Hogwarts Castle, Morning
Illuna and Lily walked side by side through the waking corridors of Hogwarts. The castle was quieter at this hour, lit only by floating candles and the soft glow of sunrise spilling through stained-glass windows.
After several minutes of companionable silence, Illuna spoke.
"May I ask," she began, her voice calm and precise, "where your friend Snape is? I would have figured he would be glued to your side, considering you were sorted into Gryffindor."
Lily chuckled. "He's probably fast asleep. He usually wakes up around eight—not like us, up at six for no reason." She glanced at Illuna with a playful smile. "And he's your friend too, you know."
Illuna nodded, ignoring the last part. "I see. Wizarding times. Most wake at eight since classes only start at nine. Not… efficient."
Lily shrugged. "Makes sense, I guess. But don't change the subject. He is your friend too. That means you can call him by his first name."
Illuna paused mid-step, then resumed walking. "I will take your words into consideration."
Lily smiled warmly. "That's good. Now—let's go exploring."
Illuna returned a small smile. "Indeed. Let's find our classes and explore."
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The Shifting Stairs
They approached the grand staircase, its ancient bones groaning beneath their feet. Just as Lily stepped forward, the stairs clicked, creaked, and shifted beneath her.
Her arms windmilled.
Illuna's hand darted out and caught her sleeve.
Lily straightened with a sheepish grin. "Thanks."
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Transfiguration – Ground Floor
Behind heavy wooden doors on the ground floor, they found the Transfiguration classroom. The hallway outside smelled faintly of polish and old parchment.
Peeking through the diamond-shaped window, they glimpsed Professor McGonagall casting a spell—turning a quill into a sparrow with a flick of her wand. The sparrow fluttered and flew out of the window, delivering a message most likely
Lily's eyes widened. "That's so cool."
Illuna tilted her head. "Creative."
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Herbology – Greenhouses and Overgrown Alley
Guided by the scent of damp moss and mint, they wandered beyond the castle to the glass greenhouses.
Inside were odd-looking plants that puffed clouds of pink pollen into the air. A Hufflepuff third-year worked around, seemingly getting her equipment settled.
A warning sign read:
"Touch nothing unless you're ready to lose a finger. –P. Sprout"
Midnight, Illuna's cat, emerged from the hedges and batted at a puffball. It hissed. Illuna scooped him up with practiced ease. "Not edible."
On their way back toward the castle, they passed a narrow corridor overtaken by creeping vines and giant pumpkins leaning like lazy sentinels. Midnight leapt at a garden gnome. It shrieked, lobbed a pebble, and fled into the underbrush.
"Your cat's a menace," Lily muttered.
"He's curious," Illuna replied evenly.
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The Clocktower Corridor
They passed beneath the grinding gears of the Clocktower. Candles floated like fireflies overhead, and the ticking echoed in long, rhythmic pulses.
Lily flicked her wand. "Lumos!"
Only a sputter.
Illuna raised her wand, and her light was clean and steady. "Your wrist—tighter."
Lily corrected herself. This time, her wand glowed true. "Ha!"
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Potions – Dungeons
Descending into the dungeons, the temperature dropped and their footsteps echoed off the slick stone walls.
A classroom appeared through an archway—rows of cauldrons, perfectly arranged.
A Slytherin prefect passed by, muttering, "Careful where you step. Someone melted a table last year."
The air was thick with the scents of burnt lavender and sulphur.
Illuna inhaled. "Smells like home."
Lily gave her a sideways glance. "We really need to talk about your home."
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The Dark Corridor (Peeves)
They turned into a corridor dimmed by magic—no torches, only long, dragging shadows.
Something hissed. Then creaked.
Lily froze. Illuna raised her wand. "Revelio?"
Nothing.
Then—
"BOO!"
Peeves burst from the wall, upside down, laughing maniacally. Midnight tore after him with a screech, tail lashing like a whip.
Illuna and Lily dashed after them, their laughter echoing through the shadows.
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Defense Against the Dark Arts – First Floor, evening
They paused near a tall, arched door. Scratch marks covered the frame, and a notice was pinned to the wood:
"Classroom off-limits until classes start at Tuesday."
A ghost with a jagged monocle floated by, muttering, "Foolish subject. The best defence is staying dead."
Lily instinctively stepped behind Illuna.
Illuna's expression didn't change. "Noted."
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History of Magic – Second Floor
Professor Binns' ghostly form drifted above the desk, murmuring about the International Statute of Secrecy- probably planning his next class.
