2The storm ripped over the mountains, gushing torrents of rain that struck the ground with the sharp ring of metal on stone. Lighting strikes spat down, angry artillery fire that slammed against the cannon roar of thunder.
There was a gleeful kind of mean in the air, a sizzle of temper and spite that boiled with power.
It suited Luna Lovegood mood perfectly. Luna had graduated Hogwarts close to the top of her class. She had gone to university and instead of studying reporting like most thought she would her chosen field and true love of her life had been art. After graduating she moved to a wizerding town and started work in a little gallery. This had been her home for over 5 years now and she really had loved what she did.
There was a rattling somewhere in the dash of her car, and she still had 10 payments to go on it. In order to make those payments, she had to keep her job.
Still at this point in time she hated her job.
She was supposed to love her had worked at AVO for 5 years now and the year as manager, and she loved it. She was surrounded by at. She had a free hand in the displaying, the acquiring, the promotion, and the setup for shows and events.
Luna thought of AVO as hers. Mike G. Wane may have owned AVO but he never questions Luna's decisions, and on his increasingly rare visits he complimented her, always, on the acquisitions, the ambience, the sales.
Everything changed. Mr. Wane decided after 53 years he no longer wished to be a bachelor and married. A young, sexy wife, who decided to make AVO her own pet project.
Who cared she new next to nothing about art, or business, or public relations not to mentions managing employees. Mr. Wane doted on his Dora Sue and Luna's dream job became a daily nightmare.
Still she could deal. She would just wait Dora Sue out. Soon the bump in the road would smooth it's self out again. But that hadn't lasted long. She'd lost her temper when Dora had countermanded her orders on the new wizard who put the life into the paintings. The new artist was brilliant and the portraits he had been doing put a new meaning to the words life like.
There was much Luna could put up with but being slapped in the face with hideous taste in her own space wasn't one of them.
Blowing up in the owner's wife's face was not the path to job security. But with the words myopic, plebeian bimbo were employed. Then to top it all off she had spilled tea on Dora Sue's Escada suit. That had been an accident.
Almost.
Sure with a wave of her wand she could have cleaned it up but her wand must have been in her car. Or in her pocket and she didn't feel like cleaning it.
No matter how much Mr. Wane liked her, Luna's job was hanging by a slim thread. Soon that thread would break and then she was screwed. There were no more art galleries in Kinross. She would have to ether go work for her father at The Quibbler or relocate.
She loved Kinross loved the mountains and the small town feel. It being a wizarding town was just a bonus in her eyes. She didn't want to move back to the city.
But hope of that was starting to look as dim as the stormy sky.
She hadn't been smart with her Sickles. She didn't see the point in letting it sit in Gringotts when it could turn into something lovely to look at or wear. Until it was used it was just gold, silver, and bronze. Luna tended to use a great deal of gold. Still she reminded herself she had a great wardrobe. And the start of a very impressive art collection.
Maybe tonight would buy her some time and goodwill. Luna hadn't wanted to attend the tea reception at Warrior's Peak. A fanciful name for a spooky old house, she thought. At another time she'd have been thrilled at the opportunity to see the inside of the great old place up high on the hill.
The pleasure of your company is desired for tea and conversation.
Eight P.M., Setember 4
Merlan's Point
You are the key. The lock awaits.
Now how weird was that? Luna thought to herself. She apparated to the gates and gawked the life-size warriors standing on each pillar. To her they looked more human then stone. But maybe that was just the night and the rain that was at this time poring onto her rain slicker covered head. In the shimmer of lighting, she could almost see the muscles rippling in the arms, over the broad, bare chests.
The house had been empty for years. It didn't explain why they had invited the manager of AVO but not the owner and his interfering wife. Dora Sue had been pretty peeved about the slight – so that was something.
Still Luna would have passed on the evening. She didn't have a date – just another aspect of her life that currently sucked.
There hadn't even been name or a fire call for an R.S.V.P. And that she felt was arrogant and rude, but Mr. Wane spotted the envelope on her desk.
He had been so excited, so pleased about her going, had pressed her to relay all the details of the house's interior to him. And he had reminded her that if she could drop the name of AVO into conversation from time to time, it would be good for business.
If she could score a few clients, it might offset the Escada mishap and the bimbo comment.
Luna stepped closer to take a closer look at the pillars when the gates opened. She walked up the drive and stopped to star at the stunning buck standing arrogantly a foot from her.
For a moment she took the deer for a sculpture as well, though why any sane person would set a sculpture in the center of a driveway was beyond her. Then again, sane didn't seem to be the operative work for anyone who would choose to live in the house on the ridge.
