Two chapters in one day. It's good to have a chance to come back to this story that I've missed working on. Glad to be over the writer's block, for a while at least. Still don't own HP.


Moonchild

Chapter 19

Luna

"So how was your Christmas?" Luna asked Ginny on the train back to Hogwarts.

"Pretty good," she said. "Got another Weasley sweater, of course. It's just not the same without Fred, you know?"

"Yes and no," said Luna. "I've been without mum since I was little, but she's also been gone long enough that I'm as used to it as I can be. It's still fresh for you, and I'm sorry for that."

"Thanks," said Ginny. "You're a good friend."

"Hey, Ginny, Luna," said Harry as he entered the compartment. "Sorry I'm late, I was harassing Neville and Dean, but then Hannah showed up and, well, you know…" He let his voice trail off. "So you have a good Christmas?" he asked. "How's your dad?"

"He's well," Luna said. "He's still not a hundred percent after all that happened last year. Physically he's fine but I think it'll take a while for his mind to recover. I think it was very traumatic for him, especially since I'd been kidnapped for so long."

"Affected him how?" asked Ginny, now suddenly concerned.

"Well, just last week he ran an article in The Quibbler about the alarming rate at which the Bargamiggus population in Britain is growing."

"Sooooo…" Harry said, wary of what Luna might say. "What exactly is a Bargamiggus?"

"Nothing," she said. "They aren't real."

"So it's one of those like Nargles and the Crumple-Whatever?"

"No, Nargles and the Crumple-Horned Snorkack are real," said Luna. "Bargamigguses – Bargamiggi? – anyhow, they're something he's just invented in his brain."

"So then he's got Wrackspurts in his brain, you might say?" asked Ginny, who tapped Harry's foot with her own.

"I'm afraid it's worse than Wrackspurts," Luna sighed. "It'll be sorted in the end though, I'm sure. So how was your visit then, Harry?"

"It was good," he said. "Of course the Weasley clan was all there, even Percy. We had to get another goose, though, because Bill doesn't eat cooked meat anymore. All the Grangers were there, too, which was good. I think I told you that at the beginning of last year she altered her parents' memory so that they forgot they had a daughter; well, she tracked them down in New South Wales and reversed it. I don't think they knew what to think at first, but they got used to the atmosphere after a while."

"It was a tight fit. Me, nine Weasleys, and three Grangers, but we did it."

"I thought…" Luna started, but then stopped herself.

"So did we," said Ginny, anticipating what Luna was about to say. "He acted like he wanted to, but we never did get an owl from him. We assuming he was spending the holiday with you."

"No," said Luna, her brow furrowing. "He did send a gift, but he wasn't there. I thought he was with you." Just then Ron and Hermione entered the compartment, free from their prefect and Head Girl duties.

"What's wrong, Luna?" Hermione asked after they had all exchanged greetings.

"Just thinking," Luna said placidly.

"Which means," Ginny explained, "that she's trying to reason out why Seleneo lied to us about how he was spending Christmas."

"Oh, that bloke who works for Flitwick?" Ron asked, with all his usual tactlessness. "Yeah, he's a dick."

"Ron!" Hermione scolded.

"Well, he is," Ron said sheepishly.

"I think I may have to agree with Ron on this one," said Luna. "I just can't understand why he would lie to me, or any of you." She sat for a moment, until eventually the creases in her brow smoothed out, and she looked content. "What am I getting upset about?" she said. "I'm sure he has a reason."

"It'd better be a good one," Ginny said, crossing her arms.

"Don't be angry with him, too," Luna said.

"Of course we will be," said Hermione. "We're your friends, Luna."

"I'll beat him up if I need to," said Ron.

"No you won't," Hermione snapped. "You're a prefect, Ron."

"I'm not," said Harry, "and if my entire school career is any indication, I obviously don't care to get in trouble."

"You won't either, Harry," Hermione snapped. "For one thing, I'd still have to report you, but I also don't think he's worth getting in trouble over if he's going to act like that."

"I'm sure it's a misunderstanding anyhow," said Luna, having remembered the conversation she had with her father at Christmas, and remembering how Seleneo had been first term. "Besides, you're both legal adults now, so you'd be committing a crime. I'll find out what was going on, and then everything will be alright. Now look, here comes the trolley." She fished around for her coin purse. "My treat."


It was not as easy as Luna had thought it would be, though, once they were back at Hogwarts. Seleneo had not been on the train, nor had he been waiting at Hogsmeade Station for them to arrive, it seemed. It was already late, so there was little point in looking for him around the castle. The only thing left to do was head up to the tower.

"This old one runs forever," said the door knocker to Ravenclaw tower, "but never moves at all. He has not lungs nor throat, but still a mighty roaring call. What is it?"

"Stepped up your game, I see," said Luna as she thought about it. "I think I've got it. Is it…a waterfall?"

"Rowena would have liked you," said the knocker, and the door swung back to allow her entry.

The common room was mostly empty; many had already gone up to bed. Seleneo, it seemed, was one of them, since he was nowhere to be found. I guess I'll just have to find him at breakfast, then, she thought as she headed up to the girl's dormitory.

But she did not find him at breakfast, nor did she find him at any meal the next day. She did not see him in the halls, or in the Charms classroom. On the surface, it seemed as though he had vanished.


"Thanks for seeing me on such short notice, professor," said Luna.

"Always a pleasure, Ms. Lovegood," said Romulus Lupin. "I've always got time for those who need it. Now, sugar and crème, as I recall?"

"Yes, please."

"Good, because I'd already fixed it." He offered her the teacup. "Now, I'll bet I can guess what's troubling you."

"And I'll bet that you're right," said Luna between sips. "I'm sure he has a reason for avoiding me, but it's quite disappointing."

"You seem to be taking it rather well, though."

"I suppose so," she said. "I know in my mind that the universe will work itself out; it always does. I just can't understand why this particular wrinkle occurred in the first place, and I can't find the cause of it to find out."

"I think I might know why," said Lupin, "although I won't pretend to fully understand. I've had many similar talks with him, just as I have with you. I won't tell you the things he's told me, just as I won't tell him the things we've talked about, but I will say this: if it is important enough to you, just keep faith. He did ask me to give this to you, though." He handed Luna a note. "I imagine he suspected you would come to me at some point."

She took it and read:

Luna,

Forgive me for everything. Hogwarts was fine until I came here. You were happy. I stained all of that. I saw you, and thought only of what I wanted and never of what you might want. All the great things I imagined about you were true, and I've come to realize that, because of it, no matter how badly I might want to be, I'm not who you deserve. Try to forget me.

S.K.M