Twelve Dark Moons

Chapter Two

Butterfly in a Net

'It's a big day ahead,' said Harry Potter. He wore the bright red robes of an Auror, as well as the gold phoenix-shaped badge that denoted a member of the Order. His hair stood up like a shock of black and Luna could see the infamous scar in its angry shape on his forehead. 'We've all noticed the increasing boldness of the Death Eaters. Voldemort,' (everybody winced) 'has consolidated his forces and he's gone on the offensive.' Harry looked to Hermione Granger to continue the briefing.

'We've found an important artefact,' Hermione said. 'The cup belonging to Helga Hufflepuff.'

Luna tilted her head, half-listening. Last year, the Trio had put the Order on alert for strange magical artefacts, especially antiquities associated with the founders of Hogwarts. They gave no reasons, as it was another one of those 'need-to-know' basis things, but they breached their tight triplet of security to enlist the others' awareness. Ginny seemed to know what it was about (Luna suspected pillow-talk, a term she had always loved, as it sounded so light and soft) but the rest of the Order asked no questions as to the treasure hunt.

'Soon we will be able to go after Voldemort directly,' Hermione continued. 'In the meantime, we must protect our territory. Our inside source indicates that the next Death Eater attack might occur on Beauxbatons Academy, which is still open.'

Murmured disapproval sounded around the room. It was a low blow to attack students, but Headmistress Maxime's known allegiance to Dumbledore guaranteed the insecurity of her school. Furthermore, Death Eater activity had spread to the European continent like a stain of dark ink, seeping into wizarding communities everywhere. The scope of the war was widening by the month.

'The French Ministry is aware of the threat,' said Harry, 'but typically, they're being slow to act. We need to consider sending a contingent to protect Beauxbatons and maybe capture some Death Eaters. On such a large-scale attack, Voldemort will send at least one ringleader. If we can catch a big fish, like Bellatrix Lestrange or Fenrir Greyback, then...' Harry grinned, and it looked vicious.

Luna shivered. She did not like magical combat, but she could hold her own.

Bill Weasley raised a hand. 'What kind of numbers are we talking about, to defend Beauxbatons?'

Luna looked at Bill for a moment as he asked the question. She was sure she was alone in thinking the terrible scars across his once-handsome face actually suited his rugged personality. But then, Luna's idea of beauty was different from other people's.

'I think at least twenty of us, to add to the natural defences of the school,' Ron Weasley spoke up, also in the bright red robes that made his carrot-coloured hair look ridiculous.

As soon as he said it, Luna knew she would be among the defence team. Time was like a road, and sometimes the road was clear ahead, and other times foggy. Luna preferred fog.

'What's the date of the expected attack?' asked an elderly man named Daedalus Diggle.

'Two days from now, according to the source,' said Hermione.

For a moment, Luna wondered about this mysterious 'source' inside Voldemort's camp. Hermione especially cited him or her often, and the Order always acted on what the 'source' said, to their benefit. Luna imagined it was a dangerous position, to balance what the Order knew against what Voldemort suspected. A light of dawning realization crossed Luna's face: she knew who the source must be! It must be one of those Animagi! Perhaps the person turned into a tiny bug, and flew around Voldemort's head and listened to his orders, and then reported back. That made sense, especially after that reporter, Rita Skeeter, was a bug. She could not be the only witch in the world able to turn into an insect.

Luna then wondered what she would be if she were a bug. A butterfly, or no, one of those white and black lacy sphinx moths with the pretty antennae. But would she turn into a bug if she were an Animagus? Luna doubted it. She would want to be a bird, flighty and free but with bones inside her body.

The meeting dispersed from the big front sitting room, and Luna took her lunch with Ginny. She liked Ginny Weasley a lot. Ginny had been a friend to her, and defended her against the teasing that accompanied Luna's experience at Hogwarts. Luna had only gotten to know Ginny well in third year, since for the first two years at school the redhead had been shy and withdrawn. Luna knew of Voldemort's diary and its possession of Ginny, because she paid attention more than people gave her credit for.

They were alike, then, Ginny and Luna: both had seen things that should have been above their young eyes.

'I want to be on the team at Beauxbatons,' said Ginny, as they sat at the big kitchen table. She stabbed a slice of tomato with her fork.

'Will you be?' asked Luna.

