Darkness Falls

Darkness Falls

Act 10

Taken

INT. GRYFFINDOR'S FLAT - HERMIONE'S BEDROOM

Hermione is wearing an odd looking, way-too-bright, yellow dress, and is helping Ginny into an exact duplicate of that dress.

HERMIONE

(under her breath)

These dresses are absolutely horrid!

GINNY

They're not that bad!

HERMIONE

I would never force my bridesmaids

to wear such rubbish.

GINNY

Well, it's Luna's opinion that

counts, and she doesn't seem to

think that they're rubbish.

HERMIONE

I love Luna, but she does have a

rather odd taste in clothes.

Ginny laughs as Hermione zips up the back of her dress. The two women then begin to do last minute work on their hair and makeup.

GINNY (CONT'D)

Aren't you excited though! Two

young lovers starting their lives

together! It's so romantic!

HERMIONE

(smiles)

Yes it is. Though I have to admit

that I did have a hard time

picturing the two of them together

when they first started dating

during our last year.

GINNY

They do compliment each other well

though.

HERMIONE

Yes they do. Neville seems

calmer...more confident, since they

found each other.

(laughs)

Although he seems to have reverted

to his old self today, poor boy.

INT. GRYFFINDOR'S FLAT - NEVILLE'S BEDROOM

Harry and Ron look into the mirror and adjust their scarlet and gold ties. Ron grins in the mirror at Harry.

RON

You know what Harry? We look good!

Harry looks at the reflection in the mirror, of the two gentlemen in dark colored ceremonial wizard robes, and nods appraisingly.

HARRY

We do.

Ron glances over at Neville.

RON

How about it Neville? Do we look

okay?

Neville, who is sitting on the bed, with his head between his knees, looks up and grins weakly. He turns green as he tries to speak. No words come out of his mouth however.

HARRY

Relax Neville. You'll be fine.

RON

Yeah, the wedding will be great,

you'll see!

NEVILLE

I don't know. What if this is a

mistake?

HARRY

Do you really believe that?

Neville shakes his head.

HARRY (CONT'D)

Exactly. You know, deep down in

your heart that this is exactly

what you're supposed to be doing,

that you're exactly where you're

supposed to be.

(pause)

With the love of your life.

Neville grins and the greenish hue leaves his face. He stands and claps Harry on the shoulder.

NEVILLE

Thanks Harry. You always know what

to say.

He walks toward the door.

NEVILLE (CONT'D)

I'm gonna go check on my Gran. I'll

see you guys at The Burrow.

He walks out the door, leaving Ron and Harry to continue getting ready.

HARRY

It was nice of your parents to let

them hold the wedding at The Burrow.

RON

Yeah. Mum's always wanted to have

a wedding there. She was a bit

disappointed when Bill and Fleur

married in France, but she got over

it.

(frowns)

Eventually.

Harry grins and looks over at Ron.

HARRY

So, any wedding plans for you and

Hermione?

Ron's face flushes bright red.

RON

Us? What about you and Ginny?

Harry looks away sadly.

INT. GRYFFINDOR'S FLAT - HERMIONE'S BEDROOM

Hermione looks at Ginny in concern, when Ginny doesn't laugh at the thought of a nervous Neville.

Ginny instead sits down on the bed and looks off into the distance in sadness.

HERMIONE

What's the matter?

GINNY

(sadly)

It's Harry.

HERMIONE

Are things going that badly?

GINNY

That's just it. They aren't going

anywhere. Badly would be an

improvement!

HERMIONE

You know how Harry is. He's

bullheaded about everything. You

just have to give him time. He'll

come around.

GINNY

I've given him almost three years

already! I honestly don't know how

he feels about me.

HERMIONE

He loves you Ginny. I know he does.

GINNY

How? Has he ever told you that?

Has he ever told Ron that?

Hermione sits on the bed next to Ginny.

HERMIONE

Not that I know of. But I do know

this; ever since our fifth year at

Hogwarts, the only times that I

have ever seen Harry truly happy,

are when he flies on his broom,

and when he's with you.

