Chapter One: Off to Hogwarts
September 1st
To most people the date means nothing, it is just another day on the calendar. For the witches and wizards of the United Kingdom today is the day that they have their children (ages eleven to seventeen) board the Hogwarts Express. The train will take them to Hogwarts, where they will learn to be proper witches and wizards.
Luna waits until it is closer to school for her to go to Diagon Alley with her daddy, her eyes traveling over the different shops that are around her. The Aribta Comatti swarm around her with nervousness, they aren't used to being around this many people. The Lovegood house is calm, collected, and warm.
Behind her she can hear conversations drifting around the alleys, some from other students and others from friends and families of the students. She knows that she and her daddy are going to be quiet, merely there to gather her things that she needs for her first year at Hogwarts and then they will be on their way.
So far Luna has gotten a good bit of her supplies, but has two stores that she has to go to last. She saved Flourish and Blotts, along with Eeylops Owl Emporium last on the list. She has already gotten her robes measured and prepared for when she will wear them on the train to Hogwarts. She also has already gotten her wand, an experience that she cannot explain, and she's certain that no one else can explain the moment they held their wand.
"Daddy, let's go get some books!" Luna decides, shooting a large smile over her shoulder as she peers up at her daddy. He stands behind her with the different supplies that she had gotten so far in his arms. He is a shorter man too, with his shoulder length thin whitish blond hair, and crooked eyes.
"Of course, my little Aribta Comatti," he responds, making Luna smile even larger before she spins on her heels and hurries in the direction of where the bookstore was. Her daddy follows quickly behind her, the two blondes being easy to see in the dark haired crowd just as easy as one would find the Weasleys and their red hair, along with the Malfoy family with their white blonde hair.
The bookstore is packed, with witches and wizards wandering through the aisles so that they can get their books. Luna doesn't have to look far to see the decorative table set up with mounds of Gildeory Lockhart's numerous novels placed handsomely upon the table. People are gathering them up without even looking at the covers, which only adds to the fact that Luna has a feeling that the books are a part of the list of books she needs to get for school.
Luna shuffles through the crowd, her small figure causing some people to be jostled away with irritation leaking from them. A few of them pause when they look down at the strange sight of Luna Lovegood, while others merely scoff under their breaths about how the weird purebloods are out.
She grabs the books that are more interesting than the others, knowing that the last books that she wants to get are the ones with the pretty boy face of Gildeory Lockhart on the covers. She makes sure to avoid the books, instead plucking the books that she knows that she needs from their spots on the shelves.
When she reaches the table she barely has time to stop in front of it, because one of the workers at the bookstore is gathering one of each of the books before plopping them on the top of her pile. She receives a mumbled congratulation on getting into Hogwarts before she is ushered away.
"That was quite abrupt, it is all right though. I find myself not wanting to linger here to begin with," Luna admits before she shrugs her shoulders and hurries over to where the checkout line is. Her daddy sticks to her side, not that he has to stick so hard to her side, since most of the people have learnt that the Lovegoods have entered the establishment—so they make sure that they won't be touched by them.
Luna pays for the books, making sure that her daddy stays behind her. He doesn't like going out in public, so it makes sense that Luna is the one that pays for their things. Being up close and personal with anyone that isn't his family member makes him want to run for the hills. He has done so before, so Luna knows if it weren't for the fact that she can't Apparate herself away he would already have done so.
As they leave the store, Luna hears the sound of some of the Slytherins heading in their direction. It's completely random of course, but Luna knows that her daddy can only take so much for one day so she turns to look at her daddy. He's quivering where he is; his bright hued robes only make his face more white washed than before. She's certain that his hair would fall out into his hands if he yanked at his scalp.
"Daddy, I'm ready to go."
Luna knows that she can go and see the owls later; there are owls that are at Hogwarts for her to send her daddy letters so he knows what's going on at school. She's certain that he will send her letters almost every single day the first month that she's there.
Her daddy takes her hand in his, and they disappear the moment that some of the Slytherins come around the corner. They don't even notice the Lovegoods disappear; they're too busy talking about causing more mayhem towards the Gryffindors and the Hufflepuffs (along with irritating Ravenclaws).