'Dunno. Harry always tries to protect me. But I'm one of the best duellers,' said Ginny.

'I think he prefers you as a girl,' Luna said.

Ginny looked at her, startled. Then she laughed. 'That's true.'

Luna looked down at her own plate of chips, lightly salted. She did not hold an appetite today, but that was usual. Luna ate like a bird, little bits and nibbles at a time, and she never was able to sit down for a whole, heavy meal. She got distracted from hunger by other thoughts and concerns, and eating seemed such a dense thing to do. Surely a true witch would able to transcend the need for common sustenance.

In spite of herself, she picked up a chip and bit down on it, chewing thoughtfully. 'I'll take Abacus with me to France. I think he'll like it, don't you?'

'I'm sure he will,' said Ginny. Her tone bordered indulgent, and like the wave of an unpleasant smell, the thought occurred to Luna that everyone looked down on her. Even her friends in the Order of whom she was such a keen observer did not see the knowledge behind Luna's eyes, the method behind the madness. Luna was not crazy, nor was she as absent-minded as everyone seemed to think. She just looked at things in a different way, from a higher-up vantage point. The world was magic to Luna Lovegood, and she saw no reason to disguise her wonder, her curiosity, her unique mind.

'Do you know who the 'source' is?' Luna asked.

'Nope,' said Ginny, shaking her head. Ginny could have been lying, but Luna did not think so. She had been lied to many times by people her own age, and by now she could tell when someone was untruthful with her. There were little signs: a darting of the eyes, a clench of the fingers, a moment's hesitation before answering. Ginny showed none of these telltale indications, but Luna also knew Ginny was a very good liar. 'I keep trying to get Harry to tell me, but he clams up about it,' Ginny said.

'Oh well,' said Luna. That further strengthened her theory about the buzzing insect Animagus. Perhaps it was Harry himself! Luna sometimes thought he could pass for a bug, with those fun shiny eyeglasses. How extraordinary!

'Yeah, it's probably best not to know,' said Ginny. 'It makes it that much easier to play dumb and pay attention.' She flashed Luna a wicked grin, and Luna smiled back.

They finished lunch and Hermione Granger came into the kitchen, a large roll of parchment in her hands. 'The roster for the Beauxbatons team,' she said. 'I've posted the official copy in the sitting room.'

'Am I on it?' Ginny asked.

Hermione sighed with her familiar impatience. 'No.'

'I knew it,' Ginny grumbled. 'Hermione, can't you tell Harry I'm not a porcelain doll?'

Hermione quirked her lips up. 'Guys. You know how they can be. Besides, there's something more important coming up than this Beauxbatons thing. If Voldemort is sending a bulk of his forces there, it will be a perfect time for us to go on the offensive. We have an even more important job to do.'

'Oh!' Ginny said, brightening up.

'You know what I mean,' Hermione added meaningfully.

'So you think one of his -'

'Never mind!' Hermione snapped, glancing over at Luna.

Luna regarded the bushy-haired girl with cool eyes. Hermione Granger was quite self-important in her knowledge, Luna felt. She was quick to judge and slow to change her mind. Every time Luna had a good idea, Hermione shot it down, unless it was a super-good idea and someone else spoke up to advocate it, like Ginny or Harry or Professor Lupin. But Luna did not get hard feelings. She held no grudge against Hermione, and unless Luna could be Hermione for a day and see what it was like, there was no place for judgment.

True to her intuition, Luna saw her name printed on the Beauxbatons roster upstairs. She was one of a list of eighteen Order members, including Tonks, Neville Longbottom, Bill and Fleur Weasley, Charlie Weasley, and Professor McGonagall. They would leave tomorrow. Since inter-continental Apparition was not easily done, the Order would travel by the Floo Network into Beauxbatons Academy, except for Luna who planned to take Abacus. That night, the team met to discuss their strategy, the layout of Beauxbatons for those who had never seen it, and to review their protocols.

'We aim to capture, not kill,' said Mad-Eye Moody, the team leader. Luna loved to watch his magical eye spin in its merry way. 'Although, if you kill a Death Eater, no one will think the worse of you.' He cleared his throat and gave an unpleasant expression of mirth as though he would much rather kill a Death Eater than capture one. 'Teams of two, remember. The buddy system.'

