(no subject)
Title: The Other Trio
For: alchymie
Rating: G
Characters: Neville, Luna and Ginny
Summary: In Hogwarts the other Trio prepare to leave for home.
Author's notes: Thak you to S for the beta and encouragement, all mistakes are mine. You asked for viewpoints of other characters and these three always intrigued me. I hope you like it (even if it's not quite Christmas anymore!)
Ginny walked along the empty corridor trying not to let her nerves show on her face or in her movements. The Christmas holidays were nearly on them and she had been longing for home for so long their sudden proximity had taken her by surprise.
With a deep breath and a last sweep to check for anyone following her she let her mind turn to the Room and, calling it to her, stepped inside.
“Ginny!” Luna exclaimed looking up from the enormous book she held in her lap. “We didn’t think you were coming.”
Ginny smiled and collapsed into a waiting armchair as Luna shut her book with a load thump.
“Professor Carrow,” Ginny sneered, “was called away by her dear brother and so we escaped early.
Unconsciously Ginny rubbed her wrist and Luna’s expression darkened for a moment. None of them spoke much anymore of the various tortures the Carrows inflicted but each of the remaining members of Dumbledore’s Army, and the others they had recruited, had learned from experience the marks it left.
Early in October Ginny had suffered a broken wrist. It had been quickly set but any subsequent pain caused her to reach for it.
Seamus always became noticeably quieter whereas Mandy would talk much more as if trying to fill the air and her mind with something new. Luna, though she wasn’t aware of it, tended to stand straighter and taller and seem much sharper after a particularly bad bout.
Nobody other than Ginny and Luna had learned to recognise the change in Neville. Many of the others seemed to believe that his new confidence and bravery covered even the worst of pain and fear but to those who watched most closely there was a way he held his head, and a way his words seemed bitten out with effort, and on the worst days of all he would finger the DA Galleon he always kept on his person as if it held an answer he couldn’t quite grasp.
“The others left.” Luna’s soft voice broke across Ginny’s thoughts. “Neville said they should pack and that they should be seen around the school.”
Ginny nodded and stretched her arms out taking in the empty room and noticing, for the first time, that Luna had decorated the Room in her own Christmas style as she had before.
“Sensible. We can’t let our guard down now I suppose.”
“He’s coming back,” Luna said as she levitated a piece of tinsel back into place. “He’s just making sure Dennis gets back to the Tower alright after his last run in with Professor Snape.”
Ginny sighed and tucked her feet underneath herself as she watched Luna put the Room to rights.
“I suppose after tomorrow at least Snape and the Carrows can’t get at us.”
There was a silence in the Room as Ginny and Luna looked at each other and the reality of going home hit them both.
“You’ll be alright won’t you?” Ginny asked quietly. “You and your father are purebloods so away from here you should be safe.”
“Daddy has a plan,” Luna answered with a smile. “I’m sure of it and he’s been doing terribly exciting work with Snorkack horn that I’m very excited to hear about and Neville…”
“I’d like to see anyone try to mess with my Gran.”
Ginny and Luna turned to see Neville standing in the doorway of the room.
“Well if the Weasleys en masse can’t save me…” Ginny trailed off with a half hearted smile as she pulled herself out of the chair to stand with Ginny and Neville in the centre of the room.
Silence fell on the room again as they looked at each other until Luna tipped her head on one side and grinned.
“It’s Christmas!” she said with a smile. “Christmas and out parents and a rest from all of this for a little bit.”
She stopped and Ginny took a deep breath and nodded.
“And whatever happens we know how strong we are now,” she said softly and then more firmly, “whatever happens.”
Neville reached out to Ginny and Luna and for a moment they all held hands.
“Whatever happens,” Neville echoed. “We’ll be back here again in January…” he trailed off. “Or we’ll be back here again eventually I’m sure of it.”
They looked at each other thinking of the long term behind them and the uncertain future ahead of them.
“Where do you think they are?”
Ginny’s words echoed all of their thoughts.
“I doubt even Hermione’s decorations are as good as these.” Neville said after a pause. “And I don’t think Ron’s going to put up Christmas decorations.”
Ginny laughed and then dropped her head, suddenly filled with a desperate longing to see her brother again.
“He never was very good at getting decorations straight.” Ginny’s voice wavered slightly. “And I don’t really know what Harry thinks of them.”
Luna and Neville squeezed her hands tightly as the three of them stood and imagined where that other Trio might now be.
Ginny thought of Hermione’s frustration with Luna, Harry’s stoic farewell and Ron’s laughing face and couldn’t for a moment imagine them back there in Hogwarts.
“Well wherever they are it’s beyond detentions!” Neville said with a twinkle in his eyes. “And beyond those awful potions lessons too.”
He grinned at the girls before his expression turned serious again.
“I only hope Harry doesn’t think I’ve ruined his DA.”
“You haven’t”
“You couldn’t”
Ginny and Luna spoke at once, both looking fiercely at Neville and then, before they could say more, the clock struck.
“We’d better leave,” Luna smiled sadly. “If I’m not back in our Common Room someone will talk and nothing should stop us going home tomorrow.”
Ginny nodded and with a last tight squeeze let go of Luna and Neville’s hands.
“Time to face the music one last time before home and family.”
Neville smiled at her though his hand slipped to his pocket and the Galleon.
“Happy Christmas!” Ginny said quietly as she threw her arms around Neville and Luna. “Happy Christmas and here’s to a better New Year.”
Neville and Luna returned her embrace and then slowly Neville looked around the Room making sure nothing necessary was left behind. Assured it was clear the threesome moved towards the door and first Ginny, then Neville left into the empty corridor to scurry back to their Houses.
Last of all Luna looked around the darkened Room and then, with a determined nod, she left.
