Disclaimer: The characters and their world are the property of J.K. Rowling, various publishers and Warner Bros. No money is being made and no copyright infringement is intended.
Author's Note: My special thanks to John Adams and aliceravenclaw for all their help in beta reading this story and keeping me on character with Harry and the gang. Also for their many suggestions that made this story better than it would have been.
CHAPTER 11: PLEDGING FOREVER
February brought a new component to the defense training class, even though dueling and battle tactics continued to be stressed. Professor Dumbledore wanted to discover if any of the six teens had the aptitude for doing wandless magic. Only about ten percent of wizards and witches had this skill, but it would be extremely valuable if any of the six teens possessed the ability. He was quite surprised when fully half demonstrated the ability. Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom all seemed to possess this gift, and the Headmaster stressed to Professor Lupin that the skill must be developed as quickly as possible.
This meant more work for all of them, but it was surprising how much fun wandless magic turned out to be. In the beginning, elaborate hand and arm gestures were required to make anything happen; and Ron Weasley took great pleasure in saying that they looked like they were trying to swat mosquitoes or directing traffic. But as their skills developed they found that they could cast spells with a mere flick of their fingers. Their spells were still relatively minor in nature, but they were getting stronger every day. Suddenly, Ron Weasley found himself the victim of all sorts of magic practical jokes, but he could never catch the one who was doing it; and actually they all were.
"Will you three please stop it?" He finally asked in frustration, as he wiped a dab of strawberry jam off his nose. It had mysteriously floated over and applied itself to his face.
"Who, us?" Harry asked, as the three teens looked at Ron innocently.
"Don't give me that, Harry Potter; I know it's one of you."
"Actually," Luna began dreamily, "it's all of us."
"Well I've had enough," Ron snarled.
"Well you brought it on yourself, big brother." Ginny said with a giggle. "You were the one who thought their magic looked funny."
"Alright, alright, I was wrong. Will you please give it a rest?"
"Okay, Ron, we'll let you off the hook," Neville said smiling, though he was really enjoying Ron's discomfort.
A week later all of them were excused from class for the whole day to go on what they were told was to be a special outing. They were curious, but agreed to meet Professor Lupin in front of the Great Hall after breakfast.
As the seven of them walked down the grassy slope towards the main gate, Professor Lupin explained that Professor Dumbledore had arranged for each of them to get a second wand. They were going to floo to Mr. Ollivander's shop in Diagon Alley to pick up their new wands and have their old ones checked and calibrated. He also said each of them would be fitted with a special auror's holster to conceal their second wands, that way if they were disarmed they would have a second wand to fall back on.
Mr. Ollivander was expecting them, and quietly closed the shop and escorted them to a pleasant parlor at the back. Mr. Ollivander looked exactly as Harry had remembered him from six years before, and the old man remembered them as well. He showed a special fondness for Luna, whom he had known since she was a baby. While they tried out their new wands, Mr. Ollivander examined their old ones for any sign of wear or damage. Then he demonstrated how to use the special auror's holster to conceal their second wand.
The wand calibration would take a little bit longer, so they all decided to go out to lunch while they waited. They took a private room at the Leaky Cauldron, so they could speak freely, and had a wonderful lunch and then a little window shopping in Diagon Alley before they picked up their wands and returned to Hogwarts.
- o -
Luna's birthday was on February 29th, and Harry and his friends were planning an intimate little party at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmead. The original plan called for only the six of them to attend; but Luna's new friends would have none of it. Cho had been the first to ask, determined to make up for her past mistreatment of the younger girl; and Harry didn't have the heart to refuse when he saw how sincere she was. After that it was the members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, who already considered Luna one of their own. And from then on the event took on a life of its own, with students approaching Harry at almost every turn; he had no idea how many friends Luna had made.
As the size of the event grew, so did Harry's level of anxiety. He knew that Luna was rather shy by nature, and he was worried that making a major production of her birthday might make her uncomfortable. The day before Luna's party he went to see Professor Dumbledore in the hope that the older man might know a way to keep the event from snowballing even further. But to Harry's surprise, Professor Dumbledore seemed absolutely delighted by the turn of events.
"I understand how you feel, Harry," the older man said. "But Miss Lovegood has touched a great many lives in recent months, and they deserve the chance to tell her how they feel."
Harry had never thought of it that way before, but Luna did deserve to know that so many people cared about her. But where to put them all, that was the question that Harry couldn't answer.
