Bonds of Healing

By: HufflemypuffSiriusly

Disclaimer: The characters and places referenced in this story are not my own but that of J.K Rowling's work Harry Potter. This is an expansion of her work by myself that I receive no monetary compensation for.

Chapter 1

The final battle was won and all was well…at least as well as it could be. Luna had always been on the outside looking in. Yes, she had become friends with Harry and, through extension, Hermione and Ron. She had even grown close to Neville. But she had never really felt like she belonged.

Once again, she felt that isolation; even though people surrounded her. The Wizarding World was grieving and was going to have to rebuild, to try to find their normal again, and to discover the peace that would surely follow in the aftermath of this war. She didn't understand how everyone around her could be so consumed with grief; this was all necessary for the Wizarding world to obtain rebirth. 'A Wizarding renaissance,' she thought to herself. But as she looked around at the sadness written across everyone's faces, she knew that rebirth was a long way off. 'But how far off?' she wondered.

She saw the light in the darkness, always. She had never understood grief. Sorrow, yes—she'd felt sorrow when her mother had died, and she felt sorrow now. She wasn't a Dementor, after all. But grief was all-consuming. Looking around at her friends; her professors; and the remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix, she saw their faces, contorted in anguish at the sight of their loved ones' lifeless forms. She thought back to the Triwizard Tournament and the sight of Cedric cold and still upon the hard earth. The sound of his father's cries when he realised his boy was dead was a sound she wouldn't soon forget.

However, she couldn't comprehend grief truly. Death was a part of life. Even Voldemort, as close as he'd come to obtaining ultimate power and immortality, had succumbed to the clutches of death. 'This war,' she thought, 'should have taught the world this: that all life ends'. Why not celebrate the good and remember with love the lives these people had lived and look upon this as an opportunity for growth and hope for a better future?

The future. Merlin, Neville had confessed his love for her during the final battle, kissed her even! She'd been beyond shocked, not just because it was her first kiss, but by the declaration of love. 'How?' she had almost asked out loud in that moment. They had grown close, and she cared for him deeply. Thinking back to the battle, she could not deny that when he'd stood up to Voldemort, she'd found his bravery endearing. But he loved her and she really didn't understand how he did because, well, she didn't love him. She didn't know how to feel, but here she sat holding his hand in the remains of the once-Great Hall. Once again, she looked around the hall, and a beautiful thought came to her. Leaning into Neville's side she looked up at him

"Neville…'

He turned to stare into her eyes as she continued, 'it's incredible to think that everyone here will finally be able to see the Thestrals."

Neville's face slackened as he gaped at her. Of all the things going through Neville's mind right now, Thestrals were not one of them. Dumbstruck as he was by what she'd said, he had to admire how she saw the beauty and good in everything. He felt that must be why he loved her…at least he thought he loved her. Having never felt love before, he had no precedent to base his feelings on, he knew he cared very deeply for her and thought maybe this was what love was. So he simply closed his mouth, and nodded in response.

His gaping expression, held for just a moment too long, did not go unnoticed by Luna. She didn't mind. She was used to it by now. Any time she mentioned Nargles or Crumple-Horned Snorkacks, or any number of other magical creatures the modern day witch or wizard was ignorant to, she received a similar dumbfounded look. People seemed to think she was oblivious to her nickname, Loony. No, she was well aware that they all thought she was normally bollocks out of her mind. And it wasn't just her! It was her whole family.

As far back as she could trace, her family tree was thought of as, well, a bit 'Loony.' The earliest records she could find of her family talked of a talented Seer. Even though all her visions would come to pass, she was never believed and always thought of as mad. All in her family suffered from a similar fate. Luna, for instance, was not a Seer in the sense of the 'beyond' but in the sense that she could see magic.

She could literally see the magic a person had radiating off them; any magical bonds that they had, she could see the thin strands of magic protruding from them out into the vast expanse of the universe searching for the other person. Whenever she had tried to share her abilities with others, they would always dismiss her gift as 'Oh! You can see auras,' or that she was just a very perceptive person. 'No,' she thought, 'it's better this way.' So she kept it secret. It was safer, easier this way. She shuddered to think of what Voldemort would have done to her if he'd known what powers she possessed.

