The next day was uneventful. Luna lay in bed all day, she thought that she had a bug. “Luna, are you OK?” Xenophilous asked. “I’m alright now, dad.” Luna said shortly. “Well, get packed, it’s September the first tomorrow,” Xenophilous said. “OK,” Luna said. She packed up her clothes, books, equipment and gave her Pygmy Puff, Arnie, lots of food for the journey. “There we go, Arnie, it’s time to sleep,” Luna said. Arnie immediately slept. “Good boy,” she said. She collapsed onto her bed and slept. The next morning, Luna woke, and got a bit sad. She would miss her dad. She got up and pattered into her dad’s room. “Oh, dad, we can’t go fishing together anymore,” Luna began to cry. “I left your granny and grandad when I was your age. You’ll be OK, you’ve got Ginny,” Xenophilous said. “Ginny won’t like me when I get teased,” Luna said. “How do you know that you’re going to be teased, Luna?” Xenophilous asked. “I’m different,” she said. “Everyone is, remember that,” Xenophilous said, “go grab your trunk. We’ll set off in a couple of hours.” Luna ran upstairs and got her trunk. She carefully balanced Arnie on top of it. “Come for your breakfast!” Xenophilous called. They had a quick breakfast of fruit salad, and set off by car. They caught a taxi from Ottery St. Catchpole, and soon they were on their way to King’s Cross. Soon enough, they arrived. “Thank you, muggle,” Xenophilous said, unwisely. “Don’t you be callin’ me muggle, ya weirdo,” the taxi driver said, with a cockney accent. “How rude!” Xenophilous said. “Dad, you called him muggle!” Luna said. “Oh, bless my nargles, I’m supposed to stick to the Statute of Secrecy, aren’t I?” Xenophilous asked. “Yes, dad.” They stopped. The time to go through the platform was here. They ran at full speed towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten. They passed through without problem. “Bye, dad.” Luna said, and ran into the train. “Love you, Luna!” Xenophilous called. He walked back through the ticket barrier. Luna walked into a carriage, but the students inside called her, “Loony Lovegood!” ‘Well, I am famous. I’ve been featured in the Quibbler before!’ Luna thought, as the rest of the carriage drained away. Half an hour later, her compartment door slid open. “Anything off the trolley, ducks?” this must be the trolley lady. Luna said nothing. “You alright, dearie?” the lady asked. “I miss dad. I’m being silly, I saw him half an hour ago,” cried Luna. “There, there, what about your mother?” the lady asked. “She’s dead. Her name was Pandora Lovegood,” sobbed Luna. “Oh, dearie, I didn’t know. Are you Luna Lovegood then?” she asked. “Yes,” Luna cried. “Have a free chocolate frog on me,” the trolley lady said. “Thanks so much,” Luna said, “can I buy some Fizzing Whisbees too?” “Of course,” said the trolley lady, giving Luna her sweets and leaving the carriage. Luna tore open the fizzing whisbees, and shoved one into her mouth. She floated above the floor for a second, then dropped. She then tore open her chocolate frog and watched it hop across the room. She peeled it gently from the glass, and bit of its head, to end its misery. She then ate the rest of the frog. She took the card out of the package. Her father always let her eat the frog, but not look at the card. Luna wanted to deny her father, so she read the card.

ALBUS DUMBLEDORE - CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS
Considered by many the greatest wizard of all time, Dumbledore is most famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in 1945 , his founding of the twelve uses of dragon blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys ten pin bowling and chamber music.

