She was gone. Every morning he woke up and realized it again. For six months that had been his first thought of the day. People had told him he would get over her death, with time, but they didn’t understand. He was inseparably tied to her. Her absence wasn’t something he could get over.

Nothing anyone said or did could make the pain less sharp. He saw her everywhere. As the sunlight streamed through his window, he visualized the vibrancy of her hair with its rays upon it. As he opened his cupboard to look for food to eat, he couldn’t help but imagine the way it had looked before, stacked full with her favorite snacks. Even the bland oatmeal he consumed reminded him of her, and the faces she’d make when he prepared it.

He went walking. It was a habit he’d gotten into. There was something blessedly numbing about being surrounded by people, each absorbed in their own lives and paying no attention to the silent man walking by. It was late October and the wind was bitter as it stirred the dead leaves around his feet. A flutter of white caught his eye – hanging outside a nearby shop was a big-eyed, open-mouthed spectre, its crepe paper body buffeted in the breeze.

For a moment, he just stared. Then he moaned softly, the sound as other-worldly as if it had come from the ghost itself. He knew that she wasn’t a ghost – she wouldn’t have chosen that path. But if only she had....

Suddenly he was moving again, weaving around the children who escaped from their parents, screaming wildly in laughter. There was a subtle difference in his walk now. He stepped with purpose, determination etched into his very gait. But, just as no one paid any mind to the man when he wandered aimlessly through the town, he was still largely ignored. It was almost a pity, really. If anyone had been watching him, they would have had the unexpected treat of seeing him disappear into thin air.

*-o-*-o-*

It was raining in Wiltshire. He blinked the water out of his eyes and peered through the mist. Malfoy Manor was a few hundred meters away. That was his destination.

Under normal circumstances, he would be nervous to just step up to the front door and knock, but a fire had been set inside him and it consumed all other feelings. He waited impatiently, listening to the sound of the rain on the nearby fountain. Finally the door opened.

It was apparent Draco Malfoy was surprised, but he recognized his visitor. He blinked, then asked politely, “May I help you?�

“I need to look in your library,� was the reply.

Draco’s eyes narrowed. The Malfoy library was often discussed – quietly, now that the son, at least, was cleared of charges – as a repository of Dark knowledge. If he wanted to look in there, he must be after something he couldn’t find in a normal library. That is, if the rumors about the Malfoy library were indeed true.

The look on Draco’s face didn’t look promising. But after a moment the door opened wider. “Come in,� Draco muttered. “It must be important if you you need to go in there.�

There didn’t seem a need to reply After all, it was important.

“Mensy will give you any assistance you require,� Draco told him, ushering him into the library. “And – you may show yourself out when you’re through.� Draco shut the door.

Mensy was very old – her face had wizened into a permanent scowl. She glared blearily as she asked, “Well? What is it you are looking for?�

“Ghosts.� Mensy didn’t even blink, and he realized he’d need to be more specific. “I want to – my wife – she is dead. I want to bring her back as a ghost.�

“If she is not back already as a ghost, there is not very much hope.� Mensy did not sound as if she cared. “She will not want to come back. There is nothing for her in life now.�

“There’s me!� he shouted. “I’m here!�

“Yes,� Mensy agreed. “But if she is a ghost, she cannot be with you. Not in the way you wish. Would you still like to see the book?�

He was very disappointed. Still, he thought it might not hurt to try. When he nodded, Mensy snapped her fingers and a book fell into her hands, seemingly from nowhere.

“Here, read,� she ordered tersely, pointing at a nearby desk. He sat down, running his hand over the cold leather of the cover. To be truthful, he’d never been this close to Dark magic, unless he was fighting it. It was a little unnerving. But this was important, more important than right or wrong, Dark or Light. The light of his life was gone – there could be nothing wrong with descending into a little darkness to retrieve her. He took a deep breath and opened the book.

Necromancy was, by definition, a morbid topic. He shuddered as he glanced through the table of contents. Would he have to read this whole book? No, there was a chapter entitled “Summoning Ghosts.� That was what he needed.

He’d never seen magic like this before. Even reading descriptions of the spells was like an icicle dripping down his spine, and the fire that had spurred him to this moment began to die down. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Then something caught his eye. He read it twice, then glanced up at Mensy, who was glaring off in the distance.

“Why didn’t you tell me about this spell?� he demanded, jabbing his finger at the page. “This would work.�

Mensy barely looked at what he was pointing at. “Not many people can fit the criteria. I did not want to give you false hope in case you did not.�

“But I do.� He glared at the house-elf. “Not only that, it’s almost Halloween. This spell is perfect. Do you have a piece of paper I can use to write it down?�

Mensy snapped her fingers and thrust a parchment and ink at him. He took them with as much acerbity as he received them and jotted down the details of the spell that would bring his love back to him.

