Imagine Book 2

Magic Beyond the Costume- Shawn Mendes (Canadian Singer)

Fem Y/N

The bustling convention centre hummed with the excited chatter of hundreds of Harry Potter fans. Y/N adjusted her long blonde wig, carefully positioning the radish earrings that completed her Luna Lovegood costume. She'd spent months perfecting every detail, from the hand-painted Spectrespecs perched on her nose to the worn copy of The Quibbler tucked under her arm.

The convention hall was transformed into a magical wonderland. Floating candles (cleverly suspended by nearly invisible wires) drifted overhead, while enchanted-looking paintings lined the walls. Dozens of vendors sold everything from handcrafted wands to bottles of "Felix Felicis" that sparkled gold in the light.

Lost in the wonder of it all, Y/N didn't notice the tall figure in Gryffindor robes until they collided. Her Spectrespecs went flying, and she stumbled backwards, only to be caught by strong hands before she could fall.

"I'm so sorry!" a warm voice exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

Y/N looked up into kind brown eyes partially hidden behind floppy hair. The young man wore prosthetic makeup that gave him a slightly rounder face, and his dark hair was styled in Neville Longbottom's characteristic awkward cut. But there was something magnetic about his presence, even through the costume.

"No worries," Y/N laughed, straightening her wig. "Luna's known for being a bit dreamy and distracted anyway, so I was just staying in character."

He grinned, and something fluttered in her stomach. "Well, Neville's known for being clumsy, so I guess we're both method acting." He retrieved her Spectrespecs and handed them back. "These are amazing, by the way. Did you make them yourself?"

"I did!" Y/N beamed. "I'm Y/N, by the way. Though I suppose I should say I'm Luna Lovegood, here to investigate a possible Wrackspurt infestation at this convention."

"Nice to meet you, Y/N. I'm..." he hesitated for just a fraction of a second, "...Nick. And these prosthetics are killing me, but at least they hide my face well enough that I can enjoy the convention in peace."

"Are you some kind of celebrity?" Y/N teased, not noticing how he shifted slightly.

"Something like that," he laughed. "Hey, I was just heading to the panel about the practical effects used in the films. Want to join me?"

Y/N's face lit up. She'd been planning to attend that panel anyway, and something about Nick made her want to spend more time with him. "I'd love to! Though we should watch out for Nargles along the way."

They spent the next hour sitting side by side, completely engrossed in the behind-the-scenes stories from the films. Y/N couldn't help noticing how Nick leaned forward during the musical discussions, asking surprisingly technical questions about how they recorded the orchestral scores.

After the panel, they wandered the convention together, like they'd been friends for years instead of hours. They competed in a trivia contest (coming in second place), practised "duelling" with interactive wands, and spent far too much money at the merchandise booths. Nick insisted on buying Y/N a beautiful hand-painted luna moth pin when he caught her admiring it.

"You really don't have to," she protested, but he just smiled.

"Consider it a thank you for making this convention so much more fun than I expected it to be."

As they sat eating lunch (British-inspired convention food that was trying very hard to be authentic), Nick seemed to be building up to something. Finally, he set down his "butterbeer" and turned to Y/N.

"Look, I know this might seem forward, but would you like to have dinner with me tonight? There's this amazing restaurant near my hotel, and I'd love to continue our conversation without all this makeup and these robes."