Author's Note: I hope you all enjoy this story. I'm trying out something new as to how I'm writing it. Normally I wouldn't go for Luna/Rolf. In fact, I was seriously rooting for Neville/Luna but I was curious in how Luna and Rolf came to be so I came up with this. I hope you all enjoy!
Chapter 1: The Final Year
After the Battle of Hogwarts, the legendary school was hardly standing. Some even doubted the school would even reopen. If it had been a Muggle school, it would have been nearly a decade to rebuild and reopen the school. However, the school was a magical school, to state the obvious, so rebuilding the school only took a year. By fall of 1999, Hogwarts was ready to continue being one of the best schools in Europe. Some students decided to continue their education elsewhere while Hogwarts was being rebuilt, but those most loyal to the school waited patiently to attend again.
Among these eager and loyal students was Luna Lovegood. It didn't bother her that she should have already graduated or that she was already eighteen years old (which in the wizarding world meant that she should have already had a job or be in training for a job). She has happy to start her seventh year among friends; Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and a few others from Dumbledore's Army were all starting their seventh year together. They had all grown stronger together since the war, especially Luna and Neville.
Luna waited, eagerly and impatiently at the Ravenclaw table. Eager for the school year to begin, and impatient because she was so far from her friends at the Gryffindor table, and she was really looking forward to having pudding again.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" a voice rang out in the Great Hall. Everyone looked up. There stood Professor McGonagall, but there was something different about her. Normally, the strict professor would have a constant stern I-will-not-tolerate-any-disruptive-behavior-whatsoever look, but after the war, it seemed that the professor had a look of relief about her, even smiling ("Scary", Ron remarked). "It's so amazing to see each and everyone's happy faces. Thank you for being patient as we restored the school back to its full potential. This year at Hogwarts will have the most students graduating..." Everyone, especially all of the seventh years, clapped loudly with whistles and cheers. McGonagall smiled and put her hand up to signal everyone to simmer down. "As it is only a year since the greatest battle in all of history happened and we have lost both students and teachers.." There was an empty chair where former Headmaster and Potions master Severus Snape had sat and several students bowed their heads in remembrance of those students lost. "..we must honor their memories by continuing strong with our heads held high. Their deaths will not be in vain."
Luna looked over at the Gryffindor table at Ron Weasley, knowing his brother had died at the Battle of Hogwarts. He had a great deal of sadness on his face, but it was also joined by understanding and determination, something that a younger version of himself would not do in this situation. She saw Harry, someone who had lost a number of people he cared about, but still remained grateful and selflessly happy to be alive. The brown haired boy next to him was someone Luna was most worried about: Neville Longbottom. One would think after having the person who tortured their parents to insanity was killed that being happy was not a problem. Over the next year, Neville's one and only living relative, his grandmother, had been getting sicker and sicker. It was a miracle Neville stayed at home to care for her for a year, otherwise she would have probably have passed away by now. She knew Neville was extremely stressed and worried that he would not be there this time to care for his grandmother.
The man in question looked her way and smiled a little. Luna tried not to blush. It was this summer they both had confessed their feelings for each other, and while they both decided to wait after Hogwarts to date, they still caught each other gazes as if they were dating.
McGonagall continued on, naming the newest head of Gryffindor house and the new Transfiguration teacher was Patricia Stimpson, who graduated when Fred and George would have. The newest Potions master and head of Slytherin house was Adrian Pucey, whom Harry had once played against in Quidditch. The newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was someone Luna remembered seeing when she was in Diagon Alley last week buying her new school supplies.
"Let the feast begin. As the words from Albus Dumbledore: Tuck in!" Everyone laughed and whistled as the food appeared on their plates.
"You wanted to see me, professor?" Luna asked, peeking her head out of the door.
"Yes, yes, come in!", Professor Flitwick replied, not looking up. Luna walked slowly into his office. She had found herself in this room before, after all, Professor Flitwick was the head of the Ravenclaw house. The office was rather large for someone who was barely four feet tall. There were blue and bronze colored banners that colorfully decorated the desk. A shelf on the right side of the desk had pictures of past and present Quidditch teams with Flitwick in a few when Ravenclaw had won the Quidditch Cup in 1982, 1985, 1986, and 1990. Next to the bookshelf Luna had passed when she walked in had pictures of the Hogwarts choir, and a few medals Hogwarts had won from choir competitions the Ministry of Magic would hold every year for all European wizarding schools. Luna smiled, knowing Professor Flitwick felt prideful of his choir almost as much as the student in his own house.
Professor Flitwick finally found the quill he was looking for and sat down. He had a frantic look in his eyes (which explained why he didn't look Luna in the eye at first), but a calm face. Flitwick finally looked up and smiled in somewhat relief. "Ah, Miss Lovegood! How are you?"