"I think," Professor Dumbledore said thoughtfully, "that the Room of Requirement might be available for that evening. Available, that is, if the professors and I are allowed to attend and help with the decorations," he added, with a twinkle in his eye. Harry readily agreed to the professors attending the party; and then he went down to the kitchen to talk to Dobby about the cake.
But the clever House Elf was already far ahead of him. Entering the kitchen, Harry found that the usual frenetic pace had multiplied several fold. A huge, two-meter wide cake ring had been set up on a work table in the center of the room, and more than a dozen elves were working madly around it.
"Ice cream cake, Mr. Harry Potter Sir," Dobby announced with pride. "With fresh strawberries and two kind's ice cream. House elves never make such large cake," he said, obviously delighted with the prospect. "Nothing too good for Miss Luna."
It was quite strange, to some students, that on the day before Luna's party a larger than usual number of owls delivered parcels to the Great Hall. Stranger still, no one opened their parcel, but instead hurried them up to their dorm rooms.
The task of making the surprise complete was organized like a military operation. Hermione and Ginny were to keep Luna in the library until seven o'clock that evening, at which time Harry would pick her up on the pretext of a moonlight walk in the woods. Then after a slight delay, which Harry felt he could fill in quite easily, he would lead her into the Room of Requirement for the surprise.
The room was dark when they entered it, except for a large cake in the center of the room with sixteen brightly burning candles on it. Suddenly the lights went up and cheers and applause rang out from around the room.
"Happy Birthday, Luna," Harry declared, putting his mouth next to her ear so she could hear him; kissing her lightly.
Luna was absolutely stunned as she looked around the room and saw all the happy smiling faces. And then, at the table in the center of the room, she saw her father seated with Professor Dumbledore, beaming at her. She ran up and threw her arms around him, burying her head in his chest. Harry could see that Luna was crying, and he himself was close to tears; it was just perfect.
It was a wonderful party, and everyone had a wonderful time. Harry had managed to limit the numbers of guests to forty-five; though he suspected that most of the school would have come if they had known. Luna was normally a happy person; that was one of the things that Harry always liked about her; but he had never seen her as happy as she was that night. She was accepted for who she was, she had friends, and she had Harry; what more could any girl want?
She received dozen of presents from her friends and professors, but the one she treasured most came from Harry. Luna loved to paint, and was really an accomplished artist, but her equipment was old and rather worn out. Harry had contacted an artist's supply store in Diagon Alley and had ordered her a real professional outfit. She had everything an artist could ever want: a large selection of magical paints, the finest of brushes, even a new easel that magically set itself up when you wanted to use it. The gleam in her eyes as she ran her fingers over the tubes of different colored paints showed better than words ever could that Harry had found the perfect present.
Later that night, as the two of them sat together atop the Astronomy Tower enjoying the stars, Luna told him that it was the best day of her whole life. It was long past curfew, but Harry was very reluctant to leave. The night, the moment, was perfect.
- o -
Spring had come at last to Hogwarts, and an end to the long cold winter. The first spring bulbs were just beginning to push their heads above the isolated patches of snow as the month of April started. Spring, happiest and most joyous of seasons, and a time of new life. Happy, that is, everywhere but the Gryffindor common room. There, six dedicated young people worked feverously on a diabolically complex cipher. It had to be broken within a month, for that was all the time they had left.
Everything, every spare second, was now being sacrificed to the cipher. The tutoring sessions, that they had all grown to love so much, were now turned over to other students. The woodland walks that Harry and Luna had so much enjoyed, and the breathtaking flights through the treetops, were only pleasant memories now. Even the simply pleasure of sitting in front of a warm fire on a frosty night, and holding each other, had become a rarity. Every spare second was given over to the cipher.
Although the other students didn't really know what was going on, they seemed to sense the urgency of the situation; and did whatever they could to help their friends. The younger students could see the stress on their faces, and knew whatever they were working on must be terribly important. Everyone knew how much Harry and Luna loved their tutoring sessions; and could only imagine one thing important enough to force them to give them up. That one thing was Voldemort! And the whispers began to circulate throughout the school: Harry Potter and his friends were preparing to face He-who-must-not-be-named!
The 'Golden Three' had now become the "Golden Six," and their fellow students now looked upon all of them with a mixture of awe, admiration and love. But it wasn't the detached hero worship of the past; their feelings were much more intimate now, for they were friends. So whenever they saw them in the hallway, or at meals, the other students were always ready with a cheery "hello" or "how are you doing?" And if Harry and Luna didn't have time to talk, it was alright, their friends understood. They realized that the fate of the whole wizarding world might rest on the shoulders of these six teenagers, and a heavy burden it was.
