Chapter 98: 96
Childhood naivety, curiosity, as well as adult seriousness and perseverance were intertwined in the look of the silver eyes that were closely watching me. Not even that, they were looking for something inside me that was visible only to them.
Switching to magical vision, I looked at this girl along with her aura with a new gaze. Just a fleeting glance was enough to understand that all was not well with the girl. Her entire aura, with the exception of the one that "surrounded" the girl's head, seemed to be underdeveloped. All the energy flowed from individual parts into the "head", saturating it with an incredible amount of energy.
Looking at all this, I got a clear feeling that everything that was happening was wrong, I would say artificial. It was as if someone "created" a masterpiece, but was unable to complete it, or brought it to the ideal that he himself imagined.
And yes, her gaze was not magical vision, or rather not only it. There was something else intertwined in her eyes, not just the seventh shell. Perhaps in the future I will be able to find out more about this. Maybe magical vision will become stronger, and I will be able to see more details, or just start treating her. This is an incredible event! I've never seen anything like this, I haven't even read about anything similar.
How intriguing.
"They say he looks like me," she whispered, clutching a lock of her hair in her fist. "You "see" me, but not them. "This is strange," she said, puzzled.
Damn, she realized that I looked at her "differently." We have to do something, otherwise she might spill the beans.
"Yes, I "see" it too," I smiled slightly. - Let's make this our secret? As friends, we will have our first secret. What can you say about this? Can you keep this a secret? And ask "them" to remain silent?
- Friend? - she whispered in disbelief. -Are you Luna's friend? Exactly?
"Yes, I'm your friend," he tried to smile back at her. Perhaps not now, but in the future I will become your friend.
Suddenly the girl sank, lowering her head almost to her chest. Her hair covered her face, hiding her eyes from me, and there was a clear whiff of sadness and loneliness in her emotions.
- What's happened? Why are you sad?
"They say he's not being completely honest," Lovegood whispered a little sadly, but after a second she raised her head and smiled brightly at me with an open smile. - But I will keep your secret and then we will become friends! Surely then you can be my friend?
In response to her bright emotions, I couldn't help but smile. They were so pure, like a mountain stream. There were no other shades or hidden intentions in them. No, only unconditional purity and "whiteness". Such emotions are worth a lot, especially for empaths, especially for me.
"Then I'll try to become your friend, and at the same time find out what happened to you?" Did the death of the mother really affect the child that much? And at the moment I'm not talking about psychological consequences, but about magical and "energetic" ones. Perhaps I can not only figure this out, but also fix this problem in the future.
In response to my words, Luna smiled brightly and, following the lead of her emotions, hugged me tightly. Out of surprise, I froze for a moment, but still, having controlled myself, I hugged the girl's fragile body in return.
"That's it," he lightly patted her on the back. - Everything is fine. After all, you will keep my secret, and I will be your friend and will also keep your secrets. Fine?
"Uh-huh," the girl hummed into my shoulder.
Slightly moving the girl's body away from me, I looked at her again. Yes, a smile suits her much better. Even slightly red eyes from tears did not spoil this picture.
- Well, when you smile you look much more beautiful. Keep smiling, because a smile is worth a lot," placing my hand on her head, I slightly ruffled her hair.
"Okay," she nodded in response.
Removing his hand from the top of her head, he examined the shop premises. Nobody paid attention to us and that's good. Otherwise, I don't need any extra problems, what can I say about the Moon.
"Well, since we are friends, then let's introduce ourselves to each other," I said, getting up from my seat. "My name is Calder Wilson, Hogwarts student," I bowed to the girl jokingly. Her emotions have a strange effect on me. — For friends, just Kol. You can call me that.
The girl, jumping up from her seat, made a small curtsey with all the seriousness she could muster.
- Luna Lovegood. "I'm going to Hogwarts this year," she said cheerfully. "My parents call me Luna, so you, Kol, can call me that," she seemed to suggest, and it sounded like an indisputable fact that that's exactly what I should call her.
Parents? What? Hm…
"So we met," I said, getting to my place. - Nice to meet you Luna.
- And I'm glad! — Lovegood smiled sunnyly, sitting down next to me.
We sit and remain silent. Waiting for our orders to be ready. I don't know what I can talk to her about. Although, it looks like Luna is doing well, she's bursting with joy in all directions, it's a pleasure to be next to her.
"Luna," I finally decided to start the conversation again. "You mentioned "them" several times in the conversation. Who are they? Who's telling you?
Here she shrank a little, and there was a hint of apprehension in her emotions.
"Won't you laugh at me?" - she whispered barely audibly.
- No, why? We're friends, right? So don't be afraid, you can safely tell me about everything you want," I answered confidently, at the same time trying to give the same confidence to the Moon.
A nod was my answer. It looks like it did help her, which is great.
- Brainsnatches can talk to me. So they told me about you," Luna told me with a slightly modest smile.
- Brainsnatch? What do they look like? What can they do? How many? How long have you been seeing?
