Labels. That's what this world is made of. That is all people are willing to see, nothing more nothing less. Labels. Good, evil, pretty, heroic, cowardly, slow, smart, stupid, Crazy… That's what they've dubbed me, crazy. I'm Looney Lovegood, Looney Luna Elyshia Lovegood. They call me weird, and strange, awkward, and because of what? Because I dare to be different. I choose to live my life outside of the expectations society has set for me. As a girl, the words hurt me and though I loved who I was, I had a bitter side. But I could keep it hidden under an extreme façade of "Looniness". Since my time at Hogwarts, my ideas about the unseen have calmed some. My appearance isn't as eccentric either. My hair is still kept long but I've come to tame it in a long loose braid, and I've stowed away my butterbeer cap necklace. I read books right side up, and I don't mention nargles nearly as often. But people still see me as the same dreamy girl I once was, they still call me Looney. And for a long time the wound in my heart bled.
Labels are a human's way to survive I suppose, but they prevent people from looking deeper. In others, or even in oneself. I've learned that people can be so much more then just a generalization of what is portrayed to the world, if two people are willing to open their eyes and their souls.
An example would be Harry Potter: Hero. Harry James Potter… Boy who lived. One would think Harry is pompous-self-entitled. After all, he is the most famous young adult in the entire wizarding world! But Harry doesn't fight for others to gain more fame; he fights because he has a sense of justice. He is quite caring, and open to new people and new ideas. Like a crazy girl he met in a train compartment.
Another example is Draco Malfoy: Coward. Draco grew up believing he was the best of the best. How could he know any better with his family morals? Draco was never taught to love. So he didn't- Arrogant. Cruel. No one noticed when his innocence was ripped from him, no one saw him- Scared. Torn. No one except me.
I remember the day so clearly; I was enjoying the rare sunshine that graced the Hogwarts campus. I remember closing my eyes and spinning feeling the warmth on my face. Warmth I was not usually given at Hogwarts. I can recall suddenly pausing, and straining to hear what sounded like a cry of pain. I continued quietly in the direction I heard it from and eventually I was led to a thick tree just before the Forbidden Forest. I rested my hands on the trunk and listened. I heard the sounds of muffled crying, and peered around "Why are you…?" Silver met silver. My curious eyes met the red and surprised eyes of a boy. The eyes quickly narrowed- Untrusting.
"Looney, what are you doing here?" He spit out cruelly- Rude.
"I heard crying, are you hurt?" He smirked as well as he could, given the circumstances. "You wouldn't understand,"
"What wouldn't I understand?" He looked irritated. And I could see his frustration. Slytherin Prince at his lowest being found out by the Ravenclaw Outcast.
"What Would you understand? You walk around with Potter, and Granger, and the Weasels like you're something special. But you're Not! No one likes you! No one understands you! You and your queer ideas, you're Crazy. What good are you? Useless, you and your nonsense. Nothing in your world exists; get your head out of the clouds. You are Nothing," He panted and wiped his nose on the sleeve of his no longer pristine robes. I remember looking into his silver eyes. Where there used to be nothing but proud arrogance, was conflict and pain. He was- Broken.
"You're right, I am but a small insignificant figure in the larger world. And you're right no one understands me, but maybe its because no one tried. I accept who I am, what is your excuse? Because in this entire world, you're not much bigger then me. Why do you think you are?" He stared in shock, then burst in raw anger
"I am special! I'm pure blooded! I've been chosen to fight by the Dark Lord himself! I'm…" He screamed in agony. He broke off and turned and punched the tree. His left hand made impact right next to my head, and I could hear the bones breaking and watched as the blood dripped down his wrist. "I Am special…" He collapsed on the ground- Weak. I watched him for what may have been an eternity as he cried. As he cried for his childhood, now gone, for his family, for his friends, and the headmaster whom he truly did love. As he cried for the life he could never have. I sat down beside him and pulled him into my arms. And we stayed like that until his sobs subsided and we stayed like as we could pretend everything else had melted away. No cruel words or judgments, no exclusion or hard choices- Peaceful.
I felt a hand take mine and I woke from my memory. Years have passed, and things have changed. I've lost many people in my life, and gained many. Humanity will always give labels, and pass judgment will always be a part of it. But I've learned to ignore the judgments against me, because I know they don't know me. I stopped looking for world acceptance. And he helped me, as I helped him. And they call us Crazy.
Silver eyes met Silver.
