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Lions are good friends.
Neville smiles at Luna from where he lays, sprawled delicately on his back. She is glad to see his lips can still form a smile. There have been far too many grimaces on his face as of late.
The younger years: the first through to fourth years snap to attention at the sound of her voice - dreamy as ever but lacking something. Luna’s breath hitches for a moment as she finally acknowledges the gaping chasm in her chest.
And then an excited first year - predictably in golden and red leaps up and something in her chest sparks painfully. It feels like a dying star.
She continues, throat constricted, breath coming shallowly but she continues.
They’d take on Heliopaths, their bravery is to be admired.
Here, another first year joins the first, the two of them scampering over to sit cross-legged by her. She mimics their pose and though there is still a dull ache where her heart is, she smiles.
It is a broken thing, she is sure but Luna has broken before and she knows that maybe this time, she will have help putting herself back together.
The other first years start to shift, turning their heads to hear better but do not approach her.
She does not begrudge them for it.
Lions have strong internal flames -
The two first years by her giggle, the one in green and silver teasing their companion and Luna cannot prevent the tear that rolls down to her cheek. She makes no move to wipe it away.
She does not often cry in the presence of others but here she is simply a storyteller, not Luna the general.
Two more break away from their beds as the tear rolls down her face, bypassing the rest of her body to drip into the carpet. She watches it soak in, temporarily transfixed.
but this means they are susceptible to Heliopaths.
“Heliopaths don’t exist!” a lion cries out immediately and Luna smiles. She takes a moment, ready to open her mouth when the first of the four in front of her yells, “They might!”
”They’re just made up!”
Perhaps their argument may have stretched on but Luna cuts in here, paying no attention to the glowers exchanged by the two first years.
The lion is a pack member, ready to work with others.
Here a fourth year comes over, dragging their siblings with them. They sit before her and Luna wonders when she became important enough for them to listen to the words she has always voiced.
Perhaps it is the change of perspective, she muses. This year has not been what they expected - or perhaps it has but Luna knows that what one expects does not always translate to the reality.
She knew this year would be hard but she still finds herself surprised sometimes. She glances around her and sees a sea of faces looking at her. They are paying attention and the thought is both terrifying and touching.
The lump in her throat grows bigger.
Nargles have a difficult time trying to break their tightly-knit ranks.
Ginny notices the slight wobble in her voice and hurriedly leaps over to her - though she can barely hobble. She is caught almost instantly by at least a dozen ‘Arresto Momentum’s and Luna carefully helps her to the floor, revelling in her friend’s touch.
She has found her family, has finally found those who would love her and be loved in turn. Her heart rises a little, the pressure in her chest beginning to ease.
Lions prefer to act rather than to talk.
Ginny shifts sheepishly in her lap and Luna begins to stroke little circles into her hand. Neville sports a nearly identical expression and Luna smiles again as a murmur begins to pick up around the room. It feels nice to sit here, to watch them begin to tease each other, to see their camaraderie.
It is built out of pain, out of suffering and fear but it binds them together. Luna is almost grateful.
And then, the first two in her audience rip their ties off. They attempt to do the same with the trimmings off their robes but such efforts are futile. Instead, they exchange ties, the red and gold not a bad match with green and silver.
Luna has one last thing to say and the voices die down as she finishes:
If ever a lion should cross your path, do not challenge it but do not be afraid to bare your claws.
And then the Room of Requirement shifts, the beds falling away to be replaced by sleeping bags, positioned in a giant circle. There is space to breathe but comfort in the fact that there is always someone there.
They do not change the room back.