A fly buzzed lazily through a sunbeam.
"I think he's dead," Lily whispered.
"He is," Illuna replied. "Technically, still employed. Who better then a ghost to teach history "
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Charms – Third Floor
They climbed a spiral staircase to the third floor, where sunlight spilled through arched windows.
Professor Flitwick sat at his chair, on top of books, doing paper work, he seemed upbeat
Lily leaned in. "He's tiny!"
"So's your volume control," Illuna muttered without missing a beat.
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Viaduct Courtyard
Crossing the stone bridge outside, the wind tugged at their robes. Far below: the forest, shrouded in fog. A distant cry echoed up from the trees.
Lily leaned over the railing. "Do you think there are dragons?"
Illuna tugged her hood up. "Thestrals. Most likely ."
Pause.
"Also, don't fall."
"Wasn't planning on it" Lily replied
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Flying Practice Grounds
Past the courtyard, they found a wide, open lawn with painted lines and levitating hoops.
Lily watched, eyes wide. "is this where we learn to fly"
Illuna nodded and frowned slightly. "Yes. Unfortunately, we're required to."
"sounds fun," Lily smirked.
Illuna just shook her head "hate flying"
Astronomy Tower – Evening
After dinner, they followed a group of second-years climbing toward the Astronomy Tower, "just for the view."
The stairs spiralled forever. Narrower. Steeper. Lily tripped twice.
At the top, the air was crisp and still warm from the day. The scent of stone and open sky lingered.
Tarps covered unused telescopes. The clouds drifted lazily above them, the sky turning a beautiful orange.
Illuna peered through the telescope, silently tracking constellations by name and shape—no star chart needed.
Lily stretched her arms to the sky. "This is my new favourite place."
"I predicted as much," Illuna murmured. "mine too"
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The Library
Their final stop was the library. Towering wooden doors opened to endless rows of shelves and the scent of ink, parchment, and silence.
Illuna stepped in and closed her eyes. "This will do."
Lily sneezed. "It smells like old parchment and dead hope."
"Perfect," Illuna whispered.
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The sun dipped low, casting gold across the castle stones.
They circled back to the courtyard.
Lily flopped onto a bench. "We walked everywhere."
Illuna sat beside her, posture straight. "Tomorrow, Hogwarts will officially start."
Lily leaned her head against Illuna's shoulder. "Don't get lost without me, flower."
Illuna looked over "sorry?"
Lily smirked "you wouldn't let me call you Luna so, flower it is"
Illuna ""Why flower of all things?"? "
Lily "I don't know, really, just came to mind"
Illuna raised a eyebrow, her lips twitching into a smile "it's illogical, "
Pause
"but I'll allow it. "
Lily smirked.
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Later, long after the castle had quieted and Lily had vanished into dreams, Illuna sat at her desk beneath the sloped ceiling of the Ravenclaw girls' dormitory. Midnight dozed in her lap, a purring weight of warmth. The fire in the common room below crackled faintly up the stairwell.
The only light came from her wand, balanced upright in a teacup beside her journal. Its glow spilled across the parchment like liquid thought.
Her handwriting was small, deliberate, and clean:
September 2nd
Hogwarts is a castle with too many hallways. I suspect it moves just to mock us.
Discovered Transfiguration classroom. Quills can fly now. McGonagall possibly terrifying.
Greenhouses house monsters disguised as mint. Midnight disagrees. He was nearly eaten by something that sneezes pollen.
Saw a corridor where the shadows breathe. Met a poltergeist named Peeves. Unsure if he's legally classified as a spirit or a local tragedy.
The dungeons smell like Father's shop—burnt herbs and failure. I liked it.
Astronomy Tower is tall enough to feel like a thought you haven't said yet.
I may tolerate Lily Evans. She's persistent, loud, kind. Gave me a nickname: "Flower." Illogical. …Somehow not unpleasant.
I am still me. But I am… surrounded by stories now. Walking ones. Laughing ones. Hidden ones.
I will record everything. Not for fame. Not for fiction.
For the truth.
For the girl I used to be, who thought she'd never belong anywhere that had sky in its ceiling.
She paused, then dipped her quill again. At the bottom, she signed:
– Illuna Heart
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She closed the journal gently.
Midnight stirred and stretched, blinking at her with lazy green eyes.
Illuna set the book aside and looked out the arched window at the stars, her reflection faint in the glass.
Then, softly, as if the night itself had asked for a conclusion, she whispered:
"So begins the quiet blooming of a flower no one planted.