Outcasts Stick Together
A/N: If you like it then let me know so I can continue; if not then well I tired.
Luna Lovegood wasn't crazy. Or well, she wasn't as crazy as everyone thought she was. Sure she believed in Nargles and a lot of the conspiracy theories in the Quibbler, but she wasn't crazy. Her classmates would sometimes, or always, ridicule and insult her and her father for believing in the Quibbler. Luna would always act like it didn't bother her, but contrary to popular belief, Luna did feel hurt at how her schoolmates treated her, she was just really good at hiding it.
People always assumed that she was crazy and that her father was just as crazy as she was. Hell people thought that her father was a caring fun loving person, but that wasn't exactly true either. Her father might have been like that once, but ever since her mother had died he had become cold, distant, and drank a lot. Whenever he drank he would ridicule her and tell her that she was worthless and that her mother would be disappointed of her. He would threaten to hit her, but he hardly ever did that her, but when he did... well it wasn't pretty. He also wasn't as supportive as he should have been, actually he wasn't supportive at all, and he criticized her for believing what the Quibbler published too, even though it was technically his magazine. However it was only his on paper, in reality her fathers friend was the one who ran it, and he was the one who took her on expositions, mainly it was to get her away from her father.
And now it was her Fourth Year. Fourth Year at Hogwarts, how bad could it be? It couldn't be that bad.
"Hey Loony I didn't know that they let you out of the nuthouse!"
Or maybe not. Why can't they just let me be, I've never done anything to hurt them, thought Luna Lovegood as she walked into the Great Hall of Hogwarts for the opening feast. She took her seat at the edge of the table, the one that's far away from everyone else, and waited for the sorting to begin. While waiting she decided to think about what had happened on the train ride this year.
She had met Harry Potter and his friends while also discovering that he could see Threasltles like her. Hmm maybe if people hear that he can see them that they'll finally believe me. However Luna new that there was a slim chance of that happening, they all thought that she was crazy. But she was just misunderstood, but that wouldn't be so bad... if they didn't say all of those mean things to her.
Luna pushed those thoughts from her head and instead focused on the first years walking up to the front of the Hall. With them was a boy with dark hair who was rather tall and a grin plastered onto his face, he obviously wasn't a first year, Probably a new student, Luna thought as she pulled out her Quibbler.
I~
Gryffindor Table
"Look at that one," Ron said as he pointed toward the tall boy walking in with the First Years. "That's a Slytherin if I ever saw one."
"Oh come on Ron he doesn't look like that bad," Harry told his friend.
"Oh come off it mate. He has that Slytherin arrogance with him you can see it on his face," Ron told gesturing toward the boy.
"That doesn't mean that he's automatically a Slytherin," Hermione said backing Harry.
"I know what I'm talking about, hell I'll put four sickles that he'll be a Slytherin," Ron said arrogantly.
I~
Luna saw the boy walking up with the soon to be sorted First Years had a grin on his face and couldn't see if it was arrogance, confidence, or true happiness... maybe all three. The boy walked with the first years drawing a lot of attention but either didn't seem to notice or didn't seem to mind.
Professor Mcgonagall started calling all of the first years up and wherever they went Luna clapped politely. When the initial sorting was done Dumbledore stood up and made an announcement.
"Now as all of you could see we have a new student who will be going into his Fourth Year and I hope that wherever he may go that you will all give him a proper Hogwarts welcome," he said followed by polite applause.
"Silva, Daniel," Professor Mcgonagall called.
The boy made his way to the stool and the hat was put onto his head.
I~
"Hello there," a voice sounded throughout Daniels mind.
"Um, hi," Daniel replied in his mind.
"You have a rather unique mind if I do say so. Only a handful of times have I had the honor of sifting through minds like yours," the voice said.
"Thanks I pride myself on that," Daniel said as he smirked.
"Now let's see here. Quite the mean streak, you're brave but tend to usually think things through before acting, you're very loyal but you don't just give your loyalty it has to be earned. You're also very ambitious with very little regard for who is hurt as long as they are not your friends, and Oh yes, a great thirst for knowledge. It seems that you have a choice to make, Hufflepuff, for the loyal, of Ravenclaw for the wise," the voice echoed.
"Let's go with the wise, I have a feeling that I'm needed there," Daniel replied after thinking for a minute.
"Very well, better be-"RAVENCLAW!
I~
Gryffindor Table
"I take those four sickles now Ron," Harry said with a smug smile.
"Shut up," Ron muttered to Harry.
