Chapter 6: Loony
Luna returned to the hidden room on the sixth floor that she now called her home, dropped her bag on the floor, and collapsed onto the cot. She was extremely grateful that classes were continuing as normal as the lessons were very welcome distractions. She started to unpack her schoolwork onto her desk. Well, at least it was her desk now. Back when this was actually used as a classroom, it would have been the teacher's place.
When she had woken up here on the morning after Pumpernickel's death, she quickly realized that returning to the Ravenclaw dormitory was not a viable option. Every one of her year mates hated her, and she couldn't blame them. Instead, she figured she may as well just stay in this classroom. After a quick trip to a broom cupboard and about an hour of sweeping and dusting, Luna started to think that her idea may in fact work. With the desks pushed over to the side of the room, she had a fair amount of space, and with the dust cleared out, the room was starting to look pleasant. A quick discussion with a house elf named Koffy while she was in the kitchens for breakfast got her a cot along with assurances that her laundry would be brought to this new location instead of her dorm room. With her new living accommodations in place, Luna set about avoiding her year-mates by spending the least amount of time possible in classrooms and sitting with the other houses when she needed to be there.
Only three days after the Pumpernickel tragedy, the castle was rocked with another cat-related misfortune. Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, had been attacked in the hallway by someone claiming to be the Heir of Slytherin after the Halloween feast. Luna, in keeping with her avoidance of human contact, had skipped the feast and only found out about the attack by overhearing a conversation between two prefects the following morning.
She immediately rushed back to her room to consult with all five editions of Hogwarts, A History along with a copy of the school charter that she had checked out earlier that week to determine if she could get in trouble for moving out of Ravenclaw Tower. (Apparently, students needed to be either in their own bed or in their house common rooms after curfew. However, in none of the editions was it ever addressed if the student's bed was not located in the dormitory, much to Luna's satisfaction.) All the versions recorded the same myth about Salazar Slytherin's secret chamber but cautioned their readers that no such chamber has ever been found – which was quite obvious for if the chamber had been found then it would no longer be secret.
However, as much as she would like to speculate on the existence of the Chamber of Secrets and the monster – or lack thereof – contained within, Luna had much more pressing things to deal with this afternoon. A major complication to her room change was that most of her belongings remained in Ravenclaw tower. She had been slowly sneaking her belongings out of the dorm and into her new room whenever she knew the dorm would be vacant. This afternoon, the Ravenclaw first years were scheduled to have History of Magic. While her instincts told her to go to class, Luna knew that this would be a great opportunity to finish moving out. The rest of the year would have a similar reaction to missing class, so she was guaranteed to have the room to herself. Besides, it was only History of Magic.
Once she was sure class had started, Luna made her way back to the Ravenclaw tower. After answering a riddle (What can be broken yet never felt or touched? A promise.), Luna made her way to her dorm room.
The room didn't look any different, despite her absence. Olivia still had a small mountain of novels towering on her bedside table. Becca's bed was surrounded by half completed homework assignments and small piles of clothes. Chloe's section of the room was still completely neat. She even had the hangings pulled around her bed, like usual. Luna had a hard time believing everything that had happened this past month.
It didn't matter. She was no longer welcome here. She made her way over to her trunk and unlocked it. A brief glance confirmed that everything remained exactly where she had left it, much to her surprise. She put her bag down and started to make a mental list of what she should bring. There was probably enough time to make a few trips…
The door slammed shut behind her. Luna looked up in time to see a mass of dark hair hurtling toward her. She didn't even have time to draw her wand from behind her ear before she was pulled into a tight embrace. "Where have you been," Anne exclaimed. "I've been so worried!"
Luna could only stand there, frozen, until Anne eventually let her go. "What are you doing here?" Luna asked warily.
"I didn't see you in History of Magic, so I figured I should check here. You have some explaining to do."
"I'm sorry, I have to go," Luna said as she inched her way back to the door. She tried to turn the nob, but found it was stuck. She turned back and saw Anne tucking her wand back into her pocket.
