A/N

Written for QLFC season 7

Position: Chaser 1

Team: Falmouth Falcons

Prompt: Write about a canonly virtuous/innocent character resisting temptation

additional prompts: Sail - Awolnation (song), expectation (word), Niffler (creature)

words: 2415

A huge Thank you to my teammates Ari and Jane for betaing!

All that glisters is not gold

Be yourself. Be yourself without caring about what others might think. Meet only your own expectations. My parents always told me that. We are considered weird and somewhat crazy in the wizarding community. When I was little, I was proud of who I was. Proud of the things we did differently. But since I started Hogwarts a few weeks ago, I'm not that sure anymore. Suddenly, it is difficult to stay me among all these other kids who seem to like each other at first sight. I'm not like them, and they don't like me. Dad said I will find friends here, yet there are none. I was sorted into Ravenclaw, and I'm happy with it. Dad had been there, too. But still, there is no one who has tried to get to know me.

The girls I'm sharing the dorm with are strange. They don't talk to me; although I know they talk about me. I wrote to dad about that, but his answer was that I just must wait and keep doing my best. That they would surely come around sometime.

At least most of the teachers are nice. I like Professor Flitwick very much. He's different, too, but they all respect him. I wish they would respect me. I've already heard them call me Loony. That hurts a bit, but when I think about how dad speaks my name, I smile. Be yourself! Mum always said that. But she's gone and it doesn't do any good to dwell on the past, even if it hurts.

I miss my home, my dad and Ferdinand. I couldn't bring him with me because first years are only allowed owls and toads and cats. Now that I think about it, the upper years aren't allowed nifflers, either. I smile at the thought of Ferdinand trying to stuff one of the golden goblets from the Great Hall into his pouch. He would have fun, that's for sure.

A smile spreads across my face and I start humming a melody I heard somewhere a while back. I can feel the stares of my classmates while I carefully stroke the leaves of a bouncing bulb. They have been struggling with theirs for ages. They look at me as if I am crazy. But sometimes a gentle touch is better than a knockback jinx. Dad showed me how to tickle and caress a plant to make it comfortable; you don't need violence to reach your goal. Sometimes a whispered 'please' is enough. Yet, it looks like I am the only one in the greenhouse who knows this. Even Professor Sprout shoots those awful jinxes at some of the jumpier plants.

I finish planting my bouncing bulb right when the bell rings for the lunch break. While I clean up my desk, I wonder if there will be pudding.

Be yourself! I tell myself as I walk behind a group of Gryffindor girls towards the Transfiguration classroom. Today, I will make a friend — I know it. It is high time I had a friend, anyway. Ginny Weasley is ahead of me. I can see her red hair waving behind her, her laugher loud as she knocks into one of her friends playfully. At the end of last year, she was in the hospital wing, as was Harry. Hearing her laugh like that makes me happy. I know she is ok and that's all that matters.

I've wanted to talk to the Gryffindors for a while now, but I don't think they'd like me. I don't fit into their world. I don't think I measure up to their expectations. I'm not the typical Ravenclaw, nor am I normal as they call it. The whole class, I sit right behind Ginny, but I can't bring myself to talk to her. Instead, I stare out of the window and listen to the lecture. When the lesson finally ends, Ginny and her friends jump up and walk to the door. I take a deep breath and run after them.

"Hi, Ginny…" I say when they stop in front of the girl's restroom to wait for one of their group. The youngest Weasley turns around and looks at me. A smile spreads across her features and she steps towards me.

"Hi, Luna. How are you?" she asks. My heart jumps about a mile. She is really talking to me! I grin like a fool. I look for something to keep the conversation going and smile while I answer: "I'm good. Did you know you are being followed by sixteen nargles since last year?"

She stares at me for a moment before her mouth twitches as she tries to suppress her laughter. She tries hard; her friends aren't so successful. Apparently, they heard me and are now laughing like there's no tomorrow. I don't understand what is so funny. The nargles can't be. They are some nasty things, stealing your stuff.

"You all are very rude." I tell the laughing girls and smile at Ginny again. She smiles back and rolls her eyes at the others.

"Thanks, Luna. I'll look out for them." Ginny turns around to steer her friends down the corridor.

"See you!" I call after her and skip down the corridor in the opposite direction. I am happy. Ginny talked to me, didn't make fun of me, and the best of all, she did it while her friends laughed. I press my books against my chest and begin to sing a Christmas carol to myself. It is the middle of April.

On the first day after Christmas break, I smuggled Ferdinand to Hogwarts. Dad said he was lonely while I was at school. He looked so sad and I couldn't leave him at home again. The days seem brighter with him here. Ferdinand hides in my school bag as if he knows how important it is for him to stay unnoticed.

Over the break, I decided to start taking my studies more seriously. Yesterday, I asked Professor Flitwick if he could show me some dueling. I don't want to harm people, but the dueling club last year looked like fun. I know mum was into dueling when she was in her twenties; she would be proud of me, I think. It can't be bad to know how to defend myself with Sirius Black on the run, either.

The whole wizarding world is in a panic since his breakout. Even here at Hogwarts, the Hogsmeade trips are accompanied by Aurors. But they don't really bother me. The horrible creatures floating around the school are much scarier. Ginny doesn't like them either. She hates them. She said they bring her back to that chamber. Must be horrible to feel fear when the dementors are near. I just hear the explosion from mum's lab. For once I am not alone with my opinion, either. Since the incident at the last Quidditch match where Harry fell off his broom, everyone is even more terrified by the dementors.

