As they reach the row of houses, the buildings seem to bubble before them. Before Mad-Eye steps onto the pavement, a previously hidden door appears, the number 12 almost glimmering in the soft light of the street lamps. He marches up the steps before her, making no effort at courtesy, and knocks the door harshly with the top of his staff. When the door opens after no more than a moment, he exchanges a quiet burst of words with a dark silhouette before escorting her, a bit more chivalrously now, inside.
The warm light bathes Luna's nearly white curls as she removes her hood to stare in wonder at the old hallway. A comfortable scent of dust and oldness lingers in the air despite the apparent cleanliness of the entryway. Behind her, a man with dark, messy hair sweeps his gaze cautiously over the courtyard before closing the door and locking it with murmured incantations. Moody nods to Harry before stumping toward the kitchen, leaving him to turn, embrace, and welcome his old friend.
"Luna, how was the trip? It's so good to see you!"
Luna smiles as she holds him in the hug for just a moment too long, letting the warmth and relief of him replace the chill air of the courtyard and sky beyond. "Oh, I'm so happy Harry. I thought we would never get here. Really, we might have died. And the trip was very long, too."
Harry chuckles at his friend's familiar bluntness and guides her to follow Moody. "I imagine it takes quite a while to come from that far away without Portkey. How was it, by the way?" He takes her bags, glancing only for a moment around him for other luggage. Seeing none (and not wishing to embarrass her), he whisks them upstairs with a flick of his wand.
"Siberia was wonderful. I could have done without the Urals, though. It's so lonely out there. I was quite glad when Minerva contacted me, actually." When they reach the kitchen door, Luna is interrupted as it flings open and a whirl of arms rush out to her.
"Where have you been! Not a word for two days, nothing to tell us you were alive, and goodness knows we can't count on Alastor for contact, oh Luna, I've missed you!" Ginny nearly knocks Luna to the floor with Hermione close behind, the latter woman waiting to speak until after hugging and checking Luna for injuries. "Ginny, you sound like Molly, give her a rest. Luna! Come in, we've got food still out for you, you must be starving. How was Russia?"
Amid the chaos of hugs and welcoming from the women, Ron, and Neville, Luna finally makes it into the kitchen. The night's Order meeting has apparently just finished, as members greet her on their way out. Remus and Tonks apologize as they rush by with little Teddy in tow, promising to visit later in the week. Minerva gives her a brief but tight hug before also dashing out. Luna doesn't question the rush--the very reason she returned being the cause.
She almost sits at the long wooden table before a tall, dark figure approaches. "Miss Lovegood." She looks up slowly at the man's face hovering above her, almost afraid to see. Severus Snape apparently notices her hesitation, and a faint smirk flutters across his pale lips. "I see you've finally returned, despite Alastor's ridiculous measures." Moody grunts from a darkened corner of the kitchen, apparently unimpressed with Severus's appraisal.
"It's good to see you, sir. You don't look half as bad as I expected, from what Ron and Harry wrote me." Her former professor's smirk changes to a scowl at her words, and he pulls his cloak around him as if to leave. "Yes, well, my eternal thanks for your glowing review." His black eyes harden, and he pauses before brushing past her without another word.
"Professor," Luna calls out, her long hair swinging as she watches him leave. He stops without turning, one hand pressed to open the kitchen door.
"Occlumency doesn't work, you know. I thought I should tell you."