"Luna, please stay. I gave you your space already, but we really need to talk," Anne said, sitting down on her bed. She gestured for Luna to sit down also, but she remained standing by the door.
"What is there to talk about?"
"Why did you disappear? I was so worried something happened to you, especially with this Chamber of Secrets thing. I would have gone straight to a prefect if the house elves in the kitchens hadn't told me you were eating your meals there. Where have you been staying? Why won't you come back to the dorm?"
"You know why."
"No, I really don't."
"You must hate me," Luna sighed.
"Now I'm really confused."
"I killed Pumpernickel."
"Luna," Anne reached out and took her hand. "That was an accident. He choked on a piece of a chocolate frog. It's not like you strangled him."
"I may as well have."
"Don't be an idiot."
"It was my chocolate frog."
"I know, but that doesn't make it less of an accident."
"It wasn't an accident. It was my fault! I knew it would happen!"
Anne froze. "I don't believe that," she whispered.
"It's true. I'm dangerous. You should all stay away from me. I'm a monster."
"Don't be melodramatic. The only monster in this school is the person who attacked Mrs. Norris and then claimed to be Slytherin's heir. Or that Malfoy bloke who threatened the muggleborns. Are you running around attacking cats?"
Luna gave Anne a flat stare.
"I thought not."
"You don't get it. I killed him. It's like you don't even care!"
"Don't you dare! Pumpernickel was my kitten! I raised him! So call me a fool for trying to save this friendship because I don't want to lose two people I care about in the same week from the same stupid accident!" Anne paused a minute to regain her composure. "Fine. If you are so convinced it was your fault, tell me. How? How is this all your fault?"
"I can't tell you."
"Why not? You always ask me to take your word on things, even when they don't make sense, and I do. You rarely explain yourself and when you do, it is only so someone else knows the joke. My kitten is dead, Luna. Just this once, tell me. What could possibly be this big of a bloody secret?"
Luna only shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. Some things she couldn't share. Even with Anne. She promised. Her mother made her promise.
"Why won't you just trust me?!"
"Because I can't!" She swore an oath. Not anyone. Not ever.
"Fine then," Anne said in a quivering voice. She reached into her pocket, pulled out her wand, and pointed it at the door. "Finite." She took a deep breath. "If you want to push me away so badly, who am I to stop you?"
"What?" Luna asked, reaching out to grab Anne's hand, "No, wait…"
Anne brushed her off, just like Luna had done minutes ago and whispered, "Goodbye Luna."
Luna starred as Anne walked away, and for the first time, she was completely alone.
Somehow, Luna found herself actually looking forward to the first Quidditch game of the season. The Weasleys had always been obsessed with the sport. She had seen the boys play dozens of times, and she was excited to go to her first real match. Gryffindor playing Slytherin – the houses with the biggest rivalry in the Hogwarts – promised to be exciting. Well, at least as exciting as any Quidditch match she ever expected to see. Not that she knew. But… the anticipation seemed to finally overshadow the Heir of Slytherin's threat.
The match wasn't set to start until eleven, so Luna spent most of the morning in the Forbidden Forrest. She had heard from one of the older years that the school kept a herd of Thestrals somewhere in the forest that they used to pull the carriages, but after an hour of searching, she was not able to find any. She did find a suspiciously unoccupied clearing, but she did not have enough time to search it if she wanted to make it back in time for the match. They probably were all staying sheltered. The day was pretty wet and muggy, and they were winged horses. They were probably sheltered in their thicket. Or maybe they had nests, since they were part bird. Either way, she hoped she would have better luck when the weather cleared later in the day.
Luna got there right as the match started and sat near a group of third year Hufflepuffs. Looking around the stadium, it seemed like the entire school had turned out for the match. Students seemed to sit clustered by houses. The Gryffindor and Slytherin sections were particularly rowdy. The two teams made their way onto the field, glaring at each other. Most of the stands – even many Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws – hissed when the Slytherin team lined up. Really people? It's just a sport.
