A/N: As my first story on FFN, I'm still a bit new to the GUI, so if there are upload errors, blame it on old (ok, not that old) age. This is a response to the well-known Paladeus' Challenge #11, although I've taken quite a few liberties with the specifics, so maybe consider this a story in the spirit of the challenge, rather than a direct response. Most of the important information is in the summary, but I want to go over it again here so no one's surprised at where the story goes.

First and foremost, this is a Lunar Harmony story. I'm a Harmony shipper though and through, but adding Luna to an already strong pairing seems to work well, and I've done my best to write each member as an equal to the other two. If you're not a fan of either of those two relationships, I hope you'll stick around for the story but I understand if you'd rather read something else. Thanks for stopping by!

Second, but equally important, is the bashing. I'll say this right now, no-one is safe, but no-one will be singled out either. Just because a character is hammered early on doesn't necessarily mean they'll be slammed later in the story, it really just depends on how everything develops. Having said that though, you can expect everyone's favorite targets (Dumbledore and the Weasleys) to be in the mix. If you're not a fan of bashing of any form, this story might not be for you either, but again, thanks for tuning in and checking it out. It's much appreciated.

Thirdly, this is a time-travel story. You'll see a fairly heftly AU presence, and I'll be honest, it's been more than a few years since I last read the novels, so if I drop something that's not canon but is pretty common among FanFic authors, I apologize ahead of time but the disclaimer is there and I'm likely going to run with that event as written here.

Finally, this fic is rated M for a reason. It's gonna get dark, and not just "oh, I killed your favorite character" dark. We're talking sexual assault, regular assault, regular sex (and maybe un-regular sex?), torture, death, and copious amounts of swearing, and I've likely forgotten anything else. I won't be putting any warning at the head of the chapters, so any chapter could contain any of the above, and that includes trigger warnings. I want to be absolutely clear on one thing though; to me, rape is the most evil and despicable thing a person can do, and I've portrayed it as such. There's no glory in it, and all rapists in this story will see justice served. Just so you all are forewarned when those scenes arrive.

As for an update schedule, I've only just finished the first draft of Chapter 2, and I'm a bit of a slow writer and a perfectionist to boot, so updates may be slow in coming. I'm going to try for one every other week, but no promises there. Also, I'll try and keep the A/N's relatively short, but responses to reviews will be added at the end of each chapter, so please leave them!

Oh! I can't believe I forgot a Disclaimer. Uh, I don't own Harry Potter, which is properly for the best, really. Also, there may be ideas that I've unwittingly swiped from other fanfictions, so if I did, sorry and thanks! It's usually easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission, and I'm sure I'm going to fall into that more than a few times.

Thanks for tuning in! Please enjoy Of Fae and Fervor!

Chapter 1: All Good Things

Harry Potter, emerald-eyed, raven-haired, and prophesized one, stood stoically in front of the large picture window looking out onto a balcony and down into the courtyard of Potter Manor, although calling the Castle he resided in a 'Manor' was the equivalent of calling Queen Elizabeth 'a lady of slight importance'. Below, trading spellfire with vigor and poise that would put even a Bellatrix Lestrange in her prime to shame, danced the two most important people in his entire world. One, a brown bushy-haired and chocolate eyed young woman sent a massive and varying array of colors and incantations of increasing frustration toward the other, a blue-eyed and platinum blonde who seemed to effortlessly be precisely wherever the first's spells were not.

"Luna!" the brown-haired woman shouted as a particularly nasty bright orange spell passed through the space that the other woman had been only moments before. "Stop. Moving!"

"But Mya, dear," the blonde, Luna, replied casually. "You know the wrackspurts tell me where to move next. It's not my fault you're just pointing at the wrong spot each time. Besides, it's not like I did anything to deserve this anyway."

She paused in her explanation to dodge an array of glowing red bolts of light, gracefully finding a seam where none should exist.

"Luna," Hermione growled, magic building as her opponent continued to bait her full ire. "You wrote 'Nargles were here' on the inside cover of every book in the library, and then had the gall to interrupt my night with Harry by charming every painting in the entire castle to sing 'God Save the Queen' in a chipmunk voice."

"What?" Luna stopped and looked questioningly at her accuser, a dark purple spell hesitating on the tip of her wand. "It was her birthday."

