I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.

Extended Family

Chapter 8 – The Moon Rises

This is set during Luna's seventh year at Hogwarts

Dedicated to: Thespianpoet

Luna set the planter pot on her desk. She sighed softly, looking at the smooth layer of soil that filled the pot. Nothing grew from it yet. She did not expect anything to be growing of course, she had only just planted the seed after all. While certain plants grew very swiftly, and magic could be used to coax growth from all sorts of plants, she would not do that to this plant. It would defeat the purpose after all.

After some reading, consultation with Neville, and some charms work, she finally created this pot and the seed within. If she did everything right, if she was patient and careful, the blossom that grew from it would be beautiful and worth the effort.

It would also take a little less than a year.

She sighed softly. The process would be difficult, she knew. She would have to be careful and caring. However, that was the point of this. If she did things right, she would be rewarded for being patient and calm. It would be hard, and she did not know if she would be successful, but she would do her best.

She put her sunflower sibling stone beside the pot, as if giving it a role model to look up to.

Her smile appeared. Much like how she looked up to the person that gave her the sunflower sibling stone.

She went about her evening routine of getting things ready for tomorrow. Luckily, she had her own private room in Ravenclaw tower. She spoke softly to the stone as she changed, brushed her hair, laid her clothes out. She laid down in bed and reached out to caress the stone gently, injecting her magic and feeling into it. Her lids lowered and she soon fell asleep.

When she woke, she was disappointed to see nothing from the pot yet but ecstatic to see her stone lit. She reached out and plucked the stone from the mount, holding it to her. She sighed, feeling the warmth spread through her hands and she laid in bed for a few minutes holding it.

Emboldened, she got up and started getting ready for the day.

-0-

"Miss Luna, why are you supporting the Gryffindor team?" a first year Ravenclaw student asked her.

Luna smiled softly. "Because Ginny and Mirabelle are my friends."

"But they're playing against the Ravenclaw team."

"Just because they are playing against the House, it does not mean I cannot support them."

The first year looked at his friend. They looked at the rest of the Ravenclaws nearby. "It doesn't?"

"Not to me. Everyone has different reasons to support others. I choose to support the ones that support me." She hesitated. "Part of my reasoning is very personal. When I first started Hogwarts, the House was very unkind to me. People called me loony and odd and crazy. They took my things." She spoke plainly, only the vaguest echoes of pain and discomfort reminding her of the intense pain and discomfort she used to feel.

"That's not right!" the first year gasped.

"No, it was not. Luckily, I had an amazing friend from a different House that helped me. He was kind and cared. He helped me learn that people can earn your friendship and support and it isn't wrong. That is not to say I am not proud to be a Ravenclaw and wish my Housemates well, but I rather support the ones that I want to."

"That makes sense."

"I am glad you think so. Remember, it is not unreasonable to want to be treated well." She clapped heartily when Mirabelle knocked the Quaffle from a Ravenclaw Chaser, letting Ginny catch it and score.

-0-

No one questioned Luna's presence in Gryffindor tower after the game. The team were being lauded and celebrated by the House and Luna had come to say hi to Ginny, Mirabelle, and Lyla. The party was boisterous and treats and butterbeer prevalent, but it did not feel the same to her.

"I just noticed you're not wearing your jersey," Lyla remarked.

Luna nodded. "It…didn't feel quite right."

"I know what you mean," Lyla said ruefully. "I was going to but it felt off somehow. It's fine to wear around the tower and the dorm but just, you know."

"I do," Luna said. "Lovely announcing as per usual."

"Thanks! It's rather fun. Oh, I wanted to ask if you wanted to study with Mirabelle and I this year. I know you'll be busy with N.E.W.T.s studying while we do O.W.L.s but if you don't mind helping us here and there, we'll be happy quizzing you and besides, studying is always better with friends."

Luna smiled sincerely. "I'd like that a lot."

That night Luna felt a little better. The tiniest tendril of green had sprouted from the soil. It was small, barely appearing, but it was there.

For now, it was enough.

-0-

Luna walked down the hall to the Transfiguration classroom. Earlier in the day, McGonagall had asked Luna to return at this time for something. The older witch had been a bit vague but Luna did not care, she had nothing to fear from her. She knew she was keeping up with the classwork even if it was being frightfully difficult. She luckily had Harry's notes from the last few years for help.

She made an unhappy sound. She missed him terribly. Letters only did so much and she knew if she did not have her sibling stone, she would feel incredibly lonely. She stopped at the door. Her pocket chest felt very warm all of a sudden. She looked down and gasped when she saw the stone lit and the petals waving. She felt like it was pulling her.

She threw open the door.

McGonagall saw her standing in the door and huffed. "Now how did you know she was there?"

