The Battle for the Prophecy The Battle for the Prophecy

Floaters

Ginny must have recognized her advantage, thought Luna, because she pointed her wand and, her voice high with excitement, said, “Expelliarmus.”  It couldn’t have been easy trying to hit a wildly moving target while moving yourself.  Ginny’s spell missed Bellatrix by inches, but what was worse, the force of it caused her to lose her tenuous7 grip on Neptune.  She scrabbled desperately, but in a moment she was slowly drifting away from her planet and toward the wall.

A somersautling Bellatrix responded with Avada Kedavra, but the green beam went wild.

Meanwhile, Luna had managed to smack back-first and upside-down into the earth.  Fortunately, as she was slowly sliding off, she was able to grab the moon as it swung around.

She saw that Ron had also pushed off from the wall, but he had been too forceful and, at the same time, not careful in his direction.  He shot through the planets, making a close pass of the sun.  When he reached out in an attempt to grab anything, Luna heard a distinct sizzle and a surprised “Yow!  The sun is hot!” from Ron.

Two more death eaters rushed into the room, toppling through the air as the others had done.

What Luna heard next nearly made her cringe.

There was a strange sound, rising in volume, coming from Bellatrix, but fading in and out as she tumbled facing first one, and then another direction.  She was laughing, a laugh so full of scorn it was unnerving to hear it coming from a human throat.  “We can kill these vermin,” she cooed, “and then Potter.  Locomotor myself!”  The spell appeared to have no effect.  She snarled in frustration.

Luna took in the situation while trying to secure her upside-down position on the moon.  The first Death Eater had rebounded from the wall and, whether by fortune or intent, was heading toward Ginny.  He was below her, and her back was to him as she floated through Pluto’s orbit.

“Ginny, look out!” yelled Ron, and then, “Impedimenta!”  Ron missed his target, but managed to strike Pluto instead.  The planet froze in its orbit.

Luna was inspired.

⁷ tenuous — thin; weak; insecure (as a thread).

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