Rowena's Quill

The sun was setting over the lake and Luna and Neville were enjoying it together. Luna had finished the last of her O.W.L.s that afternoon and was telling Neville everything she could remember about how the goblins were relegated into the financial services of wizadry.

"I don't know how you can stand it," said Neville. "After I've taken an exam, I don't ever want to think about it again."

"Everyone in Ravenclaw goes over their answers afterward," said Luna. "There are some people who never speak to me at all except before and after a Runes exam."

Instinctively, she checked her Galleon bracelet. It had been six months since Professor Firenze told her that her lonely days were ending, but that particular habit seemed to have stuck. The strange thing was, for the first time in over a year, the Galleon was lighting up.

"Neville?" she said in mild alarm.

He'd felt his heating up in his pocket. He pulled it out, and in clear letters at the top shone the words, "GRYFFINDOR COMMON ROOM. NOW."

"Let's go!" said Neville.

In an instant, the two were off and running. They passed Professor Dumbledore on the way, who waved to them. They waved back.

"It's because he's leaving that Harry called us," thought Luna.

Ginny, Ron, and Hermione were waiting for them.

"We're so glad you came!" said Ginny.

"You're the only ones who did," said Hermione.

But neither Luna nor Neville needed their thanks. They were there to help because in these times, everyone's help was indispensable.

"We saw Dumbledore leave," Neville told them.

Ginny lowered her voice to a whisper, "Harry's gone with him."

"Shhh!" said Ron. He pointed his wand at the door and said, "Muffilato." To Luna and Neville, he explained, "It causes buzzing in the ears of anyone passing by."

"You shouldn't use that spell," Hermione reprimanded.

"Give it a rest for now, won't you? We've got a job to do."

"Harry's asked us to keep an eye on Malfoy and Snape," said Ginny. "He thinks Malfoy's up to something."

"Of course he is," said Luna.

Hermione and Ron looked at each other in surprise.

"All right. First things first," said Ron, pulling out a vial of yellow liquid from a pair of socks. "Everyone drink a little, and mind you leave over for everybody else."

"What is it?" asked Neville as Ron took the first sip.

"Felix Felicis," said Hermione. "It's for luck."

She took a sip and passed it to Ginny, who took a sip and passed it to Luna. Luna did her best to leave some for Neville, but being the last to receive the vial, his dose was the smallest.

"Kind of takes the edge off the nerves, doesn't it?" said Ron.

"It feels like having premonitions, but with more certainty," agreed Luna.

"Let's see the map," said Ginny.

Ron pulled out an old bit of parchment with a complete map of Hogwarts on it. It was really something to look at - it had all their names on it, and marked off secret passageways into the school, each of which was being guarded by a member of the Order. Luna would have loved to study it longer, but it was not the time for it.

"Malfoy's not on, so you know what that means," said Ron.

"It means he's in the Room of Requirement," said Luna.

Again, Ron and Hermione exchanged looks of surprise.

"Right," said Hermione. "Well, I guess it's obvious to all of us what we need to do. Luna and I will go down to the dungeons, and you three go up to the Room of Requirement."

"Good luck," said Luna, her eyes on Neville. Under any other circumstance, she would have wanted to stay with him, but the Felix Felicis told her this was the best possible arrangement.

"We'll be all right," said Ginny, reassuring herself as much as the others. "We've all had Felix."

The two groups went their separate ways.

"How did you know that Malfoy was in the Room of Requirement?" Hermione asked once they got to the dungeons.

And then Luna understood why she had been paired with Hermione. At long last, the time had arrived to teach her about The Quibbler. Never without a copy, Luna pulled the most recent issue out from the inside of her robe and unrolled it. She held it upside-down, right under Hermione's nose, and pointed to Professor Dumbledore's own encoded words.

Draco Malfoy has gone to great pains in the past year to hide his activities, mostly using the secrecy afforded him by the Room of Requirement. It is absolutely certain, however, that he is getting outside help. On two occasions, he has successfully evaded our watch and wrought real, though temporary, damage upon Hogwarts students. For that reason alone I contend it is safer to keep him on our side, but I wish it for his sake at least as much. As anyone observing him will see, the path he is currently pursuing is tantamount to a suicide mission.

Hermione finished reading and looked up at Luna in amazement. "It's all in Runes . . . it's . . ."

Luna pointed to another article about Death Eater bribery within Scrimegour's personal staff, and then another about the last known whereabouts of Voldemort himself.

Hermione read, re-read, and then looked up at Luna.

"Daddy's very clever, isn't he?" said Luna.

