(Luna's Pov)
Today we had a DA meeting. I liked going to those. It made me more confident, plus I could learn more without stupid Umbridge around.

Excuse my language.

Today, we were learning how to cast a patronus. Harry said that you could cast a patronus using a happy memory.

It's odd, how far you need to look into yourself to find something worth remembering.

There was only a couple memories I could recall, from which I was truly happy.

--------------------------------------------

Dancing. A lot of dancing. Merriment, and warmth. Home. The familiarity of home.

I'm eight. Mother and Father. Together. They're holding hands. And dancing. They're happy. I want to dance too. I hold out my hands.

Father laughs, and picks me up. We all dance together. Truly together.

"Mummy! Can I dance with you?" I dance with Mother. She was so beautiful.

Was.

--------------------------------------------

The sadness of remembering my mother shocks me out of the patronus I'm casting. It fades away, even before it was in its true form.

I look downwards. Harry comes toward me, and smiles. "You'll get it, Luna. You'll get it soon." He smiles, and I force a smile back.

I try another memory.

---------------------------------------------

I'm sitting in the carriage. The carriage to Hogwarts. I'm reading the Quibbler. It reminds me of Father.

I hear someone. I look up.

Three people. One with red hair and freckles. A Weasly. Another, with bushy brown hair. And one more.

Harry Potter.

He's pointing at the carriages. He says he sees something, but the other two don't believe him.

I feel a little happy. He can see the thestrals, just like me. I decide to speak up.

"I can see them, too. Don't worry, you're just as sane as I am."

---------------------------------------------

My first friends.

"Expecto Patronum."

A light comes out of my wand, and it streams to make a kind of shield.

Harry comes over by me. "Very good, Luna!" He seems happy. "A bit of a happier memory, and you may be able to cast a corporal patronus!"

I nod, feeling a bit accomplished. I soon think of one memory, that's quite recent.

---------------------------------------------

I'm handing Neville a piece of meat. He takes it. I see fear in his eyes. He goes up to a thestral, holding it out timidly.

I smile as the thestral takes the meat, and then Neville's face slowly turning to wonder.

"Hey, they aren't so bad." His face is full of wonder and curiosity. I feel a little elated. I'm excited, yet calm, happy, yet confused, and so many emotions are inside me all at once as I watch him.

How odd.

"They're quite gentle, actually."

--------------------------------------------

"Expecto Patronum."

The silver spills out in a full force. The jumble of essence slowly takes a form.

I see a prancing hare. As Harry congratulates me, I look over at Neville practicing. My lips part into a smile, and I whisper, very quietly.

"Thank you, Neville."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ahh, this was so fun to write! I just love this couple so much!

-Clo