Harry winked at Luna and tucked something into his pocket. "Just a lucky guess, I'm sure," he said.

Luna ran across the room and threw herself at him and he caught her easily. She buried her face into his neck, missing the fond look McGonagall gave them.

"Well, I suppose you won the bet so our meeting is at an end," McGonagall said with a smile. "Good work on your progress and congratulations on your win last week. See you next week." She left, giving the pair another smile before she walked away.

"I missed you," Luna said, her voice muffled.

"I missed you too," he replied into her hair.

"How long can you stay?"

"At least a couple hours after dinner. Want to have dinner in the hall or the kitchens?"

"I don't want to share you today," she confessed.

"Kitchens it is."

-0-

"Is something wrong Luna?" Ginny asked.

Luna looked up from the letters she was holding. "No, not really. Just a bit confused is all."

"About what?"

"I have been asked to do some commissions for art. A series of drawings, tattoo commissions, and an artistic spell creation. I'm to be paid for my work."

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Typically yes, but I have no idea how they found out about my art in the first place."

"Oh, that is a little weird." Ginny hummed softly. "Still, you wanted to do something with your art right? This is a good thing isn't it?"

Luna shrugged. "I suppose so. Just unexpected."

"Are you going to do them?"

"I might as well. They are offering a good amount of money for them and it will be nice to develop a portfolio already."

-0-

Luna finished the last drawing for the series, proud of her work. The customer had asked for something fairly simple but had given her some leeway and it was nice to add her personal flair to it. She cast a preservation charm to protect the colors and charcoal from smudging before rolling them up carefully, putting them in a tube.

She looked at the little planter pot. The plant was growing. Slowly but surely. The stalk was completely out of the soil and leaves were starting to unfurl. She spent a few moments gently dripping water onto the growing plant, humming softly as she did.

The tower was quiet around her. She was staying at the castle for the winter holidays. Her father was out of the country on an extended expedition. She was originally supposed to join him on a short one but his plans had been extended and it was not feasible for her to join him on his current one. So she decided to stay at the castle and study for her N.E.W.T.s and work on her commissions.

Ginny had offered for her to come to the Burrow for the holiday but Luna demurred, saying she really wanted to study and do her jobs while fleshing out her example art. It was even true.

Yet, after a few days into the break, she was wondering if she should have taken Ginny's offer. It was awfully quiet. She was no stranger to solitude. Her life leading up to school and the beginning of her time at Hogwarts had been painfully lonely. She tried to cope back then and in hindsight, she did a terrible job of it. Her father had tried his best, but to a girl in the state she was, it was not enough.

She did not blame him, nor regret her time with him. It did not make it right however.

The knock on her door made her squeal from the sudden sound. It shocked her and she felt her heart hammer as she spun to stare at the door. "Yes?" she called out hesitantly. She was fairly certain she was the only Ravenclaw in the castle.

"Luna?"

She squealed again but this time happily. She ran and opened the door, gaping at Harry. "What are you doing here?!" she asked, hugging him tightly.

"I came to get you of course," he said with that kind Harry smile she loved. "You're spending the holiday with me."

"Really?!"

"Really! Your dad sent me a letter asking me to check up on you, explained what happened. So I'm absconding with you for the holiday. You'll stay with me at Skye and Grimmauld and join me and Sirius and the Tonkses and the Bells for Christmas. I'll bring you back right after the new year. Only if you want to of course."

She nodded so hard, her hair flew every which way. She hurriedly stuffed clothing and her studying materials into her trunk and then gently cast a few warming charms and hydration charms on her little plant. Dobby promised he would keep an eye on it while she was away.

She left the castle arm in arm with Harry. Her father really did his best sometimes.

-0-

"Miss Lovegood, a moment of your time?"

"Of course, Professor," Luna said. She waited for the rest of her class to leave the room and watched with interest when he stood in front of her. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"No. I wanted to say how much I appreciate your assistance this year. I hear the first and second years of the House being especially thankful for your presence this year."

Luna smiled sincerely. "They have been very nice. Very appreciative of the help."

Flitwick matched her smile. "They are and their marks show all their hard work, as well as your hard work. I am grateful for it." He hesitated. "I wish to apologize to you. I never properly did that, did I? Over what happened to you during your first two years here."

"Oh, I bear you no malice, Sir."

"You are too kind. I should have been more attentive."

"You cannot see everything. Though, I suppose if the problem persisted, perhaps I would be blaming you more right now."

He winced slightly. "I would not blame you. I am rather confused that you do not blame me at all."

"You did not tell them to bully me. I am reasonably sure you would have put a stop to it swiftly if you did know about it before it was stopped."

He winced decidedly. "No, I would have."

