Disclaimer: I do not own any of this, really. These are the copyrighted property of another; may all props go to JK Rowling, who has blessed the literate world with a body of fiction so rich and so beautiful so as to defy belief. Let this humble work serve as an homage to her brilliance. I certainly will not make any profit off of this tale. It exists in part to aid me in learning to write, and largely only for my own amusement.
Dark Days: Luna Lovegood
October 15, 1997. Luna Lovegood pulled out her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook, making a quick note of the pages assigned for the day's reading. Professor Snape, having finally attained the post that he had yearned for, was determined that his first crop of students would demonstrate his genius. Therefore, he worked them harder than Luna had ever seen a professor work his students. Weekly essays were assigned and collected, sometimes as long as eight feet.. They were given better than four hundred pages of reading every weekend. Every Monday, Snape treated them to an exam. His personality had not improved greatly, and he still demonstrated a pronounce bias in favor of Slytherin. It's a wonder any other house ever won a House Championship while he's been here.
Luna began her work in earnest and in silence, which were the best ways to work in that class. Indeed, if they did not make a single noise during the entire period, so much the better for them – Snape was in a particular fury that day. Everyone had been a little on edge (if not downright panicked) since Dumbledore's death, so Luna could forgive Snape for being a little bit nastier.
Luna tried to take some good notes on the passage she was reading, which was an historical account of Killing Curses throughout the ages. Wizards had, of course, been killing each other for years before the Unforgivable Curse had ever been employed. There were spells to suffocate, to behead, and to rip bodies apart. The list went on for pages. The essay for the week was to describe why "Avada Kedavra" was the most efficient.
Even as she worked, her mind kept drifting back to the events of the night before.
* * * *
October 14, 1997. "Quit being such a git and let me through," Ron was saying.
"I can't see why you need in here so badly," the stern-faced fifth year replied, arms crossed. "If it is as important as you say it is, then get McGonagall to come down here and tell me."
"I told you," Ron persisted, keeping his anger in check with difficulty. "I need to see Luna urgently."
Luna had been sitting in her common room reading when Ron had started banging on the door, demanding entrance. She perked up considerably at the sound of her own name. Leaving her books in front of the couch, she walked to the door to intervene in the unfolding scene between Ron and one of the Ravenclaw prefects."What is it, Ron?" she asked, bewildered.
"It's Neville," he breathed. "He's back."
Luna left with Ron without so much as a backward glance. Neville had been missing for nearly three days, and the only clue to his location was a cryptic note left for Hermione. They hurried along the dark corridors, Ron being unable to answer most of Luna's pressing questions.
"Where has he been?" she demanded at first.
"No idea," Ron said, shrugging.
Luna thought she detected a note of agitation in his voice. "None?"
"Nope."
Luna's suspicion was confirmed; Ron was angry about something. "Is he okay?"
"I couldn't tell you that either."
"Is he hurt?"
"Not visibly."
Luna stopped walking abruptly, pondering the significance of that remark.
"Well, come on, will you?" Ron said, his voice scarcely hiding his aggravation. "No sense in standing here, is there?"
"What is going on with Neville, Ron? Please." Luna asked, her voice surprisingly pleading.
Ron cast his gaze down the empty corridor suspiciously, and then began. "He came in all of a sudden, right after dinner. And he looked a fright, I'll tell you. He's… real upset. He won't talk to any of us, and he just keeps saying your name, crying a little bit. We're hoping that he'll talk to you."Luna began walking again, following Ron up to Gryffindor Tower. She had escorted Neville up there several times, but had never yet been inside.
"What about the note? What was that all about?" she asked suddenly.
"Still no idea. All he's said so far is your name."
When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, Ron issued the password to the Fat Lady ("Rampart") without a second thought, and led Luna through the portrait-hole. Inside, the common room was mostly empty. Hermione and Ron must have flexed their prefect muscle and sent all the students to their respective rooms. The sofas and easy chairs were all vacant, save for the one closest the roaring fire. Neville sat in the middle of it, weeping quietly, eyes not focusing on anything in particular. On either side of him were Ginny and Hermione, trying to soothe him without much success. Directly behind, standing back a few feet was Dean Thomas, his face unreadable.
Luna raced over to his side, earning relieved looks from the girls. "Neville!" she gasped, embracing him tightly. She held him for a moment, feeling relief course through her body. She pulled away and stared at him.
