• Prologue - A Midsummer Day's Nightmare

    Date: July 15, 1996



    The English countryside was warm under the late summer sky, even if the morning was young. The cool breeze brought a smile to the blonde silver-eyed shoeless witch as she moved her legs through the cool water of a nearby lake. Luna Lovegood focused her attention on the clouds, laying back on the ground in a deep blue sundress as she soaked her legs in the cool water enjoying the few days of summer break she had left before returning to her sixth year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The previous weeks had been spent working with her father on the Quibbler or chasing Nargles away from the dirigible plums. But on this day Luna had decided to let the day go by and cool off in the lake.



    She thought back to the previous year, working with Harry and Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny, and all the rest of Dumbledore's army. Smiling contentedly she felt her patronus wishing to dart about the tall grass surrounding the lake. She loved summer, it was the only time during the year where she was not bullied and could be herself properly. Often Luna would think about the harassment she received in school and had come to the conclusion that it was because she did not show any signs that it effected her that she was bullied. She shuddered at a particularly nasty prank she had received her first year. She had not touched pumpkin juice since then and had no plans to do so in the near future.

    Late morning passed into early afternoon and Luna began to head home, feeling the air get slightly colder. The sky was darkening and Luna feared it would rain soon. Her footsteps quickened and the clouds got darker and the temperature got colder as her home loomed over the tall grass.



    The Lovegood home, very comparable to the Burrow in design, was unnaturally cold for a midsummer afternoon. The windows had frosted over and small ponds had frozen. Luna brought out her wand, knowing only one creature that could suck the warmth and happiness out of anything within it's reach. Above her, shadowy figures floated, obscured by the dark clouds.



    "Dad!" Luna shouted towards the house, running up the stairs quickly just as Xenophilius Lovegood rushed out of the house, wand in hand.



    "Luna, get inside the house and Floo Arthur Weasley!" He commanded, pushing her inside as he aimed his wand at the sky, expecting Death Eaters.



    Luna rushed to her fireplace and grabbed floo powder as she jumped into the fireplace, the next moment she appeared in the Weasley home, covered in dust. Arthur and Molly were sitting in the living room as she popped out. Molly stood up to welcome Luna but she stopped her.



    "Mr. Weasley, our home is under attack! We need the Order's help!" Luna pleaded, urging Arthur Weasley to help them.



    "I'll contact the order and send you a team of Aurors, Molly, go with her, I'll be there as soon as I can." Arthur Weasley promised, motioning them to go as he scurried out of the house and disapperated.



    Luna flooed back first, reappearing in her fireplace, face to face with a Dementor. Before she could pull her wand out she felt weak, her body gave in and fell to the floor. Images of her mother's accident crashed about her head like glass being shunted under her nails. Before falling unconscious from the pain she heard the fireplace crackle and saw a flash of light, filling up everything in the room, repelling the Dementor that had been sucking on her soul. Molly Weasley appeared in her view, telling Luna that she would be alright as she lost consciousness.