Psychiatric Help $0.05
After spending the entire morning straightening the Council library, Luna was taking a much needed break. She had not realized that being away for a week would have resulted in such a disaster. It looked like a tornado had come through the books. The section on zombies and necromancers was particularly bad, which made sense, she supposed.
The house elves had delivered lunch, much more than she could eat by herself, which made her realize that Draco usually ate lunch with her while she was at the Council. For some reason she had not realized that.
Even taking into account how messy the library was, her morning had been busier than normal. Word had gotten out that she had brought the crups in with her. Luna thought that every young slayer had stopped by to pet the animals. Not that the crups seemed to mind. If anything, they reveled in the attention. But it still meant that she had to keep a careful eye on them. She didn’t think that Mr. Giles would be accepting of their presence if one of them nipped a girl.
Now, though, they were sleeping at her feet, having consumed the food she had brought for them.
Pevensie ducked into the library. Partly to get away from Draco, and partly to see the crups everyone was talking about all morning. Everyone was maintaining they were just as cute if not cuter than Alice’s dog. Upon entering though, she changed her mind and ducked behind a shelf. Luna was here. How could she have forgotten that? Draco spent a lot of time in the library. Pevensie suspected he liked the librarian.
Luna felt Duchess come to attention and glanced down at the crup. She was staring at one of the bookcases, her tails wagging slightly.
“Is someone there?” she called.
When no one answered, she set aside her book on crup training and rose from her chair. Duchess took that as the signal to go, because she bounded around the shelf and started yipping excitedly. Luna followed behind and found the crup enthusiastically licking Pevensie’s face.
“Duchess, down,” she said, her voice firm as instructed by the books. The crup obeyed, though it was obvious that she still wanted to bathe the slayer’s face.
“I’m sorry about that,” Luna apologized. “She’s still learning to obey me.”
“It’s okay,” Pevensie said quietly. “She seems nice. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I just... I wanted somewhere where it was quiet.”
Pevensie tried to smile at Luna Lovegood, but she was pretty sure she failed.
“You won’t get much more quiet than a library,” Luna agreed. “It’s one of the reasons I like them. Would you like some lunch? The elves sent up too much for me to finish by myself. Or would you rather be left alone?”
Maybe she should suggest adding some private study rooms to the library. A place where someone could sit in peace. Or study without being bothered by anyone.
She was pretty hungry. “I... I could join you. If that would be okay?”
She followed Luna over to the table. The other two dogs were there, and Pevensie bent down to pet them.
“They’re pretty cute.”
There was a noise outside the library door, and Pevensie tense, ready to bolt if it was Draco.
For all that Luna lived in her own head, she did notice things. Like Pevensie tensing at the voices outside the library. Once the voices faded, and the girl had turned away, Luna cast a furtive locking charm at the door. If anyone needed to research, then they could knock. The locking charm would prevent bored slayers from wandering in.
“Do you like tomato soup and grilled cheese? I always think of it as comfort food. My father always made it for me on cold days.”
Pevensie smiled. “I like all food. Thanks.”
She got up in a chair and one of the crups jumped in her lap. Pevensie giggled. She hadn’t been around animals much, but she liked these. She wondered if Draco would let her have a pet.
“That’s Lola,” Luna said after a quick look under the table. “You don’t have any makeup in your pockets, do you? She likes eating it, which I’m sure is not healthy. I’ve had to replace all of mine and put the containers in a locking case. And then the case in a locked cabinet. She can get into the case, though I haven’t figured out how.”
Pevensie started laughing. “I don’t wear make-up usually, so I’ve got nothing right now. She’s smart, that’s how. Better be careful though sometimes the other dogs don’t like the one that’s different.”
“Duchess and Vasel don’t seem to mind her,” she assured the girl. She had a feeling that Pevensie was not really talking about crups when she mentioned being different.
“I wish the other kids in my house had been as accepting as crups,” she mused. “I would have spent less on quills and parchment.”
Pevensie looked up her. “What do you mean?”