Neville, next to Luna, nodded resolutely. They were always partners on missions.

Together they looked over the map of Beauxbatons. They agreed to take the position in the forest. Luna liked forests, so she was pleased with the decision. She felt confident with Neville, and they had worked together so often over the past two years that there was little need for chattering conversation. When Luna made her peculiar observations, Neville just listened, and that was all Luna wanted. He was one of her closest friends.

By the time they were ready to leave for Beauxbatons Academy, the other Order members had dispersed on other missions, leaving 12 Grimmauld Place nearly empty. Luna had bid goodbye to Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, none of whom indicated where they were going. That was yesterday, and today Luna packed a small knapsack with enough clothes for the three days she expected to be gone in France. To her satchel she added a rope of fresh garlic, as everyone knew there were vampires in the south of France. She also put in a sprig of preserved mint, because she liked the smell, and a little hand-opening fan made of sandalwood. She took her favourite red high heels, and around her neck she wore a burnished silver skull medallion that her father brought her from Tibet. It was from an ancient wizarding family there, a gift to the Lovegood family, and it brought good luck for meeting one's true destiny.

The Order convened in the sitting room. They would go one-by-one through an instantaneously-opened Floo connection direct into the Beauxbatons castle. Madame Maxime would be waiting for them. Luna, as the only exception, waited until half the team was gone in the green flames before she floated out the front door and summoned Abacus with the jet of indigo light.

True as ever, the Thestral showed up in a few moments' time, and snorted with delight as Luna procured a handful of sugar cubes for him. His soft velvet nose nuzzled her hand in search of the tasty sweet squares, and Luna patted the deathly horse on the head. 'We're going to France today, Abacus,' she told him. 'Beauxbatons Academy.'

He pawed at the concrete, acknowledging the destination. Luna mounted the black creature and they were off into the sky, concealed and free.

********

September, the Harvest Moon

********

It was a clear day across Europe, and the top of the sky was painted with the merest wisps of white clouds. The sun shone through the little ripples of white, bathing the land in the orange heat of autumn. Luna and Abacus swooped around through the air, enjoying their ride, and Luna sang songs aloud, her voice carrying away from her at the high speed of flight. It took two hours to reach their destination, and Abacus whinnied in his strange, reedy tones as they veered down toward the magnificent white chateau that housed the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.

Luna felt the pressure of waves of anti-Apparition wards around the school, and they slowed down to get through the barriers. Luna alit from Abacus's back in front of the tall front doors of the school, and Mad-Eye Moody met her there.

'I don't know why you insist on doing everything differently, Miss Lovegood,' Moody growled. His spinning eye regarded the Thestral with mistrust.

'Abacus is very loyal,' said Luna. 'And he likes to fly, so when else would I get to exercise him?'

'Hmm,' Moody said. 'Come on, then. Longbottom's waiting for you.'

'You can go off and graze now, Abacus,' Luna said to her Thestral. 'I'll call you if I need you. Thanks for the lift!'

With interest, Luna looked around the halls of the school as she and Moody walked along. It was very elegant, all white and blue and gold. Several pieces of priceless antique furniture dotted the corridors, along with cases full of shining trophies and student awards. Luna wondered what it would have been like to go to school here. Back in third year, when the Beauxbatons students had imposed on the hospitality of Ravenclaw House during the Tri-Wizard tournament, Luna's impression had been that they were snobby. But perhaps that was because the exchange students were all in sixth and seventh year, and older students always intimidated.

Now, the school corridors were empty, but Luna knew there were students on the grounds. It was the only wizarding school open in Europe, since Hogwarts had closed and Durmstrang had been converted into a Death Eater training camp. They met up with the rest of the Order in the vast dining hall, a room with pale wood parquet floorboards and tall arched windows.

'The source said that the attack might take place tonight,' said Minerva McGonagall, who stood dwarfed by the Headmistress of Beauxbatons, Madame Maxime. 'Therefore, the students will be in lockdown, protected by French Ministry Aurors. Our job is to patrol the grounds and try to capture the spearhead of the Death Eater attack.'

Luna then realised who McGonagall reminded her of: Hermione Granger. They were alike in manner and mind, rational and rule-abiding and sharp. Luna sat back, satisfied, and twirled a lock of her long hair with her fingers.