The weeks are stressful. The homework is piling up under my bed. Once a week, I have evening lessons with the Ravenclaw Head of House, and every morning I tickle Ferdinand until his pouch is empty. He was on his best behavior for the first few months, but recently he has started running wild at night. I really don't want to know how he got the Quidditch Cup in there, but Professor McGonagall would be upset if she discovered the trophy wasn't in her office. Along with some golden plates from the Great Hall and six galleons, I bring the Cup back to where it belongs. Then I put my niffler into my robe pocket and start some homework until the others wake up.

Later that day I see Hermione Granger running into one of the empty classrooms. I am sitting in a hidden corner, crafting a necklace out of butterbeer stoppers. Hermione is alone, and I wonder what is going on, but she doesn't come out again. My afternoon lessons will start in a few minutes, so I decide to look. Perhaps there is something wrong with the girl. When I open the door, I find the room empty. A weird feeling spreads over my skin as I walk further into the room. I don't know what Hermione did here, but it was something that makes me feel uneasy. The small niffler hides behind me; he knows something's wrong, too.

"What do you think, Ferdi? That's strange, isn't it?" I murmur and pick him up. He snuggles into my arms and growls his agreement.

Over the next week, I try to follow Hermione, but she sometimes disappears. When this happens, I observe the corridor or room where she disappeared, but she never turns up there. At least not while I am around.

After my dueling lesson on Friday, while I walk down the corridor the common room on my way back, I feel something odd. There's a shifting in the magic around the castle. Something isn't right. I'm too tired to think about it, though, so I get ready for bed and fall asleep as soon as my head touches the pillow.

When I wake up, I find Ferdinand curled up beside me. He's huge. There is no other way to describe him. His pouch is filled to the edge and he is clutching a galleon in his paws. I sigh and wake the niffler.

"Were you out all night?" I ask him quietly, so as not to wake the other girls. Ferdinand yawns and stretches. Better, he tries to do so. His pouch holds him down on the mattress. It seems to be quite full today. The little guy overdid it again. Carefully I pick him up and carry him into the bathroom. It is still early, and my roommates won't be up for at least an hour.

I set Ferdinand down onto the closed lid of the toilet and lay a towel down on the floor. The stuff inside his pouch could make noise when falling on the tiles. Ferdinand looks miserable as he sits there. He knows I don't like him stealing, but it is his nature.

"I'm not angry with you, silly," I tell him and begin tickling him. At first, he tries to stay calm, but soon enough he squirms, and his pouch begins to loosen. The muscles in there are cramping from the gold in it, therefore tickling is the only method that can help. Slowly the little fellow relaxes, and I can empty his pouch. I didn't expect what falls into my lap. Four goblets, a handful of galleons, a necklace, and worst of all: one of Snape's smaller golden cauldrons.

"Really? You broke into Professor Snape's lab?" Ferdi shrugs. I swear he shrugs and looks at me apologetically. "No wonder you don't feel good — you have a cauldron in there! Let's bring the stuff back." I sigh and start putting the goblets into the cauldron for better transportation.

I freeze at the sight of the necklace. I saw that once, before —Dad showed me one like it when I was seven. I recognize it immediately. It is a time-turner.

Suddenly everything clicks in my head. The strange magic in the classroom the other day and in the corridor last night. Someone used the time turner. Hermione was in the classroom. Could it have been her? It was the same feeling as when Dad showed me how the thing worked all those years ago. Dad told me to not mess with time. I shake my head and put the time-turner in the cauldron as well. Ferdinand will know where he stole it from.

Before I can stand up, though, my mind is flooded with possibilities. I could go back in time. Correct things. I could bring mum back even. That thought knocks the air out of my lungs.

I could tell her not to start the experiment that blew her up. I could do all the things to save her I that imagined doing after she died. I could prevent her death. I could keep us happy. I could save dad the grief and pain of loss. I could…

My hands begin to shake, and I pick up the time-turner again. How many rotations would be needed to go back? What would I do? There would be my younger self and dad…but there would be mum, too. I could see her again. Tell her how much I loved her and how much I missed her.

The longing gets stronger every second. I sit on the cold floor in my pajamas and stare at the tiny hourglass dangling from the thin chain. Will she be proud when I tell her I am in Ravenclaw?

Carefully, I turn the necklace around and study the time-turner. It would be so easy. I could do it. Mum would be there. Perhaps there wouldn't be an empty potions lab in our house anymore. Dad has left the lab like it was, ever since. We wouldn't be lonely. I am some weird kind of friends with Ginny now but that doesn't chase away the sadness hanging in our home. That could be different if I just turn it.

Something wet falls onto my hand and I realize I'm crying. The images run through my mind; my gaze is fixed on the wonder in my hands. I can almost feel Mum's warm hugs around me, and I want to turn the thing so badly, I close my eyes.

What holds me here? Dad? Ferdinand? I could take him with me. Slowly I bring my thumb and index finger up to the small wheel that's used for rotating the time-turner. I take a deep breath and… I throw the time-turner back into the cauldron. I hurl it away from me like it would bite me if I hold it for a second longer.

I pick Ferdinand up and hold him close. Don't mess with time. Be yourself and live your life. Dad's and Mum's voices ring through my head and I take another deep breath. Maybe this is how I show my love? By letting the past go and concentrating on the things ahead of me? Mum's dead and I can't change it. But I still have Dad and I will make friends who love me for who I am. However long it takes.

I am different and I am proud of it.