CHAPTER TWELVE
(chapter title – Castle on a Cloud)
Meanwhile, in the little village of St. Ottery Catchpole, a young blond haired girl is sweeping the front of an inn while other young children run around her, happy and carefree. Luna wished so much to join them, but she was working for the Umbridge's, all day, every day.
"There is a castle on a cloud
I like to go there in my sleep
Aren't any floors for me to sweep
Not in my castle on a cloud
There is a room that's full of toys
There are a hundred boys and girls
Nobody shouts or talks too loud
Not in my castle on a cloud
There is a lady all in white
Holds me and sings a lullaby
She's nice to see and she's soft to touch
She says, "Luna, I love you very much"
I know a place where no one's lost
I know a place where no one cries
Crying at all is not allowed
Not in my castle on a cloud." Luna sang mostly to herself. She heard loud noises coming from inside the inn and she knew it was Madame Umbridge.
"Oh help! I think I hear them now! And I'm nowhere finished sweeping and polishing and scrubbing the floors! Oh, it's her! It's Madame!" Luna told herself, quickly going back to work. She hadn't meant to daydream.
Madame Umbridge strolled over. To Luna, she resembled a large toad and was always dressed in pink. The three Umbridge's were awful to Luna, especially Madame Umbridge or their daughter Luna's age named Ginerva. Aberforth wasn't too bad, but he wasn't good, either.
"Now, look who's here
The little madame herself
Pretending that's she's been so awfully good!
Better not let me catch you slacking
Better not catch my eye!
Ten rotten Sickles your mother sends me
What is that gonna buy?
Now, take that pail
My little 'miss good girl'
And go and draw some water from the well!
We never should have taken you in the first place
How stupid the things that we do
Like mother, like daughter the scum of the street!" Umbridge ranted to Luna, only stopping when she saw Ginny. Luna stands there, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Mama!" Ginny called, coming into the inn.
"Ginerva, come my dear, Ginerva, let me see you!
You look very well in that little blue hat!
There's some little girls who know how to behave
And they know what to wear
And I'm saying thank Merlin for that!" Umbridge told her daughter, kissing Ginny's cheeks and forehead. Luna sniffling caught her attention. "Still there, Luna? Your tears will do you no good! I told you fetch some water from the well in the wood!"
"Please do not send me out alone! Not in the darkness on my own!" Luna pleaded, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Enough of that, or I'll forget to be nice! You heard me ask for something and I never ask twice!" Umbridge said, shoving the pail into Luna's hands just as Ginny pushed Luna out the back door.
Aberforth came down the stairs, greeted his wife and daughter as the inn filled up for the evening.
As Luna walked to the well, she would never understand why her mother left her with these people. She wished someone, anyone, would come take her away from this horrible place.