"Pleasantly ordinary, sir", Luna answered dreamily, setting her book bag beside her as she took her seat. Flitwick was used to her odd way of answering, remembering how her father was in school. He wordlessly summoned a file from his bookshelf and skimmed through it quickly once the file came to and opened itself on his desk.
"Let's see here", Flitwick had muttered to himself. "Ah, you received Outstandings in Charms, Care For Magical Creatures, Herbology, Arithmancy, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy, and Transfiguration, and Exeeds Expectations in History of Magic, and Divination. By Merlin, child! I daresay your grades were almost as good as Miss Granger's!"
"Actually, Hermione earned nine O's, and I received two E's." Luna corrected Flitwick, not caring too much that her grades were almost exactly like Hermione's.
Flitwick smiled, "Yes of course, but you definitely would have graduated at the top of your class, Miss Lovegood. That's very good!" He searched quickly for a quill and some parchment. "Now, as I recall, you were thinking of becoming an apprentice for Charms, am I right?"
"Actually, sir", Luna responded, looking less dreamlike and more focused. "I had wanted to be a Charms teacher, but not anymore, sir. I thought it would bring me closer to my mum, seeing as she was excellent with Charms, but I have found that Magical creatures hold my interest more, sir, not trying to offend you sir." Luna was always polite like that. "I want to become a Magizoologist."
Professor Flitwick, surprised but not disappointed, nodded his head. "Excellent, Miss Lovegood. So I assume you will be N.E.W.T level Care for Magical Creatures and Herbology?" Luna politely nodded. "And what other electives do you wish to take?"
Luna pondered for a minute then replied,"Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Potions, Arthimancy, and Charms."
Flitwick looked up excitedly, "Are you sure you wish to take all these classes?"
Luna nodded proudly, "Yes, I do." The small man quickly wrote all her classes down and wrote her a schedule for the year. As he gave her her new schedule, he thought about how he is still amazed to have such smart students.
"Hello Hagrid!", Luna shouted, waving at the half-giant.
Hagrid turned and smiled as he saw the dirty blonde girl coming down the hill. " 'Ello, Luna! Bit surprised to see ya in Magical Creatures N.E.W.T. level." Besides Luna, only four or five people present. The magizoology field wasn't exactly the most popular. "It's a shame Harry, Ron, and Hermione decided not to take this class, though they had the grades fer it!" Luna weakly smiled. She knew the Golden Trio loved Hagrid and his classes but didn't think it was necessary.
"Hold on!" Luna turned and smiled brighter as she saw red hair. Ginny Weasley stopped next to her best friend. "What? Didn't I tell you I'm taking Care for Magical Creatures so my best friend isn't alone?" Luna knew Ginny didn't have to take this class, as she announced that she aspired to be Quidditch player or an Auror.
"Alright, class gather round!", Hagrid yelled to the group of students. "I think you'll like today's lesson. A very interesting creature today, so if you all follow me." He gestured to the small class to follow him to the Forbidden Forest. He stopped when he was several hundred feet into the forest and waited for everyone to catch up. "Alright, now take a good look over there." He pointed to a tree and everyone but Luna gasped.
High in the tree was a strange looking creature that resembled a monkey, but it had smooth green skin. The creature had small horns and when it saw the group that was gaping at it, the mouth widened, showing off a mischievous grin. The grin seemed to widen a little after the group gasped again.
"Now, can anyone tell me what we're looking at here?", Hagrid questioned. Luna looked around at the group before raising her hand. "Luna?"
"It's a clabbert", Luna answered. "It may resemble a monkey, but it has green skin and webbed feet, like a frog."
"Excellent, Luna! Now, who can tell me what's on its forehead there?", Hagrid asked before calling on Luna again.
"It's a pustule. It glows red when it feels it's in danger or whenever its around Muggles."
"Well done, Luna! Ten points to Ravenclaw!", Hagrid exclaimed, continuing the lesson on clabberts. It was clear that his teaching methods had changed. Over the past year, he had taken his O. and N.E. for Care of Magical Creatures. Even Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank helped him through the tests, and he was in the process of earning his mastery in the subject. After he assigned an essay on what clabberts would consider dangerous, where they were most likely found, and how not to take care of an injured one, he dismissed the class. The fact that Hagrid assigned essays on the first day was a sign that Hagrid had grown as a teacher.
"The clabberts looked so interesting!", Luna chatted with her friends later that day in Charms. Their assignment was to turn their goblet filled with water into fire then freezing the fire. Luna had effortlessly turn the water into fire and froze it with no problems. "I had only read about them in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them but I didn't expect to have them in a lesson."
"I agree", Ginny said, after freezing her goblet of fire. "Hagrid's teaching's gotten better and his lessons are a bit more thorough. It's really fascinating."
"Has it?", Harry asked. He was having a little trouble with freezing the fire.
