Hogwarts, 1st September 1992
-.-
It was a colourless landscape against a grey horizon, dotted with dying flowers that rushed past the train's windows. Her train wagon jolted sporadically along the tracks, blurring the image of the outside world, making it unsteady and forgettable. The autumn cold slowly settled out there in the fields, eating through the former green of the meadows and trees, only to leave bare hiding places behind.
Averting her faraway gaze from the window, Luna sighed, only to watch the seat opposite wait in yawning emptiness for something. No one sat in the same section as her and it made the atmosphere dreamily quiet, the way she was used to at home when a magazine was in her hands and the news flashed past her. It left something friendly, in a way that gently cradled her in its arms whenever the unevenness passed through the seats.
Equipped with a carrot-shaped bag with massive amounts of glitter clinging to it and a pair of sunglasses from whose view the world looked like a pink star, she had everything she needed. Wand, foreknowledge, imagination, family blessing and snacks to eat, which her father had bought with excitement. He had been full of pride and at the same time bitterly afraid to let her go off on her own. The worry that something would happen had stayed with him until she left; and Luna understood. He had watched once before how fleeting a life could be. How precious a person's smile was and how lonely loss could linger in a soul.
With her dainty, slender fingers, the young witch reached for her hand luggage and glanced inside. Searching for hidden magic, she stopped at a chocolate frog box that put a thin smile on her lips. Luna collected the cards, always on the lookout for rarities and tiny mistakes.
Instantly, she shook off the thought and pulled the pack from her bag to lay it gently on her lap, eyeing it for a moment. For a breath, there was gentle anticipation inside her, secretly and barely noticeably bouncing over her skin. This time she would get something special, a rare card that was usually hard to get. She wanted to believe in that. Carefully, she slid her fingers under the box to loosen the glue and remove the lid with a jerk. At the same moment, her hand darted forward – to what appeared to be nothingness – to catch the chocolate frog from inside. That made ninety successes out of one hundred.
Without manner, Luna stuffed the sweet into her mouth, feeling it melt on her tongue and the magic fade away. Magic chocolate was the best, especially when caught fresh. It inspired cheerfulness, making her dangle her legs as she chewed jauntily. Her attention slid to the newly gained moving card inside. Lips pursed and brows raised, Luna looked at the black hair of a young woman whose green eyes looked rigidly at her. The smile on her lips looked stiff.
This stranger had nothing of a witch, just as she had nothing of someone from the Ministry. Not even a name could be found on the narrow banner that stretched along beneath the image. Instead, the picture tilted its head and looked at Luna as if she was the one who was completely out of place.
"Do you have a name?" Luna's dreamy whisper was instantly directed to the card. Interest pushed the surroundings into the background, consuming her senses in the sight of this strange apparition.
"You already know my name," the image answered her in a whisper. The tantalising sound of that strange voice filled the lonely compartment with unexpected life. Luna listened to the sounds in the background. She didn't know this woman's name, and yet she was sure she could pronounce it.
The slight nod she gave herself expanded the thought. She could say whatever she wanted, it would be true. The sounds in the background formed into a melody that found itself as a name on Luna's lips. "Laima. Your name is Laima."
No sooner had the name crept over her tongue than the card bathed itself in bright light. Warmth brushed Luna's skin, enveloping her as the radiant glow forced her to close her eyes. The adventurous mood that seemed to transport her to another world settled reddish in the darkness behind her eyelids. Then there was a renewed calm. Safety that allowed her to open her eyes to see that the light had shrunk to the size of a wand. It took shape, gathering its particles at one point and settling into a being from whose skin the light bounced off in little pearls.
Hair tied up, single wavy strands framed a fairy-like face. The strange woman turned out to be a young girl, pretty and so small, so delicate, that she threatened to break in her hands. Dainty wings rose from her back in shallow green; strikingly slim, shaped like leaves of the small shrubs often found by the wayside. Even her clothes came close to nature. Studded with little buds and tiny blossoms of deep red, Luna could barely make out the small dress underneath.