'Be on the ready,' added Moody. 'If our theory is right, and one of the top lieutenants shows up to lead the attack, then I want them alive! You all know why!' He made an incoherent growling noise, like a mad dog. Luna felt that Moody was unnecessarily enthusiastic about using Unforgivable Curses on Death Eaters.

For several hours, Luna and Neville wandered the grounds, wands brandished. All was silent in the soft French countryside. Their task was to guard part of the forest, and to be in place by eight in the evening. They took their time wandering around, and Neville pointed out all sorts of interesting plants to Luna. 'That's the Speaking Sparrowroot,' he said, indicating a small, closed up flower. 'It only talks during the full moon. It's governed by lunar cycles.'

'Like me!' said Luna. Her fingers found the skull medallion around her neck, and she moved it to and fro, thinking of her father and how her parents had named her after the big pretty disc that glowed in the night sky.

'We should get to our post,' said Neville.

'Mmm,' said Luna. Her feet took her wandering toward the beech forest. In her pocket, she felt her satchel that had been Reduced to miniature for the journey. She had forgotten to put it away in her guest room. Twilight turned to night in a matter of moments, and the near-full moon rose to illuminate their way with little dancing white patches on the forest floor. Luna thought of Professor Lupin, who must be getting antsy at this time of the month. He was almost like a woman, she thought, with his monthly debilitations, and Luna decided that Tonks must be fortunate to have a man who understood what it was like.

As she and Neville walked through this other school forest, like and yet unlike their own Forbidden Forest, Luna was overcome with a sense of déjà vu. Normally she relished the sensation, and for her it was common. She got the peculiar 'time ahead of itself' feeling quite often, at least once a week. Tonight, however, the impression of looming inevitability overwhelmed Luna.

'Stop,' she said to Neville. All was silent apart from their breath, in the beech forest made silver by moonlight.

'What is it, Luna?' Neville asked. He sounded concerned.

'I don't know,' she said. 'I have déjà vu.'

'Oh,' he said.

'Where are the others?' she asked. Luna had lost track of where they were, relative to the rest of the Order.

'Well, Tonks and Charlie Weasley are over there,' Neville said, pointing through the forest. 'At least,' he squinted, 'they were there. I can't see them.'

Luna fell silent, listening. She could hear nothing, but her internal alarm sounded danger. The feeling of déjà vu intensified. Luna took a deep breath and tried to focus, to tap into the precognition and see what was about to happen. In a moment, Neville would trip over a root and stumble. Luna would ask if he was all right. There would be a scream, far away, then a pop, and then a group of masked terrors materialising in the night...

'Oh!' she sighed.

'Let's check up on the others,' Neville suggested. They kept walking through the forest. 'Ooomph!' Neville said, falling forward a little with the snap of a twig.

'Are you all right?' Luna asked, despising the foreknowledge. She gripped her wand tighter.

'Yeah,' said Neville.

One moment later, they heard a scream through the trees. Luna never discovered who it was. With a pop, and another pop, and another, the forest filled with dark hooded figures that advanced in a circle on Luna and Neville. There were so many of them, at least fifty, and with a sinking dread Luna realised they did not stand a chance. Even if the other members of the Order repelled the attack, she and Neville would be casualties.

'Luna!' Neville said. The panic was in his voice, for even in their combat experiences, they had never been so outnumbered by the Death Eaters.

'Is that Longbottom?' a woman's voice cackled.

Luna's heart raced, and she watched, frozen, as the forest was blackened by the cloaked Death Eaters, stark against the white-silver sheen of the beech bark. Her blood pulsed through her veins, so hard that Luna was amazed her skin did not burst apart with the pressure. She was not so worried for herself, but she did not want anything bad to happen to Neville. He was her friend, and very few people counted as Luna Lovegood's friends. They were rare and precious to her.

With a quick mutter of an incantation, Luna sent up the indigo light that would summon Abacus, if he was not already on his way to them. The Thestral had its own queer sense of Luna's emotional state, and her fear would draw him to her.

'Get them,' said one of the Death Eaters.

Then the forest exploded into wild jets of light, screamed curses hurled this way and that, shields and hexes and Stunning spells that ricocheted through the trees. In some vague part of her mind, Luna was aware that Tonks and Charlie had shown up, and she hurled Protego spells around herself and Neville in anticipation of reinforcements. An Imperius Curse flew through the air towards her, and she dodged it with millimeters to spare.