*-o-*-o-*

The next stop was to the home of his old classmates. Ron and Hermione had gotten married a few years ago – as he stood before their front door, he couldn’t help but grin sadly at the memory of their wedding. His beautiful wife – then girlfriend – had talked the band into letting her stand up and sing the couple a song that brought laughter and tears to all who heard it. Ron had taken it upon himself to return the favor later.

Hermione opened the door. “Hello,� she said, not hiding her surprise very well. Since the death of his wife, he’d tended to avoid the company of those that reminded him of her.

“Can you help me?� he asked simply, holding out the parchment. Hermione took it from him, drawing him inside as she did so. The house was warm – much warmer and cosier than the majestic manor he’d just left.

“I’ve never seen this spell,� Hermione murmured. “I’m not sure I like it, either. Are you sure – �

“Yes,� he said, not letting her finish. “I have to. Don’t you see that?�

“At least it’s not permanent,� Hermione mused, her eyes lingering on the parchment. “She would never forgive you if you...kept her.�

“I know.� He’d finally managed to convince himself that one night would be enough. “Will you help?�

Hermione looked him in the eyes. He stared back, letting all of his pain and heartache show through. He needed this. His life couldn’t continue this way, surely she could see that.

“I’ll talk to Ron,� she said finally, smiling and reaching out to grasp his arm.

“Thank you,� he replied, heaving a great sigh. In only a few days, he could see his darling again.

“But,� she said, her fingers tightening on his arm, “be careful. This spell borders on things much better left alone.�

He thought of the cold book in the Malfoy library and nodded. He knew what he was doing – calling up ghosts.

*-o-*-o-*

Ron and Hermione were whispering to each other, taking turns to glance at him. He knew he looked a little bit alarming in his black skintight suit painted with arcane symbols Hermione had helped him look up. He didn’t mind his appearance – it was all part of the spell that would let him reunite with his wife.

“You’re sure about this?�

It had been an unexpected surprise to have Harry Potter help him with the preparation. Now he stood there, brow crinkled over his glasses, the last candle in hand.

“Yes,� was the reply. “And – thank you for doing this.�

Harry half smiled. “We loved her too, you know. I’m glad, I think, that you fit the spell’s criteria. Between six months and a year dead...no wonder this spell isn’t used very often.�

He nodded. “As soon as you light that candle, I think we’re ready.�

His insides were shivering with nervousness and anticipation. So much could go wrong, but with Ron, Hermione, and Harry in the background, he thought that it might actually go right.

“Hey, guys,� he called to Ron and Hermione, “we’re ready.�

They stepped forward as he stepped into the circle of candles Harry had made. “Go ahead and speak the words,� Hermione said.

He took a deep breath. “Moonlight lost. A soul torn, wishing for its other half. I call on the connection between us to summon you. Display your imprint until the moon ceases to give its silver rays upon this night. Advocoset Phasmatara.�

Slightly outside the circle was a smaller pentangle, one candle at each point and the lines drawn with a mixture of his blood and her hair, gathered from their home. He watched as the candles sputtered and a silvery image began to fade into view. Her hair mostly hid the hole in her temple where a stray spell had thrown an arrow the day she’d been flying on errands. Her eyes were wide as she took in her appearance and surroundings. She looked up.

“Dean.�

He broke down into tears; never had his name sounded so wonderful as it did right then, from the voice of his dead wife. He impatiently wiped his eyes so the blurriness wouldn’t impede his vision of her. She was exactly as she had been in life.

“Dean, you can’t just cry. Tell me why I am back. I can’t – I don’t want to be a ghost! Ghosts have all sorts of phantom pains, phantom parasites, phantom diseases. There’s this one, the Paranormal Worm, that infects certain ghosts that live in attics and – �

She was panicking. He said the first thing that came to mind – the thing he wished he’d had time to tell her before. “Luna. I love you.�

“But I’m a ghost, Dean!�

“I know. I summoned you. But, Luna, it’s just for tonight. Just for Halloween.�

Her eyes lit up a little bit. “Halloween? Oh, this is one of my favorite times of year! I always thought it would be fun to pretend to be a ghost and fly around haunting people...� her voice died as Ron had a sudden fit of violent coughing.

Dean smiled. Oh, he loved her. It was as if the last six months hadn’t even happened – hearing her voice and watching her face made everything right again, immediately. “Would you like to go?� he asked her, eagerness shining in his face. “I know some people it would give a right scare to see you.�

She bit her lip, trying to appear less excited than she was. “I don’t think I can go very far. Isn’t a ghost tied to the place it died?�

Hermione spoke up. “That’s the unique thing about this spell: it was created so people could take ghosts anywhere they needed to haunt people for the night. Of course, not very many people could take advantage of it as an intense emotional connection to the deceased had to be present...but you can go wherever you like. As long as you stay near Dean.� She grinned as Luna raced out of her pentangle and toward Dean, stopping just before she floated into him.

“You’ve accustomed very well to being dead,� he noted, tortured just a little that he couldn’t reach out and touch her.