I~
Immediately after he was sorted the Ravenclaw table clapped for the newcomer as he made his way toward the table looking for an available spot seeing none until his eyes went over to Luna and the abundance of seats near her. His eyes met hers and he put a smile on his face and strolled over to her. Don't get to exited Luna, she told herself, once he sees what you're like he'll move to a different seat. Daniel made his way over and sat down next to Luna still wearing his smile. Dumbledore started to speak but was interrupted by Professor Umbridge. They both waited for Umbridge to finish her speech before turning to face each other.
"Hi I'm Daniel Silva," he said cheerfully, with and American accent for some reason, extending his hand out to her.
It was then that Luna got her first good look at him. He had big brown eyes, full eyebrows, he was quite handsome, and his skin had a certain glow to it.
"Oh hullo, I'm Luna Lovegood," she said taking his hand in her own, Well even if he is going to think that I'm weird that does not give me the right to be rude.
"Nice to meet you Luna," he told her shaking her hand with enthusiasm.
"Oh, well it's nice to meet you to," she said taken aback by his behavior.
"Whatcha reading," Daniel asked pointing to her Quibbler.
Here it comes," Oh it's called The Quibbler, it has the latest on Crumpled Horned-Snorkacks sightings, and 101 ways to avoid Nargles," she said whispering the last part.
"What's a Nargle," Daniel asked also whispering.
"They're sprites that steal your things, they are mostly active during the end of the year due to the excessive amount of mistletoe, which are where they breed," Luna told him with the tiniest bit of defensiveness in her voice.
"Are they native only to Britain," Daniel asked seriously.
"Well this is where they are mostly active however there have been sighting outside of the country," Luna told him thoughtfully.
"Well I for one hope that I personally don't have any encounters with them."
"Oh you won't as long as you have either protective charms or stay away from mistletoe," she said in a matter of fact tone.
The two continued to talk about Nargles and the other creatures and conspiracy theories in The Quibbler, while sampling the different foods that the Great Hall offered.
"So they're trying to take over using dark magic and gum disease," Daniel asked with a worried look on his face.
"Yes, it has been going on for years but no one believes me or my father. They usually call me..." Luna trailed off thinking about all of the cruel things people had said and done to her for simply being different.
"Hey if you don't want to talk about it that's ok, I'll understand," Daniel told Luna looking at her with sympathy and understanding.
Why is he doing this? Most people usually run off by now but... he didn't, Luna thought and flashed a weak smile to the boy across from her.
"Ok, new topic. What are some of your talents," he asked raising an eyebrow toward her.
"Oh well I can track animals rather well, and am quite gifted in charms for a Fourth Year, or well a new Fourth Year, the year just started didn't it."
"That it did," he said with a small laugh.
"So your American," Luna asked him with curiosity.
"That I am. I lived in America for most of my life but something... happened, last year and I came here to live with my Uncle for a while," he told Luna his smile wavering for a split second.
Luna decided not to ask about what had happened during the summer since she saw that he didn't want to talk about it, and it was also time to go to the dormitories. Daniel had to go with the other First Years since he was new to the school which left Luna on her own. She decided to take the long way to the common room since she didn't want to go to sleep yet.
She wandered the halls and her thoughts drifted to the meeting that she had with Harry Potter and his friends, and most of their reactions to her. They thought that she was strange, but it wasn't anything new, most people did anyway. Well not everyone, Luna thought as her thoughts drifted to Daniel, the young man she had met at the opening feast. He didn't think that, he actually listened to her. He didn't call her Loony, or look at her like she belonged in a nuthouse, none of those things. He just listened, responded, and smiled, Hopefully he's a good person, she thought with a smile, Hopefully.
I~
Daniel was walking to the common room with the First Years with a grin on his face, it rarely left. He was thinking about all the possibilities that this school offered him. This looks ten times better than Corvos Academy of Wizardry ever did, he thought to himself.
Corvos wasn't as nice as Hogwarts, or as clean, and the people definitely weren't as nice; however, he did learn a lot about fighting with magic due to the fact that he was picked on every day when he went there. There were some good times at that school but they were overshadowed by the bad times. He had friends to, granted not that many, they were mostly outcasts and like he always said, outcasts stick together, and quality over quantity.
He was brought out of his thoughts when he saw that they had reached the common room and the prefect leading them was about to show them how to get in.
"Ok everyone, welcome to Ravenclaw! This is the smartest house out there so we definitely don't want to disappoint. Now here is the entrance to the common room, we don't have passwords instead we have riddles and that has kept non-Ravenclaw members out of Ravenclaw Tower for so long. The questions vary by year so the younger you are the easier the riddle. Now who would like to try to answer the riddle," the female prefect asked the group of newcomers.
