Luna ran towards the Great Hall, dodging spells flying all around. She was terribly frightened. The screams of all the innocent, and not so innocent were almost forcing her to tears. Seeing the bodies writhing and dying on the floor was almost too much for her to bear. All around her catastrophe was breaking loose, but where was he? Is he okay?Luna wondered to herself. It killed her to not know where he was. Was he among the bodies that Luna so consciously stepped over?
So many questions ran through her head that she forgot where she was. But she continued to run through the corridor, past the curses and over the bodies, and finally after not watching where she was going, tripping over one of them. Pushing herself off the floor, a pair of very large feet casually strolls up towards her and stops at her body. Luna looks up. A death eater,she thinks. He removes his mask with a smirk and reaches for his wand. Run,her instincts tell her. So, naturally, she listens and bolts away from him.
Luna runs as fast a she can, looking behind her every so often, watching the death eater as he chases after her. She blocks his spells and often dodges ones that aren't aimed at her. "Stupefy!" she calls and sends the death eater flying down the corridor. But Luna keeps running until she reaches the Great Hall. She skids to a stop at the sight of his face. His brown hair, and a cut on his forehead, forcing blood all down his face.
"Have you seen Luna?" he shouted at two students, Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter. They mumbled something Luna couldn't quite make out. She strained her ears to hear what he said next but someone shouted over him. "Alate Ascendare!" the voice shouted and instantly Luna was sent flying back and high into the air. Her life flashing before her eyes. Her mum singing her to sleep, The Lovegood picnics, her mum's death, her first train ride to Hogwarts, being sorted into Ravenclaw, meeting him for the first time and being locked in the Malfoy's dungeon. She relived it all in seconds and then it was over.
Just complete darkness. Silent and peaceful. I must be dead, she thought. I'm dead.She strained her eyes to try to see what wasn't there. There was nothing there. Just the morbid colour black. I'm dead,she repeated to herself. It's not bad, though. Quiet. Peaceful. No one can bother me here.
The realisation of her death was just settling in when a faint whisper crept into her thoughts. "Luna," the voice said."Luna," it repeated. It was his voice.Neville."Luna," he continued. I'm sorry,Nev,Luna thought, I'm sorry. I left you, I'm sorry.But Neville didn't listen. "Luna, wake up. Please wake up," he pleaded with her.
What am I doing?she asked herself. Luna wasn't one to give up, so why should I give up now? "Luna!" Neville shouted. Wake up, Luna,her instincts told her. So, again, she listened. There was suddenly a swirl of colours, dizzying Luna in the instant they came. A slight shaking came soon after. The shaking just became stronger and stronger, just like explosions. If Luna weren't already dead, these constant explosions would be sure to kill her now. The swirl of colours became brighter and more distinct, and the shaking did not stop.
What was once the swirling colours was now a blurry image of a boy, shaking her awake. Although she could not identify the boy, she had a very strong feeling of who it could be. She blinked again and again until the image become more clear. She was right. It was Neville. He looked down at her with hopeful, teary eyes and when he realised she was awake, he held her close and tightly.
"Neville," she croaked, "You're bleeding." Luna weakly reached toward his forehead and wiped the blood from his brow. He blushes darkly and lightly touches her shoulder. "You are, too," he croaks out in a similar tone. They sit in silence for a few minutes while Luna's head stops spinning. He stands tall in front of her and pulls her to her feet. He looks down and stares into her beautiful eyes.
He glances behind her and goes wide eyed. "Run!" he shouts and pushes her in front of him. Luna looks behind her and does what she's told. She runs as fast as she can with Neville trailing behind her. A fire emerges from a corridor, engulfing death eaters and students alike. It's moving fast, faster than they can run. Neville blocks spells from the both of them and pushes her down another corridor just in time for the fire to engulf that same corridor they were just running down.
Neville takes a minute to breathe, and looks at Luna to make sure she's okay. He finds her back against a wall. "Neville, look out!" she shouts at him just before he hears someone yell "Crucio!"
Neville writhes and screams in pain. Tears run down his cheeks and the bleeding from his forehead only worsens as the torturing continues. He drops his wand and the death eater only cackles loudly. Luna quickly stumbles for his wand. "Petrificus Totalus!" The death eater freezes and falls to the floor. Luna stuns the other death eater then crawls over to Neville.
She hums a light tune, trying to get Neville to calm down, while looking at her surroundings for a way out. There is none. They're trapped. Luna doesn't panic, though. She's with him. She feels safe. Like nothing could go wrong. She smiles down at Neville lightly as his panting softens, and his normal breathing continues.