“Yes, it’s quite the adventure,� Luna said, looking around at her friends. “I miss you all, though. Sometimes I wish that you could just come with me, but then I look at the life you’re living and that’s so much more exciting right now. For you, anyway.� She looked back at Dean, love pouring from her eyes. “Where are we going first?�

Harry wanted to go visit Ginny, who was at home with the flu. “She wanted to be here when you came,� he told Luna as they walked (ghosts couldn’t Apparate and they didn’t want to risk the Floo) to her flat. “It will make her so happy to know that it worked.�

Luna smiled dreamily and Dean reached out and took her hand. His hand passed right through. She glanced at him and tilted her head. He looked down.

“It’s okay,� she whispered. He nodded, still ashamed that he’d forgotten so quickly – even though she was transparent, it was like she was really there.

Ginny’s reaction at seeing the ghostly Luna was so strong she jumped out of bed – and promptly fell over, her knees too weak too hold her – and cried loudly, “Oh, it worked! It worked! Look, Luna, you’re a ghost!�

“I – think I’d better stay and make sure she goes back to sleep,� Harry said, picking her up and depositing her back in the bed. “She’s a little loopy.�

Dean laughed for the first time in ages. “If you want to come find us, we’re going to be at the Park.�

The Park was the local Wizarding Recreational Area – or, in other words, a park. Luna had the time of her life (or her death) sneaking up on unsuspecting persons and shouting “Boo!� She cackled madly at the reactions and swooped off so fast Dean could hardly keep up with her.

Finally, Hermione – who had fallen behind with Ron – drew Dean’s attention to the sky. “The moon’s about to set. You need to tell her goodbye.�

He felt his heart shudder, as if preparing to break again. “Okay.� Hermione drew back again, and he saw her take Ron’s hand as they wandered down another path. “Luna,� he called. “Come back, please, just for a moment.�

“That was so fun, darling!� Luna floated around him once in a circle before coming to rest in front of him. “I never realized what fun being a ghost is. Do you think the Grey Lady ever did this back before it got boring?�

“I never asked,� Dean replied. “Luna, it’s almost time for you to go. Tonight went differently than I planned.�

“You weren’t expecting me to go haunting people as soon as I materialized, right?� Luna was smiling her sweet smile that made Dean’s insides melt. “I’m never going to have this chance again, and that’s what I’ve always wanted to do.�

“It was wonderful,� Dean said earnestly. “Listen, Luna. I want you to wait for me when you go back to ... wherever you went. I’m going to follow you as soon as I can.�

Luna immediately became troubled. “No, Dean. No, you can’t. You have to stay alive, you have to keep living.�

“It’s not life without you!� Tears were leaking out of his eyes. “I can’t get over the fact that as soon as the moon sets, you’re gone again!�

“Of course it’s still life without me,� Luna said gently. “And I had a request of you. I always meant to bring this up, but I didn’t think my time would come so soon.�

Once again Dean marveled at how matter-of-fact she was about the fact that she was dead. “What’s your request?�

“Every day, find something in life to tell me. It could be the color of the sky, or the sound a bird made when you woke up. It could be how cold the snow was that day, or ... anything. Then, when you’ve lived life fully, I’ll be waiting for you to tell me everything. And then we can go on together.� She reached out and grabbed his hand, passing through but still staying nearby. “We’re tied forever. I won’t forget you.�

“All right, I’ll do it.� The moon had hit the horizon. “I feel better now that I’ve seen you one more time.� That couldn’t possibly describe the way he actually felt, but he knew Luna understood.

“Me, too. Goodbye, Dean.�

“Goodbye, Luna.�

The sky darkened as the moon disappeared, and as it did, Luna faded away, dissipating into the night. He watched the spot where she’d been. He would’ve liked to keep her forever. He also would’ve liked to follow her into the dark. Instead, he found Ron and Hermione and told them he was going to a store, did they want to come along?

They did follow rather closely, and he wondered if they suspected what his plans had been before Luna had dislodged them. Even though her eyes weren’t blue while she was a ghost, he still couldn’t deny anything to her big blue eyes when she widened them like that. He sighed.

Wizarding stores were open all night Halloween. He walked into Flourish & Blotts and headed for the journal section. There were journals that would help you remember, hour by hour, what you’d done that day, and journals whose covers changed colors depending on the mood of the current entry, but he just wanted a simple one. Finally he found a book that was a warm brown color, and its only feature was automatically remembering the date at the top.

“What is that?� Ron asked as he watched the purchase being made.

“It’s a life book. I’m going to paint a moon on the front to remind me why I live every day, and inside I’m going to record – something about life.�

“Oh,� Ron replied, clearly still a little confused. “That’s nice.�

“Yes, it is.�

It was almost dawn before he made it home. He stood in front of his house, watching the sun catch the windows and make them glow. Just before he unlocked the door, a leaf blew in front of his face and caught on the knocker. It was such a deep red it was purple, and with the sun shining on it, it was beautiful. He smiled. He had something to write in his life book already.