Luna had spent a long time deciding what to pack. There had been the things she actually needed, such as clothes, spellbooks, wand. It had been the other things that had been the problem. Her house was just so full of...things, and she valued each and every one of those things. An overly large gramophone, which would occasionally blow bubbles but never actually played anything...that, of course, had had to stay. Something her father had bought from Arthur Weasley...she remembered the red-haired man announcing proudly "A fellytone that fits in your pocket! Isn't it astonishing? What these Muggles can do! And look! If you press this, this, and this, it tells you the time!" That had had to stay, partly because her dad had wanted to take it apart and see how it worked. She vaguely remembered Mrs Fawcett commenting that 'Mr Weasley and Mr Lovegood ought to form a Muggle Things Fan Club' in a slightly snooty tone of voice. A vase of magic flowers that never died and changed colour according to the weather. She'd miss them. A photo of herself when she was a little girl. Her mother had taken it, apparently. The photo had been enlarged and placed in a frame, and now it hung in the living room. A younger Luna dressed mostly in pink would smile and giggle at the older version whenever she walked into the room. She would miss that, probably most of all.

But she had managed to take quite a few of the things she liked anyway. So many that her bag was full to bursting and she'd had to put the spellbooks on the floor in a plastic bag. Her father had seen it blowing about the train station car park, caught it and put her books in it. And her wand hadn't fit either, so it was now in her pocket.

Wands. She remembered her wand-buying. An...interesting event. She had been handed a wand....maple and phoenix feather, seven inches....and it had worked right away. It sent up a mad shower of blue and gold sparks...and unfortunately, most of those sparks had landed on some papers on Mr Ollivander's desk and set them on fire. She had expected him to be furious, but actually he seemed rather pleased.

"Good wand, that....a very good wand, Luna Lovegood. Use it well."

Walking away from the shop, her father had opened his mouth, and Luna had the feeling he was about to tell her something he hadn't told her yet, but what he said was, "How about some cakes, Luna?" For they were just passing a tea-shop.

Cakes and tea-shops...she was very hungry right now. And it was a while before the lady with the food trolley would come round. It was a pity, she mused, that she didn't have any food.

At that moment a door opened and a girl came in. She was about Luna's height, and probably the same age. She had red hair, and looked rather worried. Luna realised she knew this girl, as she lived not far away from her house...Ginny Weasley.

"Hello, Ginny Weasley." Luna said cheerfully.

Ginny blinked, as if not sure who had spoken, then she noticed Luna sitting in the corner. "Luna?" She stopped as if not sure she should continue, then said "Hello."

Luna gave a bright smile and patted the seat next to her. "Would you perhaps like to sit down?"

"No...no thank you, Luna. I need to find my brother. And Ha...and his friend." Ginny reached into her pocket and pulled out a box of Every Flavour Beans. She carefully picked out two red ones and moved them to her mouth. "You haven't seen them, have you?"

Luna shook her head.

Ginny reached into her box for another Bean, then changed her mind and offered the box to Luna. "Would you like one of these?"

"Yes please." Ginny held out the box and Luna reached inside. She pulled out a greyish-coloured one.

"I wouldn't eat that....that's sardine flavour."

"Oh, I like sardine flavour," Luna said happily, and popped it into her mouth. Ginny looked down into the box.

"Er...do you like grass flavour? Or cabbage flavour? Because there's some in here..."

"Yes please."

Ginny tipped the beans into Luna's hand. Luna gave a smile. Ginny gave one in return...it was a rather bemused and preoccupied smile, but a smile nonetheless...and left.

Luna stared out of the window and wondered if anyone else with sardine-flavoured Beans would enter her carriage.

They didn't, but never mind.