Luna Lovegood was having an extraordinarily normal day- well, by her standards, anyway.
This morning, she'd gotten up early and fed the Thestrals, as she always did. She'd then gone to the Great Hall and eaten breakfast on her own, as always.
She drifted through her morning lessons without really paying much attention to them, instead speculating that the reason the Forbidden Forest was forbidden was that there was a colony of Crumple-Horned Snorkacks living there, and, as everybody knows, they're very sensitive and don't like strangers. She eventually dismissed this idea as ridiculous, because Crumple-Horned Snorkacks were supposed to be native to Sweden, so what would they be doing in Scotland?
It got to lunch time, and she wandered towards the Great Hall, with the vague idea of eating something.
It was then that Luna's extraordinarily normal day became extraordinarily abnormal.
Hermione Granger hurried past her, dropping something on the floor as she passed. Luna bent down to pick it up, intending to return it to her, but the third year brunette had already gone. Luna sighed. Nobody ever noticed she was there, except to make fun of her. There was no reason that an older Gryffindor would even register that she'd knocked into her. Not that Luna particularly liked Hermione- the little that she'd observed had shown her that she was close-minded, and Luna preferred to talk to people who didn't immediately dismiss everything she said.
Anyhow, Luna picked up the little necklace that Hermione had dropped. It was the sort of necklace Luna would have worn- it had a strange design, almost as though it were an hourglass. Luna turned it over interestedly, and all of a sudden, the previously busy corridor she was stood in, was empty. Luna gasped. She knew what this was- it was a time turner! Her father had done an article about how the Ministry were using these to erase any mistakes they made. As she gasped, the time turner slipped out of her hands. She managed to catch the chain before the hourglass hit the floor, but it spun round and round, and the next thing she knew, the corridor was dark, and she was stood in front of four boys, one holding his wand aloft, light spreading from the tip. The boys stared at her and she stared back. She couldn't really see them clearly, but she didn't think she recognised any of them, and she would recognise most Hogwarts students, because she spent a lot of time watching them. Anyway, these four boys looked like they were about third or fourth years. One of them cleared his throat.
'Erm... How did you do that?' He looked like he had quite fair hair, but in this light, she couldn't see any more.
'Do what?' She asked. Another of the boys snorted.
'"Do what?" Oh, you know, just appear out of thin air.' This boy had dark hair, which was short and messy, and wore glasses.
'Oh. I don't really know.' She had a feeling that saying she had time travelled would cause trouble. 'Are you sure the Wrackspurts didn't just stop you from noticing me before?' The boys threw confused looks at each other, nonplussed. The boy that had just spoken stepped forward. Now that he was in more light, he looked quite familiar.
'Wr- Wrackspurts? What exactly are they?' Luna was busy trying to work out why he looked familiar, so she gave her stock response.
'They get inside your brain and make it go fuzzy. If I had my Spectrospecs I could tell you if you had an infestation. I know who you are now.' She stated.
'What?' asked the same boy, looking scared and slightly amused at the same time.
'I know who you are- you're Harry Potter.' She looked at him expectantly.
'Er, my name's Potter, but I'm not Harry... I'm James.' Luna raised an eyebrow.
'That's interesting. I must have come further than I thought. What day is it today?' James furrowed his brow in thought.
'Well, it's past midnight now, so... 12th of May, 1975.' Luna was surprised.
'Hmm...That's an awfully long time ago.' The boys looked at each other, confused. The one with longer hair stepped forward.
'Hang on a second. Today is a long time ago? What are you on about?' Luna turned on her heel and skipped down the corridor.
'I have to talk to Dumbledore.' Her voice floated back to the boys. After exchanging another glance, they followed her.
Luna arrived at the headmaster's office and stopped. She stood in thought for a minute. What would Dumbledore's password be in 1975?
'Jelly babies.' A voice whispered behind her. She turned around to see James stood behind her.
'Thank you, James Potter.' She said dreamily. 'You really do have quite a striking resemblance to Harry, you know. I can understand why everyone says it now.' James looked nonplussed again, and Luna turned back to the door, saying 'Jelly babies'. The gargoyle sprang aside, and she started to ascend the stairs to the office. She reached the top and knocked softly on the door, in case the professor was asleep. He wasn't.
'Come in.' he called. She opened the door, and drifted in, the boys still following her. Dumbledore looked surprised.
'James, Sirius, Remus, Peter,' he nodded at each of them. 'I would have thought you'd be in the kitchens, or setting up some more of your Marauders' entertainment, rather than visiting me. And I don't believe I know this young lady.' He surveyed her over his half-moon glasses.
'I'm Luna Lovegood,' she said serenely. 'But you won't know me.' Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.
'No, I don't. But Lovegood... Are you perhaps related to Xenophilius Lovegood?' She nodded.
'Yes, he's my father. He grows excellent dirigible plums.' She said this extremely calmly, but it caused quite a stir. The boys started whispering to each other, and Dumbledore laced his fingers together.
