As young, she took magic for granted. Now she knew better. Hogwarts was, depending on viewer, magnificent sight or something very normal. To her, it was terrifying.

She was-was- witch, she grew up with magic, but her Durance was impossible even for her. Impossible things she saw, and they followed her. She never realized how powerful was magic of wizards. Strange and unnatural. It twisted natural laws with ease, save for few it couldn't, for no apparent reason.

Just like Others.

And glamour? So much of it. She could swim in it. Or there was almost none. So much contradictions, like damned place she left behind. Could it be possible, that long ago, in early days of humanity, somebody made deal with fiends, terrible exchange for power?

'' Miss Lovegood, concentrate!''

She snarled and looked into eyes-of proffesor Flitwick.

'' Five poens off Ravenclaw. Now would you demonstrate us spell?''

Ashamed, she tried. To no avail. Words and movements were right, but she just couldn't levitate damn thing. Laughter was insufferable. But she learnt trick or two. She spent quite some time as air, making damned thing float would be easy feat.

Too easy. She sent it right up in ceiling.

She fared little better at transfiguration. No, she couldn't complete task set by McGonagall, but she could make good illusion.

'' Hey Loony, have you seen snorkack?''

Memories came to her-her father's ideas pulled from her head and twised in nightmare.

''Yes, I have. I could introduce you-it likes bimbo's entrails.''

That earned her detention.

Finally it was over. Luna hid in empty corner, trying to scratch her back-by some wonder, she managed to put giant butterfly wings under jacket.

'' You too ? How long?''

Lowering head, she found herself speaking to an hedgecat of giant ears.

'' How did you get here? And who are you anyway?''

''You know me as Mrs Norris. I escaped from Hedge with Argua. Come here, you''ll need all help you can get.''

Little doubt was in Luna's mind-ok, lot of it, but she needed help, and above all, she was curious.

'' Filch is changeling? What kind? Are there many of us here? What Courts ''

'' Darkling, Mirrorskin, courtless. With you, 3- Trealwney is ofcourse, Wizened Oracle- either Autumn's witch of winds, Spring spy or Winter Queen. I'm only hefge cat, thought Crooshkanks has ΒΌ of such blood. Pomona and Minerva may be descended from changelings. I'm not sure about house elves, but domesticated hob is most common theory. But you're unusually informated for Lost...''

She understood implications: '' One of changelings of my Keeper once escaped and was recaptured. He learnt us all about outside world. He was same as Filch.''

''You may have noticed that magic has been failing you. Know this- Thorns tore away your soul, from which magic comes.''

''What?''