The vish ballroom of Malfoy Manlittered uhe light of tless deliers, their crystal drops refrag the golden glow into rainbows across the polished marble floors. The sight could only be described as magical while out in the gardens peacocks were moving around iarry night.

  It was the height of the holiday season, and as tradition dictated, the a families of the British Wizarding World had gathered at various meetings and balls its just that the Malfoy’s happeo be holding this one.

  Witches and wizards i robes adorned with family crests miheir voices a low hum of polite versation, punctuated by the occasional k of goblets filled with the fi elf-made wine. House elves scurried silently between the guests, trays banced precariously as they served delicacies that could only be found at such prestigious events.

  At the ter of a small gathering near an ornate hearth stood Narcissa Malfoy, her ptinum hair gleaming uhe delier’s light, a polite yet inscrutable smile on her lips. Beside her, Lucius Malfoy swirled his wine absently, his sharp eyes surveying the room like a hawk searg for prey.

  “An unusual season, wouldn’t you say?” drawled Lady Greengrass, her fan fluttering as she leaned slightly toward Narcissa. “Three promi families, all decred extinot long ago, suddenly resurging within months of each other. A…” She trailed off, her gaze drifting meaningfully toward the empty spaces at the high table reserved for the heads of those newly reestablished families.

  “Indeed,” Narcissa replied smoothly, taking a delicate sip from her gss. “One might almost call it miraculous. Though their absence from tonight’s festivities is… notable. Speaking of absences, where is your daughter, Lady Greengrass?”

  Lady Greengrass sighed softly, a mixture of exasperation and amusement flickering in her expression. “She is off on an adveh Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood. They actually stopped by the manor for a few days before setting out again. Were you aware that Luna is a seer? She caused my husband so much paperwork. But yes, it has been an unpreted season, wouldn’t you say?” She fanned herself gracefully, her tone now dripping with intrigue. “Three a lines—Hufflepuff, Ravencw, and Gryffindor—restored in mere months. A, none of their heirs have deemed it necessary to attend tonight’s gathering.”

  “Not just unusual,” interjected Lord Nott, his voice low and spiratorial as he joihe versation. “It’s positively extraordinary. The st known desdants of those houses vanished turies ago. Now, they return without so much as an expnation.”

  “Indeed,” Narcissa agreed, tilting her head ever so slightly. “Miraculous, perhaps. Though their absence does invite specution.”

  Lord Nott leaned closer, his tone spiratorial. “It makes one wonder what they’re hiding. Or perhaps what—or who—has brought them back.”

  Lucius Malfoy, who had remained silent thus far, finally spoke, his voice cutting through the versation like a bde. “It is not unon for the truly powerful to wait and observe before making themselves known. If these heirs are as formidable as the restoration of their lines suggests, their absence may be a deliberate strategy.”

  Lady Greengrass raised an eyebrow, her fan pausing mid-flutter. “A strategy, Lucius? Or a reluce to reenter a society that so often devours its own?”

  ===================As the Yule festivities bustled around her, Luna’s attention was drawn to the edge of the quad, where a tall student stood apart from the crowd. He had long, dark hair that fell in slight waves past his shoulders and an air of detat, his posture stiff as if he were trying to blend into the background. His hands were shoved deep into the pockets of his leather jacket, and his sharp eyes darted around the festivities, taking in the decorations and ting students with a mix of skepticism and disfort.

  Luna, ever the social butterfly when curiosity struck, drifted away from Harry and Daphne and approached the young man with her usual disarming smile. “Hello there!” she chirped, stopping a few feet from behind him.

  The freshman had nearly jumped out of his skin when Luna snuck up on him.

  “You look like you’re about one mispronounced rune away from walking off campus entirely.”

  The student bli her, clearly startled by her sudden appearance. His brows furrowed slightly as he replied, “Yeah, well… this whole thing is kind of ridiculous, isn’t it?” His voice was lh, and carried the weight of someone who wasirely fortable being there.

