Chapter 1

Her footsteps echoed through the long and quiet corridor and yet Ginny could not hear them. All the blood had rushed to her head and all she could hear was the faint drum against her temples. Not a student or teacher in sight. She assumed they were still outside across from the Black Lake, paying their respects to the headmaster. As utterly depressing as it all was she could not muster a tear. She could barely comprehend what had happened in the past 24 hours. It all seemed completely impossible and yet here she was.

Her mind fluttered back to her past conversation with Harry. The break up. It seemed so inconsequential after all that had happened and yet it brought her the most pain. How could everything go so wrong?

Of course she understood Harry's reasoning, how could she not? He was choosing her safety, everyone's safety.

He'll always be that way. It's just Harry. The redhead sighed as she swept down the enchanted staircase to a location she did not have in mind. The portraits were in mourning too. Each quieter and more subdued than usual giving Ginny sympathetic nods, seemingly sharing the grief the wizarding world felt at this moment.

The future. What was going to happen? This was why she had begun her mindless walk through Hogwarts after the funeral, after the break up. Everything was just feeling wrong, the feeling that something was not right could be felt in every cell in her body. Everything was going to change, but what would change for her? Harry certainly could not stay. They all knew that he was the key and that he had a mission. That much was evident with the break up. With Dumbledore's death everything had been pushed into motion.

Ginny found herself walking through an unfamiliar corridor, but it did not stop her from continuing, too lost in her own thoughts. She continued to worry over what will become of the world. Voldemort had all the power now. An involuntary shiver ran down Ginny's spine as she thought back to her very first year in Hogwarts, being possessed by the diary. The things Voldemort could do were unimaginable to most students here, but definitely not to her. There was always hope though. Harry Potter.

Another sigh left her lips as she thought of Harry. Their time together had been cut so short. They hadn't even been given a chance to become everything they could have been. She was thankful of their time together, however fleeting, and knew she would stand by him forever, though what would that entail now? She believed in the cause wholeheartedly but what could she, a fifth year student, do?

Shaking her head she internally chastised herself. Stop being so emotional. I will do whatever I can, just as I always have. Nodding her head and feeling more determined she looked around to properly determine her surroundings.

"Merlin's beard, where am I?" She muttered.

"Something told me you'd be here"

Ginny swivelled around and saw, standing underneath an archway, Luna Lovegood, dressed in her eccentric funeral attire. Her face was rosier than usual. It was evident she had been crying and yet her eyes held a twinkle of excitement and urgency.

Luna rushed towards Ginny with such vigour that it startled Ginny who could only splutter as Luna suddenly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her through the courtyard.

"What's going on? W-What are you doing?" Ginny stammered, trying to steady her footing to keep up with Luna's quick pace. The blonde said nothing, not even looking back at Ginny, but continued to walk through the next corridor.

This is odd, even for Luna's standards…. Maybe she's found a nargle, Ginny mused. Luna's pace began to slow as she seemingly neared her destination, the east side courtyard. Luna and Ginny's hang out spot for the past year. It was the most peaceful place in Hogwarts she knew with hardly any people wandering by. At this moment it was completely empty.

Luna suddenly halted and spun to face Ginny. Her eyes bored into Ginny's with such focus Ginny could only stare confusedly.

"No one could just be born that way; there are just too many factors. The more I pondered this the easier it became to understand what needs to be done." She spoke urgently, very unlike Luna. Ginny's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to understand what this had to do with the current situation.

"Uh, Professor Dumbledore will be missed by everyone Luna. Did you want to sit d-"

"Who made him this way? What made him this way? Could magic be so cruel? Was dark magic involved?" Luna turned again and began to pace through the courtyard. Her hands making gestures, but of what Ginny did not know.

"What are you talking about Luna? Is everything ok? Besides the obvious of course." Ginny tentatively walked towards Luna thinking of ways to try and calm her down. She was not acting like herself at all. If anything she seemed startled herself by her own behaviour.

"If I know what to do then what is stopping me from doing it, Ginny?" The blonde girl stopped her pacing. Her arms falling to her sides as she once again looked towards Ginny.

"Maybe if you just explain-"

"Nothing."

There was an air of finality around her statement. Ginny didn't know what to say so she continued to stare at Luna who in turn was staring up into the sky.

"Is there anything I can do, Luna?" She questioned while walking closer to her.

Luna continued to look towards the sky but murmured under her breath "Of all people you would understand him the most but only I can take this burden." Her pacing began again for a few moments when suddenly she stopped and began to rummage through the sleeves of her robe. Eventually she pulled out what looked like a small blue stone. Ginny peered at the stone and questioningly glanced at Luna.

Suddenly Luna thrust the stone towards her, taking Ginny's hands to place the gem within. She closed her hands around the stone and looked at Luna.

