Flashback
“Mother, are they radishes?” The girl tugged on her mother’s cloak with one hand, pointing at the row of newly planted bushes with the other. Small pink fruits resembling radishes dangled among the shrubs’ leaves.
“No, sweetie, they’re dirigible plums.” The young woman answered. Mrs. Lovegood smoothed out her child’s patchwork dress and tucked a few strands of bright yellow hair behind her ear. “Dirigible plums,” her mother continued, “make you wiser.”
The little girl smiled as her mother tapped her on her nose, bright red from the chilly day. “Are they for my birthday? Mother?” she squeaked excitedly.
“Yes they are, Lulu.”
The little girl pouted. “Don’t call me that, or the Crumple-Horned Snorkack will get you.” Her mother chuckled and shook her head, humored.
Taking her daughter’s hand, she led the girl back into the rook shaped house, and seated her on the bottom stair step.
“Now Lulu,” she said, ignoring her daughter’s protesting look. “Mommy’s got to work on another new spell, ok? I’ll be back in time for your birthday party. Be a good girl and don’t bother Daddy, ‘k? He’s working on another article for the Quibbler.”
The little girl bobbed her golden head obediently. “Don’t be late for my birthday,” she piped. “I’m turning nine, and Ginny Weasley’s coming over!” Her mother smiled, and pulled out a black length of candy.
“Here’s a liquorices wand and a present.” The woman passed the sweet into her daughter’s eager grasp, along with a small, blue wrapped box. “I’ll be back soon Lulu.” She promised, and with a sweep of her cloak, apparated to somewhere else. The girl was left alone with the candy.
Taking a bite of the liquorices wand, the girl waved it around a few times as if it were real, and could actually perform spells. “Lumos,” she commanded. “Lumos, lumos, lumos!” Of course, the candy wand did nothing.
The girl pranced up to her room and leaned out her window, which overlooked and messy yard full of strange plants and old items. “It’s my birthday!” she shouted at the top of her lungs in a singsong voice. No response, but the child still had a wide grin on her face.”And then in two more birthdays, I’m going to Hogwarts!”
End of flashback
Ginny tossed the packet of liquorices wands to her classmate. “Happy birthday,” she said breathlessly. The red head just got back from Hogsmeade, and flakes of snow still lingered on her Gryffindor scarf.
“Thank you!” was the dreamy response. Luna Lovegood opened the bag and pulled out two of the sweets. Handing one to Ginny, she nibbled on her own and grinned. “These are my favorite.” She stated simply. Ginny nodded, and pulled the cloak around her shoulders tighter. Luna adjusted the pink-and-blue wing-rimmed glasses.
The two friends walked down the hall, and passed a few Slytherin girls in the fourth year. “Hey,” Pug-faced Pansy pointed to Luna. “Loony Loony Lovegood! She looks like a demented owl.” she exclaimed lamely. Her friends giggled. Luna passed, a smile still on her face, completely oblivious to the jibe. Ginny, on the other hand, frowned.
“Hey,” she shot back, pointing at the girl who teased Luna. “There’s that ugly banshee who can’t get a boyfriend. I wonder why.” The girls one year older stopped laughing immediately, and the two friends continued to their next class.
Curiously, Ginny asked, “Luna, why do you wear those weird glasses?” Luna swept her unfocused gaze over the ginger.
“Oh, you mean these?” she flicked and earring. “These aren’t glasses, silly. They’re Spectrespecs. They let you see wrackspurts.” She explained in a tone of one teaching a little child something obvious.
“Oh,” was all Ginny could think to say. They arrived at the classroom.
Flashback
Ginny had arrived and left. Mrs. Weasley had brought her daughter over. “Happy birthday Loony Lovegood,” Ginny had said reluctantly, after a discouraging prod from her mother. Ginny held out a homemade bow which little Luna accepted happily. Pinning the bow onto her skirt, Ginny gave her an odd look.
“You’re not supposed to put it there-” she started, and Mrs. Weasley prodded Ginny silent again. “Loony, loony...” Ginny muttered under her breath.
Now it was dark outside. The moon was blotted out by the dull clouds, and still, Luna waited for her mother to return. Leaning out her bedroom window, she let her tangled hair quiver in the crisp, slight wind. Humming to herself, Luna was startled when she felt her dad rest a hand on her shoulder.
“Hi dad!” she turned, the dreamy smile plastered on her face soon to disappear.
“Luna, it’s about your mother. Something, with the spell she was working on, something went wrong...” Slowly, Luna’s smile faded.
End of flashback
‘I’ll never see her again,” Luna thought hopelessly. ‘Never...’
Alone in the Ravenclaw common room, Luna settled down on the carpet besides the fireplace, chewing on another liquorices wand. She felt hot tears burn behind her eyelids as she struggled not to cry. Luna hadn’t cried since she turned nine, and wasn’t about to start now. She held the faded small box, wrapped in plain blue paper, from many years ago.
It was one of those times again, when the memory of her mother rekindled the small flame of sadness every year, on her birthday. Luna held the tears back, and squeezed the box.
Since her ninth birthday, since her mother died it still remained closed- she was almost scared to open it, though now she found to reason to be.
She ripped open the paper.
Holding back a sob, past the blue wrapping revealed a pair of small pink earrings that looked like radishes. Dirigible plums. Along with gift was a picture of Mrs. Lovegood, with a bright smile on her face and her gray eyes, which strongly resembled Luna’s, shining. Luna’s mom waved to her through the picture, and teardrop rolled down Luna’s cheek.
The tear dropped on the photo, and Luna hastily wiped it away. Her mother was smiling at her. So was she. “Hi mom,” she whispered softly.
‘Happy Birthday’, her mom mouthed in the picture. “Thanks, mom...” Luna breathed.
She held up the Dirigible plum earrings and rolled them between her fingers. ‘I love you’, her mother mouthed in the picture.
“I love you too, mom.” Luna smiled, and wiped her eyes with the corner of her cloak. “I’ll see you later.”