001: Beyond the Veil [Holo]
Unusual things happen at Hogwarts every day. It is a school of witchcraft and wizardry, after all. Rooms have a tendency to disappear and reappear at random. Painted figures often attempt to engage you in conversation - or, indeed, challenge you to a duel - as you make your way to your classes. People regularly fall into hungry magical cabinets, or find themselves being knocked unconscious after forgetting to secure their earmuffs during a Herbology lesson.
The annual journey to Hogwarts, however, is usually a little more peaceful.
Luna Lovegood was therefore rather surprised to find that she didn't arrive on Platform 9 and 3 1/4s after stepping through the barrier at King's Cross Station.
“That was very rude, you know,” she remarked conversationally, opening her eyes and gazing around with an expression of mild curiosity on her pale face, “I haven’t learned to disapparate yet.”
Stepping daintily down from the platform, she raised her head to stare at the unfamiliar technology above her. Her wand, tucked behind her ear for safekeeping, wobbled awkwardly in response but somehow managed to stay in place.
“This isn’t Platform 9 and 3 1/4s,” the young witch continued, somewhat unnecessarily, “And I’ve never heard of people using magical bracelets before. Although one of Daddy’s friends did write an article about cursed rings that were being distributed by the American Ministry of Magic. Have you taken me to New York?”
Apparently unperturbed by the lack of response, Luna began to perform a slow circuit of the room without waiting for an answer.
“It doesn’t look very much like New York.”
She wasn’t particularly frightened. The war was over now. He Who Must Not Be Named was dead and the Ministry - under the new leadership of Mr Shacklebolt, who certainly wasn’t involved in the Rotfang Conspiracy - had spent most of the summer hunting down his remaining Death Eaters. The survivors were a little like headless augurys without their master, and they certainly weren’t foolish enough to attack the Hogwarts Express.
“I don’t think they sell things like this in Diagon Alley,” she said, reaching the tablet and picking it up carefully. She turned it over in her hands, as if she expected it to do something a bit more interesting if she gave it enough time. “Nobody would know how to use it. Does it have an imp inside? Can you feed it? I don’t have any imp food with me, but I do have some owl nuts in my pocket…”
She reached into her school robes with her free hand, but, as she did so, her walk finally led her to the chamber door.
She wasn't sure how to stow the tablet away for future examination, since it wasn't very sensible to put strange machinery in your pocket without understanding it, but, as she tried to think of a solution, something very strange happened. She didn't know if the tablet became part of the bracelet, or the bracelet became part of the tablet, but, all of a sudden, it was attached to her wrist as well.
This was going to be a very unusual day.
Luna removed her wand from behind her ear. She wasn’t afraid, but she wasn’t foolish either.
“Hello?”
The annual journey to Hogwarts, however, is usually a little more peaceful.
Luna Lovegood was therefore rather surprised to find that she didn't arrive on Platform 9 and 3 1/4s after stepping through the barrier at King's Cross Station.
“That was very rude, you know,” she remarked conversationally, opening her eyes and gazing around with an expression of mild curiosity on her pale face, “I haven’t learned to disapparate yet.”
Stepping daintily down from the platform, she raised her head to stare at the unfamiliar technology above her. Her wand, tucked behind her ear for safekeeping, wobbled awkwardly in response but somehow managed to stay in place.
“This isn’t Platform 9 and 3 1/4s,” the young witch continued, somewhat unnecessarily, “And I’ve never heard of people using magical bracelets before. Although one of Daddy’s friends did write an article about cursed rings that were being distributed by the American Ministry of Magic. Have you taken me to New York?”
Apparently unperturbed by the lack of response, Luna began to perform a slow circuit of the room without waiting for an answer.
“It doesn’t look very much like New York.”
She wasn’t particularly frightened. The war was over now. He Who Must Not Be Named was dead and the Ministry - under the new leadership of Mr Shacklebolt, who certainly wasn’t involved in the Rotfang Conspiracy - had spent most of the summer hunting down his remaining Death Eaters. The survivors were a little like headless augurys without their master, and they certainly weren’t foolish enough to attack the Hogwarts Express.
“I don’t think they sell things like this in Diagon Alley,” she said, reaching the tablet and picking it up carefully. She turned it over in her hands, as if she expected it to do something a bit more interesting if she gave it enough time. “Nobody would know how to use it. Does it have an imp inside? Can you feed it? I don’t have any imp food with me, but I do have some owl nuts in my pocket…”
She reached into her school robes with her free hand, but, as she did so, her walk finally led her to the chamber door.
She wasn't sure how to stow the tablet away for future examination, since it wasn't very sensible to put strange machinery in your pocket without understanding it, but, as she tried to think of a solution, something very strange happened. She didn't know if the tablet became part of the bracelet, or the bracelet became part of the tablet, but, all of a sudden, it was attached to her wrist as well.
This was going to be a very unusual day.
Luna removed her wand from behind her ear. She wasn’t afraid, but she wasn’t foolish either.
“Hello?”