Madam Hooch, the flying instructor, launched the balls into the air, and the game began. Luna quickly found herself disappointed. She just was not as invested in the other students. Maybe she would care more if she actually was friends with any of the players, but the only ones she knew were Fred and George. And technically Harry Potter, but she still had not actually met him… That's weird. It looks like one of the bludgers was trailing Harry. Fred and George were circling him, trying to protect him but leaving the rest of the team exposed to the Slytherin beaters. What an odd strategy.
Luna felt a pair of eyes on her. She glanced around and finally spotted the source. Chloe was sitting a few rows behind her with the rest of the first year Ravenclaws. Luna felt a small pang as she saw Anne giggle in response to something Olivia whispered – probably yelled would be more accurate, given how loud the stands were. Then again, she shouldn't be feeling anything. After all, they were not friends anymore. Chloe's eyes hardened when she made eye contact with Luna. She tapped Liam's shoulder and pointed down to where Luna was sitting, surrounded by Hufflepuffs. Liam said something, and they all started laughing. Luna looked away. It is probably better not knowing.
The game had progressed a lot in the few minutes. First of all, it had started to rain, which made visibility even worse. Seriously, someone should rethink the way these spectator sports worked. It was really hard to see. It seemed like Fred and George were no longer circling Harry Potter, and Gryffindor was starting to catch up from Slytherins early sixty-point lead. The bludger still seemed to be tailing the seeker. Actually, it looked like it had been set with a homing charm. Luna supposed it made sense for one bludger to target the chasers and another to target the seekers. She would need to ask Ginny after the match. Well, not Ginny, not anymore. Maybe the Ravenclaw seeker. Cho Chang or something like that.
Now that she was watching Harry Potter, his flying was really quite impressive. He definitely had a lot of talent. He charged across the field, spiraling to dodge the incoming bludger. He seemed to be heading straight to the Slytherin seeker… and he caught the snitch and won the game with the extra one hundred and fifty points. Luna shook her head. She really did not understand Quidditch. Not that she was upset to have come. It was an experience, but now it was time to try to find the Thestrals. Maybe they would like if she got them a treat. Horses like apples. Luna slipped out of the stands and made her way back to the castle.
After a quick trip to the kitchen for lunch – peanut butter and banana sandwiches, courtesy of some very confused house elves – Luna hiked back down to the Forbidden Forest with her bag bulging with apples. She asked for a few and the house elves had insisted on providing her with a couple dozen. She also had a little bag with some dried corn and another with some crickets she 'borrowed' from Potions. Thestrals may like bird food, after all.
The sky had finally started to clear, and, despite the ground being muddy, Luna felt hopeful as she started to walk through the forest. She always found the forest calming, perhaps because it reminded her of the camping trips she used to take with her parents. Then again, those trips were always very eventful… More likely, she just enjoyed the freedom and isolation the woods provided. She felt connected here. The way a breeze blew through a tree, drizzling the ground in droplets of water. The air sweet yet moist from the rain earlier. The birds singing in the trees above her. The sun breaking through the gaps in the leaves, casting beams of light down upon the forest floor.
A twig snapped behind her, and Luna froze. Her wand was in her hand as she slowly turned around. It was the Forbidden Forest, after all. There were some dangerous creatures here. She had heard there was an Acromantula colony and even she was not willing to risk an encounter with them, and the centaurs were not to be trifled with. Also, she could not afford to get caught by a teacher, although if it was a teacher, her wand would not help at all. However, as she looked around, she found nothing was there. It was probably a squirrel. Seriously, why was she so jumpy? A squirrel jumped out from behind a tree, and Luna shook her head.
It took a few more minutes to reach the clearing and she froze. Standing in the clearing as a tall majestic horse. It was skeletal with its wide wings folded against its back. It looked young, not much taller than she was. Based on her reading, it had a few more hands to grow before reaching full height. Its skin was a deep black, standing out sharply against the green field illuminated by the sun which had finally come out. Luna felt a smile break out on her face. She found one!
