Harry sighed as he watched the Dursley's car drive away then turned
pushing his cart through the train station towards Platform 9 3/4.
Summer at the Dursleys had been better that year since they had all
been afraid if they upset him a squad of wizards would burst in
through the windows, walls, and (again) the fireplace. They were, of
course, probably right since they had been threatened last year.
Nonetheless, Harry really hadn't even had the time to worry about the Dursleys since the pang of Sirus' death was still there in him. Not to mention that owls by the tons had been seeking him out to bring letters from wizards and witches commending him on his bravery or apologizing for disbelief or congratulating him on "finally getting the Ministry to take their noses from the grindstone." What did they no about anything? Who cares about the Ministry? Sirus was gone.
Harry looked around trying to spot Hermione or Ron. He hadn't been able to stay at the Burrow that year. It was too dangerous, what with Voldmort on the loose and ready to risk almost anything to get at him, Harry. Harry continued to scan the platform. He wasn't late, he knew. Maybe he was just too early.
He sighed again and lifted his trunk onto the train and proceeded down it, searching for a compartment. Most were filled, the middle compartments mainly composed of scared looking First Years who jumped and stared in wonder as he passed but didn't say a word. Harry didn't give them an encouraging smile, as he would have last year, just hurried past and quickly as possible.
'Sheep', he though a bit angrily. 'They're like sheep. First they're told I'm of my rocker and they show scorn, then suddenly I'm a hero. Just because the Daily Prophet tells them too.'
He slid open the next compartment door a bit to hard and a bottom bit of glass shattered. Harry turned to survey the damage and a voice behind him spoke.
"You really shouldn't slam the doors like that. If I was a door I wouldn't be at all happy with you at the moment." Harry turned to see Luna Lovegood sitting in a window seat in the otherwise empty compartment.
Her dirty blonde hair was put up into two frizzed pigtails that hung to her elbows with blue tassels twisted in, the pig tails tied with what looked likes a twist of tiny little silver bells. In her lap lay a book her finger keeping the page as she regarded him with her misty eyes. His first instinct was to go. He didn't want to be alone with Loony Lovegood. Then he felt savage guilt twist in his stomach.
'Her name is Luna', his conscience said firmly. And even if she was a bit.eccentric she didn't deserve to be snubbed. She was a good person. 'And someone you can connect to' the voice in his head said, although Harry had no idea why in the world he'd have a thought like that.
"Ah...yea. Can I sit down?" Harry asked dragging his trunk over to the seat.
"Go ahead. Just don't sit down to hard. Don't want the seats upset as well." She watched him sit slowly her gaze assessing and Harry squirmed uncomfortably.
"So..did you uh...get all your stuff back?"
Luna smiled "Most of it. Dad had to replace my Charms book and the earrings he brought me from Beijing. "
Harry felt a spark of injustice. "You really shouldn't let people do things like that Luna. It's not right."
Luna shrugged a bit absently. "Does it really make a difference? Besides, they're just things. They can be replaced."
Harry frowned. "But still-"
"You lost something that can't be replaced." Luna said her eyes sobering a bit although a kind of knowing countenance came back to them.
Harry resisted the urge to yell at her and instead gritted his teeth and said angrily, "What does that have to do wi-"
"It's not right either. As a matter of fact it's much worse since you can't replace what you lost. So who am I to complain over a couple of missing books and clothing when people loose irreplaceable, even more valuable things everyday." She dropped her attention down to the book in her lap.
Harry blinked at her a bit shocked. "How can you do that?"
She never lifted her dreamy gaze. "Do what?"
"Not care what people say about you. And do to you."
She turned a page engrossed. "Because I feel sorry for them. They goad into a media's view of what's normal. What should be expected. I think I'm fine the way I am, as long as what I am is true it shouldn't matter if people are blind too it." She smiled although Harry wasn't sure if it was at him or at something in the book since her full sense seemed focused on it. "You did it to so I'm a bit surprised you asked. I thought you knew already."
She was right. Hadn't he done the same thing and ignored the ridicule. But he'd gotten upset about it. Visibly so and verbalized his anger to a number of people. Luna seemed oblivious and oddly serene even when she was laughed at to her face. Whereas Harry had to constantly fight down the urge to bash that mocking face in.
"You think I'm strange to." Luna said, although it wasn't an accusation, just a simple statement of fact as if she were commenting on the weather. Harry resisted the defensive urge to lie and deny it. Luna looked up then. "It's alright. I don't blame you. Ginny thinks I'm odd to.." she lifted her book again "But she my best friend anyway."