"You've freed me!" Laima's voice, once so whispery, became a clear singsong to which Luna listened closely. Brows raised, she opened her mouth but brought out only silence. Then she reached out to the creature. Something inside her wanted to touch this apparition.
"How did you get into this card?" In the end, she kept her fingers at a distance and waited for Laima to settle voluntarily on her palm. Her body weighed no more than a small bag of sand.
"I was imprisoned with a spell." Without further ado, the being raised a finger before crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I was waiting for the day when someone would free me. Thank you for that. What is your name, young Seeker?"
"Luna Lovegood."
"You seem like a witch to me. A little different, a little special. Are you on your way to Hogwarts?"
"I am. It's my first year." She brought Laima closer to her, only to notice the falter in the alien presence's movements. Her face suddenly reflected something that cast dark shadows over her eyes and yet allowed no concern. It drove Luna to ask more questions. "Where are you from?"
"Mother Nature created me. I am a sylph, an air spirit ... and I am here to stand by your side," the being returned.
"What do you want to stand by my side for?" Carefully, Luna leaned back and listened. She had heard of the beings of the wind, but had never seen one of them in real life.
"The search, of course! You do plan to search, don't you?"
"What do you want me to search for?"
"For the objects that can change the world!" Hands on hips, the little ghost reared up. She knew what she was talking about, had this clear conviction. "When you have collected all the pieces, then you are given the power to make a wish come true. Now that you have found me, it is open to you to begin the journey. I am something like a map that will take you through the tasks."
"So I have to collect items and I get a wish in return?"
"Exactly! You can wish for anything you want."
Words that resembled a sad melody. What gushed out of Laima reached Luna in a monotonous coldness. A stab in the heart, a distant thought within reach. She felt her throat tighten, her body gasp for air. She was being offered a wish. And she had never had more than one wish in her life.
Luna saw beauty in things that perhaps had none. She was always keeping her eyes open, trying to find little things that no one saw. All these idiosyncrasies she had learned from her mother, an extraordinary woman whose experiments had cost her life two years ago. And even if Luna never spoke about it, kept silent about the pain in her soul, she missed her mother. A little more every day.
She missed the smile, the energy, the chaos that accompanied her, and the fantasy of the unknown shadows she had always carried with her. A brilliant woman, an incredible explorer, a role model.
One day, Luna would also search for the unknown and show her mother that her research hadn't ended yet. She wanted to hold on to the fact that one day they would meet again. In another life, another world, another time.
If she had one wish, just one, she would bring her mother back.
"Where do I find these objects?"
"That's what I wanted to hear!" The sylph clapped her hands joyfully. "It's quite simple. You usually enter the level of the seekers through a dream. In rare exceptions, there are a few places you have to go to. But those are always found in your surroundings."
"In a dream? Then none of this is real, but still there?"
A brief hesitation spread before Laima replied, "Exactly! And even in the places you have to enter, most of it takes place in a world that isn't real. You just take the objects from the dream into reality."
"Are there many seekers?"
"At the moment? Merely a few." Hands folded behind her back, the sylph paced up and down. Her smile had all but disappeared. "You're eleven, aren't you?"
With a nod, the little witch agreed. Every word of this sylph rushed through her ears, luring her further and further into this conversation.
"You must know, to gain an object, you must face a guardian. I don't know if you are aware, but many magical families have received a blessing that comes from these guardians. But you don't have to be afraid. Just because you receive an object, it doesn't cancel the blessing of that particular family. That only happens when you have collected all the items or when a guardian actually dies. No matter how dramatically they behave apart from that sometimes, a guardian remains a guardian forever." Briefly, Laima paused to make sure Luna had understood everything. The latter was fixated on the spirit, listening, absorbing every piece of information. "When your quest is over, the world loses its magic for a moment. That is because the powers will gather on the day of the reunion to do your will. Just for the sake of interest, which Guardian has blessed you?"
Thoughtfully, Luna recalled her father's words to her mind. "I was blessed by the Guardian of Souls."
