Chapter one
Neville awoke with a jerk, as he and a shadow were transported from Neville's bed onto wet, cold grass.
"Get up," murmurred Augusta Longbottom.
"Gram, where are we?" Neville asked groggily. His grandmother didn't answer, but he recognized the area; he was being led toward the Burrow. That was where his friends Ron and Ginny lived. Mrs. Longbottom approached the door and knocked, and the door opened a crack. A young voice, belonging to a girl, said, "Who's there?"
"Augusta and Neville Longbottom." The old witch responded firmly. The voice dropped to a whisper;
"Angelina Johnson's idea for the name of the DA?" She squeaked.
This time, Neville answered. "The Anti-Umbridge League." The door opened wider, and Ginny Weasley stood in the doorway, her face tearstained and her hair in a messy bun. She was wearing a golden gown that was stained with mud. Ginny pointed the kitchen out to Mrs. Longbottom before shakily leading Neville up to her room. Luna Lovegood was waiting there, dark blonde hair spread out over Ginny's bed as she bounced a tennis ball against the wall. She was laying upside-down, which was not unusual. She did, however, look... not as weird as usual. Luna hopped up when she saw Ginny and Neville, and the three huddled together for a moment, not only for warmth, but as if being squished together might stop all of the horrible things that were going on. They broke apart, Luna settling herself back on the bed, Neville on Ginny's desk chair, and Ginny lying on the floor.
"We were at Bill and Fleur's wedding," Ginny began. "When Kingsley's patronus came and told us that Scrimgeour is dead, and there was a big panic. Ron, Hermione and Harry disapparated. Harry accidentally told me that they are going off to try and defeat you-know-who, but I'm sure that there's more to it. They keep telling mum that there's a job that Dumbledore left them to do, and that the only ones who can know about it are Ron and Hermione and Harry." Neville and Luna glanced at each other, and the latter spoke.
"So we're alone at Hogwarts this year?" Nobody answered, because the door banged open. Mrs. Weasley, Mr Lovegood, and Mrs. Longbottom all came bustling in, followed by Mr. Weasley, Tonks, and Lupin. The only one smiling was Tonks, who was grinning at Ginny. Honestly, thought Neville. Tonks would take Ginny as her own daughter-or sister even- if Mrs. Weasley weren't here.
"I guess you kids will need to answer some questions." Mrs. Weasley said in a high voice. Neville resisted the temptation to object to being called a kid- he had been an adult for two days now. "First of all- how are we going to explain to the death eaters or whoever comes that Ron ran off with Harry Potter, the most wanted man in the world?"
"We've bewitched the ghoul in the attic. It has red hair now and is covered in red blotches. We'll tell anybody who comes that he's Ron with Splatterghoit." Ginny had obviously been told the plan a thousand times. Mrs. Weasley nodded.
"Okay, Neville, Luna, it's time for you to leave now. We'll see you at King's Cross." Mrs. Weasley said as Ginny, Neville, and Luna stood up and started downstairs. "Don't go outside," Mrs. Weasley called after them. Luna and her father apparated out of the kitchen first.
"Did it seem like Luna was a little... less looney tonight?" Neville asked Ginny quietly as his Gram and Mrs. Weasley exchanged hugs. Ginny, however, laughed.
"No, she's still the same Looney Lovegood we all love and cherish." That was Ginny's response to anything wierd Luna did. Something suddenly sparked in Neville's mind. No, Neville. You can't fall in love. That's the heroe's job... You've got to focus on your N.E.W.T.s... But, all night, his thoughts kept straying to Luna...
"Don't lose Trevor!" Gram shouted over the crowd. "Don't fail your N.E.W.T.s! Don't disgrace me! And don't forget that you're your father's son and I'm proud of you." She said the last thing so quietly that Neville thought he had imagined it. He climbed onto the train and joined Luna and Ginny in a compartment. Stowing their luggage in the overhead carrier because he was the only one who could reach it, he listened to Ginny and Luna's conversation about the importance of each subject.
"Now," Luna confided. "I don't think that Herbology is the most important thing unless you are planning on teaching it when you're older or something, like Neville-"
"Though it's inordinary, there is a chance that you may become stranded with no wand or food and you want to find edible plants," Ginny crossed her arms. The conversation went on like this for an hour.
"Hey," Neville said suddenly. "Shouldn't the trolley be coming around soon? I'm starved."
"Me too, I wonder where she is." Ginny glanced out the door of the compartment when it slid open, and in came the last three students any Hogwarts student wanted to meet on the train with no supervision.
"Well, looks like all that's left of Dumbledore's army is Weasle-bee's sister, Looney Lovegood, and Longbottom." Malfoy smirked as his companions, Crabbe and Goyle, grunted. Apparently, when you're as evil and klutzy as them, a grunt is all you can manage for a laugh. Neville copied Malfoy's smirk. Big mistake. In one moment, Crabbe and Goyle were pinning Neville to his seat, Luna's wand was at Malfoy's neck, and Ginny was pointing her wand directly at Crabbe's throat.
"Father-copyrighted-that-smirk!" Malfoy was now wrestling Luna. Ginny had stunned Crabbe and was now fighting with Goyle, who was showing no mercy. Unfortunately, at that precise moment, Professor Snape walked into the compartment. He nodded, unstunning Crabbe and sending the Slytherins back to their compartment. He left the compartment wordlessly. Ginny sat down next to Luna, and the three of them sat in silence until they burst out laughing...
"Copyrighted that smirk? Oh please!" Ginny clutched her stomach as the other two added comments and laughter. Somehow, Neville thought, I know that we will make this an okay year.