3Harry, Prince of Hogwarts
Act I Scene I:
A hallway in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Luna Lovegood was walking along one of the ramparts of Hogwarts Castle, when she heard footsteps in the dark. "Who's there?" she called.
She heard back, "Is that you Luna?" The figure of Dean Thomas appeared out of the dark. "What are you doing up so late?"
"I'm waiting around to see if the rumors about that ghost are true. Why are you up? "
"I couldn't sleep. None of the prefects have caught you yet? I saw Neville looking for Trevor earlier; you might run into him later."
"I haven't seen him. Or anybody else for that—"
"Trevor? Where are you?" Luna glanced up, spotting Neville Longbottom running over, Hermione Granger close behind. "Have either of you seen Trevor?"
Both Luna and Dean shrugged. "What're you doing up, Hermione? It's past curfew…" teased Dean.
"I'm on my prefect rounds." Hermione glared at Luna and Dean. "What are you two doing up?"
"Uh… I've got the… thing!.. Over there… Bye!" Dean said nervously, edging away the whole time, before quickly running around a corner. Hermione stared exasperatedly after Dean before turning her glare once more on Luna.
"Actually, I've been waiting for something. There's a rumor going around that a ghost appears here every night." Luna answered.
"Hey! I heard that rumor!" Neville interjected. Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"Guys, if there was a rumor that the giant squid was handing out chocolate frogs, would you swim down to the bottom of the lake? Honestly! All of the Hogwarts ghosts show up every night for dinner, and…"
As Hermione continued to bemoan the gullibility of the other students, a pale light began to form behind her. "Hermione, look!" gasped Neville, pointing at the light, which had coalesced into a human figure.
"It almost looks like Harry…" breathed Luna. "Hermione? What do you think?"
"Oh please," said Hermione, rolling her eyes. "Harry isn't dead." She squinted closely at the figure. "I think it's his dad, James Potter!" she whispered, eyes going round.
"Speak to it, Hermione" Neville whispered back. His quivering hands pushed her forward.
"A- Are you James Potter? P- Please, tell us!" Hermione's voice quivered as she spoke. The ghostly form seemed to move further down the rampart, until it disappeared completely in the distance.
"You scared it, Hermione, how unfortunate," stated Luna before turning to said witch, who was staring after the ghost. "… Hermione?" Luna grinned, seeming unfazed that she had just witnessed the sight of James Potter's ghost. "You look like… you've seen a ghost."
Hermione gave her an exasperated look before realizing. "Oh my god, that was the ghost of James Potter!" she gasped, turning wide eyes on Luna and Neville.
"Are you sure" queried Neville.
"There's no doubt about it. He looked exactly like Harry, only with different eyes… Harry's are green…"
Luna smiled up at them. "He' been coming here at midnight every night."
"Well, that's not good… I mean, because he shouldn't be able to…" Hermione frowned. "Oh, if only the library was open. I have research to do tomorrow."
Neville smiled at the thought of Hermione being caught after curfew because she was doing homework. That reminded him. "Hey guys, why're all the professors cracking down on us now? I mean, more than usual? We've passed our OWLs and NEWTs aren't for a while…"
"Oh, I heard that there was this competition years back that Harry's father won, against Durmstrag, and since he's dead, they want to challenge us. Like in the tri-wizard Tournament. Victor Krum is supposedly the one who thought of it. Apparently, his father lost against James," said Hermione.
Well perhaps that's why Harry's dad is wandering around dead!" beamed Luna.
Hermione raised her eyebrow. "Luna, is isn't possible for James Potter to come back, so why would he do the impossible just because a man who's father he beat has a grudge on him." As she went on about Rome and some happenings thereabouts, a pale light once again grew behind her. She stopped talking and turned. "Oh! He's back!" The ghost of James Potter slowly raised his arm, and Neville nervously drew his wand, just incase. "M-mister Potter, p-please, sp-peak! T-tell us w-why you're here!"
Suddenly, Mrs. Noris appeared in the hall and meowed at the quartet. "Time to go, guys. Filtch will be right behind her," whispered Neville. All three students ran up the hall, casting glances back at the fading James Potter.