The teachers and Professor Dumbledore also understood what the six were trying to do; an almost impossible task that even skilled code breakers had found impossible. They understood, and they began to make "exceptions" for the six. A paper that was turned in late, or not at all, never seemed to receive a failing grade. Potions work that Professor Snape would have greeted with a detention in the past, now received an acceptable grade. If they overslept, and arrived late for class, there were no repercussions; and only the Slytherins complained that they were being given special treatment. The teens understood, and they did try to do as much work as they could, but always there was the cipher.
- o -
One class they could never afford to miss was their special defense class; soon their very lives would depend on it. But even the defense course had lost the pleasure that it once held. They had started on the last component of their training: the killing curses. No one wanted to learn them, but all realized the necessity of it.
Harry hoped that he would be the only one to take these lessons; the very thought that Luna would have to learn to kill made him sick. But all of his friends were determined that if Harry would have to kill, they would be prepared as well. When the time came to decide, all six made the same choice.
Each was then issued the second of their special training wands. This wand would measure the exact amount of power put into each curse, and determine if it would be sufficient to kill their opponent. For the purposes of this training, they were provided with magical simulations of their likely enemies: Lord Voldemort and Belletrix Lestrange. The simulations acted like real individuals, but they weren't living beings, and couldn't die. This fact was stressed to the six teens, just as it was to aurors in training, because the taking of a life was something that had to be approached gradually. In spite of this fact, none of the six managed to focus sufficient emotional power to make the curses work during their first attempts.
"I don't understand it, Belletrix Lestrange was right there, and I couldn't manage enough emotion to kill her?" Neville asked in disbelief.
"But that's the problem." Lupin tried to explain. "The anger and rage you are feeling is diluting the power of the curse. The angrier you are, the less you can focus the power of your magic. You're allowing thoughts of pain and suffering to weaken your concentration. You need to clear your minds of past memories and concentrate on the curse you're trying to cast."
The next time Neville tried the curse on the simulation of Belletrix Lestrange his wand registered a "clean kill." Harry was able to do the same with Voldemort. And soon they were all able to register "clean kills." But it was not something they were proud of; and not something they choose to talk about, even among themselves. They were in a war, this knowledge was necessary for survival, and it had to be mastered.
- o -
Late one afternoon, in the later part of the month, Professor Dumbledore called them up to his office. Entering, they saw that Professor McGonagall and Snape were already present. The Headmaster motioned them to be seated and began to speak in a grim tone.
"We have just learned some information, both good and bad, and I wanted to let you know immediately. Voldemort has apparently given up on his attempts to break the cipher. Professor Snape has just come from a meeting of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Voldemort declared that he's tired of waiting, and announced his plans for a massive attack on the Ministry of Magic. It's one cast of the dice, win or lose; and we will be there to meet him."
"But are you sure?" Hermione asked in disbelief. "Are you sure that he's given up on it, that it's not some kind of trick?"
Professor Snape looked tired; he had been putting in long hours and it showed. "Yes," he replied, the weariness evident in his voice. "I'm certain. He was in a terrible rage because he couldn't get his hands on the sword. He killed one of his own Death Eaters because he questioned the Dark Lord on a minor point. His rage has reached the point where he's behaving irrationally; his patience has reached the breaking point. He's making a fatal mistake."
"What can we do?" Hermione asked.
"I need you to continue to work on the cipher," Dumbledore answered, a note of pride in his voice. "If we can gain the Sword of Astragal we will control an invincible weapon, and our victory will be assured. When the time comes, the teachers and I will floo to the Ministry and join other members of the Order to stop him."
"We're going too," Harry said with determination.
"No! The time is not right for you. You need to stay here and complete your training. But I have an important role for you as well. Professor McGonagall will be in charge during my absence, and she will need your help to maintain the security of the school. Voldemort has sympathizers here, most notably in Slythern House, who might attempt some sort of demonstration in my absence. I need you to help Professor McGonagall protect the school and the younger students."
Harry could see the determination in the old man's eyes, and knew that he had valid reason for concern. "Yes, Professor, we'll do our very best," he said sincerely. Harry realized that fighting a war on two fronts, trying to defend the Ministry while at the same time trying to retake the school, would be nearly impossible.