"Here, you have to make your wrist a bit sharper after the last syllable", Hermione kindly pointed out. She turned to Ron after Harry got the hang of it, seeing as Ron kept changing the fire into water again.
"So why haven't you three taken his class?", Luna put the Golden Trio on the spot. Ron looked a bit nervous, and Hermione looked a little relieved when Harry spoke up.
"Well, Care of Magical Creatures isn't one of the classes Ron and I need for Auror training", Harry responded. Luna's expression didn't change.
"But Hagrid's not only a great teacher, but he's your friend," Luna knew this would guilt them.
"You're right, Luna", Hermione spoke up. "I could do with an extra class."
"Extra class?", Ron looked up, after finally freezing his fire. "You're already taking Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms, Arithmacy, Ancient Runes, Transfiguration, Herbology, and History of Magic. Aren't you worked up enough?"
Hermione glared at Ron before smiling again at her boyfriend, "It looks good on any job application if I have a variety of N.E.. Besides, I have time." She glared at Ron again. "I know you have time, since you're only taking four classes."
"Four's enough!", Ron playfully complained. Harry smiled at his two best friends. "Well, I guess one more couldn't hurt."
"Same here," Harry agreed. Luna grinned wider. She was happy that all of her friends were taking Hagrid's class with her. She knew this year would go on faster than it seems.
"Luna, can ya stay back fer a minute?", Hagrid called out one day after class. After Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined his class, he was always in a great mood. The class had gone from a small group of seven students to a class of twelve (convincing Dean and Neville to join as well). Luna told her friends she would catch up with them in Charms and hurried to Hagrid.
"Yes, Hagrid?"
"You seem to have a real knack for creatures. I'd say you've been one of my best students!", Luna smiled at this. It was always nice to have the teacher of your favorite class call you one of the best. "Have you thought bout travellin' and seein' these creatures in their natural habitats?"
"Of course I have. I want to be a magizoologist."
"That so? In that case, I should tell you about this expedition a friend of Grubbly-Planks has. They're going to Peru to learn more about the Peruvian Vibertooth."
Luna's eyes grew at this, "Really? An expedition to South America? I'd love to, but my father wouldn't like it. It took so much out of him to allow me to go to school again."
"Well, you don't have to make a decision now. The expedition is planned for next fall. Plenty 'o time to think it over", Hagrid encouraged. Luna smiled at this and thanked him for the information.
The year went by quick for Luna. By Christmastime, Neville and Luna joined their friends at the Burrow for gift giving. Luna was extremely flattered when she received a sweater from Mrs. Weasley, light blue with a silver 'L'. Neville had given her a book on mythical creatures and Luna gave her friend a book on how to make the transition from student to teacher with a necklace to kept Wrackspurts away during exam time. After the gang came back to Hogwarts, it was crunch time and everyone, even Ron, was making sure they did well on their upcoming N.E.. When it came time for their exams, Luna had finally accepted the offer Hagrid gave in November about the trip to South America, and debated on how to break the news to her father.
Before they knew it, their last year at Hogwarts was over. No one would have guess that it would impact them more than it had. Even though they all knew they would keep in touch, the gang couldn't be more depressed at the thought of leaving Hogwarts forever. Luna had even pondered on becoming an apprentice for Professor Flitwick but realized she wouldn't truly be happy.
Graduation Day had finally come. Luna woke up slightly later than normal in her dorm and quickly changed into her Graduation robes. It was very similar to her Hogwarts gown for her first year, all black robes with the Hogwarts crest above the left breast. She had chosen to wear royal blue dress that made it just past her knees. It was sleeveless, with wide straps, and was fashioned with a light bronze colored belt. She chose to keep her hair down, taking several strands and pinned them behind her head with a small silver flower pin. She stayed away from wearing too much makeup with just enough on her eyes, making them pop more, and a little gloss before hurrying down to the Great Hall to have breakfast for the last time in the castle.
After breakfast, Luna went back to her dorm to see if she had forgotten anything. No one ever tried to steal Luna's things again, after what happened in the Department of Mysteries four years ago. She grabbed her wand and shrunk the trunk small enough she would not have to carry it down the stairs. She found her graduation cap, a small royal blue pointed hat with a tassel on the end and found herself back downstairs. She restored her trunk back to its original size before setting it aside the other trunks to be taken to the Hogwarts Express.
Luna sighed, looking around Hogwarts again, realizing that one chapter of her life had been completed, and found that though sad to leave Hogwarts, she was ready for whatever creatures were out there to possibly discover.
There it is! First chapter! I didn't expect it to be so long, seeing as I'm going to have to carry over the graduation ceremony to the second chapter and move what was supposed to be the second chapter over as well. It'll all work itself out though :) And yes, I didn't write much about their final year. Why? I wanted to focus more on life after Hogwarts, but I couldn't do so without telling a summary of what happened. Don't forget to leave reviews!