Hello readers! Well first and foremost I want to apologize for my absence…I had a few errands I had to take care of that took more time than expected, but I am back and I think my next update will be in a few days. Also, if you noticed, I changed the rating to T. That's because I have this later chapter coming up that might be a bit, well, intense, I suppose? So just to be on the safe side, hehe.

Current Song: Angels on the Moon by Thriving Ivory.

This chapter is not as long as my others, and for that I apologize again, but please do enjoy and review!

The sky was now cloudless, the air thick, the streets of Knockturn Alley quiet. Harry and Ron were both wearing plain white tunics, brown trousers and knee high leather boots; Hermione wore a dress of white and brown, along with a fresh new corset, and a matching cape tied neatly around her shoulders.

"Well, we best be off, then," Ron said quietly, looking at Hermione. She swallowed, then turned to Harry.

Harry sighed. "Well, thank you so much, Lady Sybil, for giving us shelter and clothing – but we are set to go and fulfill our duties, but thank you nonetheless."

Sybil was looking at them as if she were their mother, bidding them goodbye on their first school day. "I know you will do what is right!" she called out to them. "Bring justice to our world!"

Hermione, for the first time in days, cracked a smile and Ron nodded gently. Harry smiled at Sybil as well, and, as she closed the door to her eccentric shop, he turned to Hermione. "We have to get back to Hogsmeade."

"What?" said Ron. "Are you mad? The whole country's looking for you, mate!"

"I think Harry's right," Hermione said quietly. "We left our horses back there, with that boy, William, at the stalls."

"Yeah," said Harry. "How else are we going to get around?"

Ron held his arms up in defeat. "Very well, then. But what are we going to do without this damn sword? What, do we just wait for it to turn up?'

"It will come at the right time," Hermione said. "That's what she said."

"And when's 'the right time'?" Harry questioned.

"Maybe we have to perform a decent task," Ron said. "Like helping the needy, or I don't know -"

"I think," Hermione interjected, "she meant 'at the right time' as in the right place – the Hogsmeade library."

"What?" Harry and Ron both said simultaneously. Harry continued, "You cannot be serious, Hermione. The country's down my throat. I can't just walk into a library unnoticed."

Hermione shrugged. "It's worth a shot. That's what I believe. Do you boys have any other theories?"

Harry and Ron said nothing. Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Well then, Hermione, kindly apparate us to Hogsmeade, if you please," Ron said, eyeing her in admiration.

"Make sure it's the outside of Hogsmeade," Harry said. "Apparting inside will just cause chaos."

Hermione put her hand out, and waited for both boys to take it.

-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-

"My lord, it pains me to say that we have extended the search to the outskirts and there is still no sign of Harry Potter."

"Impossible!" roared Riddle, and he overthrew a table with a fruits basket nearby. "How can this be, Lucius? I have the best guards, the best security, and you still manage to allow him to escape! What is this?"

"I – I don't know sir," Luciu stuttered. "Sir Lovegood has been put in house arrest and will remain that way until he reveals Potter's features –"

"This is ridiculous!" roared Riddle. "We are chasing over a boy who's face we don't even know looks like – this Potter boy likes games, he does! Extend the search! Search the whole continent, if you must! Just bring me that boy!"

"Yes – yes sir," Lucius stuttered, and he walked out of the room, his swaying blond hair covering his tired eyes.

Bellatrix Lestrange stepped up to the middle of the room, and said, with strength in her voice, "My Lord, a suggestion, if you will."

"Ah, Bellatrix," Riddle said, turning to face her. "I always knew you would be of use to me."

Bellatrix could not hide her amusement, but rushed on: "My lord, it appears as though if Potter is on the run, he must be searching for a way to overthrow the kingdom."

Riddle eyed her with a mixture of curiosity and rage gleaming in his eyes.

"I ask to be in charge of searching for traitors who know about …" she lowered her voice to a whisper, "…the Gordric Touch."

Riddle let out a yelp as she spoke the words. He shook his head and said, "Very well, Bellatrix. You may start by searching every home in the kingdom. I will station you at Malfoy Manor."