She took a deep breath and then another. She needed to make sure the Thestral did not notice her excitement. It would bolt if startled. She needed to exude an aura of tranquility. She slowly made her way into the clearing.
The Thestral immediately turned to her and snapped. Luna stared into its eyes, the deep blue of the night sky. The near blackness of infinity. Midnight. She slowly placed her hand in the bag and withdrew an apple. With her arm extended, she stepped towards the Thestral. It cocked its head to the side, puzzled by the bright red fruit and the golden-haired girl. Luna could not help but smile as it moved forward to meet her. It sniffed the apple and took a hesitant bite. The apple juice dribbled down Luna's hand. It took a second bite, and Luna reached up and gently stroked its head.
It glanced up.
There was a flash of bright white light. The Thestral bolted. Luna, startled by the sudden motion, stepped backwards, tripped on a root, and fell into the mud. Her bag of apples scattered on the ground.
Laughter. That was what she could hear. She looked up and saw them standing there at the edge of the clearing. Chloe was holding a camera – probably borrowed from Colin Creevey – with a victorious smile on her face. Liam was with her, laughing his head off. She thought she could make out Evan further back in the trees with Colin Creevey.
Liam turned to her and said with a voice full of mirth, "I can't believe it. She's actually crazy! I can't believe your hunch was right. This has to be the best day ever."
"Come on," Chloe replied, "Let's leave the nut be. We have what we came for."
The group vanished into the forest.
When she was sure they were gone, Luna pulled her knees up to her chest and cried.
She heard a clopping sound coming from the opposite side of the forest. She looked up and saw the Thestral emerge from the dark forest. It moved forward slowly, and as it approached her, it dropped its head. It went over to the half-eaten apple laying on the ground where Luna dropped it and consumed it in two bites.
The Thestral moved over to her and tapped her head with its bead. It then tapped her shoulder. Taking the hint, Luna stood up and looked into the Thestral's eyes. She knew that it was the same one as before. The Thestral reached down and clipped her hand with its bead, so she reached up and started to stroke its beak then neck. Luna looked into its eyes one more time and said softly, "I think I should give you a name. Is that alright boy? What do you think about Midnight?"
Midnight purred in response.
"Midnight it is, then," Luna replied. She stood there stroking the beautiful creature for a few minutes before he stretched out his neck and flexed his wings. Luna backed up, and Midnight rose onto his hind legs, spread his magnificent wings, and let out a loud screech that echoed across the clearing.
Startled, Luna started to back up, but Midnight let out a soft purr and reached forward to grip her hand. Luna nodded and tapped his head. He wanted her to stay. Suddenly, dozens of Thestrals walked out of the forest completely surrounding her. Luna tensed, but Midnight brushed her head with his beak, silently telling her that it was alright. Midnight reached down, gripped one of the scattered apples in its mouth, and tossed it to the tallest of the Thestrals, likely the leader of the herd. The leader caught the apple in its mouth, placed in on the ground, and took a bite. It let out a deeper, yet softer screech. All around her, the other Thestrals started eating the scattered apples.
Midnight turned to her, tapped her head again, and let out a soft screech. Luna wrapped him in a tight hug with a wide smile on her face.
Chloe went with Colin and a fifth year Gryffindor to a classroom that was serving Colin's dark room. It took a half hour to develop the pictures in a series of special potions, but soon Colin was handing her the completed photo. "Here is the picture you took. Don't ask to borrow my camera again."
Chloe watched the photograph play out and said with a smile, "I don't think I will need to for a little while."
She asked the fifth year to make three copies of the photo. She then pulled out her quill and wrote on the back of each one. She looked down at the scar on her right hand, a permanent reminder of Lovegood's betrayal. This was the right decision. She handed Colin one of the copies with instructions to bring it to the Gryffindor common room. He would do it. He was scared of her.
Chloe arrived at dinner a bit late. A quick glance confirmed Lovegood was not going to appear tonight. She usually didn't. Chloe handed a photo to her acquaintances in Slytherin and Hufflepuff with instructions to pass around among the other first years.
