Future Nostalgia / Harry Potter Fanfic

The Ride to Hogwarts

Estella glanced at her. "I am, but I don't have to be there. We received a letter from Professor McGonagall and Hermione and I decided which tasks we'd take on."

"Oh," muttered Ginny. She looked very unhappy with this news.

"Shall we find a compartment?" asked Estella.

"Lead the way," replied Harry.

They struggled off down the corridor, peering through the glass-paneled doors into the compartments they passed, which were already full. In the last carriage, they met Neville Longbottom, his round face shining with effort of pulling his trunk along and maintaining a one-handed grip on his struggling toad, Trevor.

"Hi, Harry. Hi Estella," he panted. "Hi, Ginny...Everywhere's full...I can't find a seat..."

"What are you talking about?" she Estella, who moved past Neville to peer into the compartment behind him. "There's room in this one, there's only Luna Lovegood here in here-"

Nevile mumbled something about not wanting to disturb anyone.

"Don't be silly," said Ginny, laughing, "she's all right."

Estella slid the door open and pulled her trunk inside it. Harry, Neville, and Ginny followed.

"Hi, Luna," said Estella. "Is it okay if we take these seats?"

The girl beside the window looked up. She had straggly, waist-length, dirty-blond hair, very pale eyebrows, and protuberant eyes that gave her a permanently surprised look. Estella had only talked to Luna a fair share of times. The girl gave off an aura of distinct dottiness and was quite kind, maybe strange to some, but smart and nice once you got to know her. Her wand was stuck behind her left ear, she wore a necklace of butterbeer caps, and was reading her magazine upside down. Her eyes ranged over Neville and Ginny and rested on Harry. She nodded.

"Thanks," said Ginny, smiling at her.

Harry sat in the seat opposite Luna, Estella next to him, and Ginny next to her, with Neville next to Luna, but across from Ginny; as far away as possible from Luna. He looked very uncomfortable.

"Have a good summer, Luna?" asked Estella.

"Yes," said Luna dreamily, without taking her eyes off Harry. "Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know. You're Harry Potter," she added.

"I know I am," said Harry.

Neville chuckled and Estella let out a low laugh as she glanced at Harry. He gave her a look silently saying "How do you know her?"

Luna's pale eyes rested upon Nevile, now.

"And I don't know who you are."

"I'm nobody," said Neville hurriedly.

"No, you're not," said Estella as Ginny said, "Neville Longbottom-Luna Lovegood. Luna's in my year, but in Ravenclaw."

"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure," said Luna in a singsong voice.

She raised her upside-down magazine high enough to hide her face and fell silent. Harry and Nevile looked at each other with their eyebrows raised. Ginny suppressed a giggle.

The train rattled onward, speeding them out into open country. It was an odd, unsettled sort of day; one moment the carriage was full of sunlight and the next they were passing beneath ominously gray clouds.

"Guess what I got for my birthday?" said Neville.

"Another Remembrall?" said Harry. No one could forget the marble-like device Neville's grandmother had sent him in an effort to improve his abysmal memory when it came to things like robes or permission slips.