Chapter 13: Wand and Whispers
The rhythmic clatter of the Hogwarts Express lulled Luna into a gentle stillness. Outside, rolling hills gave way to shadowy forests, the sky tinting from pale blue to the warm gold of approaching evening. Inside her compartment, the quiet hum of magic lingered in the air like the memory of a song.
Across from her, a boy with wild black hair—Harry Potter—sat blinking thoughtfully at the shifting scenery. Next to him, the red-haired Neville Longbottom was already halfway through a small stack of Chocolate Frogs. Hermione Granger, seated diagonally to Luna, was flipping eagerly through a book titled Hogwarts: A History, as if trying to absorb the castle's secrets before even seeing it.
Luna let her gaze drift to the wand resting gently on her lap. A slender thing of pale birch, coiled with a thin thread of silver. It felt warm, resonant—as if alive.
System Sync Update: Wand-Bond Detected.
Wand Core: Modified Moonstone Hair Filament (Self-Hair Infusion)
Material: Birchwood – Flexible, Resilient, Dream-Tuned.
Wand Compatibility: 97.4% – Adaptive Bond Established.
Passive Effect:
Wand absorbs ambient dream-magic for stabilization. Harmonizes with space-time fluctuations. Auto-adjusts flow intensity based on caster's emotional state.
"That's a beautiful wand," Hermione said, noticing the glow from Luna's lap. "Did you get it from Ollivanders too?"
Luna tilted her head. "Not exactly. It was... tuned. Mother helped channel it with a strand of my own hair, after the rift altered its resonance."
Neville looked up, crumbs on his chin. "You made your wand? Isn't that dangerous?"
Luna smiled. "Only if you don't listen to it."
Hermione's brow furrowed. "But wand-making is a highly advanced—"
System Notice: Emotional Interference Detected – Level Mild.
Countermeasures Active: Calm Aura Released.
The tension quietly dissolved. Hermione blinked, her irritation fading as Luna turned to the window once more.
She could still sense faint pulses from the sigil that had triggered her dream weeks ago. It was quiet now—dormant—but its echo remained. Somewhere out there, someone had been watching.
Dream-Layer Detected: Fragment Trace – Foreign Signature Masked (93%).
Speculated Origin: Extra-Planar Observer.
Current Threat Level: Minimal.
The Hogwarts Express slowed.
Through the window, silhouettes of tall towers emerged against the twilight sky. A castle carved into legend, lit by lanterns and soft magical glow. Hogsmeade Station appeared as a blur of motion and lantern light.
"We're here!" Hermione said, springing up.
They stepped out into the brisk air. The scent of pine and wet stone filled Luna's lungs. A tall figure in a lantern-lit coat stood at the far end of the platform.
"Firs' years! Over here! First years this way!" boomed Hagrid.
He was... large. Towering, even. And familiar. Luna's dream-memory flickered again.
System Notice: Subject Identified – Rubeus Hagrid
Role: Keeper of Keys and Grounds, Hogwarts.
Personality Match: High Trust Probability. Affection for Magical Creatures: Very High.
Luna followed the others, her steps soft and light. Beside her, Harry walked in silence, and for a moment their eyes met.
He didn't speak. But there was something behind his eyes—something Luna recognized.
A kind of invisible weight.
She gently nodded. He nodded back.
The boat ride across the lake was surreal. Black water reflected a star-pierced sky. The castle shimmered, reflected upside down in the water's surface.
They passed beneath an archway of stone. The boats docked. The adventure was about to begin.
Luna breathed in.
And stepped forward.
End of Chapter 13: Wand and Whispers