-----July 1, 1997

Luna,

I've only been home for a day and I'm already bored out of my mind! To think I'll have to put up with this for another two months -I hope you're not as bored as I am. Knowing you though, I'm sure you and your dad are up to something!

I'm sending this with Gran's owl, Rosalie. She's pretty old now, would you mind giving her some water and food when she gets to you? She's taking letters to the others too.

Take care,
Neville Longbottom

-----July 8, 1997

Luna,

Not much has happened in the week since I wrote. Harry and Ginny both wrote back, and they sound completely miserable without each other. I bet you two galleons they're back together by the time school starts up again, yeah?

If school starts up again, that is. Gran says she's been hearing some funny rumors about the Governors. Disappearing, they say, but nothing's been confirmed yet. I hate not knowing.

I remember you and your dad don't get the Prophet delivered, so I'll send any important articles along in these letters.

Say hello to your dad for me -I saw that last issue of the Quibbler! Mr. Weasley must be pleased!

Take care,
Neville Longbottom

------July 15, 1997

Rosalie didn't bring back a reply from you, but the letter was gone (sometimes she forgets, poor bird), so I hope you write back soon. Ginny said she thought you were off on holiday. Where to?

Letters from everyone are the only bright points in my days anymore. Ron's actually responding too, so we can only guess how desperate he is.

Probably spends his days moping after Hermione.

Gran fell down two days ago, trying to set up wards around her birdfeeders or something, and I had to talk her into going to Mungos. Good thing I did, too -Healers said she shattered her hip! Merlin, that woman is stubborn.

When we were there I went and sat with my parents for a few minutes. Mum was knitting, Luna! Actually knitting! Of course, it was for a baby, but it means she's making progress. Gran doesn't think anything of it, of course, but this is… amazing, don't you think?

I've pasted in a few of the gum wrappers in for you. I know you like to make things from odd stuff like that.

Be safe,
Neville Longbottom

----July 20, 1997

Luna,

I… I don't know what to say. Everyone here is in an uproar -I mean, McGonagall- people were fleeing from Hogsmeade, and everyday more and more businesses close. It's even reached Diagon Alley! The French Ministry is withdrawing its ambassadors and everything!

Here's an article from the Prophet you should see:

New Hogwarts Headmistress McGonagall Found in Muggle London
by: Special Correspondent Rita Skeeter

Today, 20 July, one of the few remaining pillars of the wizarding community crumbled before our very eyes. Minerva McGonagall, a witch respected throughout the world for her talents in Transfiguration and indeed one of the brightest of the century, was found on the steps of the Leaky Cauldron in London. Cause of death was immediately pinpointed to Avada Kedrava, the killing curse so often used by the terrorist group known as the Death Eaters. Before castings the deadly curse though, it looked like the followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named tortured the professor. Speculation on what information the woman could've been holding has now arisen. Could McGonagall have been the Secret Keeper of the long-thought mythical Order of the Phoenix, a group bent on defeating the forces of evil? Was she holding information on students and families in hiding? …Or as whisperers wonder, could the seemingly kind, stern McGonagall have been involved in less noble ventures? continued page 13

McGonagall a Death Eater! Are they insane? Luna, how, how could they be accusing people on their own side instead of getting out and fighting this war? Even I, cowardly Neville, think what they're doing is completely idiotic.

I need to write to Harry, I think.

I know I'm writing too soon for you to write back, but... just please write back soon as you can, okay? I haven't heard from you in ages, it seems like.

Please be safe,
Neville Longbottom

----July 28, 1997
Luna,

Gran says she'll let me go to the Order Headquarters this summer, instead of staying with her the whole time. McGonagall had offered at Dumbledore's funeral, I reckon. I think she's afraid now that the Professor is gone. They were friends.

Be safe,
Neville Longbottom

----August 3, 1997

Luna,

Rosalie's been sick and keeps losing letters, so I've talked Gran into getting a new owl before I leave. I don't know how many of my previous letters you've gotten, if any at all. Hopefully the new owl, Jasper, will get this to you soon.

Gran promised to forward me -if needed, through her "many contacts" or something- any owls that come for me (I don't know if I'll be able to get mail where the Order is). Most likely she'll just send Jasper to me, so mail may take a few more days that it normally would.

Professor Lupin is coming to get me today.

