The Curious Case of Luna Lovegood

Chapter 17: It was YOU!

The first thing Harry noticed was the astounding amount of Aurors at the three broomsticks inn. There were clearly too many for a simple arrest of an inn keeper. Harry couldn't shake the feeling that this was an excuse to get aurors closer to Hogwarts or more particularly Luna.

"This is a disgrace," Luna muttered before yelling. "Miss Rosemerta's innocent you clowns, give her Veritaserum, she'll tell you she was cursed."

The Aurors stared at her with disgust as they continued their work. A few seconds later, Kingsley emerged from the Inn and approached the couple.

"Merlin even you're here Minister, isn't this overkill?" Harry asked suspiciously.

The Minister spoke, "Under normal circumstances I'd agree, however one of the suspects has been missing since the incident. We only just found Miss Stones incapacitated at the Hogshead inn. All we know is her attacker erased their identity from her mind."

Luna seemed to ignore the exchange as she took off to the inn. "Where is Miss Rosemerta? I would like to speak to her please."

"Miss Lovegood you cannot just walk into a crime scene," Kingsley scolded. Luna simply giggled and ran through the shut door. "Merlin this girl will be the death of us all."

Harry and Kingsley entered the inn to see Luna already in discussion with the accused. "Dear girl, I would never hurt you. I swear on my magic, I was bewitched or something."

Luna hummed "I know Madam, the Nargles told me so. Do you know who cursed you or the poison you used?"

Madam shook her head before pausing. "Poison, I remember the poison! It was a regular choking poison, but it was mixed with something else I've never seen before.

Luna's eyes widened, "Eureka!"

Luna immediately ran to the fire place, igniting a green flame without floo powder. She entered and came back with a vial not 10 second later, with Mr. Slughorn following closely behind. "Luna what is the meaning of this? I was..."

"..In the middle of trying to find out what this poison is. Well I can solve that quickly. Cheers!" Luna happily yelled as she chugged the vial before their eyes.

"Bloody hell!"

"Merlin, Morgana and Guinevere's..."

"Luna what are you doing? Are you mad?" Harry yelled shock as he ran to Luna.

Luna stared at him and nodded before spitting the poison back in the vial. "Vile, horrid tasting, I think I burnt my mouth, Oh well."

Luna close her eyes before she seemed to recover. "Sorry I needed to heal my burnt mouth, you see I was right. It's not just a poison, it has been mixed with acid."

"Acid?" Slughorn whispered surprised, "Isn't that some sort of Muggle chemistry?"

"Is it dangerous?" The Minister asked.

Luna locked eyes with Harry before turning to the Minister, "You tell me sir," Luna poured the poison on one of the tables and they watched as the table dissolved.

"Explains the internal damage inflicted to Miss Parkinson," Slughorn whispered turning green.

"More importantly it explains what happened to the bezoar," Harry whispered before turning to Luna. "You know what this mean?"

Luna nodded, "The killer had knowledge of Muggles."

As they left the inn Harry pulled Luna into an alleyway. "How did you know all this? You said the Nargles told you?"