1Chapter 7. "Quite like a roller coaster, isn't it?"
Sometimes things happen to the innocent. Things that can't be explained. As if Karma decided to play terrible games with those who don't deserve it. Young children die every day. The guiltless are punished for crimes they didn't commit. And those who deserve a soulless life are overlooked, and walk the streets, knowing that they're sins are being paid for by the wrong people.
"Ok, I'm here. What's wrong?" Hermione said in a panicky tone, tying a pink robe around her as she rushed into the hospital wing, followed closely by Dumbledore and Blaine.
Neville had collapsed in his chair beside Luna's bed, his head hunched over her, sobbing. Luyu looked up to Hermione with emotionless eyes, her straggly hair sticking to her tear-stained face. Hermione paused as she stood a few feet behind Neville, unable to see Luna. Neville looked up slowly, turning his head to Hermione. As soon as Hermione looked into his eyes, she realized his tears where of happiness.
"Oh, Hermione. Professor... Dumbledore." Neville said, getting up from his chair. Blaine let out a sigh of relief to see Luna's eyes open, examining the room with slight confusion.
"So then, what's -erm- what's happening with...with..." Blaine murmured, placing his hands on his hips as if he had just run a mile.
"She um... Madam Pomfrey said Luna's um..." Neville tried to speak, but was unable to catch his words.
"She had a major concussion. She lost conscious for a while, gave us quite a scare. I doubt it will happen again. But..." Madam Pomfrey explained, crossing her arms.
"But what?" Blaine asked impatiently.
"The concussion damaged the part of her brain that stores long term memory." Madam Pomfrey said, letting out a sigh of hopelessness.
"She um... She doesn't even... remember her erm... Name." Neville said, finding it very hard to speak his words.
"Is there nothing we can do?" Dumbledore asked, looking down at Luna thru his spectacles.
"Well... There's no spells for it, if that's what you mean. I think we're going to have to notify her father, and send her to St. Mungo's. There's nothing we can do for her here." Madam Pomfrey replied, glancing sympathetically to Luna, who was staring from face to face with her wide eyes.
Luyu stood up next to Luna's bed, and took her sister's hand. "Do you know who I am?" Luyu asked as Neville stood behind her.
"I'm sorry, have we met?" Luna asked in her old airy voice, tilting her head a bit which allowed everyone to see the dried blood on her pillow case.
"Oh Luna!" Luyu cried, dropping to her knees beside the bed.
"It's ok, it's ok. St. Mungo's will get her all sorted out." Neville said, dropping to his knees beside the girl and hugging her in a brotherly fashion.
"I think, sir, we should get her to St. Mungo's tonight." Madam Pomfrey said quietly, walking with Professor Dumbledore towards her office.
"Indeed, if you will send an owl to her father, I will walk her down to the end of the drive and apparate with her directly there.
"Yes sir." Madam Pomfrey replied.
"I'm going with you." Neville said firmly, standing up and rushing over to the adults.
"Mr. Longbottom, I don't know if that would be such a good idea..." Dumbledore said quietly, peering at Neville over his glasses.
"I do know." Neville said calmly, holding back tears.
"Well... I suppose..." Dumbledore drew out, glancing back to Luna.
"Professor! I really don't think...!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed, but was cut off.
"It will be quite alright. Mr. Longbottom will go with us, if he so chooses." Dumbledore said, smiling lightly at Neville.
Neville looked back to Luna, who now being examined by Hermione.
"How many fingers am I holding up?" Hermione asked, waving three fingers in front of Luna's face.
"What kind of question is that? You don't know how many fingers you're holding up?" Luna asked quite seriously.
Neville let a tear roll down his cheek as Hermione turned towards him.
"Don't worry Neville, the rest of her brain seems to be perfectly fine." Hermione said frumpily.
"Oh yes, no doubt she'll be ok. She just isn't going to remember much. But then its very hard to tell when dealing with memory. She could see something, hear a sound, smell a scent, anything really and everything could come flying back to her all at once. It's all we can hope for." Madam Pomfrey explained, crossing her arms.
"Why? Am I sick?" Luna asked curiously, leaning up in her bed.
"No dear. You just don't remember anything." Madam Pomfrey responded, lowering a sympathetic eyebrow.
"Really? I would think I'd remember if I didn't remember anything. Hmpf." Luna said, as if it were incredible.
"Right, well... Neville, I'll explain to Ginny tonight, and have her tell Draco in the morning. I'm sure they'll there to visit first thing." Hermione said kindly
"On the first day of school? Surely not." Madam Pomfrey said, crossing her arms as if it were despicable.
"Miss Weasley, along with Mr. Malfoy and Professor Lovegood will be excused from the building for the day. I'm certain Professor Tonks will be able to hold up for one day on her own, and perhaps we can find a replacement for Professor Lovegood sometime tomorrow. Miss Lovegood, if you don't mind..." Dumbledore said, whipping up a floating wheel chair with his wand.
"Mind what?" Luna asked, her eyes locked on the headmaster's.
"Brining yourself the to chair. We'll then escort you to the hospital." Dumbledore spoke kindly, eyes glinting.
"Am I not in the hospital?" Luna asked, looking around at the high ceilings and white beds surrounding her.
"Indeed, but this is the school infirmary, I'll be taking you to a better hospital, which will hopefully find a way to help you regain your memory.
"Oh, wonderful." Luna said cheerfully, hopping out of bed and slouching into the floating chair.
"Blaine, I believe you have your apparation license?" Dumbledore asked, directing Neville towards the doors.
"What? Oh, yes, I do." Blaine said, seeming to be coming back from a daze.
"Excellent. You will be taking young Miss Lovegood with alongside you to St. Mungo's." Dumbledore said loudly, marching towards the door with Luna's chair in front of him.
"Quite like a roller coaster, isn't it?" Neville heard Luna say cheerfully as she swept thru the door, followed by Dumbledore, Blaine, Luyu, and Madam Pomfrey. He stayed behind, to find Hermione staring at him with sympathetic eyes.
"Neville... You don't have to go, you know." Hermione said quietly.
Neville wrinkled his eyebrows. "What?" Neville said shakily.
"You don't have to go. To St. Mungo's." Hermione repeated, taking a step towards Neville.
"Hermione, it's Luna! Why wouldn't I go!" Neville shouted, amazed at the words coming from Hermione.
"Well she'll most likely be there for a while, and you've only just started dating..." Hermione said calmly, putting a hand on Neville's shoulder.
"Hermione!" Neville shouted angrily, thrashing her hand away. The girl he once had such a big crush on seemed to be coming onto him, but he felt he could never be more angry at anyone. Neville gave Hermione a look somewhere between loathe and uncertainty before running out of the room after the girl he loved. Away from his past, and toward his future.