First chapter of the year, here we go.

I'm not really sure about the specific timeline of Year 7 and at this point, I don't think it really matters. I think it spans over months. How many months exactly? Yeah, sure.

Unedited as unusual

• Ron and Ginny are forced to return to Hogwarts along with many other students. Muggle-borns like Hermione have gone into hiding.

• The rest of the Weasleys can't do anything but hope they make it out alive.

• Harry constantly worries about everyone, especially Fred.

• Remus recovers enough to be on his feet in a week, though Sirius is adamant he rests as much as possible.

• Since Hufflepuff's Cup is likely a Horcrux, they try to think of where it might be found.

• Between ideas, they hear of what goes on in the wizarding world. (Much of it, at least, is like in the books.)

• Kreacher pops in at one point, saying he had located it. It's in the Lestrange vault at Gringotts. He does not explain how he knows.

• Since Sirius is related, he sneaks off with Harry's Invisibilty Cloak early morning.

• The goblins help him only because they are repulsed by such dark magic within their walls. Sirius returns home safely.

• "Now there's just Nagini. How the hell are we supposed to get to her?" Harry wondered.

• No one has an answer for that.

• Throughout all this, The Quibbler has been posting what the Daily Prophet has not. Then, abruptly, it started promoting capturing Harry.

• Harry thinks they should check in on Xenophilius, but Sirius points out that may be exactly what the Death Eaters want. "If we are going to do something, we need to think it through."

• He was right. Besides, Luna was Luna. She'd be fine. Harry hoped.

• Some time passes. (Maybe two or three weeks.)

• Luna is doing well enough living in Malfoy Manor's dungeon. She's desperately worried for her father and all her friends, but she doesn't dare to try anything.

• Draco is often sent in to give her just enough food and water to stay alive. He doesn't speak, which is fine by her.

• She had managed to get Harry to tell her what had happened in the bathroom and isn't quite ready to forgive him for hurting Harry*. But at the same time, she can't truly be angry at him, either.

*or nearly hurting Harry, since I had two versions of the bathroom scene

• Strangely, she's not too worried for herself. Especially today. She speaks in a voice that cracks with disuse.

"Hello, Professor Snape."

If there's one thing I've known for sure since the beginning, it's Snape's role, which is probably the main thing helping me continue at this point.