Missing:
Must Luna always lose her things?

"Listen to the raindrops when they fall.
Listen to the trees when they drink.
Listen to the fleeting kiss Night gives Day
when they meet for just a moment in dusk.
Listen to the world, Luna my love,
and Dance to the music it plays.
Sing for the sky in its own voice,
sing for all that is.
Because that is you too."
-BAGGE, Luna's Mother

The new school year had hardly begun before the problem started — as usual.

On Monday morning, Luna couldn't find her acorn bracelet. She couldn't imagine that anyone would want it, when no one had ever complimented her for it. She thought it quite pretty, actually, and she had exchanged acorns with several red squirrels until she had a matched set of the exact size and colour that she wanted. Other than that, it would be very easy for anyone to make one on their own. Nevertheless, it was gone.

She sighed. As in previous years, she resignedly prepared a notice requesting return of her possessions:

Posted by L. Lovegood.

Missing:
bracelet — acorns.

The rest of the long, narrow parchment was blank, for more items to be added over the next ten months. She posted it in its usual spot on the bulletin board in the Ravenclaw common room, where it would hang all term.

If the truth be told, it was actually the first of several identical lists, posted one after another — as not even her lists were sacred! Occasionally, the list itself would go missing.

Whatever. She knew everything of any consequence seemed to come back on the last day. She hoped that it would be the same on the last day of her life, so she'd recover every treasured thing she'd lost over all those years. Most of all, it would be nice to have her Mum back on that last day... and if not, they'd be together the day after, anyway.

On Tuesday morning, her best owl quill was missing. The feather had been dyed orange; if anyone was using it, they'd be quite noticeable; so why would they take it? She didn't see it anywhere, and she amended the list so it now read:

Posted by L. Lovegood.

Missing:
bracelet — acorns.
owl quill — orange.

On Wednesday morning, it was shoes. These were comfy red shoes, open in the front so her toes could feel the Spring air and the early-morning dew on the grass. They were unique because she had attached a potpourri of flower petals. She had spent an entire Summer afternoon carefully choosing the flowers to make those shoes beautiful to her eyes, and she hated to lose them.

She knew it wasn't one person doing this. After all, even Luna would think it unfashionable to wear red shoes that would clash with an orange quill! No, this was several people, each borrowing a single item. The problem was that so many things would be gone by the end of the term. They weren't really stealing them to be mean — just borrowing them, because borrowing was so easy.

That was it, of course. There was not enough reason for a borrower to worry or feel the slightest bit guilty. She didn't want to upset anyone.

But, perhaps she could inspire them to return her things.

So, on that Wednesday, she added two items to the list right off. One might be expected: the red shoes. The other item wasn't really missing, and in fact was imaginary — but the borrowers of the world wouldn't know that, and it might make them think.

So now it read:

Posted by L. Lovegood.

Missing:
bracelet — acorns.
owl quill — orange.
shoes — red, with flower petals.
Quibbler pamphlet — How to Equip Your Possessions with a Time-Delayed Theft Curse.

By Thursday morning, the bracelet, quill and shoes had all been returned.


Original story material is the property of the fanfic author; other material of Rowling, BAGGE et al. falls under the usual disclaimer.