Neville was a moment in acknowledging her, as if awaking from a dream. Instantly, his crying stopped, and he sniffled a little, clearly embarrassed. "Luna? What are you… I'm so glad you're here."
"Neville? Are you okay?" Ginny interrupted. Apparently this was the first intelligible thing he had said since his arrival.
"No, not at all," Neville breathed, not taking his eyes off of Luna. "Can we… can we go somewhere and talk?" he asked her.
"Of course, Neville. Of course," she said at once. "Oh, Neville, I've been so worried about you!"
"I'm… alive," he managed. "So I guess I'm alright."
"Where have you been?" Ron demanded.
"I, uh, I will tell you everything soon enough. But I want to tell her first," Neville said feebly.
"Whatever you want," Hermione cut in, earning a rude glare from Ron. "Why don't you guys take a walk, and we'll wait for you here. Patiently." She added, throwing Ron a no-nonsense look.
"That's a good idea," Luna agreed, taking him by the hand and leading him outside before anyone could argue. "Come on, Neville." They walked through the empty corridors in silence, finally making their way out the front doors of the castle and out into the cold night. Luna was aching to hear the story from him, but he was in no hurry to tell it, so she did not press it.
Neville lead her down to the side of the lake, where a stiff wind assailed them, chilling Luna to her bones. The sky overhead was cloudy, and the absence of the moon cloaked everything in a thick darkness. There was moisture in the air; threatening a rain shower that would turn the weather from cold to unbearable. Neville came to a stop beneath a tree at the waters edge, and sat down on the ground.
Luna reluctantly sat down in front of him, feeling the cold earth against her legs. She shivered slightly, and Neville gave her his thick traveling cloak, which he presumably had never removed.
"Neville, what happened?" she asked then, unable to bear the silence any further.
Neville stared into space without saying anything for a span of a couple of minutes, although she was certain that he had heard her. Just when she was afraid he had spaced out again, he spoke:
"On Saturday, when Malfoy and his thugs… attacked us, well, I didn't take it very well. All my life, people have been pushing me around. I have always hated it. But on that day, they hurt you, too. I couldn't take it. My weakness was no longer causing just me to suffer. I couldn't let it happen again. I resolved to start leveling the field, to strike back at all those people who had hurt me over the years."
"I decided to start with the first."
Luna pondered this for a moment. She was not sure how to feel; she was flattered that he would only speak to her, that she alone could bring him out of his nightmarish reverie. She was very fond of Neville; he was her closest friend at Hogwarts, and even in life. More than once she had considered what it would be like to marry him to raise a family with him. In fact, she had thought of it so often that the thought of ending up with someone else just did not seem right. Even so, the things he was telling her, about how protective he felt for her, made her feel a little uncomfortable.
"You mean… Bellatrix Lestrange?"
Neville nodded. "I mean to say that I meant to get to her eventually. My first thought was to strike out on my own, and maybe join the Order of the Phoenix, like Harry did. I-I bought these books… I was so naïve. I thought I could learn to protect myself, to fight, from a book. It seems silly now, and a little pathetic. But, there I was, walking around Diagon Alley in the think fog, when I stumbled on a couple of Deatheaters who were about to attack Gringotts."
Luna nodded, things beginning to click into place for her. She had read in The Daily Prophet about the attack on Gringotts that had been mysteriously foiled. Two Deatheaters, including Narcissa Malfoy, had been captured quite easily, and the hero had never been found, nor the plans of the Deatheaters ever uncovered.
"I encountered Bellatrix there, and followed her in stealth down one of the shafts, way underground. She never knew I was there, right up to the point where I disarmed her." Neville paused, the words coming out more slowly now. "It wasn't heroic, it wasn't even very difficult. It was just… ambush."
Luna stared at Neville in quiet shock. He paid no attention to her, his eyes focused on a spot a few feet above her left shoulder. She suddenly wished that he would look at her, that his eyes would show the young man she had come to know, just so that she could be sure that he was still there at all.
Neville had apparently gotten as far as he could on his own. He sat there in the dark, fidgeting uncomfortably. Luna sighed heavily, watching a wisp of steam escape her lips and rise, dispersing into oblivion. "Did you kill her, Neville?" she said quietly, steeling herself for the answer she did not want to hear.
Neville nodded. "Yeah," he said, his voice barely a whisper. He went on in so low a voice that she had to strain her ears to catch it. "But that's not all. I… Oh god, what have I done?" He seemed about to cry, but kept it in, gritting his teeth as he spoke. "I tortured her, Luna. The Cruciatus Curse. The Unforgivable Curse, the one they put people in Azkaban for life just for using!"
At these words, Neville lost all control and began wailing without restraint. He reached out for Luna and pulled her close to him, sobbing now against her chest. She kept her head level, unable to look down at the man-child in her arms. She felt stiff, and cold, in a way that had nothing to do with the weather.
"I tortured her for hours… Just like-just like she did to my parents. I'm just like her, Luna! We're all fighting this evil, trying to contain it - the evil of Bellatrix Lestrange and the Deatheaters and You-Know-Who and can't you see… the evil isn't just out there, it's in me, Luna!"
Luna Lovegood ceased to notice the passage of time. She stood outside with Neville for what must have been an hour. In fact, she was only dimly aware of his presence. All she could think about was Neville, towering over a dark figure, his round face twisted into a sadistic grin. She was touched by an inexplicable sadness, as if the world had ended and nobody had bothered to inform her.
When she came to her senses again, she was aware of being frigidly cold. Neville had ceased crying and was staring at her, awaiting her judgment. She knew then why he had come to her – if anyone could forgive him for what he had done, it was she. He was not seeking solace: he was seeking absolution. She could never stomach what he had done; she knew that at once. The memory of this conversation would be with her for the rest of her life. She could not tell him that it was okay, that he was okay. She simply said: "I love you, Neville."
He collapsed against her once more, in gratitude this time. He believed he had found his forgiveness, and she would let him think so. She knew that her statement was true: she did love him, could not help loving him, even in spite of this. She was not sure, but she might just regret that yet.
After awhile they returned to the castle, not saying a word. On their way through the front door, Luna allowed her eyes to wander over to Hagrid's home, to the new statue that had been erected in memorial of those slain that night. This war is costing us more than we ever guessed.
"Neville," she breathed urgently, stopping them just inside the front door.
"What?" Neville half-shouted, his voice full of nervous energy.
"Bellatrix Lestrange is, or rather was, a highly regarded and dangerous Deatheater," she began.
Neville looked surprised for a second. "Yes?"
"I'm not praising you, Neville, make no mistake about that," she said sharply, trying to keep the disgust from seeping into her voice. "But she was one of the favorite servants of You-Know-Who. What I'm saying is that, if word got out that… if word got out about what you did, you might as well paint a target on your back."
Neville nodded glumly, saying nothing.
"So just don't tell anyone you don't trust about this, okay?" Luna finished.
"Okay," Neville said quietly.
Within minutes, they had traveled back up to Gryffindor tower. "Rampart," Luna spoke to the Fat Lady, who gave them entrance hesitantly. Her voice sounded husky and strange. Have I been crying?
There was a flurry of motion on the other side of the portrait hole as they entered. Hermione, Ron, Ginny and even Dean were still waiting inside, and they all jumped to their feet at the return of Neville and Luna. Ron looked about ready to say something, then misplaced it and held his tongue. Nor did Neville seem in any hurry to begin conversation, so Luna said: "He is okay. I think it would be best if you all left him alone tonight – what he needs most is sleep. He can tell you whatever he pleases tomorrow, but for tonight let him sleep."
Hermione nodded, understandingly. "Ron, take him upstairs, won't you?"
Ron looked a little rebuffed, clearly wanting to remain behind and hear what Luna had to say. "Um, sure…" he said reluctantly.
"That's okay, Ron. I can – I'll go alone. Goodnight guys," Neville said. He began hobbling off in a clumsy little walk. Hermione was staring daggers at Ron, who shrugged innocently. All eyes followed Neville across the common room, until he disappeared up the staircase to his room. All attention instantly reverted to Luna.
"What happened?" Ron hissed, trying rather unsuccessfully to keep his voice down.
Idle curiosity. Luna felt a wave of aggravation toward Ron, who seemed only interested in keeping on top of the hot gossip. Immediately thereafter, she felt another wave of irritation, this one for Neville, for leaving her there to explain his disappearance to his friends.
"Is he okay?" Ginny asked, timidly.
True concern. Luna smiled at the youngest Weasley, feeling a strong sense of gratitude. "Yes, he is okay. Or he will be, once he deals with some things."
"What happened to him?" Hermione put in.
"He struck out on his own, to prove to himself his worth as a man. It went rather poorly," she added, her eyes glazing as she thought of the horrible truth behind those words. "He has killed Bellatrix Lestrange."
"WHAT?!?" Dean spoke up for the first time, seemingly echoing the sentiments of all who were present.
Luna nodded in confirmation. "He was present at that attack on Gringotts. He chased her down a shaft underground and killed her. I don't think her body has been found."
"Well, that's… great, isn't it?" Ron asked, seeming sure that he was being an ass but unsure why.
"No, no it isn't," Dean answered.
"Oh, poor Neville…" Hermione murmured.
"Neville can tell you as much or as little of his story as he pleases tomorrow, Ron," Luna said, her irritation beginning to show in her voice. "But for the time being, I can assure that this is not great."
Hermione, at least, caught the hint. "Thank you, Luna. I appreciate that you came up here to help him out. Well, to help all of us out."
"Yes, thank you," Ginny chimed. She hugged Luna briefly, sweetly.
"I guess I'll just be on my way, then," Luna said. "Good night, guys."
"Good night Luna, and thanks again," Hermione said.
Luna walked over to and out of the portrait hole, and began to head back to her common room. She realized that she was still wearing Neville's traveling cloak. She turned back to return it, but then thought better of it, not wanting to see anyone in that house again that night.
* * * *
October 18, 1997. Luna sat next to Neville that night, rather reluctantly. They were sitting in the Room of Requirement, waiting for the weekly meeting of the DA to begin. The training sessions had undergone a radical change this year, owing to a number of things.
First of all, Harry Potter had been there for the first two meetings, but then had been graduated early. In his absence, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny had taken over as leaders for the group, being older and slightly more experienced then the rest. More than that, Luna had noticed that proximity to Harry was an almost tangible currency among the students: Harry's closest friends seemed like the natural heirs to his throne.
In the wake of his departure and the multiple deaths of the previous month, a more urgent mood had taken over the group. The previous incarnation had never known the spirit of desperation and fear that was then present every week.
The faces in the circle had changed slightly. Older members, such as Lavender and Parvati Patil, Dean Thomas, Justin Finch-Fletchley, The Creevey Brothers, Michael Corner and Ernie MacMillan, were regulars. By and large, though, the Room of Requirement was teeming with frightened-looking first and second years. Luna guessed that most of them were Gryffindors, with a strong showing of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw. Where are all the Slytherins? Oh, yeah, in the other camp.
Another key departure from the old group was the element of secrecy. Previously, they had snuck around behind the backs of Delores Umbridge and her spies. Now, Professor McGonagall was fully aware of their activities, and condoned them. Students caught in the halls after DA meetings were no punished. McGonagall had even gone so far as to offer the services of their DADA professor, or any member of the staff (the thought of Snape leading these meeting was repellent to many of the group). Harry politely refused her offer, stating that they were student-led and happy with it.
Across the room, apparently sensing that the majority of students had arrived, Ginny Weasley rose and strode over to a podium that Luna had not noticed before.
"Good evening," she said, and the crowded room fell silent. If proximity to Harry earned respect in this circle, then Ginny Weasley was their queen. Whatever she might say on the topic, the rumor mill had it on good authority that she and Harry Potter were in love, ready to elope at the drop of a hat (or more likely, at the fall of an Evil Regime).
Of course, the rumor mill had been wrong before. Something about Ginny Weasley spurred gossip. It likely had something to do with the fact that she had outgrown her adolescent awkwardness, and blossomed into a drop-dead gorgeous young redhead with enchanting eyes. Luna had been privy to a wide array of talk about her, which partnered her with anyone from Michael Corner to Dean Thomas to Draco Malfoy.
"Dark Days have come upon us all," she said, her voice strong and authoritative. She had a few pieces of parchment in front of her, but seemed to be reciting from memory. "Muggle and Wizard alike. Calamities will abound as the shadow of He-Who-Must Not-Be-Named passes over the land. The darkness will be thicker, more complete than ever and the blood of heroes will flow. Hallowed institutions of old will burn to the ground in the wake of this fierce storm."
Ginny's words had a palpable affect on the meeting; students looked around at each other in abject fear. Luna knew that many of them had come for the precise purpose of assuaging their concerns, and to have Ginny enumerate them so directly was unnerving to say the least.
Ginny consulted her sheets and then went on. "I know that these words are not comforting to you, and for that I apologize. But these words are the reality that we must prepare for. We have gathered under the name of Dumbledore's Army so that we might be a competent force in the face of danger, not so that we can escape our fears. And now that our beloved headmaster is gone, these concerns are more real and more pressing than ever before."
Several of the older students shuddered at the mention of Dumbledore's death. Luna knew that, as far as most of these kids were concerned, they ought to call themselves Harry's Army. Most of them had never even met Professor Dumbledore, let alone held a conversation with him. Most of these kids were raised with the fairytale of the Boy-Who-Lived. Harry Potter was not a removed concept; he had seen the Darkness and had come back to be there among them, to instruct them. Harry even kept in contact with some of them. He believed that the DA had the right to know what was going on in the war, so he was their best source of information. These students could not identify with Professor Dumbledore; he was older, distant, and relatively obscure. Most of all, he was dead.
"It is not the intention of the DA to help you pass the time or make you feel safer in these troubling times. If you came here for those purposes, you might as well go find the door now," Ginny went on, her voice hard and her stare piercing. "We have felt of late that things are a little too light-hearted in here, and we feel that our performance is suffering as a result. In a minute, you will break up into pairs to practice combat spells, and I want each of you to remember as you do so why we are here."
Ginny's speech certainly had its intended affect. Serious faces turned to serious faces and paired up, beginning to work with renewed fervor. Luna turned to Neville and their eyes met for a horrible moment of indecision. Every week they that year they had paired up together, and she was suddenly unwilling to do so again.
Luna could tell that the same thought had occurred to both of them; that the last time Neville had dueled, he had tortured a woman to death. It was then that Luna divined the maze of emotion that had ensnared her following Neville's confession; worry, anger, sadness and outrage. It all boiled down to one simple fact; she was afraid of him, of what he had become.
No, that isn't true! Not what he has become, what he might yet become. It isn't too late for him.
"Why don't you find a new partner this week, Luna?" Neville said in a weak voice. "I think I'll just observe; you know, try to help the others out."
"That's a good idea," Luna replied, trying to stop herself from shaking.
* * * *
October 18, 1997. "Hey, Ginny, wait up!" Luna called, pursuing the youngest Weasley as they both left the Room of Requirement.
"Sure thing, Luna," Ginny replied, stopping to wait for her.
Luna was shocked by how tired Ginny sounded. "Are you alright?" she asked, concern taking precedence over whatever else she had wanted to say.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just exhausted." Ginny answered, not sounding very convinced herself. Luna had caught up to her, and they began to walk together, surprisingly alone in the dark corridors. "Really exhausted. How are you… you know, with everything?"
Luna sighed. "Still a little freaked out, I guess."
Ginny nodded understandingly. "Yeah, it can be hard to come to grips with; someone you're close to suddenly becoming a killer."
You don't know the half of it. "Yeah, I guess we have something in common, there."
Ginny blushed for a second. "What do you mean?"
Luna felt the corners of her mouth forming a smile. "Oh, you know. Being in love with wizards who are thrown too deeply into this awful war."
Ginny broke into a genuine smile for the first time in Luna's recent memory. "I'm sure I don't know… yes, I suppose there's no point in hiding it. Harry and I are… together? I guess that's the word I'm looking for here."
"I knew it!" Luna shrieked.
"Yes, well, keep your voice down. No need to get everyone talking about it. But what about you? Have you and Neville finally broken through that whole friendship barrier?"
Luna's smile vanished. "No, we haven't. I wanted to, but then this whole Bellatrix Lestrange thing came up and I don't know what to make of it, I really don't," Luna replied, grateful for the opportunity to unburden herself.
"I understand," Ginny agreed. "I felt so scared after that night at home, when Harry went and killed all of those Deatheaters. I take my solace in the fact that he is fighting on the right side of all of this. He may wade knee-deep into that darkness, but at the end of the day he wants to be out of it, and that's why he fights."
Luna pondered this in silence. A few moments elapsed as they walked down the hallways. They were not heading anywhere in particular, not toward Gryffindor or Ravenclaw House.
"Ginny, are you afraid?" Luna blurted out.
"Almost constantly," Ginny replied. She did not need much time to think it over. "Everything I said in that meeting is true; we are in the midst of very scary times."
"No, I mean, are you afraid of Harry?"
Ginny stopped her walk and looked Luna in the eyes for a moment. "Well, no. Not anymore. I used to be, but I know him, Luna, and I know that he is a good person, on his way to being a good man, and I put my faith in that."
Luna nodded, thinking over these words. "Okay. Thank you Ginny. For everything." She bid goodnight to her friend at the next cross-corridor, and made her way home.