"So you're a girl who can see behind the facades? That's ... interesting." The sylph spoke more to herself than to Luna. Placing a hand in front of her mouth, Laima lowered her head for a moment before continuing. "This is great. We can work with that."
"How many objects does it take before they can become one?" She wanted to know more, to delve deeper into the subject that gave her a chance to change. Facing a guardian and grabbing an object sounded easy.
"Many." Defensively, Lama raised her tiny hands. "I can only tell you that there are more than two hundred. Far more." She waved it off. "However, the tasks are small. At best, you can collect one object every day if you like. You just have to follow my instructions because there are a few rules. But you're young. You have the strength to overcome the hurdles."
"Can you show me?"
"When you are ready to start the quest. Once you start, you need to keep going."
With every object, she would get closer to her mother. There was hope. By all means, the number was great and not to be underestimated, but the reward at the end was worth the long walk. "I follow the search."
"Then swear on your blessing that you will be silent. Speak of this journey to no one who is not also a seeker." With a serious look, Laima scanned the witch, waiting for a response, which followed with a smile. It was a "Yes, I swear," so honest and confident that it seemed to cloud the sylph's eyes.
"Then close your eyes, call your blessing into your mind, and secretly ask for the first guardian."
Breath rushed deep into Luna's lungs as she followed the instruction and lowered her lids. The train compartment disappeared into darkness. Her perception dissolved from what she had seen before and all that remained were the strong puffs of air that warmed her lips. In the background, Luna clung to her blessing, silently thanking the Guardian of Souls, and immediately drifted off with her thoughts. She needed to take the first step; to meet the guardian at the beginning of this journey.
Something ate at her nerves, caused the hairs on her arms to rise. A shiver settled on her shoulder, the warmth on her lips faded. The heart pounded, beating against her ribs, rousing restlessness that Luna couldn't hold. Instead, it broke through.
Lowering her head, she opened her eyes, only to stare at icy marble. The train had disappeared. Hogwarts was no longer within reach. Instead of the barren outside world, bleak walls in a room full of lonely seats welcomed her. Two men sorted notebooks on a small table, while another stood behind the only reception desk, staring blankly into nothingness. He paid no attention to Luna or the others.
"You must go to him." Softly, Laima's voice reached her, causing the witch to turn her head to the side in a flash.
"And what should I ask?"
Brief silence fell, a stillness that mesmerised Luna.
"Ask him where you can see the Guardian of the End."
She obeyed. Her legs shifted slowly through the sterile atmosphere as alien cold tugged at her clothes. The shiver slid from her shoulder down her back, settled a tremor on her body. Her heart was still pounding in her throat, but her breathing was steady. Alongside serene uncertainty, curiosity gnawed at her, not letting go.
She stopped in front of the counter, noticing that she could just see over the countertop where there were papers and a bell. Although no one but the three men seemed to be within these four walls, there were piles of files, questionnaires and listings crammed into shelves on the wall behind the counter. The labels were illegible.
"Excuse me? Can you help me?" Barely noticeably, Luna pushed herself up on her toes. "I'm looking for the Guardian of the End."
Her counterpart responded for the first time since she had entered this dream. His eyes rushed in her direction, fixing her on one spot as his brow furrowed. An expression that lasted for a few seconds before he opened his mouth a little, but couldn't bring a sound past his lips. His breath quickened, his shoulders shook, and his eyes widened. Then he swallowed once, twice, only to lean over the counter a little towards her. "Are you sure about this, little witch? We haven't had a visitor in a long time... He hasn't had a visitor in a long time. Once you start this journey, there's no turning back, you hear me? Believe me, little witch, you should turn back."
"I'm sure of it, sir," Luna replied, watching him shake his head.
"You will have challenges to face ... and you will see things that no child your age should see. Turn back."
"That's fine." She tilted her head, waiting for him to stop doubting her and help her out. But his expression didn't change. Everything about him rejected her decision and yet he turned, only to have the pallor of his skin look even more ghostly in the artificial light. The freckles that highlighted his cheeks glimmered red. Then he stepped out from behind his counter and walked past her. All that left his lips was a pressed "Come on then".
