Sanity ~ A Luna Lovegood Fanfiction

The Burrow

Professor McGonagall canceled all NEWTS and OWLS. It would be cruel to make us endure the exams. And since there was only a month until the summer holidays she also dismissed all students from Hogwarts. All parents that had not been present for The Battle of Hogwarts had been sent an owl.

So, my father should've got ond. But there was no reply from him. I was worried, unspeakably so. But that didn't stop me from spending a laborious few days helping to clean up the Castle and attending to Madam Pomfrey with all the wounded.

Sometimes I would go up to the Astronomy Tower, expecting to see Neville standing there waiting for me. He never was. His grandmother came to him as soon as possible and whisked him away.

Most of the Castle was completely empty after a couple of days. By the fifth night, with gruesome nightmares recurring each time it fell dark, the Castle was hauntingly quiet. I couldn't sleep. My desire to get back to my family gnawed at me. After everything I'd seen and done, all I needed was a hug from my father.

Had something terrible happened? Was that why I had heard no word from him?

Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys all stayed behind for the clean-up so at least I had someone looking out for me.

Mrs. Weasley was distracting herself with work. She didn't let her guard down, she wouldn't let herself cry. George was acting like a ghost. Every time I thought of the other red-headed twin, I choked up. I couldn't come close to imagining how he was feeling. 

Soon, Hogwarts was looking much better. All that had been destroyed seemed to have been made almost as good as new. With Hogwarts back in order, we could all start feeling a bit more at peace.

The Weasleys had done their job and were going to take the Floo home. I was in the Great Hall, ready to wave them off with a farewell smile. But that wasn't enough for Molly. She stopped me and asked if I would go with them. I refused abruptly but she kept insisting.

After so many, 'No, please, I'm fine, don't worry about me,''s and 'Aw, no no no, now don't be silly, come with us, child''s, I was hustled into a chimney and recited, "The Burrow."

I landed with a stumble in an open fireplace.

Hermione and Ginny had gone before me and were blocking part of my view, but my jaw had already dropped. In fact I would have remained standing there, motionless, for quite some time if Ginny, a small smirk on her face, hadn't moved me out of the fireplace.

Almost immediately I heard a thump as someone landed behind me.

Ginny was still staring at me, a grin growing on her face, Hermione was behind her with an amused expression.

I loved the Burrow already. It was so welcoming and homely but quirky too.

All the dutiful pots and pans. The breezy orange curtains detailed with logan berries. The long oak table that stood sturdily and its delightful marmalade table cloth. All nine mismatched, rickety chairs. I was surprised it hadn't been featured in the Quibbler's quarterly interior design segment.

"Pretty impressive, huh?" Harry said with a smirk, as I realised who had made a thump behind me.

"This is such a beautiful house," I said, looking in turn at each person gathered in the kitchen, gawking at me. "Could you teach me how to make hats like this, Mrs Weasley?" I gestured to the busy knitting needles, clicking against each other as they laced and entwined loops of tangerine wool into a summer cap.

"Oh, of course, yes, dear. It's very simple," Mrs Weasley said. She was already busy, waving her wand around the kitchen and making plates fly in and out of cupboards.

"That hat's not for me, is it, Molly?" Harry chirped.

Mrs Weasley threw her hands up. "Well, it was going to be a surprise, but yes, I suppose."

Harry smirked, going over to inspect it. "I'm not sure this is my colour, though," he teased.

Ginny rolled her eyes playfully. "He defeats one dark lord and now he thinks he deserves dinner on a china bone plate."

Harry gave her a little shove and they started laughing, throwing fake punches at each other, as everyone settled into their positions around the kitchen.

I was still stuck in place, content in surveying all the wonderous sights the Burrow had to offer.

Ron noticed me, standing like a statue. He was munching on a bread roll that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. "Harry was just like you when he came here for the first time," he informed me.

Harry, joining in on our conversation, nodded profusely with a grin plastered on his face already. "That morning after you picked me up in the car," he noted with a reminiscent smile.

"Don't remind me of that goddamned car!" Mrs Weasley called, now clattering by the sink.

I heard Mr Weasley chuckling. "I do miss her, sometimes," he said wistfully.

"I don't," said Ron without hesitation.

Harey started giggling. Yes, the Chosen One. Harry Potter. Leaning on his knees, getting breathless.

"We've come a long way, mate," Ron said, slinging his arm around Harry's neck and pulling him to his chest.

Harry got over his giggle fit but his red face was still struggling to recover. "Imagine how differently it all could have gone if only Vernon had invested in some stronger window bars."

Ron looked like he'd just hit in the face with a hilarious memory that had been stuck at the back of his mind for years. "The bars!" he exclaimed. "Who puts bars on a bloody window?"

The rest of the family had joined in. Almost everyone was laughing in their own little way. Their laughter surrounded me until even I started to chuckle. It was contagious. And I didn't even have a clue about what on earth they were going on about.