* * * *
October 21, 1997. As usual, Snape had an exam waiting for them when they returned to class the following Monday. Luna began writing furiously as soon as the exam had started, trying to cover each question in exhaustive detail – the only way to meet Snape's exacting standards.
Professor Snape was not furnished with a list of the members of the DA, but if he had he would have been surprised to find them at the top of all his classes. Luna enjoyed the fact that her progress in the DA showed in her class performance.
They had barely gotten through the first question (List All Seven Killing Curses, and explain the various faults and strengths of each) when the previously closed door burst open noisily. Luna, like everyone else in the room, was astonished to see Harry Potter walk through the door.
Harry little resembled the student they had known only a month before, at least by his mannerisms. There was some terrible purpose to the way he walked. His eyes were blazing with pure anger. Most notable, was that his wand was out and pointed at their Professor, who was sitting behind his desk, looking positively livid.
"Potter!" Snape thundered. "What is the meaning of this?"
"I needed to talk to you, professor," Harry said, keeping his eyes trained on the greasy-haired former potions master. "Class dismissed. Now."
"What is the meaning of this?" Snape demanded. "Class is most certainly not dismissed. Anything you have to say to me can wait until after the period."
"As it happens, it can't. I repeat: class dismissed!" Harry jerked the wand threateningly toward Snape. "Luna, get them out of here."
Luna, who had not previously been sure he had even noticed her, followed his order immediately. "You heard him, kids," she said, addressing the stunned classroom. "Let's go. No, leave your test here, and leave your books behind. Just grab your wands and get out of here."
Snape tried one more time, in vain. "Potter, my students are in the middle of an examination-"
"Can it, Snape," Harry growled. His eyes had not wavered from the professor, who was still sitting behind the desk, seething.
Luna ushered the startled Ravenclaws out the door, making sure she was the last one out. She shut the door most of the way behind her, leaving a small crack. Her classmates looked at her in bewilderment, not knowing what to do next. Luna was discovering that, in times of confusion, people would often listen to anyone giving orders. "Michael, go to the Gryffindor common room and find the leadership of the DA. I believe their password is `Rampart' still; if that doesn't work, just beat on the door until someone opens up," Luna barked. Michael took off with haste.
"Salisha, go to Professor McGonagall and tell her what has happened. Get her down here as quickly as possible. The rest of you, go directly to the common room and wait for further instruction."
As soon as the crowd dispersed, Luna pressed against doorframe outside the DADA classroom, and listened intently. Apparently, Harry too was waiting for the students to leave.
"I have a few questions to ask you, Severus," Harry said quietly.
"What is the meaning of this, Potter? Bursting into the middle of my class, disrupting an exam, and waving your wand around like you own the place?" Snape's voice was full of venom.
"Where are they, Severus?" Harry asked, his voice full of presumption.
"Where are who, Potter?"
"Our comrades from the Order of the Phoenix; McGonagall and Moody and the rest. The people that are supposed to be here to keep me from losing my temper and killing you on the spot," Harry said, his voice threatening. "So I recommend that you try to be cooperative as possible and not push me too much."
Luna's eyes went wide, her heart beat furiously, and she felt her breath coming with difficulty. What is going on here?
Snape's voice had lost it's edge. Apparently he believed that his former student might do precisely as he had said. "Potter, I have little time for your grudges," his voice flat and fearful. "Whatever passed between us in class in of no matter anymore."
"I quite agree. This isn't about that, isn't about me at all," Harry said. Luna heard heavy footsteps inside the classroom, which she presumed were Harry's. "The last few days I've been in Dumbledore's office, reviewing his pensieve." Harry let the words hang in the air for a moment.
"I don't see what… has to do with…" Snape was muttering in a mostly unintelligible manner.
"The last memory that Dumbledore put in there was of a conversation he had with you on the day he died," Harry went on, speaking slowly and deliberately. "He had just finished a conversation with Flitwick about how he was sure there was a traitor in Order. And then you walked in, and the three of you made plans to meet at Hagrid's and to go to the meeting together that night."
"Yes, I said as much in my statement to the Order."
"Yes, but I think you may have left out some relevant details."
"Such as?"
"Such as the fact that you set Dumbledore up. Such as the fact that you murdered Hagrid. Such as the fact that you have been working for Voldemort all along, when we thought you were our most valuable spy." Harry's voice remained calm, but Luna could detect the subtle rage underneath.
