Luna Was Dead

Allen looked up in confusion. The impatience on his face abruptly changed. He took a step back, the muscles in his face twitching, his throat working, yet not a sound came out. He felt ice-cold all over, the coldness sinking deeper and deeper—especially into his heart, where it stabbed with such icy pain that his entire body convulsed.

He drew a deep breath, closed his eyes, and poured all his strength into Occlumency. When he opened them again, the scene before him had not changed. This was no illusion. It was real.

He would rather have been cursed than see what lay before him. The pain tore through his heart. He raised his head, wanting to scream, but his lips merely trembled soundlessly. Grief surged like a tide, washing over every inch of his skin, every inch of his soul...

Luna Lovegood appeared in the darkness. The hem of her white nightgown drifted softly around her weightless form; her pale golden hair hung loosely down her back, rising and falling with her steps. Her fair face seemed veiled in blue-silver gauze, an effect created by the Diadem above her head, which was radiating dazzling light. Amid the darkness, Luna had become the brightest source of light.

Yet the blazing blue starlight cast not even the faintest shadow underground. Crazy Girl—was no longer a living person...

Realizing that all his efforts through that long time shift had been in vain, that he had still acted too late, Allen's mind filled with thoughts of whether he could have been faster if he had touched the ring directly instead of finding a Muggle to test it first. Regret and suffocating anguish devoured him.

Allen could not help coughing dryly, then greedily sucked in another breath. His body swayed as though on the verge