language to me."

Seamus stood as Luca finished packing up his things. He paused a moment at the mention of Rita Skeeter.

"Are you sure you want to follow in her footsteps? I haven't heard many good things about her," he said, picking up his bag.

Luca blinked, as he got up as well.

"Vat ees this you say, bad things about reporter? Is not Rita Skeeter renowned journaleest who has skill at getting to emotional back story and the real feelings behind the headlines? I remember how she described Harry when they discussed his family and history, she adds such human element to story, no?"

He smiled and slung a satchel over his shoulder. "Where do you wish to go now, I have all night to do things."

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