Several days later, after finishing breakfast, Lewis said goodbye to everyone.
The moment he stepped out the front door, he cast Teleport and headed straight for the Lovegood residence.
An instant later, he appeared at the foot of a small hill.
Looking up, he saw an extraordinarily peculiar house standing alone on the summit.
It resembled a gigantic black cylinder, with a ghostly pale moon hanging behind it in the afternoon sky.
That was today's destination.
As expected of the Lovegoods, the oddities began before he even reached the front door.
Three hand-painted signs were nailed to the gate.
Editor of The Quibbler: X. Lovegood
Please Help Yourself to a Sprig of Mistletoe
Do Not Touch the Dirigible Plums
The gate creaked open as Lewis pushed it.
A winding path stretched ahead, lined with all kinds of strange plants.
The bushes were covered in the bright red fruits that Luna usually wore as earrings.
Lewis also spotted a patch of Horklump vines growing nearby.
He immediately gave them a wide berth.
He had no desire to provoke the aggressive plants and end up attacked by their tentacle-like vines.
Two weather-beaten old crabapple trees stood guard on either side of the front door.
Though stripped bare of leaves, they were still covered with tiny red apples and large wreaths of mistletoe dotted with white berries.
Perched on one branch was a rather flat-headed little owl that looked almost hawk-like, quietly watching him.
Lewis retrieved Luna's Christmas present from his storage space and carried it in his hand.
Then he knocked on the door.
The heavy wooden door was studded with iron nails and fitted with an eagle-shaped knocker.
Less than ten seconds later...
The door opened.
Standing there was a man dressed in a blue velvet coat and trousers with a silk waistcoat.
His pale hair hung loosely to his shoulders, and his eyes wandered in slightly different directions.
A colorful tassel dangled from the crooked pointed wizard's hat perched atop his head.
Around his neck hung a golden chain bearing a curious symbol that resembled a triangular eye.
His gaze immediately landed on the invitation in Lewis's hand.
His face lit up.
"Ah! Hello!"
"I'm Xenophilius Lovegood."
"Welcome!"
"Good afternoon, Mr. Lovegood."
Lewis extended his hand.
"I'm Lewis Green."
"Luna's classmate in Ravenclaw."
"And..."
"A loyal reader of The Quibbler."
Xenophilius's smile grew even wider.
"Wonderful!"
"Welcome, Lewis!"
"You're our very first guest today!"
"Thank you, Mr.—"
Before Lewis could finish speaking, the overly enthusiastic editor hurriedly interrupted.
"Luna's in the lovely little garden!"
"She's saying hello to the gnomes."
"They're everywhere!"
"Absolutely delightful little creatures."
"So few wizards realize how much we can learn from those clever little gnomes."
"Oh!"
"Their proper name is Garden Sapper Gnomes."
Without even having time to sit down, Lewis was swept along by the energetic Xenophilius toward the garden behind the house.
He spotted Luna immediately.
Against the lifeless, winter-withered garden...
She was impossible to miss.
She wore a brilliant yellow robe.
A large sunflower adorned her hair.
Once one became accustomed to the dazzling colors, the overall appearance was surprisingly pleasant.
At least...
She wasn't wearing Dirigible Plum earrings today.
"Dad..."
" Lewis's here too!"
Luna's face immediately brightened.
Still holding a garden gnome by the leg, she happily ran toward them.
At Hogwarts, where nearly everyone regarded her as the "strange girl," Lewis was one of the few people who sincerely listened to everything she said...
Even her fantasies.
Even Ginny Weasley, Luna's other close friend, couldn't quite do that.
Ginny accepted her out of kindness.
Deep down...
She still believed Luna's stories were merely delusions.
"Ah!"
Halfway over, Luna suddenly cried out.
She flung the struggling gnome as far away as she could before raising one finger.
"Dad, look!"
"The gnome bit me!"
"Excellent!"
Xenophilius exclaimed happily.
"Gnome saliva is wonderfully useful!"
He immediately took Luna's finger and carefully examined the tiny bleeding wound.
"Luna, my dear..."
"If you suddenly discover a hidden talent today..."
"Perhaps an irresistible urge to sing opera..."
"Or recite poetry in Mermish..."
"Don't suppress it!"
"It may be a gift from the Garden Sapper Gnomes."
Watching the father and daughter...
Lewis's expression became unusually thoughtful.
Most people would probably conclude that both Lovegoods were simply lost in their own fantasies.
Or that Xenophilius had filled his daughter's head with nonsense since childhood.
But Lewis's psionic senses told him something very different.
Luna genuinely believed every word.
If it had only happened once or twice...
That would be one thing.
But she sincerely believed these things all the time.
Which suggested another possibility.
Perhaps...
She truly saw things that ordinary people couldn't.
Unable to explain them through existing magical knowledge...
She simply interpreted them using the stories and theories her father had taught her.
Lewis had long suspected...
Luna might actually be a latent psion.
Perhaps she had naturally awakened certain psychic abilities.
Without any systematic understanding of psionics, however...
She couldn't properly control them.
That would explain everything.
For example...
In the original timeline, Luna often saw straight through people's true thoughts.
Perhaps that was simply the most basic manifestation of telepathic sensitivity.
The "Wrackspurts" she constantly talked about...
Might actually be manifestations of disturbed psychic energy surrounding people's minds.
She had also heard the mysterious voices behind the Veil in the Department of Mysteries.
That, too, could easily be explained as a psionic phenomenon.
Most importantly...
Among every young witch or wizard Lewis had ever met...
Luna possessed the strongest innate psychic potential by far.
Just then, Xenophilius spoke again.