They lapsed into silence..Harry's thoughtful and Luna sunk into her book. The only sound was that of the train lurching forward suddenly and then a few minutes later Hermione, Ron, and Ginny's entrance into the compartment.
Nonetheless, Harry really hadn't even had the time to worry about the Dursleys since the pang of Sirus' death was still there in him. Not to mention that owls by the tons had been seeking him out to bring letters from wizards and witches commending him on his bravery or apologizing for disbelief or congratulating him on "finally getting the Ministry to take their noses from the grindstone." What did they no about anything? Who cares about the Ministry? Sirus was gone.
Harry looked around trying to spot Hermione or Ron. He hadn't been able to stay at the Burrow that year. It was too dangerous, what with Voldmort on the loose and ready to risk almost anything to get at him, Harry. Harry continued to scan the platform. He wasn't late, he knew. Maybe he was just too early.
He sighed again and lifted his trunk onto the train and proceeded down it, searching for a compartment. Most were filled, the middle compartments mainly composed of scared looking First Years who jumped and stared in wonder as he passed but didn't say a word. Harry didn't give them an encouraging smile, as he would have last year, just hurried past and quickly as possible.
'Sheep', he though a bit angrily. 'They're like sheep. First they're told I'm of my rocker and they show scorn, then suddenly I'm a hero. Just because the Daily Prophet tells them too.'
He slid open the next compartment door a bit to hard and a bottom bit of glass shattered. Harry turned to survey the damage and a voice behind him spoke.
"You really shouldn't slam the doors like that. If I was a door I wouldn't be at all happy with you at the moment." Harry turned to see Luna Lovegood sitting in a window seat in the otherwise empty compartment.
Her dirty blonde hair was put up into two frizzed pigtails that hung to her elbows with blue tassels twisted in, the pig tails tied with what looked likes a twist of tiny little silver bells. In her lap lay a book her finger keeping the page as she regarded him with her misty eyes. His first instinct was to go. He didn't want to be alone with Loony Lovegood. Then he felt savage guilt twist in his stomach.
'Her name is Luna', his conscience said firmly. And even if she was a bit.eccentric she didn't deserve to be snubbed. She was a good person. 'And someone you can connect to' the voice in his head said, although Harry had no idea why in the world he'd have a thought like that.
"Ah...yea. Can I sit down?" Harry asked dragging his trunk over to the seat.
"Go ahead. Just don't sit down to hard. Don't want the seats upset as well." She watched him sit slowly her gaze assessing and Harry squirmed uncomfortably.
"So..did you uh...get all your stuff back?"
Luna smiled "Most of it. Dad had to replace my Charms book and the earrings he brought me from Beijing. "
Harry felt a spark of injustice. "You really shouldn't let people do things like that Luna. It's not right."
Luna shrugged a bit absently. "Does it really make a difference? Besides, they're just things. They can be replaced."
Harry frowned. "But still-"
"You lost something that can't be replaced." Luna said her eyes sobering a bit although a kind of knowing countenance came back to them.
Harry resisted the urge to yell at her and instead gritted his teeth and said angrily, "What does that have to do wi-"
"It's not right either. As a matter of fact it's much worse since you can't replace what you lost. So who am I to complain over a couple of missing books and clothing when people loose irreplaceable, even more valuable things everyday." She dropped her attention down to the book in her lap.
Harry blinked at her a bit shocked. "How can you do that?"
She never lifted her dreamy gaze. "Do what?"
"Not care what people say about you. And do to you."
She turned a page engrossed. "Because I feel sorry for them. They goad into a media's view of what's normal. What should be expected. I think I'm fine the way I am, as long as what I am is true it shouldn't matter if people are blind too it." She smiled although Harry wasn't sure if it was at him or at something in the book since her full sense seemed focused on it. "You did it to so I'm a bit surprised you asked. I thought you knew already."
She was right. Hadn't he done the same thing and ignored the ridicule. But he'd gotten upset about it. Visibly so and verbalized his anger to a number of people. Luna seemed oblivious and oddly serene even when she was laughed at to her face. Whereas Harry had to constantly fight down the urge to bash that mocking face in.
"You think I'm strange to." Luna said, although it wasn't an accusation, just a simple statement of fact as if she were commenting on the weather. Harry resisted the defensive urge to lie and deny it. Luna looked up then. "It's alright. I don't blame you. Ginny thinks I'm odd to.." she lifted her book again "But she my best friend anyway."
They lapsed into silence..Harry's thoughtful and Luna sunk into her book. The only sound was that of the train lurching forward suddenly and then a few minutes later Hermione, Ron, and Ginny's entrance into the compartment.