Luna hated being idle. She couldn't just sit here among the rubble and debris, the dead and wounded, the grief. Just then, she saw Hagrid enter the Great Hall, carrying yet another causality of the battle. 'How hard that must be for him' she thought, as she watched him carefully lower the body upon the stone floor, careful to tuck the white sheet around the victim, almost as though he was tucking them into sleep. She admired his strength. Not his physical strength, his emotional strength. To be able to carry the bodies of people he loved and the bodies of those he felt hatred for, to keep going, doing what needed to be done in the aftermath. It was not fair that he was doing this alone.

'Neville, I think…I think I need to go get some air, walk the grounds for a bit."

Neville looked down at Luna's large silvery eyes pleading with him to not ask to accompany her.

"Okay, yeah. I'll be right here if you need anything..."

She wasn't sure why, but as she stood, she leaned toward him, tilted her head up, and kissed his cheek. She started for Hagrid, who was already on his way back outside. She stepped quickly away from the gathered mourners and out into the sunshine of the new day.

The sun was already high in the sky as she walked into the grounds, but storm clouds were on the horizon. Luna inhaled deeply as she looked around, trying to find where Hagrid had gone. She could still smell the fires that had ravaged the castle on the air mixed with the smell of the coming rain. Stopping for a moment, she took out her wand and turned to the castle.

"Cleansing rains from afar, wash this castle of despair. Bring to us resolution and calm, before the next morning dawns."

With a flick of her wand she sent her incantation into the gathering clouds. She hoped that by trying to imbue the coming rains with cleansing properties, she could help all those grieving inside to feel some semblance of peace. She started walking again. Not sure where Hagrid had disappeared to, she walked aimlessly through the grounds, lost in her thoughts.

Hagrid felt numb. So. Many. Bodies. And he was carrying them all to the castle so they could be laid to rest with dignity. Even the fallen Death Eaters—he would not fall to their level, every being deserved a burial. They may have had families who wished to mourn their loss, and so he gathered up their bodies, bringing them into the Great Hall to await their final resting place. It needed to be done. Yes, eventually the remaining Order members would be out to help search for the dead and wounded, but right now…. right now, they were consumed with grief. So many had fallen. Remus and Tonks had left behind little Teddy.

Hagrid had been fortunate enough to not be the one who'd brought their bodies into the Great Hall. He thought back to when he had retrieved Harry from Godric's Hollow. No, he couldn't be the one to do that again. He was not strong enough for that. Teddy he…he… No! He wouldn't be just like Harry.

Teddy would be loved, by Harry, and by his grandmother, and he would never suffer what Harry had suffered. Hagrid was thankful for that. He knew Teddy would feel an ache in his heart for his parents, just as Harry did, but Teddy would know love in a way that Harry had had to wait eleven years to even begin to know. And Hagrid had thought… he'd thought he had lost Harry. Carrying his body up to the castle… Hagrid really wasn't sure how he'd done that.

'Must 'ave bin Imperiused. That's the only explanation,' Hagrid thought to himself as he walked through the grounds, searching. He couldn't imagine how he had been strong enough to carry Harry. But then again, he supposed he was meant to have to endure carrying what he'd believed to be the lifeless body of Harry Potter in order to have the strength to push forward when everyone needed him. People were counting on him to bring them their loved ones.

When the Dark Lord had fallen, after the initial shock and excitement, many had fallen to their knees as the weight of their grief had crashed upon them. Those who still stood had begun helping those around them, leading them inside.

For a moment, it had seemed to be mass chaos, friends and family members were running around the castle, frantically searching for their loved ones. Professor McGonagall had quickly taken up her post as Headmistress and had begun barking orders to those who were still in control of themselves. There had not been many. Professor McGonagall had swiftly led the majority of the group to search the castle, but Hagrid had been tasked with searching the grounds and the Forbidden Forest.

Always alone. All his life, he'd been on the outside looking in at those around him. Sure he had those he was close to. Or he had. Those numbers were much smaller, now. He still had Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but they were young and bound to be starting their own families soon, now that the battle was over and won. They would have little time for him, then. And then he had his fellow Order members and professors, but he'd never truly fit in with them, either. He knew Professor McGonagall frequently thought he was a bloody idiot. He wasn't… he just…he couldn't articulate words well.

Growing up in the Forest of Dean in the West Country of England, he'd had a bit of an, er—accent, to say the least. Sheltered by his father because of his status as a 'half-breed' in the Wizarding world and living in the Forest with his father and mother for the first three years of his life, Hagrid hadn't had much interaction with the outside world. After his mother had left, he and his father had begun to venture out more to the nearby village.

No matter how big Rubeus Hagrid had been, he'd still been only a three-year-old, after all, and he could hardly just go traipsing around the countryside alone. All the same, socialising and communicating were not a part of his day-to-day life, in this early stage. But, he was not, overall, a dumb person. His father had done well enough by him. And though he'd been all too soon orphaned, and then expelled, he'd had Dumbledore watching over him and guiding him, and that, he'd thought, had some merit.

He turned to look out over the Black Lake. The Giant Squid could be seen in the distance lazily splashing around. Hagrid sighed; these next few months are going to be hard on the world. Magical Britain had no Minister for Magic, half the Ministry was dead, corrupt, or on the run and Hogwarts…He turned back to look at the school he was so proud of. Smoke still billowed from the various towers and though it could not be seen from where he stood, he knew the damage to the interior of the castle was extensive.

Hagrid rubbed his hands up and down his face, his fingers lingering at his black eyes to rub the sleep away from them. Turning back towards the Black Lake, Hagrid thought maybe it was about time he took a break from his work. After all, he had lost loved ones and friends, too, yet had not had a chance to sit and process all that had happened.

Hot, tired, and dirty, Hagrid began removing his moleskin vest and shirt as he approached the lake, opting for a quick dip in the shallows. Leaning over to undo his shoes, he could smell the wet grass beneath his feet. There was nothing better than the smell of nature, he thought, inhaling deeply, letting them calm and mesmerise him. As he removed the first shoe, Hagrid detected another smell.

It was familiar, but not. Unable to quite place the scent as he continued undoing the laces on his boots. It was peaceful, transcendent, almost with a floral undertone, but he was unable to tell which flower or herb it might be. He had finished removing his shoes, but was stuck kneeling on the ground; shirt, vest, and shoes cast aside, as he breathed in the aromas that were currently enveloping him. He closed his eyes to concentrate more on the smell. He thought it was getting stronger—he could detect specific aromas now; lemongrass and hawthorn, but he still couldn't make out the last note. Feeling drawn to it, to the tranquility of it, he rose from the earth, eyes still closed, and began to walk.

Luna had been wandering the castle grounds for some time now. She had given up on finding Hagrid at this point, figuring that he had retreated into the Forbidden Forest to search for the fallen among the trees. So instead, she did exactly what she'd told Neville she would do: she walked around in the fresh air, trying to clear her mind and think. Luna inhaled the warm May air and let out a long exhale, clearing her mind.

She had always loved being in such a magical place. The castle itself glowed with a blue hue, it's magical signature signifying the grand building's steadfastness, wisdom, and loyalty. The Black Lake, to her, was not very black. The various magical creatures dwelling beneath its mirrored surface all had their own magical glow so that the Black Lake looked like the Aurora Borealis with streaks of dancing light glimmering beneath the surface.

She often pitied those who were not able to see the world through her eyes, for it was so beautiful. Seeing a dancing light of some magical creature unseen to most would often distract her during conversations. She was aware that this habit of hers contributed to her friends and professors thinking of her as a bit of a daydreamer and quite dotty. But oh, the beauty of the world she lived in. She would happily be considered eccentric if it meant she could continue living among the lights of magic.

