I realise this is a bit of a short chapter but I'm just trying to get myself back into writing after a very long absence. The other chapters will be longer and any constructive criticism is welcome.
Thank you to everyone who pointed out the error about Luna being younger than Hermione, I have amended it and hopefully now it will make a bit more sense!
On a sunny morning in September, a man and a young blonde girl made their way through the dense crowds in King's Cross Station, trying to avoid the hundreds of families moving towards Platform Nine and completely oblivious to the stares they were attracting. The man was wearing pale yellow flared trousers and a similarly coloured long-sleeved tunic, long grey hair tied back into a ponytail and a silver pendant hanging from a chain on his neck. His daughter was in a long dark blue shirt and flared silvery trousers, quite unlike any of the other children being dragged along the platform by anxious parents. The trolley they were pushing was stacked high with suitcases topped by an owl cage, which was another reason for the hostile gazes from passers-by, and it was teetering dangerously away from the girl. The man looked down at his daughter.
"Are you ready, Luna?"
The girl nodded. "Is this it?" she asked, looking at the plain wall in front of them.
"Yes, it is. We just have to run through here and then we're on the platform."
A passing guard looked at them oddly, but ignored them as they were only one of a whole host of strange people in the station that day. Behind them, a sour-faced blonde man pushed his trolley forwards threateningly.
"Come on, we haven't got all day!"
Mr. Lovegood turned and nodded at him gravely.
"Lucius. We'll be on our way now."
"I don't intend to be on first name terms with you, Lovegood," spat the blonde man, but the Lovegoods had already run straight through the wall, emerging on the other side on Platform 9¾.
Luna shook her head to dispel the ringing in her ears.
"Well, that was unusual," she said lightly.
Mr. Lovegood nodded. "They say that Wrackspurts live in that wall – they make your head fuzzy when you come back through."
"Wrackspurts! Ha!"
Luna looked around to see a short platinum-blonde boy with a fixed sneer who was accompanied by his father who had been standing behind them. Mr. Lovegood looked at them with equanimity before turning away.
"Are you all ready, Luna?"
"I think so."
"Well, I'll just help you get your things onboard."
He handed her the owl cage and a small bag before taking the other luggage onto the gleaming red train. When he'd finished, he and his daughter stood on the platform together for the last time that term.
"You take care of yourself, Luna." He kissed the top of her head and pushed her gently onto the train. "Good luck – and have fun – and don't forget to get all of your luggage off at the other end-"
The train was beginning to chug forwards now – most of the children were onboard, getting settled in. A plump-faced young boy rushed past Mr. Lovegood, clutching a toad in one hand and a suitcase in the other and being screeched at by an imposing old lady in a stuffed-vulture hat.
"And watch out for Crumple-Horned Snorcacks, there was a sighting in the Forbidden Forest just last week. Goodbye, Luna!"
Sticking her dirty blonde head out of the window, Luna waved. "Goodbye Daddy!"
She wandered along the length of the train, looking for a free compartment. The first one she came to was occupied by the blonde boy Malfoy who had laughed at her on the platform, a fat and ugly dark haired boy and a skinny blonde girl. Unabashed, she slid the door open.
"Excuse me, is there a free seat in here?"
Malfoy looked up.
"Ugh, Lovegood's brat, is it? There isn't any room in here." He stared pointedly at the girl, who removed her coat and spread it over the spare seat. "Get out."
Luna looked at him with her head on one side.
"You're very rude, aren't you?"
The girl regarded her scornfully. "You're very stupid, aren't you?" she mimicked.
She and Malfoy laughed, whilst the other boy stared stupidly at them.
"Goyle!" hissed Malfoy, elbowing him.
The huge hulking thing identified as Goyle began to guffaw sycophantically. Luna gazed at them calmly before turning around and leaving the compartment. That was no good. She advanced, being turned away from all of the compartments she reached until she found one with only two people in it – one round-faced boy and a bushy-haired girl. She slid the door open.
"Hello, may I sit down?"
The girl looked up. "Yes, go on." She stood up and stuck her hand out. "Hermione Granger. This is Neville Longbottom."
Luna shook it and nodded to Neville before sitting down opposite him. "I'm Luna Lovegood."
"Hello," said Hermione, sitting down and crossing her legs. "Which House do you think you'll be sorted into? I'm in Gryffindor - it has such a fascinating history and it's had some wonderfully brave wizards and witches, and well, I'm so flattered to be counted in their ranks. Neville's a Gryffindor too."
"If I hadn't been, I think my grandmother would have killed me," replied Neville nervously.
"Which house would you like to be in, Luna?"
"I'd like to be in Ravenclaw. That's where my parents were. My mother was a brilliant witch," replied Luna absently, pulling a magazine out of her bag.
"Well, mine are Muggles. I'd just like to get that out of the way, if anyone has any issues with it," declared Hermione, as though she was expecting an immediate outcry.
"I don't see what difference it makes, really," said Luna. "If you're a witch, you're a witch."
She raised the magazine to cover her face. From their position, Hermione and Neville could see that it was that month's edition of The Quibbler, one of the more unusual magazines of the wizarding world. Hermione pursed her lips, but said nothing, instead drumming her fingers on the windowsill impatiently.
"I wonder where they are?" she said suddenly.
"Where who are?" asked Luna, emerging from her magazine.
"Harry and Ron, of course. My friends," Hermione explained. "I didn't see them at the station, which is strange because Ron's family makes an awful row when they're gathered together, but they have to be on the train because otherwise they won't get to Hogwarts."
The drumming became increasingly frenetic.
"Harry wouldn't dare miss his second term, and Ron's mother wouldn't let him. Oh, they have to be here somewhere!"
"Harry Potter?" asked Luna thoughtfully.
"Yes! Which is all the more reason we should be worried, who knows what might have happened to him if he didn't get on the train, after the end of last term with – with You-Know-You!" Hermione got to her feet and began to pace. "No, he has to be on the train, they wouldn't – Dumbledore wouldn't let him not be, they must check, with somebody like him…"
Neville exchanged a worried glance with Luna.
"It's no good, I'm just going to have to go and check," declared Hermione, moving towards the door.
"You checked when you went in," Neville reminded her.
"Yes, but…oh, fine, I'll go on my own!" She flounced out into the corridor.
Neville looked at Luna for support, but she was back behind The Quibbler. Sighing, he followed Hermione out into the passageway.
After a few moments, a pair of silvery eyes emerged from behind the paper and looked around. Alone again. Of course.