'Xenophilius can't be more than a few years older than you. How is he your father?' Luna decided that there was no point in hiding anything now. After all, it took a lot to fool Dumbledore.
'I'm from the future, from 1993, to be precise.' This caused even more of a kerfuffle.
'So,' said Dumbledore. 'How did you get here?'. Luna pulled the time turner out of her pocket and explained what had happened.
'Wait, so, if you're from the future, do you know us? Or our kids, I guess?' Sirius asked excitedly.
Luna nodded.
'Oh yes, I do- not that well, though. Obviously, Harry is James's son. And Remus, you're my Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. I do like your lessons. And-' Dumbledore raised his hand.
'Perhaps you shouldn't say any more. It is dangerous to know too much of your future.' Luna nodded understandingly. James raised his hand.
'Can I just ask one question? Who's Harry's mum- do I know her yet?' Luna looked at Dumbledore.
'I don't think it's a good idea for you to know, James Potter. It might change how you act to her.' Sirius elbowed James in the ribs, raising his eyebrows suggestively, not missing the fact that James must already know her. Dumbledore cleared his throat.
'Anyway, how are we going to get you back?' Luna shook her head.
'I was hoping you'd help me, Professor. Perhaps we could ask some nargles?' Dumbledore looked confused, but remained composed.
'Yes, well... Maybe you boys should go to bed while we sort this out.' The boys nodded sullenly and shuffled out of the room.
Dumbledore sat in thought for a couple of minutes. Luna stared around the room, wishing more than ever that she had her Spectrospecs, because she was absolutely certain that there were some nargles in that room. All of a sudden, a voice screeched 'Jelly babies!', followed by footsteps stomping up the stairs. In contrast to this, a soft knock came at the door.
'Professor Dumbledore?' A female voice asked. 'May I come in?' Dumbledore called out affirmatively, and the door swung open. Stood in the doorway was a tall redhead, with a prefect's badge glinting on her chest. She was followed by the Marauders.
'Professor, I found these wandering the corridors.' Dumbledore nodded. James piped up.
'Lily, we already told you...' Luna rose to her feet.
'Lily P...Evans. It's nice to meet you.' Lily nodded, confused.
'How do you know me?' Luna sat back down.
'It doesn't matter.' James looked excited.
'You almost said something that wasn't Evans. Something that started with a 'P'.' Luna shook her head. Comprehension flashed across Dumbledore's face and he cleared his throat.
'Anyway, Miss Evans, these boys were on the way back to the Gryffindor common room from my office, so it's perfectly acceptable for them to be in the corridors.' Lily looked deflated.
'Okay.' James sidled up to her. She threw him a look full of contempt, and flounced out of the room before he could say anything. He looked dejected. He glanced at Luna.
'If it is her, how do I get her to like me?' he asked. Luna shrugged.
'Sometimes you just need to stick to your goal.' James looked frustrated at the vague answer.
'Well, thanks Luna. Come on guys, let's go sleep.' The Marauders filed out of the room. Dumbledore turned to Luna.
'Anyway, I think I can fix this. Hold out the time turner, Miss Lovegood.' Luna did as she was instructed. Dumbledore waved his wand over it, muttering, and all of a sudden, he disappeared. She still seemed to be in the Headmaster's office, but at what time, she didn't know. She turned around to see Dumbledore stood behind her with his eyebrows raised.
'Miss Lovegood. I had been expecting you here at some point. Now, I think you should perhaps have some lunch? And when you get to the Great Hall, I would suggest that you return Miss Granger's time turner without her noticing. Have a nice lunch.' His eyes twinkled. Luna headed towards the door, but stopped and turned around.
'They were so nice, professor. It's unfair, really, don't you think?' Dumbledore looked saddened.
'Yes, Miss Lovegood. It's always the best that go.' He turned towards his desk, and Luna took this as her cue to go. She hurried down to dinner, and after 'accidentally' dropping the time turner into Hermione's bag, she headed to Ravenclaw table, embracing the idea of food with much more vigour than before. As she sat down, she glanced up at the staff table, and saw Professor Lupin regarding her sadly, probably remembering that night, so long ago, when all of his friends were alive and happy. She smiled at him, and he smiled back, before returning to the book he had propped up against a jug of juice.
One week later...
Luna drifted out of the Charms classroom into the corridor, thinking about nothing in particular. She supposed that the Wrackspurts had got in again- her brain did feel a little fuzzy. She was just thinking that she needed to get rid of them when she heard footsteps racing down the corridor behind her. She turned, just as someone collided into her.
'Oh, sorry-' He said, struggling to get up off the floor. 'I didn't see you- I'm really sorry.' She held out a hand to help him up, and as he looked up, she saw his face.
'Harry Potter.' She said. He got to his feet and flattened his fringe against his forehead.
'Yeah... I am sorry. It seemed like you appeared out of thin air.' Luna smiled, thinking of a similar conversation she'd had a week ago.
'I just came out of Charms. You know, you really are extraordinarily like your father.' She floated away down the corridor, leaving Harry staring open mouthed after her. He shook himself, and carried on down the corridor.
