Dear Readers,
Thank you for being so patient with me. I do apologize for the delay in the newest chapter. I had issues with how to add the Doctor to the next part. I finally got it! For the wait, this is an extra long chapter. Enjoy!
DJ Vivian
Ryder sat on Ron's bunk while Hermione made breakfast for everyone. His thoughts drifted towards their next step in their journey in finding and destroying the remaining Horcruxes. A bigger issue appeared in the midst of his musings. Once he destroyed all of the Horcruxes, how was he supposed to defeat Voldemort as a Time Lord? That was something he forgot to consider that fact when he decided to open the watch. It was one more thing that they needed to figure out. The only good thing was that Hermione and Ron had accepted Ryder's change, though Ron was still slightly confused about the whole thing. Anyone would be after finding out their best mate was actually a Time Lord.
Hermione had gotten reasonably angry at Ron for leaving them months ago. But if Ryder knew Hermione like he thought, she would forgive him in time. Those moments Ryder was happy that they never changed at all. Ron sighed sitting next to the young Time Lord.
"I reckon Hermione is never going to speak to me again," Ron said, twirling a wand that he stole from the snatchers, "I did want to come back," He added softly. Ryder saw that Ron was sincere about this intentions but Hermione needed more to satisfy her anger.
"I know that but you know how Hermione is. Besides we have all been through a lot," Ryder said, trying to help the situation, "Maybe you can tell her the small white ball of light story again," Ryder said with a smirk and slight laughing. He knew it had touched Hermione. She just wanted to torment Ron as punishment.
Ron blushed crimson so much that his hairline disappeared, "It's true, you know," He said in quiet embarrassment. Ron had never been that good with his emotions. Ryder patted him on the back in comfort. Ryder knew from the first day on the Hogwarts Express that Ron had fancied Hermione. It took Hermione a bit to return the mutual feelings, even though they both hid it from the other or thought the truth went unnoticed.
It reminded Ryder of the recent turn in the relationship that Ryder had with Emma. He went from never noticing her to coming closer then anything before with her. They had a connection that was rare. He still couldn't explain it. He didn't want to push or rush her though. He still wasn't sure if Emma shared the exact same emotions for him. Ryder secretly hoped that Emma did.
Hermione entered the room, holding the copy of The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore. Her eyes had their usual determination again, "I want to go and see Xenophilius Lovegood." Ron seemed confused by her declaration. The Doctor had come into the room moments ago. Ryder picked up on the knowing look on his father's face.
"Sorry?" Ron said, trying to make sense of her words. The Doctor quickly took over, almost excitedly.
"Luna's father, Xenophilius. Nice bloke, insanely intriguing," The Doctor said in remembrance of meeting the Lovegoods. Ron stared at him in more confusion and completely lost.
"You met him before?" Ron said gapping in shock. Hermione shook her head, rolling her eyes. This caused the Doctor to chuckle softly to him.
"Yes, I have. It was the day of your brother's wedding. I needed to talk to someone about Lucius Malfoy's whereabouts and Emma said that Harry would know. We just had to talk to Luna about where Harry would be," The Doctor started his explanation.
"When you attacked Ryder?" Ron said curiously, piecing the puzzle together. Ryder laughed a little. The Doctor looked slightly embarrassed about the incident.
"Yes, when I attacked him…I didn't know that he was my son, in my defense," The Doctor said in defense. "But finding Lucius' where about is the reason why we showed up at the wedding with the Lovegoods," The Doctor explained briskly, "Xenophilius knows about the Deathly Hallows." Ryder remembered Luna's father saying something about what the Hallows were.
"The what?" Ron said, looking between Hermione, Ryder and the Doctor. Hermione rolled her eyes again before thrusting the book at him.
"Dumbledore wrote a letter to his old friend, Grindewald. Look at the signature," Hermione said, pointing to the page, "It also appears in the copy of Beedle The Bard," she added regaining her rapid speed. Ron obeyed reading the letter in the dim wand light. There replacing the A of the headmaster's name was a tiny version of the same triangular mark inscribed upon The Tales of Beedle the Bard.
"I don't get it…what does it mean?" Ron said, tentatively, causing Hermione to sigh in defeat and turned back to Ryder.
"I saw it again on the grave of Ignotus Peverell when we were in Godric's Hollow. Viktor Krum also said that it was Grindelwald's mark," Hermione continued on ignoring Ron's slight reaction to Viktor's name, "Here's the thing though, the date on the gravestone was long before Grindelwald came along! And now this! It has to be important, Ronald."
