III

--

The Doctor perused over every document that the Battle of Hogwarts clean up team had written. Every detail about what happened to him, and others, and every detail about the Master's funeral pyre.

"Here's something," Hermione said, after a while. "Luna Lovegood was seen near the pyre about thirty minutes after you left."

"Luna Lovegood? Xeno's daughter?" the Doctor replied.

"Yes," she said. "She was seen by a few people heading down there. It was later reported that the pyre had been doused by a spell..."

"Where does Luna live?" the Doctor asked.

"She won the Muggle Lottery a while ago," Carrigan, across at another table, said. "She did it quite by accident, or so she said. She lives in her Dad's old house."

"Then let's go," the Doctor said, standing up and heading for the TARDIS.

--

The old trio, together with the Doctor, Donna, and Carrigan, were in the TARDIS which was rather erratically heading for Luna Lovegood's home. Donna had been filled in on magic and, while she didn't really believe it, she would play along. Hermione Granger had seemed quite happy about being in the TARDIS, while Harry whatshisface and Ron Weasel – something like that – were both slightly apprehensive. Carrigan had just sneered.

Donna studied the face of the thirty something woman intently – it was Hermione that most interested her.

"Do you want something?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, no," Donna replied, smiling falsely. "It's just... I was wondering why you left the Doctor."

"I had travelled with him for Six Months," Hermione replied. "Enough time."

"Not really," Donna replied, as the Doctor passed them by, pulling a lever. "I've been with him for about that long, and it's never enough time to see everything he promises."

"I wanted to live my life, lets just say," Hermione said. "I wasn't that bothered about the travel – it was a holiday, and nothing more."

"That's a pretty narrow view," Donna said. "I turned him down the first time – he'd just lost Rose..."

At the mention of Rose, Hermione grimaced.

"...and I was about to get married. Turned out that the marriage..."

"Was a sham, and that your fiancée was working for a giant alien spider," Hermione finished sharply. "He told me all about you. About how from you, he learned that he needed someone to stop him. About how sad he was that you didn't take up his offer. About how I was that someone."

Donna stared at her blankly.

"He... mentioned me?"

"Yes," Hermione said, softer now. "He said, 'I suppose it was all too much for her.' I suppose it was al too much for me, in the end. That's why I left."

"We're almost there!" the Doctor yelled.

"And then there was all that stuff about the Battle of Hogwarts, then the fighting that followed," Hermione said. "He saved our world, in a way – but at the cost of" - she broke off.

"At the cost of what?" Donna asked.

"Too much," Hermione whispered.

"We're here!" the Doctor said, running for the door and bounding out of it. Hermnione and the others followed silently, and Donna was last out – rather shocked. She had never known she had that much impact on him. Amazing.

--

Luna Lovegood opened the door, and smiled at the Doctor.

"Hello, Lord of Time," she said. "You've come to talk about your fallen brother of the vortex, haven't you?"

She had definitely gotten madder with age, Hermione decided. She wore a long rob, and a high collar over it. The Doctor seemed to recognise it, and his smile seemed forced.

"Well, yes. I was wondering about him – have you seen him around?" he asked.

"Oh no," Luna said. "He can't be seen now. Only heard."

"So you've been listening to him?"

"He's here," she replied, holding up her hand and showing him the ring on her middle finger. "Within this. He talks to me sometimes. We discuss things. All the times and places he's seen, with you and against you. He says hello, by the way."

The Doctor stared at the ring in wonderment.

"A bio-scan ring!" he said. "He stored his entire essence in here!"

"Everything he was, could be and would be," Luna smiled. "And it's all safe."

The Doctor smiled a genuine smile now, and shook her hand.

"Take care of him for me," he asked.

Ron stared at Luna, and narrowed his eyes. She ignored him, but Hermione noticed.

--

Ten and a half years earlier.

The fat was walking.

Seventeen people in St Mungo's had been reporting strange feelings in their stomachs, and they were now giving off strange walking fat things. It was the most surreal sight Ron had ever seen – for a wizard, that was truly saying something.

"No way," Harry said, as the little things walked down a London street.

Even weirder had been the spaceship. Odd, it had been, but the wizarding world had not made any decisions regarding how to act – and by the time they made up their minds, the ship – and the fat – had gone.

"What's the betting the Doctor was involved?" Harry had asked. Ron had said nothing, but was angry because his mother had been among those few wizards who had taken the Adipose pills. If the Doctor was involved, he decided, then he'd better have sorted it out well and proper. Or else he'd have Ronald Weasley to answer to.

--

The present.

"Well that rules the Master out," Harry said. "But if it isn't him, who else is it?"

"I think I know," Ron said darkly, but nobody heard him.

"We'll need to consider all the other options," the Doctor said. "A lot of alien monsters could build a laser screwdriver..."

"Could you?" Carrigan said. "As a weapon against them?"

"I could, but I won't," the Doctor replied sharply. "It's against my principles."

"Well," Donna said, "if it isn't this Master bloke, who could it be?"

"Another Time Lord perhaps?" Ron asked.

"There aren't any more," the Doctor said.

"There's you," Ron said, taking his wand out.

"Yes, but haven't you been listening? I wouldn't. It's against my principles."

Ron ignored him, and aimed his wand. Hermione stared at him, and Harry looked dumbfounded. Carrigan drew his wand out, but didn't look as if he knew who to aim it at.

"In the name of the wizarding world," Ron Weasley began, "and freedom and safety..."

"Ronald, what are you doing?" Hermione berated him. "This isn't helping!"

"...I arrest you. You have no rights under wizarding law. Surrender or face the consequences."

"I said," Hermione shouted, "what are you doing?!"

"Give over, what can he do with that?" Donna asked. The Doctor stared at Ron, not quite believing his own eyes.

"I'm doing the best thing for my family that I can," Ron replied, his voice breaking slightly. He aimed his wand. "This man is a threat to the entire wizarding world. I am protecting my family and our world."

"Ron, no..." Harry said. Ron aimed his wand at him and stunned him without a word.

The Doctor said only one word, glaring daggers at Ron.

"Don't."

"Stupify," Ron said.

--