AN: Just as simple chapter about Luna and her friends after their last day at Hogwarts.
Chapter One:
"What we leave behind."
Luna stepped out of the great wooden front doors of Hogwarts. She couldn't believe it would be her last time. Well, as a student at least. She knew she'd probably be back here some time; she had no intentions of staying away forever. Maybe she could come to visit Hagrid and help him out with the Thestrals. That might be nice. She thought to herself.
"Hey Luna," said Neville as he came up and put his arm around her from behind. Even though last year had technically been Neville's seventh at Hogwarts, he had decided to return this year and 'do it properly,' as he put it. The past two years had certainly changed him from the scared little boy she'd known from the D.A. how long ago that felt. He was thinner now, and more muscular, thanks to a year fighting off Voldemort's cronies, and another year of being the most popular boy in school. He had long since done away with his side-parted come-over and now sported wavy, shoulder-length messy black locks.
"Oh. Hi Neville," Luna said ethereally, gazing off into the middle distance.
"Can you believe it," he said excitedly, "we did it. That's it. No more school. The big wide world…" suddenly he looked just a little like the scared boy he once was.
"I know," said Luna, smiling broadly, "isn't it wonderful? A whole new adventure."
Neville looked out at the blue sky, "Yeah," he said absently, "absolutely. What a great day too." He diverted the subject from more discussions of the 'Big Wide World'.
"I know," replied Luna, dreamily, "it's perfect weather for Hokey-pokes, you know."
"Really," Neville said with a smile. He'd originally found it a little hard to get used to Luna's strange ideas, but over the past year he'd grown quite fond of her for them.
"Oh yes," she replied, turning her big silvery blue eyes to him, "they love the sunshine, they come out and dance around in sunbeams and soak up the warmth, and when you look up at the sun, they fly into your eyes and nose, they're very tiny you see, and they make you sneeze."
Neville just smiled again, he looked up at the clear blue sky, with the bright Sun shining high, and sneezed.
"You see," Luna said, matter-of-factly.
"Yeah," Neville laughed, as he wiped his nose, "I think you might be right with those ones."
"Hey," came a voice from down the path towards the main gates, "are you two coming," Ginny called, "we'll miss the train."
"Oh ok then," Luna said, beaming and grabbing Neville's hand, "Let's go join the others. We wouldn't want to be stuck here."
They ran down the laneway to where the carriages were ready to take the students to Hogsmeade station to catch the bright crimson Hogwarts Express home. They walked through the grounds towards the gates, with an odd feeling of uncertainty in their hearts.
As they passed the gates, topped by the twin, winged boars, the Thestral-drawn carriages trundled up the path towards. All three of them could see the skeletal horses now, a grim reminder of the events of the previous year. They loaded their trunks and climbed into the carriage, they all looked, a little wistfully, at Hogwarts castle as it slowly drew further away from them.
The carriage continued down the dirt path towards Hogsmeade, past the Three Broomsticks, and all the other shops that had become so familiar over the past seven years. The shrieking shack loomed in the distance, the beautiful day making it look thoroughly un-haunted and actually quite pleasant.
Soon they were at the station, and students were loading their trunks on to the train. Hagrid was there, shepherding the younger students on board, assisted by the prefects. Ginny and Neville, being Head Girl and Boy went to help the first years, who still looked a little lost. Luna took the time to say a proper goodbye to Hagrid.
"Luna," he said with a smile that showed on all the parts of his face not covered by his shaggy hair. He embraced her in a hug that felt like it was about to snap her in two, "So," he said, "this is it eh? Yer all done. How's it feel?"
"I'm not sure," Luna admitted, "it is wonderful to be fully qualified, but I will miss Hogwarts, and all my friends, and you, of course," she smiled.
"Oh, Luna," Hagrid said, on the verge of tears, "c'mear," and with that he pulled her into another bone-crunching hug, "now you be careful ou' there now," he said as he released her, "the World's a strange place."
"Oh, I should love it then," Luna smiled. Just then the train whistle blew.
"Come on Luna," said Ginny, as she and Neville raced up to them, "it's about to leave."
"Oi," Hagrid said, "don' think yer getting away tha' easy," and he pulled them both into another bear-hug.
"Now you three look ar'ter yerselves," Hagrid said tearing up a little as he released them and looked them each squarely in the eyes, "an' look ar'ter each other too. An' don' forge' te write either."
"We won't Hagrid," they said as the whistle blew again.
"Oh, off with yeh," Hagrid said as he ushered them on to the train, "yeh stay any longer yeh'll 'ave me blubbin' me eyes ou' you will."
"Goodbye Hagrid" they all called from the window as the train steamed out of the station.
Inside the train the three friends walked along the crowded corridors until they found an empty compartment near the end of the train. They sat down and gazed out at the green Scottish countryside flitting past the windows, Hogwarts visible atop it's hill next to the Lake, getting steadily smaller as they pulled away from Hogsmeade.
"Do you think we'll ever come back here?" Luna asked wistfully. Her big silvery eyes close up to the cool glass of the window.
"I think so," Neville said brightly, "You know, despite everything that happened, I really love this place. We'll have to come back, to visit, now and then."
"Me too," Ginny said, looking up at the castle with a smile, "it was hard to come back here at first, after last year, but this place just means so much to me, to all of us, and it always will. We'll have to come back to visit. I'm sure Hagrid would love for us to come see him."
"Maybe we'll come back to teach some day," Luna chimed in, "I think that would be wonderfully poetic."
"I guess it would," Neville laughed, "What would we'd teach though?"
"Oh you'd be Herbology teacher," Luna said, not missing a beat, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Really?," Neville said, turning a little red, "I mean, yeah I'm good at it, but I'm no Professor Sprout. I couldn't teach classes."
"No, Luna's right, Nev," Ginny chimed in, "I think you'd be excellent for Herbology, and Professor Sprout won't be teaching forever. Maybe you should look into it actually. You said you still weren't sure what you wanted to do."
"Well, if you say so," he agreed, smiling inwardly that they both thought he could achieve his secret dream, "Well how about you then?" He looked at Ginny, who returned his speculative look for a few seconds before they both suggested Defence Against the Dark Arts. After the D.A. and all the events of the last few years, Ginny's love of D.A.D.A. had grown, along with her passion for Quiddich.
"How about you though, Luna?" Ginny said, turning to Luna, who was busy arranging flowers in her hair.
"Oh, I don't know," she replied with her usual vacant stare, "I do enjoy Care of Magical Creatures."
"Yeah," Neville replied, "but you're not nearly mad enough to qualify to teach."
They all laughed, Neville had developed quite a sense of humour over the last year.
"Perhaps Charms then," Luna suggested, looking up thoughtfully.
"Well, you certainly are charming, Luna," Ginny smiled at her, to another chorus of laughter. Luna smiled, she loved Ginny, and Neville, and all her friends. It was so wonderful to have friends. She sat back in her seat and listened to her friends' laughter, and felt the calm vibrations of the train, and watched the World go by outside the window. Her adventure was just beginning.
AN: I know it's starting a bit slowly, but bear with me. I have to have this stuff to set the scene, there'll be action, adventure and really wild things soon enough. If you've read this far, please review, I need some constructive criticism.