When they land in their house, Luna pulls away from her daddy and goes towards the kitchen. She pulls out the fresh tea packets that she had handmade when it comes to the Gurdyroot Tea. She knows that her daddy will want to sit down in one of his chairs while chugging down his tea.
Grabbing her supplies that she had gathered for today, Luna goes upstairs to the top floor. She sits her things onto her teal painted bed, her eyes lighting up when she notes that her Aribta Comatti are swarming around her. She reaches her hand out so that the little orbs of light touch her arms.
"I believe that we have had a productive day," Luna tells them, watching as they brighten for a second from the compliment. She beams at them, wishing that she could hug them, for them to be bigger. She sighs and looks at the spiral staircase that leads down to the ground floor.
"Daddy is tired, though. I must go make him some tea so he can relax," Luna informs them as she leaves her completely mural painted bedroom. She passes by the first floor of the house where her daddy's newspaper pressing room is, along with his bed that sits in the corner of the room.
The moment that she reaches the ground floor she's greeted with her daddy slumped over in his trademark chair with his eyes closed. It's apparent that he's exhausted from the social anxiety that took over him when they were out. She wishes her mum was here so that she could reassure Luna's daddy that everything is all right.
So Luna makes sure that her daddy is fine enough to leave alone, before she writes a note that lets him know in the future when he wakes up that she's gone to visit Ginny at The Burrow. It's only another field and pond away; she'll be there on no time.
She's done this before, so she knows that it won't alarm her daddy too much. She grabs her crocheted satchel that she had made last winter, before she heads out of the house and shuts the door quietly behind her. Bugs fly around her and she admires the ones that no one else can see, before she skips in the direction of where her best friend (and only friend) lives.
When Luna arrives at the tall and stacked house, one that looks like it's barely hanging on since it's tilted to the side and has many different sized parts to it, she knows that the Weasleys are home due to the loudness of the conversations that are floating outside. It's apparent that Fred and George Weasley (twins) have decided to play a prank on their elder brother, Percy.
The front door of the house swings open, revealing Luna's best friend on the other side of the door. Ginny Weasley, or Ginevra Weasley as she was legally named, is a girl a little bit taller than Luna. As is common with the Weasleys her hair is the same vibrant red as her ancestors and relatives. She has deep brown eyes, is extremely tanned at the moment, and very shy.
"Hello, Ginny," Luna greets her, making Ginny snap her head away from looking inside the house with weariness to looking at her best friend in front of her. Relief floods through Ginny's features as she hurries down the steps and hugs Luna. Luna hugs her back, getting the distinct scent that always comes with the Weasleys.
"I'm so glad you're here, Luna," Ginny groans as she pulls away, her eyes flickering in the direction of the front door. Inside one can hear Mrs. Weasley yelling at the twins, telling them that she raised them better than this, and Mr. Weasley agreeing with his wife though his voice is strained from him being exhausted all the time.
"I am glad that you are glad that I am here," Luna responds, earning a small look of confusion from her best friend, before Ginny grabs her hand and starts to yank her in the direction of where the pond is. It's technically her family's pond, since it's on their property line, but they let everyone come and swim and play in the pond when the weather is nice.
Ginny doesn't say anything the entire time that they run towards the pond but when they reach it she drops Luna's hand and reaches down so that she can pick up one of the rocks that are nestled in the soil around the pond. She moves it around in her hands, the dirt that is caked on the rock becoming more apparent.
"I-It's our first year," Ginny mumbles, her eyes peering forward before looks down at the water before her. Luna nods her head before she sits down on the ground, a few inches away from the start of the pond. The wind that blows around her is calm and gentle, and she soaks in the coolness.
"Daddy is nervous, but I am happy. I've always wanted to go to Hogwarts, and now I'm about to fulfill that very want," Luna responded, earning a few blinks from Ginny before she throws the rock. It flies into the air, landing an impressive distance into the water with a loud splash.
"I want to be the same House as Harry Potter," Ginny confessed, her eyes flickering towards her best friend. Luna knows of the crush that Ginny has, which had blossomed since last year. Luna did not approve of the crush nor does she still, since she believes that it's just a hero worship kind of crush.
