The Other Trio
by Ashley
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter; I'm just playing in the sandbox.
It was the first time that Ginny Weasley could remember not hearing laughter aboard the Hogwarts Express. An eerie silence had fallen over the train. It was as if everyone thought that they were riding toward their doom. "We probably are," she thought bitterly, glancing at the fellow Gryffindor she was sharing the train compartment with. Neville Longbottom was sitting in the seat across from her and looking nearly as forlorn as she felt.
"What are we going to do without Harry?" He asked quietly, his eyes darting towards the door as if the mere mention of his friend's name would bring doom down upon them.
Ginny took out her wand, casting a quick muffliato over the train car, but before she could respond to his question the door to their compartment was pulled open. They both whirled their heads around to see Luna Lovegood slide quickly into the room and shut the door behind herself.
"Everyone is wanting to know what we're going to do." Luna stated softly as she took a seat beside Ginny. "Padma Patil was telling me that she heard there are two new teachers this year and they're both Death Eaters. I even heard a rumor that Professor Snape is the new headmaster."
Ginny and Neville sat quietly, absorbing these bits of news. It did not have to be explained to them who 'everyone' was. It was obvious that Luna was speaking about the members of Dumbledore's Army who were back for another year at Hogwarts.
"Well, I assured them that we're going to fight." Luna continued matter-of-factly, pulling a small object out of her pocket and showing it to them. "Doesn't everyone still have their fake galleons? I think that tonight we need to call a meeting of the D.A."
"Luna, if You-Know-Who really is trying to take over Hogwarts we can't stand up to him! This isn't like standing up to Umbridge; people could be killed." Ginny finally spoke up, hating herself because the words felt like betrayal as they left her lips. Where was the Gryffindor courage she was supposed to be filled with?
"What do you think will happen if we don't stand up to him, Ginny?" Neville asked quietly. He glanced into Luna's serene eyes and felt some of her quiet confidence seep into him. "What would Harry do if he were here? Or Ron and Hermione? They would fight. They're out there somewhere right now fighting for the whole wizarding world. We need to fight for Hogwarts."
Ginny nodded once, her cheeks turning pink. "You're right. I know you are. It's just…" She trailed off, unable to admit that she was afraid.
"I'm scared too, Ginny." Neville confessed, "How about you, Luna?"
"Just a bit." The Ravenclaw nodded her head once. "You know, being a Gryffindor doesn't mean not being afraid. It means pushing through your fear and doing the right thing anyway. Dumbledore's Army needs some new leaders. So what do you say- are we in this together?"