"That's… preposterous!"
There was silence in the room for a moment, and then Luna heard a noise that sounded very much like a vial being set on a desk. "If it isn't true, then you won't object to retelling your tale under Veritaserum. Ironically enough, it was you that taught me how to make it."
There was more silence, and finally Snape began speaking again, his voice resuming its calm nastiness. "Potter, no one had more reason to suspect your potions than I. Unless you have improved your skills radically, there is every chance that you could poison me. With the best intentions, I'm sure. Allow me to furnish you with some truth serum from my supplies, and I will happily submit to your inquisition." Luna heard the sounds of rustling papers and a desk drawer being opened. "Ah here it is!"
"No, Snape, we're going to do this my way. I'll give you a choice; take my serum or grab your wand and prepare to defend your own life."
Luna's heart was beating faster than ever. She glanced up and down the hallway, looking for someone to come to their aid. As of yet, there was none. The sound of breaking glass inside the classroom regained her attention. She looked over to the door, still slightly ajar, in time to see a thick column of green smoke emerge from it with enough force to blow the door wide open.
Luna grabbed the edge of her robe and covered her mouth. She pulled out her wand and cried out "Dispellitus!" and watched as the smoke cleared slowly out of the hallway.
From within came the sounds of a few dull thuds, and then Snape came racing through the open doorway, a handkerchief pulled over his face. Luna met his eyes to see a look of diabolical pleasure. Before she could react, he grabbed her forcefully, taking her wand and spinning her around so that she now faced the door.
Harry emerged an instant later, also clutching a handkerchief, his wand out. Snape cowered behind his body shield, sticking her own wand to her head. "Halt there, or she dies!" he screamed.
Harry froze in his tracks, his eyes darting left and right wildly, sizing up the situation.
"Now drop your wand, and lay down on the ground!" Snape shrieked, pressing the edge of the wand into her temple.
Luna wanted to call out to Harry, to tell him not to do it, something heroic like "Forget about me! Don't let him escape!". However, her mind filled with one thought alone: Don't let me die. Dear god, please don't let me die!
Harry hesitated, and instead asked Snape a question: "Why'd you do it, Severus? Why did you betray us?"
"You twit, you should have learned your lesson with your parents. The Dark Lord in unstoppable!"
"No, he isn't," Harry said, his voice surprisingly calm. He had not yet dropped his wand, but took a small step toward Snape.
"You have no idea about any of it, you fool! Your head is full of cheap showy tricks and cryptically phrased prophecies, but you have no idea of the raw power of the Dark Lord! He will be victorious in this little war, and all of you will be crushed!"
"AVADA KEDAVRA!" came a shout from down the hallway. Luna felt something powerful hit Snape from behind, and then he toppled over on top of her. Seconds later, Harry was pulling her out from underneath Snape's corpse.
"Are you okay?" he asked, urgency in his voice. "I had no idea you were still out here…"
"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, trembling slightly. She looked down the hallway to find Mad-Eye Moody shuffling toward them, his wand still out and a serious look on his face.
"Moody," Harry said in acknowledgement. "Thank you."
Luna wanted to echo the sentiment, to lavish upon him praise, but instead nodded enthusiastically, finding speech a little bit of a struggle for some reason.
"Sure thing, Potter," the aged ex-auror said gruffly. "It's a good thing I came down this way when I did. But then, I'm sure you had everything under control."
"I thought I did…" Harry mumbled, looking away.
Luna cringed. She knew that if she had followed Harry's orders and left the scene, then she'd have never fallen into Snape's clutches as a hostage. "It's my fault," she said quietly.
"No, it isn't," Harry replied. "What were you doing here anyway?"
Mad Eye laughed a little. "McGonagall wanted me to stop in and check on you while she was away. You know, keep you out of trouble and what not. Apparently it was a good idea."
Harry made a face at this.
"Where is Professor McGonagall?" Luna spoke up.
"France, I believe. Meeting with Madame Maxime and Delacour. Trying to find some recruits for the Order. I wish her luck with that," Mad Eye replied.
Luna must have looked confused, because Harry explained: "Everyone in the World Wizarding community is reacting to the return of Voldemort in about the same way – defending their own borders. That's why Seamus Finnegan isn't in school this year, and why we never heard from Karkaroff until they took Durmstrang. Every other major wizarding nation thinks of this as largely England's problem."
Luna nodded in understanding. Figures.
