Days blurred into weeks and weeks into months at Malfoy Manor. The dungeon was cold and drafty almost to the point that Luna nearly felt glad being brought upstairs for another torture session with Bellatrix. At least the haunted tea room was warm.

To her and Ollivander's relief, since her arrival, they had seemed to forgotten about their other prisoner, which meant that Ollivander had some time to recover. He was still very weak and fragile and none of the food they were given would help with that but at least mentally he had gotten better. More than once he would praise Luna, convinced that without her, he would not have survived the winter. Luna was glad to know that she had been able to make a difference in his life and their survival. And as battered as her body felt, the fact Bellatrix still summoned her upstairs meant they hadn't gotten to her father or Harry. And she was able to obtain hope from that fact.

She often thought of her friends. She wondered what Harry, Ron and Hermione were up to. She wondered how Neville and Ginny were faring at Hogwarts. And of course her thoughts went to Blaise, sometimes more often than to her friends. Which had probably helped her survive the cold. Whenever she thought of him, of their last passionate embrace in the Room of Requirement, heat would flood her body, making her tingle all over. If only she could see him, hold him, simply talk to him.

It was difficult to assess how he might be doing. Of course Nott had told her he was doing fine, but that was many weeks ago. And she couldn't be certain that Nott helping her didn't have any consequences to him or Blaise. She hoped it didn't. It was difficult enough to do the right thing in the best of times, and it certainly wasn't the best of times, not even for Nott. And so to go against his father and help a blood traitor, as Bellatrix liked to refer to her, was a big step. She doubted it was for her, rather for his friendship with Blaise. But regardless, she was grateful. She wasn't sure how she would have done, had she still had that nasty gash in her head.

Thankfully, the first session with Bellatrix had definitely been the worse and most brutal. Her captor seemed to have decided she was worth more alive than dead. She tried to use her time in the cellar to find any method of escape, despite Mr Ollivander's insistence he had tried everything. She even tried her hand at Disapparation, but it hadn't worked. And so it meant that most days were passed with nothing of interest except for the arrival of water and food. It was one of the only ways they were able to judge the time.

They were soon shaken up when there was a commotion above stairs, followed not long after with heavy steps on the cellar stairs. Luna had helped Ollivander rise. Standing up had always presented a stronger front. But they were surprised when two figures were pushed in, one very tall and lanky, the other so short, Luna immediately knew it had to be a goblin or house elf. Both had sunken to the ground close to the door, obviously in pain and exhaustion.

Luna cautiously walked towards them, holding her hands out and speaking as softly as she could so not to frighten them.

"I hope you are alright. My name is Luna. I've been here a while and will try to help you."

She has arrived close enough to make them out. A goblin lay against the wall, cuts and bruises all over him. It was obvious he had been on the run for a while. He eyed her with extreme suspicion with dark beady eyes. But the other figure was so familiar she felt a surge of happiness!

"Dean? Is that you?" He too was battered, scraps over his face and his clothes dirty and worn thin. But his dark eyes and wide grin were instantly recognisable, even now.

"Luna? I can't believe it! You're alive!" And before she could stop herself, she knelt down and hugged him!

He obviously hadn't expected that but soon hugged her back, relief seeming to pass over him. Whether to see her or just have someone familiar and a hug, Luna didn't care. And then he started to weep, shocks wracking through his tall frame.

Luna started to make soothing circles on his back.

"S… sorry…" he managed to stutter but she held him tighter.

"That's okay. You've been through a lot, I am sure. I am glad to see you too."

They didn't speak after that, but just held each other and Luna realised she had needed this too. As much as she was glad for Ollivander's company, she has done the soothing and now in the strong arms of a friend, there was some comfort too.

She became aware of shuffling beside them and looked up to see Ollivander had joined them, his trusty nail in hand. Both he and the goblin were assessing each other.

"May I assist you Griphook?"

"With what Ollivander?" The goblin eyed the nail wearily.

"It is to cut through any bounds, if you have any."

"They didn't need to bind us. There was no chance to escape."

"I am sorry to hear it." Ollivander said, his tone far more distant than Luna had ever heard it. It was obvious they at least knew each other too.

"You are still alive." Griphook stated, lacking emotion.

"Yes, I am, barely. But all due to this young lady." He said and gestured to Luna. Both she and Dean released each other and Dean beamed at her.

