Luna and Neville left the room and parted ways sooner than they normally would of done . Each walking in confusion and grateful the other had not wanted to talk. When he reached the common room Neville Angelina in one corner writing . He contemplated going to talk to her but instead opened up his bag and started on the conclusion of his herbolagy homework . When he had finished he stood up and climbed up the stairs to the dormitory , his eyes lingered on harry`s bed which lay empty and untouched as usual and then to Ron`s bed which was the same. Every time he glanced at the beds he remembered that he had to keep fighting like harry and be brave . Neville got changed and slipped into his bed ,sinking into a steady sleep which was interrupted by dreams. Bright lights , the patronus , what it had meant … He woke with a start staring at his ceiling .Outside the light had lightened and Neville decided to get up and he heard seamus and dean stirring as well. After getting dressed he checked his timetable Double herbolagy then transfiguration followed by double Dark arts . Normally Neville enjoyed herbolagy as it was one of the few things he was good at but it meant he would have to see some of the slytherins he hated as well as Luna .Confused but for once fully awake he walked out of the corridor and Headed for the main hall sliding through several shortcuts to reach the hall quickly and avoid any bored students along the way. Up at the Teachers table sat mcgonnagol looking stiffly at snape in dislike , sprout who gave him a friendly wave but looked tired , the Carrows of which Neville avoided eye contact as well as professor Sinatra who took Ancient runes and of course Snape sat on his throne in the centre . Neville knew their should of also been Flitwick sat at the table but he was not to be seen and also professor Burbage should be sat there but she had been removed from the school under the new system and no one had seen or heard of her . Neville was soon joined by Ginny seamus and Dean and then soon after, parvati and lavender .The owls swooped in , in the usual flutter of feathers . A tawny owl dropped the prophet over Lavender and another in front of ginny . Unknown to teachers such as the carrows Ginny`s paper was a Quibbler in disguise as was Luna`s over on the Ravenclaw table.

"Anyone we know dead ?" asked Neville cautiously

"Charity Burbage!" exclaimed ginny her eyes glancing side to side over the page .

"what!" echoed several voices

"its not in here…" said lavender scanning the Daily Prophet.

"well it wont be will it ? An ex Hogwarts teacher dead ! As if the school isn't busy enough withought a thousand letters from scared parents flying in … mind you might keep snape busy for a bit"

"im glad one newspapers reporting the truth though" said Neville quietly. "Im just worried about Luna`s dad , whats going to happen to him?"

"Who cares really?" said Seamus

"yeah" Ginny said nodding her head making her hair bounce . "long as they don't hurt Luna"

"Your lessons will begin soon" drawled snape "Hurry now .. you woudnt want to be late .""

The group separated to their different lessons , Neville was accompanied my Dean , parvati ,padma and Ernie .

"whens the next DA session then?" asked Ernie " I say that we should keep it on over Christmas as most people are staying at Hogwarts .. most parents think its safer."

"mayby " said Nevile vaguely as they entered greenhouse 5 and pulled on their protective gloves.

"I think it's a good idea to keep it on" said Luna startling Neville so he dropped his left glove onto the ground .He picked it up in embarrassment but Luna did not seem to notice instead she was staring at her feet most uncharacteristically .

"Luna?" She looked up and smiled as if she had just emerged from a daydream "yeah?"

"just checking your ok" Neville answered and turned away .

"ive got a little bit of a headache ..probably just the wackspurts " Luna said shaking her head slightly before taking her position besides Neville and pulling out her gloves and placing them on her hands .

"Can anyone tell me the property of kelpie blood?" asked professor sprout

Neville`s hand struck the air and sprout smiled at him "yes?"

"Kelpie blood is rare …but you can use it for lots of different things such as love potions and antidotes to veritiserum and also in Peruvian blackness powder"

"Well done Neville , twenty points to Gryffindor!"

"Fred and George told me the last one "confessed Neville to Luna who smiled and nodded to show she had heard.

The rest of the lesson passes with casual conversations inbetween those trying to draw bowtruckles .

Transfiguration was not too bad a lesson either everyone tried hard with the spells and most managed to turn their partners eyebrows a different colour. Neville partnered with Dean as Luna was not in this lesson.

Then finally the lesson they had all been dreading. Dark Arts. Everyone arrived in plenty of time and sat silently waiting for professor carrow.

"Good afternoon class" said professor carrow as he walked into the room .

"good afternoon professor carrow" answered a few bemused students . Normally Gryffindor would of lost 60 house points by now . professor carrow was almost being .. polite.

"I think mcgonnagols spell yesterday must have been a bit too strong ..she`s still dazed!" whispered Luna and the rumour spread round the class in seconds.

professor carrow did not seem to have noticed and was busy writing on the bored "Today we are going to be practising the disarming spell " she said and smiled at them .After half an hour the class knew Luna`s suspicion to be true . They took this opportunity to talk to each other and pretend to practise the spell by casually flicking their wands and making their partners wand fly high into the air.

"So DA?" said Dean

"were doing the last session tomorrow ill send you the time tonight" answered Neville .

"Sounds good "said Ginny and Luna nodded vaguely .

The lesson passed peacefully and everyone returned to their dormitories in one piece and of safe mind ,even smiling !

"In which year did Christmas Day and New Year's Day fall in the same year?"

Luna smiled glad the question was simple "why every year! One is at the beginning whilst the other is at the end "

"correct " said the Ravenclaw voice "you should of seen some of the first years trying to figure it out they thought it was a trick question!"

Luna laughed and entered her common room. She completed her Transfiguration homework and decided to turn in for the night .