She couldn’t imagine anyone not liking Luna. She was smart and organized and always nice to everyone. Draco liked her, and her watcher didn’t just go liking any old person, so Luna Lovegood had to be special.
“My house mates liked playing jokes. All good fun, of course. Once I learned how to cast anti-flame spells, I never had to replace a quill. And they only burned the blank parchments. Though, the one time the replaced my ink with disappearing joke ink... Well, let’s just say that our Charms professor was very understanding and helped me to retrieve the essay. Everything always reappeared at the end of the school year.”
Pevensie was looking at her oddly. Luna was used to that, though.
“Why would they do that? Why would they pick on you like that? You’re pretty great, Luna. What? They didn’t like you because you’re different? But...”
She suspected that was why most of the people around here liked Luna - because she was different..
“Thank you. I think I’m pretty great, too.” Luna smiled to show that she was teasing. “I suspect that the others liked me well enough. They did not actively dislike me, at least. I think that they did not know how far to take their teasing. And since I never minded, they could push their limits. I was also always confident in my own identity. Most children are not. They seem to dislike that confidence. You have that same sense of self.”
“Is that why they tried to beat me up then?”
Then Pevensie seemed to realize what she had said and looked away. She hadn’t meant to talk about it, but maybe she needed to. With someone. Neville had tried to draw her out, but had only gotten her to promise to tell if it happened again. She had been avoiding the small group of friends she had made here. After all, it was her fault Meredith had gotten hurt too.
“Physical violence is a good deal more than good-natured teasing,” Luna said with a frown. “Anything that could cause injury needs to be reported and dealt with. Stealing your shoes is one thing. Being pushed down the stairs is entirely different.”
“Buffy already got mad at them,” Pevensie said sullenly. “After a day or so it didn’t even hurt. That’s not what bothers me. I can’t be friends with my friends anymore. Meredith got hurt trying to help me, and I can’t have my friends getting hurt because of me. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me.”
Luna frowned, not liking the direction the conversation was going. “I’ve met Meredith. She’s a nice girl. Do you really think she would not have helped you if you were not friends? Would you be less upset about a stranger stepping in to help?”
“I...” Pevensie didn’t have an answer for that. “She’s so mad at me. You think I should explain and apologize? It scares me when people I like get hurt. What if somebody dies? Like Mr. Bunting. He was really nice and didn’t think Alice was too weird. What if somebody dies and it’s my fault? What do I do?”
“You mourn. And you accept that while you might be stronger and faster than most of us, you are still human. You have limitations, just like the rest of us.” Luna took a bite of her sandwich and let the advice settle in the slayer’s mind.
“Why is Meredith mad at you,” she asked after a moment.
“Because I got mad when she helped me. I told her I didn’t need her help. I think I hurt her feelings. No, I know I did.” Pevensie plopped her elbow on the table and put her chin in her hand. “I think I’ve been being a brat. I don’t know how to fix it now, though. She won’t talk to me.”
“Apologizing would be a good start, I would think.” Luna had never had a lot of friends, but it did seem to her that apologizing and admitting that you did something wrong was the way to go.
“Is that what you’d do, Luna?” Pevensie asked honestly. “I know Draco respects your opinion, so I probably should too, and you’ve always been nice to me, and you’re smart. And you shared your food with me.”
Pevensie smiled then. She felt like it had been ages since she had smiled.
“It’s what I would do,” Luna confirmed. “If she still won’t talk to you after that, come back and we’ll figure something else out.” It was nice, if a bit unusual, to be looked at with respect. Luna decided that she liked it.
“Then I’ll do that.” Pevensie smiled sheepishly at her. “Thanks, Luna. When I have free time, would it be all right if I came by the library sometimes? You don’t have to talk to me or anything. I just feel safe here.”
“The library is always open,” Luna assured her. “If you want, we could see about putting a table in a back corner for you. That was my favorite spot in the Hogwarts library. I’m not sure why people tend to forget that back corners exist. I would overhear the funniest things there. And had to interrupt a few Ravenclaws who thought the back corner was a good place to study human anatomy.”
Pevensie laughed. “I promise not to bring Rowan in here then. I’d like my own table. Thanks, Luna.”
“You’re welcome,” Luna replied.
The house elves had delivered lunch, much more than she could eat by herself, which made her realize that Draco usually ate lunch with her while she was at the Council. For some reason she had not realized that.
Even taking into account how messy the library was, her morning had been busier than normal. Word had gotten out that she had brought the crups in with her. Luna thought that every young slayer had stopped by to pet the animals. Not that the crups seemed to mind. If anything, they reveled in the attention. But it still meant that she had to keep a careful eye on them. She didn’t think that Mr. Giles would be accepting of their presence if one of them nipped a girl.
Now, though, they were sleeping at her feet, having consumed the food she had brought for them.
Pevensie ducked into the library. Partly to get away from Draco, and partly to see the crups everyone was talking about all morning. Everyone was maintaining they were just as cute if not cuter than Alice’s dog. Upon entering though, she changed her mind and ducked behind a shelf. Luna was here. How could she have forgotten that? Draco spent a lot of time in the library. Pevensie suspected he liked the librarian.
Luna felt Duchess come to attention and glanced down at the crup. She was staring at one of the bookcases, her tails wagging slightly.
“Is someone there?” she called.
When no one answered, she set aside her book on crup training and rose from her chair. Duchess took that as the signal to go, because she bounded around the shelf and started yipping excitedly. Luna followed behind and found the crup enthusiastically licking Pevensie’s face.
“Duchess, down,” she said, her voice firm as instructed by the books. The crup obeyed, though it was obvious that she still wanted to bathe the slayer’s face.
“I’m sorry about that,” Luna apologized. “She’s still learning to obey me.”
“It’s okay,” Pevensie said quietly. “She seems nice. I didn’t mean to disturb you. I just... I wanted somewhere where it was quiet.”
Pevensie tried to smile at Luna Lovegood, but she was pretty sure she failed.
“You won’t get much more quiet than a library,” Luna agreed. “It’s one of the reasons I like them. Would you like some lunch? The elves sent up too much for me to finish by myself. Or would you rather be left alone?”
Maybe she should suggest adding some private study rooms to the library. A place where someone could sit in peace. Or study without being bothered by anyone.
She was pretty hungry. “I... I could join you. If that would be okay?”
She followed Luna over to the table. The other two dogs were there, and Pevensie bent down to pet them.
“They’re pretty cute.”
There was a noise outside the library door, and Pevensie tense, ready to bolt if it was Draco.
For all that Luna lived in her own head, she did notice things. Like Pevensie tensing at the voices outside the library. Once the voices faded, and the girl had turned away, Luna cast a furtive locking charm at the door. If anyone needed to research, then they could knock. The locking charm would prevent bored slayers from wandering in.
“Do you like tomato soup and grilled cheese? I always think of it as comfort food. My father always made it for me on cold days.”
Pevensie smiled. “I like all food. Thanks.”
She got up in a chair and one of the crups jumped in her lap. Pevensie giggled. She hadn’t been around animals much, but she liked these. She wondered if Draco would let her have a pet.
“That’s Lola,” Luna said after a quick look under the table. “You don’t have any makeup in your pockets, do you? She likes eating it, which I’m sure is not healthy. I’ve had to replace all of mine and put the containers in a locking case. And then the case in a locked cabinet. She can get into the case, though I haven’t figured out how.”
Pevensie started laughing. “I don’t wear make-up usually, so I’ve got nothing right now. She’s smart, that’s how. Better be careful though sometimes the other dogs don’t like the one that’s different.”
“Duchess and Vasel don’t seem to mind her,” she assured the girl. She had a feeling that Pevensie was not really talking about crups when she mentioned being different.
“I wish the other kids in my house had been as accepting as crups,” she mused. “I would have spent less on quills and parchment.”
Pevensie looked up her. “What do you mean?”
She couldn’t imagine anyone not liking Luna. She was smart and organized and always nice to everyone. Draco liked her, and her watcher didn’t just go liking any old person, so Luna Lovegood had to be special.