Bellatrix smiled, revealing crooked and nasty teeth. She turned to leave.

"Bellatrix," Riddle said, halting her. "Make sure to bring Lucius with you, as he is of no use to me. And include Narcissa and Draco, as well. They will make excellent editions. Do not disappoint me."

-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-

Harry, Hermione and Ron reappeared on the snowy outdoors of Hogsmeade village. The sky above them was snowy white, and William, the boy who had previously stored their horses, was fast asleep on a large cube of hay. The two horses neighed slightly at the sight of the three heroes.

"Should – should we wake him?" Hermione said, pointing a shaky finger at the sleeping figure.

"Nah, he's probably forgotten," Ron said, walking forward to set his white stallion free from its area. Harry imitated his moments and was soon on the back of his black horse.

"So what are we to do?" Hermione said, as she gently stroked the horse's forehead. We can't just go bombarding into that library – it won't be unnoticed."

Ron snapped his fingers. "I know –Hermione, give Harry your cape. He can wear it to hide his face."

"Well, what about us?" Hermione said.

"We're not as wanted. It's Harry they need. We'll just pose as normal Hogsmeade folk."

"That's…that's not bad," Hermione said, looking at Ron in awe.

"Always the tone of surprise," Ron said.

Hermione removed her cape and handed it to Harry, who quickly tied it around his neck and brushed the hood on. As Ron helped Hermione onto the horse, Harry said, "Let's just hope this doesn't go noticed."

"Oh, I don't think it will," Ron said, mounting on his white stallion as well. "Well, we should be off then, shouldn't we?"

"I – I guess we should," Hermione said. Ron kicked his horse, and it reared up and began jogging into the snowy streets of Hogsmeade. Harry followed closely behind, Hermione's brown cape concealing him from the villagers.

-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-

(8 hours earlier)

Luna Lovegood was not an ordinary girl. Just like any other Lapifors student, she had magical powers, which she used for the greater good – but she also wore strange jewelry, strange clothing and read strange books. A trait other girls would make fun of her of, but she didn't seem to mind – everybody was entitled to their own opinions, weren't they?

She sighed, imagining herself up in her bedroom, staring out the window at the starry night, gazing at the constellations and day dreaming while staring at the moon. Only this night, it as a small, dirty window, and instead of her bed she lay on stacks of hay, and instead of her colorful clothing she wore rags.

Luna herself had never actually met Harry Potter – she had heard tales of him, yes, she had seen him, yes, but never actually knew him to begin with. She had only two friends at Lapifors, and they were Hermione and Ginny, and they were rather close with Harry. Especially Ginny, Luna thought to herself, and smiled slightly. Her smile faded as she watched several clouds block the moon.

She had had many sleepless nights but never in her life did she think she would spend them in a castle dungeon. The crime? Her and her father supported the fall of Riddle; Luna was actually the first victim to be arrested for such "treachery" and her imprisonment as actually a threat to the people. Luna and her father, Xenophilius, supported the idea of a prophecy telling that Riddle will fall and a hero will rise and one day save Hogwarts from its current state – something she would always stand by.

As she continued to stare at the dingy window, she heard a sharp noise and jumped up in her stack of hay. Straightening her rags, she walked to her prison's bars and called out, in her dreamy voice, "Hello?"

Only an echo. Luna sighed and turned to return to her daydreaming.

Suddenly a hand, a hand that appeared out of nowhere and through the bars, grabbed hers; being Luna, she didn't actually scream, but jumped. As the moonlight shone down at the figure, she saw it to be Ginny, and a tall, skinny boy who's name she was unaware of. "Ginny!" she said. "What – what are you doing here? I believe visiting hours are over –"

"Don't be silly, Luna," Ginny smiled at her friend, and let go of her arm. "We're here to get you out."

Cliffhanger, maybe? I don't know. But finally, a chapter with Luna! I love her, she's like a Martian. (Brownie points if you know where that's from!)

Again, sorry for the shortness! I'll try and make a longer chapter next time but please review (: