Note: This is taking place directly after the end of HPB, Dumbledore's funeral, to be exact. For the timing to work properly, I had to change a few things around. Here, the funeral took place earlier in the morning, and then the students went to have one last meal before boarding the train.

Luna Lovegood was certainly not what anyone would call sane. Of course, this certainly didn't matter much to her, as Luna Lovegood also knew certain things.

One of these things, was that Harry Potter was going to need her help.

Luna sent a serene glance towards the Gryffindor table, where Harry was sitting silently across from Ron and Hermione. Ginny sat next to him, her hand laid comfortingly on his shoulder.

Yes, Harry Potter was going to need her help indeed.

Harry stared morosely at his peas, pushing them around his plate. He stared up at Professor Dumbledore's empty chair. Professor McGonagall seemed reluctant to take his place at the table, even though she had taken over his other duties.

Looking at Snape's empty chair caused the anger and hatred he had been holding to bubble up. He stabbed at his plate aggressively, imagining his ex-professor all the while, oblivious to his concerned friends.

"Harry…are you going to be alright?" asked Hermione tentatively.

"I'm fine" he ground out in response, hand clenched around his fork. Harry's knuckles were white. Ron and Hermione shared a glance.

"C'mon mate," Ron started, "you know we'll be with you the whole time your hunting these…Horcrux thingies."

"No. You're not coming. This is something I have to do alone. I can't risk you guys being hurt along the way."

"But Harry…" Ginny pleaded, looking at him with big eyes.

"Harry, we told you we'd be coming. You can't stop us." Hermione told him, steely determination in her eyes. The pair of Weasleys nodded.

Harry stood abruptly, shaking Ginny away. He turned cool emerald eyes towards them.

"Watch me."

Luna had watched the whole exchange with a dreamy expression on her face. Seeing Harry leave, she stood up as well. She glanced at her housemates.

"Goodbye my fellow Ravens. I doubt we shall be seeing each other again soon. Be wary of the nargles!" She waved cheerfully at them before following Harry out of the hall, not really paying attention to the stared she received in return.

Luna caught up with Harry with relative ease, considering he was stomping off towards the Gryffindor Tower. She glided past him, then turned and looked at him sharply.

"Leave me alone, Luna" Harry wasn't looking at her. Luna laughed softly.

"Oh, you silly, silly boy, Harry," He looked up at that, "You may think you don't need anyone, but I know otherwise,"

"You can't help me. No one can." Harry's gaze was determined, daring her to contradict him. Luna shook her head.

"I can help you. I know you will need me. Harry Potter, you don't get a choice in the matter. I am accompanying you." Harry had been too focused to notice that she had pulled her wand, and was discreetly pointing it at him.

Harry sighed. He had had a thought worming away in the back of his mind: what if he couldn't find the horcruxes on his own? He had already told Ron and Hermione that they couldn't come along, and he would have felt ridiculous admitting he was wrong.

"Alright, but you have to promise me you'll leave if it gets dangerous. I don't want to be responsible for another death…" Luna gave him a level stare.

"We'll just have to see when the time comes, won't we?"

"Okay Luna, you go get your stuff, and I'll go get mine," Harry nodded to where he was going with a bob of his head.

"I don't think so, Harry. You aren't going to get rid of me that easily. My safety should not be your concern. The world does not rest solely upon your shoulders. This journey is not something you can accomplish alone."

Harry sighed, knowing he would have a hard time getting one over on the blonde haired, dreamy eyed girl.

"Come on then, we'll go get my stuff." Harry led the way to his room, after receiving a disapproving glare from the fat lady. Then they strode towards the Ravenclaw's domain.

"Disco est scio" The portrait of a stately woman opened.

Harry raised his eyebrows when he saw the Ravenclaw common room. It was decorated all in various shades of blue, with squashy looking chairs and sturdy desks scattered around the room. What surprised him most, though, were the massive bookcases along the walls. He looked at Luna, who was patting a chair lovingly.

"What? To learn is to know…we are Ravenclaws after all. I must go say goodbye to my walls. They have been such good company." Harry watched her as she bounded up the stairs, puzzled by the strange girl. She had always seemed to be more of a loner than anything else, due to her strange behavior. It amazed him that she was so consistently able to flip between two personalities, being serious at one moment, and then faraway the next…Harry almost wondered if he was imagining her personalities.

Tossing himself onto one of the squishy chairs, Harry gave a surprised "Oomph" as he sank down into it. He noted they really were quite comfortable- once one was used to the feeling of sitting in a large marshmallow. He took the time to further inspect the Ravenclaw realm, looking at the blue motif surrounding him. A closer glance showed that all of the books on the shelves were in fact, different shades of blue and grey. Luna coming back startled him out of his assessment.

Harry struggled to get out of the chair. He looked helplessly up at her.

