Heaven ♡ Luna Lovegood

16.

Chapter Sixteen;

Annie had dreaded leaving Luna for Hogwarts once again. The thought of returning to those cold halls, to the Carrows, made dread settle like bile in her stomach. A part of her wanted to stay in Shell Cottage and hide - but she would never forgive herself. She was needed at Hogwarts. She and Neville needed to continue leading Dumbledore's Army. If they didn't stand up to the Carrows, who would?

So Annie left Luna, giving her a fierce hug and a promise that they'd see each other again. Luna squeezed her tightly back and they could have easily stayed there without noticing the passage of time if Bill hadn't brought her back to reality.

When she returned to Hogwarts, Annie stuck close to Neville, but it wasn't the same. Ginny and Luna were gone, and some people were beginning to back out of the DA as the Carrows increased their relentless control. After Michael Corner was beat for freeing a chained first year, people became terrified. And Annie didn't blame them. Her fear increased tenfold each day she remained within the castle walls, but neither she nor Neville would let down. They became the Carrows' nightmare. To the students, they were the dream team. To the Carrows, they only made double trouble, and were desperate to stop them.

That's when Annie learned her parents were targeted, as was Neville's grandmother.

She'd been in despair. Her parents. Her father would be killed for being a Muggle. Her mother would be unlikely to escape unharmed for 'dirtying' magical blood. She'd cried that night, and Neville held her - they were the only two who understood the pain of the other.

So when Annie received a letter from her mother saying that they'd managed to escape, Annie wept again, though this time from relief. Neville's grandmother had escaped unharmed as well. Both families were now on the run.

The escape of their families, however, meant that the Carrows had no other way to deal with them than come after them. After everything they'd endured, Neville and Annie both agreed it was time to run.

That was how she'd come to live in the Room of Requirement, in hiding from the Carrows. Over time others had joined them and surprisingly, Annie enjoyed her time there. They didn't have to worry about the Carrows, or Snape - the walls were now covered in House banners and she was surrounded only by the people she liked. The picture of Arianna led them to The Hog's Head for food. They'd disappear down the tunnel with her and grab the food they needed to survive.

So when Neville left with Arianna one day, Annie didn't expect him to return with Harry Potter.

People were screaming and clambering to their feet, rushing toward the three newcomers; people were crying their names, giving hugs, ruffling their hair, and grinning from ear to ear. It was the most life Annie had seen in anyone since the first started the DA. Annie managed to slip in and was spotted by Ron, who gave her a wink, and Hermione, who quickly gave her a hug.

There was a moment when everyone explained the Room to the three, and everyone caught up with what Harry, Ron, and Hermione had been up to, and a moment where Harry turned away from everyone and suddenly seemed overcome by pain. He was supported by Ron and, when he faced them again, his face had been white as a sheet. Annie felt a stab of worry for Harry. She would've demanded to know what was wrong if there hadn't been more pressing matters at hand.

"What are we going to do then, Harry?" asked Seamus. "What's the plan?"

"Plan?" Harry repeated - Annie noticed his face was still scrunched up in pain, like something was causing him terrible agony, like a migraine. "Well, there's something that we - Ron, Hermione, and I - need to do, and then we'll be out of here."