"I will," said a small girl with short red hair. She walked up to the statue of a raven taped it and is sprung to life then turned to the surprised girl.
"What has two hands, a round race, always runs, but stays in place," the statue asked.
A clock, Daniel thought after a few seconds. As for the girl she had to think for about a minute before answering.
"I-I-I don't know," she said looking down at the floor.
"A clock," an arrogant boy said to the statue.
"Welcome young ones," the statue said as a section of the wall moved and exposed a hidden room.
Everyone simply passed the young girl who had tried to answer, some sniggering about it how she should have known what it was and other simply mocking her.
Well they don't seem to like anyone who can't get a riddle right on their first try, Daniel thought.
He entered the common room and the first thing that he noticed was that it was, blue. The room had blue well everywhere, the carpet was dark blue, walls light blue, and the ceiling was a sky blue. The couches were blue everything was so blue. The prefect told them about where the dorms where and then left them to their own devices.
Wonderful not like I had any questions about anything else, Daniel thought to himself as walked to a large bookcase that stood to the left of him that held quite possibly every book imaginable. He heard giggling behind him and turned to see a group of girls forcing one of their own to get up. The girl that got up had light skin, black hair, and was of asian heritage walked slowly toward Daniel and stood next to him at the bookshelf.
"Hello I'm Cho Chang and I just wanted to welcome you to Ravenclaw," she said with a small smile.
"Daniel Silva," he told her with a smile as usual holding out his hand, still smiling.
"You're American," she asked slightly shocked.
"As far as I know I am," he joked.
"Oh I'm sorry it's just that... I thought that Hogwarts only accepted people from Britain, Scotland, and Ireland, "she told Daniel.
"Oh no I just moved here from America to live with my Uncle," Daniel told her.
"Oh well that makes sense."
"Yes, I suppose it does."
"I saw you talking to Loony; let me give you a piece of advice. Stay clear of that one," the young woman told him with a joking expression.
"And why would I do that," he asked raising an eyebrow.
"Because she's completely mad," she told him.
"So I should not try to become friends with her because she seems crazy to you," he asked her, his eyebrow raised.
"Not only that, but people won't take you seriously if you hang around her."
"Really? People won't take me seriously. They won't approve of what I do. Well that seems a little... stupid," he said with a grin still on his face.
"What do you mean stupid?"
"Well for one why would you care if I, which I do, believe in Nargles or Crumpled Horned-Snorkacks? It just seems like you have a compulsive need to control everything around you," he told her much to Cho's displeasure.
"Your just as Loony as she is aren't you. Great now we got two of them," she said looking annoyed. "Hell I wouldn't be surprised if your entire family was as nuts-" the girl began but was cut off and was suddenly pinned onto the bookshelf in the common room.
"Ok you listen and listen closely. You can insult me; you can insult how I act, what I do, and what I believe in. But the moment that you insult my family or my friends... I. Will. Hurt. You. I don't care if you're a girl, that means nothing to me Do you understand, can your closed mind comprehend what I just told you," Daniel asked his voice sounding dangerous, and his smile was now dangerous.
The girl stared at the boy and saw that he had meant every word that he had said. What the two failed to realize is that they had drawn a crowed around them.
"Hey what are you two doing," the prefect that showed Daniel the way to the common room asked as she walked up to them.
"Nothing Padma just having a friendly conversation," the girl Daniel had pinned to the wall said.
"Really Cho do all of your conversations end with you pushed against a wall," the girl, Padma, asked in a stern voice.
"Just leave it Padma," Cho told her, her angry glare never wavering from Daniels.
"That's not going to happen. And you, it's your first night and your already trying to start a fight," Padma said to Daniel.
"Well I think that it's justified since she insulted my family and one of my new friends," he said rolling his head so he could see Padma clearly.
"New friend? Oh you can't be talking about Loony can you," she asked in disbelief.
"Wow is everyone like that toward Luna," Daniel asked looking back between the two.
"Does it matter," Padma asked.
"When the hat said that this was where the smart ones go I had to say that I was excited. But now, I'd saw I'm disappointed that I went here, maybe I should have gone to Hufflepuff," Daniel told them with disappointed eyes.
Apparently he had said the wrong thing and had caused the two older years to start laughing uncontrollably.
"Did you really just say that you want to go to Hufflepuff instead of Ravenclaw," Padma asked Daniel wiping a tear from her eye.
"What's wrong with Hufflepuff?"