"That is kind of you to say," she said with no heat in her voice. "I do appreciate the apology as well."

He smiled. "You are a kind soul, Miss Lovegood."

Luna's smile was warm. "I had a good role model."

-0-

The plant had fully grown. It was a small but fully matured sunflower. Just like she thought it would, it had grown and bloomed on her graduation day. She daintily removed the plant from the pot and wove the stalk through a loop on her robes. In a short amount of time, she would be walking across the graduation platform, receive her diploma, and start her adult life.

Her father was not there. Xenophilius Lovegood was once again out of the country. He had been torn between finally finding something he had sought for and cutting his expedition short to return for her graduation.

She gave him her blessing in continuing his quest. Graduations were fairly mundane compared to finding an elusive magical animal after all.

At least that is what she said and wanted to believe.

Later, as she looked across the large platform, she had no idea what to believe. She only knew that she was about to step across, approach her Head of House, receive something she worked towards for seven years, and she would be by herself.

However, she was wrong like she was seven years ago.

She stopped mid stride, startled by clapping and cheering. She turned and looked out over the crowd of graduating students, past the other families, and saw. Harry stood there, waving and cheering. Hermione stood beside him, clapping and laughing. Daphne clapped less wildly but just as sincerely and enthusiastically, a warm smile on her lips. Lyla and Mirabelle whistled loudly.

With tears in her eyes, Luna accepted her diploma from a smiling teary-eyed Flitwick. As she descended the platform, she completely ignored her seat, rushing past the waiting graduates who stared at her. She threw herself at Harry who caught her as easily as he always did and she was surrounded by her friends. Hermione and Daphne tried to get her to go back to her seat for propriety's sake. Harry held her until she let go first and she reluctantly went back to her seat, squirming impatiently. Then, when they were dismissed for the last time, she ran back to them.

"Thank you for coming," she said, her dreamy voice earthy instead.

"Wouldn't have missed it for anything," Hermione said, hugging her tightly.

"Glad to be here and celebrating with you," Daphne said when it was her turn to hug her.

Harry took her with him, saying that he had a surprise for her. She followed him willingly. He apparated with her and she blinked when they appeared at the apparition point on the Isle of Skye. She was about to ask him why they were there but he asked her to wait for a moment longer. He took her to a flat in the same building as his. It was smaller but on the corner of the building with large windows to let the light in. She sighed at the lovely sight of the water around them, the way the hills ran in the distance.

She looked out the window and gasped. "That…that's one of mine!" she said, pointing at a statue that sat at the edge of the property.

He grinned. "Yup! So funny story, I had a few visitors to my flat and they saw your art. I told them who did it of course and may have mentioned what you would have…allegedly charged me for."

"You're the reason I've been getting commissions and requests," she marveled.

"Hope you're not too upset about that. I made sure you still had ample time to study and everything. And this flat is your graduation present. It's yours for the year, completely paid for."

"Harry, that's too much," she gasped.

"Not as bad as you think. The owner loved your art and it helps that I've been a model tenant. I wanted to make sure you had a place to start with whatever you want to do. You can take the year building your portfolio and continuing your work. Build your presence and get your name out there. And you won't have to worry about living arrangements. I know you didn't want to stay at home." A hint of his shyness shone through. "I hope it's okay."

"I have my own home, I can do my art and have been, and I get to be your neighbor?" She was crying. "Why wouldn't it be okay?"

He gently wiped her tears away. "I didn't want to overstep or somehow assume you couldn't handle things on your own."

She hugged him. "I'm perfectly fine with you taking care of me in your way," she murmured.

He laughed. "That's good."

"I'm paying you back though."

"That's fine." He kissed her hair. "Good job this year. You made it. See? I told you you'd be okay."

"Thank you," she whispered. "But I'll be better now."

-0-0-0-

DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - Glad you liked it. I originally was going to do one mega chapter but decided to split it to give it some proper attention. I think my next series will be with Angelina.

diffident-serpiente - I didn't plan on continuing this AU but just might. Marguerite is such a cutie isn't she?

Urgwaew - Luna being not so innocent and Hermione losing her innocence by walking in on Harry will never not be funny to me. I don't know about the regular canon. Some people just don't get into relationships and that's okay I think. Won't say it won't happen of course but definitely worth thinking about. It should be McGonaMum, my self editing has been suffering a little bit as of late. She would use Marguerite against Harry though. Glad you enjoyed it. I'm starting to decide who my next AU will be with. My best to you.

alix33 - It's such a nice name isn't it?

Canuto-90 - I'll eventually write more Quidditch into this allegedly Quidditch inspired story. Glad you liked it.

Vicky Lopez - Katie is such an open story that you can really craft something lovely between her and Harry. Fleur is a more developed character to work with.