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This blog is mostly lighthearted and pretty silly. It's not about the terrible things happening in the world, but please know that I'm not ignoring those things. I just generally don't write about them here.

11 December 2010

Luna in America: Harry Potter Blogfest



Harry Potter BlogfestMichael at In Time is having a Harry Potter blogfest today! Yes, these blogfests are getting around! (Stay tuned... I'm announcing my own tomorrow. Everybody's doing it!) Drop by his blog and check out all the entries in the Blogfest.

In my entry, Luna Lovegood is spending Christmas-- and Boxing Day-- in America with her Muggle-born boyfriend, who she met last summer in Diagon Alley, and his family. I wanted to do a "wait-- we don't celebrate Boxing Day"-type thing, and Luna seemed the most likely character to spend the holidays out of the country.


“Did I do it right?” Luna asked the girls who were standing back in amazement.


“Wow, Luna, just… wow,” Michelle said.

“I just did what you said to do,” Luna turned her head, trying to see the French braid she had just put into her hair. “Is it right?”

Michelle nodded. “Yes, it’s perfect! I’ve just never seen anyone do her hair with magic before.”

Emily, Michelle’s younger sister, giggled. “Your hair flew around so fast, I thought you’d end up with a big knot when you were done.”

“Oh, I’ve done that before,” Luna said, unconcerned. “It can be undone just as easily.”

Emily nodded but didn’t say anything. This new girlfriend of her brother’s was a strange one. Of course, all of her brother’s friends were strange.

“Are we ready to go, then?” Michelle asked.

“It seems odd to go shopping on Boxing Day,” Luna said. “Are you sure the shops will be open?”

“We don’t have Boxing Day in America,” Michelle reminded her. “They’ll be open, all right.”

Luna breezed into the living room, where her father was lecturing Seth on the finer points of wizarding botany. “The Dirigible Plums have to be tended carefully, you see, so that the Wrackspurts don’t get them,” he said as Luna entered.

“Daddy, we’re about to go,” she said. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with us?”

“Quite sure,” Xenophilius said. “Seth has just been telling me about the Discovery channel. I think I’ll watch it for a bit, now I’ve learnt how to use the… what did you call it?” he asked Seth.

“Remote control,” Seth replied with a grin.

“Right, yes. It’s like a wand, Luna, but with buttons, and it only operates the television.”

Luna smiled at her father. “Well, have fun, Daddy. Did Seth tell you how to use the telephone? You can’t send a Patronus when we’re in a Muggle shopping mall.”

“Yes, my dear, I have the number right here.”

“Good-bye, Mr. Lovegood. We’ll be back in a few hours,” Seth said as he motioned the girls toward the door.

“Bye, Daddy!” Luna exclaimed as she went out.

“You’ve really never been to a mall, Luna?” Emily asked in awe.

Luna shook her head. “We do all our shopping in Diagon Alley,” she answered, and smiled at Seth. The two of them had met there the previous summer when he was on his first visit to England.

“The mall isn’t so different from Diagon Alley,” he said. “Just no magical shops.”

“I’m glad you and your father could spend Christmas with us,” Michelle said.

“Oh, so am I!” Luna said. “Daddy was so surprised to get an invitation. We’ve never had Christmas anywhere but at home. It’s so nice to see how you celebrate Christmas in America.”

“And Boxing Day,” Emily chimed in. “Of course, it’s how we don’t celebrate that one.”

“Here we are!” Seth said. “Your first American mall, Luna. Are you ready?”

Luna smiled. After all her life’s adventures, a Muggle mall couldn’t be too hard to get used to. “I’m ready,” she said.

19 comments:

Hart Johnson said...

Very cute! I love Luna's open-mindedness--very authentic... she just rolls with it. And Xenophilius and the Discovery Channel *snort* Nice!

Kate said...

Oh poor Luna is in for a HUGE surprise isn't she!! LOL!!! I HATE mall shopping at this time of year!

Michael Di Gesu said...

Hi Su,

I see you picked Luna. She has been a very popular girl today, You definitely captured her well. I also like the fact that you gave her a muggle boyfriend and from America

Nicely written. You details with Luna doing her hair at the amazement of her boyfriend's family, I also enjoyed Xeno's fascination with the TV's remote.

Thank you so much for you post, It's so nice to see the different variations in the entries.

Michael

Dominic de Mattos said...

Loved the story Su. I didn't know that you don't having Boxing Day in the states! You learn something every day!
You captured Luna perfectly and I am so glad that she has found a soul mate!

I think I'd rather face the Battle of Hogwarts than a mall!

:Dom

Su said...

@Hart: I'm sure if the scene continued, by the time the gang gets back Xeno would have phoned the Discovery channel to tell them about Crumple-Horned Snorkacks.

@Kate: Really? I love it. The crowds are part of the fun for me.

@Michael: I just barely got home & haven't had a chance to get round to every one else's yet! That's my next project. :) Thanks!

Su said...

@Dom: Thanks! I so wish we had Boxing Day. It's so nice to have another day to recuperate after Christmas! Can't have everything, I guess.

Lisa Galek said...

So cute! I'd love to take Luna after-Christmas shopping, too :)

Su said...

I know; wouldn't it be fun?

Melissa said...

This was freaking adorable.

N. R. Williams said...

Very nice and I'm happy to meet you as well. I love Luna.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author

Su said...

@Melissa: Thanks! :)

@N.R.: And it's nice to meet you!

Brenda Drake said...

I just love Luna, and you captured her well. How fun to take her to a mall. Great post! :D

Su said...

JK could write a sequel devoted to Luna, and I think there'd be a lot of happy fans. :) Thanks!

Roland D. Yeomans said...

I do believe Luna is my favorite character outside the major four in the Harry Potter universe. Thanks for giving us this special Christmas present. Also for dropping by my blog and commenting there. Roland

Anonymous said...

Hi Su
I really enjoyed your US Muggle Christmas twist with Luna and Xenophilius. Loved the magical hair braiding too. :O)

Su said...

@Roland: Oh, yeah, Luna gets all kinds of love. Imagine if we could all be that uninhibited-- it would be great!

@Madeline: I wish I could magically braid my own hair! I'm living vicariously. :)

Nicki Elson said...

"I’ve learnt how to use the… what did you call it?” he asked Seth.

“Remote control,” Seth replied with a grin.

“Right, yes. It’s like a wand, Luna, but with buttons, and it only operates the television.”

Hehehe. That was adorable. Very cute story, and I think you've inspired me to look up Boxing Day traditions and start it in my house in the states. I've already got the laying around part down to a science. ;)

Unknown said...

Luna is a popular girl. I think it's because she is the type to just roll with it. She would have a good time at the mall! :)

Cyndi

Su said...

@Nicki: For inspiration, I looked around my living room and thought, "What would I NOT want Xeno playing with?" :)

@Pensees: I'm sure she'd find something absolutely fabulous about everything that everyone else would find mundane. She's fantastic.