I~
Luna was just getting back from her evening stroll when she came to the small bronze statue and waited for her riddle... it didn't come. Probably charmed not to give any riddles to Luna. She pressed her ear against the wall that opened to the common room to see if she could hear anything. And she did, she heard laughter, a lot of it, They must be laughing at how they managed to lock me out... again, Luna thought.
She heard the laughter again but this time followed by stomping footsteps coming toward the exit of common room and then suddenly the wall moved and out came a mad Daniel.
"What's wrong with Hufflepuff," he muttered to himself as he walked out of the common room.
"Wait don't let the wall close," Luna yelled but was too late.
"Oh sorry Luna," Daniel said then taped the bronze raven.
"What work can one never finish," it asked.
"I got nothing, how 'bout you Luna," Daniel asked.
"I'm afraid that I don't know either," Luna told him. For the first time in a long time, she was stumped on a riddle to get into the common room.
"Huh well... let's find somewhere more appropriate to hang out and then find out what the riddle is. Sound good," Daniel asked the blonde Ravenclaw.
"Ok," she said simply.
Five minutes later they were in one of Luna's favorite hiding spots hidden behind a tapestry.
"I used to have a place like this in My old school," he said looking around the small space.
"Really," Luna asked surprised.
"Oh yeah. How did you find this place," Daniel asked Luna sitting down so he could face her.
"Bullies," she simply told him.
"Say no more. I've come across my fair share of those."
"Really?"
"Yes. Me and my old friend were constantly on the run from those bastards. That's actually one of the reasons that my parents let me leave the States," he explained to her.
"Where did you go to school before Hogwarts?"
"Corvos Academy of Wizardry. Not the best place for anyone to learn magic, of that I can assure you," he said with a grin.
"What was bad about it, besides the bullies that is," she asked curiously.
"Well, mainly just being an outcast, no one recognizing you, no one thinking that your worth a damn, just another face in a sea of people. Me and my friend wanted to get out of there, so we started working, whatever we could get muggle or magical, as long as it paid money we were there. We wanted to come to Britain and go to Hogwarts, become somebody... but plans don't usually work out the way you want them to," he said, his voice a whisper at the end.
"What happened," Luna asked worried.
"While we were working, the boys at our school would never stop picking on us. We would run and fight back, but... it would never be enough. If we ran they would have brooms to chase us on, if we fought then they would outnumber us. It eventually got to a point when my friend, Ethan, couldn't take it anymore. He showed up at my house and gave me all the money that he had made when we were working together and... and he told me, to go to Hogwarts, to be somebody. The next day he walked into the cafeteria killed the two people that bullied him the most, then killed himself," when Daniel finished he had tears running down his face, and a haunted look in his eyes.
"I'm so sorry Daniel," Luna said moving toward him and giving him a hug as best she could.
"Thank you Luna," he whispered to her," But that's also the reason that I always try to smile. Because he gave me a chance to be happy, and what would he say if I spent it being depressed and not enjoying what he gave me."
"I suppose that makes sense," Luna told him releasing him from the hug.
For the next ten minutes they both just sat there in silence, it wasn't uncomfortable but quite the opposite. They both understood each other's pain in a sense.
"What was he like?" Luna asked breaking the silence.
"Who, my friend," Daniel asked, reviving a nod from Luna. "He was calm, thought things out before he attempted them, loyal to his friends and if you messed with him, his family, or his friends then you better count on him going down swinging, or casting."
"He sounds like a good friend."
"Yeah he was... But enough about my morbid past. How about you," he asked.
"Afraid it's a bit morbid to," she said sheepishly.
"Oh?"
"I don't want to bother you with it," she said thinking that he wouldn't want to know anything about her.
"Oh no, I made you listen to me so it's only fair that I listen to you," he told her.
"Ok then. Well when I was nine my mother died in front of me, and after that my father went into a deep depression where he started drinking a lot, but that's really all that he does," she lied. "I only really had one friend and her name is Ginny Weasley, but she's recently gone over to the I'm too good for old Loony Lovegood side. Most of the school either doesn't notice me, doesn't care about me, or for whatever reason hates me. I usually don't care what they say about me, but late last year Ginny started a nasty rumor about me and that really hurt, I guess that was Ginny's way of saying that she didn't want to be friends anymore other than that there's nothing much to my past," she finished lowering her head.
"Hey well... look on the bright side. We both made a new friend," he said giving her a small smile.
"Yes, I suppose that we did," she said replicating his smile.
"'Sides outcasts stick together, right?"
"Absolutely."