For scrumptiousinternetllama, I hope you like it!

Also for or Round 9 of the QLFC. Seeker of Puddlemere United with the Golden Snitch Prompt (Write about a witch or wizard displaying undying loyalty to someone.)

Also for Assignment #4 of Hogwarts Term 7 for History Of Muggles Task 2b (Vikings: America - Write about someone discovering a world or place) with the Extra Credit (Write about a missing civilisation - even if it's a myth.)

Word Count: 1,211

starry night

"Are you sure that this is the right way?" Ginny questioned, adjusting the right strap of her backpack for what felt like the thousandth time today. She was following Luna out of the Anormal Avenue—which was the local equivalent to Diagon Alley—and into the crowded streets of the city of St. Louis.

"Of course I am," her girlfriend replied nonchalantly, taking a bright blue quill out of her hair and writing something down on a piece of parchment she had produced out of nowhere.

The redhead let her backpack fall normally, but now the left side seemed wrong. It was a constant struggle. "It's just, I thought we were looking for the Coika—"

"Cahokia," Luna corrected absently. She put the quill back into her hair for a second and replaces the parchment with a map out of her countless pockets.

"Yes, them," Ginny nodded and grabbed the left strap of her backpack. Why did adjusting this have to be so difficult? "It's just, I thought they were a lost civilization or something, so why are we looking inside the current one?"

Luna laughed lightly as she made a note on her map. "We're not at our goal yet, silly. It's just more reasonable to start out in a city. We can gather the last supplies and such."

"I suppose you have a point," Ginny acknowledged. "I didn't think of that."

"You have other strengths," the blonde replied casually. "Like Quidditch. Or cooking."

"Yeah, unfortunately adjusting backpack straps doesn't seem to be one of those," Ginny huffed. "I give up!"

Luna stopped and turned around, still in the process of returning the map to the pockets of her dress. "Here, let me help."

Ginny gladly agreed and her girlfriend finally managed to get the backpack to sit the way it was supposed to. "Thank you," she said, planting a kiss on Luna's head.

The smaller girl got on her toes and kissed Ginny on her mouth as response.

They each grabbed the other's hair, thus closing the distance between them. Neither of them cared that they were on an open street. For them, there was no one else. They were completely alone in the world in that moment.

"I thought we were supposed to work?" Ginny chuckled when they finally parted again a minute or so later.

"We are," Luna confirmed. "That, however doesn't mean we can't have some fun as well."

"Well, I certainly agree with you there," Ginny nodded enthusiastically. "That was most definitely enjoyable."

"Now, come along." The smaller girl skipped away and motioned for her girlfriend to follow her. "The train is leaving soon and I want to get over the Mississippi before dusk."

"I'm coming," Ginny confirmed, hurrying to catch up. Really, she wasn't sure how Luna managed to be so fast in heels.

And so they went to catch a train out of the city, through the suburbs, all the way out to the river. Once they had reached that part of the area, they sneaked to the roof of the train, disillusioned themselves, and jumped down.

Of course, they used magic to slow their fall, but it was great fun nonetheless.

They helped each other up and Ginny dusted off her clothes while Luna decided not to bother, since they were likely to get dirty again anyways.

"Okay, I know I've literally asked this question, like, a million times, but bear with me." Ginny paused to find her girlfriend's eyes. "Why do you think that you can find the—"

"Cahokia," Luna inserted helpfully.

"Them, yes. Why do you think you can find them here? Alive and thriving at that?"

"Well," Luna explained, "the Muggles think that they likely moved to other places because or disease and famine or environmental factors or something along these lines. I think that they, in fact, chose to hide, just like the people of Atlantis and Avalon did."

Ginny didn't point out that no one ever found evidence of Atlantis or anyone other than Merlin existing. She could have, just like she could have done on countless occasions before, but she chose not to. Luna was her girlfriend and if she thought that it was possible, then Ginny would give her the chance to prove it not only to her but to the world.

Which is why they they were here now.

"Lead the way," the redhead commented with a smile, after she snatches another quick kiss.

"I will," Luna replied. She took out her map again, looked at it for a minute, and turned once around herself, before pointing in the direction of Ginny. "That way."

Luna almost ran forward, taking Ginny's hand and pulling her along.

Ginny never had a good sense of time and being with Luna only ever made it worse, so she had no idea how long they were walking more and more away from the roads and noise of civilization. She only knew that by the time the sky began to darken, the two of them had to stop and pull their hair backward, as they likely should have done all along.

Neither of them was very tired, so they decided that they could continue walking for another hour or so.

And it was a good thing they did, because not long after their break they were able to feel the waves of magic that Bill had showed her how to. Of course, it likely wouldn't have been possible to feel it under normal circumstances, but Harry was kind enough to donate them an emerald that was supposed to enhance their abilities somehow; Ginny hadn't really understood everything.

The thing that mattered was that the magic was there. Luna simply smiled confidently, like she had expected this all along and Ginny couldn't help but get excited. Had Luna actually been right?

Now it was her that took Luna's hand and dragged her girlfriend in the direction this was originating in.

After a few minutes, they reached a stone with a simplified drawing of a man with wings instead of arms engraved in it.

This was the strongest point, the origin of the magic, there was no doubt about that.

"So, what do we do now?" Ginny asked excitedly.

Luna smiled. "Now we wait."

"What?" Ginny was completely baffled. "Why that?"

"We don't know for sure why they hid. By waiting here peacefully and sleeping a night under those wonderful stars, we can prove them that we aren't hostile. That makes it more likely that they will open their doors for us. And if they don't, that's fine too."

"But—" Honestly, Ginny wasn't sure what she would have said if Luna hadn't interrupted her.

"It's not our right to drag them out in the open if they don't want to. If they want to stay hidden, that's their choice."

"You're absolutely right," Ginny realized. "It's their business whether or not they want to interact with other people. Quite frankly, hiding from the world actually seems like a really good idea now that I think about it."

"I personally wouldn't say that," Luna states calmly as she sits down and looks at the stars. "I think that's just running away from your problems. But it's not my right to make decisions for other people, is it?"