Dawn Rivera

Luna Lovegood

There is a lot of commotion in the house. Fred and George bewitched their trunks to fly downstairs to save the bother of carrying them, with the result that they hurtled straight into Ginny and Misty and knocked them down two flights of stairs into the hall; Mrs Black and Mrs Weasley are both screaming at the top of their voices.

"- COULD HAVE DONE THEM SERIOUS INJURIES, YOU IDIOTS -"

"- FILTHY HALF-BREEDS, BESMIRCHING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS -"

Hermione and I hurry into Harry's, Danny's and Ron's room, flustered, just as Harry and Danny are putting on their trainers. Hedwig and Midnight are swaying on our shoulders, and we are carrying squirming a Crookshanks and Lizzie in our arms.

"Hermione's mum and dad just sent Hedwig back," I say. The owl flutters obliging over and perches on top of her cage. Midnight nips my ear softly then joins her. "Are you ready yet?"

"Nearly. Are Misty and Ginny all right?" Danny asks, giving Harry his glasses.

"Mrs Weasley's patched them up," says Hermione. "But now Mad-Eye's complaining that we can't leave unless Sturgis Podmore's here, otherwise the guard will be one short."

"Guard?" says Harry. "We have to go to King's Cross with a guard?"

"You have to go to King's Cross with a guard," I correct him.

"Why?" says Danny irritably. "I thought Voldemort was supposed to be lying low, or are you telling me he's going to jump out from behind a dustbin to try and do him in?"

"I don't know, it's just what Mad-Eye says," says Hermione distractedly, looking at her watch, "but if we don't leave soon we're definitely going to miss the train..."

"WILL YOU LOT GET DOWN HERE NOW, PLEASE!" Mrs Weasley bellows and Hermione and I jump as though scalded and hurry out of the room.

Mrs Black's portrait is howling with rage but nobody is bothering to close the curtains over her; all the noise in the hall is bound to rouse her again, anyway.

"Harry, Dathaniel, you're to come with me and Tonks," shouts Mrs Weasley - over the repeated screeches of "MUDBLOODS! SCUM! CREATURES OF DIRT!" - "Leave your trunks and your owls, Alastor's going to deal with the luggage...oh for heaven's sake, Sirius, Dumbledore said no!"

A bear-like black dog has appeared at Harry's, Danny's and I's sides as we are clamouring over the various trunks in the hall to get to Mrs Weasley.

"Oh, honestly..." says Mrs Weasley despairingly. "Well, on your own head be it!"

She wrenches open the front door and steps out into the weak September light. Harry, Danny, and the black dog follow her. The door slams behind them.

*********************************************

Mr Weasley, Ron, Hermione and I emerge on to the platform. We have almost unloaded Moody's luggage trolley when Fred, George, Ginny and Misty turn up with Lupin.

"No trouble?" growls Moody.

"Nothing," says Lupin.

"I'll be reporting Sturgis to Dumbledore," says Moody, "that's the second time he's not turned up in a week. Getting as unreliable as Mundungus."

"Well, look after yourselves," says Lupin, shaking hands all around. When he reaches Harry he gives him a clap on the shoulder. "You too, Harry. Be careful."

"Yeah, keep your head down and your eyes peeled," says Moody, shaking Harry's hand too. "And don't forget, all of you - careful what you put in writing. If in doubt, don't put it in a letter at all."