CHAPTER TEN

"But I'm going to miss you so much," Luna protested as she headed out of the bedroom door and out into the hall. "And make sure that little Tom is safely kept before you leave for the battle, Tom. I don't want to be worried about him while I'm gone."

"Luna, don't be such a hen," Tom grumbled. He was currently back in his older, snake version of himself, and she reached up so smooth a finger over the flesh where his nose should be. He smirked and shook his head. "Stop it, you know I hate that."

"But I love it, and I love you," she told him.

"Okay, you're making me feel guilty here, Luna, considering you're telling me you love me when I'm about to throw you into a dungeon for who knows how long until Harry Potter shows up," he said. "I don't know how I'm going to live without you."

"The same as you've always done, I suppose," she commented sensibly. "You're going to cause a big stir and people are going to get frightened, and in the end you'll be dead—so I guess that means that you won't live without me, if you think about it."

"Always count on you to see things clearly," he chuckled. "Now go get in the dungeon like a good little captive, and maybe later I'll come in there and torture you."

"Mm, that sounds promising," she chuckled.

"You have to at least pretend not to like it, or you 're not going to convince anybody at all," he said as he bent to kiss her. "But you know, I think we could probably hold off on going down there for a couple more minutes—"

"Stop right there, my love," she said sternly. "You know that there are only two horcruxes left, and Harry is right this moment in the bank retrieving the cup. We can't afford to waste any more time. Send Scabior and the others out into the woods. Harry is sure to go back into them once the deed is done."

"I know you're right," he said. "I just don't want to let go."

"Don't worry, my Lord," she said with a light air, "Everything is falling into place. I'll see you again soon."

Having said this, Luna Apparated away, leaving him standing there in the hall. He knew without bothering to check that she had gone to the dungeon, and one of his Death Eaters would put her inside with the others. And now it was time for him to get into the mode of self-destruction. Harry Potter must believe him to be desperate—and he intended to make sure of it.

#

"Hello, Harry Potter," said Luna from her place by the wall as her friends were shoved inside the dungeon cell. She was sitting calmly near the goblin banker and old Ollivander, having waited less than a day just as she'd predicted.

It wasn't long before they could hear screaming from upstairs as Bellatrix tortured Hermione Granger. All of them winced, and then Harry managed to call upon Dobby to get them out. Luna came along with them as they rescued Hermione and Apparated to Shell Cottage, where Harry discovered that Dobby had been killed. From there, she returned to Hogwarts.

Snape saw her walking through the hallway, and stopped to speak to her. "Miss Lovegood? I assume everything is all right?"

"Yes, Professor, everything is fine," she answered, but said nothing more.

"Well then, I suppose you had best return to your dorm," he said with a nod, and walked away again.

Luna went quickly to Gryffindor dorm instead and said the password she remembered from before, hoping they hadn't changed it since she'd last been inside. The fat lady was feeling talkative, and she didn't seem to want to simply open the way.

"So, I heard you were being held prisoner by the Dark Lord," she said. "How bad was it? Did he torture you incessantly? Did he make you tell him all your secrets?"

"He did nothing of the sort," she snapped.

"Well, you don't have to bite my head off," she complained. "Go on inside, then."

Neville was just returning from a tunnel with Ron, Harry and Hermione coming along for the ride. "We have company," he announced.

"Harry Potter!" everyone shouted excitedly.

They all gathered to discuss what should be done. Harry wasn't at all helpful in his description of the horcrux he was looking for.

"Hasn't anyone heard of the lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw?" Luna asked, incredulous that she had to practically hand the answer to them on a silver platter.

"But Luna, it's lost. No one alive has seen it," Cho reminded her.

"Snape just told everyone to come to the Great Hall," someone announced. "I think he knows something about Harry."

Luna came along as everyone filed out. They all went into the Great Hall together as Snape was lecturing the students.

"Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Potter should come forward immediately, and anyone who knows of Mr. Potter's movements and does not step forward shall be considered as equally guilty."

Harry stepped forward and as he spoke, someone started to scream. An eerie, disembodied voice rang through the hall. "Give me Harry Potter," said Voldemort. "You have one hour."

