Chapter 28: Refined Threads and Wandering Dreams
The first hints of December frost clung to the windows of Hogwarts, tracing delicate spirals across the glass as if the cold itself was whispering secrets. Luna rose from her bed before the others, wrapping herself in her softest woolen cloak. Her dreams had been particularly vivid lately—filled with voices she could not place and paths she had not yet walked.
System Log:
Dream Layer Accessed: Deep Weave (Temporal Threads Identified)
Memory Drift Active - Filtering Marvel Timeline...
Progress: 6.2%
She tilted her head curiously, watching the log flicker in her mind. The name "Stark" had floated past her dreamscape, tied to wires and iron, brilliance and war. And something else—an arc of light that refused to go out.
Still, Hogwarts was her present. Her footsteps echoed softly through the halls as she made her way toward the Room of Requirement. The castle responded as it always did, reshaping itself as if it had been waiting for her.
The door appeared on the third pass, shimmering faintly like a bubble of forgotten magic. Luna stepped inside, finding the room filled with orbs of starlight that floated lazily through the air. A gentle stream trickled through a corner, and in the center stood a training dummy shaped like a faceless wizard.
"Dreams are only threads until they're woven," she murmured, raising her wand.
System Tutorial:
Spellcasting Mode: Precision Training Activated
Target: Conjured Practice Dummy
Recommended Spells: Flipendo, Expelliarmus, Lumos Maxima
She began with Flipendo. Her wand movement was swift but controlled.
"Flipendo!"
The dummy staggered back, the force mild but accurate.
Spell Learned: Flipendo
Force Push: 48% Accuracy. Energy Cost: Moderate.
Then, "Expelliarmus!"
The dummy's wand went flying across the room, bouncing once before vanishing.
Spell Learned: Expelliarmus
Disarm Effect: 55%. Trigger Speed: Average. Magical Output: Stable.
A warmth pulsed in Luna's core as magic flowed smoothly through her. The system's presence seemed more organic now, a companion more than a guide. She could feel the dream world humming just below her skin.
Later that day, she joined Hermione in the greenhouse. Professor Sprout had paired them for the study of enchanted moss and its healing properties. The December light filtered through the glass, giving their surroundings a soft glow.
"Did you know that this moss can regrow from a single thread?" Hermione said, voice hushed in awe.
Luna nodded, running her fingers gently across the silver-green fluff. "It remembers what it was. Much like people."
Hermione gave her a curious look, and Luna smiled in return.
"You always say strange things, but they stay with me," Hermione said softly.
Social Link Updated: Hermione Granger - Curious Affinity
Emotional Sync: +3%
Knowledge Resonance: Cross-Disciplinary Magic: Botany-Dream Weaving Noted.
After the lesson, they walked back toward the castle together, speaking of charms, the Yule feast, and magical theory. The snow began to fall gently around them.
That evening, Luna returned to the Room of Requirement. This time, it had reshaped itself into a celestial observatory. Constellations floated freely in the dome above her. The system pulsed softly.
Status Update:
Name: Luna Lovegood
Age: 11
House: Ravenclaw
System Sync: 56.2%
New Spells Learned: Flipendo, Expelliarmus
Spell Proficiency: Intermediate Tier Initiated
Dream Sync: Stable
Temporal Drift Detection: Marvel Timeline Correlation - Passive Observation Only
Social Affinity: Hermione Granger - 34%
Magic Sensitivity: Elevated (Dream, Time, Space Interactions)
Room of Requirement Access Level: Consistent Response Confirmed
She lay back against a floating cushion and gazed upward. A comet drifted across the illusion of sky above her, trailing stardust.
And for a moment, everything—the future, the past, and the weight of two worlds—felt quiet. Like the silence before a new thread was drawn.
End of Chapter 28: Refined Threads and Wandering Dreams