I have returned! I'm so sorry for my absence but I promise I will try and stick around for as long as possible! So to get the more important things out of the way: all of my other fics are currently on hiatus! I want to re-write/tweak them to make them better and more enjoyable for you readers! But I want to focus on this one for a while because I am very much in love with this new little OC of mine! And I hope you will love her as much as I do! This will be a very long one since I plan on skimming through the years at Hogwarts leading up to the ever popular Battle of Hogwarts. Another thing: there will be a mixture of book and movie references because it has been years since I've read the books (actually, I'm trying to re-read them but work gets in the way sometimes.) I admit it may be a little slow to start so please be patient with me as it has been a long while since I've written a single thing, ahah. Anyway! Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show! ... Erm... Fic.

DISCLAIMER: Luna does not own the rights to Harry Potter. All characters and places belong to her unless OC. Thank you!

Prologue

"Sir, I've found the child! She seems to be unharmed!"

"Good. Leave me. I will talk to her. We'll bring her to the Ministry when I've finished."

The voices sounded as if they were being thrown through a long stone tunnel. A young girl, no more that four years old, sat among the rubble of what was once her home, the charred wall of her once small, cramped bedroom the only thing keeping her upright. Everything had a curious haze to it. Nothing wanted to come into focus. Someone crouched in front of her, taking her face in their calloused hands. Their face danced in her vision. She had long since given up on trying to focus on any one thing.

"Can you hear me, little one? Are you alright?" the masculine voice rumbled in her ears, ringing in her head. She tried to speak but no words came out. "What is your name?"

"H-Harlow Daxer," her tongue felt thick, like it had swelled to fit her mouth.

"Harlow… That's a pretty name," her vision was slowly returning to normal, the man's features coming into focus. He was rugged with salt and pepper hair, gray eyes warm and a smile that was inviting. He took his long coat off and hung it around the girl's small shoulders. "Listen, Harlow… Do you remember what happened here? Was this your home?"

Harlow moved her head from side to side, trying to bring the room - or what was left of the room - into focus. It felt very heavy, a literal weight on her shoulders. She felt her neck would snap beneath it. She let it rest on her shoulder. Was this her home? What had happened? She couldn't remember. She was surprised she could even remember her own name.

"Harlow, sweetheart? Did you live here? What happened?" the man tightened his grip on the small girl's shoulders. His big coat was beginning to fall off of her already.

"I… I-I don't remember… Where are my mummy and daddy…?" Her tongue was finally beginning to feel normal-sized again. The coat was secured around her shoulders once more. The man seemed to be having trouble with his words. But at the moment, she was unable to care. Everything started to ache at once. She felt so tired. Whatever had happened here she would remember when she had taken a nice long nap. She hadn't gotten to take one today, with everything going on after all. Maybe when she woke up she'd get to ask her parents. Maybe, just maybe she would…

Harlow's eyes drifted shut and soon she was sound asleep.

"Sir, she doesn't know?" a young wizard asked, his broad face covered in soot from the smoldering building.

The man shook his head. "No… She is so young. I cannot begin to imagine how she will take the news… Do we know if she has family still alive? I know they are a very sought-out family for You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters."

"We've sent word to the Ministry. We should have answers once we return…" the other paused, uncertain. "We should take her now. This is no place for her anymore."

The small body was scooped up off of the rubble. She curled easily into the wizard's arms. He felt a pang in his heart for her. She had lost everything in a single night and she didn't even remember… for the moment at least. But once it came flooding back there was no doubt in his mind she would be confused, scared, distraught… and if she had no family, well... where would she go? He certainly did not like the idea of sending her to one of those orphanages. Run by Muggles who wouldn't understand her. She needed a home. I pray to some higher power that she is able to find one…

"Sir…?"

The man cleared his throat. The younger wizard was staring at him, perplexed. "Right, yes… Sorry. Shall we go?"

The two left the destroyed house together. Harlow sighed heavily in her sleep, clutching the front of the man's shirt in her small fist. He gripped her tight, hoping the travel to the Ministry wouldn't wake her, and turned on his heel. To any Muggle it would have looked as if he had vanished without a trace.