GINNY

Really?

HERMIONE

Really. He's absolutely miserable

when you're not around.

GINNY

(sadly)

I wish I could believe that.

INT. GRYFFINDOR'S FLAT - NEVILLE'S BEDROOM

Ron looks at Harry in concern.

RON

You okay Harry?

HARRY

(sadly)

I think I'm losing Ginny.

RON

(in disbelief)

What? That's rubbish! Ginny's

crazy about you, has been ever since

she met you.

Harry sits down on the bed.

HARRY

I know, but lately, she's been...

distant.

(pause)

I don't know what I'm doing wrong!

RON

Have you tried talking to her about

it?

HARRY

Well, no.

Ron chuckles, and sits next to Harry.

RON

Harry, you have to talk to women.

Ask then what's wrong...that sort

of thing. Make it seem like you're

interested.

HARRY

But I am interested!

RON

I know that, and you know that, but

women...well they need to be shown

these things mate. They need to be

told.

HARRY

Why though?

Ron throws his arms in the air.

RON

I don't know man, because they're

women!

(pause)

Have you at least told her that

you love her?

Harry shakes his head.

RON (CONT'D)

Geez Harry! It's no wonder she's

been distant. She probably thinks

you don't like her!

HARRY

What makes you such an expert all

of a sudden?

RON

Harry, everything I've learned

about women, I've learned from you.

Bloody hell, this is the same

advise you gave me about Hermione!

Harry looks down at the floor.

RON (CONT'D)

Take your own advice for once mate.

Tell Ginny that you love her...

before it's too late.

EXT. THE BURROW - DAY

The sun shines brightly in a cloudless sky, as a hundred people gather in front of a grove of trees on the top of a grassy hill, on the land owned by the Weasley family.

They call it "The Burrow" out of affection. The Weasley family home sits at the bottom of the hill.

Among the crowd are many Hogwarts instructors, and former friends and classmates of Neville and Luna.

Neville's Grandmother sits in the front row, along with other members of Neville's family.

Neville stands in front of an arch of roses, next to Harry, Ron, DEAN THOMAS, and SEAMUS FINNIGIN.

Ginny stands across from them, along with a couple of former Ravenclaw girls from Ginny and Luna's year, all wearing the way-too-yellow dresses.

Underneath the arch stands Albus Dumbledore. He smiles and waves his wand through the air. Music begins to play, and the people take their seats.

They look to the rear expectantly, as a young girl carrying flowers, makes her way forward, dropping flower petals as she comes.

Hermione Granger comes next, dressed in her way-too-yellow dress, and carrying a bouquet of flowers in her hands.

The crowd gasps in awe as Luna Lovegood walks down the aisle, looking radiant in a dress as white as new fallen snow. Her father, an old, weathered looking Wizard, escorts her down the aisle.

Neville stands next to Dumbledore and watches her come, lost in the moment.

Luna reaches Neville, and they take hands. They turn to face Dumbledore, who smiles broadly.

DUMBLEDORE

Marriage, is a sacred institution,

that should not be entered into

lightly.

(pause)

I have had the distinct pleasure

of watching these two young people

grow into the man and woman that

now stand before you, and I can

honestly say, that they have never

rushed into anything, and have

always taken the time to think

things through.

(pause)

So I can tell you, with absolute

certainty, that this is the best

decision that they could have made.

Ron and Hermione, standing on opposite sides of Neville and Luna, glance at each other and blush.

DUMBLEDORE (CONT'D)

Now, I must ask, if anyone does not

wish this man and woman to be

married, to speak now.

(looks around)

No one? Good.

The crowd chuckles.

DUMBLEDORE (CONT'D)

Neville, do you take Luna Aureus

Lovegood, to be your lawfully

wedded wife, to have and to hold,

from this day forward, for as long

as you both shall live?

Neville looks deep into Luna's large eyes as he slips the ring onto Luna's finger.

NEVILLE

I do.

Harry glances at Ginny and smiles. She does not smile in return. They turn back to the front in sadness.

DUMBLEDORE

(smiles)

And do you, Luna, take Neville

Franklin Longbottom, to be your

lawfully wedded husband, to have

and to hold, from this day forward,

as long as you both shall live?

Luna slips Neville's ring onto his finger.

LUNA

(serenely)

I do.

Dumbledore stretches his arms out to the side, and smiles broadly.

DUMBLEDORE

Then by the power vested in me, by

the Ministry of Magic, and as

Supreme Mugwump of the

International Confederation of

Wizards...

He raises his wand and waves it gently at Neville and Luna. A pale blue light begins to glow around Neville and Luna, as Dumbledore applies a unity charm.

DUMBLEDORE (CONT'D)

I now pronounce you, husband and

wife!

(pause)

You may kiss the bride!

Neville and Luna smile contentedly and lean forward to kiss.

They pull back suddenly, as dense black clouds suddenly block out the sun.

A cold wind suddenly kicks up, and the day suddenly turns to night.

Screams are heard in the darkness, and chaos breaks out as people flee in all directions.

RED SPARKS illuminate the night, and people are launched from their seats as several stunning spells hit them.

GREEN LIGHT FLASHES brightly in the darkness, and an entire row of people are killed by the Death Curse, as it yelled from the darkness by a distinctly female voice.

DUMBLEDORE

(booming)

Expecto Patronum!

A wisp of silvery light leaps out of Albus Dumbledore's wand and chases a group of Dementors away.

Similar lights appear out of Harry and Ron's wands, as well as Neville's.

Remus Lupin, Minerva McGonagall, and the Weasley twins then join in the fray, and chase the rest of the Dementors away. Daylight returns as the darkness is pealed away.

Bodies litter the ground, most stunned, some dead.

ARTHUR

(out of breath)

Albus! Albus! What happened?

Arthur Weasley stumbles up to Dumbledore.

ARTHUR (CONT'D)

What happened? How did they get

past our defenses?

Dumbledore looks around in righteous anger.

DUMBLEDORE

It has begun Arthur. And Voldemort

has struck the first blow!

Dumbledore spots Harry, and his shoulders relax slightly when he sees that Harry is unharmed. He turns back to Arthur.

DUMBLEDORE (CONT'D)

You must return to the Ministry...

Molly Weasley looks around, making sure all of her children are accounted for.

She sees Fred and George, helping some of their injured friends.

She sees Ron looking around in shock, but otherwise unhurt.

Percy is helping Penelope to her feet, while Bill and Fleur are in a heated discussion with a group of Aurors. Charlie is still in Romania, and is not there.

She looks around for Ginny, but cannot find her.

MOLLY

Ginny? Ginny?

She looks around, growing more frantic when she does not see her daughter.

Harry looks around, suddenly realizing that Ginny is no longer there.

Ron rushes up to Harry and grabs him by the arm.

RON

Harry! Where's Hermione? Have you

seen her?

HARRY

No. I...

Harry notices Neville, who is on his knees, and sobbing, clutching a dead body in his hands.

HARRY (CONT'D)

Neville?

Neville does not answer. Harry sees who the body belongs to, and looks down sadly.

HARRY (CONT'D)

I'm sorry Neville.

Neville continues to sob, holding tightly to the body of his Grandmother.

Dumbledore and McGonagall step up beside Harry and Ron, along with Arthur and Molly Weasley, and Remus Lupin.

NEVILLE

(sobbing)

It was Bellatrix Lestrange...I saw

her.

(pause)

She's taken Luna.

Ron lets out a curse, which goes unnoticed at Mrs. Weasley's sharp intake of breath. She puts her hands to her mouth and looks at Arthur Weasley in shock.

MOLLY

Oh no! They've taken the girls!

Arthur, they've got Ginny!

The group looks at each other in shock as the news sinks in.

Dumbledore puts his arm around McGonagall's shoulder as she removes her glasses and wipes the tears from her eyes.