A Frog, a Hairbrush and a Beginning

Luna Lovegood drifted down the Hogwarts stairs towards the dungeons, staring at nothing with a determinedly dazed expression in her glazed eyes. Luna was a good natured girl most of the time, she hardly ever became upset. But Luna was beyond upset at the moment. She was furious. Furious, and furiously depressed. It was absurd. This had to be the fifth time this year some of her things has disappeared right out of her dorm, replaced by cryptic, teasing notes with vague hints of where to find the pilfered items.

The other students didn't think she saw them laughing whenever she came down to breakfast carrying all her books in her hands because her bag was gone, or had to borrow something to write with because someone took her quills. But she saw. Saw and smiled and tried to be friendly, tried to pretend she didn't notice the way they looked at her. Well this was it. She'd had enough. She was done with them.

Luna reached into the pocket of her robe and pulled out a pair of bulbous orange earrings. They were her favorites; she thought they were wonderfully creative. Lavender and Parvati can laugh at me all they want, she thought, hooking the right earring onto her ear, I don't care.

*******

Croaaaaak!

"Trevor?" Neville Longbottom picked up his pace as he hurried through the deserted corridors of the Hogwarts dungeons in search of his wandering toad. Trevor had a habit of wandering into unhealthy places. Only last week Neville had found him lurking near the door of the potion's classroom--and a toad caught by Snape had little to look forward to in life except a future as a potion ingredient. Neville grimaced and began to run toward his pet's plaintive croaking. He loathed to think what might happen if Trevor ever found his way into the Slytherin common room. It was supposed to be down in the dungeons somewhat, maybe nearby. The other 5^th years would probably recognize Trevor as his pet, and that was unlikely to do anything good for the toad's life span.

Croaaaaak!!

The sound seemed to be coming from a door on Neville's right, next to a large tapestry of a very muddy farmyard. Neville turned the door handle to find Trevor the toad sitting on top of a pile of miscellaneous objects. The room was a broom cupboard--dark and cramped.

Neville picked up his pet and sighed. It was all his fault. If only he was better at magic, more like the other boys, this wouldn't happen to him.

"Sorry you had to get stuck with me, boy," the toad regarded him seriously and croaked. "Guess you're just unlucky." He patted Trevor's head

"Hello."

Neville jumped and whirled around, clutching Trevor protectively to his chest. Luna Lovegood stood directly behind him. Her hair was disheveled, and one lumpy neon earring dangled from her right ear. She looked quite mad.

"H-Hello," he managed at last.

Luna's eyes darted from him to the cupboard. "What are you doing?" Her voice was lacking its usual composure, instead of dreamy, she merely sounded sad.

"Trevor was . . ." Neville decided Luna didn't need to know someone had hidden his pet from him again,"well, anyway, I had to look for him."

Luna nodded. "Oh." She stood and looked at him.

Neville shifted uncomfortably. "So...what are you doing down here?" he asked, ending the awkward silence.

Luna gestured toward the still open cupboard and Neville shot her a quizzical glance, not understanding. She stepped forward and reached into the shadows on the cupboard floor, extracting a red handled hairbrush and a small leather-bound book with the initials "LL" embossed in the corner.

******

Luna gathered her things into her arms and straightened up to see Neville looking at her strangely. He glanced from the cupboard to her and back again. Then something seemed to click and his expression changed, focusing on her. His gaze was oddly sympathetic. Sympathy was not an emotion which Luna had much experience with; she wasn't sure how to handle it.

"What class do you have next?" she asked.

"Huh?" He blinked.

"What lesson do you have?"

"Potions," Neville groaned. "You?"

"Charms."

"Lucky."

They stood in silence for a moment, both watching Trevor squirming happily in Neville's hands.

"He's lucky" Luna said suddenly, remembering what Neville had said to the toad earlier.

"Who?"

"Trevor." Neville stared at her. "You were wrong. Most people wouldn't even bother to look for a toad if it got lost. You have to find him all the time."

"Well, it's my fault he keeps getting 'lost,'" Neville muttered.

"At least he's not that hard to find. He makes noise and always tries to come back to you." Luna waved the hairbrush in her hand. "Some things aren't so easy. And you've always found him."

********

Neville looked at Luna for the second time that afternoon. Her single horribly orange earring bobbed when she spoke. But behind her vague eyes was more--she was a little unsure, a little lonely. A little like himself, really.

"Luna," he blurted out before he could lose his nerve, "Can I walk you to charms?"

She tilted her head and looked at him. "You'll probably be late for potions."

Neville winced. He hadn't thought of that. Oh well, its not like Snape wouldn't find a way to take points off him anyway. "I don't mind."

Luna smiled. "All right then." She held out her arm.

Neville blushed, but gallantly shifted Trevor to his left hand and took Luna's palm in his right. Arm in arm, the two outcasts walked down the dungeon hallway. And for the first time, neither felt alone.