Later that week they learned that the attack on the Ministry was planned for the last day of April. Hermione thought it a strange coincidence that the very next morning was the Festival of Beltain.
On the 29th of April, Professor Dumbledore led the teachers out through the front doors and down across the grass to the front gates. The entire student body stood outside and watched, knowing full well that many of their teachers might never return. Harry and his friends stood apart from the others. They felt an intense sense of sadness and failure; they had worked on the cipher until they were exhausted, but they had still failed to break it. Hermione, who had always prided herself on her intellectual abilities, seemed the most despondent of them all; and nothing the others said could make her feel better. She had taken it very personally, as did they all, that her failure had placed her teacher's lives at risk.
"I'm going back to the common room," she said sadly, and turning away from the others she walked up the slope.
Ron ran up behind her and took her hand. "Not without us, Monie. This is our fight too."
And the other teens followed her back to the common room to resume work on the damnable cipher. Lives now hung in the balance; the lives of their teachers, the lives of their friends.
With the teachers gone, class was cancelled for the day. But there was no celebration; instead a mood of foreboding permeated the school. Students gathered in their common rooms, close to their friends, and whispered about the latest rumor that they had heard. Harry and his friends plagued Professor McGonagall for news of the battle, but there was none for her to give them. Then, late in the afternoon, she called all of them into Professor Dumbledore's office. McGonagall had a frightened look on her face, making them all fearful; no one could ever remember the formidable Professor McGonagall ever showing fear. Luna reached out and took Harry's hand, no matter what the news they still had each other.
"The battle is going badly," she began, fighting back the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. "Professor Dumbledore, the teachers and members of the Order are bottled up in part of the Ministry. He's fighting a defensive battle, but he can't hold out for very long."
"Our parents," Ginny asked in tears. "Are they…alright?"
"Yes, Miss Weasley. At this time all of your parents are alive and fighting with Professor Dumbledore." Professor McGonagall responded.
"Let's go!" Harry said with determination, and the other five teens stood up with him.
"No! Your sacrifice would accomplish nothing. The only thing that can save them now is the Sword of Astragal. Shortly before the attack was launched, Ministry code breakers found the keyword that allowed them to break Merlin's cipher. It was so simple that no one even considered it."
"We need to do something now!" Harry insisted.
"We can't act before sunrise tomorrow morning. It's only then that the mist can be raised." Professor McGonagall replied, taking a more aggressive posture towards Harry.
"What was the keyword?" Luna asked, subtly defusing the situation.
"It was 'Pendragon,' Miss Lovegood." McGonagall responded.
"What do we need to do?" Harry asked in a more controlled tone.
"Before dawn tomorrow we need to go to Avalon. Miss Lovegood will raise the mist and you will take the sword. Only that can save them. You need to be at this office an hour before dawn, and we will leave the grounds together. I will have made a portkey that will take us to the Isle of Dreams. Once we have the sword, we will all go to the Ministry and face the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters. Have dinner and get some rest, tomorrow you will need it."
- o -
They returned to the Gryffindor common room in a somber mood. It had finally come, as they knew it must. The six teens sat close together in front of the fire, but it provided no warmth. A strange chill seemed to have penetrated into their bones, and only being close to each other seemed to help.
"You know," Neville began tentatively, "no matter what happens tomorrow, I want to thank you all for being my friends." Embarrassed by his own words, but knowing that they had to be said, he continued. "I've never had many friends in my life…. I love you very much…all of you."
Ginny, who sat on one side of him hugged him tightly. And Hermione, who sat on the other, said, "We love you too, Neville," and gave him a sisterly kiss on the cheek.
The six of them talked long into the night. Not about important things, not about what would happen in the morning, but about the little things that warmed their hearts. Hermione told Luna about how she had made friends with Ron and Harry in their first year, about how they had been the first real friends that she had ever had, and about how much she loved all five of her friends. Ron lightened the mood somewhat by telling how, in second year, Hermione had accidentally changed herself into a cat. They all burst into laughter, even Hermione; though she swatted Ron lightly on the shoulder.
"When I looked into her beautiful yellow eyes…" Ron continued daringly, "I knew that this was the cat…err, girl I wanted." And he quickly kissed her before she could swat him again.
Luna told them about the night that she had first discovered that she was in love with Harry, and about their trip to the Rain Cave the next morning. As Harry hugged her tightly, she told them all about the Rain Cave, the enchanted forest, and her family connection to it. Just as she had wanted Harry to know, now she needed them all to know.
