The Phoenix and the Fire

Chapter 1

Ginny stood in the hallway of the Hogwarts Express, searching for a compartment to sit in. Apparently, she was taking too long, because Fred had yelled, "Just find an empty seat for Merlin's sake!"

"Why can't I just sit with you guys?"

"Because," the twins say in sync, "We are in year four, and you're in year one."

"What does that have to do with anything," Ginny protested.

"It has to do with everything. You see, if we let you sit with us, everyone will think that we are losers that only have family members for friends. Oh, and, we have just built a pretty good reputation, and we don't want you to tarnish that," George said a-matter-of-factly.

A reputation for what, Ginny thought, all they ever do is play practical jokes on people that could one day cost someone's life. This made her frustrated. She has been trying to find a seat for ages, but every other compartment was either full, or people just didn't want an unknown, first year student sitting with them. One of the only compartments that weren't full, or full of strangers, was Fred and George's. However, they didn't seem eager at all to let Ginny sit with them for some petty reason regarding their seemingly non-existant social status.

The twins were now settling in their seats, completely disregarding Ginny's presence, (which only made her even more frustrated, as a result). "Can you ppllleeeeaaaassseeeee, just let me sit with you guys," Ginny whaled whilst poking the two boys repeatedly. Fred and George both turned around with their arms crossed. "Why don't you sit in that compartment", they both say whilst pointing to the compartment across from theirs. Ginny had thought about that option moments earlier, but she saw a person's silhouette in there, and she highly doubted that the person inside that compartment wanted a first year sitting with them. Also, Fred and George were the ones that recommended it. Whenever they recommend something, it's usually for the purpose of playing a practical joke.

"What's wrong with that compartment," Ginny said in an over-exaggerated monotonous tone. She has been the subject of a handful of their pranks and she was getting tired of it. "Well, we heard from Lavender, who heard from a boy named Dean, who heard from Seamus, that a crazy looking girl is sitting in there," Fred and George remarked. There were plenty of strange looking people in the wizarding world, but that was "the norm". However, for wizards and witches to say that someone is "crazy looking,"must mean that the person must really, truly, look strange.

"What, exactly, makes her so 'crazy looking'?" Other people wouldn't usually question it, but rather, take it as it is, and leave the situation behind. However, Ginny was curious; in her mind, this girl could not be as strange as they assume she is.

"Well, she was wearing weird glasses," said Fred.

"And strange clothes," George said.

"Plus, Lavender said that, Dean saw the girl talking to herself, as she got into that compartment," Fred added.

"Maybe Dean didn't see the person she was talking to," Ginny asked.

"Oh, so you're doubting Dean's vision, are you now?" The twins were now looking at her with playful smirks.

"N-no, no, that's not what I meant—"

Ginny was cut off when the twins swiftly left their seats and hoisted her across the hallway of the train to the entrance of another compartment.

"Hey! Hey! UGH!!!"

"Whoops! Almost forgot these." Fred quickly ran to the smudgy, old bags. He tossed them to George, one by one. Ginny was too stunned with anger, to actually register what just happened. She turned around to find the twins sitting in their "elite-and-Ginny-free" compartment. They left their door open, so that Ginny would see them—for bragging purposes. Their legs and arms were crossed elegantly, and the smug look on their faces were identical, and slappable. She opened her mouth to yell at them, until, she heard a tiny gasp coming from behind her. In that moment, she realized that the twins were gloating silently, on purpose.

Ginny looked around the compartment to find the source of the tiny gasp, but all she could see was a mountain of blonde— was that hair? Ginny wasn't entirely sure, so she moved further into the compartment to investigate. She slowly crept up to the mass of blonde substance that, was probably hair, until she was a breath away from it. "Peculiar," Ginny whispered. Then, she saw the life-size clump of hair start moving. Suddenly, a hand appeared and moved a chunk of hair, to reveal a face.

The face was occupied with huge, round, silvery grey eyes. Below those massive orbs, was a small nose, and delicate lips coloured in a soft pinky shade. Ginny didn't realize that she was still staring, until the dainty face turned away, and buried itself in its tiny arm, then let out an even tinier sneeze. Ginny took a shaky step back as fast as she could, but ended up falling to the other side of the compartment. Suddenly, the fragile looking hand moved another chunk of hair back, to reveal tiny legs. The legs were folded up against a torso, and acted as if they were a shield used to protect the figure from harm. This must be the girl that everyone has been talking about, Ginny thought. Should I just pretend that none of this happened and ask if I can sit here, she asked herself.

"Oh umm sorry. I'm sorry, uhh is it okay if I sit here?"

The little girl nodded, softly but swiftly, and hid her face behind her knees. When she nodded, Ginny caught a glimpse of the necklaces that occupied her neck, along with a folded pair of strange looking glasses. They were pink with multicolored lenses. Rather than improving your vision, they looked like they would wreck your eyesight instead.
         
         Luna had never seen so many freckles on a human being, in her life—ever. They reminded her of stars in the night sky. The sky is already beautiful as it is, but the freckles add brightness to the sky. And with the brightness, it adds more beauty. That's what the freckles did to this girl. She was already, very beautiful, and the freckles just added more beauty to her.

          She admired the girl's hair. It was the kind of red that reminded her of passion. The passion that you get when, you become so happy, you become passionate. It was the red that, you couldn't get, in just one can of paint.
 
       Luna thought that this girl just, overall, looked lovely. Her deep, brown eyes fit perfectly into her face. Below those eyes lie a perfectly straight nose, dotted in freckles. Under the nose, rested her sweet, pinkish lips. Luna just sat there, admiring this girl's beauty, like how someone would view a masterpiece. Because, this girl, was truly, a masterpiece. Luna wanted to paint this masterpiece someday (when she has developed the talent). For now, however, all she could do was marvel at this work of, pure, art. So, that's what she did.

       They sat there, just staring at each other in awkward silence, until Ginny realized that she was staring and, interrupted it. "My name is Ginny Weasley, " she said whilst extending her hand for a handshake. "Im Luna Lovegood," the girl said whilst shaking her hand.