But the deer's eyes gleamed, a sharp sapphire blue in the light from the house, and his head with the great crowning rack turned slightly. Regally, Luna mused, mesmerized. Rain streamed off his coat, and in the next flash of lighting that coat seemed as white as the moon. Being named for the moon Luna saw this as a good omen.
He stared at her, but there was nothing of hear, nothing of surprise in those glinting eyes. There was, if such things were possible, a kind of amused disdain. Then he simply walked away, through the curtain of rain, the rivers of fog, and was gone.
"Wow" she let of a long breath. "And one more Wow." She murmured as she stared at the house.
Something between a castle, a fortress, and a house of horrors, she decided. The stone was obsidian black, with juts and towers, peaks and battlements stacked and spread as if some very clever, very wicked child had placed them at his whim. Perhaps hundreds of them, all glowed with gilded light.
Fog drifted around its base, like a moat of mist.
She walked to the stone skirt of a wide portico and considered, very seriously apparating away. She called herself a coward, a childish idiot. She asked herself where she'd lost her sense of adventure. She has stood by Harry Potter at the final battle. Looked death in the face and ran to it not away. She could tea.
The insults worked well enough. At the steeps stood a man with the biggest umbrella she'd have ever seen.
"I'll see you to the door dry and safe"
What was that accent? Irish? Scots?
"Thank you" She steeped under the umbrella, struggling to regulate her breathing as he walked her to the double entrance doors.
The doors opened, and light and warmth poured our.
The woman straight and gorgeous stream of flame-colored hair – it spilled around a pale face or perfect angles and curves. Her green eyes danced as if at some private joke. She was tall and slim, garbed in a long gown of fluid black. A silver amulet holding a fat clear stone hung between her breasts.
Her lips, as read as her hair, curved as she held out a hand sparkling with rings.
She looked, Luna thought, like someone out of a very sexy faerie tale.
"Miss Lovegood. Welcome. Suck a thrilling storm, but distressing, I'm sure , to be out in. Come in."
The hand was warm and strong, and stayed clasped over Luna's as the woman drew her into the entrance hall.
Then light showered down from a chandelier of crystal so fine that it resembled spun sugar sparkling over the twists and curves of silver.
"I'm so glad you could join us tonight." The woman continued. "I'm Ramona. Please, let me take you into the parlor. There is a lovely fire. Early in the year for one, but the storm seemed to call for it."
"Thank you Miss –"
"Ramona. Just Ramona." She said as waved her hand. Luna's cloths and hair where dried.
"Thank you again." She said.
They stepped through the first arch to the right, the thrilled gasp escaped before she could block it.
She had never seen it like, in or out of a museum. Antiques so lovingly tended that their surfaces gleamed like mirrors; the rich, deep colors that demonstrated as artist's flair; rugs, pillows, and draperies that were as much art forms as the paintings and statuary were. On the far wall was a fireplace she could have stood in with her arms stretched out at her sides. Framed in malachite, it held enormous logs that snapped with tongues of red and gold fire.
This was the perfect setting for a woman who looked like she'd stepped out of a faerie tale.
She wanted to spend hours there, to wallow in all that marvelous color and light. The uneasy woman who had stood in the rain was long forgotten.
"It took five minutes for my eyes to stop bugging out of my head after I walked in."
Lunated, then turned and stared at the woman who stood framed in the side window. Eyes' focusing Luna was jolted again.
"Hermione? No wait Hermione, oh Merlin is that you?"
"The one and only it's good to see you again Luna." Hermione said Luna took a closer look at Hermione. It had been years since she has seen her last. Her hair was still brown but she had cut it her dense hair skimmed between her jaw line and shoulders in a stylish swing. She had curves now to match her height. She wore black pants and a snug white top under a stylish robe.
She held a champagne flute in one hand and extended the other as she walked across the room. Always the formal type mused Luna.
"You look wonderful Luna I have missed you." Hermione said
"Wow and you. You look great Hermione. What have you been doing with yourself?" Asked Luna
"Well I'm a librarian in town. I've been here for a few years now."
"That's odd I have lived here going on 6 years now. How come we have never bumped into each other? It's not too small of a town but it's not a large one ether." Luna said
"Hmmm that is off isn't it?" Wondered Hermione anyway I was relieved when I saw you drive up. It's a hell of a place and I was getting a little spooked standing around by myself. It's nearly quarter after." She tapped the face of her watch. "You would think some of the other guests would be here by now."
"Mind if I join the party?" a voice asked
The two women looked up at a very familiar voice. A tall redhead walked in looking a little nervous at her surroundings. Soon her gaze landed on her long time friends.
"Ginny!