"That's incredible, Luna." Hermione burst out in amazement. "I would really love to see it. Would you take me to see it when…?" Suddenly Hermione stopped and looked down sadly. She had forgotten about the morning, about the fact that they might all die tomorrow.
Everyone knew what she was thinking, and shared the same sad thoughts. Would tomorrow be the end of everything?
Suddenly Luna's voice broke the silence. "I'll take you, Hermione, I promise. I'll take all of you." And then she reached across the space that divided them and clasped the older girl's hands lovingly.
She then took Harry's hand and looked deep into his eyes, hers so brave and yet filled with such sadness. He knew what she was thinking, that tomorrow might be the end for them. 'She's so much braver than I am,' he thought to himself. No matter what else happened, Luna would always be there for him, would always be faithful. And suddenly he realized something that he should have known from the very beginning; even if they survived what would happen in the morning, one lifetime with Luna would simply not be enough, it had to be forever.
He sat bolt upright in the chair and stared at her, everyone's eyes fixed on him. "Wait here, I'll be right back. All of you please wait here." He ran across the common room and up the stairs to his dorm room.
- o -
At the same time that this conversation was going on, a very different one was underway in the Slytherin common room. The common room was deserted, the fire had burned itself out, and the torches had burned low. Well, it wasn't entirely deserted. Andrew McDonnell had fallen asleep in a dark corner of the common room after completing a long essay on the uses of the Nightshade Flower in medical potions. He awoke to the sound of a girl's voice in the darkness. At first he was tempted to go back to sleep, but then he distinctly heard her mention the "Dark Lord," and he was wide awake. Straining to hear what was being said, he recognized the voice of Pansy Parkinson, the sixth-year Slytherin perfect, and two male voices he didn't immediately recognize.
"It's all arranged," Pansy said gloatingly. "Belletrix will lure Potter and his friends to Avalon in the morning, and there the Dark Lord will be waiting. She told them that Dumbledore is losing the battle and that his only hope is getting the sword. Potter and his friends will do anything to get it."
"But is Dumbledore losing?"
"Of course not; the Dark Lord merely sacrifices the Dementors to keep Dumbledore and his followers occupied."
"But how will Lestrange lure them away?" asked a voice, that Andrew now recognized as belonging to a sixth-year boy named Crabbe.
"Because they will trust her, of course. Little baby Potter trusts Professor McGonagall completely, and will do anything that she tells him to." After a pause, Pansy continued in frustration. "You two really are thick, aren't you? Don't you get it?"
"Ah…no," Crabbe replied in confusion.
"Listen! Draco brought Belletrix Lestrange into the school through the secret tunnel from the Shrieking Shack. I told McGonagall that one of the students had an accident by the Whomping Willow, and she rushed right down. The fool! Belletrix hit her with a stunning spell, put a body-bind on her, and levitated her down into the tunnel."
"But I saw McGonagall at dinner tonight!" Goyle said flatly.
"That was Belletrix. She's been using Polyjuice Potion all day. McGonagall's in the Shrieking Shack under guard, although I don't know why they didn't simply kill her. As soon as the Dark Lord finishes off Potter and his friends, she'll meet the same end."
"But why lure them to Avalon? Why not kill them here?" Crabbe asked, still confused.
"Because the Dark Lord may need them; the little girl he took from Austria is only twelve years old and might not have the power to raise the mist. The Dark Lord may have to force Loony Lovegood to do it; he would enjoy that." She said with a cruel laugh.
"What about Professor Dumbledore?"
"Once the Dark Lord has the Sword of Astragal he will be invincible. Not even Dumbledore will be able to stand against him. In the morning we will take control of the school and the Dark Lord will use it as his base of operations. He'll have hundreds of hostages if anyone resists."
"But we're not strong enough to take the school."
"Of course we are, who is there to resist us? All of the teachers have gone to the Ministry, Potter and his friends will be dead, and Professor McGonagall is already under our control. Besides, we'll catch them completely by surprise. Belletrix has given me the passwords to all of the houses. We'll strike at dawn, before they are even awake; and we'll start with Gryffindor House. Their houses will fall just as Potter and Lovegood are dying." Pansy said with a malicious laugh.
As they went down to the stairs to their dorm rooms, Andrew McDonnell sat in the dark, livid with rage. He knew what he had to do. He rushed across the common room to the secret panel, out into the hallway, and up the stairs towards the portrait of the Fat Lady.
