Chapter 4

Luna Lovegood Lestrange

June 19th 2003, Diagon Alley

Luna had a wonderful morning. She'd woken up in the arms of the man she'd come to love deeply. They'd had breakfast together before she left him to his gardens, Apparating to meet her friend Hannah Longbottom in a tea-house off Diagon Alley before the other witch had to start her shift at the Leaky Cauldron. Hannah had invited Rabastan and her both to the baby-shower for the expected Longbottom Heir. Luna's husband had not cursed Neville's parents, he'd even been subjected to the Cruciatus curse at the same time as Frank and Alice, but public opinion was slow to change. The Lestranges were crazy Death Eaters, period. But if Neville Longbottom could invite Rabastan to a baby-shower the public could shove their opinions up their behinds Luna thought.

Skipping towards the Diagon Alley Honeyduke's branch, where she was to meet her husband, she was in a fabulous mood. Luna planned to buy some dark truffles for her brother in law as well. Rodolphus had worked tirelessly at first to get Rabastan and himself out of any legal tangles and then to restore the Lestrange holdings. Farms had been in dire need of repairs, businesses were suffering from nearly two decades of mismanagement, tenements were close to falling down – it was too much work for one man and 24 hours a day. Rab helped where he could but Luna watched carefully over her beloved. While he no longer suffered any big seizures he would either drop or crush a glass he was holding or his spells were off aim if he got tired or stressed. Luna saw no big deal in this but Rabastan's self-esteem suffered with each episode. He worried constantly that he'd hurt Luna or his brother or eventual children. Luna herself saw no reason to wait any longer. She had found a fine balance with her father and one reporter working part-time for the Quibbler. If she could not work due to having a baby Mr Lovegood would work as much as before Luna's involvment and the one assistant would go full-time.

She saw Rab from afar. He held himself rather stiffly. The time the Lestranges were accosted when showing their faces in public were thankfully over since their trials but her husband still projected an aura of unapproachability, as if to keep himself safe from hurt before it even happened. From the direction of the Ministry building Hermione Granger was coming. She was walking briskly and was looking preoccupied but Luna was glad to see her despite this.

"Hermione!"

The witch appeared even more wary, searching for the person who'd called her in such a familiar way. When spotting Luna her mien relaxed a fraction.

"Oh, it's you! Hi Loon-a!"

It happened in a fraction of a moment but for Luna it was all too familiar. Hermione Granger, whom she'd considered a friend, who had looked out for her as a prefect, who had faced death together with her, had nearly called her Looney, that dreadful nickname from school. Hermione Granger, who'd fought for things the bloody house-elves didn't even want, obviously thought about Luna as Looney. Her good mood evaporated.

"Hello, Hermione."

The other witch had realised her near-slip of tongue and she seemed to recognise in the set of Luna's mouth that an apology would only make things worse. Rabastan of course had seen the change in his wife's body language and hurried over.

"I do not believe you've been formally introduced to my husband? Hermione Granger, Rabastan Lestrange."

"No, we haven't met properly. Pleased to meet you."

Hermione, probably eager to ease over her earlier slip, put her hand forward to shake Rab's. Luna realised that the other witch could not know that her husband never shook anyone's hand out of his fear of crushing the other's fingers. She said nothing. It might be petty of her but nearly being called Looney again had hurt. She let the silence grow and then nodded at her former comrade who had let her outstretched hand drop down.

"I am sure you're very busy. Good bye."

Rab inclined his head a few milimetres, just enough to satisfy bare civility, and then they turned around to walk into Honeydukes.