"Just keep it on you. You can keep me safe. Mum always said this was the way back. If I could take you I would but I just can't. Please understand that it's necessary. If all goes to plan you won't even notice I'm gone… Then again, when does anything ever go to plan?"

This was all very confusing. "What is going on here? Where are you going?" Ginny felt a bubble of panic rising within her. Was this about what she felt this morning, this feeling of something not being in place, something that was wrong? Luna was one of her closest friends and it sounded as though she was considering something reckless. Strangely enough Ginny began to feel a light tingling in her right hand. The hand that was holding Luna's stone.

"Don't panic. These types of thing have a way of working themselves out." Luna's voice was beginning to sound more normal. Well, Luna's kind of normal. She had calmed down and her melodic voice was back. "I think I will go back to the Ravenclaw tower now."

Lune glided past Ginny and headed in the same direction she had just dragged Ginny from. Not one thing that had come out of her mouth made sense to Ginny. Not even a little bit. For a moment all Ginny could do was stand in slight shock. Her hand began to tingle once more and she stared down in surprise at the small stone in her open palm.

She couldn't just let Luna walk away without at least giving a small explanation of just what exactly all this was about. What was she supposed to do with this weird rock?

"Luna! Wait!" Ginny shouted and began to run after the quirky girl. Her rushed footsteps echoed throughout the courtyard as she attempted to catch up to her friend. Luna slowed her pace but did not stop walking.

"You know everything there is Ginny, Everybody knows. It all depends on who can follow through with it. Don't you think?" Luna said.

"You're making less sense than usual… and I didn't even think that was possible, but here we are." Ginny sighed, trying to think of which confusing part of Luna's speech she should first question. Again her hand felt indescribable warmth. She held up the stone between her finger and her thumb, gesturing towards her friend. "Why have you given me this?"

"I told you already, you can keep me safe." She laughed in amusement. Most probably thinking Ginny was asking inconsequential questions. "Just keep a hold of it. I doubt it will do anything to you, but you can feel it right? The connection?"

"I certainly feel something." Ginny huffed, putting the stone into her pocket for safe keeping. "I can already tell I'm not going to get much out of you so… just stay safe. As safe as you can be at this time."

Luna offered a small smile and took hold of Ginny's wrist, giving it a faint squeeze, before turning around and walking down the corridor. Like a goodbye, Ginny mused.

Sighing once more Ginny turned back towards the courtyard and made her way to the stone bench under shade of the castle walls. She plopped down in a huff, her head aching more so from the confusing conversation with her favourite Ravenclaw.

"The connection." She murmured aloud as she pulled the gem out from her pocket. The stone had miniscule cracks covering it. Ginny ran her fingers across the warm surface. It had no particular shape, nor was it jagged. If it weren't for the striking colour you would not be able to tell it apart from other common rocks on the ground. She wondered what magical properties it held, for what else could explain the warmth she felt each time it was in her hand.

A slight crackling could be heard to her left. Glancing to the side she saw Hermione Granger standing sheepishly on the edge of the courtyard. Ginny looked back down at the stone in her hands. Hearing Hermione walk closer she scooted to the side, leaving enough space for the older girl to join her.

"I spoke to Harry." Hermione said, sympathy laced in her words. "I'm sorry, it's-"

"It sucks," Ginny cut her off, "but it's fine, I'll live." She tried to squash her feelings of annoyance down. Did everyone still think of her as the silly little schoolgirl back in first year?

"I didn't mean to offend, you know that." Hermione murmured, fiddling with a loose thread from her shirt.

Sighing Ginny turned to face her friend. "I apologise for snapping. It's been a long day"

A chuckle left the brunette's lips though there was no humour behind it. "Agreed."

They continued to sit there together while time moved past them. It occurred to Ginny that all of her worries for the future must seem miniscule compared to Hermione's. She would follow Harry to the end of the world, and though Ginny would do the same, they both knew that only Hermione would be there for all of it.

"It was fun for a while, wasn't it?" Ginny smiled thinking back on the good moments she had shared with the trio in the last few months. "It was like we could pretend, just for little while, that there was no threat."

Hermione sighed and nodded. "It was always looming behind us though."

"It's all a bit depressing isn't it?" Hermione let out a laugh and began to stand up, dusting herself off.

"On that note, since you've dealt with break up ever so well, I think I'll try and find your brother and Harry." Hermione gave a wave which Ginny returned and left the courtyard.

The funeral, the break up, Luna's strange speech, this blue stone now in her possession… this was definitely an odd day. Ginny pondered just how long she could get away with avoiding everyone by sitting here in the empty courtyard. Once more she pulled out the stone and absentmindedly twirled it between her fingers.

A light so blinding that Ginny had to squeeze her eyes shut flashed through the courtyard and all of a sudden, she was gone.