- o -
Harry came down the stairs to the common room, a small ebony box held carefully in his hands. His friends watched him approach from across the room, curious about his abrupt leaving and about what he was bringing back. He sat down next to Luna, staring deep into her eyes.
"I have something I want you to accept." He said as he placed the small box in her hands.
At that moment came the sound of banging on the wall outside of the common room, followed by one ear piercing scream after another.
Andrew McDonnell had gone to the portrait of the Fat Lady and had begged her to let him in.
She looked down at the young Slytherin disdainfully. "Password?" She asked in a rather harsh tone.
"I…I don't have it. But I have to see Harry Potter. It's a matter of life and death!"
"Password?" she repeated.
"I don't have it! Please let me in. Please!" He begged.
"PASSWORD?"
At that last demand Andrew lost control. In the rage that boiled over in him he started to pound his fist on the frame of the portrait, yelling for someone to let him in. The Fat Lady, terrified by his violent behavior, began to scream for help. It was Harry Potter himself that opened the portrait door.
"Andrew! What in the world is going on here?"
"He assaulted me!' The Fat Lady screamed. "I want him expelled. I want him expelled this minute!"
"I need to talk to you, Harry." Andrew begged, still trembling. "It's important."
Harry realized that the young boy standing in front of him was absolutely terrified. "Come in Andrew," Harry said, motioning him inside. Harry led the frightened boy over to where the others were seated. Luna, seeing the boy's terrified condition, got up, went over to him and led him to a seat across from Harry. They all waited for him to compose himself enough to speak.
He finally looked up, still holding onto Luna's hand tightly, and began to speak in a trembling voice. "It's a trap….She's leading you into a trap."
"What's a trap? Who's trap?" Ron asked in confusion.
"I heard Pansy Parkinson talking in the Slytherin common room. Belletrix Lestrange is pretending to be Professor McGonagall. She's going to lead you into Vol…Vol…" Andrew just couldn't say his name.
Harry looked grim. "This is Voldemort's trap, isn't it?" The boy nodded in response.
"What about the attack on the Ministry?" Harry asked.
"Pansy said it was just a diversion to draw the teachers away. She said Lestrange had sealed the school so no messages could get out."
"And Professor McGonagall?"
"Pansy said Death Eaters are holding her at the Shrieking Shack. She said Vol…demort would kill her after he kills you."
For the first time Neville spoke up. "Well then, we just won't go to Avalon. Let's go to the shack and free Professor McGonagall!"
"I have to go to Avalon," Harry said with an air of resignation. And then, looking up into Luna's shimmering eyes, and understanding what they said, he added, "Luna and I have to go, together." And he reached across the space that divided them and took her hand.
"But why, if it's a trap? Neville asked.
"We don't have a choice, we have to go. We can't take a chance on Voldemort getting the sword. And we can't risk freeing Professor McGonagall until tomorrow morning. If Voldemort ever found out that we know the truth he would use Luna's cousin to get the sword first. Luna and I will go, but I want the rest of you to stay here and free Professor McGonagall after we leave."
"Oh, no you don't, Harry Potter," came the firm voice of Ginny Weasley. "We're in this thing together, and we're going to go together." There was a firmness and determination in her voice that he had never heard before. Looking around at the other determined faces, Harry knew that argument would be futile; and he felt a strong sense of pride. Whatever fate intended for them, they would meet it together.
"Alright…together!" he said with determination. "But we have to be prepared, and we don't have much time." With that, Harry started to issue orders like one born to command.
"Ginny, Neville, I want you two to take my Invisibility Cloak and go up to the Owlery. Try to send messages to everyone that you think can help; but send it to Dumbledore first. Lestrange may have sealed it, but we should try anyway. Give them the coordinates of Avalon and tell them we'll be there at dawn tomorrow."
"But what if the owls are intercepted?" Neville asked.
"That's a chance we'll just have to take; we need help." Harry said firmly, and the two left to carry out their mission. "Hermione, you know the passwords for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff dorms don't you?"
"Um…yes I do."
"Good. Take Ron and go to both. Tell every member of the DA that we need them here right now. Give them our password."
"What if we run into McGonag…err, Lestrange?"
"Tell her you're making your Prefect rounds. But be careful and tell the others to be careful as well." As Ron and Hermione rushed out of the portrait hole, Harry turned to Luna. "I need you to go upstairs and wake up every 5th year and above and tell them to get down here. Right now!"
