The Seventh Year

Coward or Hero?

The next morning, Luna was very energetic and ready to start her day. Ginny looked at Neville with her mouth agape; she was speechless and curious about what Neville had said to her after going to bed. Neville gave her a slight head shake, so she started to eat a piece of bread they had snuck from the previous night's dinner. 

Luna began talking to a Seamus Finnigan when Neville noticed a Daily Prophet's issue laying alongside his platter. He saw Harry's picture and picking up the paper on impulse. He began to read: 

10,000 GALLEON REWARD FOR
UNDESIRABLE NO. 1

     Where is Harry Potter? The last sighting was before Hogwarts started the first term. He mysteriously vanished before Mr Bill and Fleur Weasley's wedding. Although several who attended the wedding suspect he was disguised, it is still unclear where he escaped to. 
     He appears to be on the run from the Dark Lord and his supporters. Much of the wizarding community is calling him a coward; some go so far as to say he is a traitor. With little information, the Ministry asks for your support and patience. 
     The most skilled and most reliable Aurors are currently searching for Potter and a known friend of his, Hermione Granger. Although they usually travel with a third party, their lesser-known friend, Ronald Weasley, is ill with Spattergroit. Ministry workers have confirmed that he is indeed unwell.
     At the start of September, the Ministry was infiltrated. This news was not shared, for the Ministry was confident they had cornered Potter and Granger. Evidence to 12 Grimmauld Place, where Potter resided before being caught trespassing in the Ministry. All workers found was a house-elf that refused to talk.
     "He's a coward! A fraud!" Ministry worker Lucius Malfoy said. "He's been hiding out when he should" 

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Neville didn't want to finish the article. He was more bothered by the fact that the Ministry break-in wasn't reported at the start of the semester. Had it really been Harry? he asked himself. This was huge news to him. He shoved the paper into Ginny's hands, and she began to read the column. She gave a slight gasp and then handed it off to Luna. 

After all three had read it, Neville spoke. "Did you hear about that? I don't think they reported it, did they?" Both shook their heads and looked just as perplexed as he was. 

"Harry broke into the Ministry!" Ginny said to herself in amazement. She blushed at Harry's name, and a wide grin spread across her face. She looked up to find Luna and Neville glancing between each other and herself. They both laughed, and Ginny was flustered but chuckled as they continued giggling.

"I think that's something everyone in the D.A. should know about," Neville said after they had calmed down. "It proves what I've been saying this whole time: Harry will be back." 

"Oh, alright!" she gently hit Neville's am. She had listened to him tell the others Harry would ultimately come back since the D.A. reassembled. "I think you're on to something, for sure." As she said this, she folded the newspaper and stuffed it into her robe. 

After a few more minutes of chatting, owls swarmed the room. Letters and gifts were dropped off. Ginny tried to find Snape, but he was not in his seat. A medium-sized barn owl swooped down near the trinity and dropped a new issue of The Quibbler. 

Luna swiftly grabbed the neatly rolled paper before Neville or Ginny had the chance to raise their arms and reach for it. The front page said: 

Where is The Boy Who Lived?
Opinion Article by Xenophilius Lovegood

     The boy who lived, otherwise known as Harry Potter, hasn't been seen since the beginning of August. Although there is speculation that he is on the run from the He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, I refuse to believe he is in hiding. The Harry Potter I know would never leave the Wizarding World to fend for themselves.
     I, too, suspected Mr Potter's presence at the Weasley wedding; however, no proof surfaced of his appearance. In my humble opinion, Mr Potter is not running away from danger, but running towards it. 
     The Ministry refused to announce the intrusion because the perpetrators escaped, despite several Ministry officials and guards in the area. How they were able to sneak in undetected is still unclear. The Minister refused to comment after I attempted to interview him several times. 
     The real question is not "Where is Harry Potter?" but should be "What is the Ministry hiding, and why do they refuse to report the truthful news?" 
     Although I could go into detail about my theories, my main focus is to inform you of the Ministry break-in and speculate what Harry Potter could be up to. 
     Whatever dangers Potter poses, I am certain he will persevere and continue whatever he started the day of that wedding. There will be a day when us wizards will not be afraid to speak the name of You-Know-Who, for Potter will vanquish him. He will be the Wizarding World's hero, for he is the Chosen One.
     Now, Mr Potter, I speak directly to you if you're reading this: tread with caution and be wary of those hunting you. I fear the worst if you are caught. Trust no one but yourself and whom you travel with. Save us!

"Wow!" Luna said brightly! "Ginny, Neville, look what he wrote! It's quite brave of him to do that, don't you think?" Ginny leaned over Neville's shoulder to read the editorial. Her lips curved upward as she finished the feature.

"Luna, it's lovely," she said, hoping Luna wouldn't become gloomy like she had the day before. "I think it's wonderful that your father's trying to tell the actual truth."

Luna smiled and hummed to herself as she took a swig of pumpkin juice. She quietly giggled; it was a sweet sound that hadn't been heard from her since the first D.A. meeting. Ginny wished they could stay in that moment for a little longer. She just wanted the laughter to stay for another minute longer. 

Amycus Carrow had other plans. He began heading towards the Gryffindor table and looked at them in such a chilling way, the hairs on their necks stood up. He silently tottered past the three as though he suspected they were up to something mischievous. 

Ginny did not break eye contact but held her breath as she watched him until he turned the corner out of the Great Hall. The color drained from her face as she clenched her hands into tight fists. Her lungs screamed for air by the time she exhaled loudly. Her fear of the Carrows was nearly gone, but there were still occasions when she felt panic rising within her. 

"You okay?" Neville asked, breaking the silence and snapped her back to reality. "Maybe you should eat something. You're a bit pale."

Quickly, she took another bite from her stolen roll. She felt someone's gaze upon her, so she looked around the Hall. That's when her eyes met Draco Malfoy's. His gaze was cold and hard. Ginny, however, was not unnerved by Malfoy. She hadn't seen Malfoy since the day Dumbledore was killed. What did he need from her?

After a second's eye contact, he looked away and got up from his seat. He rushed out of the Hall to the Slytherin common room. Ginny got up and darted off after him, ignoring Neville and Luna calling out for her.