A true friend forgotten

Chapter 4

"This is very frightening. I'm sitting on something I can't even see!" Hermione shouted over the sound of the rushing wind.

"Yes, it is!" Ron replied.

"What?"

"YES IT IS!"

"Oh."

"Weeeeeeeeee!" Luna said as her thestral swerved gracefully to avoid Hermione. Meanwhile, Hermione clung for dear life to something she couldn't see.

"Hey guys!" said Neville who had joined them earlier swooping past Harry.

"Hi." Harry said in reply.

"Hey Neville!" Hermione said smiling.

"Down!" Luna said as her thestral dived down towards London.

Hermione screamed in terror. Ron closed his eyes and squealed. Luna let go of her thestral fearlessly and let the wind rush by her. "This is amazing!" Luna said laughing.

They all landed at the same time. Hermione clambered off and hit the floor face first. Luna fed her thestral a juicy piece of raw beef. "Come on!" Harry said rushing over to the telephone box entrance.

As they entered the ministry of magic, they stared at the emptiness of it. "It's so empty. Where is everybody?" Luna asked.

"No idea." Harry said.

"This doesn't look good." Hermione said looking around.

"Come on, we've got no time to lose." Harry said rushing off.

Everyone followed.

They all got lost in the department of mysteries, but eventually they found the room filled with glass balls. They found the row, the exact row, but there was no sign of Sirius. "Where is he?" Luna asked.

"He should be right here! He was right here!" Harry said hopefully. Then there was a rush of black.

"Death eaters!" Luna cried.

"Everyone split up!" Harry cried.

Luna ran. The floor was slippery and Luna slipped. A dark figure leaned over Luna. "Fall over, did ya?" asked the death eater smiling triumphantly showing all his half-rotten teeth.

Luna jumped up and punched him in the face. She ran. She looked back. She bumped into Harry. "Luna?"

"Harry?"

"Potter!" cried Lucius Malfoy.

"Duck!" Luna cried.

Lucius ducked, but was surprised when a duck started pecking at him. "Was that you?" Harry asked.

"No." Luna said.

They both stood there, smiling at each other. Hermione jumped in front of them from nowhere to block the spell that was fired at them. "Thank you." Luna said.

Then, with a whip of white, the order started firing spells at the death eaters.

"Ooh! I have some cheese in my pocket. I think it's cheddar." Luna said randomly.

"Now's not exactly the time!" Harry said.

The fight raged on for some time. "Sirius!" Luna cried as a jet of green light shot from Belatrix Lestrange's wand. Sirius turned, but it was too late.

"Sirius!" Harry cried as he ran forward. Harry knelt by the arch as Sirius fell back into the unknown. Luna sat down at hugged Harry. Hermione joined soon after, followed by Ginny. Ron and Neville sat down as well.

Weeks later. . .

Harry sat on the Hogwarts express on his way back to Privet Drive where he would spend another summer in hell. Luna sat with him. Along with Hermione and Ron of course. "Anyone want a pumpkin pasty? They're on me." Luna offered.

"No thanks." Harry said.

"Hermione? Ron?"

"No thank you."

"No thanks."

"I think I'm going to get myself something to eat though." Hermione said.

"Same." Ron said walking out.

Harry and Luna sat there. Harry stared out the window. "Sirius would be very proud of you, Harry." Luna said.

"No he wouldn't, it was my fault he died. If hadn't been so stupid and just stayed at Hogwarts, he'd still be alive." Harry said.

"If you hadn't gone to the ministry, the whole world would still think you're a liar. I'm sure Sirius would want you to be believed, and put it this way, this only made you stronger. You can't blame yourself for his death. You didn't murder him, did you?" Luna said.

"I suppose." Harry said, shrugging his shoulders. Luna smiled. Harry smiled.

"Do you want a pumpkin pasty now?" Luna asked.

"Yeah, they're on me." Harry said walking away to the cart with Luna, the new addition to the three.