"So, why did we kill Snape?" Mad Eye asked suddenly.
"He's been working for Voldemort all along. He killed Hagrid and betrayed Dumbledore," Harry answered, a sour look covering his face.
Mad Eye looked aghast. "I'm not surprised, really. I never trusted him after he came back from their camp. How did you figure him out?"
"I'll admit it didn't make a lot of sense. In truth, I was motivated by my dislike for him; my hunch that he might have betrayed us started with my hatred. Arthur had said that Hagrid's body was cold by the time he arrived on the scene that day. That means that he had been dead long before Dumbledore, Flitwick and Snape arrived that evening. The thought occurred to me that maybe Snape had killed Hagrid, and helped the Deatheaters to ambush Dumbledore. I started searching through Dumbledore's pensieve while McGonagall was away, and I found a memory that confirmed my suspicion. Well, at least enough to confront him with a vial of veritaserum."
They lulled into an uncomfortable silence. Luna felt her attention gravitating to the corpse before her. She looked away, her cheeks burning in shame, only to see that Harry and Mad Eye were staring morbidly at Snape as well.
"Well, I suppose he had it coming, then," Moody muttered. "I'm glad we killed him."
Luna felt startled by Moody's words. What a horrible thing to say! About anyone, any time!
"I'd like to point out that you killed him, not me."
Luna and Moody simultaneously whirled to look at Harry in astonishment.
"Beg your pardon?" Mad Eye asked, sounding offended.
Harry turned away from the corpse to look at him face to face. "I said that I didn't kill him. Wouldn't have."
"I had to save the girl, didn't I?" Mad Eye asked, gesturing toward Luna. She felt a surge of irritation at being referred to as "the girl", but decided against making an issue of it.
"You could have stunned him."
"Maybe, but…" Mad Eye's voice trailed off, and he looked at Harry in bewilderment. "You've killed before, Potter. I know you have."
Harry's face fell. "Yes, I am," he admitted to the floor. "But I'm not very good at it. I've killed seven people, and every night I think about everyone of them. Every night I regret every one of them. And that's why I'm not like you, Mad Eye; I hate that I kill. Every time I take a life, it is in the hope that it will be the last time."
Mad Eye regarded Harry critically. "Maybe I was wrong about you, Potter," he said, his voice thick with disgust. "Maybe you don't have what it's gonna take."
Harry's face resumed its old determination, and he merely stared the ex-auror in the eye without blinking.
"What in the name of-"
Luna looked up to see that their moment of solitude had ended. Michael had at last returned from the Gryffindor common room, leading Ron, Hermione, Dean, Ginny, and Neville. All five of them had their wands out, and were staring with wide eyes at the scene in front of them.
Mad Eye looked at Harry and shrugged. He gestured toward the group of them, and then turned and walked off the other direction, saying over his shoulder: "I'm going to send an owl to Minerva and see if she can bring a new teacher back from France."
"Harry, what happened?" Ginny asked, walking slowly over to the Boy-Who-Lived, staying as far away from the body on the ground as she could.
Harry took two steps in Ginny's direction and pulled her into an embrace, kissing the top of her red head. "It was Snape who betrayed us," he said quietly, but everyone heard it.
Neville had made his way over to Luna, and stood before her timidly. "Are you okay?"
I haven't the foggiest. "Yes," she said, taking his hand in her own. "Can we take a walk?"
"Sure…"
* * * *
October 21, 1997. "What is it, Luna?"
"I forgive you."
"What?"
"I forgive you."
"You… you do?"
"Yes."
"Um… for what, exactly?"
"I think you know."
"I… you mean…"
"Yeah. For that. For anything, really."
"Thank you. You don't, you can't know how much that means to me."
"Maybe you're right, but I think I do."
"Maybe… How… how did you, er, decide that?"
"Harry. Ginny. Snape… I don't know. I just realized that what you did was wrong, you know? Really wrong. But what matters is how you feel about it. You cried because you suddenly knew that the darkness was inside of you. But it was there all along, and we just didn't know it. We'll all been touched by the darkness, and it's in all of us, it's just a question of how we handle it. You… handled it poorly with Bellatrix, but you know that. You want to be on the right side, and by god I'll help you stay here."
"I-I don't know what to say."
"Then, I'll help you with that, too: I love you, Neville."
"I love you, too, Luna. You know I do."
"Sure! But it's still nice to hear occasionally."
"I'll remember that."
"See that you do."