Emerald Moon

Chapter 18 - Escape

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."