Author's Note: I apologize beforehand if there are any missing punctuation, it seems as though some of them were lost in the transfer between the txt file and the upload. I tried to go in and fix all of them. If I missed something, please let me know. Much gratitude for taking the time to read. Hope you enjoy.
EDIT: Fixed the bit about the Golden Trio returning to Hogwarts together... since that actually hadn't happened.
Letter To Luna Lovegood
"Luna!" She looked up from her upside down book on Dabberblimps, to see the familiar face of Hermione Granger waving to her from their seats at the Gryffindor table. She waved back. She once saw them over the summer at a small party or get together. The Golden Trio had been there, the last she'd seen them before coming to Hogwarts. She couldn't say she had been expecting it, but she hadn't been surprised when Ron and Harry told everyone they wouldn't be returning to Hogwarts to redo their seventh year. She remembered their smiles and how they've changed since she first met them. Hermione with her knowing, sincere but tired little smile, Ron with his broken but strong semi-grin and Harry with his angst-ridden, hardened quirk of his lips. It was hard not to notice the burdens they still carried. This is how it would be for the rest of their lives. The secrets and strange things that happened that they aren't necessarily proud of. It would be hard to forget and perhaps those things aren't supposed to be forgotten. It felt like such a long time ago that they were fighting at Hogwarts, wondering if they would live to see the next day.
They were all surprised how quickly McGonagall had gotten Hogwarts rebuilt. At the time, just after all the casualties and injured were dealt with, reconstruction of the school from the ruins that remained seemed impossible. But somehow, it was done, just in time for the new school year. Of course it had taken a lot of help, mostly from the professors who thought it important to rebuild to old school, alumni, and anyone who wanted to help. Hogwarts wouldn't ever be exactly the same, but perhaps it was for the better.
After days and weeks over arguing whether the housing should remain the same, they decided that it is too large a tradition in the Hogwarts history to abolish. Many believed the inter house rivalry to be a part of the blame for what happened in the war. But, others were just as stubborn to leave the houses as they were but attempt to increase inter-housing interactions. Most sided with the latter of the argument.
Whatever the case, those who fought in the war, or escaped the war were invited back into the arms of Hogwarts to finish their incomplete schooling. Some of the seventh years who were supposed to have graduated the year before, returned to complete what they had started and perhaps to take a break from the real world they were so suddenly dumped into.
She was happy to be back too. To see all her friends. Being back without the worry of the years before the war and before she was captured. Yet, there were sometimes when she tried to remember things that she felt this strange emptiness in her mind. It was like there was a memory or memories in a room in her mind that had it s hinges glued in place. She knew there was something there because every now and then, when she was talking to her father about a magical creature or when she saw a Thestral, she had a nostalgic feeling of camaraderie, yet for the life of her, she couldn t remember towards whom she felt this strong friendship.
In all honesty, it was rather irritating, though she tried not to show it too much when she thought about it. It was not a good feeling to not be able to remember a friend. Friends were important after all.
Just then the flurry of owls came flying in, dropping parcels and letters to their intended recipients. Luna was surprised to find one falling into her lap just as she reached the paragraph about the Dapperblimp's strange hunting techniques.
Setting her book down on the table, still opened to the page she left off, she examined her package. It was heavily fortified with a Cushioning spell, a Protection Spell and a few other precautionary spells that would ward it from harm. Her name was written in neat and precise cursive letters that looked uncannily familiar. Disabling the charms and spells, she gently ripped the brown covering open, revealing a small letter and a wooden box, with equally as many charms and spells.
The envelope did not have her name written on it. Only To My Dearest Friend was written in shaky, tall, elegant letters, but she assumed it was for her, since it would be silly otherwise. She opened the envelope after tapping it twice on the table edge for good luck.
As she unfolded the letter, she noticed the crest of a familiar family name.
Dear Luna,
I hope this letter finds you well, healthy and happy. It would be the least that you deserve for what you have done for this world and for me. I cannot begin to thank you for all the times and the precious moments you have so elegantly graced me with. You have a beautiful soul, one of the most radiant I have ever seen and I would find it the most grievous error to find it otherwise. Therefore, I must return to you what I have stolen from you, not so that you may forgive me, nor remember me, but so that your memory will be whole and unblemished again.
I cannot return to you your own memories, as I have completely Obliviated them, and I do not believe even the most intelligent of wizards or witches can find a way to bring back obliviated memories. It was a grand sin on my part to cause such personal injury, especially on your mind and for that I am sorry and I can only say it was due to my youthful naivety and folly. I have thought long and hard about how to return to you your memories, but I could only find this one, second-hand and unfortunately incomplete method.
In the box I have sent with this letter are four memories, the four main ones that I have taken from you. There are others that I have taken, but unfortunately that would require me to send you possibly a hundred vials and you will probably bore from the quantity that you would need to view. Though, if you ever want to see anything else, I will not hide anything from you. I am willing to share anything you desire with you in relevance to your memories. The first one is the time when we met for the first time. The second is the time when we spoke about our futures. I included it because the words you spoke may have been the very phrase that saved me. The third is the memory I have of the very last thing we did together. And the fourth is of the time when I took away the memories. I have already asked permission from Headmaster Dumbledoore and Headmaster McGonagall to use Dumbledoore s Pensieve. If you just ask Headmaster McGonagall to use it, I am hoping she will allow you to use it to view these memories.
These memories I have sent are my own, from my own perspective of the scene, so unfortunately I will not be able to show you what you were thinking at the time. I have made sure however to include my thoughts in these memories, so that you may see my intentions. I only wish to compensate you for my misgivings.
I understand this letter comes to you as a surprise, and perhaps you do not wish to remember me. Perhaps you would rather forget everything about me, and I do not mind. It is your choice now. It was never mine to decide. I have finally understood that. If you do wish to remember, I hope you have the heart to forgive me for what I have done.
You are a beacon of light in the darkness, forever and always.
Semper fidelis, nunquam amissus.
Silas Astran.
She read over the letter again, just to make sure she hadn t missed something. There was something overly familiar about the letter and the sender. When she read the name, a wave of warm comfort came over her and the muscles she had unknowingly tensed, relaxed.
Of course she would view these memories. Today was a Saturday, yes. She would go to McGonagall as soon as breakfast was complete, to view the memories.
Quickly she ate and hurried to the great eagle statue. Hopefully McGonagall would be in there. Saying the password she entered, only to be second to Hermione Granger. It was only moments before Neville came too.
"Neville? What are you doing here? And Luna?" Hermione asked. It seemed McGonagall wasn t there yet.
Neville blushed, "I got a letter telling me I should come here."
"You too? and you Luna?" She asked, turning to her.
"Yep. It was quite an interesting set of instructions." She added, absentmindedly.
The door opened again, and they had expected Ginny or Harry, but instead Draco Malfoy stepped in, looking suddenly alarmed by the crowd of people in the room. They all had questions leaping at the their throat when Headmistress McGonagall entered, clearing her throat.
She looked at each of them with the same look she gives her students when they do well on an essay." It take it then you have all received your packages and letters explaining the predicament?" They nodded. "It is usually rude and immoral to look into another person s memories, but since you all have permission, I am granting you the opportunity to view them through the Pensieve. However, you may not attempt to see the memories that have been intended for someone else s eyes, therefore, I must ask you to come up one at a time and the rest of you sit and amuse yourselves as you wait."
They all nodded again, not seeing much room for argument. Mostly they were just confused and too curious to care.
"Miss Lovegood, if you would care to go first." McGonagall held out her hand and led her to the Pensieve, showing her how to pour the first memory into the bowl.
She took a deep breath and entered the memory.
