“Neville!” cried a loud voice. Neville looked up to see Hermione Granger running along the platform towards him. She reached him and enveloped him in a massive hug. “How are you? I heard about everything that’s happened. It’s beastly what the Ministry’s doing, isn’t it? It’s absolutely terrible. Thank goodness you were cleared. What’s going on with You-Know-Who? You must tell me everything.” The words had all poured out of her in a breathless rush.
“Slow down, Hermione, give Neville a chance,” said Harry. “We’ll tell you everything when we get on the train.”
It was the first of September and the Hogwarts Express was preparing to depart from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Neville had come with Harry from Sirius’ home, escorted by Sirius and Moody, who had shown up that morning insisting on going along with them.
Neville was delighted to be reunited with Hermione, who he had not seen since they had parted at the end of the previous term. Hermione had always been his best friend, and he looked forward to unburdening his problems to her, but Hermione dashed his hopes by saying, “We won’t have time on the train. I’ll have prefect duty, see.” She pointed to the shiny new “P” badge on her robes.
“Well of course you got made a prefect,” said Harry.
Hermione ignored the comment. “So who’s the prefect for the boys, then?” she asked.
Harry shrugged. “Must be Seamus or Dean. It wasn’t Neville, and you wouldn’t catch any of the Marauders being a prefect.”
“Hey, Moony was one in his time, you know,” said Sirius, overhearing their conversation.
“Don’t tell Fred that,” Harry said with a laugh. “He’d be most disappointed.”
Harry filled Hermione in on a few details as they loaded their trunks. The Weasleys arrived soon after and there were more happy reunions before it was time for everyone to board the train. Just as Neville was about to get on, Moody came over and put his hand on Neville’s shoulder. “Take care of yourself at school,” he whispered. “Keep your head down, stay out of trouble and keep your eyes open. Constant vigilance. Got that, boy?” Neville nodded and Moody let him go.
Once on the train, Fred, George, Ron and Harry left to find their own compartment for a Marauders meeting and Hermione sheepishly said goodbye to Neville and headed off to the prefect’s carriage. Neville was left alone with Ginny.
Neville suddenly realised that this was the first time he’d been alone with Ginny all summer, and he immediately felt very uncomfortable. All the previous year, he’d found talking with Ginny and being around her very easy and fun. Now, things seemed more complicated. He wasn’t sure what Ginny expected of him, and he certainly wasn’t in any sort of mood to talk about their relationship, if indeed that was what they had. He wondered what he’d do if Ginny started kissing him. True, they’d kissed only once, at the end of the Second Task of the Triwizard Tournament, but that one had come completely out of the blue for Neville, and he had no idea under what circumstances it would happen again.
Ginny however did not seem the slightest bit uncomfortable or uneasy. She grabbed Neville’s hand and said, “Come on, let’s see if we can find a compartment.” They walked through the carriages as the train pulled out of the platform. Unfortunately, most of the compartments were already full, and they had to walk a long way before eventually Ginny stopped and said, “This one will have to do.”
“But there’s somebody already in there,” Neville objected, glancing into the compartment. A girl with very long blond hair was sitting in the corner against the window, reading a magazine. She had her wand tucked behind her ear and from that ear hung what looked like a small radish.
“Oh, that’s only Loony,” Ginny replied, and opened the compartment door. Neville followed her inside. They both sat down on the same side, opposite the girl, who looked up from her magazine. Neville’s immediate reaction was that he had never seen anyone with such a natural air of oddness before. The girl’s eyes, which protruded alarmingly from her face, had an airy, faraway look as if totally unfocussed on anything immediately around them. She had no earring on her right ear to match the one on her left and the effect, together with the wand also behind the left ear, was to make her look distinctly lopsided, an effect that was only magnified when she tilted her head unnecessarily to look at them.
“Hello, Ginny,” she said dreamily, as if her voice was coming from far away. She moved her head to look at Neville, and stared unblinking at him for a disconcertingly long time. Eventually she said, “You’re Neville Longbottom.”
“Er, yes,” said Neville.
“That’s nice,” the girl replied, and went back to reading her magazine. Neville was completely flummoxed. He was used to odd reactions from people recognising him, but never had anyone described his being Neville Longbottom as “nice” before. It was certainly not the word he himself would have used. He looked to Ginny for some sort of explanation.
“Neville, this is Luna Lovegood,” said Ginny. “She’s in my year, in Ravenclaw.” Silently, she mouthed, “She’s a bit crazy.”
“Lost your voice, Ginny?” asked Luna, looking up again. “You might have swallowed a Wheezlebug. I know a spell that’ll get rid of it if you want.”
Ginny’s face turned as bright red as her hair. “Er, that’s all right, Luna, I’m fine,” she stammered, cringing with embarrassment. Luna however showed no sign of offence or concern, and her expression remained serene.
“What’s a Wheezlebug?” asked Neville. Ginny gave him a look which suggested that was the wrong question to ask.
“They’re tiny creatures which look like dust,” Luna replied confidently. “They fly inside your throat if you leave your mouth open and steal your voice.”
“There’s no such thing, Luna,” said Ginny wearily.
“Of course there is,” Luna retorted. “Why else would people suddenly lose their voices?” Ginny looked like she was going to respond but thought better of it. Neville was flummoxed. He was never entirely certain when it came to facts, but he was fairly sure Ginny was right. The world was confusing enough already, without adding things that didn’t even exist to it.
The three of them sat in silence for a long time as the train rolled on northwards. Luna continued reading. Ginny fidgeted awkwardly on her seat; it was clear she wanted to talk to Neville, but couldn’t with Luna present. This suited Neville, who was happy to pass the journey in silence, left to his own thoughts.
All of a sudden, Luna put down her magazine and said, “You two kissed after the Second Task last year, didn’t you?” Taken aback by this unexpected conversation opener, Neville and Ginny didn’t respond. “I didn’t go to see the Second Task,” Luna continued thoughtfully, gazing out of the window. “It was too cold and I’d lost my shoes. Still, I expect there wasn’t a lot to see. All underwater, wasn’t it?”
She turned away from the window and stared at them for an uncomfortable length of time before finally saying, “You haven’t seen my earring, have you?” She indicated the one hanging from her left ear. “Only the other one has gone mysteriously missing and it upsets the whole balance of the magical field.” She waved her hands by the sides of her head as if trying to indicate what she meant, though it conveyed nothing to Neville or Ginny.
“Er, sorry, no I haven’t, Luna,” replied Ginny.
“That’s a shame,” said Luna wistfully. “I shall have to make a new one.”
At that moment, Hermione appeared at the door of the compartment. “Ah, there you are, Neville,” she said, and entered, sitting down next to Luna. “Dean’s the new Gryffindor prefect for our year. And, God help us, Malfoy’s a Slytherin prefect. He’s already strutting around like he owns the place.”
“I don’t know you,” interrupted Luna bluntly, but gently.
“Oh, er, I’m Hermione Granger. I’m a friend of Neville’s. Nice to meet you.” There was a long pause. “And you are...?”
“Luna Lovegood. But people sometimes call me Loony, if you prefer.”
Hermione raised her eyebrows. “That’s not very nice of people.”
“Oh, I don’t mind. It’s quite harmless. I like your hair, it’s very different.” Hermione’s brow furrowed as she tried to work out if she had just been insulted or not. Ginny giggled to herself.
Luna picked up her magazine again. “What are you reading?” asked Hermione. Seeing the title on the cover, she said, “The Quibbler? Why on earth would you want to read that?”
“Because my dad’s the editor,” replied Luna. “Would you like a copy? I think I have a spare one. It never hurts to broaden one’s mind.”
“Er, no thank you, I’m fine,” said Hermione quickly. She exchanged glances with Neville, who shrugged. Understanding people was not Neville’s strong point, but Luna seemed almost to encourage bafflement in those around her. Neville was not familiar with The Quibbler but if it was anything like Luna he could understand Hermione’s reticence.
The uncomfortable atmosphere in the compartment, affecting everyone but Luna, lasted all the way until the train arrived at Hogsmeade station. Disembarking, Neville became immediately aware that dozens of eyes were looking at him. He was very used to being noticed, but this was different. He got the impression that everyone on the platform was looking at him, and not just that but examining him, as if trying to work out what he was thinking, or expecting some kind of reaction or outburst from him. Even Hagrid’s familiar cry of “Firs’ years, firs’ years this way,” was absent, and nothing broke the silence. Neville put his head down and headed for the carriages that would take them up to Hogwarts.
Hermione and Ginny went with him and, uninvited, Luna followed on behind them. When Neville got to the nearest carriage, he intended to climb straight in and escape the peering eyes, but instead he stopped. His gaze was drawn once more to the strange black horse with leathery wings that was pulling the carriage. Every year coming to and from Hogwarts he saw these horses, but somehow this year they seemed different: larger, darker and more imposing and frightening. He had never noticed how strange, how out of place they looked before. He stood looking up at the horse in front of him for some moments, but trying not to look too obvious, because he knew the others could not see the horses.
But Luna suddenly appeared at his shoulder, staring up in the same direction. “You can see them too,” she said. “They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”
Neville was shocked. “You mean, you can see them?” he exclaimed.