"I do not care which House I get into," Luna responds, while Ginny peers at her with her mouth thrown open in shock. Wind blows past them and ruffles with their hair. Luna stays still, knowing that she will defend her case if needed be.
"A-Are you sure? Would you…even Slytherin?" Ginny face becomes queasy; a flush of green strikes her while Luna merely sits down cross legged, her eyes looking over the pond and in the direction of where her own house is.
"I do not see why we must think so darkly about Slytherin. Not every Slytherin that has walked in the Slytherin Common Room is a terrible person, Ginevra. I am certain that there are those that are in the House who are the nicest people you could meet but because of the prejudice they get for the bad Slytherins prejudicing the other Houses they are pushed aside. I would be proud to be a Slytherin, though I feel as though I am not destined for Salazar Slytherin's House."
Luna cranes her head to the side, seeing that Ginny is absorbing what she's said before she sighs, "I-I don't t-think that way, I can't think that way. They've been mean to my family; they've been mean to me."
A few birds fly overhead, creating lineaments across the landscape, and Luna notes that her best friend is curled together. She doesn't want to look at Luna, she's afraid that her best friend won't understand her.
"Maybe one day you will forgive them, or maybe one day you won't. It's your decision, Ginny. I will still love and support you no matter what," Luna states to her, allowing her to know that she'll always be there for Ginny.
They sit out by the pond for two hours, just soaking in the quiet around them. They know that they won't be back at this pond until Christmas, sometimes when the pond gets frozen over they come to the lake to ice skate. Mrs. Weasley is a nervous wreck, but Ginny had insisted she and Luna learn to ice skate when they were old enough to do so. Mrs. Lovegood was the one who taught them to ice skate.
Knowing that they'll be at Hogwarts before long, Ginny and Luna spend as much time as possible with each other. Some days they stay at the Weasleys, and the other days they stay at the Lovegood residence.
One night, having decided that she wants to spend the night with Ginny and the others, Luna finds herself waking to the screeching of Mrs. Weasley. She peels her eyes open slowly and hops out of the bed (she's on the right side of the bed while Ginny is on the left side), before she heads in the direction of the bedroom door.
Ginny springs upright, before she shuffles out of the bed, "I don't think that's a good idea, Luna."
Luna dismisses her friend and opens the bedroom door a little so that she can hear better, taking in the voice of Mrs. Weasley screeching at what sounds like the twins, and Ron. Something about a flying car is brought up and Ginny brings her hand up to smack her forehead, "bloody hell, they took Dad's car."
Luna is about to pursue more information on the matter, but her mouth clamps shut when she hears the sound of footsteps heading up the winding stairs. It's apparent that they are trying to be quiet, but it's not working. The twins pass by Ginny's room without looking over their shoulders, their hands are up and rubbing against their ears—a sign that Mrs. Weasley yanked at them.
Ron shuffles past, quietly conversing with the boy next to him. Harry Potter. Of course Harry is almost around the same height as Ron, with tanned skin and vivid green eyes that are behind large rounded glasses. His oil black hair is in disarray, and he's wearing pajamas just like Ron.
As though he knows that he's being watched, Harry looks over his shoulder, his eyes lighting up with confusion at the sight of the blonde girl standing in Ginny's doorway. He'd have expected to see Ginny standing in the doorway with a blushing face but instead it's this girl.
Ron turns to look at Harry, going to ask him something, only for him to follow Harry's line of sight. He jumps in surprise before he reaches his hand up to put it against his chest, "blood hell, I swear that girl needs a bell or something tied around her neck…"
Luna dismisses this too, knowing that she's known as being extremely quiet. It's something that she's always done growing up, so Ron pointing out this doesn't hurt her feelings. He's just pointing out an obvious opinion that most people agree with when it comes to her.
"Hello, Ronald," Luna greets him, earning a nervous smile from Ron as he nods his head before he responds, "hi, Luna…sorry if we woke you…"
"It was your mother that woke me, not you. I am satisfied to see that you and your brothers are in one piece. I heard you had quite an adventure tonight. Anyway, I'm going back to bed," Luna explains, turning so that she can shut the door but she pauses in the last moment. She turns to look at Harry, "I am glad to see you are fine also. Goodnight, Harry Potter."
Harry scrunches his eyebrows, "ah…um goodnight…Luna."
