Into Your Gravity ( Luna Lovegood & Tom Riddle )

Chapter two: Prophecy

Do you believe in reincarnation?
Because I thought I saw your soul
flashing and dancing on the horizon,
shades of jade and emerald.
Oh, I'm a bad girl because I turned the bad world
into a crystal pearl.
Reincarnation - Susanne Sundfor
•

The weather began to warm up over the rest of the week, spring in full swing as April reached its peak. Luna awoke on her first Friday back at Hogwarts due to a ray of sunlight slithering its way into a gap in her bed curtains and settling across her face. Othello was curled up around her head, hogging over half her pillow, and the two of them opened their eyes at the same time. Othello stood up to stretch while Luna stared at the gap in the curtains, at where a rectangle of warm light streamed through. The weight on her chest that came at the prospect of beginning another day started to settle in, just as Othello climbed onto her chest to get her attention.

"I know it's good I'm here," she told the Kneazle in a soft voice. Although there was a dangerous part of her that ached for self-isolation, Luna knew there was power in connection, and her network of friendships was a capillary bed giving her what she needed. Even if they didn't fully understand. Her friends and her schoolwork distracted her, gave her a reason to keep moving. Gave her a refuge from her own mind, which was ruthless and relentless when she was alone.

Getting out of bed was getting a tiny bit easier everyday. Her appetite was beginning to return. But what had happened to her was permanent. Like an amputee, the skin would grow over and heal, but the limb would never return. She would never be the same; she would just learn to live without, and sometimes, even after many years, the phantom of what was lost would still be able to cause her pain.

Some days were better than others. Some hours were better than others.

Pulling the bed curtains open further, Luna's eyes lingered not for the first time on the drawer of her bedside table. She lay her head back down on the pillow, feeling exhausted.

Othello began licking at the tears that were leaking out of the corner of her eyes. Luna hugged the Kneazle with both arms and kissed his forehead. "Alright, you've convinced me. I'll get up."

She got out of bed, dressing in her school robes in the already empty dormitory. She tucked her wand behind her ear, but paused when she looked at her jewelry. A Butterbeer cork necklace. Dirigible plum earrings. Other bits and bobs she had collected for various reasons, for which she had been teased over the years.

"What do you think?" she asked Othello, who was curled on the bed. "Do you think I'm Loony?"

The Kneazle stared at her and flicked his lion tail.

Picking up the Butterbeer cork necklace, she held it out for him to see. "Do you think this will keep the Nargles away?" She looked at the necklace in her hand, then back to Othello. "Do you think Nargles are real?"

Othello mewed at her.

Luna sighed. "You aren't very helpful, answering like that," she said. She lay the Butterbeer cork necklace back down next to the rest of her jewelry.

Reaching out a paw, Othello batted the drawer of her bedside table.

Stern, Luna said, "I can't go back. We've discussed this. I've already lost too much. I can't keep living in the past, especially when there's no guarantee it would be any better." Then, without waiting for her Kneazle's response, she left the dormitory.