"Albus was leading you to the final clue to defeating the Dark Lord," The Doctor concluded for Hermione. That only set off more questions in Ron's mind, "The Deathly Hallows has a big significance how to win this war." Sadly, the Doctor wanted to tell them everything about the Deathly Hallows, but he knew that them going to the Lovegoods was a fixed moment in time. They needed to save Luna, Griphook, and Mr. Ollivander. If Ryder, Ron, and Hermione had to go or else those trapped in Malfoy Manor were going to die.
"You know about the Hallows?" Ryder asked his father interestedly. The Doctor nodded grimly. Ryder couldn't see why that was a bad thing. If the Doctor knew then what was stopping him from telling them.
"I can't because it isn't my place to tell you," The Doctor said hating to let his son down, "Xenophilius is the person that you need to speak to about the Hallows." Ryder heard the importance of them speaking to Luna's father in the Doctor's voice.
"So, we are going to the Lovegoods about these Hallows?" Ron inquired breaking the silence.
"Yes, we are…I'll get Emma," Ryder said firmly as he stood. Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder stopping him.
"I'll get Emma," She said, giving him a reassuring smile before she walked into the other room. Ryder sat back down his mind muddled with what would Luna's father tell them? How would the Deathly Hallows help him win the war against Voldemort? Ryder almost swore that being a Time Lord was harder than being a wizard. So much more was at stake.
Within minutes all five people were inside the TARDIS heading to the Lovegoods' homestead. Ron was still a bit suspicious about even going but knew it had to be done. Ryder hoped to find out what needed to be done.
Emma had to smile when she spotted the black-coloured cylindrical house in front of them as she exited the TARDIS. It felt like home, her reminder that good things were still out there. But on the other hand, the reason that they were there was for business.
"So, they live in a giant chess piece?" Ron said, staring at the oddly shaped black home. The Doctor smiled at this highly amused.
"That is the best part," the Doctor said, leading the way with a bounce in his step. Emma and Ryder muffled their laughter bat Ron's expression before following behind the Doctor up the hill. The Doctor had sensed the change in the atmosphere upon arriving. He felt the same edginess that had occurred during the wedding. Everything was heightened by tenfold. The calm before the storm.
Both Ron and the Doctor made it up the hill first since they were the tallest of the group, "Keep your eyes opened," he said with vague warning before knocking on the door. The other four nodded in response. Ryder picked up on what his father meant. He began to scan their surrounds.
The Doctor rapped three times on the thick black door, they didn't have wait long for an answer. Xenophilius Lovegood, barefoot and wearing what appeared to be a stained Nightshirt flung the door opened almost afraid of who would be there. His long white candyfloss hair was dirty and unkempt. His usual dapper demeanor had gave way to one of paranoia.
"What? What is it? Who are you? What do you want?" he cried in a high-pitched, querulous voice, his eyes scanned each of them slowly. He didn't recognize the Doctor or Emma but when his eyes fell on Ryder, his mouth fell open in a perfect comical O.
"Xenophilius, nice to see you again," the Doctor said, taking the confused Xenophilius' hand and shook it with enthusiasm, "we met a few months ago during the Weasley wedding, I'm the Doctor and you met Emma, Luna's best friend," he said, hoping it would be enough for Xnophilius to remember.
"Oh yes…that's right…" Xenophilius said distantly. His eyes went from Ryder's nose to his forehead.
"Hello, Mr. Lovegood," Ryder said, following his father's lead by extending his hand out to the dishevelled man, "I'm…" It was weird to address himself as Harry Potter even though it was so normal to him days before, "I'm Harry…Potter..." Xenophilius continued to stare at Ryder's forehead. Ryder watched Luna's father looking around them suspiciously. "Would it be okay if we came in?" Ryder asked, giving him a polite warm smile. "There's something we'd like to ask you." Xenophilius avoided his glance.
"I…I'm not sure that's advisable," Xenophilius swallowed hard even more nervous. He went to close the door on them, "I'm afraid I don't really think I ought to—"
The Doctor stepped up to the uneasy man and whispered softly, "We can help you find her, Xenophilius but you have to let us," the Doctor's eyes were sympathetic to the distraught father, "I lost my son many years ago so I understand the fear." Xenophilius stared at the Doctor for what seemed like hours. Ryder saw a slight light of hope building up in Xenophilius' eyes.
"It won't take long, Mr. Lovegood, please?" Emma said, reassuringly. Her heart went out to him. She had hoped that maybe the Doctor would be able to get through to him.
"I—oh, all right then. Come in, quickly. Quickly!" They were barely over the threshold when Xenophilius slammed the door shut behind then. They were standing in the most peculiar kitchen Ryder had ever seen. Then again, it was something he saw the Lovegoods having.
Ryder saw his father quietly scanning everything. Suspicion was thick in the air. The young Time Lord heard a great deal of clattering and banging coming from overhead. He wasn't the only one, his father sutbly looked up towards the ceiling.
Xenophilius led the way, "Is Luna busy with something?" the Doctor asked curiously but along knowing the sad truth. Xenophilius laughed nervously before answering.
"No, Luna is out by the lake," He said almost like it was rehearsed. The Doctor stuck his hands in his pockets.
"Pity, I was hoping to see her again," the Doctor said, feigning a disappointed sigh. The others were starting to sense that something was not right.
"Would you like to come up," Xenophilius asked in strained politeness and still looking extremely uncomfortable. Ryder slowly followed after wondering if they were heading into a trap.
The room above seemed to be a combination of living room and workplace. It was much more cluttered than the kitchen. It was smaller and also rounded but somewhat resembled the Room of Requirement filled with a strange assortment of items. There were piles upon piles of books and papers on every surface. Hermione huffed at the models of creatures that hung from the ceiling. Ryder could tell that Hermione disapproved of them. Ryder did not recognize any of them from school. They all either had flapping wings or snapping jaws.
Luna was nowhere in sight but the group had discovered the source of the noise. It was a wooden object covered in magically turning cogs and wheels. It looked like the bizarre
offspring of a workbench and a set of old shelves. Ryder noticed that it was some kind of printing press. It spit out copies of the Quibblers.
Ryder crossed to the window of the far side of the room. He could see a stream, a thin, glittering ribbon lying far below them at the base of the hill. It felt like they were several stories high. A bird fluttered past the window as he got lost in his thoughts again. He had hoped that they hadn't come to the Lovegoods for nothing. That Xenophilius would help them. Out of the corner of his eye, Ryder saw another peculiar object standing upon the cluttered, curved sideboard. It was what appeared to be a stone bust of a beautiful but austere-looking witch wearing a most bizarre-looking headdress. Two object that resembled golden ear trumpets curved out form the sides. A tiny pair of glittering blue wings was stuck to a leather strap that ran over the top of her head, while one of the orange radishes had been stuck to a second strap around her forehead.
"Rowena Ravenclaw," the Doctor said amused by the object, "It is amazingly accurate as well," he rambling on forgetting that he wasn't alone. Xenophilius eyes lit up excitedly. "Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure! How very right she was," the Doctor said, quoting the Sorting Hat's song from Harry's first year, "A replica of her diadem?" He asked hugely interested.
"Ah, you have spotted my pet invention," he said, smiling and joining the Doctor at the statue's side. "Modelled, fittingly enough, upon the head of the beautiful Rowena Ravenclaw.." He indicated the objects like ear trumpets. "These are the Wrackspurt siphons—to remove all sources of distraction from the thinker's immediate area. Here," he pointed out the tiny wings, "a Billywig propeller to induce an elevated frame of mind. Finally," he pointed to the orange radish. "The Dirgible Plum, so as the enhance the ability to accept the extraordinary."
"Well, it is a superb invention that I would love to use someday," the Doctor said, even more thrilled about it. Xenophilius beamed a little bit. Some of the tension eased in his face.
"Excuse me," Xenophilius said as he strode over to the machine to seize a grubby tablecloth from beneath an immense number of books and papers. He ended up causing all of them to tumble onto the floor. The eccentric man threw it over the press to somewhat muffle the loud bangs and clatters that the machine was making. He faced the curious group again, "Why have you come here?" His eyes piercing through Ryder's with such intensity.
Ryder went to answer but Hermione startled them all when she let out a small cry of shock, "Mr. Lovegood—what's that?" She inquired, pointing at an enormous, gray spiral horn. It didn't much the horn of any other creature that Ryder had seen. It was mounted on the wall like a prized keepsake from a hunt. It protruded several feet into the room.
"It is the horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack," Xenophilius said proudly. The Doctor smiled at the man's love for the item.
"I was going to say it was from a demon like alien I faced before," the Doctor said, confusing everyone but Ryder. Hermione seemed perturbed by Xenophilius' response.
"No it isn't!" Hermione said in an outraged tone, horrified that no one else caught on to the truth. Ryder stepped up to the bushy haired girl hoping to diffuse the situation quickly.
"Hermione, we need to stay on track. We can't-" Ryder said softly and calm but Hermione cut him off,
"I know what that is! It's an Erumpent horn! It's a Class B Tradeable Material and it's an extraordinarily dangerous thing to have in a house!" Hermione explained rather loudly. Emma noticed how calm the Doctor had been about it.
"Any creature can have a similar trait to another," the Doctor said, walking up to it and pulling out his screwdriver, "Let's see if it is dangerous, shall we?" He said as he aimed the screwdriver at the horn. Hermione looked like she was going to explode any moment. Ryder knew she did not handle being told that she was wrong very well.
"There isn't another creature with that particular horn anywhere else!" Hermione argued back angrily, "Don't use the screwdriver! It will explode at the slightest touch!"
"I can assure you that it is indeed the horn of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack," Xenophilius said very clearly, a mulish look upon his face, "Which is a shy and highly magical creature, and its horn—"
"Mr. Lovegood, I recognize the grooved markings around the base, that's an Erumpent horn and it's incredibly dangerous—I don't know where you got it—" Hermione now sounded like Molly Weasley went scolding her husband about his collection of Muggle artifacts.
"It is not going to explode," the Doctor reported after scanning the horn, "Nothing remotely dangerous." Ron looked away to muffle what sounded like a laugh. Hermione's lips thinned dangerously. Ryder and Emma would sure that Hermione was about to just pound the Doctor, "Now, can we get back to why we are here?" The room fell completely silent. He was right they needed to find out about the Deathly Hollows.
"We need your help," Ryder said, taking on his father's solemn tone.
"My help, you say?" Xenophilius said considering it but immediately shaking his head, "I'm sorry, I can't…" Ryder sensed his apprehensiveness about helping them at all.
"Maybe Luna, can help us then," Emma said suddenly causing Xenophilius to become almost agitated.
"Luna is down at the stream, fishing for Freshwater Plimpies. She . . . she will like to see you. I'll go and call her," Xenophilius said rather quickly as if he was covering something up. Ryder shared a look with his friends. They were all thinking the same.
Once more the Doctor stepped in, "We can't help you until you help us. You have to trust us," the Doctor said, kindly. Conflict shown even more in Xenophilius' uneven eyes. Ryder knew that Xenophilius wanted to help but something was holding him back.
"Aren't you the one who keeps telling everyone it's their first duty to help Harry?" Ron chimed in, "In that magazine of yours?" Xenophilius sighed, looking at the covered printing press that was still making noises beneath the tablecloth.
"Or is that something you even believe in anymore?" Emma said, watching the man, "Because obviously you do." The Doctor was briefly reminded of Rose. She would do the same when finding out something. Like Emma, Rose was able to get to the heart of the person.
"Please, Mr. Lovegood…for Luna," Emma said, encouragingly. Ryder smiled at how the girl was able to have so much power behind her words.
Xenophilius swallowed a few time but say nothing. He looked between the five of them.
He seemed to be steeling himself. Finally he said in a shaky voice difficult to hear over the noise of the printing press, "Fine, I shall help you," He said with a hint of regret. "Now," he removed a tottering pile of papers from an armchair and sat down in a chair.
"Well, we have come across the symbol on your necklace many times and we wanted to know what it is," Ryder began, getting to the point.
Xenophilius raised his eyebrows. "Are you referring to the sign of the Deathly Hallows?" He sounded extremely thrilled to be able to tell them everything about the Hallows.
"Yes," the Doctor confirmed solemnly. Xenophilius seemed to perk up even more so.
"Do you know about them, Doctor?" Xenophilius asked more excited that the Doctor knew about them, "Very, very few wizards believe. But they do exist," He concluded, "There is nothing Dark about the Hallows like some believe. One simply uses the symbol to reveal oneself to other believers, in the hope that they might help one with the Quest."
"The quest to where?" Ron said in confusion. Xenophilius chuckled at the question as if it seemed so obvious.
"Well, you see, believers seek the Deathly Hallows," Xenophilius sad, regaining his quirkiness, "Most believe that they are just a myth but the believers know otherwise." He continued with a misty tone. Ryder could see that Ron was trying not to bust up laughing but the Doctor seemed rather intrigued by it, "I assume that you are all familiar with the "Tale of the Three Brothers'?"
"Of course, Mum used to read it to us all the time," Ron said, still not getting the importance of the stories.
"Dumbledore left me Beedle the Bard but what does it have to do with the Hallows?" Hermione said, raising an eyebrow curiously.
"I haven't heard of the story," Ryder said, awkwardly. Xenophilius nodded but went on. Ryder started to become interested to hearing the tale.
"The whole thing starts with The Tale of the Three Brothers'…I have a copy somewhere…" Xnophilius said as he glanced vaguely around the room at the piles of parchment and books. Hermione immediately began rummage through her bag.
"I know I have it here somewhere…" She muttered to herself, pulling everything out, "Here it is." She said, pulling out The Tales of Beedle the Bard from the small, beaded bag.
Xenophilius inspected it suspiciously, "This is the original?" He said, searching her for the truth. She nodded in reply. He looked at the book again before handing it back to her, "Well then, why don't you read it out loud? The best way to make sure we all understand."
Hermione looked around awkwardly before saying, "Er. . . all right," Hermione said nervously and cleared her throat.. Ryder saw the symbol drawn on the top of the page as she found the story, "There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding
road at twilight—"' Ron interrupted her.
"Midnight, our mum always told us," Ron said, who had made himself comfortable. Hermione glared disapprovingly at him, "Sorry, I just think it's a bit spookier if it's midnight!" Ron said defensively. The Doctor walked over and took the book from the girl before Hermione could throw it at him.
"I'll continue from here, if that is alright and he is right. Midnight does make it spookier," the Doctor said, smirking before he read on. They were all listening but Xenophilus, who was staring out of the window at the sky.
"In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure, "'And Death spoke to them—"' Emma was now the one that interrupted.
"Death spoke…to them," Emma interjected confused and a bit disturbed., "How is that possible?" She didn't realize that her Ravenclaw side was showing.
"Emma, it's just a story," Hermione reminded her politely. Emma felt her face burning at the realization.
"Sorry, go on, Doctor," she said, quietly and embarrassed. Ryder squeezed her hand in understanding.
The Doctor gave her a kind smile as he continued, "'And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travellers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.
"'So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the older brother.
"'Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.
"'And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. he youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility."' The Doctor gave Ryder a significant look at the last few words. Ryder already knew what he meant. The cloak…"
"Wait…Death had an Invisibility Cloak?" Emma inquired more curious interrupted again. Ron smirked at her question but the Doctor found her curiosity endearing.
"Can't really kill people if they see Death coming," Ron said, rolling his eyes, "People would just hide and live on forever…Sorry Doctor…" He said after the Doctor shot him a looked.
The Doctor went on reading, "'Then Death stood aside and allowed thee three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they have had, and admiring Death's gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.
"'The first brother traveled on for a week or more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.
"'That very night, another wizard crept upon the older brother as he lay wine sodden,
upon his bed. The thief took the wand and, for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat. And so Death took the first brother for his own.
"'Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and he turned it thrice i his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him.
"Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her.
"And so Death took the second brother for his own. But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly and, as equals, they departed this life."' The sound of the Doctor closing the book brought Xenophilius back to reality. He looked back at them.
"Well, there you are." Xenophilius said with satisfaction, "Those are the Deathly Hallows," he said with a smile but confusing the four teenagers. He suddenly stood to grab a quill and parchment from the crowded table. "The Elder Wand," he said as he drew a straight vertical line upon the parchment. "The resurrection Stone," he said, then added a circle on top of the line. "The Cloak of Invisibility," he finished, enclosing both the line and
circle in a triangle, to make the symbol that so intrigued Hermione. "And those are the Deathly Hallows."
"How? When nowhere in the story were the Hallows mentioned," Hermione said, bewildered. Xenophilius smiled at them again.
"Of course not, it was written as a children's story," The man said maddeningly smug. "No one would think of it as mere instructions. Those of us who understand these matters and recognize that the ancient story refers to three objects or Hallows. When they should ever unite will make the possessor master of Death."
"A bit how Time Lords regenerate…Well…we aren't Masters of death," the Doctor said in thought, "We pretty must cheat death one can say. We just become someone else." Xenophilius glanced out the window again, the sun was low already in the sky. "Are you waiting for someone?" The Doctor inquired, "Luna should be coming home soon, shouldn't she?"
"Luna ought to have enough Plimpies soon," Xenophilius said quietly. He didn't face them as he began to wring his hands.
