NOVEL NEXT Chapter 28: Luna Lovegood
Dante and Draco quickly found an empty compartment and settled in. Draco still wore a thoughtful expression, his mind racing with the information Dante had shared about Harry Potter. After a moment, he turned to his brother, who just opened a book.
"What's so special about Harry's scar?" Draco asked, his voice low.
Dante glanced at him "Voldemort was foolish enough to create a link between himself and Harry," he explained. "For what reason, I can't fathom. But it means Voldemort is probably not truly dead."
Draco's eyes widened. "The Dark Lord… alive?"
Dante nodded. "I'm not sure how it will affect Harry, but my guess is that it will boost his magical talent and power over time."
Draco sat back, his mind reeling. He didn't fully understand the magic Dante was talking about, but the idea that the Dark Lord might still be out there was both shocking and unsettling.
Before Draco could press further, the compartment door slid open. A small, dreamy-looking girl with long, pale blonde hair and wide, silvery eyes stepped in. She wore radish-shaped earrings and carried a peculiar air of calmness.
"Can I join you?" she asked, her voice soft and melodic.
Dante looked up briefly. "You can sit," he said, his tone neutral.
Draco glanced at the girl, noting she is not wearing any house robes, and quickly lost interest. He turned his attention back to the window, his thoughts still on Dante's revelation.
Just as the girl—Luna Lovegood—settled into her seat, the compartment door opened again. This time, two more girls entered. The older one, Daphne Greengrass, was a familiar face to both Dante and Draco. She was elegant and composed, with sharp features and an air of confidence. Beside her was her younger sister, Astoria, who was shyer and more reserved.
"Hello, Draco, Dante," Daphne greeted, her tone polite but warm.
"Daphne," Draco replied with a nod.
Dante glanced up briefly. "Greengrass," he acknowledged before returning to his book.
Astoria, standing slightly behind her sister, offered a shy smile. "Hello," she said softly.
The two sisters introduced themselves to Luna, who smiled dreamily and introduced herself in return. "I'm Luna Lovegood," she said, her voice carrying a hint of whimsy.
As the group settled in, Dante continued reading his book, seemingly indifferent to the newcomers. Luna, meanwhile, pulled out the latest issue of The Quibbler and began reading silently.
Astoria, noticing the magazine, looked surprised. "You're reading The Quibbler?" she asked, her tone incredulous.
Luna nodded calmly. "It's interesting and filled with information," she replied.
Astoria's expression turned aghast. Even as a young girl, she had heard how ridiculous The Quibbler was. Draco, overhearing the conversation, couldn't resist chiming in.
"You shouldn't read that," he said, his tone dismissive. "It's a lunatic rag. It'll rot your brain."
Luna looked down, her dreamy expression faltering slightly, but she said nothing.
Daphne glanced at Dante, who was still engrossed in his book. "Senior Dante," she said, addressing him respectfully, "what do you think of The Quibbler?"
Dante didn't look up from his book. "I have no opinion," he said simply. "I haven't read it, and I don't make judgments on things I haven't checked."
Daphne hummed thoughtfully, while Astoria looked at Dante with curiosity. Draco, used to his brother's detached demeanor, didn't react. Luna, however, looked up, her silvery eyes bright with interest. His response was different from the usual dismissal or laughter she received.
After a moment of silence, Luna spoke again. "What do you think of Crumple-Horned Snorkacks?" she asked, her tone earnest.
Dante without looking up from his book "I've never heard of them," he admitted.
Luna's face lit up, and she began describing the creature in detail. "Crumple-Horned Snorkacks are rare, magical creatures with spiral-shaped horns. They're said to live in remote forests and are known for their ability to blend into their surroundings, so no one saw them. Some people think they're just myths, but I believe they're real."
Astoria couldn't resist chiming in after Luna's description of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack. "It doesn't exist," she said, her tone matter-of-fact. "The fact that no one has ever seen one is proof enough."
Draco, always eager to join in on the criticism, added, "Anyone can imagine a creature and say it exists, but that doesn't make it real. The world doesn't work like that."
Daphne didn't say anything, but she nodded in agreement, her expression mirroring her sister's skepticism.
Luna, however, wasn't discouraged. Instead, she turned to Dante, her silvery eyes filled with curiosity. "Do you think Crumple-Horned Snorkacks exist?" she asked, her voice calm and earnest.
Dante finally looked up at her, his expression thoughtful. "What you described applies to many creatures," he began. "Unicorns and Kirin, for example, both live in remote forests and have spiral-shaped horns. There's even a creature called the Narwhal that lives in the ocean and has a similar horn."
He paused, his gaze shifting to Luna. "By your definition, you could call unicorns 'Crumple-Horned Snorkacks,' and you'd be completely right. A name is just a label to point to things."
Dante leaned back slightly, his tone measured as he continued. "You can apply the same logic to extinct creatures, undiscovered ones, or even magically transfigured beings. In the end, you'll still end up with something you could call a 'Crumple-Horned Snorkack.'"
He looked directly at Luna, his silver eyes meeting hers. "Whether it exists or not is up to you. The way you define it and what you decide is a 'Crumple-Horned Snorkack' is what counts."
Luna was silent for a moment, her expression of a surprise. This was a response she had never heard before. Unlike the ridicule she and her father usually faced, Dante's words were new and strangely comforting. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft but determined. "I will find the real Crumple-Horned Snorkack—the one no one has seen before."
Dante's lips curved into a faint smile. "Then if you discover a new creature, that will be your 'Crumple-Horned Snorkack'" he said before returning his attention to his book. He appreciated a child's will and desire to discover the unknown, he hoped she would not lose it on her journey.
Luna smiled and looked back at the issue of The Quibbler in her hands, her resolve seemingly strengthened. Draco, Daphne, and Astoria, however, were silent. They hadn't thought of it that way before. While they still found the idea of Crumple-Horned Snorkacks ridiculous, they had to admit that Dante's line of thinking was far different from theirs—and perhaps even a little profound.
The rest of the train ride passed peacefully. Most of the conversation was between Draco, Daphne, and Astoria, with Dante and Luna only chiming in when directly addressed. Dante remained engrossed in his book, while Luna quietly read her magazine, her mind clearly elsewhere.
When the train finally arrived at Hogwarts, the group separated. Luna and Astoria left to join the other first-years, but before she left, Luna turned to Dante. "Which house do you think will suit me?" she asked, her tone curious.
Dante didn't hesitate. "Ravenclaw," he said simply.
Luna nodded, a small smile on her face, and left with Astoria.
Dante, Draco, and Daphne made their way into the castle with the rest of the students. The Great Hall was alive with chatter and excitement as the Sorting Ceremony began. Each house erupted into applause as new students were sorted: Ginny Weasley joined Gryffindor, Luna Lovegood was sorted into Ravenclaw, just as Dante had predicted, and Astoria Greengrass joined her sister in Slytherin.
At the end of the ceremony, Dumbledore stood to welcome the students to a new year at Hogwarts. "This year," he announced, "our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is Gilderoy Lockhart."
At the mention of Lockhart's name, Dante raised an eyebrow. He hadn't forgotten the fraudster's letter or his name. Dante wondered if the man is more than meets the eye, otherwise how did he make it into Hogwarts?
With the ceremony concluded, the students dispersed to their respective common rooms. Dante, Draco, and the other Slytherins made their way to the dungeons, the events of the day already fading into the background as they prepared for the start of another year at Hogwarts.