party tattoos || luna lovegood

T W O

The train ride flew by like a dream for Honey. She learned about all these weird little creatures that seemed like they couldn't possibly exist but Luna was so convincing that they  did. Honey believed they did, even if she couldn't see them.  Dust Faeries and Nargles and who knows what else, the stories and the lore and the facts and the descriptions poured out of Luna like a thunder cloud, beautiful and soft and powerful all at the same time. Honey didn't think she'd ever been more captivated by a human being. 

Near the end of the ride, Luna asked about Honey's family. It wasn't a difficult question, really, but one that required some explaining for certain people.

"Well, I live with my mum and my dad left my mum before I was born so I don't really know him at all. All I know is him and my mum met at a hippie convention, conceived me, and he left her after revealing he was a wizard." 

"That sounds complicated." Luna said. "I only live with my dad- my mum died when I was young." 

"I'm sorry." 

"There's not much we can do about it now, is there? Anyway, I have my little family and that's all that really matters isn't it? I'm happy so I'm not complaining." Luna shrugged, looking down at her sketchbook. 

"I guess you have a point." They sat in silence for a little bit until the train pulled into the station, children pouring out onto an outdoor station, teachers calling for first-years to follow Hagrid. The rest of the students boarded the magic coaches. 

"Can you see the Thestrals?" Luna asked. 

"The what?" 

"Only people who have seen someone die can see them. I've been able to see them for years, sadly." Luna's eyes were suddenly dull, and her face went cold.

"Are you ok?" Honey asked, noticing the change.

"Yeah, just... thinking." 

They boarded one of the carriages, and the soft wind was warm and comforting against both of their faces, the breeze blowing their hair back and caressing their faces softly. The wind said "Welcome home." 

Luna looked around in wonder, and Honey was amazed she hadn't noticed this girl before, with her vibrant spirit and ability to see beauty in everything. Even though Luna was a Ravenclaw, it wasn't uncommon for houses to mix. 

---

The sorting ceremony was boring and pointless, as always. The hat sang a song, some kids got thrown into their houses, Dumbledore said some words that made no sense because it was tradition, and everyone at a bunch of food that half the kids in the grade would end up doubled over in toilets because they stuffed themselves too full of pumpkin pasties and butterbeer to function- especially the first years. Honey had no friends at the Hufflepuff table, or pretty much any other table and so she kept on glancing over at Luna, who sat surrounded by a couple girls either sketching or reading books. They were all talking and pointing out passages in their stories to one another and complimenting each other's drawings. Honey would do anything to be at that table. And that's why she had no friends. Once someone showed the smallest bit of kindness to Honey, she latched on and wouldn't let go. Sometimes, Honey hated herself as much as the other kids hated her. Why couldn't she just be normal? 

Of course Luna would say there's no such thing as normal, and that it was just a stupid idea created by society to make everyone conform to being the same as everybody else. And maybe that was true, but normal meant you were liked. And Honey wanted to be liked by literally anyone. And now that she was maybe liked by at least one person, she didn't want to ruin it. So Honey put her head down and ate her turkey and potatoes in silence, waiting until everyone was dismissed. They finally were, and Honey and the rest of the Hufflepuffs walked the very short distance from the Great Hall down to their common room, all splitting off to their separate dorms. 

Honey's dorm was shared by four girls; Honey-of course,- Maya, Amelie, and Iris. They were all nice, of course, because they were Hufflepuffs and that was what they were supposed to be, but they were all too similar to welcome someone as different as Honey was to them. 

Honey thought she might bond with Iris because they were both part of the Weird Names Club™ but it soon became clear that Iris didn't want to hang out with a "bad influence" like Honey. 

Even though Honey wasn't a bad person, her three roommates, as sweet and innocent and polite as they came across, were really judgemental and did not approve of Honey's rebellious style and personality, so Honey was left alone. 

The minute the four settled down in their beautiful dorm room, Iris, Maya, and Amelie all huddled together on Amelie's bed, drawing the curtains around them and whispering and giggling together, leaving Honey all alone. As usual. And Honey wished more than anything to be sitting on that bed with them, pouring over Witch magazines-as much as Honey hated corporate magazines- and giggling over the hot celebrities on all the pages. 

But what's new?