Chapter Text
Remus glanced up from his book, surveying the classroom of Ravenclaws engaged in various...non-classwork related activities. Whoever said that Ravenclaws were all pretentious, hardworking students had clearly never taught them, had never watched them slack off during work time, overconfident in their procrastination. The restless students chatted amongst each other, whispering and giggling and passing notes. It seemed like everyone had someone to talk to, something to talk about. Well, Remus noticed, everyone but one girl.
The blonde girl who sat in the back of his classroom, sketching absentmindedly on her scrap pieces of parchment, seemingly paying no mind to the mocking looks and laughs directed at her. Remus frowned. He’d never thought of Ravenclaws as particularly mean, but then again, houses were just houses, and the casual cruelty of teenagers was present throughout the entire castle. Remus had only been a professor for a few days now, and being ever the planner, really, Moony, you’re our mastermind, where would we be without you, no-
Remus, being ever the planner, had written out not only lesson plans, but had also scribbled notes on which students to look out for. Which students had the haunted look in their eyes that was all too familiar to him, which students had a scheming glint in their stare, there’s just something about you, Prongs, makes everyone suspicious before you’ve even opened your mouth-
Remus closed his book sharply.
“Class dismissed, everybody. Despite the obvious… lack of productivity exhibited during your provided work time, I still expect your essays to be on my desk tomorrow morning, understood?” Satisfied with the nodding heads scattered across the room, Remus swiftly cast a spell to open the door and watched as the students filed out, talking louder and louder over each other.
The blonde was one of the last to pack her things, her movements anything but frantic or rushed.
“Ms. Lovegood, is it?” Remus called. “Would you mind staying for a minute?”
The girl lifted her gaze to Remus and paused. She nodded, looking perplexed, and set her things back onto her desk.
As the rest of the students left, Remus walked over to Luna’s desk, attempting to look as non-threatening as possible. This is clearly rubbish, Moony. A highly dangerous creature? Please, mate, you should’ve seen your face this morning when Sirius was drowning in your jumper. Nothing but gentle in those eyes, Moons, oh, what I wouldn’t give for Evans to look at me like that-
The girl looked at him, tilting her head inquisitively. “Have I done something wrong, Professor?”
“No, Ms. Lovegood, quite the contrary, really. I, “ he paused. “What’s your name, Ms. Lovegood? My apologies for not remembering it.”
“Luna,” said the girl, in that strange, whimsical voice of hers, the word spoken softly and gently as if its definition wasn’t Remus’s enemy and fear and torture and-
“Luna. A lovely name, Ms. Lovegood. Do you enjoy astronomy?”
“I like looking at the sky, Professor. The astronomy tower is particularly nice at night alone, I can find quite a peace-” she halted, suddenly, as she seemed to have sheepishly remembered that she was confessing to rule-breaking directly in front of a teacher.
Remus laughed. “It’s quite alright, Luna. Have you yet found the secret passageway to the tower that’s by the Ravenclaw staircase, right alongside the portrait of the small village?”
Luna’s eyes widened and an involuntary grin lit up her face before she schooled her expression.
“I.. I haven’t, Professor, but I’d imagine it would result in a much easier journey.”
“See that it will,” Remus smirked, glad to impress someone with his tricks. Too many people lately had thought of him as a rule-follower. The discomfort of it itched under his skin.
“I didn’t ask you to stay after class to corrupt you with knowledge of this castle’s secret hallways, however, despite how much more I could reveal to you on that front.” Remus gave her a smile as a silent promise to later tell her all his secrets.
“Luna, are you lonely?” Remus’s tone was blunt, yet kind.
Luna flushed. Her hand twitched as she reached to adjust her eccentric glasses.
“I don’t know what you want me to say to that, Professor,” Luna mumbled. “I am alone most of the time, yes, but I have the creatures to watch, and my father to write to, and the stars to look for where my mother is, and-”
“Your mother?”
“Died, Professor.”
“Mine too, Ms. Lovegood.”
“So you can see the thestrals, then?”
“Oh, Luna,” sighed Remus. “If only my mother was the only reason as to why I can.”
Luna’s mouth pressed into a thin line. She nodded grimly, understanding.
“Let me clarify. Do you have any friends?”
The twelve year old shook her head slowly. “I don’t suppose I do, Professor.”
“Of my memories at Hogwarts, Ms. Lovegood, some of the worst were from before I found my friends. I was ridiculed, I was lonely. I don’t want to sit by and watch any of my students feel the way I did.”
“There’s no one who doesn’t think I’m loony, Professor, I’ve gotten used to it, I’ve made my peace with it-”
Remus cut her off sharply. “No, you’re not allowed to simply accept that, Luna, I can’t let you do that. You are a bright student. You’re young and you may be unusual, but that does not need to be a bad thing. Trust me on that.”
Luna stared at him, silent, before asking, “What exactly do you propose I do, Professor?”
Remus paused for a moment, he really hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“Until-” he began. “Until you find your people, which will happen, I promise, you’re more than welcome to join me for lunch in my classroom. I can teach you more about magical creatures and secret passageways and you can tell me about all that you know and wish to share with somebody.”
“I don’t want you to be lonely, Luna,” Remus finished, feeling a little feeble.
“You know, Professor, I really do appreciate it, but I’m not sure how you could help,” Luna said, voice heartbreakingly soft. “It’s not like you and I have much in common anyways.”
Despite her voiced rejection, Luna’s eyes desperately searched Remus’s face for a sign of rebuttal, an assertion that she had found a friend, a mentor.
Luna. The moon as a namesake. Moony. Loony Lovegood. Laughing, scathing whispers of “Loony Lupin” caught by his sharp hearing. Remus dragged his hand down across his face, pulling the scarred skin as he sighed deeply. Fuck. She couldn’t be more wrong.
“Ms. Lovegood,” he began. “I hope you’ll find that we’re more alike than you’d think.”
And with a small but hopeful grin, Luna shrugged, then left the room, giving Remus a little wave of her hand before gently closing the door behind her.