Luna Lovegood knew she was different, but she didn't care. It was all the same to her. She plodded through the woods barefoot—a sketching journal in her left hand and a satchel strapped over her chest. It was a fine spring day, not that the weather mattered anyway. The sun was shining through the trees, making little halos on the forest floor. Luna was searching for a kneazle—a cat-like creature with a spotted gray and black coat.
She had heard that there were sightings in this part of the woods. Perhaps she would be lucky enough to see one. Kneazles were said to be able to sense deception. In that case, it would have no problem around her. Luna would never harm a creature that didn't deserve it.
Deciding to stop for a break, she took a few steps to a nearby log and sat down, pushing her spectrespecs off of her nose and into her dirty blonde hair. She drank some water from a bottle she had in her bag, then began to draw her surroundings in her book. Perhaps she would transfer it onto her walls in paint one day.
Luna loved painting; almost as much as she loved the world she lived in. There had been very dark times earlier in her life—but those days were over. What remained was beautiful and quiet. After the war ended, Luna had left Dumbledore's Army, desperate to find peace within herself again. She had seen too much. The things she had done to protect her friends and family haunted her. She needed to get her mind right before she could see any of them again.
So, in the end, she decided to take a trip. Traveling would be her job and her sketchbook her constant companion. Luna would see the things she had only heard about; the naturalist in herself truly coming out.
It was only about an hour later that movement came through Luna's serene setting. Finally, the exact creature she had been looking for. The kneazle, small and feline, trotted easily into the clearing. Her large ears perked up at the sight of Luna, but then settled down after a moment of staring. Luna smiled, relieved.
The kneazle laid down in one of the warm, sunny spots that came the light above the trees. She was calm and didn't seem to mind that Luna began to sketch her relaxed form. A little part of Luna began to melt inside. Part of her was just then starting to heal.
When she was finished, Luna put book down on the log and got up to properly meet the little creature whom she had just drawn. The kneazle's ears once again popped up, before drooping slowly down to their previous position. Luna stopped about halfway to her new feline friend then sat down. She didn't want to force anything or scare the creature off. If she wanted to, the kneazle would come to her.
And it did happen. In less than five minutes, the kneazle casually stepped into Luna's personal space. Luna held out her hand to introduce herself. Slowly, the kneazle pushed her face into the palm of Luna's hand. Her ears flattened against her head and Luna swept the speckled coat back, trailing her hand from its head to the center of its back. She didn't know if it would be considered rude to touch the kneazle's infamous tail, which was the same as a lion's.
The kneazle settled down in front of Luna, and laid its head in her lap. Luna smiled, considering herself lucky. Yes, very lucky indeed.
Though she did not notice it, a man about her same age had seen her sketchbook from the distance. Its white pages stood out around all of the greenery. He made his way to it, under the qualms of investigating it, when he saw Luna sitting there.
He did all he could to not stare at her, but she was beautiful, that he could tell already. Somehow, he felt she was familiar.
Rolf Scamander knew at that moment, he needed to introduce himself.