Hermione stared at her, open-mouthed. For once, she was at a loss for words. But it didn't last long. She seemed to struggle with herself and then pointed her wand at Professor Snape's door and said, "Muffilato!"

Luna smiled. "Professor Snape knows all about The Quibbler. In fact, he's one of its best contributors. I don't quite understand why we're down here guarding his door, but the potion tells me that we should be."

"Professor Snape contributes? And Professor Dumbledore - and who else?"

"Well, Professor Dumbledore really is the heart of it. My Dad is in charge of coding, production, and distribution, so he gets to keep the profits, but nothing goes into The Quibbler without Professor Dumbledore's approval. Harry's interview was sort of an exception. Daddy's always wanted to thank you for that."

"Me? But I didn't even know what I was doing!"

"No, you didn't quite judge Daddy fairly. But he forgives you. After all, most people don't look at The Quibbler from the right angle. That's why it's so effective."

Hermione shook her head. "How long has your Dad been doing this?"

"Mum and Dad had The Quibbler even before they had me."

"Your mother was part of it, too?"

"Yes, of course," said Luna, "and she pointed to the dedication which appeared on every issue since Mummy's death. "In memoriam, Rowena Rockrimmon Lovegood."

"Rockrimmon? Like Sophie Rockrimmon, the Runes writer?"

"She was my Granny."

"Luna, that's . . . and all this time, I thought . . . I'm so sorry, Luna."

"It's quite all right. I'm glad you know the truth, actually. I've been waiting to tell you a very long time. Ginny knows. Dad covered the Chamber of Secrets incident, you see."

"I thought her parents kept that away from the press."

"They made an exception for The Quibbler."

"Well, Ron doesn't know about it. Nor Harry."

"No. Professor Dumbledore has kept Harry away from the press, too, as much as he could, anyway. He says that's best for Harry."

"What about the prophecy? Has The Quibbler reported about that?"

"Whatever Professor Dumbledore knows about it, he hasn't told Dad, and there's no sense in speculating. It's really very foolish of The Prophet to try."

Inwardly, Luna triumphed a little. The potion told her that Hermione was reconsidering her news subscriptions.

"But what about the Death Eaters?" she asked. "Surely some of them could break these codes."

Luna nodded. "Daddy has to vary the codes all the time because of that. Some are Gaelic, some are Teutonic. Sometimes they require letter-scrambling, and sometimes, they're plain symbols, but again, you have to look at them from the right angle. The biggest protection of all is that Daddy is Muggle-born. Most of the Death Eaters wouldn't bother reading him for that reason alone."

Being Muggle-born herself, Hermione frowned. "I'm just as guilty," she whispered. "I thought . . ."

"I told you Daddy forgives you. Don't you see? Harry's interview put new life into The Quibbler. Most people stopped reading years and years ago, even before Mummy passed. And then afterward, it was worse. People started saying that Daddy lost his mind. Daddy said it was a good cover, but he lost most of his core readers, too . . ."

Luna's voice trailed off, and a terrible sadness gripped her. She felt the old familiar longing for Mummy. She felt for poor Neville whose parents really had lost their minds. But there was more; she knew it. It was a premonition - her own, not a result of the potion. Something terrible was going to happen. She and Hermione would be safe where they were, but there was going to be something, some sort of loss, some unbearable pain.

Luna knew better than to share these feelings with Hermione. Runes coding was an art she could appreciate, but premonitions were purely a matter of faith. So she sat and watched as Hermione pored over The Quibbler, looking up now and again to say with a sigh, "I wonder what's happening with everyone."

Confirmation to Luna's worst worries came in the form of a panicked Professor Flitwick. He ran right past them and into Professor Snape's office, pleading for his help because Death Eaters had entered the school and set the Dark Mark over the Astronomy Tower. Luna and Hermione stared at each other in horror, and then they heard a big thud. Professor Snape swept out of his office.

"Professor Flitwick has collapsed. You go in and make him comfortable. Do not," he turned to Hermione, "try and ennervate him. He's in no state for battle." He turned to Luna. "And if anyone comes by, concoct a story and run them off."

With that, he turned, his wand at the ready, and raced upstairs.

Luna and Hermione went into his office. Hermione conjured a couch for Professor Flitwick and Luna levitated him onto it. Away from the thick of the battle, all they could do was sit and wait.

After a long while, Professor McGonagall, followed by Tonks, found them. Both had torn clothes, disheveled hair, and scratches on their skin, but Professor McGonagall was as controlled and commanding as ever. She walked over to Professor Flitwick's couch and looked him over.

"You've done well, girls. Tonks will take you upstairs now."