“I’ll start a collection,” Luna said dreamily, to no one in particular. Toot! Luna could hear the train tooting. They were nearly there. Just then, a pretty girl came up to the carriage door. She had long blonde hair and was Ravenclaw. “Hello, what is your name?” she asked, “I’m Penelope Clearwater.” “I’m Luna Lovegood,” Luna said. “Nice to meet you, we’re nearly there, I would get changed.” Penelope said. “I’m going to be Ravenclaw. Xenophilous and Pandora, my parents, were Ravenclaw,” Luna said dreamily. “Yes, Luna,” Penelope said, “I’m prefect.” “That’s good,” Luna said. Penelope left the room, thinking, ‘loony that one is.’ Luna got changed quickly as the train skidded to a halt. She wrote her name on her trunk, (she had forgotten), like this :

‘Luna Lovegood, child of Pandora and Xenophilous Lovegood. Please keep my Arnie safe on the steps up to the tower. I guess Penelope will be taking my trunk. Please inform me if arrangements change.’

“Done,” Luna said. She scrambled into the sea of pupils and jumped off the train. “Firs’ years! Firs’ years to me!” a deep voice yelled. Luna wandered absent-mindedly towards the man. “I’m Hagrid, and you lot are comin’ wi’ me. Four on a boat!” Hagrid commanded. Luna climbed into one of the many boats. She was the only one in it. “And row!” Hagrid shouted. Luna tried to row by herself, but failed. “Come ‘ere Lovegood, you look like your mum,” Hagrid said. Luna was used to this. “‘Ere, you can share wi’ me,” Hagrid assured. Luna jumped delicately onto Hagrid’s boat. Only now did she realise how BIG he was. He was twice as tall as a normal man, and at least five times as wide. His bushy black hair and beard covered most of his face. His hands were the size of dustbin lids. His boots looked the size of baby dolphins. “Done,” Luna said. She scrambled into the sea of pupils and jumped off the train. “Firs’ years! Firs’ years to me!” a deep voice yelled. Luna wandered absent-mindedly towards the man. “I’m Hagrid, and you lot are comin’ wi’ me. Four on a boat!” Hagrid commanded. Luna climbed into one of the many boats. She was the only one in it. “And row!” Hagrid shouted. Luna tried to row by herself, but failed. “Come ‘ere girlie,” Hagrid said. “‘Ere, you can share wi’ me,” Hagrid assured. Luna jumped delicately onto Hagrid’s boat. Only now did she realise how BIG he was. He was twice as tall as a normal man, and at least five times as wide. His bushy black hair and beard covered most of his face. His hands were the size of dustbin lids. His boots looked the size of baby dolphins. “You’re going to see it soon!” Hagrid cried. There was a chorus of ‘oohs’ and ‘aaghs’ from the girls and boys elbowing each other saying, “Crikey! That’s big!” Luna noticed one boy in particular, a tall, handsome boy with waves in his blonde hair. Luna called to him, “what’s your name?” “I’m Teddy. Teddy Griffin,” the boy said, unperturbed by Luna’s dreamy fashion. “Luna. Luna Lovegood,” Luna said. “Ooh, Teddy, she’s sweet on you!” his mates jeered. “No I’m not!” Luna said, but inside she felt something. She hadn’t felt it before. It wasn’t love. It was a headache. (Sorry, love is icky, it’s not my fault this is the way the story goes! Luna may become lovey-dovey though). As they sailed into the riverbank, Luna’s headache evaporated. She gazed in awe at the turrets, the doors, the grounds. “Come on, come on, oughta the boats! Now, now, no shovin’!” Hagrid called. Luna stepped out of the boat, and found herself just behind Ginny Weasley! “Hi,” Ginny said shortly. “Hi,” Luna said. Ginny walked away from her with a girl saying, “I know her, Vanessa,” “Ginny, you can’t play with her! Not till our fourth year,” Vanessa said. “Why our fourth?” Ginny asked. “I dunno, I have been properly seer trained yet,” Vanessa said. “Line up, go on!” Hagrid called. Luna scrambled into place behind Teddy. She was also in front of Vanessa. Hagrid frog-marched them towards the castle. He pushed open the oak doors, and they stepped inside. “Ginny! That’s the Great Hall!” Vanessa exclaimed. “Vanessa Trelawny!” a strict sounding voice said, “no talking!” “S-sorry, P-proffesor MgGonagall!” Vanessa stammered. A tall lady wearing an emerald green cloak emerged from the shadows. She had a black witches hat over her wispy grey hair. She walked them into the great hall. One of Teddy’s friends, Peter, tried to sit down but MgGonagall ushered them towards the top table. She placed a patched hat on a little stool, and a rip in the material opened! It began to sing :

