Back at Hogwarts, before she could be led to Madam Pomfrey’s, Luna ran to the corridor she had grown to know so well.
“ Luna, child! Are you alright?”
“Oh, yes, Helena. I am better than I have ever been!” Luna could hear the smile in her own voice. Elation filled her; she wanted to hug her dear friend so badly!
After sharing with Helena the summary of her adventures, a student sent by Madam Pomfrey came to take her to the nurse. Luna bid the lady in gray goodbye, although she did not look quite as gray when she smiled at Luna. She seemed perfectly colorful.
Part way down the corridor, though, Luna turned back to her friend.
“You should really smile more, Helena. You look like a rainbow.”
Helena smiled and then began to laugh, and a tear ran down her transparent cheek. “Luna, my dear, you are a beautiful gift I did not expect to receive.” And she hugged her. Luna had never been hugged by a ghost before. It was like being enveloped by a cool breeze, refreshing and soft. Luna smiled at her friend.
“See you next year.”
---
Luna only had to stay one night in the infirmary. Her face was a bit bruised and she had lost some blood from her nose bleed, but there wasn’t anything serious. They just kept her there merely for precautions. Hermione was going to be there for at least a week; that spell had done some serious damage. Ginny stayed for a few nights as Madam Pomfrey mended her ankle, while Ron was in shock and slept through the night and most of the next day. Neville and Harry were able to leave after the first night as well.
The day after she got out, Luna went back to visit Ginny, Hermione, and Ron. When she arrived, Quibbler in hand, Ron was snoring loudly on his cot, and Ginny and Hermione were sitting up and chatting with each other on their own beds.
“Hello, Luna!” Ginny said cheerfully as Luna walked towards them. She was obviously feeling better. “Are those new earrings? They look lovely!” she admired.
“Oh, thank you!” Luna said, pleased. “Daddy sent me a fresh set of Dirigible plums with the latest Quibbler a week ago. I just painted them purple.”
Hermione smiled. “Can I see your Quibbler, Luna?” she asked politely.
Handing it over, Luna sat down at the edge of Ginny’s bed in between the two girls. Hermione began to flip through the pages, no doubt skipping the wonderful article on some of the adventures of Link Scamander, son of Newton Scamander the famous Magizoologist. But Luna decided not to say anything snobby or rude about it. They had accepted her as she was, so she owed it to them to accept them as well. This was Hermione’s nature; she liked the practical and the facts. Luna may not agree, but she could accept it. Any friend, any friend at all, was okay by Luna.
“Oh, look at this!” Hermione exclaimed. “It says the Minister has admitted that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is back! Do you think they’re saying anything about this in the Daily Prophet?”
“Yes,” Luna replied. “Daddy sold the story and the interview with Harry from earlier this year to them.”
“Fantastic!” Ginny cried gleefully. Things were finally starting to look up for their cause. With the Ministry acknowledging the situation and coming to their side, the fight against You-Know-Who was starting to seem possible.
YOU ARE READING
Luna Lovegood
Fanfiction[BOOK ONE] Loony Lovegood--the girl everyone made fun of. The girl with more to her than what meets the eye. She's different, you know (although I presume you already figured that out for yourself). She's special, and she has a story, too. Foll...