"Right then!"
"I still have preparations to make for today's gathering."
"Luna..."
"You entertain your classmate."
Clearly eager to continue his work, he nodded politely to Lewis before hurrying back toward the house.
Lewis looked at Luna's injured finger.
"Are you sure you don't want to put something on that wound?"
"Oh, it's fine."
Luna dreamily sucked on her fingertip while calmly studying Lewis from head to toe.
"I told Dad that most people would probably wear formal robes today."
"But he believes celebrations should be attended in the color of the sun."
"For good luck."
"You know."
Lewis nodded in understanding.
Long ago...
He had learned not to criticize other people's way of life.
He handed her the Christmas present he had prepared.
"Merry Christmas."
Luna accepted it with delight.
"What a beautiful crystal pendant."
"But..."
"What did you put inside it?"
"A Moon Frog?"
Lewis blinked in surprise.
"You really can sense the power inside."
"That's wonderful."
"It isn't a Moon Frog."
"It's another kind of energy."
"Psionic energy."
"Only someone with psychic talent can perceive it."
The crystal embedded within the pendant had been created entirely through Lewis's psionic abilities.
Psionic crystals were among the few substances capable of storing psychic power.
This pendant contained a considerable reserve of psionic energy.
Lewis had intentionally given it to Luna as a test.
If she truly possessed latent psionic talent...
She would gradually absorb the energy inside.
Her psychic abilities would strengthen rapidly until she reached the threshold required to become a true psion.
Only then would she be able to perceive the crystal's power.
What pleasantly surprised Lewis...
Was that Luna hadn't even worn the pendant yet.
She had sensed its uniqueness the instant she touched it.
Her natural talent...
Was even greater than he had imagined.
"So..."
"You're a psion too, Lewis?"
Luna immediately understood.
"That's right."
"No wonder..."
"You can see Wrackspurts too!"
Luna beamed with genuine happiness.
For perhaps the first time...
She had found someone like herself.
Looking at Lewis, warmth filled her heart.
Being understood...
Really was wonderful.
"We should go to the seaside."
She suddenly looked up with her large silver eyes.
"Helping Dad clear the garden isn't very suitable for you."
Lewis didn't particularly think there was much to see at the beach in winter.
Still...
It sounded far more interesting than chasing gnomes around the garden.
Together they left the Lovegood home along the winding path.
Luna skipped lightly ahead, leading the way.
After winding through the hillside for quite some time...
Lewis finally heard waves crashing against the shore.
Stepping out through a natural stone archway...
A beautiful coastline unfolded before them.
Standing upon the rocks, they quietly enjoyed the cool sea breeze while watching the waves repeatedly smash against the cliffs.
Luna remained silently beside him.
The wind gently lifted her pale hair.
"Tell me about psionics."
She suddenly spoke.
"My father has never mentioned anything like it."
"That's because not everyone possesses this power."
Lewis smiled.
"The power of the mind is extraordinary."
"Although anyone can learn Legilimency..."
"True psionic abilities are something entirely different."
"Only one person in tens of thousands is ever born with the potential to awaken them."
He began explaining the fundamentals of psionic theory.
Finding someone with such exceptional natural talent was extraordinarily rare.
Since Luna was already his friend...
Lewis genuinely wanted to teach her how to become a psion.
After he finished...
Luna suddenly asked,
" Lewis..."
"Do you want me to become like Hermione?"
"...What?"
Lewis froze.
His face instantly turned bright red.
It was true...
He liked Luna.
Very much.
But she was still younger than he was.
Being confronted so suddenly made him feel thoroughly embarrassed.
"Um..."
"I'm sorry..."
"I really wasn't trying to—"
"I mean..."
"You want to teach me the way you taught Hermione."
"Right?"
Luna blinked innocently.
She had no idea why Lewis had suddenly become so flustered.
Before he could embarrass himself any further...
She continued,
"But..."
"I'm happy that you like me."
"I actually like you too."
Then...
She stepped forward and gave him a simple, natural hug.
Feeling the light, soft girl in his arms...
Lewis could only sigh inwardly.
He prided himself on being a carefree romantic.
Yet somehow...
He had been completely outmaneuvered by a younger girl without even realizing it.
Still...
The fact that Luna had immediately sensed his intention to nurture her talent only confirmed how extraordinary her psychic potential truly was.
"So..."
"What do you think?"
Lewis asked after she released him.
"Hm?"
"I have to decide now?"
Luna tilted her head.
"Okay."
"I accept."
"Boyfriend."
"...That's not what I was asking!"
Lewis covered his face.
This girl's train of thought jumped far too quickly.
"I meant..."
"Would you like to learn how to become a psion from me?"
"So..."
"You're not my boyfriend?"
Luna's disappointment was immediately obvious.
"But..."
"Becoming a psion sounds nice too."
Seeing the sadness in her eyes...
Lewis couldn't help twitching helplessly.
Things had already reached this point.
Truthfully...
He felt a little reluctant himself.
Not because of any strange preference.
He simply didn't want to make her unhappy.
"Actually..."
He hesitated for a long moment before smiling helplessly.
"You don't have to choose."
"You can pick both."
With that, he cleverly threw the decision back to her.
That way...
If anything happened later...
He couldn't be blamed.
Luna merely looked at him for a moment.
Then she smiled.
"Alright."
"My boyfriend..."
"Teach me how to become a psion."
Hearing the girl speak those words in her gentle, almost singing voice...
Lewis felt as though he'd been struck directly through the heart.
For the first time...
The self-proclaimed carefree ladies' man realized...
He had finally met his natural nemesis.
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