Wizards of The Caribbean

Chapter 37: A Dead Hogwarts and A Rogue Witch

Luna took a deep breath to center herself. She had seen flashes of what would happen tonight in her prophetic dreams. There was no way of knowing if things would happen the same way in real time. She repositioned the cloak to cover her entirely -thank Merlin, she was much shorter than Harry!- and moved swiftly down the stairs toward the Trophy Room. There, she found a sight that would stay with her forever in the worst ways. Any being with the mind to create this ghastly scene didn't deserve to exist in any civilized society. A dozen unicorns of different sizes were tied up so they couldn't sit, lie, or even pace a little. They were emaciated, most of their manes and tails were missing, they had been ripped off by fistfuls, it appeared. Thick needles burrowed into their shoulders or thighs, draining their precious silvery, glistening, almost iridescent blood. Some of their backs were maybe broken as they curved unnaturally. Their hooves were so overgrown they curled upwards. The unicorn's eyes, which were always so bright and full of life and wisdom, were now dull and hopeless. Luna had never heard a unicorn squeal softly in pain. It was her least favorite sound on Earth now.

Twelve high-ranking Death Eaters lay in hospital beds, sucking on plastic tubes that delivered fresh unicorn blood into their mouths. They seemed to be in a different space, far from conscious thought. They looked... drugged. Disgustingly drugged. Their eyes were either closed or partially closed with heavy lids. Some had drool rolling down their chins. One seemed to be trying to discreetly relieve his... visible affliction through his pockets. Luna had to resist the violent urge to throw up. The unicorns let out feeble whines, and the older ones would nicker to the foals as if to tell them, 'I am still here. You are not alone.'

Before this gruesome discovery, Luna would have never thought that unicorns bruised like other creatures, mainly because she could never even fathom anyone wanting to hurt them to the point of them bruising. However, they did bruise. Horribly. Unicorn bruises were pitch black. As the rest of their body was an almost iridescent white, the bruises looked very painful. She could practically feel it. In her years at Hogwarts, Luna had spent hours walking about the forest, learning how the creatures there moved. She studied their patterns, their diets, and their temperaments. But she always did so because she genuinely wanted to understand them, not wanting to use them or profit from her knowledge. Unicorns were wise, patient beings. Luna had gotten lost more than once while she gathered magical plants for Potions to save her dad some money or while she foraged for berries, and many times, a unicorn would gently nudge her in the right direction or walk a few paces behind her until she was back where it was safe.

They had learned to trust her enough that the young ones would take treats, and she would sneak out from the kitchens. She would bring them apples or carrots. She would brush their manes with her fingers. She would exist in their presence, and they always made her feel better regardless of the bullies, the robbed possessions, the name-calling, the loneliness... They seemed to understand the profound effect losing her mother had on her. People rarely did. Luna supposed it was a good thing. She couldn't wish such unsurmountable loss and such hollowness on anyone... Well, she could wish it on the monsters greedily sucking unicorn blood. Their lives were so full of darkness that experiencing the feeling of pure light and goodness from the consumption of their blood gave them the high of their lives. This is the last time you ever hurt anyone, she thought. Luna had never been so appalled, so offended, so disgusted in her life... Nor had she ever been this angry and murderous. She felt her blood run several degrees colder. Her eyes turned dark, and her grip on her wand tightened. You will pay for this, Riddle!

Luna had gotten some special things from Dudley, the twins, and the soldiers she had befriended. She gave herself a bubble head charm, put on gloves, and made sure not one inch of skin was unprotected, just in case. Slowly, quietly, and wandlessly, she did a protective bubble around each unicorn. She waited. No one realized what she had done. Once she was protected, she accioed the wands that weren't in holsters. The Death Eaters were so high on the fresh blood that they didn't notice a thing. Their eyes were now closed. Luna took a container from the magic bag on her wrist, enlarged it, and took one of the twins' new deadly inventions. A muggle inhaler had been filled to the brim with Sarin gas.