A/N: Next Chapter! Woohoo!

Also, this chapter is done in Billy's POV. So if you don't read this, don't tell me I didn't tell you readers because it's your fault that you don't read the A/Ns. Oh yeah, and Luna, Billy,

disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, or anything related to his dark materials. Except Aurora Luna.

Chapter 2: Oxford

I walked slowly up the steep stairs of the ship. Why did I do that anyway? I mean, kiss her? Now things will be awkward. And if it was a normal awkward as in her being mad at me, it won't be. It'll be the kind that our friendship will never be the same awkward. I can imagine things already. Her blushing everytime she sees me, ignoring me, until she finally forgives me for what I've done. "Augh!" I said while punching the wall.

I miss my daemon, Stelyia. They cut her away during my stay at Bolvangar. It's a miracle that I'm alive. After all, all the others, including Tony Makarios, died after intercision. I miss Stelyia's warmth. Her soft fur against my skin. My beautiful daemon. Gone. All because of that hateful Coulter woman and her disgusting humans with their bland personalities.

My fist clenched at the thought of that awful Mrs. Coulter for making up a way to cut kids' daemons away. It was cruel, and the Magesterium did it all because they were afraid. Afraid of heretics like Lord Asriel, and Dr. Grumman. Scared, that they would create a rebellion and overthrow the Authority. And then, the Magesterium would have no power. So they decided to cut away the daemons from little kids that haven't reached puberty so they would be bland and obedient. A piece of their soul missing. And they became someone who was half-alive, and someone who was half-dead. I was one of those kids.

"Billy!" Ma Costa shouted,"Luna's going to visit Lyra. You going?" Ever since I was taken to Bolvangar, Ma Costa won't let Luna or me go anywhere without at least one other person. I knew that if I didn't go, Luna couldn't go. "Yeah! Be up there in a second!" I yelled back at her. I opened the door to reveal a bright blue sky with nice, cooling breezes. It was a nice winter day, for winter. "Ready to go?" I asked Luna. She merely mumbled without looking at my face, "Yeah, sure." I looked at her face with was bright red, and poked her in the cheek. She slapped my hand away and I laughed. She stared at me as if seeing my for the first time, then grabbed my hand and yelled, "Let's go!" We ran down the streets of Oxford, stopping at Jordan College, where Lyra spent her free time.

The porter at Jordan College was waiting for them at the gate. "Ms. Lyra is at the Botanic Gardens, Ms. Luna," the elderly porter said politely. "Call me Luna," Luna said grandly, "No need for formalities as you are my elder. Thank you for telling me." The elderly porter smiled as he wasn't used to kindness, especially displayed by children and adults alike. Adults, for moving slowly. Children, for they were in a rush and had no time for formalities.

Luna's POV

It broke my heart to see him smile at this one bit of kindness. The kindly old porter was Roger's father, Mr. Parslow. Mr. Parslow was like a father to me. A nice old man who has seen the harshness of the world, and had his son taken away by the Gobblers and had to suffer the tragedy of his death alone, without any family. 'Kind of like me.' Luna thought. Her daemon, Verabales, was in the form of a cat and was on her shoulder purring. Billy was silent as they trudged to the Botanic Garden. I saw Pantalaimon before I saw Lyra. Pan was lovely in his permanent pine-marten form. His red silky hair looked ever so soft and touchable. But I daren't touch because of the taboo. It was against the taboo to touch another's daemon with your hands. The only person who can touch the daemon is the daemon's human. Lyra was softly humming, staring into space with her legs swinging. Pan ran to Lyra and said, "You have visitors." Lyra looked surprised and turned. "Oh, hi Luna and Billy," she said distractedly as she saw goose that reminded her of Serafina Pekkala's daemon. "Hello," I said to her. She seemed slightly distracted. I saw a shadow behind me and turned. I uttered a soft scream.

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-hAPpiLYev3rAft3R