The Room of Requirement
Lucia found herself confused where she was, in short terms: she’s lost. It’s a very typical trait of hers to get lost, even in the smallest spaces but what more in the biggest wizarding school in all of Europe? Lucia cursed herself, she should have asked for Trelawney’s help. She saw a shadow at the edge of her vision and she looked left—she might be bad at directions (and she might not be very good at comprehending right from left) but she wasn’t a fool; Hogwarts, despite being guarded by the best witches is still a very dangerous place.
She followed the shadow, thinking that maybe she is a fool after all.
There wasn’t anyone there at all—in fact, it was a dead end and the only way out the corridor was the opposite hall or the small window that overlooked the grounds. She walked back the way she came, but realized she had dropped her bag of robes on the floor to look at the window earlier. She picked it up and continued getting lost but then again, she felt a pull towards the nook. Once again she walked back to look over the window. Outside was Janine Nine the student-turned gargoyle being treated by Professor Porta. Professor Porta was bathing her hair—in gargoyle form—with eucalyptus and beetle dung juice. The smell reached her and Lucia swore never to drink eucalyptus tea or look at a beetle ever again. Just as she dismissed the thought of someone being here, she found a big steel door opposite the tapestry of Minerva McGonagall’s cat form with her round-rimmed spectacles as marking on the cat’s eyes and her permanent gaunt look. The tapestry never moved unlike a lot of the paintings and memorabilia inside Hogwarts, Lucia supposed that’s because Minerva McGonagall was almost like that—immobile and calm.
The big steel doors opened without a peep of sound which was weird because the doors looked awfully heavy and old, not to mention rusty. She was faced with a motley of things that does not go together: a tiara, two books that are probably banned from Hogwarts, candies, and an old model of a broomstick—Nimbus 2000 and a lot more. It seemed like a never-ending place of misplaced things and among them was Moon Lovegood who said, “Hey.” His hands were in his pockets, his posture was relaxed and it seemed like he’s been waiting for her to open the door. Now that they are not on the grounds outside and they have actual light instead of the faint glow of floating candles above them, she can see now that he’s terribly handsome. His hair was neat, his robes are ironed perfectly and the only thing that gave him away was his rude demeanor and his cocky expression.
“Took you long enough to find me.” He said, walking outside the gigantic doors.
“That was you?” She asked, her tone was clearly annoyed. “Not worth my time then.” She turned away from him, towards the corridor she walked into. And then she remembered she does not know the way but ignored that to stay away from him. She just needs to stay out of trouble.
“What are you doing in Trelawney’s office?” He called out, he made enough noise to get them caught by Peeves, prefects, guards or whoever was around. Perfect, he thought.
“I got my secondhand robes from her. They’re very old.” She said back loudly, surprising him completely. But if people caught up to them, she could run. And she’s fast, but he doesn’t know that.
No one seemed to have heard them though. They stood for minutes on end, keeping their distance. They listened aggressively for sounds but no one really came.
Moon took his wand out and as Lucia observed, it was longer than usual. Wands ranged around six inches to fourteen. Her own measures eleven, made from wildwood and the devil’s golden hair wrapped around the tip of it. But Moon’s wand was at least sixteen inches, and very out of ordinary. The whole wand was blood red that it was almost black.
Moon used the levitating charm on the bad she carried. “They’re new.” He said, all her belongings emptied out from the bag.
“No, they’re—“, She looked at her robes floating in front of her. The robes were clean and perfumed with lavender and her books were freshly covered with leather. “—new. I thought Trelawney would give me her old things so I wouldn’t have to pay for this.”
Moon looked at her face, she had her brows furrowed and it made her slanted eyes look even smaller than they already are. The tip of her tongue was being bitten by both her canine teeth. It’s her angry face, he decided, it was a tad bit funny to him. “Maybe it’s a gift.”
“No. I can’t pay for this.” She said angrily, already on her way back to the Headmistress’ office.
“I’ll take you there.” He said and she stopped walking. She remembered that she was not good with directions. Moon continued, ”Do you know the way?”
She dropped her angry disposition, “No. I’m bad at directions.”
“Yeah I’ve been watching you go in circles.” He said. “Let me help you.”
He reached his hand out. “I’m going to Apparate. I’ll hold your arm.”
She hesitated, she’s not particularly keen with touching anybody. Not even with things like Apparition. “Is Apparition taught early in Hogwarts? I thought it wouldn’t be taught until this year.” She started walking and Moon stayed behind, his outstretched hand met no one.
“No, I learned Apparition with George and Cole.”
She nodded as she understood. But Apparition is not something students can just teach themselves. Except if they’re excellent.
“So, no apparition?” He asked and she bobbed her head in reply. “Alright, this way.” He led her to a set of staircases. It shifted and creaked. It’s the famous changing staircase and many people on the frames were already sleeping. “It was funny seeing you get lost inside Hogwarts.” He said with a brief side-along glance.
“I’m bad at directions.” She admitted. “Really bad.”
“Ah, what would you have done without me?” His cocky expression was back, hands wrapped on the back of his neck.
“I’d scream and attract attention, duh.”
Moon thought about that hard and long, or at least he appeared to do so. “You could do that,” He confessed, “But any professor that could have gotten you would take away house points.”
“How much?”
“Probably twenty. Fifty if it’s Miligbean that catches you. He hates Malfoys. Trelawney though, she would have let you off.”
“She wouldn’t.” She said but her expression doesn’t seem convincing at all. “She asked me to come to Hogwarts, but she would not tolerate me.” They passed the walls of pictures with sleeping men and women. “I have bad records; I’m treated like a prisoner in my old school.” She said, without any hint of sadness in her tone.
“I doubt that. She’s already fond of you. She even got you new clothes.” He had to point that out because apparently she cannot catch up to the fact that Trelawney was fond of her. Moon had observed Trelawney’s look towards Lucia, she looked at her as if Lucia was her child.
But Trelawney isn’t married. She doesn’t look like a woman who would get married either.
“Do you really think so?” She stopped walking. “I would not be able to pay for this if this isn’t a gift. If we ask her now, I might look rude.” The worry on her tone made Moon sad. He doesn’t understand why she was affected by the things that the previous Malfoys had done. Her life was made difficult by them and he understand why she hated going to Slytherin—it was one more thing that bridged her to the wrong side of the Malfoy clan.
“Yeah I do think so.” Moon moved towards a flight of stairs going down and heard movement. “That’s Fernsby the Fern.”
“What?” She asked, ready to laugh aloud.
“He’s coming.” Moon said, completely alarmed. His eyes were big and he bit down on his lips. “Let’s apparate.” He held his hand out and she reluctantly extended her forearm.