"But I'm not a Gryffindor."
"Don't worry," he told her with assurance. "They will listen to you."
As Luna hurried up the stairs, Harry turned again to the young Slytherin boy, who now looked at him with something approaching awe. "Now, Andrew," Harry began softly, "I want you to start over and tell me everything Pansy said from beginning to end."
- o -
Soon the Gryffindor common room was crowded with dozens of students from other houses, as well as older members of Gryffindor house. Younger students, hearing the noise on the stairs, came down to find out what was going on as well. Hermione tried to shoo them back to their beds, but when Harry pointed out that this would affect their lives as well, she let them stay.
Ginny and Neville returned from the Owlery with the news that there was not a single owl in the tower. Harry had in fact been expecting something of the sort; Belletrix was taking no chances.
Harry quickly briefed everyone on what the situation was and what the stakes were. "The six of us are going to Avalon with Belletrix Lestrange, and try to keep the Sword of Astragal from falling into Voldemort's hands. But we need all of you to help us. Are you willing to take the risk?"
Harry was greatly encouraged by the immediate positive response he received, and proceeded to lay out his plan. "I want to divide you into two groups. I want the most experienced of you to go with Seamus Finnegan and free Professor McGonagall from the Shrieking Shack. You'll be facing real Death Eaters, so remember what you've learned; your lives will depend on it. I want Cho Chang to take charge of the second group. They will meet Pansy Parkinson and her Slytherins in the morning."
Cho and Seamus sat down with Harry and Luna and began to discuss exactly what had to be done in the morning. Harry was very impressed with the leadership abilities of his two captains, and their readiness to undertake such a difficult task. They began by dividing up the DA members that would form the two attack groups.
"I would like Lavender Brown to go with my group," Seamus requested. Harry couldn't quite understand that, as Lavender had always been one of the weakest members of the DA, and so he asked.
"Well Lavender wants to be a Medi-Witch, and already knows a lot of medical spells and charms. If Professor McGonagall needs immediate medical attention, Lavender can give it." Seamus said.
"That's a great idea," responded a very impressed Harry Potter.
Andrew McDonnell very much wanted to help, and asked if he might go with Cho's group. No one wanted to turn him down; after all it was Andrew who brought them the warning. Suddenly, Harry had a brilliant idea.
"Andrew, are there other people like you in Slytherin; people who hate Voldemort and are willing to fight against him?" Harry asked.
The younger boy thought for a moment and then responded, "Yes, I know several."
"Can you trust them, I mean really trust them?" Harry asked.
Andrew responded that he knew he could.
"Fine, then I have an important job for you. Go back and ask them if they are willing to join us. I want you to wait until Pansy makes her move in the morning, and then you can catch her in a crossfire with Cho. She'll be outside in the hall and you'll be on the inside." Andrew thought this an excellent idea, but then Cho did him one better.
"How about if just after midnight we send part of our force to the Slytherin common room. Andrew can let them in and hide them, and then we can catch Pansy between our two forces." Cho suggested.
"Do you think you could do that, Andrew?" Harry asked
"Yes, there's an alcove off the common room that no one ever uses, we could wait in there."
Harry could tell that Andrew McDonnell was going to be a very valuable ally.
- o -
With the discussion finished, the students began to disperse to their individual houses to sleep, if they could, or more likely think about what would happen in the morning. Soon, only Harry, his closest friends, and Cho Chang remained. Cho wanted to walk with Luna back to Ravenclaw Tower; she felt she needed to. She knew that there was only a slight chance she would ever see any of them alive again.
Everyone seemed a good deal more relaxed now that they knew the attack on the Ministry was merely a diversion. But when Cho Chang glanced over at Harry, she was shocked by what she saw. Harry Potter looked quite nervous, no he actually looked frightened. But why? It wasn't Voldemort. Harry had discussed meeting him like he would discuss a casual walk in the woods. But what could so frighten the hero of the wizarding world? Cho noticed that the eyes of the others were on him as well, and they too looked shocked. Harry was looking at Luna Lovegood, as she was saying goodnight to Hermione.
"Ah…Lu?' Harry began cautiously.
"Yes, Harry." She replied, turning to smile at him.
He glanced down at the small table by the sofa; on it sat a small, almost forgotten, ebony box. "You didn't open it."
Cho wondered what could possibly be in the box that could affect Harry so, and it was clear that the others were wondering the same thing.
