Chapter Text
Luna sighed. She was not ready.
Not for the mean comments, the looks, the pushing and shoving. Not for the way people always seemed to smile with their eyes when they said her name, like it was funny—a word made strange just by belonging to her. She wasn’t ready to go back to Hogwarts.
The scarlet train hissed in front of her, steam curling around her ankles. Families bustled all around, hugging goodbye, shouting across trunks and trolleys, reuniting with friends. All of it blurred around her.
She wanted to go home. Her real home— the creaky cottage with its sloped ceilings and strange, humming artifacts tucked into corners. Or maybe the Burrow, if they would have her. Somewhere warm. Somewhere that didn’t make her feel like she was holding her breath all the time.
But here she was, Platform 9 ¾.
She hadn’t cried when she packed. Not then, at least. But she had the night before. Quietly, so her father wouldn’t hear. She hadn’t told him how much the thought of returning made her stomach twist.
“Luna!”
She startled slightly at the sound of her name, then turned—already smiling, even before she saw Ginny weaving through the crowd.
The sight of her made Luna feel like the world had been tilted back into place.
Ginny’s arms wrapped around her without warning, nearly knocking the wind from her lungs. “I’ve missed you, Luna Lovegood.”
Luna let out a breath that almost sounded like laughter. “You saw me six days ago.”
“Six days too long,” Ginny said with a mock glare, pulling back and giving Luna a look that was half teasing, half sincere. “I stand by what I said.”
Luna blinked, then smiled—not because she had to, but because she believed her.
“I missed you, too.”
Ginny looped their arms together, like she always did, like nothing had changed. “Come on, I’ve already picked out which window seat is ours. And I’ve been working on my graduation speech.”
“We don’t graduate for another two years,” Luna said, amused.
“Yes, well. It’s never too early to prepare. I’m thinking something dramatic. Ugh, can you believe it? We’re practically women now.”
Luna laughed, the sound tumbling out of her before she could stop it. The knot in her chest loosened slightly. Ginny had that effect on her—like suddenly, the air around her wasn’t so heavy.
They weaved through the crowd together, their shoes clicking against the platform stones. Ginny glanced over her shoulder.
“Come on, we’ve got to say bye to the twins, they came to see us off.”
Fred and George stood by the train steps, unmistakable with their matching grins and lopsided posture. They were talking animatedly with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, their voices rising over the noise like fireworks.
George spotted them first.
“Oi! Lovegood!” he called. “Still seeing Crumple-Horned Snorkacks in your dreams?”
Fred turned with a grin. “Or have they been replaced by visions of glorious O.W.L. scores?”
Luna offered them a small smile. “I think I saw one in the clouds yesterday, actually. It winked at me.”
George chuckled, giving her a two-fingered salute. “Keep dreaming, Blondie.”
Ginny elbowed Fred in the ribs. “Don’t scare her off before term even starts.”
Fred feigned innocence. “Me? Never.”
“Good summer, then?” Harry asked with a bright smile.
“Amazing summer,” Luna said, nodding.
Luna stood beside Ginny as Hermione began directing everyone toward the train. There was a brief, familiar chaos — Ron bickering with George, Hermione reminding Harry not to leave his bag behind, and Ginny doing a quick headcount as though she were the responsible one.
Harry turned back to Luna and gave her a genuine smile. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too,” she said, the smile on her face growing.
Ron gave her a quick nod. “Hey, Luna. Have a good summer?”
She nodded. “I did. My father invented a new kind of ink that repels garden gnomes.”
He blinked. “Oh. Cool? My mum would love that.”
“Oh, she’d find it lovely, I’m sure!”
Hermione was already halfway up the train steps, calling, “Let’s go, before it fills up!”
Everyone began climbing aboard, Ginny stepping onto the train behind Harry and Ron, still chatting. Luna followed behind them, then hesitated.
“I’ll catch up. Just a minute,” she said, quietly.
Ginny gave her a puzzled look, then nodded. “Don’t take too long.”
The others climbed aboard, disappearing into the train’s corridor.
Luna stayed behind.
The air had shifted. The noise of the platform faded slightly, like it was underwater. She stood there for a moment, not moving, letting the steam swirl around her.
Her fingers brushed the edge of her jumper sleeve. She’d pulled it down low today, even though the weather didn’t call for it. She told herself it was because her arms got cold easily, and though true, she wasn’t sure if that was really why.
She stared up at the train, the rows of windows flickering with movement.
The steam billowed around her again, and everything felt very still. She looked down at her shoes — a bit scuffed, the laces frayed. She’d meant to get new ones.
There was a hollowness in her chest she hadn’t voiced, not even to Ginny. She didn’t want to ruin anything. Didn’t want to make this year harder than it already might be. She had promised herself she’d try—really try—to be normal this year. To belong.
“Luna?”
She turned. Fred had hung back, one hand shoved into his pocket.
He looked unusually serious. “You alright?”
She hesitated. Then smiled. “Of course.”
Fred nodded slowly, not quite convinced, but not pushing. “Well, good. That’s good. Go knock ’em dead, yeah?”
“I’ll do my best.”
She climbed the train steps, casting one last look over her shoulder as George called, “Write us if Hogwarts implodes!”
She didn’t answer. She just waved.