For: alchymie
Rating: G
Characters: Neville, Luna and Ginny
Summary: In Hogwarts the other Trio prepare to leave for home.
Author's notes: Thak you to S for the beta and encouragement, all mistakes are mine. You asked for viewpoints of other characters and these three always intrigued me. I hope you like it (even if it's not quite Christmas anymore!)
Ginny walked along the empty corridor trying not to let her nerves show on her face or in her movements. The Christmas holidays were nearly on them and she had been longing for home for so long their sudden proximity had taken her by surprise.
With a deep breath and a last sweep to check for anyone following her she let her mind turn to the Room and, calling it to her, stepped inside.
“Ginny!” Luna exclaimed looking up from the enormous book she held in her lap. “We didn’t think you were coming.”
Ginny smiled and collapsed into a waiting armchair as Luna shut her book with a load thump.
“Professor Carrow,” Ginny sneered, “was called away by her dear brother and so we escaped early.
Unconsciously Ginny rubbed her wrist and Luna’s expression darkened for a moment. None of them spoke much anymore of the various tortures the Carrows inflicted but each of the remaining members of Dumbledore’s Army, and the others they had recruited, had learned from experience the marks it left.
Early in October Ginny had suffered a broken wrist. It had been quickly set but any subsequent pain caused her to reach for it.
Seamus always became noticeably quieter whereas Mandy would talk much more as if trying to fill the air and her mind with something new. Luna, though she wasn’t aware of it, tended to stand straighter and taller and seem much sharper after a particularly bad bout.
Nobody other than Ginny and Luna had learned to recognise the change in Neville. Many of the others seemed to believe that his new confidence and bravery covered even the worst of pain and fear but to those who watched most closely there was a way he held his head, and a way his words seemed bitten out with effort, and on the worst days of all he would finger the DA Galleon he always kept on his person as if it held an answer he couldn’t quite grasp.
“The others left.” Luna’s soft voice broke across Ginny’s thoughts. “Neville said they should pack and that they should be seen around the school.”
Ginny nodded and stretched her arms out taking in the empty room and noticing, for the first time, that Luna had decorated the Room in her own Christmas style as she had before.
“Sensible. We can’t let our guard down now I suppose.”
“He’s coming back,” Luna said as she levitated a piece of tinsel back into place. “He’s just making sure Dennis gets back to the Tower alright after his last run in with Professor Snape.”
Ginny sighed and tucked her feet underneath herself as she watched Luna put the Room to rights.
“I suppose after tomorrow at least Snape and the Carrows can’t get at us.”
There was a silence in the Room as Ginny and Luna looked at each other and the reality of going home hit them both.
“You’ll be alright won’t you?” Ginny asked quietly. “You and your father are purebloods so away from here you should be safe.”
“Daddy has a plan,” Luna answered with a smile. “I’m sure of it and he’s been doing terribly exciting work with Snorkack horn that I’m very excited to hear about and Neville…”
“I’d like to see anyone try to mess with my Gran.”
Ginny and Luna turned to see Neville standing in the doorway of the room.
“Well if the Weasleys en masse can’t save me…” Ginny trailed off with a half hearted smile as she pulled herself out of the chair to stand with Ginny and Neville in the centre of the room.
Silence fell on the room again as they looked at each other until Luna tipped her head on one side and grinned.
“It’s Christmas!” she said with a smile. “Christmas and out parents and a rest from all of this for a little bit.”
She stopped and Ginny took a deep breath and nodded.
“And whatever happens we know how strong we are now,” she said softly and then more firmly, “whatever happens.”
Neville reached out to Ginny and Luna and for a moment they all held hands.
“Whatever happens,” Neville echoed. “We’ll be back here again in January…” he trailed off. “Or we’ll be back here again eventually I’m sure of it.”
They looked at each other thinking of the long term behind them and the uncertain future ahead of them.
“Where do you think they are?”
Ginny’s words echoed all of their thoughts.
“I doubt even Hermione’s decorations are as good as these.” Neville said after a pause. “And I don’t think Ron’s going to put up Christmas decorations.”
Ginny laughed and then dropped her head, suddenly filled with a desperate longing to see her brother again.
“He never was very good at getting decorations straight.” Ginny’s voice wavered slightly. “And I don’t really know what Harry thinks of them.”
Luna and Neville squeezed her hands tightly as the three of them stood and imagined where that other Trio might now be.
Ginny thought of Hermione’s frustration with Luna, Harry’s stoic farewell and Ron’s laughing face and couldn’t for a moment imagine them back there in Hogwarts.
“Well wherever they are it’s beyond detentions!” Neville said with a twinkle in his eyes. “And beyond those awful potions lessons too.”
He grinned at the girls before his expression turned serious again.
“I only hope Harry doesn’t think I’ve ruined his DA.”
“You haven’t”
“You couldn’t”
Ginny and Luna spoke at once, both looking fiercely at Neville and then, before they could say more, the clock struck.
“We’d better leave,” Luna smiled sadly. “If I’m not back in our Common Room someone will talk and nothing should stop us going home tomorrow.”
Ginny nodded and with a last tight squeeze let go of Luna and Neville’s hands.
“Time to face the music one last time before home and family.”
Neville smiled at her though his hand slipped to his pocket and the Galleon.
“Happy Christmas!” Ginny said quietly as she threw her arms around Neville and Luna. “Happy Christmas and here’s to a better New Year.”
Neville and Luna returned her embrace and then slowly Neville looked around the Room making sure nothing necessary was left behind. Assured it was clear the threesome moved towards the door and first Ginny, then Neville left into the empty corridor to scurry back to their Houses.
Last of all Luna looked around the darkened Room and then, with a determined nod, she left.