Luna knew her Lord well enough that she did not believe the hour would be given. He was not a very patient man, and he was too close to getting what he desired to stand back now. When Harry began to run, she followed him.

"Harry, wait!" she shouted, but he didn't. "Harry Potter, you listen to me right now! There's someone you need to talk to."

"But you heard Cho," he pointed out. "No one alive has seen the diadem."

"No one alive," Luna said. "But what about someone who isn't?"

"The Gray Lady! Luna, you're brilliant," said Harry, starting to head in a new direction.

"Harry, she won't trust you," she said. "You must tell her that I sent you."

"I will," he agreed.

#

The halls of Hogwarts echoed with noise as the Death Eaters continued to battle the witches and wizards within. Luna knew the precise moment when both of the horcruxes were destroyed. She knew even before Voldemort called back his troops that he would do so. Now, only the secret horcruxes remained.

Luna busied herself with helping to heal wounded people as she waited for Harry Potter to go out to kill her Lord. She had been told by Snape himself that Harry's body contained a horcrux, and so she was a bit confused as to how he was supposed to kill the Dark Lord if he was himself one of his pieces. It all seemed so weird, when one took the time to think on it, and so she tried not to.

The next time she saw Harry Potter, Voldemort and the Death Eaters were walking back with his corpse to Hogwarts. Her heart constricted with dread. If Harry had been killed, then who was going to kill Voldemort so she could bring him back. She'd managed not to get herself killed, but now it seemed it had all been for nothing.

She wanted to race over to him and embrace him, tell him that she would brew as many potions as he needed, and it would all be okay, but she knew he would not welcome such an action since he wanted to be killed. Sighing, she followed the others as they went to meet their foe, and hoped for the best.

Neville Longbottom stepped forward to speak, and then suddenly Harry came back to life. A pitched battle ensued, but in the end Neville killed Nagini and Harry Potter killed Voldemort. Luna was almost certain that Voldemort had chosen to go inside the wand itself in order to preserve himself. Given the series of events, there was no other possibility. But, how would she get the wand away from Harry?

She followed the Golden Trio discreetly out to the fallen bridge, making sure not to be seen. She watched with horror as Harry Potter snapped the Elder Wand in two and through it down into the ravine. She went quickly and quietly back to the castle, trying to hold back the tears in her eyes. How would she bring him back if the wand—the vessel in which he must have stored himself—had been broken?

All day she agonized over what to do. She knew that it must be dark outside when she searched for the pieces of the wand—no one must see her. When darkness surrounded the castle, Luna was able to Apparate down to the ravine, for the anti-Apparation field was now gone. Scrabbling through the mud and grime, she looked diligently until she'd found both pieces.

"I thought I'd find you here," said a voice from behind her.

"Harry Potter?" she gasped as she stuffed the wand pieces into her cloak.

"No, Luna," he said. "Harry is asleep."

"Tom?" she asked uncertainly.

"It's me," he said, still standing back. Luna launched herself into his arms.

"What are you doing in there?" she wanted to know.

"Well, you were right about me going into the wand, my dear," he answered. "Of course that is where I went. But when I realized he was going to break the wand, my need for self-preservation kicked in. I jumped inside here to keep from dying altogether."

"But how are we going to get you out?" she asked worriedly. "I don't want you to stay in Harry."

Tom chuckled. "Doesn't do it for you, eh? Well, there's only one way. You'll have to kill Harry Potter to get me out."

"But—"

"Don't worry, Luna, he won't really die," Tom said before she could protest. "He's still the master over death, even if the wand is broken. He'll just wake up with a really bad headache. I'll just go inside something else until we get home."

"Like what?" Luna wanted to know.

"Maybe you've got some trinket you don't need?" he asked hopefully.

"Oh yeah, I do," she said with a wicked chuckle. "I have a recent copy of the Quibbler right here."

He cast her a dubious look. "Well, at least the old man has stopped writing bad things about me in there," he chuckled. "Let's get to it, shall we? You know how impatient I can be."

Luna raised her wand and aimed it, shouting, "Avada Kedavra!"

Harry Potter's body crumpled to the ground, and Luna Apparated away, her Quibbler held closely to her heart. Tonight, she and Tom Riddle would watch it burning in the fire. Baby Tom would need to have a sitter for just a little while more.