"It was my birthday, Luna!" Hermione shouted pointing her wand at the offending woman, a bright green spell lighting the tip,

Harry choose at that moment, poorly, to step through the window and address the two women, firing a quick cannon-blast from his wand to alert the combatants. Unfortunately for him, both Hermione and Luna had developed razor-sharp reflexes over the decade of war the three had been fighting, and each turned toward the sound and let loose the spells they had each been holding.

Harry's eyes only had enough time to widen imperceptibly before the dark purple and bright green spells impacted his chest and his world collapsed into darkness.

Harry.

The ethereal voice meandered through Harry's consciousness. He opened his eyes to see, but the darkness surrounding him was complete, and he could only tell his eyes had actually opened by the physical motion itself.

Harry Potter.

The voice seemed to come from all sides now, louder than before, and was that a different timbre to the sound? Harry peered into the void around him and thought he could just make out a figure looming in the distance.

"Harry Potter."

This voice was different than the other two, and right behind him. He spun quickly reaching for his wand, only to find it and his holster missing. Any source of the voice, if there was one, lay hidden in the inky blackness surrounding him.

"The Fae Queen has need of your services, young Caster."

There, behind him again! Harry turned once again and struck out at the source before his eyes had even registered any presence. The figure, humanoid at the very least, dissolved into mist before reforming just out of his reach. Harry's eyebrow rose questioningly as the resolved image revealed a sharp-dressed lithe male with pure white hair, a narrow chin, longish, pointed ears, and piercing violet eyes. The figure raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow, but continued as if no aggression had occurred.

"Her Majesty Queen Lilith, Eternal Ruler of the Mortal Plane, bids you and yours to perform a favor for Her Majesty, and in return will grant each soul a boon. Should you accept, ring the Bell and utter the phrase 'I believe', and the Queen's Emissary will be sent to you."

Harry, wake up.

Harry looked around the darkness for the source of the new and yet familiar voice. He looked back at the messenger but saw only the void once again.

Harry, please wake up.

The voice seemed complex now, as if two voices spoke as one. Harry closed his eyes and willed himself to consciousness. He slowly opened them again, squinting as brown and blonde locks came into focus.

"Um, ow?" Harry winced and tried to sit as the memory of the spell impacts, along with a surge of aches and soreness, permeated his body. The memory of his visitor faded into the recesses of his mind, where it would remain hidden until summoned.

Hermione and Luna both wore guilty smirks as they looked down at their mutual lover. They glanced at each other, silently determining which should speak first. Luna pouted slightly having clearly lost the discussion and addressed the grounded male.

"We're sorry Harry. You startled us and we both acted on instinct. Um, might I suggest you avoid mirrors for the next few hours? We, um, well," Luna's smirk began growing as Hermione stifled a giggle. "I probably can't blame the Blibbering Humdingers this time."

Luna's invocation of one of her more infamous creatures, one that even she had admitted could not possibly exist under the rules of Magic and Nature, was the final straw that broke Hermione. She burst into roaring, infectious laughter and Luna quickly followed, both women falling backwards onto the floor in their mirth. Harry was not amused.

"Yes, yes," he gestured absently with his hoof. "Have a laugh at my expen–"

His hoof?! Harry raised his arms (legs?) in front of his face and stared blankly at his new eggshell-colored hooves and coarse blue hair before sighing dramatically, which only encouraged the two women's laughter that had just begun to abate.

"How long?" he asked dejectedly.

Luna and Hermione barely recovered enough to answer the question, although each giggle threatened to start the episode all over again.

"Just –heh– just a couple of hours I think. *snort*" Hermione managed.

"I think our spells combined," Luna added. "I never knew you to be so … magnificent, Harry."

"Oh yes," added Hermione, her grin widening and taking on a predatory glint, "although we may run into some issues, dear Luna. If I recall my Care lessons correctly, our … lack of virtue … may prevent us from approaching him in the near future."

Harry's brain worked overtime grasping at the tidbits of information the two women fed him. Magnificent – hooves – blue hair – virtue? What could they … no, they didn't. They couldn't!

Harry gingerly lifted his hoof to his forehead and was met with a heartwrenching clunk.

"A Unicorn. A bloody blue-haired Unicorn," he deadpanned. Harry made to stand, but the awkwardness of the hooves coupled with the fatigue of the forced transfiguration forced him forward, where he made an unmistakable clackclack on striking the stone floor. "Why don't you just go all the way and add a rainbow tail while you're at it?"

"What a wonderful idea, Harry!" Luna said brightly, and waved her wand at the unfortunate male.

"No, wait, I wasn't –"

Harry felt the magic wash over him before he could properly protest. He looked back and saw his sparkling rainbow tail swish back and forth. Hermione lost her composure once again and Harry looked at her forlornly before collapsing on his side and curling up into a ball.

"Wake me when it's gone, please," he pleaded as he closed his eyes and attempted to sleep the horrifying experience away.

Still giggling, Hermione and Luna rose and stepped past the curled form of their transfigured lover, making their way toward the Potter Library. Early in the three's cohabitation, Luna had claimed the Library as her Domain, much to both Harry's and Hermione's surprise. Upon further reflection, however, the younger Ravenclaw seemed to fit well among the formerly dusty tomes, more at home than Hermione could ever be. They had barely stepped into the room before a bell rang softly, its tone penetrating every room and space in the castle.

"Oh! More visitors!" cried Luna.

Casting a quick Tempus with a flick of her wrist, Hermione inspected the timing of the toll.

"They're a few days late. Maybe they're learning that we don't want to be found. It's probably for the best anyway, since Harry – heh – is rather indisposed." Hermione commented.

"Come on!" Luna grasped Hermione's hand roughly and made to drag the brunette back the way they had come and toward a flight of stairs. "Hurry! I missed it last time, and I do so enjoy watching their faces."

Hermione was well aware of their intended destination, but allowed herself to be led anyway. Luna had seen enough hardship in her short lifetime and, if she was being honest with herself, Hermione took more than a bit of enjoyment herself in greeting their quarterly 'visitors'.

"Tilsy?" Hermione asked as she followed/was drug by the skipping blonde.

With a sharp pop, a young female house elf appeared dressed in a well-fitted maid's outfit, a single tawny flower atop a silver and black checkered shield, the House of Potter crest, prominently featured on the right breast.

"Yes, Mistress Mynee?" the house elf, Tilsy, answered, giving the two witches a small curtsy. Realizing that her mistresses were quickly receding, Tilsy bounced forward, closing the distance between them.

"Tilsy. Please – ugh –" Hermione pulled back on Luna's hand, slowing her enough that she could properly address the house elf. "Tilsy, would you please prepare the Landing for Luna and I to receive our guests? We're cutting it a bit short today."

"Of course, Mistress Mynee." Tilsy replied, and with another curtsy, pop-ed away.

It only took a few minutes to reach the Landing, but by that point Hermione had gotten Luna to release her hand, color slowly returning to the appendage.

The Landing, as Hermione had unwittingly dubbed it after comparing it to a no-maj Helicopter landing pad, was found atop the northern most tower in the castle. The battlements had been removed, and a runic array shaped like a lady's hand fan with the point facing the approaching stairwell and the arc facing north had been carved delicately into the stonework and filled with molten gold laced with thirteen drops of blood from each of the trio. It was quite a bit of work, and likely would have been worth a Runic Mastery for Hermione had the education system not collapsed years ago.

Tilsy had done a wonderful job in preparing the Landing. Two wicker no-maj lounge chairs with thin paisley cushions rested just off the point of the array, and each had a small white table upon which rested a pair of oversized sunglasses and a glass with a blended drink and small umbrella, a white Piña Colada for Hermione, and a yellow-orange Mai Tai for Luna. The women had only just settled in when the array began to throb with a bright aqua light, each pulse arriving slightly faster than the first.

"Oh goody! We didn't miss it," Luna excitedly exclaimed, sunglasses upside-down and slightly askew.

"I didn't think we would, ma petite lune," Hermione sighed as she relaxed into the chair, sipping on her cocktail. "Any bets on the opening line?"

Luna turned and looked at her for a moment before turning back to the lightshow. "No. It'll be the same as it always is. 'Blood Traitor' this, 'Mudblood' that, 'the Dark Lord blah-dy blah-dy blah'. You'd think they'd come up with better lines after taking over the entire island. I guess they killed anyone with any intelligence. You think it'll be anyone we know?"

"Ooh!" Hermione's eyes lit up behind her sunglasses. "I hope it's a Weasley. I'd love to pay them back for everything they did to us. Maybe even tweak the runes a little so that they …"

"Mya," Luna stated firmly, "we carved those runes to keep you, me, and Harry safe. Messing with them now would be the end of all of us."

Hermione's response was interrupted by the runic array glowing a brilliant white before fading, revealing three wizards and two witches, each wearing a black robe and silver featureless-yet-gendered mask. The newcomers blinked a few times attempting to clear their vision before the central figure, one of the men, stepped forward.

"The Last Blood Traitor and the Mudblood," the wizard spat. "The Dark Lord will be most pleased to learn of your deaths. I think this … location … will make a fine palace for our Lord. No doubt your so-called 'Chosen One' has fled the country like the weakling he is. He –"

Sluuuuuurrp. Five pairs of eyes snapped to Luna as she finished her drink, and one pair rolled in exasperation.

"What?" Luna asked innocently. She looked at the five Death Eaters, then to Hermione who was shaking her head in amusement, then back at their 'guests'.

"Oh. I interrupted the monologue again, didn't I?"

Hermione lazily waved the invading magicals along. "Please continue."

"Right, well then," the central Death Eater muttered, trying to recover his obviously rehearsed speech. "Traitor, Mudblood, no Potter, right! No doubt, your so-called 'Chosen One' has fled the country like the weakling he—"

"Luna," Hermione sighed, interrupting the now furious speaker, "I think you're absolutely right. There's probably an IQ test to join up with His Dork Majesty and if you score higher than a Goyle, they off you. This is boring and a waste of our time. Skip!"

Hermione flicked her wand out of her hidden holster and targeted the point of the array.

"Expiscio."

The runes flared a blood red and five silver masks instantly melted and flowed around their wearer's jaw and neck, sealing their mouths shut while the five black robes lost their hoods and gained white stripes and stitched themselves together forming five rough but effective straitjackets.

Both Hermione and Luna slapped their hands over their mouths in shock as two mops of bright red hair revealed themselves from among the Death Eaters.

"Oh, Morgana!" whispered Hermione, as she and Luna shared a glance.

"I know!" Luna replied. "I can't believe I forgot either!"

"Wait, what? You don't rec-" Hermione's hands dropped slowly as she looked at the blonde in confusion.

"I forgot the music! One second," Luna interrupted as she leaped from her lounge chair, sunglasses clattering on the stone floor. Somehow, her refilled drink managed to land back on the table undamaged and unspilt. Luna was halfway down the stairs before remembering that Magic was, in fact, a thing, and with a quick accio deftly caught the handheld tape player zooming toward her. She jogged back up the stairs and skipped over to her chair, roughly plopping herself down, causing the furniture to scrape loudly against the stone.

"Got it!" Luna waved the tape player happily. She pressed the play button, shouting "sonorous" in her glee as she did so, and the sound of pipe organs blasting Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor overwhelmingly filled the air.

"Luna! Too loud!" Hermione shouted, her hands now covering her ears lest her drums be blasted apart by the powerful organ chords.

"Oh. Right. Quietus," Luna said quietly, and the music lowered to a manageable and conversational level.

Hermione sighed. The day was not going well. Luna wasn't usually this out of it, and Harry was, well, Harry. Knowing her luck, some fictional character was going to fall out of their floo next, and she was going to have to deal with that along with everything else. On top of all that, a mental tick kept probing her memories, like something important had just happened. She shook her head slightly. She'd have to deal with that after they questioned and expelled their Death Eater victims.

She looked back at the bound and gagged intruders, and the tick became a hammer that pounded recognition to the front of her mind. A predatory grin slowly grew onto her face as she carefully set her drink down and rose to her feet, stalking over to the edge of the rune array.

"Oh, Luna-dear" Hermione called melodiously to the perky blonde, her grin never once wavering. "I believe we've caught ourselves a pair of traitors. Would you be a dear and get Harry for me? I don't think he'd want to miss this."

"What? Oh, sure. Noddy?" Luna asked distantly, gently swaying back and forth to the music emanating from the enchanted tape player.

An elderly long-eared house elf, dressed smartly in a well fitted black and white suit and tailed coat straight out of the 17th century, pop-ed off to Luna's right and gave a small bow.

