Purple Rain.

Chapter Seventy-Three.

(Y/n) strolled around with Luna, helping the girl search for her belongings and pin up notes to a board on the wall. (Y/n) found that she rarely had alone time. Someone always insisted they accompany her. Her visit to St. Mungo's really must have been traumatic for them... Her favourite people were Leanne, Tony, and Dean, all of whom came from nonmagical backgrounds and related to her confusion about the wizarding world. Hermione Granger was also of nonmagical background but she seemed to be a little short whenever (Y/n) grew confused with whatever she was referring to.
(Y/n) glanced up as Harry, looking quite reluctant to do so, came strolling along the corridor in their direction.

"Hello," said Luna, glancing around at Harry as she stepped back from the notice.

"How come you two aren't at the feast?" Harry asked.

"Well, I've lost most of my possessions," said Luna serenely. "People take them and hide them, you know. But as it's the last night, I really do need them back, so I've been putting up signs." She gestured toward the notice board, upon which, sure enough, she had pinned a list of all her missing books and clothes, with a plea for their return.

"How come people hide your stuff?" Harry asked her, frowning.

"Oh... well..." Luna shrugged. "I think they think I'm a bit odd, you know. Some people call me 'Loony' Lovegood, actually." (Y/n) gasped, pressing her fingers to her mouth

"That's no reason for them to take your thinks," Harry said flatly. "D'you want help finding them?"

"Oh no," Luna said, smiling. "They'll come back, they always do in the end. It was just that I wanted to pack tonight. Anyway... why aren't you at the feast?"

Harry shrugged. "Just didn't feel like it."

"No," said Luna, observing him with those oddly misty, protuberant eyes. "I don't suppose you do. I suppose we're all a bit gloomy, aren't we?" Harry nodded curtly.

"Have you..." Harry began. "I mean, who... has anyone you've known ever died?"

"Yes," said Luna simply, "my mother. She was a quite extraordinary witch, you know, but she did like to experiment and one of her spells went rather badly wrong one day. I was nine."

"I'm sorry," Harry mumbled.

"Yes, it was rather horrible," said Luna conversationally. "I still feel very sad about it sometimes. But I've still got Dad and (Y/n). And anyway, it's not as though I'll never see Mum again, is it?"

"Er— isn't it?" said Harry uncertainly.

Luna shook her head in disbelief. "Oh, come on. You heard them, just behind the veil, didn't you?"

"You mean..."

"In that room with the archway. They were just lurking out of sight, that's all. You heard them."

They looked at each other. Luna was smiling slightly. Harry did not know what to say, or to think. (Y/n) looked uncertainly between the two.

"Are you sure you don't want me to help you look for your stuff?" Harry asked, growing quite desperate to continue being in (Y/n)'s presence.

"Oh no," said Luna. "No, I think I'll just go down and have some pudding and wait for it all to turn up... It always does in the end... Well, have a nice holiday, Harry."

"Yeah... yeah, you too." Harry and (Y/n) watched Luna go. "You're not joining her?" Harry asked.

"Oh no," (Y/n) said. "I am quite sick of pudding... Besides, I ought to be practising magic if I want to remain caught up for next year..."