"Move it! I want to see!"
"Wait your turn!"
"She is so precious!"
"Wherever did you find her?"
"I want one!"
A large crowd of students was gathered around Luna the next morning at breakfast, trying to look at the new creature they had heard about. Luna didn't even get a chance to pour a goblet of orange juice. The second she sat down at a table, she was instantly bombarded by curious students who had heard the news of Luna and her "Woona." While the boys were pretty tame with their interest, the girls were going crazy, fawning over the little alicorn smiling and waving at them. All kinds of baby-talk was echoing throughout the Great Hall. At first, Luna thought that all the attention would be too much for Woona to handle, but she was quickly proven wrong, as Woona happily welcomed it. She was smiling from ear to ear as she waved to the onlookers and kept saying, "Hi!"
"Alright," said a loud voice in the crowd. "Shove off, the lot of ya! Show's over! Nothing to see here!"
Luna looked as Ron shoved his way through the crowd to the table, followed closely by Harry and Hermione. Slowly, but surely, the crowd dispersed back to their tables, with some of the female students shooting rotten looks at Ron. Finally, the noise had returned to its usual chatter. Luna sighed and scooped up some eggs and sausage onto her plate as the three sat down around her.
"Good morning, everyone," she said mellowly, as if nothing had happened.
"Good morning, Luna," the three replied, grabbing plates of their own.
"Goo' mornin'" Woona happily greeted. Hermione chuckled and poked Woona's muzzle playfully, resulting in a giggle from the alicorn.
"Hermione, don't you start too," Ron said as he piled toast onto his plate. "I had enough of squealing girls for today, thank you."
Hermione rolled her eyes and patted Woona's head before reaching for the eggs. As soon as Luna had filled her plate, she placed a piece of toast in front of Woona, who sniffed it cautiously before ripping off a corner with her teeth.
"Looks like Woona's quite the celebrity," Harry chuckled. "I haven't seen huge crowds like that since the Triwizard Tournament."
"I know," Luna responded as she watched Woona lap up orange juice from her goblet. "She's come out of her shell a bit more though. She's done nothing but smile and wave at everyone in the crowd." She then started stroking Woona's mane as Woona continued her toast happily. "I think she likes the attention."
"'As sche go' inoo any trouber 'et?" Ron asked with a mouth full of sausage, accidentally spitting some onto Hermione.
"No. No trouble," Luna responded nonchalantly. "I think she might have a liking for cats, though. She was chasing Cho Chang's around the Common Room when I woke up. My guess is she was trying to snuggle it to death."
"Any chance of letting her meet Crookshanks?" Ron asked jokingly. Hermione huffed and elbowed him as Harry chuckled softly. Luna smiled and took a sip of her juice before giving the rest to Woona, who gulped it happily.
"I see she's also able to eat regular food," Hermione added. "It must be nice not having to worry about acquiring special animal feed for her."
"It is rather nice," Luna nodded, chewing on some eggs in the process. "Last night, when we got to the Common Room, she had her first Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Bean." Luna snickered softly, placing a hand to her mouth. "It was Radish. Let's just say I don't think she'll be eating them again soon." The others laughed along with her. Woona must've understood what she was talking about, because when Luna said that, she stopped and wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Yucky!" she said, sticking out her tongue.
"I rest my case," Luna chuckled as everyone returned to their food
As they ate, Woona stopped to take a quick look around the rest of the spread on the table. Her head came to a halt when it came to the jar of marmalade next to the platter of toast. Tilting her head, she trotted up to it and stared at the contents inside. The others watched curiously as Woona leaned down, took a big sniff, and stuck her tongue into the jar. Her eyes then shot up and a big smile spread across her face as she sat down, grabbed the jar between both hooves, and brought it up to her mouth, gleefully slurping up all the sticky substance. Students sitting at the table started to laugh along with Luna and the others at the show. Finally, after cleaning the very bottom, Woona tossed the empty jar aside with a clatter and walked back to Luna, her mouth and hooves now covered with marmalade.
"Yummy!" Woona proclaimed as she licked her lips. Another onslaught of "Awwwwws" echoed a group of girls across the table.
"Oh shut it!" Ron snapped loudly, resulting in the others laughing even harder. Luna watched for a bit as Woona started licking her hooves, trying to get every bit of the sweet preserves, before pulling out her wand and pointing it at Woona.
"Scourgify Maxima!"
A large ribbon of soapy water shot from Luna's wand and encircled Woona, who giggled from the feeling. Then, with a pop, the ribbon was gone, and Woona a clean once again. Woona looked surprised at first, but quickly shrugged it off and leaped down onto Luna's lap. Luna chuckled softly and started to stroke Woona's mane again.
"By the way," Harry suddenly said, "what are you going to do with her during classes?" Ron and Hermione straightened up and looked at Luna, who didn't look fazed.
"I'm going to take her to class with me," she replied.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another with concern. "Will the teachers allow that?" Hermione asked.
"Professor McGonagall told them about Woona," Luna replied, "so they should all know." Hermione opened her mouth again, but Luna stopped her. "McGonagall said that as long as my grades don't start falling, I can do whatever it takes to take care of Woona. She can sit next to me on the floor. She won't be in the way." She looked down at Woona, who was playfully swatting at Luna's necklace. "I'll make sure she's entertained. They won't even know she's there."
"And, you're sure?" Harry asked.
"Positive," Luna responded confidently. "I know that Hagrid will be happy to see her again, and I'm confident that Professor Flitwick will find her quite fascinating. Speaking of which," she then scooped Woona into her arms and stood up, "I have to get to Charms. See you guys later." Before she turned, she reached down to get her bags, but struggled due to the giggling alicorn in her arms. Hermione instantly grabbed Luna's bag and handed it to her. Luna glanced from the bag to Woona, then shifted so that Woona was in one arm and grabbed her bag with the other. When she finally straightened up, it was apparent that she was uncomfortable.
"How are you going to carry all your stuff and Woona?" Harry asked. Luna glanced from Woona to her bag and back again, the wheels turning in her head, trying to find the right solution.
"Well," Hermione said," she could always levitate whatever she-" She suddenly stopped when she looked to see Luna putting her back down and grabbing Woona with both hands. She then raised her up and, with no hesitation, placed Woona on her head, with Woona's hind legs standing on her shoulders. Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked befuddled, and several heads around the Hall turned to look at the new sight as well. Luna, however, didn't pay any mind and picked up her bag like nothing was odd.
"Uh...Luna?" Ron snickered, trying to hold back his need to laugh, "That's a nice hat you got there!" Hermione shot him a look, but Luna smiled.
"Thanks, Ronald," she replied.
"Tanks Wonal'," Woona repeated happily.
"See you."
Then, paying no attention to the stares and snickers from the surrounding students, Luna turned and happily left for Charms with Woona draped over her head, cheerfully humming to herself.