  Luna tilted her head, studying him with her pierg gaze. “Ridiculous, maybe. But people do love their traditions, evehey don’t quite uand them.” She smiled warmly. “I’m Luna. What’s your name?”

  “Sam,” he said after a moment’s hesitation. He g the crowd again, his expression softening into something closer to unease. “I didn’t even want to be here. My roommate Jess dragged me along. Said it’d be fun.”

  “A, here you are,” Luna observed, her tone light and pyful. “You could have said no, you know.”

  Sam huffed a small, almost bitter ugh. “Yeah, well, saying no is plicated sometimes.”

  Luna houghtfully, stepping closer to stand beside him. “Sometimes, yes. But not always. Sometimes, the hardest part is realizing you’re allowed to.” She turned her attention to the fire and the ting students, her gaze distant. “Traditions like this, they be silly, but they also be grounding. A way to ect with something bigger than ourselves.”

  Sam didn’t respht away, his eyes fixed on her as if trying to figure her out. Finally, he said, “You talk like someone who knows a lot about traditions.”

  “Oh, you could say that,” Luna replied with a knowing smile. “But I like to think of them as stories. Some of them are worth keeping, and some of them… well, they’re better left as lessons.” She g him sideways. “What about you, Sam? Do you have any stories worth keeping?”

  His jaw tightened slightly, and for a moment, he didn’t ahen he said, “Not really. Stories aren’t my thing.”

  Luna nodded again, not pressing further. Instead, she gestured to the se in front of them. “Well, if nothing else, it’s an iing way to spend the evening. And who knows? Maybe you’ll find somethihat surprises you.”

  Sam gave her a sideways gnce, his guarded expression hardening as he looks around, “What exactly… where did she go?”

  Sam’s words trailed off as he turned, his eyes sing the crowd for Luna. She’d been standing right beside him just a moment ago, but now she was gone—vanished as if she’d never been there. His hunter instincts immediately kicked in, tension coiling in his shoulders as he searched the bustling quad.

  The firelight cast long, flickering shadows, and the ting students were oblivious to anything beyond their own revelry. Sam moved through the crowd, his height giving him a clear view of the area, but there was no sign of Luna’s pale hair or her distinctive presence.

  “Great,” he muttered under his breath, his hand instinctively brushing his jacket where, in another life, a on would have been tucked away. He wasn’t supposed to be w about things like this anymore—he was at Stanford, a normal student, living a normal life. But the unease creeping up his spine was far too familiar.

  “Looking for me?” a serene voice came from behind him.

  Sam turned sharply to find Luna standing there, her silver eyes calm and unbothered, as if she hadn’t just pulled a disappearing act. “What the hell?” he blurted, trying to mask his surprise. “Where did you go?”

  Luna tilted her head, her expression unreadable but somehow kind. “I just stepped away for a moment. The energy around the fire eculiar.”

  “Peculiar?” Sam repeated, his tone skeptical.

  She nodded, her gaze flig to the bohe ting, the ruhey’re well-meaning, but not quite right. It’s not dangerous, not yet, but it’s certainly drawing attention.”

  Sam’s stomach tighte her words. “Attention from what?”

  Luna’s gaze returo him, and her smile was both cryptid reassuring. “Oh, nothing too troubling. Just spirits of curiosity, drawn to the energy of the season. They won’t hurt anyone.” She paused, studying him again. “You feel it, don’t you? The oddness of it all.”

  Sam’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Luna’s smile widened slightly, but she didn’t press him. “Of course you don’t.”

  Her eyes glowed an the moon seemed to shine brighter for a moment.

  Sam tensed, his jaw tightening. “You’re not just some random student, are you?”

  Luna looked up at him, her expression serene. “No, Sam Wier, I’m not.” She turned back toward the fire, her voice dropping to a near-whisper. “But her are you.”

  Sam was frozerified running through ideas on how to kill whatever in the hell was infront of him.

  “Well Moose, I’m a call you moose. It been fun but I have to get bay friend and try and protect the students from malicious spirits and gods. You enjoy retirement.” Luna states with a smile dissipating in front of him.