Strange as it would seem none of the other members of the D.A. seemed very interested in Luna's fascinating new talents. In fact, none of them mentioned it at all. It was as if some sort of blanketing charm had been put over them that suffocated the usual Hogwarts curiosity. Anyway, whatever the reason behind it, life continued pretty much as usual.
Well, almost.
Luna swatted idly at one of the many moths that seemed to be converging around the school these days and bent even lower over her transfiguration essay, which was unfortunately in for yesterday. Someone tapped her on the shoulder. She bent even lower. Someone tapped her on the shoulder again, more persuasively. She bent even low –
"Hello? Luna? Luna Lovegood?" Said Loretta Horn, and Luna, after a moment, looked up.
"Hello." She replied, and then, after a pause. "Be careful of Hollyhocks. They can do a lot of mischief at this time of year."
"Um, Dumbledore would like to see you in his office."
For a moment the face went carefully blank, and then a small smile edged the corners of her lips. "Oh." She turned back to her transfiguration essay.
"Sorry, but I think he wanted to see you right away." Said Loretta.
She didn't look up, just twitched her fingers irritably and murmured, "So what's up with you and Colin?"
"What?"
"It's just that you always seem to be a little irritated with him these days. Is there something wrong?"
"No!"
"I was only asking. You just seem a little touchy about it."
"I'm not touchy!" She paused and flung a hand through her hair. "I just wish he wasn't so - so – standoffish. Every time I try to talk to him he always has to be somewhere, or he has to do something, or he sees someone that he knows -"
Luna nodded understandingly and then said, "Oh, hello Colin. Didn't see you there."
"Hello Luna." Said Colin. "Hello Loretta."
"Hi." Murmured Loretta, seemingly in a daze, and she slowly pushed her hand through her hair again. "Didn't see you there."
"I know. Listen, I never meant to…"
"I know. I've just been feeling frustrated recently, and then when Luna…" She turned towards her, and then said in a very different tone, "Where is Luna?"
Luna was hurrying through the corridors until she found herself just in front of two frowning gargoyles.
"Gobstoppers."
The two stone figures moved apart and she began to climb the stairs behind.