"Harry, will you please come on? We need to get a carriage!"

Harry heard someone yelling for him, but he wasn't paying them any attention. He turned around and was nose to nose with a winged-like horse figure. Harry didn't know what to do, so he stood there in shock. They were scary looking, and Harry didn't know if they would attack him because he could see them. Amazed, Harry asked if anyone else could see the monsters.

"No mate, we can't see them," replied Ron with a quizzical look on his face. "Now come on will you? I don't want to be late for the feast, I'm starving!"

Harry sighed and continued to follow Ron and Hermione so they could get a carriage together. They finally saw one with enough seats for the three of them, but it was preoccupied. A quirky looking girl with long blonde hair and radishes for earrings was sitting at the end of one of the benches reading a magazine. The magazine was upside down, Harry noticed. He stared at her with curiosity for a brief moment before hopping on and taking a seat.

"I'm telling you guys, those things were there."

"Maybe you were imagining them Harry," Hermione said in her matter-of-fact tone.

"No Hermione, I'm not imagining anything. I saw them! They were terrifying, and they weren't invisible!"

"You aren't crazy, you know," the girl said. She looked up from her magazine with a dazed expression on her face. Harry couldn't take his eyes off of her. He was amazed at how she looked, which was much different from anyone that he's ever seen. Her look intrigued him. "I can see them too," she said. "They're thestrals. Only people that have seen death are able to spot them. They've been pulling the carriages for a while now."

Harry looked at her with a confused look on his face. "Well if they've been pulling the carriages this whole time," he said, "why is it that this is the first time I've seen them? I should have been able to see them four years ago when we first started riding the carriages."

"That I do not know friend. But you see them now, and I'm not the only one. People can stop telling me that I'm crazy. The great Harry Potter has seen them as well."

Harry's mouth dropped. He never told this strange girl who he was. "H-h-how do you know who I am? I never introduced myself to you."

"Oh, everyone knows who Harry Potter is. I knew before I even looked at your scar. My father and I believe you, you know. About you-know-who coming back? We've always been supportive of you."

"Er, thanks," Harry replied with a weak smile. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Oh, sorry, I should have introduced myself," she smiled and her teeth shone in the moonlight. "I'm Luna. Luna Lovegood. I'm a year under you in Ravenclaw. Its nice to meet you Harry Potter, as well as your friends."

Harry jumped after she replied. He was too busy staring at her smile. It was extremely bright, brighter than anyone's smile he's ever seen. There was something about this girl that intrigued him to no end. There was a sort of carefree innocence about her that he has always wanted to have. He never had the chance, of course, because he was the famous Harry Potter. It was inevitable for people to follow him everywhere he went, and he always had something to worry about.

"Oh, these are my friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley," he replied. Ron smiled and gave a little wave and Hermione just gave Luna a sharp stare. Harry didn't really pay attention to them though; he was too transfixed on Luna.

"Ron Weasley? Ginny's your sister, right? She is such a great person. She always tells everyone to stop making fun of me. I like her a lot. She understands that I'm not crazy, I'm just as sane as everyone else."

Ron snorted and Hermione hit him in the shoulder. Everyone seemed to grow quiet after that. They rode the rest of the carriage ride up to the castle in silence, until they reached the front entrance. Hermione jumped off, followed by Ron. Harry stayed back for a few minutes and smiled at Luna.

"Well, erm, see you around I guess," Harry said to her.

"Yes, I hope so," she replied. "It was nice to meet you, Harry Potter."

Harry turned to look at her one last time before entering the front doors with the other students. "Yeah," he said. "It was nice to meet you too."