Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling though I would love to be! She's amazing!!

A cold wind swept outskirts of Ottery St Catchpole and blew the dirty blond hair of a teenage girl to either side of her face. These were dark times and the girl knew that she should not have been outside. Approaching a large mansion, the girl wearing what looked like a necklace of butterbeer corks and radish earrings went through the heavy spells and into her house.

Luna Lovegood. That’s what her few friends knew her by. That’s what her teachers knew her by. That’s what her father knew her by.

Mr Lovegood was the editor of the recent best-selling wizard magazine in the UK – the Quibbler. Unfortunately for Luna, this meant less time spent with her father and more time spent feeling lonely and rejected. She didn’t mind though because that was the type of girl Luna was – understanding, down-to-earth, often lonely, opinionated and even slightly weird in her own special way.

Most of these traits were gained from her father. Alair Lovegood was what he was known as, a happy man full of love and good. His real name, however, was Aristoteles, which was the name of a very severe critic in the past. Mr. Lovegood felt distanced from this name though because he felt that he was nothing like a critic, just a man who spoke what he believed and that was that.

For years now he had looked after Luna on his own while trying his best to run a well-grounded magazine. Now that Luna was approaching the end of her fifth-year, Alair felt that it was alright to leave her on her own. Until Dumbledore died.

Nobody knew how close Aristoteles ‘Alair’ Lovegood was towards Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. In fact, Dumbledore was almost like his father. Alair had attended his funeral along with his daughter and been very emotional throughout.

It’s alright to feel upset, after all, you were very close to him. After Amabella died, you only had him and Luna left. He looked after you when both your parents were killed by Death Eaters and accepted your dreams and thoughts as those of a very clever man. He got you to where you a today, a successful and happy man, and you should be nothing but grateful to him. And you are.

“Dad?� Luna’s voice brought him back to where he was. I keep forgetting that her school year has finished.

“Luna, dear, how have you been doing? I’m so sorry that I have been working so much recently, it’s just that…� he trailed of.

“It’s alright, Dad,� a broad grin was coming across Luna’s face. “I just wanted to ask you if it was ok with you if I went over to my friend, Ginny Weasley’s house for a couple of nights. She contacted me with Floo powder and said that if you said ‘yes’ that she and her mum would come to pick me up. She’s a really sweet girl; she’s nice to me and everything. And, well, I’ve never been to her house before.� Luna became quieter, “Come to think of it, I’ve never been to any friends’ house before…�

“Of course, darling. Just… keep safe. You know with all the attacks happening recently, I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to you,� replied Luna’s father. “And tell Molly that I will drop you. No need for her to waste good Floo powder when I get bag loads for free. We will also be able to attend her eldest son’s wedding in a week’s time. I hear that Hagrid is coming, I’ll be able to ask him about the furrowed-cross-weasels.�

With that, Luna gave her father a tight hug and scurried away leaving him to himself again. Thinking.

If only life was like how it used to be. Now it’s just Luna and me, and I worry every night that soon it might only be one of us. If so, I hope Luna lives. I don’t think that I could live without her. She’s so … Luna. The perfect daughter for me and the only one I have ever wished for.

He thought about his wife. How Amabella Greyback, yes Greyback, lived her life. Always with a smile on her face until her brother, Fenrir, was bitten by a werewolf and changed completely. He threatened her and her family saying that he would bite his daughter. So they fled and went into hiding. Greyback soon gave up his hunt and reconciled his sister. Then she died. The Lovegoods hadn’t spoken to him since.

Alair remembered that day so well but would never try to recall it. He never wanted to accept the fact that she was gone. Inside he actually knew that she wasn’t.

Luna had always told her father that her mother was still there. Still living. She said that all those magical folk who were killed, even by the killing curse, remained alive yet concealed. Her hopes had been confirmed that night in the Department of Mysteries. She had heard her mother’s voice behind the veil. The one where so many lives were hidden behind. Even Mr. Lovegood did not know that it was Luna’s aim to find a way to save all those lives. That was just the kind of girl she was though.

Slowly, Alair brought himself back to reality and lifted himself to go and look outside the window. He glanced around the dark and solemn view. His eyes skimmed every house and suddenly they landed on one house in particular. He stood there for a moment, convincing himself that he had not just seen what he thought. He looked there again and there it was, emitting green light into all directions. A skull with a slithering snake protruding from its mouth. The Dark Mark was towering high, meaning that someone had just been killed.

Everything that was clear a minute ago suddenly turned hazy. Alair Lovegood felt dizzy, as if he was going to fall. He wanted this so much to be a nightmare. Unfortunately for him, it was though a living one. Why does this have to happen so soon after Dumbledore’s death? Nobody to protect us now, that’s why. His mind jumped to his daughter. Where is she?