Sorry this is so short; will write soon as I can.

Watch out for yourself,
Neville Longbottom

PS: Did you hear about Susan Bones?

----August 16, 1997

Luna,

I'm sorry I haven't written, but you obviously understand that (how's your holiday, by the by? Rumored that you're in Spain!) Things have just been, well, insane here at Headquarters. Everyone's here now: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and myself. And the entire house is packed to the brim! Veela, teachers, werewolves Remus recruited, people saved from attacks, Aurors, and Order members!

Between all of us, them, and the Weasleys, it's quite a fight for the bathroom every morning.

Gran won't come -I've tried to talk her into it, honestly- but she insists that the Death Eaters never got in during the first war and they won't now.

If that's the case, though… why send me? I'm worried for her.

Ginny says hello, as do the others. She wanted me to get you to convince your dad to let you come here. I said you wouldn't want to leave him alone, and you were probably enjoying your holiday anyway. She shut up after that.

I was thinking about you yesterday, you know. We were out in the garden for the first time, and I was thinking about how much I had missed the night sky (we couldn't be out in daylight -too dangerous) and then I saw it. A firefly. Do you remember when we were talking about them? I do. You never explained your reaction.

"Neville, you've caught a striped beriwozzle!"

"Don't be silly, Luna; it's a firefly."

"It's a striped beriwozzle, now make a wish on it!"

I grinned, and I think I tweaked your nose (did that hurt? I'm sorry if it). "I wish that you'll stay with me forever."

"Neville," You whispered, tears forming in your eyes suddenly. "Never say a wish out loud. They don't come true."

Whatever did you mean by that anyway? Now that I've remembered I'll be wondering for ages unless you tell me!

Stay safe,
Neville Longbottom

----August 27, 1997

Five attacks, Luna. In one week. The Order doesn't know what to do anymore -less and less people have started showing up to the meetings and coming back from missions.

It's almost as if somehow, the Death Eaters know who we all are, and keep getting more information every week…

Oh Merlin, what if they somehow know about Grimmauld Place?

Please, please, I need you to be safe.
Neville Longbottom

------August 29, 1997

Luna,

Remus died last night. He was dropped on the Order doorstep, burn marks from silver around his neck. Fleur Delacour -do you remember her? From the Triwizard- disappeared on her lunch break from Gringotts this morning.

Luna, they know who we are.

They know where we are, somehow.

They know who we know, and who are family are. And they won't stop. Death Eaters will turn up at our families' doors until there is no one left between us.

McGonagall was tortured for information, but she wasn't the Order Secret Keeper, I know that. The Secret Keeper was Dumbledore, of course, but when he died we had to set up a new one -I think it's Kingsley Shacklebot, the Auror. So how…?

No. No, that couldn't be- but!

I haven't heard from you all summer, all my letters going unanswered. Jasper never brought Gran anything after I left, did he? Rosalie never lost anything.

I told you everything in these letters. Of course it didn't matter, you knew about the Order. At least, I didn't think it mattered, but what was the one thing Moody told us? Constant vigilance. Constant, constant vigilance, because you never know who's watching.

You never told me about the berriwozzles, you never took that bet, you never made a gum wrapper headband, and you most definitely were never safe. You never did any of those things, because you're dead - have been dead, of that I'm now certain.

But those letters, they didn't come back, which means someone had to have gotten them… Death Eaters. They were probably waiting for you when you got home from the station, that first day of summer. Did you even make it into the house?

What an idiot I've been! I should've mentioned it someone, one of the Order members and…all the information I've been sending you, telling you where we are and who I'm with!

Oh Merlin, there's screaming downstairs. Luna! Luna, they've found us! I- there's no time for writing to dead people, Luna. I've got to help!

This is my fault.

Love,
Neville Longbottom

Neville rose from the desk and rushed from the room, wand in hand and face flitting between terrified, disgusted, and determined. The door slapped shut behind him.

Jasper, who had been watching from his perch, flew over and snatched Neville's frantic letter from the desk and flew from the window, as he had been trained to do, oblivious to his owner's thoughts on the matter. Minutes passed, and slowly downstairs the screams died into shouted curses and then nothingness.

And at the open window there was suddenly an owl, and gripped in the beak was a letter from Luna Lovegood.

-----

A/N: Like it? Hate it? Tell me.