"Blimey Luna! How long have you been here?"

"They snatched me from the Hogwarts Express during Christmas Break. Not sure how long it's been…"

"It's March now! That's a long time…"

"Oh, I didn't think it had been that long." Luna looked to Ollivander and gave him a smile. "Means spring should come soon and it will get a bit warmer here."

Ollivander looked at her affectionately.

"Always the endless optimist. Thank you my dear."

She turned back to Dean.

"But what happened to you? You've been on the run this whole time?"

"Yeah… since the summer, when they issued the decree. I can't prove anything, never knew my father you see, so figured to make a run for it. Joined a group…" he fell silent, sorrow etched onto his face. Luna reached out to squeeze his hand and saw there was a look of sympathy crossing the goblin's face.

"Did you travel together sir?" She asked him and this time his dark beady eyes assessed her.

"Yes…" he said finally, "my travel companion Gornuk and I met Dirk Cresswell and travelled together. We met Ted Tonks and Dean here and have been on the run until… we were attacked… Snatchers!" He spit the last word, anger seeping from him."

"They killed Ted, Dirk and Gornuk." Dean finished for him, a haunted look on his face and they all fell silent.

Not even Luna was able to say anything. Ted Tonks, Nymphadora Tonks' dad, was dead. She had met him. He had been a nice and charming man. And now he was gone, having not even met his grandchild yet. Her heart ached for his family. Poor Tonks!

She gave Dean another hug.

"I am sorry you had to go through that. It will take time to heal."

Dean scoffed miserably.

"From the frying pan and into the fire. I doubt I will last much longer in this place."

"I've been here for months and Mr. Ollivander has been here for over a year. Odds seem good." He looked at her, despair in his eyes.

"Is it all worth it Luna? Is surviving better choice?"

"Of course it is! We've been so strong against him and I know Harry will find a way to defeat him."

"We've been losing a lot of people Luna. Ted and Dirk among them, but so many more…"

"I know. But we've won before and we'll do it again. For good this time." Griphook made a derisive noise but Luna ignored him.

"Do you really think Harry is alive and has been trying to find something? I haven't heard anything about him, except for what Ted could tell me." Dean asked, she could hear the wavering in his voice and so she gave him the most cheerful smile possible.

"I won't be alive if he wasn't!"

The four of them found a rhythm together the next few days in the cellar, although four wouldn't be fully accurate. Griphook tended to isolate himself as much as possible. Luna supposed he felt uncomfortable being locked up, surrounded by wizards, especially having just lost who she supposed was his friend or at least someone of his kind. She could sense it annoyed Dean and Ollivander and so she decided to do most of the interactions. Perhaps her overt enthusiasm and positivity annoyed the goblin even more, but Luna pushed through him. She could kill with kindness if necessary.

But their interactions were cut short when once again commotion came from upstairs. Many footsteps, followed by excited mutters, until Bellatrix's angry shouting pierced through the floor. Then more screaming followed in a loud male voice.

"No! You can have me, keep me!"

Luna turned towards Dean, who look at her as well, the same question in his eyes. Was that Ron?

Their question was soon answered when heavy footsteps descended and both Harry and Ron were flung into the cellar by Greyback as Hermione's screams started to ring through. It took Luna a second to truly understand what was going on. She assessed her friends. They looked haggard but in far better condition than Dean and Griphook had been. Both of their hands had been tied too and Ron was desperately struggling against them, shouting Hermione's name over and over. Harry seemed to be trying to get him to listen.

"Harry? Ron? Is that you?"

They both fell silent, peering into the darkness, obviously not seeing her yet. She tried again, stepping closer.

"Harry? Ron?"

"Luna?"

"Yes, it's me! Oh no, I didn't want you to be caught!" She saw Harry's thoughts process her presence before leaping back into action, as he always did. He was very predictable in that way.

"Luna, can you help us get these robes off?" He asked and she couldn't help but grin.

"Oh yes, I expect so… there's an old nail that we use if we need to break anything… just a moment…"

She made her way back to the otherwise of the cellar, where Ollivander was lying and Dean was staring at her curiously. she rummaged around the floor to find the nail, trying to block out Hermione's screams and Ron's in return.