But Hermione was not going that quickly. "Professor?" she asked. "The Dark Mark?"

"I have found everyone alive so far," she replied curtly.

Her choice of words made Luna shiver. The battle was over, but the damage not thoroughly assessed yet.

"There have been injuries," she went on, her voice beginning to quaver. "Neville took a few blows, but he should be all right. And Bill Weasley," - Tonks let out a sob - "was bit by Fenrir Greyback."

Luna and Hermione gasped.

"But it's not the full moon," said Hermione, "so . . ."

"Nobody knows what will happen to him," said Tonks.

There was a long, solemn pause.

"Take them upstairs, Nymphadora," said Professor McGonagall. "I want everyone safe and together in one place."

They followed Tonks up to the hospital wing. Neville, lying unconscious in a bed in a far corner, caught Luna's eye first, but when she looked over at the mangled face of Bill Weasley, she was grateful for that little bit of Felix Felicis that had protected Neville from a much worse fate.

"Where's Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"Getting Harry," croaked Ron, staring at his brother. Appalling a sight as it was, he could not tear his eyes away.

Harry and Ginny came in shortly afterward, and they delivered the news - the reason for Luna's premonition. Professor Dumbledore was dead. And Professor Snape had killed him.

It was altogether too terrible to think about. A world without Professor Dumbledore! How could they carry on without him? Surely he would guide them from beyond, but would they be receptive enough to hear him?

The answer came unbidden to Luna. "We will hear him because we love him."

And at that very moment, a song rose up in the distance - Professor Dumbledore's phoenix singing a lament. It was curiously comforting, much in the same way that the quill's song was comforting. Luna, along with everyone else, stood in rapt silence, listening to the mournful cry echoing across Hogwarts and reverberating inside of her.

Because Neville had slept through all of it, Luna took it on herself to break the news to him the next day. After breakfast, she went back to the hospital wing where Neville still lay asleep. Humming the phoenix song so that he would be eased into the news, she sat and waited for him to awaken.

"Ohhhh," he moaned.

"Madam Pomfrey?" called Luna.

Neville stretched and sat up. His every move was a strain. He looked around, took in where he was, and smiled at Luna. "Thanks for coming."

Madam Pomfrey walked over, so Luna left the room. After a few minutes, Neville called her back.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

"All right," he said, wincing as he reached for the breakfast tray Madam Pomfrey had given him. Neville, the quiet hero. It was just like him to minimize his pain.

He pointed to the curtain around Bill Weasley. "I saw the attack," he whispered. "How is he? Is he going to be a werewolf?"

"Professor Lupin didn't think so," she whispered back.

Luna hummed a little of the phoenix song. Neville stopped eating. Already, he sensed it coming.

"Professor Dumbledore was killed in battle," she said softly.

Neville turned his face to the side to hide his tears. Luna looked down at her hands. She would let him mourn a little before telling him the worst of it. She sang more of the phoenix song. Even Madam Pomfrey stepped out of her station to listen.

Neville dried his eyes with the back of his hand. "How can we possibly win this without him?"

"We have to," said Luna.

Neville looked up at her. "You know, he still visited my parents. So many people - my Mum's own family - just turned their backs and forgot. But he never did."

Luna nodded. She thought of the Pensieve he had shown her. He never forgot Mummy either.

"And sometimes, he'd see me alone and he'd award me points because he said I was laboring under heavier burdens than almost anyone in school."

"He did that for me sometimes, too," said Luna. She hummed a little more phoenix song. "Neville, there's something else. Professor Snape was the one who killed him. Harry saw it."

Neville gave a sudden jump that caused him a big spasm of pain. He swore, then apologized, and said, "The last thing I remember was Harry chasing Snape. Did he get away?"

"Yes."

They sat together in silence for a long while. Luna did not know what to think. Dad knew Professor Snape in school. Dad said he was easily the cleverest wizard in their year, and that year produced some of the greatest wizards Dad had ever known. But even back then, Snape more than just dabbled on the Dark Side, so people kept their distance, all except for Professor Dumbledore. He saw value in befriending that sort of wizard, especially one as clever as Professor Snape. How could Professor Dumbledore, with his vast wisdom, have been so deceived?

Neville remained in the hospital wing for nearly a week. Luna visited him every day, and always for several hours at a time. He had to argue with Madam Pomfrey to be allowed to attend the funeral, but she relented when Luna promised to stay beside him throughout it and get him whatever he needed. He winced as she helped him into his chair, but she didn't realize right away it wasn't only because of physical pain.

"I just saw my Gran a few rows behind us," he said. "I didn't want her to see me like this."