"Need some help, Harry?" Luna asked with a knowing smile.

"Erm, yeah. That'd be good." She reached over and helped pull him up. "There you go. Shall we be off?" Luna began to lead the way out, looking thoughtful as she did so.

"So…just how shall we be making our great escape?"

Harry paused to continue this point. Truthfully, he hadn't thought that far ahead. His original plan had been to take the train along with the rest of the school, and then leave the Dursleys after his birthday. That didn't seem to be an option, now, especially with Luna in tow.

"Well…I don't suppose you know how to Apparate?" he looked at her doubtfully.

"No Harry, I do not." She replied, "Can you do both of us?"

Harry smiled sadly, remembering his dual-apparation with Professor Dumbledore. "Yes, I think I can. We'll go to Sirius' house. First, let's get out of these wards…" They quickly walked towards the entrance, Harry lost deep in thought. He didn't notice Luna had steered him off to a different exit, avoiding the Great Hall- and wandering eyes. They left through a side door, and hurried down past the gates towards Hogsmeade. Reaching the apparition point, Harry took Luna's arm and they disappeared with a soft pop.

Minerva McGonagall had seen two of her students leave the Great Hall. She watched them go sadly, knowing she could not stop them. Albus Dumbledore had left her a letter, which he instructed her to open in the event of his death. He knew it was coming, though Minerva believed he had not expected it to come in the form of a curse from Severus Snape's wand.

She shook her head, still having a hard time believing Severus' betrayal. He had been an accepted -if not trusted or well liked- member of the staff, and his turning on them had been a blow to the majority of the school. As she looked out across the forlorn students, she remembered the day Albus had given her the letter, it had been after one of his meetings with Harry…

Minerva had been startled by Albus coming into her office to speak to her. That was when she knew something was off. He normally just invited her up to his office, for a lemon drop and a cup of tea. His expression was grave as he stood in the doorway.

"May I come in, Minerva? It is of utmost importance."

"Why, of course Albus! You know you are always welcome in my office. What has happened?" She led him to a chair. "Please, sit down…"

"Minerva my dear, I am an old man, and I am not getting any younger." He said this wearily, showing his years. Minerva looked surprised, and then a stricken expression spread across her features.

"Albus…You can't mean…"

"Yes. I have been dying since this summer," She looked at his hand. "That is part of it. I know that I shall not survive to see the next school year. You must watch over the students, make sure they are safe. Hogwarts must be the last to fall, the strongest beacon of the light. Promise me Minerva that you will protect this school and its students with your life." His expression was so pained, she couldn't help but agree.

"Harry will be leaving, after my death. I suggest you do not stop him. This is something he must do, and only he can do. I can only ask that you allow him to return to Hogwarts when he needs, and be there for him. This will be his only safe haven. If Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger choose to go with him, allow it." Minerva was startled by this sudden change of topic.

"But…why?" He handed her the letter. "Read this upon my death. Do not do so before. It contains information that you must know. Read it, and make sure it does not fall into the wrong hands." She nodded her head, tucking the letter securely into the folds of her robe.

"That's settled for now, then. Lemon drop?" Albus smiled, offering her the tin. She smiled, and indulged him, just this once.

Minerva looked at the letter in her hand, still unopened. Seeing Harry leave, and Luna follow him, she sighed and tore the seal.

My Dearest Minerva,

I so deeply regret not being able to have left you to this mess. "What mess?" you may ask. "The one containing the war? The one regarding whatever shenanigans the ministry is up to now?" It is all of these, and more. You see, I have left young Harry to a terrible task that he must face alone. Hopefully, he will allow his friends to help him, for it is something that should not be undertaken without support.

I know the prophecy, Minerva. And Harry does too. I hated to burden him with the information, but it was necessary for him to have it, and I have spent this past year showing him memories that I hope will help him. The prophecy is this:

"The one with the power to defeat the Dark Lord approaches…Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have the power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hands of the other, for neither can live while the other survives…The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"

This means Harry. The fate of our world rests upon him, as you can see. All I can ask of you is to treat him as an adult, for that is what he has been forced to become. Please, make sure that he knows he is always welcome, and do what you can to make his journey easier. If Ron and Hermione choose to leave with him, by all means, allow them. His friends will be able to support him in a way that you and I cannot.

Harry and I found that Voldemort has split his soul, and cannot be killed unless each piece is destroyed. Harry has undertaken this task. He must hunt for these soul pieces, these "Horcruxes", and destroy them.

I have left you to deal with this mess, to watch as the Wizarding World falls into shambles. For that, I am most sorry. Please, do your best. I know you can.

Most Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

The letter fell out of Minerva McGonagall's hand. She looked up to find Harry Potter, only to remember he had left moments before. Standing, she felt two of her students leave the wards. She knew she could not stop them now.

"Good luck Harry." She whispered.

So...what do you all think?