If I Lose Myself

Chapter Seven: Astoria

"Luna!" Astoria yelped unfortunately louder than expected. Some of the students who sat on the table next to hers sent her glares before going back to their reading. She turned to the blonde girl with a look of bewilderment. "Luna, you've... You've been avoiding me for the past two months. You didn't even reply to my owl in August about joining me in Diagon Alley."

"Is that what you truly wanted to send me?" Luna asked curiously as she tilted her head to the side. "I suppose my late assumptions are correct then."

She shook her head in confusion, feeling her eyes suddenly burn as tears threatened to brim. "I don't understand. I sent you my family owl, Artemis. I... I thought maybe you didn't receive the letter on time and assumed it would have been unwise to send a reply. And then the start of the year... you barely looked at me."

Luna nodded calmly as she took the seat across Astoria and began to fiddle with her raddish ear rings. "I'm really sorry about that. You see, I did receive your letter, but it was extremely offensive. I didn't know you were even capable of such words, and I honestly didn't know what to tell you off since then. So I assumed that upon your letter, you didn't want to be friends anymore. I did find it a bit suspicious that you would attempt to get my attention when the school year came, though I tried to ignore it as much as possible. I feared you had turned into one of Pansy Parkinson's minions."

Astoria didn't know what to say. "Wait, so, what letter are we talking about here?"

"I thought you might ask that." Her friend said rather softly before taking out a folded piece of parchment from her jeans and handing it to her. "Here."

She unfolded the parchment hastily and read through it once.

August 14, 1996

Dear Luna,

I no longer see the point of our odd connection. I've been friends with you for long, but I believe that it's time for us to part ways as... uncommon acquaintances, if you will. See, as a pure-blood, I have certain expectations to uphold – and despite your half-blood status – I see no reason why I should continue a certain friendship with the daughter of a rather ranging lunatic for a father, not to mention your high tolerance for mudbloods and blood traitors such as Granger and the Weasleys. I fear this may be the last time we'll ever speak, as I do not wish to continue any more of what friendship had transpired between us.

Yours,

Astoria Greengrass

It was the most awful thing Astoria has ever read. And what's worst, it was written in her perfect cursive. She could never imagine herself writing such a foul letter to a seemingly loyal friend such as Luna. At this point, she couldn't blame Luna for her sudden distance – even she would stop talking to someone who would send her this kind of message.

"Oh, Luna," Astoria finally said after what felt like hours. "I would never. You know I would never. You're one of my dearest friends. Quite possibly the only true friend I have in this school. Well, if you count Daphne and Blaise, that is. But that's completely out of the question, though. I know it looks bad, considering how it's literally in my handwriting but... oh, Merlin, Luna. I would rather die than to send you something as foul as this."

"I realized that a lot later than I had intended." Luna sighed apologetically before meeting her gaze. "It was like trying to solve a puzzle for many months and only ever having the answer when you least expect it. You see, earlier today, your sister Daphne boasted quite a bit when she saw me. She asked me what it was like losing a pure-blood friend like you. I gave her nothing of the sort, but when she suspected that I was no longer listening – I overheard her tell Pansy about writing that letter herself. And I knew I had to find you."