"Mr Ollivander, have you got the nail?" She asked him as he stared at the newcomers in a dazed and terrified way. "If you just move over a little bit… I think it was beside the water jug." And as he complied she saw their only useful tool next to him. She gingerly picked it up and made her way back to her friends. Ron kept yelling and moving around frantically.

"You'll need to stay still." She told them calmly as she started to dig through the rope fibres.

Bellatrix's interrogation continued, something about them finding a sword. Was that the sword of Gryffindor? Had they managed to get it despite her, Ginny and Neville's failed attempt at getting it for them? The question to ask lay on the tip of her tongue, but Hermione's answering pleas and Ron's reaction made her dig the nail into Harry's wrist. It was hard enough in the dim light of the cellar to see.

"Ron, please stay still. I can't see what I'm doing-" She whispered, once again trying to calm him but he cut her off.

"My pocket! In my pocket, there's a Deluminator, and it's full of light!"

She stuck the nail firmly into the ropes to secure the nail before deftly trying Ron's pockets. Her hand found a small, cool metal object. Holding the lighter like object close to inspect it, she flipped the top, and out burst several tiny light orbs that floated into the cellar, flooding the space in light. She had to squeeze her eyes to adjust to it before looking around and for the first time truly seeing her surroundings. Perhaps it had been a blessing in disguise to not been able to truly see Mr Ollivander's and Griphook's weak condition. Nor to see all the grime that covered her.

"Oh, that's much easier! Thanks Ron." She tried to bring some levity into the situation. At least they could fully see each other. She felt both Harry's and Dean's assessing gaze as she got back to work try to loosen the ropes. She caught Dean's eyes again and gave him a grin, wondering if her own face was as gaunt as his was.

"Hello Dean!"

Her attempts at lightheartedness were immediately cut short as Bellatrix's shrieking voice came again.

"You are lying, filthy Mudblood, and I know it! You have been inside my vault at Gringotts! Tell the truth! Tell the truth!"

Another one of Hermione's terrible screams followed as Ron once again bellowed her name.

"What else did you take? What else have you got? Tell me the truth or, I swear, I shall run you through with this knife!"

Right at that moment, Luna felt the rope fall away.

"There." She stated simply and took a step back. Harry started to rub his wrist while Ron immediately started to run through the cellar, desperately trying to find an escape. unable to find anything, he started to try to Disapparate.

"There's no way out Ron. The cellar is completely escape-proof. I tried at first. Mr Ollivander has been here for a long time, he's tried everything."

Hermione started to scream even more as Bellatrix had seemingly given up the knife and had started to Crucio her. Harry now joined Ron in his desperation to get out and save her. Another scream and Ron broke down sobbing. Luna felt her heart break seeing him like this. She went over to him, crouching down, to lay on hand on his shaking shoulders. He didn't appear to notice but it was better than nothing.

Harry was beside them and had started to pull out a piece of broken glass out of a pouch around his neck… and started to shout at it…?

"Help us! We're in the cellar at Malfoy Manor, help us!"

The interrogation continued and Lucius Malfoy's voice was heard interfering.

"But we can find out easily. Draco, fetch the goblin, he can tell us whether the sword is real or not."

That those words, Harry wiped around and ran towards Griphook, whispering on his ear.

"Griphook, you must tell them that sword's a fake, they mustn't know it's the real one, Griphook, please…!"

They could hear someone come over to the cellar door before Draco's shaking voice passed through, and Luna felt sympathy shoot through her.

"Stand back. Line up against the back wall. Don't try anything, or I'll kill you!"

She didn't believe a word he said but they all complied nonetheless. Before he opened the door, Ron clicked the Deluminator to extinguish the lights. Draco strode in, his pale face highlighted in the darkness. Without a word, he grabbed Griphook and dragged him out of the cellar with him.

He slammed the door behind him but the slamming sound was swallowed by another loud crack. Ron's Deluminator returned the floating orbs to reveal a house elf! Luna blinked but the house elf was still there, staring expectingly at Harry, with large tennis ball eyes.

"DOB-!" Ron's shout was immediately silenced by Harry.

"Harry Potter, Dobby has come to rescue you." Dobby, the house elf, squeaked, excitement quivering his voice.

"But how did you…?" Harry started before another one of Hermione's screams echoed from above. Luna hoped fervently her friend would be okay.

"You can Disapparate out of this cellar?" Harry asked instead, and Dobby nodded. "And you can take humans with you?"