When she returned to the Ravenclaw common room, she found Becca, Evan and the others waiting for her around the fire. Liam looked up and asked, "Do you have it?"
Chloe raised the photograph with a satisfied smile and handed it to him. Captured forever in the photo, Luna stood there petting something no one else could see before turning and falling into the mud. She then stood back up and started petting the thin air again, on an eternal loop. Liam, Evan, Becca and the others laughed at the parody.
Chloe looked down at her right hand, now cobwebbed with small white scars that also marred her arm, stomach, and upper leg. The sociopathic lunatic deserved it. "Turn it over."
Liam looked at the back of the photo, "Loony Lovegood. That's brilliant!"
Max watched his year mates laughing and shook his head before turning back to the book. He wanted nothing to do with it. It was important to pick battles one could actually win.
Anne took one look at the photo and rushed up the dorm room and pulled the curtains around her bed. How could they do that? What had Luna ever done to them? Well Anne knew full well Chloe and Becca hated her for the cauldron explosion, but was humiliating her the solution? She thought they knew better. She thought they were better.
She put her head in her arms and sighed. Luna had made her position very clear. She did not want Anne's help anymore. So be it.
But that didn't make it hurt Anne any less.
The photo quickly circulated to the other house common rooms. Colin brought it to the Gryffindor common room shortly before curfew. Ginny was sitting in the corner, working on a Transfiguration assignment for tomorrow morning. She walked over to the rest of the year, clustered around the picture, watching it on loop. Ginny's jaw dropped in horror.
She snatched the photo from Colin's hands and scolded, "What is wrong with you?"
"It's funny," He replied in a nervous voice.
"No. It's cruel. Did you take this?"
"I just lent them my camera."
"Who?"
"Liam, Jenkins, and some others."
"Wait here. I'll be back in a minute, and we're going to see Professor McGonagall," Ginny said before walking up the staircase, photo crushed in her hand.
Ginny felt furious. It was a miracle she avoided hexing Colin. Granted, she had not seen Luna much during the year. Luna never showed up for their scheduled meeting in the library, and Tom suggested that Luna probably made new friends in Ravenclaw. Well, Ginny still considered her a friend, and NO ONE hurt her friends.
Ginny pulled out the diary and wrote, Tom, something bad has happened.
What is it?
Colin took this mean picture of Luna. I took it away, but they were all laughing at her. I'm going to take him to Professor McGonagall.
Don't Ginny. Think about this.
What is there to think about? They're bullying her.
She isn't your friend. She made new friends in Ravenclaw. They'll take care of her.
You don't get it Tom. Those so-called friends are the ones who took the photo! I don't care what you think. I still consider Luna my friend. I won't let them hurt her.
Tom quickly reached out and seized control of Ginny. He felt her push back, but he quickly shoved her deep into her mind. He could not allow Ginny to reconcile with Luna. A close friend was the only one who would spot the possession. Luckily, despite coming from a large family, Ginny's brothers considered her beneath their notice. Luna was sorted into Ravenclaw, and it was easy enough to keep Ginny away from her. Luna turned out a bit harder to dissuade, but he finally accomplished it. He could not let Ginny risk it all.
Tom searched Ginny's recent memories and tore through her pitiful defenses. He erased the memories of the photograph and replaced it with one of her falling asleep while writing the Transfiguration essay. The photograph itself, now forgotten, fell underneath the bed where it would remain undetected for months.
Now to tie up loose ends. What should he do about Colin? Actually, that was easy enough. Colin was a mudblood, and it was about time for his first victim. Ginny mentioned Potter was in the hospital wing from a Quidditch injury. Colin would be the type to go sneak out to visit him. A quick search of Ginny's bag turned up a bunch of grapes. The perfect excuse.
"I changed my mind," Tom said when he walked back into the common room. "I'm not going to tell the professors, but I am not giving back the photo. You Colin, will take me to see whoever actually took the picture. Maybe you could stop by Harry on the way back to the common room and check up on him as well."
No loose ends.
