New Beginnings

Luna wandered quietly up the central staircase of St Mungo's Hospital. She had been visiting some of the many students who had been injured during the battle for the school. However, the last patient she had tried to talk to, a Hufflepuff student in her year, had rather rudely told her that he had had enough of her now, and would 'rather he didn't end up in the insanity ward as well'. Luna had already forgiven him. After all, he was recovering from a serious injury, although she rather suspected that he had been hit by a petulantic curse as well…

As she drifted past the corridor signposted 'Spell Damage', she remembered what Ginny had once mentioned to her about Neville's parents. Really, she thought, it would be very unfair just to walk past without seeing them.

I'm just sat here, hunched up on the end of the bed, staring at the wall. It's clean, white and bare. A definite improvement. A new blank page, a new beginning: bury the memories, bury the past; I'm going to make myself a new life. A good life. That's what this open doorway is - a doorway into a new life. And as I pass through the door and gaze out at the bright blue sky, an unknown feeling stirs within me, and a fire, which I thought had burnt down to barely-glowing embers, rekindles. Hope.

Luna nearly bumped into the girl who stood entranced near the window. "Sorry!" she exclaimed, taking a step backwards. But the girl merely stared at her. Luna stared back, taking in her features. The girl was slender, thin to the point of concern, with a pale face and long dark hair, straggly and uneven. Her eyes were huge and dark and wary. Looking in, Luna could see the fear in them.

Her eyes are full of happiness. Happiness and trust. They seem familiar, somehow, but I can't yet remember where…

"I'm Luna Lovegood" said Luna brightly.

The girl hesitated, but something about the blonde girl instantly gained her trust. "Ysabell" she said softly, and then, after an expectant pause, "Hope".

Hope. That feels good. A good name, a strong name. A new name.

"Who are you visiting?" Luna asked, trying to strike up a conversation.

A longer pause this time. Then, in an even quieter voice the girl said "I'm a resident."

Resident of an insanity ward. Fitting, I suppose. But I'm not mad and I don't want to stay here.

"Do you know where I can find the Longbottoms, then?"

I remember that name; I've heard it before. The story behind it too.

"No" replied the girl, and then, looking frightened, protested "I've not been here long!"

And I'm not planning to stay long either. But where else is there to go?

"Oh, that's all right then." carried on Luna, breezily. "I'm sure I can find it on my own. Do you want to come?"

There's no reason why, but I follow her, and somehow it feels like the right thing.

It didn't take long to find the right ward, and Luna recognised Neville's parents immediately, noticing the family resemblance. "Hello!" She greeted them cheerfully, and introduced herself, not seeming at all phased at the way they just smiled vaguely back at her. Ysabell hung back, seemingly reluctant to come near, until Luna beckoned her forward. She approached tentatively, and then said quietly to Mr and Mrs Longbottom "I'm sorry. Really sorry." But neither they nor Luna took any notice.

What was I expecting anyway? It's not as though words can heal the wrongs of the past. It's not as if anything can. But they just look so… lost.

The fragile conversation was quickly brought to an end when the ward matron came bustling up. "Mr and Mrs Longbottom, it's so nice to see you have visitors" she chirped, then was brought up short when she caught sight of Ysabell. "I thought you were in room 238" she said suspiciously.

Ysabell decided to make a stand. "I'm not mad" she said, staring straight into the matron's eyes, "and I don't want to stay here."

"Any other ward is fine by me" snapped the matron, making a face. "Now go back to your room, Miss …"

"Hope" interrupted Ysabell "And I'm not going back there. I told you, I'm not staying." She glared defiantly at the matron, who took a step backwards, worriedly.

"I'll go and fetch a Healer", muttered the Matron, and hurried out.

I felt proud of standing up for myself for once, until I looked into her eyes and saw the fear. I'm just a 15 year old girl. I haven't even got a wand. What reason have you got for fearing me? What have I done to you?

"Where are your parents?" asked Luna, trying to get a conversation going again.

"Dead."

"My mother's dead too. I was nine, and one of her magical experiments went wrong." Luna informed her calmly.

"Mine were murdered." said Ysabell, and her eyes weren't looking at Luna any more.

A jet of light, and my mother's body crumpling, mouth frozen silently…

"I know I'll see her again though" said Luna dreamily.

"How?" asked Ysabell weakly.

"They're just on the other side, waiting. I know; I've heard them."

Ysabell remained silent and expressionless. How long do they wait for? she wondered.

"So where are you going then, if you haven't got any parents to go to?" broke in Luna.

Ysabell just shrugged.

"You could stay with me and my Dad, you know. Do you go to Hogwarts?"

"No." Then she asked, disbelievingly, "Could I really live with you?"

"Well, if Daddy agrees…" mused Luna. "We've got quite a lot of spare room. And we've repaired the house now."

Ysabell just stood there, mouth agape.

Surely no one could be that nice? Or that impulsive? I mean, she's known me for what, ten minutes? And ought I to tell her? But what if she turns me away? What will her father think? Surely she doesn't mean it?

But Luna was as good as her word, and her father approved of the idea immediately. Neither St Mungo's hospital nor the Ministry saw many problems with the 'adoption', impulsive though it was. It got one unwanted orphan off their hands, and they had not really known what to do with her. They also decided to let her start Hogwarts in September, even though she had never been before.

And so it was, to some surprise, that Ysabell found herself being driven down to the village of Ottery St Catchpole, to live at the Lovegoods' house.

This is my first chapter, and my first chapters are rarely brilliant. If you feel the slightest bit interested please stick with me and try a few more. I promise you now, unless something horrible and unexpected happens this story will be finished. You have my word. Now, please review and tell me what you think, or I may lose heart and turn back on my promise.