He nodded again and Harry turned to look at Luna.

"Right, Dobby, I want you to grab Luna, Dean and Mr Ollivander, and take them… take them to…"

"Bill and Fleur's! Shell Cottage on the outskirts of Tinworth!" Ron supplied and Dobby nodded again in understanding.

"And then come back. Can you do that Dobby?"

"Of course Harry Potter." He squeaked before hurrying over the Ollivander to take hold of his hand. He then stretched out another hand to Luna and Dean.

But they didn't move.

"Harry, we want to help you!" Luna whispered to Harry.

"We can't leave you here!" Dean stated resolutely but Harry shook his head.

"Go, both of you! We'll see you at Bill and Fleur's!" Then his face crumpled as if hit with something. He gritted his teeth and Luna recognised it as a vision that he could have sometimes.

"Go! Go! We'll follow, just go!" Harry pressed and with one look at Dean, Luna joined her hands with him and Dobby.

"Whenever you're ready sir." She told the elf kindly, unable to stop the anticipation of finally leaving this prison.

"Sir?" Dobby beamed, "I like her very much!" He squeaked and then with a loud crack, they were gone.

Luna felt a sea breeze hit her face, and looking out over a blue horizon, she took her first deep breath in months. Freedom!

Blaise Zabini marched resolutely from the hospital wing back down to the dungeons and towards his common room, hold his head high. He refused to hide the bruise marring his high cheekbone. It was fading rapidly, but not fast enough for other students not to get a good look at when passing him. Of course, being a Slytherin 7th year, they couldn't be sure how exactly he had gotten it. They didn't need to know it was in punishment for taking on a first years beating. It had been either him or his sister and her friends. Well, it had been her friends that had acted out enough for the punishment from the Carrow's, but Blaise knew they wouldn't be picky in which students to 'discipline'. And so Blaise had stepped in, resulting a several lashings, one of which, to his face.

Last year, his pride would have weeped at the strike but these past few months had rid him of all of those feelings. Everything felt numb. He hardly even felt pain. Even welcomed the stringing sensation as it was better than nothing.

He entered the Common Room. The usual sounds of excited chatter and laughter had stopped at the start of the year. Now only hushed whispers would greet him, souring the mood entirely. He was sad to admit that the space that had felt like a second home to him, now was depressive. Getting out everyday for class or meals was the only form of release he could find, not that the rest of Hogwarts was any better. Not even the Room of Requirement seemed available anymore. It didn't matter, it wouldn't be the same without her anyway.

His heart clenched as he thought of Luna. No day or hour passed without his mind wandering to her. It was driving him insane. Months ago now, Nott had told him she was alive and being held at Malfoy Manor. But ever since that day, nothing more. No snippet of information. No hint about her well-being. Not even a whisper about her demise.

He knew he couldn't press his friend about it, and Nott's honest demeanour made it clear he was not being kept in the loop about anything. And so he could only wait and hope with everything he had, that she was alright. He had dumped his tiny Thestral model with Magdalena, needing to rid himself of any reminders of her, just in an effort to stay sane.

"Zabini? Zabini!" There was a rough pulling in his arm and Blaise turned to find Nott trying to get his attention. His friend's eyes instantly grew as he saw the purple bruise.

"Merlin, mate! What happened to your face?" Blaise was halfway through a shrug before Nott interrupted him.

"Nevermind! Don't need to know. Come on! Quickly!"

Surprised, Blaise half staggered behind him, apprehensive as Nott dragged him to their dormitory. He quickly glanced inside, checking its occupants before shoving them both inside and locking the door and casting the muffliato charm.

"Nott, what the hell?"

"No time to question me, I've got to tell you before those goons come in here!"

"What…?"

"She's gone! She got out!"

Blaise heard himself suck in a breath as those words and their meaning started to enter his mind.

She was gone. She got out.

"She…. She's okay?"

"Well, I don't know. I only know she… and others… got out… out of there…"

"I…. Luna… escaped?"

"Yes."

"You… you are sure? You're not…?"

"Yes I am sure and I am not fucking with you mate. I don't know anything else but that she got out."

Blaise stared at his friend, who stared back at him unflinchingly with hazel eyes. Nott gave a small shrug.

"I wanted you to know." He said simply and then Blaise did something he had never done in his life.

He buried his head in his hands and weeped in relief.