"Where did you get that?" Luna asked, staring at the item in Neville's hand. Her father had told the story of the Deathly Hallows to her enough for her to recognise it immediately, the Resurrection Stone.
"Found it," Neville explained, "Not far from here, after the battle. It was just lying on the ground."
"You know what it is then?" Luna asked, surprised.
"Yes," Neville answered, "I've read about it before, couldn't believe it was just sitting here in the forest."
"I think it was Harry who had it," Luna theorised correctly, "He spoke to dad about the Deathly Hallows last year. I think he was looking for them." She took the black stone from Neville and stared at it, contemplating. Would it be right to bring back her mother? Did she really want to? Luna thought back to the time her father had first told her of the stone and the other Hallows, many years ago:
"So, this stone could bring back the dead?"
"That's right."
"So we could see mum again?"
"No, Luna, remember the story of the three brothers. The second brother's fiancée didn't want to be brought back. She was unhappy to be returned. Although what happened to you mother may not have been what we desired, she belongs behind the veil now. You shall see her again, my love, but not in this world."
Luna sighed, knowing her father had been right all those years ago. Despite wanting to see her mother again more than anything, she knew it would be wrong to bring her back. It wasn't time yet.
"I can't do it," Luna explained to Neville, "Not my mother, anyway. There's someone else I'd like to ask though." She walked away from him, towards the lake. Neville got the feeling she didn't want him to follow, and he stayed waiting where he was.
Luna stared out at the lake in silence for a few moments. It was drawing on to early evening and the sun was already beginning to set. After checking there was no-one else around, she turned the stone in her hand three times, as she had always been told to do, and looked up to see the half-ghostly, half-flesh figure of Albus Dumbledore standing in front of her.
"Hello Professor," Luna greeted him, as if she had simply stepped into the Headmaster's office when he was still alive. Dumbledore himself didn't seem too fazed either about being brought back temporarily to life.
"Miss Lovegood," he said, recognising her, "May I ask how you gained possession of that stone?"
"Neville found it," she explained, "In the woods. I brought you back because I need to ask you some questions. I've been given the task of defeating a dark wizard."
"I see," Dumbledore nodded, "Well, Luna, what is it you need to ask?" Luna noticed he was now calling her by her first name. The only other student she had known him to ever do that with was Harry.
"Do you know of magical machine, one involving five potions?" she asked, "that would give a person unlimited magical power?" If there was any wizard that would know about it, living or dead, Luna was sure it was the former headmaster.
"Indeed, I believe you are referring to the Mezola Machine," Dumbledore explained, "Why do you need to know about this?"
"The wizard I'm fighting against," Luna went on, "I think he's trying to built it himself to take over the world, and…my mother tried to build one, she died doing it. I don't understand why though, she would never have wanted that kind of power."
"She may not have been trying to gain power herself," Dumbledore suggested," It is possible she was attempting to stop anyone else from doing so." Luna looked startled.
"There are two incantations you can use," Dumbledore continued, "One will give the person who casts it complete power over all magic, the other will destroy the machine, and create an impenetrable magical barrier, that would prevent anyone who built another machine being able to gain any power from it."
Now Luna understood completely, her mother wanted to destroy the machine, to prevent it being used by a dark wizard. What had gone wrong she didn't know, but her mother's intentions had been noble. Luna was even more proud of her than she had been before. She remembered what she needed to ask Dumbledore, and snapped out of her thoughts.
"Sir, I only know two of the potions that are needed," she stated, "Doxycide and Skele-Gro. I need to know what the other three are, if I'm going to finish what my mother started."
"The other three potions needed are Essence of Rue, Pepperup potion and Deflating Draught," Dumbledore ran off the seemingly random list that somehow had a great power when put together.
"What about the incantation?" Luna asked, "Which one am I supposed to use?" Dumbledore smiled.
"That, Luna, is something you will have to discover yourself." Luna got the feeling he knew what it was, but had chosen not to tell her for some reason.
"And now I think I should be on my way," Dumbledore stated.
"Thank you, Professor." Dumbledore nodded and before Luna could say anything else he was gone. Not wanting to stop for a second, Luna looked at the Resurrection Stone, still in her hands. She had guessed Harry had meant to rid the world of it in the forest, before Neville found it. She decided on a better disposal method. Drawing her arm back, she thrust it forward, the stone flying out of her hand and hitting the surface of the lake, disappearing underneath the blue water, now hopefully lost forever.
Luna hurried back the way she came to where Neville was still standing with the Threstrals. He had already decided not to ask what had happened while she had been away.
"We need Doxycide, Skele-Gro, Essence of Rue, Pepperup Potion and Deflating Draught," she said triumphantly, "Let's tell Ginny."
Luna wasted no time in carrying on with her mission. Professor Slughorn allowed her the use of the Potions classroom that night, and she had been working for several hours. She was apprehensive. If she was quick, this could all be over by tonight. But Luna was being careful and taking her time. Her mother must have made a mistake that led to her own attempt at the machine going wrong. Luna carefully studied each of the instructions from her old potions book carefully, making sure she didn't make any mistakes. Luckily, all five were standard potions, and Luna was finding it easier than expected to mix them up. She wondered how far Moonlight was with his own machine. Did he know all of the potions necessary? Had he already completed it? Or even used it? Luna doubted that, if he had used the machine already, she would probably be dead.
