Train Ride
'Well… that's an interesting and good theory. But I have no way to confirm it. The only way I can currently think of is to kill Voldemort myself, which is extremely risky. If I destroy his Horcruxes before he gets his body back, he may become really Immortal… although probably a monster. If I confront him once he has his body back, I would have not only to fight one of the most powerful dark lords in history but also his army of Death Eaters. Which is just suicide. Hmmm… doesn't matter, my future self can handle that.' While Matthew was deeply in thought pondering the meaning of Luna's Ability and his own existence the door to his compartment opened again.
Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Ginny stood at the entrance. "Hello, Matthew can we join your compartment? Or are you waiting for your Roommates?" asked Hermione.
"Sure Guy's come in. I am not waiting for them, if they didn't join me here yet, it just means they already have space somewhere else." Replied Matthew as he was pulled out of his mind.
Matthew and Luna who currently had a copy of the Quibbler in her hands, notably it was upside down, she must have pulled it out while he was deeply in his thoughts, watched as the four newcomers stowed their trunks and Hedwig's cage in the Luggage Rack. 'Good that I sent Morgana already to Hogwarts this morning. I wouldn't want her to travel in the small space inside the Hogwarts Express.'
Only now did they realize that someone unknown was also in the compartment, well unknown to Harry and Hermione. "Oh, Luna you are also here. That is Luna Lovegood. She is a good friend of mine. She lives close to the Burrow in a rook-like house just over the Hill close to the village of Ottery St Catchpole in Devon. " Greeted Ginny happy that she met her Childhood friend as she introduced her.
"Hello, Ginny." Greeted Luna with her dreamy voice while she looked at her over her upside-down magazine, then her eyes inspected the other Newcomers before stopping at Harry.
"Had a good summer, Luna?" Ginny asked.
"Yes," said Luna dreamily, without t taking her eyes off Harry. "Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know. You're Harry Potter," she added.
"I know I am," said Harry.
Matthew and Ron chuckled. Luna turned her pale eyes at Ron. "Hello, Ronald nice to see you again." She greeted before turning to Hermione.
"Hullo." Replied Ron a bit sheepishly.
"And I don't know who you are." Said Luna as she looked at Hermione.
"Hermione Granger, nice to meet you, Luna." Greeted Hermione with a smile as she sat down beside Matthew, "How did you meet Luna Matthew?" She asked as she inspected the Quibbler.
"Oh, she found me and thinks I am quite fascinating." Replied Matthew haughtily while Hermione stared at him with a deadpan expression, "So I invited her to join me in the Compartment, turns out Luna is quite the interesting Person herself. Isn't that so Luna?"
"Mhhh, it's the first time I met a Person without a Nargles or Wrackspurts infestation." Replied Luna dreamingly as she dropped her Copy of the Quibbler on her legs.
"A what infestation?" asked Harry visibly confused.
"Don't think too much about it Harry. Loony Lovegood was always quite strange. She believes in creatures that don't exist." Explained Ron like an idiot, while pissing off two people in the Compartment his younger Sister who stared at him in anger, and Matthew who had a good impression of Luna.
'So that's where that name came from in the Books.' Realized Matthew as he stared at Ron with cold eyes. "Don't be a dick, Ronald. If you ever had an open mind and would have actually listened to Luna, you would have realized how fascinating she is. She was born with an interesting ability. Like seers that are born with the third eye and are able to predict the future and create Prophecy's, Luna has the ability to perceive a Persons emotions. I was able to realize that after asking her what she meant with Nargles and Wrackspurts. She is able to see them as particles that surround a person, and based on their Looks they represent a different emotion. A quite fascinating subject." Explained Matthew while smiling at the young first year with a dreamy look.
The other people in the Compartment looked at her now visibly impressed. Before Harry suddenly realized, "Wait doesn't that mean that Matthew has no emotions?" he asked.
"To my knowledge I have emotions. My current theory is that Luna can't see my Emotions because of my Occlumency shields." Explained Matthew with a half-truth.
"Occlumency? What is that I never read of that." Wondered Hermione.
"It's the magic of closing one's mind against external intrusions like mind-reading which is called Legillimency." Explained Matthew patiently while realizing he just gained the Chance to earn some more favors with Harry.
"Mind reading? There are Wizards who can read our Minds?" asked Harry horrified by that revelation.
"Legillimency! It's called Legillimency and yes. Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore are quite proficient in the Art. Because of them, I learned to defend my mind." Replied Matthew before adding as he saw that Hermione was about to ask a question, "You didn't read anything about it because this branch of magic is quite advanced and complex, the only books in Hogwarts are in the restricted section." Said Matthew as he stood up and pulled a notebook out of his trunk and created permanent duplicates of it that he handed out to the people in the Compartment.
"Here this are my personal notes on the topic. With that, you can learn it yourself but don't share it with others." Said, Matthew. He had given each of them the first stage of his own Occlumency technique, which is mostly the traditional Occlumency technique just a bit easier to learn with the specialized meditation. He had no problem sharing that much since the results were the same as if someone would learn Occlumency traditionally. It was just a bit faster and easier. While the other stages were his personal secrets and he would only share them with people he was sure wouldn't betray him, basically his family if they could use magic.
Hermione, Ginny, Harry, and Luna looked quite eager to learn it, while Ron already lost interest probably because he would have to read. Especially Harry since he hated Snape and didn't like that he could read his mind. And Matthew had no problem if they became more capable, they would keep more of Voldemort s focus on themselves. And Matthew could stay in the Shadow. As for Riddle's Diary learning it, it was as good as dead. It will only exist until the end of the year. And it was only an easier way to learn Occlumency which Riddle already learned.
The rest of the Travel went without trouble, over the course of the train ride they were visited by Matthew's Roommates and Cho at some point. Once they arrived at Hogwarts Luna and Ginny joined the other first years for they ride over the Black Lake with Hagrid. They absolutely will enjoy the ride, since the sky was nice and clear tonight. While the rest of the School traveled from the Platform with the Thestrall Carriages. The Great Hall filled up with Hogwarts Students as the Professors watched from the Head table. Soon the Welcoming feast for Matthew's fourth Year would begin.
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