"We're trapped, aren't we?" Luna only nods to answer his question. She sits in silence for a minute before saying, "You were looking for me before." Neville nods. "And I found you."
"Why?" she asks. Neville blinks in nervousness. He hesitates before answering, "I needed to t-tell you something. B-But it's pointless now."
"Oh," she pauses. "What was it?"
"I... needed to tell you... that I... I like you, Luna."
She remains silent but a smiles creeps upon her face. "I figured I should tell you because, well… I figured we'd be dead by morning," he finishes.
"I like you, too, Neville."
Neville blushes and smiles awkwardly. "C-Cool." Luna smiles slightly as Neville grabs his wand, "We're not trapped, I dunno why I didn't think of this before!" He stands shakily and positions himself in front of the rubble piled high to the ceiling. He points his wand and yells "Bombarda Maxima!"
With a loud boom, the rubble explodes, creating an opening. Neville grins with excitement and pride at Luna and pulls her out back into the battle.
The war rages on. Spells, curses and hexes separate the two. Dawn soon approaches as Luna sits in the Great Hall, helping with all of the injuries and causalities and consoling friends and families. She glances at the door as she sees an injured Neville Longbottom hobble into the room. "Excuse me for a moment," she says to Percy Weasley. She rushes over to an injured Neville Longbottom and offers him her shoulder. He gladly accepts it and Luna leads him over to a bench.
"What happened?" Luna asks worryingly. Neville sits on the bench and elevates his ankle and gestures towards it "I think I broke it." Luna frowns and rolls his pant leg up. She examines it and shakes her head, "Just a sprain, don't worry." She wraps it in tape and kisses it. "All better," she smiles and walks away to the Weasley family again.
Neville hobbles out into the hallway. He began wandering around, thinking about the days events. Neville saw Oliver Wood struggling to carry a young boy; only 16 years old; Colin Creevey. Neville's heart sank. The small, muggle born boy he knew was gone. The one who loved taking pictures. His friend. He hobbled quickly towards Oliver, "Need some help?" he asked with tears in his eyes. Oliver nods, and Neville quickly takes the other side of Colin.
He was light, thin. The two began to carry him towards the Great Hall with the rest of the bodies- no not bodies,Neville thought. Not bodies, my friends. My family.
"You know what? I can manage him alone, Neville," Oliver stated, letting Neville walk off again. Oliver scooped Colin up and walked into the Great Hall. Neville leaned against the frame of the door and wiped his forehead. I must look so bad,he thought to himself. Neville then decided to recover more bodies, to see who else he had lost. How many more funerals would he have to attend? How many tears will he shed? How many people lost their family?
The questions ran through his mind as he set off down the stairs. He hobbled along until he found another body. It was a death eater. Should I leave him here? Neville wondered. He shook his head and crouched down to pick him up when he heard his name. Harry.
Neville jumped at the sound of his name, "Blimey, Harry, you nearly gave me a heart failure!" Harry pulled off his cloak. "Where are you going, alone?" Neville asked with a suspicious look.
"It's all part of the plan. There's something I've got to do. Listen- Neville-" Neville interrupted Harry with fright in his voice, "Harry! Harry you're no thinking of handing yourself over?" Harry shook his head, "No. Course not."
Neville should believe Harry. Why shouldn't he? Harry's his friend, isn't he? But why did Neville get the feeling like Harry was lying? Why was his gut feeling telling him to not believe him? Neville shook it off and decided he believed Harry.
"I might be out of sight for a while. You know Voldemort's snake, Neville? He's got a huge snake... He calls it Nagini."
Neville nods, "I've heard, yeah. What about it?"
"It's got to be killed. Ron and Hermione know that, but just in case they-" Harry looked worried for a moment but continued on. "Just in case they're- busy- and you get the chance-"
"Kill the snake?" Harry repeats, "Kill the snake."
Neville nods. "All right, Harry. You okay?"
"I'm fine. Thanks, Neville." Harry started to walk away, but Neville grabbed his wrist tightly. "We're all going to keep fighting, Harry. You know that, right?"
"Yeah I-" Harry stopped suddenly. Neville watched him for a moment, waiting for him to finish his sentence. He realises Harry's done speaking and shrugs. Neville pats him on the back and hobbles off to find more bodies. Stop calling them bodies, Neville. They're your friends- were you friends.