He took a path that she followed in silence. Not a single word passed between them as Laima settled herself on Luna's shoulders. The company she brought with her gave her support on a journey she ultimately didn't know enough about. The sylph kept her wings pressed tightly against her body, her fingers buried in Luna's waist-length hair.
Walls moved closer together, leading them into a hallway where doors pushed their frames apart. Here, room bordered room, shrill cries met loneliness, and a whisper lurked behind every turn they took. Each word licked eagerly over Luna's perception, over her mind that tried to understand the voices. Someone was uttering something she couldn't understand. It was an unfamiliar language, sounded as if from another world. Not a single verse was familiar to her, and yet Luna felt her bones tremble under the murmur.
Instantly, she stopped. The wild jumble of voices snaked through her ears, filling her head with words that sounded seductive. Whoever was waiting for her was unlike anything she knew.
"What language is that?" Her tone was like a breath directed at Laima. Simultaneously, it throbbed behind Luna's temple. The words flooded her own thoughts, growing louder with each breath, so that she raised her hands to cover her ears. But the voice persisted, making it impossible to put another foot in front of the other.
"That what you're hearing is Persian." The sylph brought faint light into the darkness as she stroked one hand over Luna's dirty blonde hair. Luna could hear her, though her own palms pressed firmly against her ears. "Very few here speak that language."
"And what does it say?"
"He has noticed your presence. No seeker has come to this place in a while because not everyone is cut out for it. His words are a bit twisted," Laima explained. "'With jealousy, a hundred beauties have torn the collars of their silk dresses'." With a sigh, the sylph settled into a crouch. "I think he's referring to the other seekers who are jealous that you're still free."
"They stayed here?" echoed Luna.
"They did."
"Why?"
With a snort, Laima narrowed her eyes. "Because ... that guard promised them a wish. But you are not allowed to listen to him."
In the background, the guardian's speech wavered into a giggle that vibrated mockingly in the walls. A disapproving sound that brushed shallowly across her cheeks, causing Luna to raise her shoulders. Sweat gathered on her forehead, redness sporadically adorning her skin. The interest that had brought her this far faded. Instead, her lips quivered, her breath formed white clouds and the clinically pale doors that surrounded her squeaked in their frames.
The last time she had trembled like this, her mother had simply fallen down and never got up. Back then, Luna had kept talking to her, always hoping for a sly smile and a curt laugh – death had been foreign to her.
"Luna..." Carefully, Laima pulled her hair. "He's making fun of you. You need to fight it. Just ignore him. Don't answer him. As long as you don't respond to his mockery, it's all good." The sylph made an audible effort to trump the voices in Luna's head. "He can't stop talking, so just keep walking. You're just a passing seeker looking for a conversation."
The guard's far too loud muttering quietened, but still gnawed through her senses and rattled her bones. Still, Luna tried to take a breath. She had to fulfil her wish.
The man leading her slowed his pace because she could barely keep up. Still, the white floor tiles passed her by, moving no end in sight, while the neon light drew unfamiliar long shadows into the cracks. Trifles that faded into the background as a door appeared, opened for Luna.
She followed the silent instruction and stepped into the darkness of the room, which lacked windows altogether. Every inch sank into nothingness. Only the brightness of the corridor brought outlines to the gloomy picture opposite her. Something moved in one corner.
Low murmurs filtered through to her, dislodged from Luna's head, and filled the room with muffled words. He still spoke the language she didn't understand. But here, near this figure, it sounded less threatening. The mockery was gone. The trembling of Luna's body eased, drawing her further inside and bringing the lines of the unknown figure further into focus.
The being at the other end of the room moved gingerly back and forth, cradling something in its arms that Luna couldn't make out. It was a black bundle with no clear shape.
For a moment, Luna lingered on the thought that this figure must be the guardian. A being that ignored her presence.
Laima, meanwhile, took advantage of the moment to lean in to the witch's ear in a low tone. "Ask him what will happen if they come together."