Standing there on the shores of the Black Lake, her feet buried in the mud, she watched as the lights beneath the surface danced a beautiful ballet. Wiggling her feet free of the mud, she continued to walk around the lake, before deciding it was probably time for her to return to the castle. Lost in thought, she began making her way back up to the school. As she walked, she kept her gaze down, thinking that she should put the lights to music and just how enchantingly haunting that would be.

She caught a scent on the wind. It was robust and earthy—grounded, she decided. With hints of sage and cedar, the smell gave her comfort. She closed her eyes, and breathed in as deeply as she could, trying to take in as much of the smell as possible. She could smell the rain coming, the damp forest, and the lake behind her. The scent that had caught her attention was getting stronger, and now she could make out more of it. She continued to walk blindly, letting let her nose lead the way. Sage, cedar and…something malty, mead maybe, she thought as she continued to walk. 'No' she said aloud to herself, 'a good strong tea, perhaps.' Whatever the smell was, it was both hardy and calming at the same time.

Luna smiled at the smell, still lost in the pleasantness of the odour when, eyes still closed, she walked directly into something. Her eyes shot open as she began to stumble back. Her gaze focused quickly on the large figure standing before her, her eyes not quite focusing in the daylight. She tripped over her feet, and the arm of the person in front of her darted out, wrapping around her waist and pulling her upright, allowing her to steady herself as she regained her center. Standing before her was a bare-chested Hagrid. Heat filled her cheeks; she had never seen her professor partially clothed before, or any man, for that matter. Hagrid seemed to realise her train of thought, as a blush quickly rose to his cheeks, as well.

"Er—sorry Luna. I, er, I didn't see ya there," Hagrid said quickly, as he removed his arm from around Luna's waist.

"No no, the fault is all mine." Luna said, brushing her blonde hair away from her face. "I was walking with my eyes closed and must have walked right into a swarm of Wrackspurts. They make your mind go all fuzzy, you know."

"Wrackspurts? What er those?" Hagrid asked, eagerly. Magical creatures excited him more than anything.

Luna was taken aback by his interest. It was probably the first time she had mentioned one of these creatures and not had the other person react with annoyance or disbelief. It was a breath of fresh air she hadn't realised she'd needed; to not be regarded as crazy by someone who was not a member of her family.

"Well…" she began, hesitantly. She did not want him to wind up thinking she was crazy, too. "They are invisible to most. It is unsure if it is because of their small size or if they are actually invisible creatures, but there are special glasses you can wear that can help you to see them, though…most people just laugh at them." She added the last part in quickly, remembering the time in fifth-year when she had sported the Spectrespecs. "They travel in swarms and can invade your mind, causing your brain to go fuzzy, and can make you forget things like, well, to open your eyes while walking," she said with a chuckle. Hagrid smiled, looking naturally interested in what she was saying.

Eyes alighting at the prospect of encountering a new creature he had never seen before, Hagrid addressed luna with curiosity and excitement. "Interesting. I'd like to try 'em glasses. Next time you got em, bring em down, will ya?"

Luna was utterly shocked. Never once had anyone showed this much interest. Harry would be the next closest. Having not grown up in the magical world, he was more willing to accept that there were creatures that existed that he did not yet know about. But he had never expressed such an interest in learning more. Luna nodded her head at Hagrid, too shocked at his curiosity to speak when he finally broke the silence between them.

"So…what brings ya out o' the castle?"

"Oh, well actually," Luna said as she cast her gaze to the ground, "I was looking for you. I thought maybe you might like some company. I've been watching you bringing in the wounded and the—the dead, and I thought it wasn't fair for you to have to do that alone."

It was Hagrid's turn to be shocked, now. No one ever really thought about him, and if they did, it was as an afterthought. Hell, no one even realised he had been captured during the battle until he'd walked up bound in ropes, carrying Harry's body.

Luna's gaze returned upward from the ground as she waited for him to say something.

Her silvery grey eyes seemed almost translucent. He smiled down at her, patting her on the shoulder gently. "Tha' be lovely, Luna."