Luna flipped absently through the latest issue of The Quibbler. For once, she wasn't really paying attention to the articles. She was preoccupied looking over at the Gryffindor table. It was the start-of-term feast of her seventh year, and she felt strange being back, especially considering the events of last year, which resulted in her being forced out of school due to capture just before Christmas, then going back for the battle. Because of this, she would be forced to do a lot of remedial work to ensure she graduated on time. Not that she minded. She could always come back next year. Hermione had come back to get her N.E. , so it wasn't unheard of.
Speaking of Hermione...who was that talking to her over at the Gryffindor table? Ginny was seated to Hermione's left, but to Hermione's right sat a tall, gangly boy, with strawberry blond hair. Every once in a while, he would scratch his head. It had to be Wrackspurts. Perhaps she should have brought the Spectrespecs. She left them in her trunk.
Upon closer inspection, she realized he was quite good looking. And she realized she did know him. He was in Dumbledore's Army, that boy who they'd practiced spells on. Hadn't he been the one hit by Neville's flying wand during his first Disarming attempt? At first, she had only noticed Neville, but...now that she thought of it, he was getting into a lot of trouble in the Room of Requirement, wasn't he? On his first attempt Stunning Harry, he sent himself falling backward. And Cho, due to her attraction to Harry, got distracted while Hovering him, sending him crashing to the floor.
But he did have his share of successes. He mastered the Shrinking Charm. His admiration of Harry meant he was at the front of the class, and took his punishment defiantly when Umbridge discovered them. And he took part in the battle, despite being only a fourth year.
"Did you hear what happened to his brother?" asked a boy a few seats down from her with russet blond hair and intense brown eyes. "He died in the battle."
"Really?"
"Yeah...he was a year older than Nigel...They've got a sister who's in your year as well."
She decided to talk to him. The war still connected them.
"Who are you again?"
"I'm Nigel as well," said the boy. "Nigel Scamander."