The minute Luna had turned to see Harry's face her smile had vanished. Now she carefully took the small box in both hands and slowly raised the lid. Her gasp shook everyone in the room, and they all craned their necks to see what was in the box.
Inside Hermione saw two finely crafted gold and silver rings. But then she saw the expressions on the faces of her friends, a mixture of shock and amazement, and she looked again. Having not been brought up with the traditions of a wizarding family, she merely thought that they were just rather pretty. But the reactions of the others told her that they were a great deal more than that.
"Are they…?" Cho whispered in amazement.
"Pledge Rings." Neville said to himself, with a reverence that Hermione had never heard in his voice before.
"What are…?" Hermione started to ask Ron, but the look on his face shocked her into silence, and she just watched the scene in front of her.
"But where?" Luna whispered.
"Your Grandfather. He was saving them for us." Harry replied with building confidence.
"But you don't know…"
"Yes I do." He interrupted. "I know everything. Your Father told me." And then after a pause, he added, "Lu, it's what I want; more than anything in the world."
She looked into his eyes and saw that it was true. She grinned at him happily, nodding her head.
Harry took her hand into his. He looked deep into her bright silver eyes, and thought about how easily he could lose himself in those beautiful eyes for an eternity; and he wouldn't regret a day of it. Snapping out of his reverie, he solemnly cast the spell that sealed the pledge: "I pledge you my life and my love in this life, and I freely bind my soul to yours for eternity." As he spoke the spell he slipped the ring onto her finger.
Luna couldn't say anything; she was lost in his emerald eyes and in his words. Suddenly she remembered that she too had a part to play in the ceremony. Taking the second ring, she looked deep into his eyes and repeated the pledge back to him. "I pledge you my life and my love in this life, and I freely bind my soul to yours for eternity." And it was done; now nothing could ever change it; not Voldemort, time or even death itself. Two were now one.
Harry took Luna in his arms and kissed her deeply and passionately. They were no longer children, and they were no longer alone. From that moment until the end of time they would be together.
Their friends looked on in silent awe, not believing what they had just seen. Finally, Ron broke the silence when he said: "You two really need to get a room." Hermione and Ginny, both shedding tears of happiness, elbowed him in the ribs.
Harry looked at Luna, an unasked question in his eyes; and Luna looked back at him and smiled knowingly. "You know, Ronald," she said dreamily, "I think you're right." She stood, took Harry by the hand, and led him toward the portrait hole.
Just as he was leaving, Harry turned back towards his friends. Smiling, he said, "We'll be back before its time to go."
As they watched Harry and Luna go, Neville looked sadly at Ginny, "I wish I had my family's Pledge Rings."
She smiled up at him brightly. "You don't need them." She took his hand and headed for the portrait hole.
"Where are you two going?" Ron asked.
"Where do you think, big brother? It's a warm night with a full moon. We're going to the Astronomy Tower before someone else gets there first. We'll be back before its time to go." And with that Ginny pulled Neville out through the door.
Ron looked completely shocked, but Hermione just smiled. "You know, Ron, with a full moon the Quidditch pitch should be beautiful right now. Do you think?" She looked at him coyly.
Ron shrugged his shoulders, took her hand, and off they went.
After they left, Cho saw that she was alone in the Gryffindor common room. She felt a sadness deep within her; she had wasted so much time. Her pride and arrogance had blinded her to what was really important. She thought of Harry and Luna, and she smiled. She envied them what they had, and what after tonight they would always have; no matter what happened in the morning. But she had no one. Cedric would have pledged her, and she would have joyfully accepted. But he was gone now, and she was alone.
At that moment she heard someone clear his throat. She turned and saw Seamus Finnigan standing there.
"I thought I could maybe walk you back to Ravenclaw Tower." He said uncertainly. "It's late."
She had never really thought of him before. But she remembered him from the DA meetings of the previous year, and knew that he was both very brave and very kind.
"Thank you, I'd like that." She answered sincerely.
He reached out, took her hand and led her through the portrait hole. She really didn't know why they were holding hands, but she was content to let hers remain in his. As they walked down the hallway together, they looked at each other shyly out of the corners of their eyes. She wondered, 'Does love ever come twice?' Well, sometimes it does. As Seamus left her at the hidden door to her common room he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, saying without words that it would be alright. She looked into his brown eyes and whispered, "Thank you."
As Seamus walked back to the Gryffindor common room he thought about how he had always admired Cho, but lacked the courage to do anything about it. Now he wondered if it was too late. He hoped not.