Luna and the Letter

Devon, Ottery St. Catchpole, the Lovegood house.

It was a bright morning, and the powder-blue curtains swayed gently in the breeze.

Warm sunlight shone through the window, gilding the bedroom floor with a layer of golden sand.

"Mm..." The girl let out a catlike murmur and slowly opened her eyes.

She sat up at the edge of the bed at an unhurried pace, her pale-gold hair cascading down like a waterfall.

Luna rubbed her eyes, stretched lazily, and looked at the blue sky outside the window. "What lovely weather!"

After walking downstairs, she looked toward the tightly shut door not far away, and the smile at the corners of her mouth gradually disappeared.

Since yesterday, that door had not opened once.

"Yesterday was the day Hogwarts started. Next year I'll be going too. Right." She spoke softly, as if reminding herself of something important.

Xenophilius was already in the dining room, his hair a complete mess. He held a writing board in his hands, a charcoal pencil tucked behind his ear, and was planning the next issue of The Quibbler.

"Luna, today is a good day for drawing," he said, bringing over the breakfast he had prepared.

Luna sat down at the dining table and picked up her knife and fork. "Yes, the sky is like a blue curtain."

In the dining room, there was only the scratch of the charcoal pencil and the occasional clink of knife and fork against the plate. It was very quiet.

Xenophilius put down the writing board. "Luna, are you feeling all right? Is breakfast not to your taste?"

"I'm fine, Dad." Faced with such a concerned expression, Luna gently shook her head.

She did not want her father to worry about her, so she lightly changed the subject. "Is this issue of the magazine ready? I'm getting a little impatient."

"The last few issues got quite a good response! That boy Wizet has plenty of ideas!" Xenophilius perked up. "More people have been sending in submissions lately!"

"They're very interested in the 'local specialties' section. Some even mailed me samples. I added a little to the bread for breakfast."

"The contributor said these bees collect laurel honey, and that people who use laurel honey can gain good luck. How do you think it tastes?"

"So it was Wizet's idea?" Luna murmured.

She forked up a piece of bread and put it into her mouth, revealing a faint smile. "I think it tastes quite good."

Luna's life went on as usual. Like a hardworking bee, she tended the whole garden.

The owl Diana stayed by her side, singing cheerfully.

Collecting dew, loosening soil, watering flowers, feeding...

She could still take joy from it, but that joy felt a little strange, as though something was missing.

"The mistletoe and the Dirigible Plums are both growing very well. I haven't found any Nargles either," Luna said as she picked Dirigible Plums.

"Wizet, do you know about Nargles? Dad told me they're little things a bit like maggots. When they're young, they have three thousand teeth, and when they grow up, they grow even more teeth."

"They have three eyes, and there are sickle-shaped hooks on their tails, which is why they're called Nargles. Wizet, isn't that interesting?"

"Wi...zet?"

The gentle reply she remembered did not come. Luna could only hear the wind around her.

She now felt as though some things had been locked away together with that tightly shut door.

"Yes, he's gone to Hogwarts."

Luna stood up and walked toward the stream in the distance.

She sat on the bank, looking at the trickling water as she thought.

Only one day had passed, yet she felt a kind of emptiness.

"There are more Wrackspurts."

She murmured to the Dirigible Plum.

The feeling was very familiar. She had experienced something like this before.

Time could smooth everything over. As long as she was given a few more days, she would be able to get used to a life with one person fewer. Changes like this were nothing unusual to her.

The sky was still clear, and the stream was still limpid. Though everything was as it had been, she felt as if she was drifting away from everything around her.

Luna sat beside the stream for a long time, gazing at the surface of the water, until a familiar owl's cry sounded. Only then did she quickly raise her head.

"Hoo! Hoo..." The owl was clutching a large cloth bundle, like a propeller plane with damaged wings, about to glide into the stream.

Luna hurriedly reached out and, by the narrowest margin, caught Thor in her arms, preventing it from becoming a drowned owl. "Thor, I caught you!"

"Hoo! Hoo!" Thor struggled to rub against Luna's sleeve, and then its eyes closed just like that.

"Bringing so many things here from Hogwarts, you must be exhausted," Luna said gently, stroking Thor's drooping crest feathers.

When she returned home, Xenophilius had just taken off his apron. On the table was a steaming pot of stew. "I was just about to go look for you! Why did you come back so late from playing today?"

Luna carefully placed the cloth bundle on the table, then excitedly held up the owl and said, "I ran into Thor!"

"That boy actually remembered to send a letter back?" Xenophilius raised his eyebrows and took the owl from Luna's hands.

"You see what that boy wrote. I'll find some tonic to feed Thor. It looks worn out."

When she opened the cloth bag, the first things inside were two large boxes of snacks. Their heavy weight made Luna understand at once why Thor had ended up so exhausted.

Beneath them was a letter. A line was written on the thick parchment envelope: To Luna and Mr. Lovegood.

The words "and Mr. Lovegood" were spaced a little far apart, as if they had been added afterward.

Luna placed a hand over her chest and felt as if her heart had begun to beat faster.

She let out a soft breath before opening the letter.

Dear Luna and Mr. Lovegood, Thor brought me a bag of Chocolate Frogs. This snack tastes very good, and I wanted to share it with you and Mr. Lovegood.

Hogwarts is wonderful and magical. I've seen so many interesting things, so many that I can't describe them in words.

I think that's all right, because you'll be coming to Hogwarts next year too. When the time comes, we can have a look around together.

How are the mistletoe and Dirigible Plums at home? I remember the Dirigible Plums were almost ripe.

Last time, when I was fertilizing them with you, you mentioned Nargles to me. What kind of creatures are they?

I'm still very curious. You kept me in suspense last time—are you willing to tell me now?

There are still many wonders at Hogwarts. If I write to you again later, I hope you won't find me too long-winded.

Also, Please give my regards to Mr. Lovegood for me.

I hope everything is well with you both.

Wizet Lovegood

The letter was very plain, yet it was precisely because of that plainness that Luna felt very close to Wizet.

The Wizet in her heart was not someone blazing as brilliantly as the fierce sun, but someone as subtle as the wind, quietly staying by her side.

She could say whatever was on her mind without the slightest burden, and Wizet could accept everything with easy calm.

Luna opened a box of Chocolate Frogs. The smooth, rich chocolate melted on the tip of her tongue, its sweetness filling her heart.

"And? As well? Also?" Xenophilius's voice rang out. Thor, the owl on his shoulder, had recovered somewhat and could hook his talons into his shoulder while dozing.

"Luna, are you going to write back to that boy? Then tell him to pay attention next time. When he addresses me, he shouldn't put 'and' or 'as well' in front of it!"

"All right, Dad!" Luna put the envelope away, then took a set of drawing supplies from the cabinet.

Xenophilius asked in confusion, "What are you planning to do? Lunch is ready!"

"I know, Dad!" Luna said as she ran upstairs. "Didn't you tell me this morning that today was perfect for drawing?"