"Mistress called for Noddy?" the house elf asked promptly.

"I need you to go get Harry, please." Luna ordered the elf. "You also might want to warn the other elves away from the Landing for a few hours too. I wouldn't want any of you to get hurt."

"Tilsy is keeping watch and caring for Master Harry, Mistress. Should Noddy be telling Tilsy off?" Noddy asked carefully.

Luna picked up on the underlying insinuation for what it was. "Oh, no! No, of course not. Look, um, just – just tell Tilsy that we need Harry and he'll be fine in whatever condition he's currently in."

Luna sighed in relief as Noddy bowed again and pop-ed away. She'd misspoke once before when dealing with the elves and they'd punished one of their own on her perceived orders. Hermione had found out, and unleashed her fury on the unwitting culprit.

Luna absentmindedly rubbed her rear tenderly. She'd been sore for a fortnight and been banished from the bedroom for half of that. It would have been longer, but Hermione grudgingly acquiesced when Harry mentioned that Luna's absence was punishing the both of them as well. Luna blushed as she recalled her return to their bed. Hermione was still in a 'punishing' mood, and had made that abundantly clear when she and Harry both took her that night. She leaned back into her lounge chair and closed her eyes as she fell into the pleasant memory, one hand moving up her chest, caressing herself softly while the other slowly slid down her slightly exposed midriff and past her waistband, creeping slowly and methodically downward until –

"Luna!" Hermione shrieked. "Here? Did you forget we had company?"

Luna's eyes snapped open and she blushed furiously, having the good sense to look both abashed and horrified, withdrawing her hands and placing them gently in her lap. She glanced around, taking in the six pairs of eyes that were once again focused entirely on her, although Hermione also had a light blush on her cheeks that paired prettily with her shocked expression.

"Um, kinda?" Luna said meekly.

Hermione quickly recovered from her shock at seeing Luna about to pleasure herself in front of five strangers, no not just strangers, Death Eaters, and pinched the bridge of her nose, huffing loudly. She heard a whimpering coming from the captives.

"Aaaarrrggghh!" she screamed. "We'll just have to start over. Sominus," Hermione gestured vaguely across the rune array and five bodies fell limply to the floor, the two red-heads snoring loudly.

She drew her wand and pointed it menacingly at the newly offending tape player. "Quietus," Hermione intoned and the organ music ceased.

"Luna," Hermione stated, clearly annoyed as she ran a palm through her hair and down her face, "I need you to try and focus. They only come four times a year, so we have to get as much information as we can out of them, ok?"

Luna's face fell. Her bottom lip began to quiver and moisture gathered in her silver eyes.

"I'm – *sniff* – I'm trying Mya. I want to help, but it's hard for me to keep on task."

Hermione's face softened as she walked over to her friend and lover and knelt down in front of her.

"I know, hon," she said as she patted Luna's knee gently, "I know. I just need to you try really hard for me, ok?"

"I am!" Luna emphasized. "I just – I feel like such a burden to the both of you. I know you both love me, but I don't like being broken." Luna's hands raised to cover her eyes in a fruitless attempt to stem the flow of tears. "I don't want to be broken, Mya. Why do I have to be broken?"

Hermione's heart broke. She ran her hand over the top of Luna's head and down the side of her face, caressing her cheek lovingly. Lightly grasping Luna's hands in her own, she lowered them onto her lap, leaned forward and placed a feather-light kiss on her lips.

"Luna. Oh, Luna," Hermione said delicately. "We're all a little broken. That's what war does, and that's why we have each other, so we fit together, broken pieces and all."

Hermione took a steadying breath, calming her shuddering emotions. If she had to be the glue to hold her broken family together, so be it. She placed a quick kiss on Luna's temple and withdrew, looking kindly into her eyes.

"Why don't we go find Harry?" Hermione suggested. "The house elves should've been back by now, so he's probably being stubborn."

Luna giggled, her returning natural glow filling the depressed mood surrounding the pair, and wiped the last few remaining tears from her red and slightly puffy eyes.

"Well, we did turn him into a unicorn. Maybe being a stubborn ass is more in his nature than we thought?"

A/N: Thanks for reading! Reviews, follows, favorites, annoyed ramblings, I want it all, so please take the time to leave at least a small note for me before you go. Thanks!