I hope our story has a happier ending

with a thousand lies

Harry's sprinting away from the table before she can even think about moving—Hermione and Ginny are hot on his heels, though Hermione lags behind, not in nearly as good of shape as them.

She arrives at Ravenclaw tower moments after them, chest heaving.

(That is, she arrives at what was Ravenclaw tower.)

The door is swung open, smoke and ash slipping out, and Harry's hysteric, muttering "no, no, no, no, no".

She doesn't have it in her to stop him as he rushes inside, pulling his shirt up over his nose and mouth but coughing heavily nonetheless.

Ginny's silent—receding from the world, as she does when things go bad. just moving as fast as is humanly possible through the rubble, frantically levitating every fallen beam and brick.

"She has to be here," Hermione whispers to herself, though she doesn't quite believe it. "Maybe she already got up and went to the Hospital Wing, or—or something."

(None of them will be able to handle the alternative.)

"Lu!" Harry's screaming, now, so much and so loud that his voice grows raspy. "Luna! Lu where are you?!"

Ginny even goes so far as to try to accio the other girl, just—moving constantly.

(As though if she keeps moving she'll keep any horrible news from coming.)

They make it back to the doorway when they've upturned every piece of rubble there is, all filled with hopelessness.

"She—she must be—"

"Don't say it," Harry practically roars, eyes wild with terror and concern. "She can't be. We would've found a—a body."

A throat clears in the doorway, and they all jump; Remus's expression is grim. "You three need to come with me to the Headmaster's office."

"But Dad, Luna—"

"A lot has happened, Harry, but it's not safe to discuss here. Trust me." They exchange a look; Harry clearly wants to press the matter, but Remus is unyielding.

They all speed walk behind him, Harry shaking with anxiety and adrenaline and the uncertainty of it all; Hermione's fairly certain Ginny's in shock. As for her own feelings...

(Nothingness. She's numb, hasn't even truly processed any of the day's events, yet.)

The hallways feel muted, and Remus is moving so quickly she's nearly running to keep up. Her heartrate is rapid by the team the professor is whispering the password to let them all into the headmaster's chambers.

Harry's ready to explode when they make their way inside, and he's opening his mouth to demand answers when the air rushes out of him at the sight of Luna, seated beside Professor Snape.

He nearly falls over his own feet in his haste to get to her, relieved tears spilling from his eyes. "Lu! Thank god, I—" He sucks in a deep breath as her arms wind around his neck, one hand beginning to rub his back as he trembles. "I thought I lost you. Oh, my god, I thought I lost you."

"I'm okay," Luna promises, voice gentle. "I'm perfectly fine, Harry."

"Not to sound ungrateful," Hermione says with wide eyes, "Because obviously I love you and am so, so glad you're okay, but—Luna, how are you alive?"

"I had planned on staying in the tower and doing some research this morning, but at the last minute I got a note from a friend so I ended up spending the morning at the lake and catching up with a few friends of mine that are merpeople—and Shelly, of course."