Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; if I did, I wouldn't be on this site.

Luna Lovegood hummed happily to herself as she busily worked on her creation. Let's see now, she thought to herself, Some blue there, a dash of yellow there...Beautiful!

Just as she was stepping back to admire her work, her father stepped into the kitchen. "What do you think, Daddy?" she asked. The cupboard, stove, and walls had been painted with flowers, insects, and birds, all in primary colors.

"That is absolutely lovely, moonbeam," Xenophilius told her with a smile.

Luna was just about to follow her father upstairs to help him with the cover design for the following month's Quibbler when a screech owl suddenly swooped in through the window carrying a letter in its beak. After it had landed on the table, Luna stepped forward for a closer look; on the envelope was an image of a lion, badger, eagle, and serpent surrounding a large letter H.

"My Hogwarts letter!" Luna squealed excitedly, prying it from the owl's beak. She ripped open the envelope and took out a piece of parchment which read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc. Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Miss Lovegood,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

"Luna, my love, this is excellent!" Xeno exclaimed, hugging his daughter tightly. Then he sighed sadly. "I wish your mother were still here. She'd be so proud of you."

"Thank you, Daddy. When can we go to Diagon Alley for my supplies?"

"Well, I still have several articles to put together for next month's Quibbler and I'm still waiting for a few more. Besides, you still need to help me with the cover. So why don't we go in about three days?"

"All right," replied Luna, and after she had written down a reply to her Hogwarts letter and sent the owl away with it, she followed Xeno to his study.

Three days later the Lovegoods were walking along the cobbled street, Luna consulting her supply list. "Let's see..." she muttered, "three sets of plain black robes, one pointed black hat, one pair of dragon-hide gloves, one black winter cloak with silver fastenings..."

She stopped reading abruptly when she reached the list of books she'd need. "Daddy..." she said in a low voice, pointing. Xeno took one look and scowled; according to Luna's booklist, in addition to the standard first-year textbooks she was required to buy a set of seven books written by Gilderoy Lockhart. Now, Xeno had heard people speak of this man several times, and there was just something about him that made Xeno's blood boil even though he wasn't quite sure what. Perhaps it was Lockhart's shiny, many-toothed smile, maybe it was the fact that he used far too many hair products...or perhaps it was because the man was so highly narcissistic.

"Whoever assigned these books must be a big Lockhart fan," breathed Luna.

"Indeed. But first things first - we need to withdraw some money from Gringotts."

After they had left Gringotts with some gold from their vault, they decided to proceed to Mr. Ollivander's wand shop. "Hello?" Luna called out as she and her father stepped inside.

Mr. Ollivander, an elderly wizard with pale skin and large silvery eyes, came to the counter. "Welcome," he said in a soft voice. Then, spotting Xeno, he added, "Ah, Mr. Lovegood. Nine and a half inches, maple, dragon heartstring, I believe?"

"Correct. We're here to buy a wand for my Luna; she is starting Hogwarts this year."

Ollivander looked at the young witch closely. "You look very like another young woman I saw long ago. Thirteen and three-quarter inches, willow, phoenix feather, very supple."

"Oh, that was my mother," said Luna. "She died two years ago."

"That's unfortunate," Ollivander replied before getting out a magical tape measure that immediately started measuring every part of Luna's body while the wandmaker launched into an explanation about the types of wood and cores used to make wands and how the wand chooses the wizard. After that was done, he handed a wand to Luna.

"Try this," he instructed. "Oak and unicorn hair, ten inches, rather flexible." But just as Luna was about to wave it, Ollivander quickly snatched it back.

"No, this one won't do at all." He gave her another wand. "Perhaps this will suit you. Twelve and a half inches, cedar, unicorn hair, bendy." But it was clear when Luna waved this wand that it did not suit her either.

"Yew and dragon heartstring, ten and three-quarter inches, stiff." Not a good match.

"Beechwood and unicorn hair, nine inches, nice and pliable." No go.

