The Forgotten 7th Year

Start of Christmas Break

I'm really sorry about all the Luna POVs.

Luna's POV

I was forced into a dark cellar. I nearly tripped, but after taking several steps to readjust myself, I looked around.

My eyes were slowly adjusting to the gloom. I thought I could make out a slumped figure, but it was impossible to be sure.

"Hello?" I called. What if it was an Umgubular Slashkilter? I felt horribly exposed with my hands tied. My eyes continued to adjust, and it looked to be a bundle of rags.

It stirred and moaned. I jumped back with a yell, and tripped over my feet.

The thing lifted it's face to me, and I discovered it was an old man. He was muttering to himself, but stopped when he saw me.

"Hello, dear. What did your parents do to get you thrown down here?"

"I, what?"

"I've seen several kids down here. Their parents had all angered him in some way."

"What do you mean?"

"Have either of your parents been doing anything, anti-ministry?"

"It's just my dad and I. My mum died when I was nine."

"Oh, sorry."

"It's ok. Well, Daddy's an editor of an independent magazine. He's been printing the stuff the Ministry doesn't want the public to know. Like Crumple Horned Snorkacks. Maybe that's it." He seemed confused.

"Why would the ministry care about Crumple Horned Whatsits?"

"He's also done a few articles on Harry Potter. How it's our priority to help him."

"That's probably it, then." He seemed a little exasperated, and I assumed he was one of the closed minded. "You'll be released in a few days after your family pays a large fee."

On one hand, I was grateful I would see Rolf again. On the other, daddy probably couldn't afford the fee, and I didn't want him to stop printing truth. My shoulders had begun to ache from the strain of not being able to move my hands, and the ropes were uncomfortably tight and restricting.

"Could you untie me?" I asked. I turned around, and his gnarled hands worked at the knot with a small metal object. I few seconds and they were off. Ollivander placed the nail by a water bucket.

"Thank you. I'm Luna Lovegood, by the way."

"Garrick Ollivander. I remember your wand. Walnut, unicorn hair, 13 inches, unyielding."

"Oh, you're the wandmaker."

We sat in silence for some moments. My hand unconsciously reached up to the pendant, and rubbed it back and forth across the chain.

With any luck, I'd see him soon.

I missed his smile already.

Ginny's POV

The train pulled into platform 9 3/4. Mum was there, waving and smiling happily. I tried to smile back, but it wouldn't come.

Neville's grandmother was there as well. I saw her vulture hat peeking above the crowd.

Rolf hadn't spoken since we'd found him. He looked so guilty, and my heart broke for him.

When the train stopped, I ran out. Mum wrapped her arms around me, and I wished that the hug would never end.

But she could tell something was wrong. After a few moments she broke away, and held me at arms length. She looked into my face, and I felt my vision ripple with unshed tears.

"What's wrong?" She asked. I knew I had to tell her, something, but... no. I couldn't tell her. She would Aperate to the school right now, and kill Amycus.

"It's, it's Luna. They took her off the train. I, I don't know why, or where she is, but..."

Over her shoulder, Xenophilius Lovegood was waiting for a daughter that wasn't going to return.

"We should tell him." Mum nodded. I felt a pit in my stomach as I watched them.

He blinked a few times, uncomprehendingly. He shook his head in disbelief, then disapparated. A few moments later, he was back, crying and clutching a note. I knew he had gone to his house, and found a message from the Death Eaters. Mum patted him on the back, but he shook her off. His shoulders were heaving, and he was gasping.

He disapparated with a pop, and this time he didn't reappear.

Although, as I grabbed mum's hand, to disapparate as well, I wondered,

What would happen if they found out that he'd stayed at our house?

Mum turned on the spot, and into blackness.

Neville's POV

When the blackness cleared, Gran and were standing in front of large red Department Store called Purge and Dowse Ltd. A shabby sign read, CLOSED FOR REFURBISHMENT.

Gran walked up to one of the dummies, and declared.

"Augusta and Neville Longbottom." The dummy nodded, and we walked into St. Mungo's Hospital for magical Maladies and Injuries."

We didn't bother with the Welcome Witch, she was grumpy anyways. We took the stairs to the fourth floor, and Gran briskly strode though the glass doors. I trailed in her wake.

She brushed aside Gilderoy Lockhart's attempts to give her a photograph, and we made our way to the beds at the very back.

Alice Longbottom smiled at us as we arrived. I felt a pang of loss.

"Hello, mum. Hello, dad." He was staring off into space. Gran walked away, saying something about tea. I barely heard her. I sat down on the edge of her bed, and pulled the curtains around us.

"A lot's changed since I last talked to you. I've started my seventh year at Hogwarts. Gran told me you loved it there. The new teachers are Death Eaters, but don't worry, they..."

My voice trailed off. My dad was watching me with a peculiar expression, as if trying to remember a dream. He shook his head, as if to clear it, and his eyes became glassy and unfocused again.

"I've also made some new friends. Almost like family. Luna's like the little sister I might have had if...if things had gone differently.

Michael's like the uncle who lets the ten year olds watch R rated movies.

Ginny's like the mum who frets over us all. Harry's like the dad, because he started this whole thing.

Hannah... Hannah's like, like a sister too. Yes, that's it, a sister. A sister who's too perfect for the rest of the family. And who smells like honey, and always knows how to make you feel better when you're sad. Just a sister."

I felt uncomfortable, and tried to talk about something different.

"But mum, Snatchers grabbed Luna off the Hogwarts Express, and I don't know what to do. It's like losing my family all over again."

I look up, and she's not even looking at me.

A tear leaked from my eye, and I wiped it away. But another took it's place, and soon drops of moisture were splatting onto the covers.

Gran came from behind me.

"Neville, we should go." At this, my mother held out her hand. She deposited a bubblegum wrapper in my palm.

"Thanks, mum." And with a forced smile at my parents, I walked out of the Hospital.

Four sad chapters! Don't worry, they'll get better.