He continued this for the next few hours. He counted a total of 16 bodied that he carried. A few were his friends. Lavender Brown, Fred Weasley, both gone. He felt so bad for George. He lost his best friend. He felt so bad for Dennis, as well. He lost his brother. Their best friends. What if Neville had a brother? How would he feel? It's probably the worst feeling in the world.
Neville began to grow tired so he made his way back to the Great Hall. The sun was just starting to rise. He sat and spoke to Ron and Hermione about the snake. About how to kill it. He got a few ideas from them, then he sat down with Luna. Almost asleep now with his head rested on a table, when a loud, hissing voice boomed around the castle.
"Harry Potter is dead. He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you proof as that your hero is gone," Voldemort said with amusement in his voice.
"No... It can't be..." Neville mumbled to himself. The rest of the Great Hall began to mumble in fear and suspicion. Could Harry really have left them? Neville had seen Harry before... Was that when he was running away? It couldn't have been.
Voldemort's voice continued to echo over the grounds, "The battle is won. You have lost half of your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumbered you, and the Boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, women, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared. Your parents, children, your brothers and sisters-" at this, George looked at his family. What went through his mind?
"-Will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together."
Silence filled the castle. Neville could say the faces of his loved ones contemplating Voldemort's proposal. Neville couldn't speak for the others, but he knew he would keep fighting even if it was the last thing he did.
People began to stand, exiting the Great Hall. Why would they just give up like that? And then, Neville saw Luna stand and leave. Luna... He quickly exited and followed her. He wouldn't let them hurt her. He wouldn't let anyone else die.
Everyone now exited to see Voldemort and his army standing outside of the entrance hall. Neville squinted to see Harry lying there in Hagrid's arms. Tears immediately flooded his eyes. "NO!" screamed Professor McGonagall. Her scream was of a sound he had never heard before. Bellatrix, Merlin, I hate that women, was cackling at Voldemort's side.
Cries from all around him at the sight of Harry's mangled body shattered his heart. Luna was crying at his side. And Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were all screaming. That caused almost a riot as people screamed and hollered at the Death Eaters.
Voldemort tried to repeat his false story about Harry sneaking off, but Neville couldn't allow it. No.
Neville dove toward the Death Eaters with his wand. He sent a Death Eater flying back with the wave of his wand, but he was stopped. Neville screamed and hit the ground, hard. His wand was thrown to the ground. Slightly frozen, Neville stared up at the snake like face. But he still struggled to get to his feet. Don't give up,his instincts told him. And for once, he was listening.
Voldemort was now speaking to him. Neville found himself talking back before he could stop himself. But it felt good, "I'll join you when hell freezes over," he shouted. "Dumbledore's Army!"
The crowd responded with a cheer. But the rest happened in a blur. His body froze, and then he couldn't see. He could hear a very large commotion, but he couldn't do a thing about it. What was happening?
Neville broke free of the body binding curse in a flash, the hat falling off of his head and then he saw it. The Sword of Gryffindor House. The snake,thought Neville, kill the snake. He yanked the sword out of the hat and instantly sliced the head off the snake. And every eye seemed to be on Neville.
Then everyone started to yell for Harry. But that didn't matter. He quickly ran towards Luna and covered her. Protected her and fought as the battle raged on. They got separated again, and Luna and Neville searched desperately for each other.
Finally, after looking for what it seemed like ages, he found her, battling a Death Eater again. Neville tackled him and wrapped his arm around the Death Eater's neck. The man fell to the ground and Neville stood in front of Luna.
They stared at each other for a minute or two. He then reached for her, taking her face in his hand and put his lips to hers. He kisses her passionately and hungrily. Like he's been wanting do to this for years, because, well, he has. And to his surprise, she kisses him back. A loud explosion separates the two who are blushing like mad. But they run towards the courtyard.
And then they watched. They watched as Voldemort dueled Harry. Neville's heart pounding every second. Luna praying for her friend. They watched Voldemort's curse backfired. Then he was dead. Just like that. It was over.
Neville goes back to retrieve more of his friends, and some who were not. He brings them back to the Great Hall and they count the causalities. Almost a hundred dead. Innocent or not, this many people should not have died today.
Neville grew tired. He sat alone on the floor in the middle of the Great Hall. He started to relive all of the events of the battle. How unnecessary this was. How it could have been avoided. And how thankful he was it was over. Luna slowly crossed the room and sat next to Neville in awkward silence. He smiled at her. Thankful that she was alive.