Hey people. I know it's been a long time since I updated this one, and I'm glad to be able to get back to it. I hope you enjoy it like I do. Reviews are appreciated, and I don't own HP.


Moonchild

Chapter 18

Luna

When Christmas morning arrived, Luna awoke to her familiar circular room at the top of the house, which had been rebuilt in exactly the same fashion as it had been before its destruction. Seleneo had elected to spend the holiday at 12 Grimmauld Place, which she had assured him for the hundredth time was perfectly alright. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and descended into the rest of the house.

The tree was much larger than one might expect to find in a house like the Lovegoods'; Xenophilius had magically altered the sitting room to have more space inside than the outside would normally have allowed. Beneath it, she found a modest pile of presents.

"Happy Christmas, precious," said Xenophilius when Luna entered the room.

"Happy Christmas, Dad."

"I made pumpkin bread," said Xeno. "It's a bit out of season but I know how well you like it."

Together they had tea and pumpkin bread. All the while, Xeno bombarded her with questions of how the first term had been. He listened intently as she told him all about what was happening at Hogwarts this year.

"So, to change the subject," said Xeno, after Luna ran out of steam for a moment, "will this young man you mentioned be joining us today? You said he can apparate, correct?"

"I'm not sure," Luna admitted. "He's visiting my Gryffindor friends for the holiday, but he might pop in."

"I should like to meet him," said Xeno. "And he's American, you say?"

"He is," she said. "You know at the start of the year he wouldn't speak to anyone because he didn't want anyone to hear his accent?"

"Well it is rather silly, isn't it?" Xeno noticed the reproachful look she gave him. "Just kidding, poppet."

"He fakes a British one, now," she added.

"It's a shame he isn't here," said Xeno. "I'd have a good long talk with him about embracing one's true self, regardless of how it might be perceived by others."

"That's what I told him," she said. "I just – oh, look!" She was interrupted by a large snowy owl pecking at the window. In its talons it carried a brightly-colored parcel.

"What's this?" said Mr. Lovegood as he took the parcel from the owl; he dropped a few sickles into the pouch tied to its leg. He turned it over. "It's for you," he said once he'd found the address label.

"For me?" she said bemusedly as she took the package from her dad. She tore open the wrapping and inside found a book with a note attached to it.

"Thought you might get a kick out of this. Merry Christmas. – S.K.M." she read aloud. The note had been attached to a small, thick leather bound book. Across the front cover and down the spine, the title read A Guide to Magical Fauna of North America, by Engelbert Dishman.

"What is it, poppet?" asked Xeno. She showed him the book. "Oh, that's fantastic! Simply fascinating. It's just a shame he didn't come so he could've given it to you in person."

"I know," said Luna, "but staying at Harry's will be good for him."

"I'm surprised Harry didn't invite you, too," said her dad. "I'm glad you're here with me, but still."

"I'm not surprised," said Luna. "He knows I've got you, and with mum being gone, and especially after all that happened last year…"

"He's a good friend," said Xeno.

"He is," Luna agreed. "I think he understands better than most because of how difficult it was for him growing up. Being forced to live around Muggles for eleven years, and then six more summers after that, I think he knows how Seleneo must feel being an American at a British school."

"Is that necessarily a bad thing?"

"No," said Luna. "It makes him unique. That's something he should revel in, instead of trying to hide it like he does."

"Now you're starting to sound like yourself," said her dad. He grinned. "I'll be honest, I was starting to worry a bit. Ever since the Second War ended, you've become quite popular. That's a good thing, but I'd noticed that you had started worry about what others thought of you, or worry about the future. At least it seemed that way to me."

"I suppose I had," Luna said, just now realizing it. "I hadn't realized. I guess I got caught up in the idea of being liked."

"And that's alright," said her dad, "just remember: be who you are, not who you think others want you to be. It's just like that Muggle author Dr. Seuss wrote: 'the ones who mind don't matter, and the ones who matter don't mind'."

"You're right," said Luna. She smiled. "I guess I let my guard down against Wrackspurts and my brain went fuzzy."

"That's my girl."