A/N: For the Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges Forum. The Challenge: The "Shuffle" Challenge. The Idea: The challenge was to turn your music player (mine is iTunes) onto the 'shuffle' function, and write out pieces below as inspired by the songs that came out. I'm doing this series as a set of drabbles per chapter. Each piece was written as the songs played; I stopped writing on them as the song finished. They are very rough in grammar and style, but that is intentional. These are going up unbeta'd. The Fandom: Harry Potter, during Year Seven, at Hogwarts. This will focus on individual members of Dumbledore's Army. I'm hoping to do two or three other parts. Rating: T for language. Disclaimer: I own nothing, not the songs nor Harry Potter. On piece five, it's different from canon, in that Luna, Neville, and Ginny did retrieve the sword of Gryffindor; in my story, Daphne Greengrass and the 7th Year From Hell, I changed it up a little and had Neville, Ginny and Seamus Finnigan retrieve the sword while Luna does something else. Sorry for any confusion -- I was still in my AU brain when I wrote this piece.
I.
Time to Pretend
MGMT
Parvati Patil and Terry Boot
He infuriates her.
It's the first month and a half since the start of her seventh year, and she has managed to find the thorn in her side, the bane of her existence.
"C'mon Patil . . . is that the best spell work that your little Gryffindor talent can conjure up?" He's so very cheeky and he winks at her all the time, even when he volunteers her for defensive spells practice just so he can shoot Rictusempra at her over . . . and over . . . and over again.
She narrows her eyes at him. "Terry, so help me—"
She pretends that looking into his bright blue eyes that sparkle with teasing and laughter doesn't cause her heart to speed up, or that every time he wraps his long and strong arms around her when she falls during their dueling practices in the Room of Requirement that the tingle lingers, even when he's standing on the other side of the room.
It's the middle of November, when her Galleon changes and she falls against a wall, clinging to nothing, but hoping and praying with everything in her being that the message was a lie—
"Refugees captured and killed. Terry's parents among the dead."
She runs to Ravenclaw tower and yells desperately for Padma to tell her it's all wrong and that she has to see him, if only to make sure that those eyes won't darken forever.
II.
Kissing a Fool
George Michael
Neville Longbottom and Hannah Abbott
He is not sure how they have ended up like this. It's absolutely crazy, to find some little bit of joy when all is dark.
All Neville knows is that they are once again sitting by the edge of the lake, away from Snape or the Carrows or Slytherins. They sit against an oak tree, hidden away from Hogwarts.
But it is not him, the Gryffindor who starts it. It's her . . . the Hufflepuff. Not because he doesn't have the guts or anything, but because he was taught proper manners, he's a gentleman, and so — ladies first.
They both shake as their lips touch. Neville is not sure what to do with his hands, but he thinks he'd like to touch Hannah's cheek, so he brings his hand up and caresses it. She hums and he can feel her smile against him.
And he thinks that they could all use a little more of this wonderful and amazing thing that he's sharing with Hannah right now.
III.
Here Comes the Sun
The Beatles
Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley
"Ginny, look!"
She shields her eyes but turns her head up to where Luna points.
"Isn't it beautiful?"
Ginny still strains to see whatever it is that Luna sees in the heavens. "I don't get it, Luna. What are you looking at?"
Luna gives Ginny the brightest smile she has ever seen on the girl, so Ginny thinks she must be missing something. The Ravenclaw continues to smile and look back up at the sky.
"Ginny . . . it's just what is!"
"What is . . . er, is?"
Luna spreads her arms out, letting the sun and warmth hit her arms. "All of it. They aren't out here, the Carrows. Snape. It's just us. With the sun, the sky. And us."
Ginny shuts her eyes and opens them back up, realizing that Luna somehow can make things so simple and wonderful.
IV.
I Remember
Damien Rice
Michael Corner, Terry Boot and Anthony Goldstein
"Gah . . . Aaargh! It . . . hurts . . . still . . . ."
Michael sucks in a breath as Padma pats his back, bruised and bloodied, by Carrow's whip and hot irons. Susan Bones tends to his wrists and ankles, with a soothing Murtlap essence. Even though he's in an immense amount of pain, he tries to tell himself that it was worth it. Saving that first-year was worth it.
It was something he never thought he had in him.
His hands, though, are being held. Terry has his left and Anthony has his right. He digs his fingers into theirs. Hard.
"C'mon Mike. This is nothing!"
Michael looks at Terry, a little shocked and surprised. It's been months now since they heard about Terry's family, but he can hear that little bit of braggadocio coming back into his voice.
"R-remember that time you two got me wasted on McTavish Royal 1920 — the undisputed 'king' of firewhiskey?" Anthony looks at both of them. "Talk about pain the next morning."
"N- . . . not to . . . mention . . . st-stink." Michael sucks in another breath, taking in the pain, but smiling at the memory of Terry taking the piss out of Anthony because he had vomited on Kevin Entwhistle's bed and had a roaring hangover the next day.
"See? We can get through witnessing Anthony yak on Entwhistle's pillow, we can get through this."
Michael, unbelievably chuckles at Terry and he can't remember how long it's been since he's heard his mate tell a joke. He squeezes Terry's and Anthony's hands, but this time, he doesn't hurt so much.
V.
Aurora
Foo Fighters
Neville Longbottom
"We follow your plan, mate!"
Neville gives Seamus a very confused look. "Me? Why me?"
Ginny swats him. "Why not you, Nev. You're a fighter—"
"So're you, Ginny! And you're a much better witch, more in control of your magic—"
"Maybe. But you're the one with the spirit, the fight. We've been following your lead since September." She places a hand on his arm. "This is your show."
He looks at both of them. "I-I can't . . . I'm no Harry, Gin—"
She smiles at him. "You don't need to be. You're Neville Longbottom. You're a Gryffindor. And you're the leader of the new Dumbledore's Army."
"We'll follow yeh into hell, mate." Seamus slaps him on the shoulder.
He looks at his two friends, his two comrades. In his hand, he feels his DA Galleon. He lets his thumb rub it, and as Neville feels the grooves of the coin, he grows, unbelievably more confident. More assured.
He smiles at them.
"Ready?" he asks.
They speak in unison. "Ready!"
Neville utters the password, but he doesn't need it, because the door to the office is already unlocked. They enter, saluting the picture of Dumbledore, even though it appears that he's sleeping, and Ginny and Seamus stand back several feet as Neville readies his wand in front of the glass case, ready to take back the sword of Gryffindor.