“You may not think I’m worth it,
Don’t judge on what you see,
Put me on your head, I can sort you,
Wise Ravenclaw, you may be, full of the cleverest,
Or maybe kind Hufflepuff, where you are very modest,
You could perhaps be Gryffindor, if you’re a coward, you won’t be here,
Or last of all Slytherin, cunning and ambitious,
As I said, put me on and don’t be scared!”

A round of applause broke out, as the patched hat finished singing. “Where’s Ron? And Harry?” Ginny asked Vanessa. “They’ve been very bad, that’s all I know,” Vanessa said. “Oh Van, I wish wish wish you could take divination sooner!” Ginny whispered. “I can. Auntie Sybill has gotten me a place,” Vanessa said. “Vanessa Rootcheek!” McGonagall hissed. “Sorry Professor,” Vanessa said, going hot. McGonagall ignored her, “Alza, Eddie!” Eddie walked nervously towards the stool and the patched hat. He sat down and Luna felt herself whispering, “Good luck!” He put the hat into his head and it pondered for a second. About fifteen seconds later, “Slytherin!” He walked off to the Slytherin table. The Slytherins cheered. Loads of people were sorted. Luna was beginning to feel dreary. “Lax, Teddy!” McGonagall said. He walked over to the hat and sat down. As soon as the hat rested on his head, “HUFFLEPUFF!” “Yay!” Teddy said, and rushed off to join Jacob, one of his friends. “Lovegood, Luna!” the professor called. She strode purposely onto the seat. “Where shall I put you? You want to be with your friend, Teddy Lax, I see. But you have qualities of every house, but Slytherin. Hmmm, I’ll go for RAVENCLAW!” the hat bellowed the last word. Luna felt flabbergasted. “Hufflepuff,” she muttered groggily and went to sit at the Ravenclaw table. After the last person had sat down (Zuan, Harvey) at the Gryffindor table. Luna looked at Penelope Clearwater. “Did you take my Arnie up to Ravenclaw tower?” Luna asked. “Penny, come and help me sort out this girl, she’s been sick!” a boy said. “Ignore him, Luna. Yes, as a matter of fact, I did,” Penny said. But Luna wasn’t listening. Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. “Let me say a few words before we tuck in. Gaza, Numquack, Bubby, Cheek. You may eat.” Luna could hear Bob (another of Teddy’s friends). “Almost as loopy as Lovegood,” he was saying to Teddy. “No she’s not,” Teddy said. “I told you, Teddy likes her!” Bob said. Teddy blushed, but didn’t speak. “Luna? Luna! Luna, eat!” Penny was pestering. A menu had appeared in front of her. It was probably to help with the packed table. This was what it read :

Roasts - chicken, beef, lamb, ham, pork, ox, venison
Drinks - pumpkin juice, water
Look on the table for other options

“Em, I’ll have roast ox,” Luna said, loading her plate with veg and potatoes. She took a heavenly bite. “‘Ogwarps foot is te beft!” Luna mumbled. “It is Luna, it is,” Penny said. “Bedtime!” Dumbledore called after only five minutes. “NOO!” the first years cried. “OK, pudding!” Dumbledore announced, and the table was packed with treats. “Orange tart!” Luna cut a giant slice. “Oooh! Heavenly!” An hour later, when Luna had gone to bed, she lay down and her eyes closed. “Luna?” Xenophilous asked. “Meh, I’m dreaming,” she mumbled. “No you’re not, it’s the Quidditch Final!” he said. Luna had had a marvellous dream of Hogwarts, now she just wanted to go for real.