DOORWAYS || MARAUDERS ERA

ϟ47: BACK HOMEϟ

"It feels weird going back home without my brother."

Ginny and Luna were sitting alone in one of the compartments in the Hogwart's Express. The two of them had decided to go back home for Christmas—they couldn't bear the thought of spending Christmas in Hogwarts, which wasn't really Hogwarts anymore. 

"How is the bruise?" Luna asked Ginny, looking at her in concern. The Carrows had used a dark spell to make a cut on her throat. It wasn't too deep, but it looked sore.

"I'm fine," Ginny shrugged, as though all this was nothing. 

Luna sighed, and looked through the window as the train sped past the green fields. "It doesn't feel like Christmas, does it?"

Ginny nodded, closing her eyes in exhaustion. "It doesn't. But Hogwarts... They ruined Hogwarts, didn't they?"

Luna didn't reply—she agreed wholeheartedly with her. 

The two friends sat in silence. It was funny how two people who usually had so many things to talk about could remain so silent. But these were dark times. All conversations were related to the war, and frankly, Luna and Ginny were too maxed out to talk about the war.

"I'm going to the washroom." Luna said finally, getting up and patting down the creases of her skirt. Ginny nodded absently, fingering the necklace around her neck as though deep in thought.

Luna opened the door and shut it behind her. As she walked past the compartments, she saw many students huddled together, deep in conversation, looking sad and distraught. 

Luna's smile faltered, but she walked towards the bathroom, eager to be alone with her thoughts.

She should have known something was bound to go wrong.

"Lovegood," a voice behind her said in a chilly voice, and Luna whipped around, her hand springing towards her waist where she had kept her wand.

As she turned, she found cloaked figures with masks.

Death Eaters.

Luna's heart sank. They were pointing their wands at her, and Luna knew fighting them would be a losing battle.

"Time to pay for your father's sins," one of the Death Eaters said roguishly, and Luna felt a thrill of fear rushing up her spine.

╔═══*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*═══╗

"Oh, cheer up, Regulus."

Regulus, Amy, Dorcas, Timothy and Luna sat together in a compartment. They had boarded the Hogwarts Express a few hours ago, and were on the way home. While they were happy to be going back home, especially since their O.W.Ls were over, Regulus didn't find any happiness in going home. And why would he? Sirius wasn't coming back home, so how on earth could Regulus cope with his parents all alone?

"Yeah, sure," Regulus replied. "Cheer up. Easier said than done."

All of them shared worried looks.

"I'll write loads," Amy promised, looking very guilty that he was going to have a bad summer, and they wouldn't be able to help him.

"Don't!" he said hastily, his eyes widening. "My parents will skin me alive if they knew I was sending letters to..." he trailed off, not wanting to complete the sentence.