Luna shuts the bedroom door closed, goes over to the bed so that she can slip back under the covers, and turns on her side so that she can go back to sleep. All the while Ginny is standing in the middle of the tiny room, with shock ever present on her features from the nonchalant manner Luna had with Ron and Harry.
Eventually, Luna goes back to her house. She leaves in the morning, before breakfast because she knows that her daddy wants to have breakfast with her. She feels as though she's extended her welcome in The Burrow, so it doesn't hurt her when it comes to leaving them. She'll see Ginny on the train.
While there is mayhem on the first day of September when it comes to the Weasleys, for Luna it is only calm. She wakes up and hums as she skips down the staircase before greeting her daddy on the ground floor. He's nervous, very nervous, and he can't hold his Gurdyroot Tea properly in his hands. There are tea stains that are on his clothes, and Luna is certain he wouldn't be as bad as he is right now with his nerves if his wife were still alive.
Luna eats her breakfast in a quicker speed than she's accustomed to, knowing that the sooner that she gets to platform nine and three quarters the sooner her daddy won't feel as though he's going to explode in nerves.
Upstairs, Luna changes into a navy blue sweater, some plain jeans, and her trusty mood based tennis shoes that change colors with her mood. She gathers her suitcase, which has a framed photograph of her mum in it along with some of her favorite books and her signature sketchbook she uses.
Her daddy is pacing next to the couch by the time she comes downstairs, hair and teeth brushed, and his hands are wringing together.
Reaching her daddy, Luna bends up and kisses him on the cheekbone. He's short enough that his eleven year old daughter can kiss his cheek. She'd have to lean on her tiptoes so she could kiss her mum, Pandora was a very tall and slim woman compared to most.
"I'm ready to go, Daddy," she informs him, and Xenophilius soaks in this moment. He looks around the room and then his daughter before he focuses on Apparating them from the house and onto the platform where the Hogwarts Express is.
The beautifully maintained crimson train with its name painted in ostentatious gold lettering only makes this even more real. Parents and guardians are sending their children away, and Luna knows that this is the first time that she'll ever be on this train. It sends a wave storm of excitement through her.
Sitting her suitcase onto the concrete platform, Luna turns to look at her daddy. He won't look at her or the train. He's focused on his shoes and nothing else. She frowns softly at his anxiety, but then she lunges forward and wraps her arms around him. He quivers in her hold and begins to sob some, letting her know how difficult this is for him. He must have dreaded this day after his wife had died.
"I'll be fine, Daddy. I promise to write to you once a week, I'll even send you some sketches that I'll do of the creatures," Luna promises, earning a nod from her daddy as though to let her know that he'll be waiting for those letters and sketches. "I have to go now though, I love you. I'll let you know what House I'll be Sorted into."
It takes almost half a minute for Luna to separate herself from her daddy but when she does it almost breaks her heart. She wishes that her daddy wasn't like this, she loves him so much. Yet he can't function without his daughter, he would wither away and die if he didn't have her.
Luna boards the Hogwarts Express, making sure that she sits in a compartment that her daddy cannot see. To some that is rude, uncalled for, but Luna Lovegood knows exactly what she's doing. She knows that if she sat where he could see her he would demand that she get off the train, or he would pass out right then and there.
Eventually, almost a few seconds to spare before the train would start heading to the school, Ginny comes running into the compartment with sweat dripping from her. "W-We almost didn't make it," she spits out before she plops down onto the leather bench across from Luna's.
Luna smiles at her best friend, observing as Ginny relaxes against the bench after she's completely certain that she's not late. She's making sure that she actually is on the train and that she hadn't slept in and imagined herself being here.
The train starts.
Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley are off to Hogwarts.
Author's note:
First of all, this is the second draft to 'The Peculiar Life of Luna Lovegood'. Which means that some of the elements are the same, but there are some things that are going to be different in this draft. Some characters die, while others live. I am posting five chapters at a time. Where the first draft was 90 chapters this fanfiction will be 73 chapters. The first part of fanfiction, 'Chamber of Secrets', has 15 chapters. So that is why I will be posting five chapters at a time for the first part of the fanfiction.
Please enjoy.
As always: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me.
-EmmynotEmma