"Cherry and phoenix feather, eleven inches, unyielding." Negative.

Next, the wandmaker held out a wand made from "holly and unicorn hair, twelve and three-quarter inches, quite durable." The moment she touched this wand, Luna felt a warm sensation flow through her body; she then gave it a wave and multicolored bubbles shot out of it. Beaming, the young girl paid for her new wand and she and her father headed out.

They headed for Madam Malkin's robe shop next, where Luna was fitted for new robes. Then they went to the cauldron shop to buy a cauldron for Luna; afterward, they headed for the Apothecary for some basic potion ingredients.

Their last stop was Flourish and Blotts; Luna had just started picking out the required textbooks when she saw a girl about her age with long black hair, high cheekbones, and hazel eyes nearby who was fondly looking over some Lockhart books.

"Hello," she said dreamily. "Are you starting Hogwarts too?"

"Yeah," the dark-haired girl replied. She then looked at Luna more closely. "Do you always dress like that? And what's with that necklace?"

"Oh, it's just how I like to dress," Luna answered. "And this necklace belonged to my mother; it also keeps away the Nargles."

"Nargles?" repeated the other girl, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, Nargles. They're nasty creatures that steal things and mess with one's mood."

A look of realization slowly came over the dark-haired girl's face. "You wouldn't be related to that barmy old Xeno Lovegood, would you?"

"He's my father. Why do you ask?"

"'Cos my brother reads that lunatic rag of his and I keep telling him it's rubbish, but no, he never listens to me."

"It's not a rag; it's a wonderful magazine that publishes stories my father thinks everyone should know - "

"Pfft, don't make me laugh! You're clearly as big of an idiot as your dad is if you think - "

"Imelda!" a woman's voice interrupted from the other side of the bookshop. "What's going on over there?"

"Nothing, Mum!" the girl called Imelda shouted back. She then turned to Luna with a condescending look. "Well, I guess I'll see you at Hogwarts...unless you wind up in St. Mungo's instead." She walked off.

Luna frowned after her, then proceeded to collect the necessary books. Just then something caught her eye. "Daddy, look!" she exclaimed. She was pointing to a small diary decorated with unicorns and hippogriffs. "Could I get this too? I've always wanted a diary."

"Well, I don't see why not," Xeno replied. "It would be nice to write about your experiences at Hogwarts."

"Thank you, Daddy!" After they had paid for Luna's books and as they were heading back to the Leaky Cauldron, Luna said matter-of-factly, "That girl I met at Flourish and Blotts wasn't very nice. She called you barmy and said The Quibbler was a rag."

"Somehow that's not surprising," her father told her. "A lot of people don't want to open their minds to all the possibilities of the world. But I have had to learn that that shouldn't stop you from being who you are and sticking to your beliefs."

"But why are so many people so close-minded?"

"Probably because they are laboring under the delusion that you have to see something in order for it to exist."

Luna nodded. She sincerely hoped she'd meet at least some students at Hogwarts who, unlike Imelda, were willing to open their minds and believe anything was possible.

That night as Luna was sitting up in her bed reading One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, her mind began to wander; she found herself thinking of how proud her mother would have been had she still been there to see her daughter going off to Hogwarts. Just then a wonderful idea struck her; she knew just what she wanted to use her diary for.

The young witch put down her book and picked up her diary, then began to write:

2 August, 1992

Dear Mummy,

Guess what? I got my Hogwarts letter a few days ago and Daddy and I just got my school supplies today. I've got my very own wand now!

I also met another girl at Flourish and Blotts, and she's starting Hogwarts too. Unfortunately, she was quite rude to me. Apparently she's one of those close-minded people who think Daddy's magazine is a joke. But on the bright side, I'll finally get to see Cedric again. I do miss spending time with him.

Anyway, I'll write to you again once I'm at Hogwarts. I hope I'm in Ravenclaw like you and Daddy.

Love,

Luna