The girl somehow immediately became confused because of my questions. (Damn, I went a little too far) But still, after controlling herself, Luna began to tell:
"Brainsnatch are very small creatures, smaller than a little finger," she raised her hand and showed it to me. - Nobody knows what they look like, because they are invisible. They don't even show themselves to me," she continued, a little sadly. — When it flies into a person's ear, it causes liquefaction of the brain. I've been talking to them since childhood, because I had no one to talk to," she again became sad at the end.
- Hey. No need to be sad. After all, now you have me," I encouraged her a little. - Better tell me, are there brainsnatches in my head too? What about yours?
"No," she shook her head from side to side. - You don't have any. They are afraid to fly up to you, they say that if you fly up, you won't come back.
- Yes? Interesting. Why did it happen? - I muttered barely audibly, but so that the moon could hear.
"I don't have them either," Luna continued the story. - They can't harm me. They don't really say why...
- Well, that means it's good.
- Listen.
Having answered, the girl fell silent again, I wanted to start a conversation again, but it was at that moment that the owner of the shop approached us.
"Here, everything is ready," she said, holding out two large packages. - That's one and a half galleons.
Nodding, I poured out the required number of coins and took the package. Having put it in his bag, he looked at the Moon in anticipation.
She was also finishing at that moment. From a small bag that hung at her waist, she took out the required number of coins, and then put her bundle there.
- Goodbye. Come again," the owner of the shop said goodbye to us, waving her hand after us.
Nodding well, we left the shop.
- Well, where do you go next? — I asked Luna.
"My parents told me to wait for them at the ice cream parlor and they'll come pick me up there."
"Well then, let's go, I'll sit with you." "Anyway, I've already finished shopping," he smiled slightly at her and walked towards the cafe. A moment later I heard the sound of small footsteps.
Parent again. Hmm, as far as I remember, Luna's mother died right before her eyes during some kind of experiment. I don't remember what her name was (yes, I may not remember. After all, I only acquired absolute memory in this life), but it seems that the girl's father married for the second time. HM interesting.
The road to the cafe did not take long. Having taken a separate table and ordered ice cream for ourselves (I had chocolate, and Luna had raspberry), we began to wait. A couple of minutes later they brought it to us, and we began to gobble it up on both cheeks.
The rest of our time was nothing interesting; we ate ice cream and talked about all sorts of different topics. I told Luna about Hoga, and she told me about her house. Judging by her stories, her parents' library is quite extensive. I wonder if there is anything there that might interest me?
About twenty minutes after we arrived at the cafe, Luna's parents arrived. It was a young couple (magicians, what can I say) dressed in clothes of strange colors, decorated with something unknown. If the man was dressed in a three-piece suit of pink mixed with light green, then the girl was dressed in a traditional robe, only it was painted in all ages of the rainbow, plus brown and gray. The man's suit was decorated with beer caps (cufflinks and buttons), and the woman's was decorated with a pumpkin. What do you think of the pumpkin necklace? Earrings? Bracelet? Same thing.
Looking up at their faces, I froze for a moment in shock. The woman looked like an exact copy of the moon, only older. But her mother died in childhood. Did Kanon lie?
- Luna, would you like to introduce us to this young man? — the girl approached us and turned to the Moon.
"Okay, mom," she smiled. "This is my new friend, Calder," she pointed at me with her hand. "And this is my mother," now it was the woman's turn.
- Nice to meet you, young man. My name is Pandora Lovegood, the mother of this young lady," the designated lady smiled brightly. "And this is my husband, and at the same time Luna's father, Xenophilius Lovegood."
"Nice to meet you," I nodded to them, standing up from my seat. - My name is Calder, Calder Wilson. I'm Luna's new friend.
"I hope you will be a good friend," the woman smiled at me, and her smile sent shivers down my spine. Why did it happen? - Luna, did you buy everything?
"Yes, mom," the girl nodded confidently.
"Then it's time for you to say goodbye to your friend, it's time for us to go home."
"Okay," Luna said, and then turning to me she continued: "Bye Calder, see you at school."
- Bye Luna. "I'll look forward to our meeting," I said, smiling slightly and helping her with my hand.
The small family left the cafe together, leaving me alone. Interestingly, it turns out that Luna grew up in a full-fledged family. And besides, her birth mother is still alive. Why is that? What changed the canon? No, don't think so, I don't believe him thoroughly, but still it would be much easier if I knew the near future.
Eh, okay. It's time to wrap things up. My allotted time is coming to an end, which means that the teacher may well be waiting for me at the Leaky Cauldron.
*****
Returning to the pub and waiting for Poppy (this time she arrived ten minutes later than she said. I wonder what made her stay late?) I rented a room there. I would like to return home, but the teacher has already informed my parents that I will not appear until the next holidays (and when leaving the thought, I warned them that this could very well happen).
After lunch I went to my room. There, having written a letter to my parents and sent it to the local owl (the pub had its own owls, which you could use for a reasonable fee. Of course, they don't send secret or important information, but ordinary ones do), I started training.
Development should not stand still, and in the pub the ministry will not be able to track me. Great.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone