AN: I've always been intrigued by Luna Lovegood. She's a great character, and I wanted to write the full story of her time at Hogwarts. So, this came about. It's very much book-verse, so Ginny acts less like a limp dishrag and more like herself. I did have to create some OCs, as there weren't many students mentioned in the year below Harry's. Moving on, I hope you enjoy it.
"Yes, daddy, I will watch out for Nargles!" Luna called from the door of the Hogwarts Express.
A thin, willowy eleven-year-old girl, Luna Lovegood was leaving for her first year at Hogwarts. Brushing her mid-back, wispy hair out of her face, she walked slowly but surely down the aisle, passing compartments filled with various amounts of children and teenagers. She adjusted the wand she had placed behind her ear and smiled absentmindedly. After walking to the very end of the corridor she found an almost empty compartment and glided into it. Inside already were a small girl with fiery red hair and a tall, blond haired boy.
"Hello." Luna said dreamily, "Do you mind if I sit here? All the other compartments are infested with Wrackspurts."
The girl smiled and nodded, "Oh, no, not at all. My name is Ginny, by the way."
Luna tilted her head and said, "You're Ginevra Weasley. And you," she said a bit louder while turning to face the boy, "Are Robert Lutterworth."
He blushed, "Bobby. I prefer Bobby."
Luna seemed to ignore this comment and slid onto the crimson seat. She sat with her back against the wall with her knees up to her chest, observing what Bobby and Ginny were doing. After a few minutes of silence, Ginny opened her bag and pulled out an old book. She opened it up and began to write in it, smiling as she did so, as if she were talking to an old friend. Bobby looked at Luna. She was an odd girl, he thought, always a bit off.
"So, what's your name?"
Luna's eyes drifted over to Bobby; she had been staring intently out the window. "Luna Lovegood. I'm a first-year. You are too, right?"
The tall boy nodded quickly, "You have any siblings?"
"No... What do you think there will be for dessert after the start-of-term feast? I do hope there's pudding, it's one of my favourites." Luna's gaze drifted to the window in the heavy wood door, outside were a tall, blond girl walking away from a shocked and offended looking first-year.
Almost reading Luna's mind, Bobby spoke, " The one who just walked away? That's my sister."
"She seems unkind. I don't know why some people are like that, but I suppose they have their reasons…" Luna responded.
"She has no reason, Luna. She's in Slytherin, but with her pureblood mania, where else would she be? I swear, if I'm to share a house with her..."
"Slytherins aren't all bad. Some of them are, but so are some Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, even Hufflepuffs." Luna smiled and resumed looking out the window. They were passing through a lush, green valley, with tall trees and beautiful flowers.
Suddenly, the door flung open to reveal a tan-skinned boy with spiky black hair, "Oh – sorry. I was looking for... What is that?" he said, pointing to what looked like an orange cabbage sticking out of her satchel.
"Oh, it's the favourite food of the Dabberplimp. I'm hoping to see one, the lake at Hogwarts are filled with them, they get along well with squids, you know... My name is Luna Lovegood." Luna smiled with her eyebrows raised far up on her forehead, making her look infinitely surprised.
The boy merely scoffed at her explanation, "You know what you are? Loony. You're loony, Lovegood."
And with that, he walked back to his compartment. She was hurt. Luna wasn't used to people making fun of her. The people in Ottery St. Catchpole were indifferent to how she acted, or what she looked like, or what she carried. Oh well, it was only one person, not much of a big deal, really.
Ginny nodded with her lips pursed, "You're not loony. Don't listen to a word he says, he thinks he's better than everyone else." And with that comment, Ginny went back to her diary, writing furiusly with her purple quill.
Luna searched through her bag, finally finding what she was looking for. She lifted the Quibbler she had packed out and began to read an article on the Ripplehaired Jumpie, a shy creature with orange, curly fur.
A few hours passed, and it was nearing midday before the trolley came past their compartment for the first time. Before this, Ginny and Luna had many conversations and plenty of laughs. Although they lived in the same town, Ginny and Luna had never really met. In fact, the blond-haired girl had never had good friends back home. Acquaintances, yes, but people you could talk to, joke around with, and never be judged with... no. I do like having friends, thought Luna, smiling to herself.
Billy stated he didn't want anything, but Luna decided to get him a treat anyways. He could always eat it later. She and Ginny opened the door and rushed into the aisle. Rows of colourful and carefully crafted candy lay on three shelves on the metal trolley. On the top shelf, there were great displays of giant lollipops and a tree of sugar quills. Near the quills lay baskets full of pumpkin pasties, pieces of Scottish shortbread, even a tray of treacle toffee. Bags of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans sat in a wicker bowl; begging to be bought. It smelled of sugar and mint; the scent filled the entire aisle and made Luna feel quite joyful. It was both of the girl's first time seeing this trolley and Ginny thought that if this was what the candy cart looked like, she couldn't imagine the actual castle!
Luna beamed and Ginny simply said excitedly, "Brilliant," she continued, "I knew Fred was lying about there being roasted toads here."
What shall you get, Ginny?" Luna asked, her eyebrows raised, "I would get chocolate mints, but Ripplehaired Jumpies are drawn to the smell of peppermint."
By now, Ginny had learned to accept what Luna said and carry on without questioning it, so she replyed, "How about some chocolate frogs? Mum never lets me have more than one at a time at home."
Looked over to the little old woman standing by the trolley, and said politely, "Could I have three chocolate frogs, and two pieces of shortbread, please?"
The kind lady nodded and began to remove what Ginny had asked for from the cart. She finished up about thirty seconds later, charging Ginny two galleons and seven sickles. She accepted the payment and turned her attention to Luna, "What about you, dear? What would you like?"
Luna tilted her head and said with a dreamy air, "Hm, I'd like two pumpkin pasties, some treacle tart, a strawberry lollipop, and two bags of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, and two chocolate frogs, if it's not too much trouble."
The trolley woman looked surprised and said, "That's quite a lot for one girl to eat."
Luna merely smiled and replied, "Oh, it's not all for me. I got the chocolate frogs for my friend Bobby Lutterworth, and the treacle tart for someone who deserves some."
The woman smiled and nodded, she was a nice girl, the blond one. She asked, "Now, you can pay for that?"
Luna nodded and gave over her money, humming to herself all the while. Carrying her purchases in her arms, she turned to Ginny and asked if she'd like anything.
"Oh, no, Luna, I couldn't. I have my own, I couldn't take yours." Ginny refused. She couldn't possibly have taken food from Luna, it didn't seem right. Ginny continued, "So I guess you'll have to eat that treacle tart on your own."
Luna shook her head, "I don't think so. I was going to bring some up the conductor of the train. I hear conductors are often plagued by Wrackspurts; the treacle tart wards them off."
Ginny nodded… of course it did. The thin, blond girl handed the Chocolate Frogs to Robert, said she'd return soon, and skipped off down the aisle of the train.
Strange girl, Luna was.