“Luna? Luna?� The panicking voice of Alair echoed throughout the large Lovegood living-room. The reflection of the Dark Mark shone brightly in his eyes, making them look an intense emerald green. His eyes began to resemble those of Harry Potter.

“Luna, honey, where are you?� Alair’s voice was shaking profoundly at the thought of losing his daughter. His only love. Please, not my baby.

“Dad, I’m here. What’s wr-� Luna’s sentence was stopped half-way by her sudden realisation of what was going on. She looked from her father to the dark mark and tears began to flow from her eyes. Luna knew what this meant, and all at once, a thousand questions exploded in her head. Her mind was racing as if in a competition.

“Daddy,� she said, using this sudden term of endearment, “what…who...� Luna couldn’t quite finish what she was going to say. The shock of another death had hit her, and she had a wild suspicion as to who Voldemort had gotten this time. “Dad, we have to go. I think I know who it is. Who You-Know-Who has gotten this time.� The grief in her eyes was clear and even though her voice was slightly shaking, she seemed confident nonetheless.

“Luna, honestly, it’s not safe for us to leave the house. He’s here. He’s in this area,� Alair, though determined not to leave the house, seemed curious to know who it was. Which life they had lost this time. “Luna, tell me who you think it is. I’ll tell the Minister right away and he’ll-�

Alair was interrupted by a now desperate Luna. “What makes you think that it’s any safer in here than it is out there? We’re in danger, wherever we are. What if he’s looking for us? What if he knows that we’re here? Dad, we need to go to the Weasley’s. It’s not any of them and I can’t tell you who it is right now. Please, dad, trust me?� Luna was now close to tears with extreme anxiety.

“Fine, if you’re sure,� Alair conceded. He looked outside once more and began to walk towards the door. Luna wore a troubled yet victorious look on her face. This is what she had to do. They each grabbed their coats in a hurry and left, heading towards the Weasley household.

Meanwhile, Mrs Weasley was staring out of her window, with a bright red nose and crystal tears streaming down her face. The Weasley family (apart from Percy), Harry and Hermione were all in the living-room, all looking scared, all knowing that they were in serious danger.

The unique Weasley Family clock had all its hands pointed towards mortal peril. These were dangerous times and Mrs Weasley, more than anyone else, wanted her family to be together and safe. She was waiting to hear from Percy, fearing that they had taken him. She sighed and went to sit down next to Ron.

As Mr Lovegood and Luna approached the door of the Weasley’s house, the idea of security suddenly occurred to Alair. They had to get inside immediately, otherwise-

“What on earth are you doing out here, Alair? Get in! Quickly!� Mr Weasley ushered the Lovegood’s inside his house with caution. The Ministry would not approve of taking in anyone who was wandering the street but this was an emergency. They must know why we’re here, Luna thought to herself.

Throughout the past few weeks of her summer holidays, Luna could not stop thinking of a possible death in their area. The thought crept into her head every so often but she kept denying that this was going to happen. She knew, however, that if You-Know-Who was going to strike, it would be on this person in particular.

“Molly, look who I found outside. Alair and Luna were just there, standing outside our house-� Arthur said until interrupted.

“Luna, you know who it is, don’t you? We all had that same feeling.� Harry Potter’s voice was anything but calm. For a boy who was allegedly going to go face to face with the Dark Lord himself, he seemed just as nervous as everyone else in the room.

Luna scanned her surroundings. Arthur Weasley and her dad were behind her, standing head to head with looks of paranoia on their faces. Molly Weasley had been crying, understandably. Hermione Granger, who had for a long time been close to the Weasley family, was sitting there, shaking. Ron, Ginny, Charlie, Bill and his wife, Fleur, were all staring at Luna and Alair with an I’ve-just-seen-a-ghost look.

Luna looked from Harry, to the Weasleys and then to her father and said, “I said that I would tell you who I thought it was didn’t I, Dad? Well, before I say anything, I just need to confirm a few things.� She looked at Mrs Weasley, “Is your house secure?�

“As safe as you’ll get these days, honey. Hogwarts is one of the only other places that’s safer,� Mrs Weasley said genuinely with a kind, motherly look on her face. Luna nodded and continued.

“Ron, Ginny, have you two told your parents who you think…� Luna became quieter by the second. The two red-heads shook their heads implying that they hadn’t and Luna, once again, carried on.

“Mr Weasley, do you know where your son is right now?�

“My sons are all here,� Arthur Weasley was breathless, “…except for Percy.