'Avada Kedavra!' she heard one of the Death Eaters scream. A terrible green glow filled the air and Luna watched as it went toward Neville...

'No!' she shouted. She reached out and yanked Neville out of the way.

'Stupefy!' Neville retorted back at the Death Eater, and the figure fell, Stunned, to the forest floor. 'Thanks,' he said to Luna.

'Sure,' she said, out of breath. 'Expelliarmus!' A Death Eater's wand flew into her hand and she pocketed it. She put up a good fight, taking every higher thought, every rapid-fire impulse she had ever possessed and channeling her power into the battle before her. Next to her, Neville shot spells left and right. But the odds were against them. There were too many Death Eaters, and Luna felt herself tiring.

As a miracle of dark salvation, Luna heard Abacus's wings above her, just in the nick of time. 'Come on!' she shouted to Neville.

'No, let's Apparate away!' Neville said. 'We're past the wards, I can feel it!'

Luna hesitated. If they Apparated, they could regroup with the others and rejoin the battle. She heard Neville stop casting next to her as he prepared to disappear. But what about Abacus?

She glanced up, and her loyal Thestral hovered mere feet above her head, waiting. 'You go!' she said to Neville.

'Luna!' he yelled.

But she was already up on Abacus's back, and below her she saw Neville Longbottom disappear into safety with a pop. 'Go, Abacus, fly!' she commanded. They were up and over the trees, soaring along the top of the forest, and Luna thought she was in the clear. She breathed a sigh of relief. She still had that unknown Death Eater's wand in her pocket.

It was Abacus who warned her, as he neighed and tossed his scraggly black mane back and forth. Luna glanced behind them, and her eyes widened. Flying in a wide 'V' formation was a pack of Welsh Green dragons, their long necks stretched out in attack position. Their eyes and teeth were golden-white, and smoke issued forth out of their flared nostrils as they flew in pursuit. This was bad news; it meant that Voldemort had won the loyalty of the dragons. Luna whispered to Abacus, 'Into the forest!'

They dipped suddenly, and the flying pair raced through the forest, dodging through tree trunks at breakneck speed. Luna kept her body down close to Abacus so as not to be knocked off his back by the tree limbs. She heard the dragons huffing and roaring above the trees, but they were too large to pursue the Thestral and his girl rider into the forest.

Luna lost track of where they went, how many dips and turns and circles through the silver-dappled trees. She considered Apparating mid-air, but she was not sure that Thestrals (or any large magical creature) could side-along Apparate.

It became a moot point then, because right in front of Luna, a network of tiny ropes appeared in the air to entangle Abacus and bring him tumbling down to the ground, throwing Luna forward about fifteen feet into the air. She landed with a rolling thud on the ground and lay back, the wind knocked out of her. She heard Abacus's high-pitched screams of protest, and her heart again thumped in her ears, but Luna was momentarily paralysed. With care she wriggled her fingers, then her toes, and turned her head to glance toward her Thestral.

At least a dozen Death Eaters surrounded the creature, binding it with ropes, and two more turned in her direction and started walking. The sight galvanised Luna into action, and she took one more deep breath and willed herself to rise up. Her muscles objected, but Luna did not listen. She stumbled a few times, then started to run. She brought out her wand. 'Apparate!' she commanded. She felt an uncomfortable pinch around her midriff, but nothing happened. She must have re-entered the Beauxbatons wards.

Instead, she ran. Tiny tree branches reached out like fingers to grab at her, and Luna was reminded of that dream she'd had a few nights ago, of a forest much like this one. At least she was not bleeding yet. And she wore black, not white. Luna's light feet took her fast through the trees, but the occasional glance behind her revealed a dark shape moving through the trees in hot pursuit. She ran faster, willing her long legs to move, move, move!

'Incarcerous!' The voice was closer behind her than Luna realised. She felt the strict bindings wrap around her torso, pinning her arms, and she fell onto the soft ground. She was trapped, and she struggled against the ropes like a madwoman, but it was in vain.

The last thing Luna heard was a harsh laugh coming from the dark figure. The figure said something. Then a fuzzy darkness intruded on her vision, and the world went black.