It was getting late, and Luna was growing tired, but she carried on, determined to finish. She had just completed the third potion, Essence of Rue, and was about to use the fourth cauldron she had set up for the Pepperup Potion, when she heard the door open behind her.
"Sorry, this room's being used," she said, without turning round, assuming it was just another student.
"Stupefy!" Luna had done enough training with Harry and the DA to be able to dodge the spell at a lightning speed. She threw herself to the floor and looked up in time to see the face of the attacker from Hogsmeade, who was still unconscious in the infirmary, last she had heard.
"Expelliarmus!" Luna tried and failed to disarm her opponent. She ducked behind one of the desks in the class as a spell hit the back of it, sending small chunks of rock flying everywhere. Luna waited for a second, and jumped out, taking the assailant by surprise, and this time managing to send the wand flying out of his hand. Unarmed, he lunged at Luna, slamming her backwards into a shelf of potion ingredients, which smashed to the floor spilling everywhere. Luna attempted to fight against his strength, and succeeded in pushing him off her. She ran as fast as she could for her own wand, which had fallen out of her hand when she was attacked. Just as she was about to reach it, she tripped up, as the man grabbed her from behind. She kicked back, knocking him away, and reached her wand.
"Stupefy!" The spell knocked the attacker over and Luna seized the opportunity, conjuring ropes to bound him, preventing his escape. Luna got up, dusting herself off, and walked over to the destroyed shelf. To her relief the vile of veritaserum was about the only item not broken. She fetched it, and walked over to the Moonlight supporter. Sensing what was about to happen, he tried to struggle out of his magical restraints, to no avail.
"Please drink this, I don't want to have to use any force," Luan said sincerely, managing to get the concoction down his throat without much difficulty.
"Do you work for Adamo Moonlight?" She began her interrogation.
"Yes."
"Can you please tell me where he is located?" Luna asked, the interrogated man seemingly surprised at her politeness and friendly tone.
"Edinburgh, in the South Bridge Vaults."
"How much does he know about the Mezoma Machine?"
"He knows about its power, and three of the potions necessary to make it, Essence of Rue, Doxycide and Deflating Draught." Luna was relieved, hearing that he knew less than she did.
"How is my father?"
"He was alive and well last time I saw him."
"Do you have a way of contacting Moonlight?"
"Yes."
"Could you please send a message to him, I would like to meet with him, to tell him what the other two potions are, in exchange for my father's safe return." The assailant looked suspicious, but after a moment, closed his eyes. Luna assumed he was contacting his master through some sort of telepathic means. A minute passed, and he opened his eyes again.
"He has agreed. He will meet you in Ottery St. Catchpole, in one hour, on the hill near your home." Luna got the feeling he wanted to taunt her by using that location.
"Thank you very much for you help," Luna said truthfully. At that moment, Neville and Ginny came running into the room.
"Luna," Ginny said, "We heard crashing and a fight in here. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," Luna answered, and then pointed to the bound man on the floor.
"We better take him back to the infirmary," Ginny said, "And this time make sure there's better security." Luna looked over at the destroyed storage area. Even a reparo spell wouldn't be enough to fix that.
"I can't make the potions now," she said, "All the ingredients are smashed up over there." As Ginny levitated the man as best she could heading back for Madame Pomfrey, Luna walked alongside Neville.
"I'm going to meet Moonlight," she stated.
"What?" Neville was shocked, "He'll kill you!" Luna shook her head.
"I'll kill him. You heard what Harry said, I've got to be the one to destroy him. This might be the only chance I'll get, he'll keep me alive as long as he thinks I'm going to give him the names of the two potions he's looking for, and I have to save my father, before anything happens to him." Neville looked unconvinced.
"At least let me and Ginny come with you, you shouldn't do this alone." Luna agreed.
"Where are you meeting him anyway?" Neville asked.
"In my own village, Ottery St. Catchpole, in an hour," replied Luna.
"An hour?" Neville didn't like this situation, "That doesn't give us much time."
"I would like some more time," Luna agreed, "But I don't have a choice. If Moonlight manages to finish this machine, it's all over." They reached the infirmary, where Madame Pomfrey agreed to have a prefect posted outside at all times to foil any further escapes. Neville explained the plan to Ginny, who didn't like it any more than he did, but also reluctantly agreed.
"I can apparate us to the village," Neville stated.
"Are you sure?" Ginny asked, worried, "Ottery St. Cathpole is miles away, do you think you can make it?" Neville nodded.
"I've been having some extra apparition training while I've been here. I really think I'm ready."
"Okay, Neville," Luna said, trusting her friend, "We'll have to clear the castle to be able to apparate. Wait there." Luna ran off towards the Ravenclaw dormitories. Neville and Ginny waited patiently, until Luna's voice came out of nowhere.
"Ready." Ginny turned round to see nothing and knew immediately where Luna was.
"Luna, take it off," she said, "You nearly scared me to death." Luna emerged into visible sight from Harry's invisibility cloak.
"I wanted to get some practice with it," she said, "Harry was right, this did have a use, it should get us into Hogsmeade safely." They headed out of the castle and into the grounds, and with some difficulty, managed to all fit under the cloak. It only took a few minutes to reach the village, and Neville judged they were now far enough from the castle to apparate.
"Now," Neville whispered, and they through off the cloak, Luna holding it tightly. Before anyone had a chance to see them, they were all gone, leaving only a crack behind.