A girl with slightly protuberant blue eyes and dishwater blonde hair aimlessly roamed the corridors of the Hogwarts Express, a picture clutched tightly in her left hand, her wand stuck behind her right ear. Her name was Luna Lovegood, and she was looking for the small group of people that she could actually call friends. She heard her name, and turned towards the sound. There, in a compartment on her right, were those people: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, and Neville Longbottom. A smile lit her face. Finally, she had proof.
She joined her friends in the compartment and closed the door behind her. The others were deep in discussion, and Luna patiently waited for someone to ask her how her summer had been. She didn’t have to wait long. At the first break in conversation, Neville looked up.
“So, Luna, how was your summer? Did you and your father find anything?” he asked interestedly. Luna caught Hermione rolling her eyes before quickly pasting a pleasant, if strained, smile on her face. She’ll have to believe in it now; I’ve got pictures! Luna thought excitedly. While the others either pretended to believe her or just ignored her, Hermione had always argued with her about the existence of the more mysterious creatures in the Wizarding world.
It must be because she’s a Muggle, Luna decided graciously.
“It was wonderful,” she began, noting Hermione was rummaging in her bag. Luna was positive she was searching for a book. “We went to Sweden, searching for a Crumple-horned Snorkack.”
Hermione made an impatient noise, but the rest of them looked at her. Ron’s eyes were a bit glassy, it was true, but Luna didn’t mind. She’d always been rather fond of him, so he could get away with it.
“Look,” Luna crowed triumphantly, holding out the slightly sweaty picture. It was blurry, but repeatedly moving across the corner was clearly the creature she’d once described to them. Luna registered the shock crossing their faces as they passed the picture around. When it came to Hermione, she spared it nary a glance and returned it haughtily to Luna.
“How did you get it?” Ginny asked, excited.
“Well, Father and I were having lunch in a pub in Sweden. It was actually a bit discouraging. We’d been searching for several weeks, and we hadn’t found any clues to follow at all. The bartender stopped by to ask us if we needed anything else, and Father said, ‘Yes, we would like one Crumple-horned Snorkack.’ The man’s face lit up! It was wonderful. He told us that there was a place, not too far from the pub, where the creek forked. In the middle of the fork was a large blue tree. He said we could find one there.”
“Father and I were so excited! Father paid for our lunch and we set off,” she told them. Her bulging eyes were alight with glee. She noticed Hermione was only pretending to read.
“So, what happened?” Ron asked, clearly interested in the story, for once.
“We found the blue tree. It was exactly where the man said it would be. But there was no Crumple-horned Snorkack. Father and I waded through the creek and searched the ground for clues. At first, we didn’t see anything, and we were getting quite upset. Then Father saw them; there were footprints! The footprints were exactly like those our readers in Sweden had reported seeing in places where the animal had been spotted. Father and I were ecstatic.”
“Footprints?” Hermione mumbled. “You’re excited about a few footprints?”
Luna ignored her and continued the story, clearly growing more excited. Her usual air of dreaminess was gone, replaced by a mad fervor and an almost manic excitement. She knew they thought she was a bit dotty, but now she had the proof.
“Not too far from where Father found the footprints was a camera. We rushed back to the hotel and Father went out to find developing supplies. When he returned, we processed the photos, and this was what we found,” she finished, waving the picture triumphantly.
“Who would leave a camera with something that important just lying on the ground?” Neville questioned.
“I can’t imagine,” Luna replied. “He probably got so excited that he just dropped it on accident.”
“Did it occur to you that your Crumply-Snorky thing most likely ate the person who owned the camera?” Hermione asked with maddening superiority.
“So you admit that it exists?” Ginny teased.
“Well, why didn’t it eat Luna and her dad, then?” Harry asked her.
“Obviously, it was full,” Hermione responded. “If, in fact, it ever was there. It sounds to me like the bartender set you up. He probably planted the evidence himself.”
“You’re just angry that she proved you wrong,” Ginny accused. That began an argument between the two that lasted the rest of the journey. Ron and Harry tried to ignore them by playing Wizard’s Chess, while Neville stroked his Mimbulous Mimbletonia.
Luna slipped into her world of dreams, completely oblivious to those around her, fascinated by the photo she held.
I’ve finally got a real, live picture of it. It doesn’t matter if Hermione doesn’t believe me. It was the most exciting experience. Perhaps next summer, Father and I can find a Heliopath.
Luna dreamed of showing Hermione pictures of all the creatures she’d refused to believe in. As the train stopped, she slipped the photo into her trunk. She’d send it back to her father tomorrow morning before class started. He wanted to publish right away, but she’d begged to be able to show her friends.
Singing softly to herself, Luna exited the train. She caught pieces of the conversation going on behind her.
“…wish I had that picture. Then I’d be rich…”
“Honestly, it’s not real, just wait and see.”
“You’re just jealous.”
She wondered vaguely what they were talking about before she climbed into the carriage.
The Investigations of Luna Lovegood by TopToasterGryffies
Chapter Notes: This chapter was written by hogwartsduchess of Gryffindor house.