“Oh yes, the whole time I’ve been coming here.” Luna reached out and patted the side of the creature, which shook itself gently and adjusted its wings.
“Snape once told me that only certain people can see them,” said Neville. “Do you know why?”
“No. We’re just lucky, I guess.” Luna gave a half smile. “I wonder what we have in common? Perhaps we’re quite alike in many ways. Come on, Neville Longbottom, we don’t want to be late for the feast.” She climbed into the carriage, whistling to herself.
Neville, Ginny and Hermione got in. “What was that about?” Ginny asked. Neville didn’t reply. He was looking at Luna and thinking about what she said. He barely knew the girl, but he could immediately see there were similarities between them, and that worried him. They were both outsiders; they didn’t fit in or make friends easily. They were both regarded with suspicion or uncertainty by others. And right now they both had firm beliefs in things which others thought ludicrous. After all, to most people, wasn’t Neville’s claim that Voldemort had returned just as ridiculous as some of Luna’s ideas? But Neville could see one big difference between them: Luna appeared supremely confident and content in who she was. Neville felt anything but that, and he envied Luna for it.
When they reached Hogwarts, they all filed up to the Great Hall. Luna skipped off to the Ravenclaw table, where she sat alone on the end of a bench. Neville tried to find a corner to sit in where he wouldn’t be noticed, but he saw that even some of the Gryffindors were looking at him strangely. Dean Thomas, a bright prefect’s badge on his robe, nodded politely to him, but Seamus Finnigan next to him glared angrily.
The teachers were taking their places at the front of the hall. Neville noticed that the large figure of Hagrid was missing; in his place was a witch Neville didn’t recognise. Snape entered, and Neville instinctively tensed with fear, but the Potions master was not looking in his direction. He was engaged in terse conversation with the witch on his left.
That witch was dressed all in pink, with a small pink bow on her forehead. Neville looked closely and gasped. It was Umbridge, the toad-faced woman from his hearing. She had a sickeningly sweet smile on her face as she gazed out across the hall. Neville looked up and down the teachers’ table and realised with amazement that she must be the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.
He turned to tell Hermione, but he was interrupted by the arrival of Professor McGonagall with the new first years. McGonagall brought out the Sorting Hat and placed it on its stool in front of the teachers. The Hat began to sing.
When I was just a plain old hat
Before my owner gave me life,
The world of magic in these lands
Was torn apart by war and strife.
Each witch and wizard thought that they
Knew best, and listened to no other,
And many cliques and factions formed
And warred, and brother fought with brother.
Too many died, as each side sought
Revenge for each imagined slight,
And widows mourned, and all despaired
For there seemed no end to their plight.
But there were four who stood apart,
Who said that peace could be achieved,
With justice free and fair for all,
And friendship given and received.
Gryffindor, from South he came,
A warrior bold, his valour true,
Hufflepuff, out of the West,
A kindly friend to all she knew,
Ravenclaw, the North her home,
A brilliant mind without a peer,
Slytherin, man of the East,
A wizard shrewd, of purpose clear.
The culmination of their hopes
Was reached when this school was begun.
A place to bring together all
To build a world where all were one.
At first this purpose seemed attained
For there was peace across the lands,
A community was formed at last
And Hogwarts flourished in their hands.
But old divisions and old fears
Crept in at last to tear apart
All that was built and set in place
And Slytherin, he did depart.
And ever since that fateful day
The unity the Founders sought
Has never been achieved again
And all their efforts seem for nought.
It is my role to split you up
And place you into Houses four
Yet I am grieved, for I do fear
You’ll be divided evermore.
This cannot be, for evil comes
And darkness that I prophesied
Is now around us, and our foes
Do threaten Hogwarts from outside.
We must not stand alone, for then
Our enemies will surely win
Together is our greatest strength,
And hope, it can be found within.
A House alone, a man alone
Cannot survive against the dark.
Now let the Sorting at last start
But I do hope my words you’ll mark.
When the Hat fell silent, the Great Hall burst into fevered conversation on all sides. “Really going for it this year, isn’t it?” said Ginny. Neville nodded. This was the second year in a row that the Hat had delivered a warning, but this year its words seemed starker and much more sombre to Neville. He glanced up at the teachers’ table again. Snape was sitting stiffly, to his left Umbridge’s eyes were narrowed as she stared suspiciously at the Hat. He turned to look about the hall, and instantly regretted it. More heads were turned in his direction; more surreptitious whispers were being muttered. It was all very well for the Hat to talk about unity and togetherness, but at this moment Neville had never felt more alone.
Neville Longbottom and the Order of the Phoenix by Sonorus
Chapter Notes: In which Luna Lovegood is introduced and everybody arrives at Hogwarts for the new term.* * *