Echo made her way through the cramped walkway on the Hogwarts Express for a seat. The windows were fogged, for the weather was clammy today. Security was high. Getting onto the school's train was more of a hassle than just running through a brick wall between Platforms nine and ten.
"Echo! Come sit with us!" came a familiar voice. Neville Longbottom peeked through the open crevice of one of the rooms. Echo smiled and crept into the room, sitting down in the open seat. In their compartment were Neville, Luna Lovegood, and Ginny Weasley.
"Why hello there, Echo," Luna smiled. She cocked her hear sideways and squinted her eyes. Echo was used to Luna's unusual behavior.
"I assume my head is full of something this time, too?" Echo laughed.
"I'm quite certain, but don't worry. They're harmless," Luna responded.
Ginny sat patiently, hands folded in her lap, staring out the window. Things between Echo and Ginny had been a bit awkward since Echo's return two years ago. Harry Potter had some sort of an emotional attachment to Echo back then, feelings that Echo could not return. In the meantime, Ginny had had feelings for Harry and felt a bit stepped on. Things now were different. Ginny and Harry were two happy campers, but Ginny always felt a bit uneasy around Echo. Not to mention the time Echo and Ginny's brother Fred had a connection of their own. Gryffindors couldn't keep quiet about that one. What were they now? In Echo's fifth year, Fred and George Weasley had abandoned their post as Hogwarts jokesters, leaving behind a show of fireworks. Ever since then, Echo had seen very little of Fred, communicating only by owl and very few visits.
Echo looked at Ginny, her profile. The same gingery hair, the same freckles, but different. She thought about Fred, how he and his twin were joined with the Order to help fight alongside Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"How is he?" Echo spoke. Ginny turned, a bit startled.
"Who?" Ginny asked. Echo gave her a look of assurance.
"Oh, he's okay, I'm assuming. No one really knows how anyone is doing anymore it seems," she sighed. Echo wrinkled her brow.
"Every one of us are worried, Echo, don't feel alone," Neville said, touching Echo's shoulder.
"I want to fight," Echo said.
"We all do. Even me, and that's a bloody shock," Neville laughed. Echo smiled. There was always something about Neville that Echo liked. He was like a brother to her, a silly, awkward brother that was always too skittish to try new things. Knowing that he wanted to fight comforted her.
"I'm not giving up either, Echo. We're all in this together. Every last one of us, atleast I would assume. Those who aren't with You-Know-Who would surely be on our side, in my opinion," Luna smiled up at Neville. He looked back down at her, without hesitating, grabbed her hand gave it a comforting squeeze. Ginny had turned to the conversation.
"Hard to believe that just a simple boy with big round spectacles could be causing such a ruckus as this. Harry, I hope you're okay. It's a big wide world out there, you'd think running and hiding would be so easy. But it's not," she wondered aloud.
"Ginny, just think. He's Harry Potter. Even if he's confronted with trials of death, he'll over come it," Echo said. "He's the Chosen One for a reason." Neville shuffled in his seat a bit uncomfortably.
"Please don't be like that, Neville Longbottom," Luna said. "You would be doing the same thing. I know you would. You have faith, you have trust, and a good head on your shoulders. Although I do think you should get your wrackspurts cleaned out," she smiled. Neville chuckled. But Luna was right, and normally what came out of her mouth was complete nonsense. Even Ginny smiled.
"This war has just begun, but the fighting has already begun. There are battles being fought everyday, and unfortunately some of these battles are confronted with Muggles. We can end this. I know we can," Echo said. She and Ginny exchanged a look that made Echo feel like they had just mended and unspeakable tie. That there would be no more tension between them, and that the two of them would be working as one.
It was also apparent to Echo that there had been some unmentioned bonding between the Lovegood and the Longbottom. Echo had high hopes for them, secretly holding on that Neville had finally found someone who could really understand him.
Echo peered out the window. Dark grey clouds and puffy white ones pushed and shoved each other in the midday sky.
"It looks like it might rain." Luna said, taking out an issue of the Quibbler. "Does anyone want one? I brought extra." She pulled out a few more issues.
"Eh, sure, I'll have one," Echo said, taking one from Luna. Neville took one as well, but Ginny politely rejected.
"I'm going to see who else wants one," Luna dryly smiled, and then exited herself from the train compartment.
"It's a bit strange really being on the train without them," Echo said. She played with her silver-strewn black hair and started to braid.
"I know. You know, I'm going to lead the D.A. this year. I've thought about it long and hard. Ron once told me a few years back that I need to start standing up for myself and to be brave, and I feel that it would be good for me. I've been practicing all summer long, with Gran's help of course, so I just feel like I'm ready to do this, you know?" Neville said, examining his wand.
"We will be ready when the time comes," Ginny said. "We will fight side by side with him."