Into Your Gravity ( Luna Lovegood & Tom Riddle )

Chapter two: Wrackspurts

The elderly man sat down to respectful applause from the students, and Dumbledore led the first years up to the front of the hall where the Sorting Hat sat quite still atop a three-legged stool.

An expectant hush settled over the Hall, and Luna leaned forward to listen to the Hat. As everyone watched, the Hat stirred, then opened its rip near the brim to sing.

Once the Hat's song was finished, Luna cheered with the rest of the students. And each time a new Ravenclaw was announced, she clapped extra hard with the rest of her House. Several of the other Ravenclaws near her raised their eyebrows, which she did not appear to notice. Throughout the feast, Luna chattered idly at the black-haired girl next her, whose polite confusion progressed at a steady rate into utter bewilderment as Luna discussed her thoughts regarding the Ministry of Magic's foul plot to replace all the galleons in Gringotts with Leprechaun gold for "nefarious tax purposes".

As the feast ended and students began filing out to go to their respective common rooms, Luna remained behind. She yawned and stretched, feeling a bit tired after such an unusual start of term.

"Tired, Miss Lovegood?" a voice asked behind her.

Luna looked up into Dumbledore's face, so different but familiar at the same time, and supposed she had rarely been so pleased to see someone. She smiled. "Well, I've had quite a long day, and as happy as I am to see you, sir, I'm quite certain you are just a byproduct of the Wrackspurts in my brain. Although," she continued matter-of-factly, "the whole thing is rather curious, as I've never heard of them causing quite such realistic hallucinations before. Perhaps I am particularly susceptible to their infection due to the roasted Dirigible plums my father and I had for dinner last night." She cupped one of her radish-like earrings in her small hand to show him as she mused.

Dumbledore smiled such that the wrinkles to the corners of his sparkling eyes deepened. "A possibility, certainly. I apologize for your fatigue. I do hope you are feeling up to speaking with me over that cup of tea, however."

"Oh, absolutely. A cup of tea sounds wonderful."

She stood up and followed Dumbledore out of the Great Hall, then up several staircases to his office. He did not lead her to the Headmaster's office, but rather an ordinary office in the Transfiguration department. He gestured to one of the comfortable chairs in front of the desk for her to sit, and as he busied himself with the kettle, Luna gazed about his office. Her line of sight settled on the enormous bookcase behind his desk, and she read with curiosity titles such as Animagi: The Complete Guide, Blast!: What To Do When Transfiguration Goes Terribly Wrong, and Transfiguration for the Advanced Performer.

Professor Dumbledore set a steaming cup of tea in front of her, then followed her gaze to the books behind him. "Ah! Most like a Ravenclaw," he chuckled.

Luna smiled and picked up her tea. "Thank you very much for the tea, sir."

"Certainly." Dumbledore seated himself behind his desk, then pressed his fingertips together in front of his face. "Now, Miss Lovegood. As compelling as your theory regarding the Wrackspurts is, I must suggest that perhaps something else entirely is occurring at this moment. Unless I am much mistaken, the Hogwarts you walked into this evening was not quite the Hogwarts you were expecting it to be."

"That's very true, sir."

Dumbledore nodded. "May I inspect the necklace you are wearing, Miss Lovegood? I noticed it when you were in the entrance hall."

"Of course." Luna lifted the gold chain from around her neck and placed the hourglass into Dumbledore's waiting hand.

He held the hourglass up before his spectacles, inspecting it for a moment.