"But you knew she wouldn't miss the funeral," said Luna.

Neville shrugged. He hadn't thought about it. He could be very sloppy in his thinking sometimes.

"I wrote to her that my injuries were really nothing - and they are - but she'll kick up a right fuss when she gets the chance."

"She was proud of you last time we fought the Death Eaters," Luna reminded him. "Perhaps she will be now, too."

Neville shrugged again, but before he could answer, the procession began. Hagrid carried Professor Dumbledore's body through the crowd while the merpeople sang a sad, beautiful melody. A wave of tears overtook everybody, and Luna and Neville were swept right along with it. When the body passed their row, Luna stood up out of respect, but she was the only one of the students who did it.

A speaker began delivering a eulogy, and though Luna tried listening, the speaker seemed to have no feeling for the circumstances. Professor Dumbledore's presence was flitting around, trying to cheer people up. Harry Potter felt it. Sometimes, he would look up, almost smiling. She imagined Professor Dumbledore telling him a joke from the beyond, just the way her mother had said "I love you," so many times when she was mourning.

Luna thought of her fondest memory of Professor Dumbledore - when he had come to her house to console her after her mother's death. He had to question her then, too, which could have been as bad the accident itself, but Professor Dumbledore made certain it would not be. Nobody else could have helped her through such a horrible time with such gentleness and respect.

She thought of her recent visit to his office. How glad she was now to have had that opportunity! If only she could have gone again. Perhaps she might have been braver about the Pensieve. What a repository of wisdom it must be, with all his life's experiences inside it! And to think, he'd put her memory of Mummy's accident into it and continued to revisit it even at the end of his own life. How many mysteries had he solved that way? How many more remained unsolved?

At the end of the speech, they watched the completion of Professor Dumbledore's entry into the next realm. Many of the other students jumped, never having seen anything like it before. Neither Neville nor Luna flinched.

"Goodbye for now," Luna whispered, a tear running down her cheek. "I'll miss you."

Slowly the crowd began to thin out, and when Neville saw that his grandmother was deep in conversation with Professor McGonagall, he let Luna help him out of his chair. While they were waiting, Neville's eyes strayed toward Ginny, who was sitting with Harry Potter. He'd made peace with the idea of them, but he still liked her. Luna couldn't really blame him. She liked Ginny, too. It was pretty much the way Neville felt about Harry.

When somebody called Professor McGonagall away from his grandmother, Neville said, "I . . .uh . . . guess I'll introduce you."

Luna understood why he was reluctant. He was afraid she'd say something that sounded odd to untrained ears.

"He still underestimates me," she thought, "even now."

They passed through several rows of empty chairs to reach Neville's grandmother. She was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief, but as soon as she saw Neville limp, she burst into tears again. "Oh, Neville, you told me your injuries were minor!"

"They are," said Neville. And then hastily, as if to avoid an argument, he said, "Gran, this is my friend Luna Lovegood. She's in Ravenclaw. She just finished her fifth year."

"Very nice to meet you, dear. Too bad it's at such a sad occasion."

"Yes, ma'am," agreed Luna.

"Now that's what I like to see - a young girl with manners," said Mrs. Longbottom. "I noticed you stood up when they carried Albus past you."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Young people just don't do things like that anymore," said Mrs. Longbottom. "Lovegood you say? Your father runs The Quibbler?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"My son used to subscribe."

Neville didn't look entirely comfortable with this information, but Luna smiled.

"You should come and visit Neville over the summer," Mrs. Longbottom went on.

Neville didn't look particularly comfortable with that, either.

"Doesn't he want to see me?" thought Luna in dismay.

But in the next moment, Neville's warm brown eyes were looking into hers reassuringly. "I'll send you an owl," he said. "We'll get together soon."

And then, hobbling along slowly, Neville and his grandmother headed out of Hogwarts. As they walked away, Luna realized it. Neville's grandmother was the very same lady she had seen in Professor Dumbledore's crystal ball.

Luna turned around to look for her father in the row reserved for press wizards. He spotted her instantly, and they walked toward each other.

He clutched her to him tightly. "My sweetie. Oh, my precious Luna," he said over and over again.

But Luna wasn't feeling so sad anymore. She had an invitation to Neville's and she knew Professor Dumbledore was happy for her, even if he had exaggerated about Neville's grandmother.

Suddenly, Professor Dumbledore's spirit felt very close to her. It was the strongest, clearest message she'd had from him yet, and she hadn't expected to get any more after the completion ceremony. But he was near her and happy - laughing, even. And most of all, he was certain that he'd neither exaggerated nor been mistaken about Mrs. Longbottom.