A/N: Xenophilus Lovegood thinks it's time to show his little girl about the world his discovered from his own father. This is the original Spectrespecs. RxR. FxF.
Submission for:
Fanfiction Scavenger Hunt Competition: A fic about a pureblood
One of Every Letter [Challenge]: X
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
The attic was musty and very cramped. Glittering motes hung in the air, visible only in the light from the single window in the ceiling. Boxes upon boxes were piled to high to the low ceiling, obscuring from sight the odd paintings with their faces of the walls and the random faded mannequin Celeste used to use to make her dresses. There were a few broken wicker chairs up here and a forgotten chess set with most of the pieces snapped in two. But that's not what he was up here for. He rifled through box after box, careful not to upset the delicate towers. Who knew what irreplaceable fragile things called them their home?
"Daddy?" A little voice called up from the ladder below. Her wide blue eyes stared up at him inquisitively. Always the curious cat or was it the wise wide-eyed owl? "What are you doing up in the attic?"
"I'm looking for something very important, moonbug. Just give me a moment," he shouted back, his voice blanketed by the objects around him.
Little steps climbed the rickety attic ladder. "What are looking for?" the voice said and he turned suddenly.
His hand hit the tower on his right and it swayed slightly. He held his hands out to brace it if it should fall, but it soon stilled. He carefully walked towards her and picked her up in his arms, his knees slightly bent as not to hit his head on the low ceiling. "I've told you countless times not to come up here, moonbug. You could get hurt," he scolded.
Her mouth turned down and she said quietly, "Sorry, Daddy."
He smiled and gave her a tight hug. "It's okay, moonbug. Maybe you can help me search. Just stay close to me."
She nodded and held onto his leg as he returned to the box he was last searching. He dug deep down and finally felt what he thought it was. "Aha!" he cried as he held it out. Then he looked down at his daughter who turned her wide eyes back up at him. "Come moonbug, I have something to show you."
They left the attic and went down to sit in the living room on the ground floor. He held the object out to his daughter who took it hesitantly before putting it on her face.
"Wow," she said quietly as her head turned back and forth in the small area, looking out the window, over to the fireplace and through to the kitchen.
The glasses were too big for her small, heart-shaped face but that didn't diminish the effect. They had a plain black frame which held multicoloured lenses, one blue and one orange, with other coloured lenses that could be slid over the others. He chuckled and then said, "That's what I said too. What do you see, moonbug?"
Her voice was filled with wonder, "I see tiny blue sprites, and I see fluffy green things that look like little birds, and I see little flies buzzing through your hair."
He fanned the space around his head and then said, "I call those wrackspurts, though my brain is the least bit fuzzy now. I'll have to study them more." He said the last part to himself.
"What are these creatures? I've never seen them before," she asked, still watching them dance around the room.
"There's a whole world of creatures that others remain blind to see. They choose not to believe so they don't. But with these glasses, you can see these creatures and know they're real. I've been writing about these creatures for awhile, but your mum accidentally packed the glasses away in a box," he explained while taking the glasses off her face.
There was light in her eyes and her smile stretched across her face. "Daddy, can I get a pair? I wanna see these creatures too!"
He ruffled her hair, the thin wisps wrapping loosely around his fingers before releasing their hold. "Sure moonbug, I'll get on that right away. You can find all the creatures with me."
She screamed and then threw her arms around his neck, before jumping off the couch and running to her mum. "Look what Daddy found, Mummy!"
Her mother looked over her husband, her eyes falling on the colourful glasses in his hand. She rolled her eyes and sighed, "Oh Xeno, I thought I hid them well this time."
He rose from the couch and placed a soft kiss on her lips, "When will you learn, dear? You can't hide what aching to be found."
