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"Xeno?" Emily Jones begins questioningly.
"Yes?" Xenophilius Lovegood replies, fiddling with his Spectrespecs.
"Where is Luna?" The woman continues.
"On the train I believe." Xenophilius states not once looking up from the Quibbler he is holding.
There is a choked sound from somewhere behind them that is ignored.
Next to them, Narcissa Black Malfoy withholds her laughter.
Nearby, Ginny Weasley perks up at this.
Looney and her are meant to be going to Hogwarts next year but if the girl is doing it...
Mrs Weasley steers Ginny away hastily.
Luna plops down into her seat.
She is sharing the compartment with her two best friends: Draco Malfoy and Megan Jones.
They are both physically a year older but they get along just fine.
She is glad.
It's rare to find her brand of crazy.
Although, as she eyes the redhead twins who sprint into their cabin speculatively, she realises that there may be others.
The twins shut the door and sink to the ground in relief only to meet the unimpressed stare of a Malfoy, the crossed arms of a Jones and the unholy smile of a Lovegood.
"We like you!" they declare in unison.
This time, Luna is not the only one smiling.
Far away, in a castle in Scotland the inhabitants shiver at an unexpected chill.
They quickly recover though so it is easy enough to dismiss.
Severus Snape is not particularly a happy man.
The day of the arrival of his godson, however, renders him even more vicious than ever.
He is going to enjoy his grouchiness for as long as possible.
While he mourns the future - in which his godson will undoubtedly find ways to get himself into trouble with with his friends (Severus's honorary godchildren), Severus is sort of excited to watch the others have to put up with the little devils.
He has been suffering ever since the boy was born.
It will certainly be interesting watching someone else try to rein the demons in.
Behind his back, the other professors silently agree to try to keep Severus away from Harry Potter.
Little do they know that they will be too busy occupied with other things.
Luna doesn't know how she ever could have missed out on the opportunity to talk to the Weasley twins before.
They are geniuses!
Luna, Megan and Draco listen intently as the twins recount their previous pranks.
They aren't so much pranksters themselves - more they simply end up in unfortunate situations.
It's not their fault!
Really it isn't.
If they do offer the twins some advice and if the twins' friend Lee Jordan has a little breakdown about them 'corrupting the younger generation' then it's nobody's business but their's.
If he ends up joining in and they promise to introduce the other three to some of their friends, who is there to hear it?
Hagrid squints at the First Years as he leads them to the boats.
There seems to be a lot of them this year and he's not sure there are enough boats.
"Bet you I can swim across the lake the fastest!"
"As if, Malfoys are the best at everything!"
"That's not fair, I've got glasses!"
"And?"
"Which means I get a headstart!"
A blonde girl plunges into the lake and soaks her two companions who both scream at her before following.
Halfway across the lake, the brunette stops, flapping her hands and feet to keep her head above the water.
"Hurry up slowpokes!" she hollers.
Hagrid watches, mildly concerned as the other children move to follow.
Oh, well, they are just enthusiastic.
Summoned by their hoots and splashes, the Giant Squid abruptly surfaces.
One boy screams and starts to sink but the Squid is quick to toss him ashore.
"Hey, that's cheating!"
"Yeah!" chorus a number of voices.
Hagrid plonks himself in the large boat and slowly rows across behind them.
When he reaches the shore, he frowns in confusion.
The three troublemaking children - who he expected to be there first are nowhere to be found.
That is the precise moment his boat capsizes.
Megan is soaking wet.
She is also feeling particularly gleeful.
They met the Giant Squid!
And they all took turns being tossed by it!
The water is worth it.
It's even more worth it when a severe looking woman - Professor Minerva McGonagall - looks at them disapprovingly and huffs.
Megan manages not to laugh.
Next to her, Luna frantically tries to dry her glasses.
It's not very effective because she doesn't really have anything to dry them with - except air.
Draco - well Draco is the best off.
Somehow, her friend manages to pull even the bedraggled look off and not for the first time, Megan curses Malfoy genetics.
And Black genetics.
She doesn't know why but Purebloods are just really pretty.
It is not fair!
"Lovegood, Luna."
Severus groans and hits his head on the table with a thunk.
Minerva ignores him with practiced ease.
Inside though, her mind is whirring frantically.
She doesn't remember the Lovegood having been on the list prior to today.
Still, Minerva is professional.
The hat calls, "Ravenclaw!"
Minerva continues calling out names.
"Albus, what is the meaning of this?"
"According to the charter, my dear, we cannot send Miss Lovegood home."
"Ms, please." the girl in question cuts in.
"What?"
"Ms Lovegood, please. Oh and Ms Jones, too."
Minerva and Albus exchange confused glances.
Luna rolls her eyes.
"Ms. is a term for addressing girls and women that became popular in 1984. It is the equivalent of Mr. and I would like to be addressed by it."
Minerva shrugs at Albus.
"As you say Ms Lovegood. The fact remains Minerva that as Miss Love- Ms Lovegood has been sorted, unless she is expelled or prevented by medical reasons to attend, she is now a First Year student."
"Be as that may, is there any way that...
"They made a new rule because of you?"
Luna nods sincerely.
She can almost see Lee whining pathetically behind the twins who are bowing exaggeratedly.
Unfortunately, her glasses are still wet.