Growing up Pureblooded

Meet Luna Lovegood

     "I'm telling you, Granger, Dean is evil!" Ron insisted adamantly as he and Seamus confronted the bushy-haired girl in an abandoned classroom. She only rolled her eyes. "Dean Thomas is a nice boy," she said. "I don't know where you'd even get such a mad idea."

     "We heard Fred and George talking with Lee Jordan," Seamus began, but Hermione snorted. "You'd honestly believe anything those three told you?" she scoffed. "They didn't know we were there," Ron protested. "Are you sure?" Hermione asked.

     "Yes," Ron replied. "Besides, we overheard Dean talking with Black and Malfoy too." Hermione actually laughed aloud at that. "And you'd trust them any more? Honestly, Weasley, just how thick are you? They're stringing you along for some joke!" "You don't understand, Granger," Seamus said reasonably. "They want to take over the whole school!" Hermione raised an eyebrow. "And you think the teachers will just stand by and let them?"

     "Sirius Black is a murderer, and Black's father," Ron pointed out. "And Professor Lupin is their friend. He always favours Black and Malfoy." "In the first place, I understand that it's Malfoy-Black now," Hermione replied primly. "In the second place, I don't think you're being fair to Professor Lupin. I've found him to be very fair and an excellent professor. I haven't met Professor Black yet – and I'll admit that his behaviour at the feast seemed a bit childish – but I really don't think he can be a murderer. Surely Professor McGonagall wouldn't hire him if he were."

     "She hired Professor Malfoy," Ron pointed out. "And everyone knows the Malfoys are Dark wizards." "Professor Malfoy was actually a rather good teacher," Hermione replied. "I'll admit I didn't care for him at first, but I ended up learning very much indeed." Seamus put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Come on, Ron," he said. "It's clear she's not going to help us."

     Ron frowned. "I'd think you'd be more interested in stopping Lord Mini-Mort." Hermione burst out laughing uproariously. "Mini-Mort? Seriously?" "That's what he calls himself," Ron replied with a shrug. The bushy-haired girl shook her head despairingly. "And you still don't think this is all an enormous joke?" "Why should we?" Seamus demanded. "They're evil!"

     Hermione muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'boys', then grabbed her book-bag and left the room. She went downstairs to the library where she had an appointment to help Ginny Weasley – how many Weasleys were there, anyway? – with Transfiguration. When she reached the library, she found that the red-haired second-year was sitting with a strange-looking blonde girl who wore a dreamy expression.

     "Hi, Hermione," Ginny said brightly. "Have you had a good first day back?" Hermione nodded. "All my classes have been really interesting so far, but I haven't had any with the new Defence or Potions masters." "We had class with Professor Black today," Ginny said. "He's actually rather nice – not to mention pretty to look at." Hermione giggled. "Don't tell your brother that." "Which one?"

     "Ron," Hermione replied. "He and Seamus Finnegan were just telling me that he's an evil murderer, and that Aries, Draco, Lee, Fred and George are all Death Eaters in training." "That's ridiculous," Ginny said with a snort. "The twins would never support Voldemort."

     "Neither would Aries Black," the blonde girl said idly. "He's actually Harry Potter, you know, The-Boy-Who-Lived." Hermione, stunned, just stared at the girl. Ginny laughed nervously. "Hermione," she said, "this is...er...Luna Lovegood. She's a Ravenclaw in my year." "Nice to meet you," Hermione said.
"You have a infestation of Wrackspurts in your hair," Luna observed.

     Ginny leaned over and whispered into Hermione's ear. "Luna has loads of odd ideas. This morning she claimed that Professor Black was really a musician named Stubby Boardman."

     "Harry Potter died of dragon pox when he was six,"Hermione said in her most authoritative tone. "I read all about it in A Brightly-Burning Flame: The Tragically-Short Life of the Boy Who Lived."

     Luna only shook her head sadly. "The author of that book had no idea what he was talking about," she said. "Harry Potter was actually hidden by Albus Dumbledore with cruel Muggle relatives who kept him locked in a cupboard under the stairs." Hermione huffed. "As though that could happen!"

     Luna ignored her interruption. "He was rescued by kind garden gnomes – or, to give them their proper name, the Gernumbli gardensi – who took him to be raised by a wealthy Squib whom everyone thought to be named Marius Black, though he was actually Leopold Boardman, Stubby Boardman's father. The Gernumblies used their special magic to change Harry Potter's appearance so that everyone would think he was actually Aries Black, or rather, Herman Boardman. You can read all about it in my father's newspaper."

     "And what newspaper is that?" Hermione asked sceptically. "My father runs The Quibbler," Luna replied matter-of-factly. The bushy-haired girl snorted and began to make a snide remark, but Ginny cut her off. "So, Hermione, shall we get started on our homework?"