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The very first seashell was found on the beach by Shell Cottage.
They had just finished burying Dobby and she had decided to take a walk down to the shore. Wanting some time to herself to grieve for the brave house elf. Standing at the sea’s edge, tears pouring down her face, something hit her foot.
Looking down she saw a shell sitting on the sand.
Picking it up, she took a deep breath, placed it in her pocket and turned back towards the house.
She hadn’t meant to start collecting seashells.
But once she had started it seemed like the only thing keeping her going.
The end of the war brought with it the start of the funerals.
It became her ritual, attend the service, visit the graveside, a couple of drinks with friends at the wake. Then would come the urge to visit the beach, to see the sea, breathe in the salty air, to watch the waves crash onto the shore. To find a sense of peace.
And with each visit the sea would give up one of its treasures. A piece of the person that had been lost.
There were the two shells entwined together, one bright and colourful, the other a sensible sturdy brown twist, the day of Tonks and Remus’s funerals. The half a clam shell, with the broken edge to day they buried Fred. The black, shiny mussel shell that bobbed to the surface on the day they laid Snape to rest. The pretty conch shell with three slashes across the front, like claw marks, on the afternoon she stood beside Lavender’s grave.
She carefully collected each shell, taking them home and placing them in a bowl all together on her windowsill. She took them as signs from the universe, signs that she needed to hold them all together. That they had come back to her after death to be taken care of.
She spent her days in her room, looking through her bowl, running her fingers through them, hoping she was providing them with comfort. Beside the bowl she placed candles, for warmth and light, flowers for the earth, and a jar of water for the sea.
Every day for three months following the final battle, she sat in her room, talking to the shells, quietly murmuring to them how everyone was getting on, how they were coping and how she wasn’t. How she hadn’t moved on, how she needed to be here to honour the souls who had touched the shells.
And each day, one of her friends would come and sit with her. Ron and Hermione only came a few times, Ron still found her too odd and Hermione needed a purpose in order to move on, rebuilding Hogwarts gave her that purpose and took away her time. She didn’t begrudge them their need to keep busy.
Harry came a bit more frequently, he had always placed value in his friends. But as time wore on, he was needed to help rebuild the Wizarding World. People needed to see their saviour, and the remaining death eaters needed catching, and so joining the Aurors was a given. She was proud of him, pushing him out of the door with a sad smile, telling him to go off and save the world.
Ginny and Neville came and sat with her every day. Never questioning her need to sit quietly in her room. Neither blinking an eye when she explained that each shell represented the soul of a person who had recently departed.
Neville brought her flowers to put next to the shells; poppies for remembrance, lilies for sympathy, purple hyacinth for sorrow and regret, and irises for faith, hope and wisdom.
Ginny would sit with her, one arm wrapped around her shoulders, and would tell her how everyone was getting on. How Molly had broken down when she started her christmas knitting and realised that she had one less jumper to knit. How Pavarti looked lost without Lavender to giggle and gossip with. But also how much joy Teddy was bringing to their lives. That Fleur was pregnant, and that it was the first time that she had seen her mother smile. How things were slowly getting better and people were moving forward.
And on that day, three months after the final battle, Ginny had sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist, and leaning her head on her shoulder. Neville sitting across from her, a small smile on his face.
“Luna, I think it’s time to let them go.” Ginny said with a soft smile. “I think they need to be returned to their families, and I think you need to move forward too.”
“You’ve taken such good care of them, love.” Neville murmured.
Luna smiled at them both, a sad smile, before nodding her head in agreement.
Between them they carefully took out the shells. Separating them for each family.
Ginny carefully took the shells for Remus and Tonks, still entwined, and attached them to a small silver bracelet. Something for Teddy to keep and hold onto.
“His parents will always be with him,” Luna had whispered.
Andromeda had looked bemused at the three of them, stood on her doorstep handing over a shell bracelet, but had promised that she would keep it safe for Teddy and explain its importance when he was older.
Neville had taken the mussel shell, polishing the surface until it shined like a mirror. They knew that Snape had no family, but all agreed that it should be returned to Hogwarts, and placed in the potions lab.
Which the three of them did, on their first day back at Hogwarts. Quietly placing it on his old desk. As they exited the room, they almost caught a glimpse of a swirl of black robes.
Luna took the broken clam shell, carefully creating a small hole and threading a fine chain through it. She knew who needed this one the most.
As she placed the chain around George’s neck, and kissed him on the cheek, she felt a phantom kiss on her other cheek, followed by the echo of laughter. She smiled at George, who looked bewildered.
“A piece of Fred to keep with you always.”
And, as she left the shop, hand in hand with Ginny and Neville, she felt lighter than she had in a very long time. A weight lifted from her heart.
On her windowsill when she returned home, was a bunch of gerbera's and a single shell on a charm bracelet.
Darling Luna,
Most people know that gerbera's represent cheerfulness, but they also represent innocence, purity and most importantly loyal love. You are the most loyal friend, who has looked after those souls so carefully. Now is time to let us look after you.
We went to the beach to find you a shell, and as we stood on the shore, three shells floated towards us carried by the waves. This one is yours, and know that we carry the other two. The three of us tied together, always.
All our love
Ginny and Neville