Just Old Friends
Chapter 3: Calm before the Battle
The days passed quicker than anyone wanted and for Harry it was hard to accept that his time in Hogwarts was nearing its end. He had been lucky enough to live long enough to come here he knew that but the thought of leaving here scared him more than anything.
The morning of the final day arrived. The message of the attack had been kept almost completely silent. The teachers had not wanted to cause any alarm with the younger students.
Harry made his way down to the dinning hall for the last time as a student and sat at the table with Hermione and Ron. Both were rather white but looked ready for what was to come.
They had told the other Gryffindors and news had spread to a few of the older Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students. Looking around the hall it was quite easy to tell who knew and who didn't. If it hadn't been the last day for most Harry thought that people may have asked more questions.
Neville moved towards them with Ginny and both gave weak smiles. Luna entered soon after and ignoring all the strange looks she moved to the Gryffindor table.
"Harry I want to talk."
People sitting around them looked at him as if they knew she was about to break up with him. He stood and moved to the corner of the room with Luna following. She smiled up at him her white teeth showing through her pale lips.
"I wanted you to know Mr Potter that I love you."
She kissed him gently and turned to leave.
"You're saying goodbye aren't you?"
She nodded at him small tears forming in her eyes.
"Yes. Harry so many people have died, who knows what will happen today. I could die –"
"I'll die before I let them get to you."
She nodded reaching her hand to his face.
"I know that but things happen in battles things never go the way they should, for anybody. I just wanted you to know that I love you with all my heart, when I die and I go to God, and he asks me about my life I shall say that you were my life, that I loved you and you made me complete."
Harry took her hand in his drawing her to him. He rested his chin softly on the top of her head small tears in his eyes.
"Luna Lovegood I love you more than anything in this world and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."
He heard her gasp, they had never before mentioned after Hogwarts and what they planned to do. She pulled away from him looking up into his eyes. She had tears forming in hers and in a tiny voice she spoke.
"You mean you want to marry me!"
"Yes, more than anything in the world. Say you will, say you'll be my wife. I'll wait until you finish Hogwarts but just say that you'll agree."
She leaned up taking his lips with her own, it was a gentle kiss, soft and as she pulled away she smiled at him
"Mrs Luna Potter does have a ring to it."
Harry grinned wondering if maybe this was how his father had felt when he had asked Lily to marry him. He wondered if everyone felt this happy this content knowing that they would forever be with the one they loved.
Over the years he had wondered what had made his father stay behind and not run with his mother, why they hadn't tried to run for the back door and leave the house. He had not understood what love did to them.
For the first time he did understood he knew that if he were ever put in that same situation he would stand there and allow Luna to run because he loved her so much he would die for her just like his father. For the first time he knew what it was to love.
They headed to the Gryffindor table hand in hand smiling and Harry sat down pulling Luna onto his lap. She giggled and people looked at them.
"Why are you so happy?"
"Luna just said she'd marry me."
Hermione and Ginny squealed. Harry had never heard anything like it and the three girls were on their feet jumping within seconds. Harry saw the way the boys on other tables were looking and Ron noticed too.
"Stopping gawking at them you bunch of animals they're not meat!"
The girls stopped and laughed at Ron as they took their seats. They sat there eating breakfast and waiting for the time to arrive.
The hall doors burst open and the Weasleys trooped inside. They looked worn out and Harry could hear muttering around the hall. Molly spotted the six of them and rushed over. She looked ashen faced as if she had been crying all night.
Arthur grabbed her though and indicated to Dumbledore, she nodded moving towards him with Charlie and George right behind her. Fred came over to them though looking very upset to say the least. Ron stood up quickly and shared a brotherly hug with Fred with Ginny pulling them apart to join in.
Fred looked at the group and nodded before looking around
"We have some bad news"
Hermione gripped onto Harry's arm while Neville stood placing his arms around Ginny's waist. Luna sat there just watching and Ron with a hand on his sister's shoulder indicated for Fred to tell them.
"Tonks escaped from wherever it was she was being held and well, the news isn't good."
He took a deep breath and looked like he'd give anything to keep quiet.
"Kingsley's dead, they killed him the day they took him. Then Bill was taken somewhere and she doesn't know about him. They kept her and Fleur together, used them as play things in the night. Well when Fleur wouldn't play along they, they had her killed."
Ginny burst into tears and flung herself onto Neville while Hermione whimpered with her eyes wide. The only one not to react in the least was Luna she just looked straight ahead.
"Bills alive, he's badly injured but you'll find him before its too late, although he'll never be whole again."
"How do you know?"
Luna looked up at Fred and smiled.
"It's a gift, I see things and I can tell you that your brother Charlie will find him."
Before anything else could be spoken the hall doors opened again and Moody walked in followed by Tonks and Lupin. Behind them were about two dozen people all looking ready to battle. Moody looked at them standing there nodding that it was nearly time.
Dumbledore took to his feet looking around.
"My young friends and so another year at Hogwarts has come to an end, however transporting you back to London will happen later this year than normal due to a problem with the Express. If you'd all so kindly return to your house common rooms, we'll bring you down when the problem is fixed."
There was a lot of grumbling but people started to move. Harry saw that everybody fifth year and down were heading back to their common rooms, well nearly everybody. Dennis Creevey was sat next to his brother and made no signs of leaving.
All the Slytherins stood up and Harry saw the nervous glance that Draco gave to the door. He instantly knew that the Slytherin boy was involved and had planned to help his father's side. He wondered how far he would go or if he'd just wait in the main hall until the Death Eaters showed.
Once most had left Harry looked around. A good few of the sixth and seventh years of Hogwarts students had stayed and they all looked ready to battle. Dumbledore smiled happily at them.
"The plan is simple, the Death Eaters won't attack until people start to leave so you young people will go out first, along with some of the younger Order members, remember your training and to watch all angles and then I'll speak to you all when this is over."
Harry looked at all the nervous faces and stood on the table.
"People remember this to the well organised mind death is but the next great adventure. A wise wizard told me that, and if it is time for my next adventure, I'll be ready. Let's go"
People looked shocked but they started to move. Fred went to join George and Harry stopped his five best friends from going anywhere. He looked at them all and smiled.
"I love you all, just remember that right."
"Harry don't –"
He took Hermione's hand and squeezed it as Luna looked at them all and spoke up.
"You're the best friends I ever had, I shall miss you all so much, but we'll be reunited in death, we all will."
Everyone looked at her as if she were mad, but each said how much the other's meant to them and began to leave. Harry watched Neville, Ginny and Luna leave through the door and grabbed his other two friends back.
"Thank you both so much, I wouldn't have survived this long without your help. Do me a favour and look after Luna if I don't come back, plus take care of each other, and remember, Harry has to r's Ron!"
He laughed and ran out the door, the battle was about to start.