Chapter 2: School Shopping

August, 1992

The Leaky Cauldron. A bridge between the muggle and magical worlds. On the outside, the cozy pub appeared as a run-down, abandoned building to disguise it from the muggles. Within, wizards and witches loitered around, conversing and chatting and drinking away. Glasses emptied and guests came and went. A completely ordinary day.

Passing through the floo flame completely unfazed, Luna Lovegood looked across the establishment with interest. Wrackspurts flitted around many of the patrons and nargles hid in the dark and dusty corners of the pub, waiting to pounce on people's unsuspecting belongings (not that they could suspect much, due to being inanimate objects). She wore a knee-length yellow sundress and a pair of brown, somewhat worn leather boots.

Not far behind Luna, her daddy, Xenophilius Lovegood, stepped through the floo. He had never brought his daughter to Diagon Alley or the Leaky Cauldron before, worried about exposing her to her fame at such a young age. Now, with her reaching the age to go to Hogwarts, he felt it was good a time as ever to 'rip off the band-aid,' so to speak. Not that he knew what a band-aid was, but he had heard the expression once when shopping for groceries, and decided to implement it into his vocabulary.

As they stepped into the pub, heads started turning in their direction. As they focused on the lightning-shaped scar on Luna's forehead, the cozy, vibrant atmosphere of the bar just a second ago faded. It had become so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Suddenly, as if on cue, the patrons and guests of the bar got up from their seats, and started rushing upon the unprepared girl. They began vigorously shaking her hand and thanking her for saving the wizarding world. She was somewhat annoyed, a rare emotion for her. She understood that Voldemort had somehow been defeated by trying to kill her, but surely that didn't mean they could barrage her like this? Even if she somewhat lived in her own world, she still had her boundaries.

On the outside she kept her blank, vaguely surprised look. Showing annoyance was very rude, even if you felt it. Especially since they were only showing their appreciation. Meanwhile, Xenophilius was vainly trying to keep the people away from his daughter, but the amount of people was just too much to withstand.

After the horde of well-meaning folks had subsided, Luna and her daddy trailed out the back of the pub. One magical brick wall later and they had entered Diagon Alley.

Being the largest magical shopping center in all of England, as well as shopping season for going back to school, it's only evident that a very large amount of shoppers and store-goers were hustling and bustling across the crowded streets. Vendors displayed their wares, kids peered through shop windows, and mothers herded their children across the busy streets.

While Luna didn't particularly enjoy crowded spaces, the atmosphere of this place radiated a feeling of fresh beginnings. Looking down at her list of school supplies, she decided to start with the least exciting to the most, starting off with potion supplies and a telescope.

Once those supplies were obtained, Luna and her daddy headed over to Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions, to get fitted for her robes. She didn't particularly care for the lack of colour on the robes, but it was still a school requirement so she relented.

After her robes were fitted and purchased, the first truly exciting store visit was next: Fluorish and Blotts. She wandered through the book store, getting her school textbooks as well as a few extra books for some extra reading (History of Dragons: From Egypt to Dumbledore looked interesting). Getting up from crouching down to reach for another book, she bumped into an older, bushy-haired witch, knocking her down with the excessively tall stack of books she carried, sprawling across the floor.

"Oh! I apologize, it seems I wasn't looking where I was going. Here, let me help," Luna stated, leaning down to help the witch pick up her books.

The witch in question looked up to Luna to thank her, only to focus on her forehead. Her eyes widened, "You're the Girl-Who-Lived! You're in several books you know."

"Yes, I suppose I am. I prefer to call myself Luna though. What's your name?"

"Er, I didn't mean to be rude. Sorry! I'm Hermione Granger, pleased to meet you."

"The wrackspurts seem to be avoiding you. Your head must be very clear."

Confused, Hermione asked, "Excuse me, what are wrackspurts?"

"They're little creatures that like to fly around people's heads and get their thoughts all cloudy." Luna said, not expecting Hermione to believe her. Nobody except her daddy believed in the creatures she saw.

"Sorry, what? I've read several textbooks about magical creatures and not a single one of them contained any mention of "wrackspurts.""

"It's alright, most people's minds are too closed to see creatures such as wrackspurts. It's quite sad." Since all of Hermione's books were successfully restacked in her arms, Luna left to buy her own books, leaving Hermione standing confused behind her.

Leaving the book store, Luna left to get the most important magical tool a witch or wizard could have: a wand. Leading her daddy once again through the streets she landed at Ollivanders, the number one wand shop in all of western Europe. She entered, a musty, old smell hitting her nostrils. The shop consisted of a single counter, behind which lay hundreds of wands, lined up in neat cubby holes.

After a few seconds of waiting, a man approached from the back of the shop. He had untamed gray hair and wild, bright eyes filled with passion for his work. "Ah, miss Lovegood, I was wondering when I would see you. I remember when your parents walked into the shop like it was yesterday. Here, start with this."

Luna felt the wand, and immediately knew this wasn't it. Humouring him, she flicked the wand. The display pillow holding a wand on display flew into the air.

"No, no, that is not the one."

And so wands were held and wands were taken, none quite matching her. At one point he seemed to get a good idea with a holly wood and phoenix feather wand, but it did not work. Eventually, "An extraordinarily tricky customer, aren't you? How about this. Ebony and phoenix feathers, thirteen inches, hard but not brittle.

As soon as the wand was in her hand Luna knew it was the one. A warmth she had never felt before flowed through her. Flicking it, a shower of multicoloured sparks flew out of the tip, morphing into confetti midair and fell to the ground. She smiled dreamily. This is what magic feels like.

"I really had a feeling with that wand, you know. Ebony wands best suit a user with extreme individuality, someone who will hold true to their beliefs no matter what pressure they're under to change. Use it well, and it will be a useful asset for you, to be certain. That'll be one galleon."

Luna left the shop, daddy nearly asleep on the bench outside the shop, since she had taken so long. As he noticed her presence, they got up and headed back to the floo station at the Leaky Cauldron.

"So, my little moon, what wand did you get?" he asked,

"An ebony and phoenix feather wand. Mr. Ollivander said it best suited an individual."

Xenophilius chuckled, "Ah, yes, you are unique indeed."

AN: Apologies for the late update, my muse was not being kind to me. Aside from that, I suppose I should state that updates will be irregularly spaced depending on how much I'm able to write at a time. I will not post ANs on most chapters, only on ones I feel need something explained. Cheers, the author.