The task was terribly simple. She had only one question to ask, only one answer to receive – overcome the obstacle behind it. Her mouth opened, but her throat remained tight. A deep, inner discomfort bubbled under her skin, bringing with it a renewed trembling and stole confidence that Luna barely noticed. Part of her muscles twitched, ready to leap from this dream. But the rigidity of her legs instantly spoke against the desire. She had to hold on to her desire. Believe in it. That was why she tried again. The scratching in her throat made her voice almost toneless. Every word hung dry as dust on her tongue. Still, it filled the room, ending the guard's indistinct muttering with the simple question she had been given.
The figure's movement stopped instantly. His attention was caught. Luna's neck hairs bristled as frost crept creakily up the walls. He turned to her, seeming to look at her, waiting.
"Luna, whatever you do, you must always look straight ahead. Whatever he's holding in his arms, you mustn't pay any more attention to him," Laima broke the silence that reared ghostly.
"Fine," was all the witch could manage. Her gaze remained fixed on the figure that slowly approached. The sound of uneven breathing in the background of stifling silence.
The creature came out far enough to let a few rays of light fall on the dusty robe on its body. It wrapped the gaunt body underneath protectively, hiding the face under a hood so that only the unknown spoke to Luna.
"What a question." The tone that reached the witch spoke the same language she knew - lay harsher and heavier on the tongue. Yet his voice held something soft that circled her senses lecturingly. "Isn't that what we all ask ourselves? What happens when they get together? When we all meet again? Listen, young witch. When everything returns to its origin, the sky will turn blood red and every tear will dry up. Death will drip on people and stain the rags on their bodies. Magic will die, for seconds, perhaps forever. If someone opens the windows, the day will greet them with mournful cries. Every laugh will fall silent, withering in the throats of children and breaking on the lips of adults. The suffering of my brothers and sisters will spread through the streets, leaving black trails that will fight their way through the cracks of the cobblestones." He cleared his throat for a moment in which Luna couldn't take a breath. "Humans will feel fear, little witch. Fear that only you will know. They will cry out for help, but their bodies will crumble to ash and perish in the shallow breeze of destruction. Few will be able to save themselves, but they will be forced to watch as rats eat their friends and pull the flesh from every bone. Then roofs will burn and humanity will learn to dance with the death that is so near and yet so far from you. When we come together, the earth will shake and a creature will eclipse the sun. It will become dark and we will all feel the same pain, the same love and the same hate. In blood we will bathe our bodies, appreciate the entrails of our enemies as a delicacy. When we come together, this era will end and heads will adorn the gates of every land on spears when the seeker is no longer in his right mind. What I hold in my hands is the beginning of a long end. Won't you look at it?"
Luna's gaze slid past the figure as saliva lingered blandly in her mouth. Her mind held enough imagination to form the words into an image, drowning grimly in red paint. They were just words, but for a moment they became real, settling sweat on her skin and rubbing ash into her eyes. She knew that all this was just a dream. Yet her body didn't move an inch.
If even a single sentence was true, the fate of the people looked as bleak as her mother's death. But it was her journey. She could control how it would end. So Luna took a breath, at the same time feeling one of her hands being grasped out of the middle of nowhere. Bones pressed against her senses under rough skin.
Inside her, a scream escaped that didn't reach her lips. The twitching in her body was all that remained as a reaction. This strange figure placed something in her hand, only to stroke her forehead gently. Automatically, Luna clutched the small gift before numbness set in. Her eyelids grew heavy. Blackness swallowed the faint light in the background. Someone was still speaking to her, but she barely noticed.
A moment later, she opened her eyes. Across from her was the empty seat of the compartment she had found room in. The outside world was still passing her by. Her clothes stuck lightly to her skin and for a breath Luna thought the cold had followed her. But the only thing that had actually remained in the first moment was the voice of the being who had gifted her. Laima floated in the middle of it in front of her face, brows drawn together, eyes wide open. All while the warning ran circles in the witch's mind.
"They musn't come together. Never."