“My house mates liked playing jokes. All good fun, of course. Once I learned how to cast anti-flame spells, I never had to replace a quill. And they only burned the blank parchments. Though, the one time the replaced my ink with disappearing joke ink... Well, let’s just say that our Charms professor was very understanding and helped me to retrieve the essay. Everything always reappeared at the end of the school year.”
Pevensie was looking at her oddly. Luna was used to that, though.
“Why would they do that? Why would they pick on you like that? You’re pretty great, Luna. What? They didn’t like you because you’re different? But...”
She suspected that was why most of the people around here liked Luna - because she was different..
“Thank you. I think I’m pretty great, too.” Luna smiled to show that she was teasing. “I suspect that the others liked me well enough. They did not actively dislike me, at least. I think that they did not know how far to take their teasing. And since I never minded, they could push their limits. I was also always confident in my own identity. Most children are not. They seem to dislike that confidence. You have that same sense of self.”
“Is that why they tried to beat me up then?”
Then Pevensie seemed to realize what she had said and looked away. She hadn’t meant to talk about it, but maybe she needed to. With someone. Neville had tried to draw her out, but had only gotten her to promise to tell if it happened again. She had been avoiding the small group of friends she had made here. After all, it was her fault Meredith had gotten hurt too.
“Physical violence is a good deal more than good-natured teasing,” Luna said with a frown. “Anything that could cause injury needs to be reported and dealt with. Stealing your shoes is one thing. Being pushed down the stairs is entirely different.”
“Buffy already got mad at them,” Pevensie said sullenly. “After a day or so it didn’t even hurt. That’s not what bothers me. I can’t be friends with my friends anymore. Meredith got hurt trying to help me, and I can’t have my friends getting hurt because of me. I don’t want anyone to get hurt because of me.”
Luna frowned, not liking the direction the conversation was going. “I’ve met Meredith. She’s a nice girl. Do you really think she would not have helped you if you were not friends? Would you be less upset about a stranger stepping in to help?”
“I...” Pevensie didn’t have an answer for that. “She’s so mad at me. You think I should explain and apologize? It scares me when people I like get hurt. What if somebody dies? Like Mr. Bunting. He was really nice and didn’t think Alice was too weird. What if somebody dies and it’s my fault? What do I do?”
“You mourn. And you accept that while you might be stronger and faster than most of us, you are still human. You have limitations, just like the rest of us.” Luna took a bite of her sandwich and let the advice settle in the slayer’s mind.
“Why is Meredith mad at you,” she asked after a moment.
“Because I got mad when she helped me. I told her I didn’t need her help. I think I hurt her feelings. No, I know I did.” Pevensie plopped her elbow on the table and put her chin in her hand. “I think I’ve been being a brat. I don’t know how to fix it now, though. She won’t talk to me.”
“Apologizing would be a good start, I would think.” Luna had never had a lot of friends, but it did seem to her that apologizing and admitting that you did something wrong was the way to go.
“Is that what you’d do, Luna?” Pevensie asked honestly. “I know Draco respects your opinion, so I probably should too, and you’ve always been nice to me, and you’re smart. And you shared your food with me.”
Pevensie smiled then. She felt like it had been ages since she had smiled.
“It’s what I would do,” Luna confirmed. “If she still won’t talk to you after that, come back and we’ll figure something else out.” It was nice, if a bit unusual, to be looked at with respect. Luna decided that she liked it.
“Then I’ll do that.” Pevensie smiled sheepishly at her. “Thanks, Luna. When I have free time, would it be all right if I came by the library sometimes? You don’t have to talk to me or anything. I just feel safe here.”
“The library is always open,” Luna assured her. “If you want, we could see about putting a table in a back corner for you. That was my favorite spot in the Hogwarts library. I’m not sure why people tend to forget that back corners exist. I would overhear the funniest things there. And had to interrupt a few Ravenclaws who thought the back corner was a good place to study human anatomy.”
Pevensie laughed. “I promise not to bring Rowan in here then. I’d like my own table. Thanks, Luna.”
“You’re welcome,” Luna replied.