"Mr. Lovegood, When you say 'mast of Death?" Ron said still not catching on.
"Master," Xenophilius said, waving an airy hand. "Conqueror. Vanquisher.
Whichever term you prefer." The four looked at one another complexed by what it all meant.
"But then…do you mean… " Hermione said skeptcism was hinted in her voice, "You can't tell me that you think the Hallows exist?
Xenophilius raised his eyebrows again, "Well, of course they do," he said as if it was as plain as day. Hermione plugged on to prove her point.
"But," Hermione started baffled by his conviction, "Mr. Lovegood, how can you possibly believe something like that?" Xenophilius gave her a knowing look.
"You are the one my Luna told me all about," Xenophilius said smiling warmly, "You are, I don't see any kind of unintelligent, but painfully limited. Narrow and close-minded."
The Doctor turned his head to cough but Ryder could hear a hint of laughter within the cough.
"I am not narrow or close minded!" Hermione said indignantly. The Doctor made a face.
"You are just a wee bit," the Doctor said, measuring with his fingers. Hermione folded her arms and huffed.
"It's okay, Hermione. Just try on the hat," Ron said, nodding toward the ludicrous headdress. His voice shock with the strain of not laughing.
Hermione shot him a deathly glare before returning to her argument with Xenophilius, "Mr. Lovegood," Hermione began again, "Yes, Invisibility Cloaks do indeed exist, despite their rarity. But…" Xenophilius smiled again with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Ah, but the Third Hallows is a true Cloak of Invisibility, Miss Granger! I mean to say, it is not a travelling cloak imbued with a Disillusionment Charm, or carrying a Bedazzling Hex or else woven from Demiguise hair, which will hide one initially but fade with the years until it turns opaque. We are talking about a cloak that really and truly renders the wearer completely invisible, and endures eternally, giving constant and impenetrable concealment, no matter what spells are cast at it. How many cloaks have you ever seen like that, Miss Granger?" He questioned her curiously and knowingly.
Hermione opened her mouth to answer but closed it again. She looked at her friends then at her bag, where the cloak resided. It matched the description that Xenophilius had just described.
"Exactly," Xenophilius said victoriously concluding the debate, "None of you have ever seen such a thing. The possessor would be immeasurably rich, would he not?" He glanced out of the window again. The sky was now tinged with the
faintest trace of pink.
"All right," Hermione said disconcerted. "Say the cloak existed…What about the stone, Mr. Lovegood? The thing you call the Resurrection Stone?" He looked back at her briefly.
"What of it?"
"Well, how can that be real?"
"Prove that it is not," Xenophilius said matter of factly. Hermione looked outraged.
"We can't no one knows where it could be That's completely ridiculous! How can I possibly prove it doesn't exist?" Hermione said pushing on, "One would have to get hold of all the pebbles in the world and test them? No one has even proven its existence either way."
"Yes, you could," Xenophilius said happily, "I am glad to see that you are opening
your mind a little." Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously, Ryder knew that he had to intervene.
"Then the Elder Wand exists as well?" Ryder questioned him in high interest.
"Yes, there has been endless evidence," Xenophilius once again confirmed, "The Elder Wand is the Hallow that is most easily traced, because of the way in which it passes from hand to hand."
"It belongs to whoever is able to defeat the previous owner of the wand," the Doctor explained solemnly. His tone said it all.
Xenophilius picked up from where the Doctor left off, "You must have heard the way the wand came to Egbert the Egregious, after his slaughter of Emeric the Evil? Of how Godelot died in his own cellar after his son, Hereward took the wand from him?" Xenophilius went on like he was a professor, "Of the dreadful Loxias, who took the wand from Barnabas Deverill, whom he had killed? The bloody trail of the Elder Wand is splattered across the pages of Wizarding history."
"Who do you think has the wand now?" Ron asked for once interested in this. The Doctor bit his tongue to keep from saying Draco's name.
"Alas, who knows?" Xenophilius said, as he gazed out of the window. "Who knows where the Elder Wand lies hidden? The trail goes cold with Arcus and Livius. Who can say which of them really defeated Loxias, and which took the wand? It's all is now left to one's imagination.
Hermione was in thought, "At one point could the Peverell family have possessed the Hallows?" She inquired, remembering the symbol on the grave. Xenophilius looked taken aback then surprised then all by smiling a true smile.
"I see that you have been misleading me," Xenophilius said, amazed by her knowledge. He sat up much straighter in his chair and goggling at Hermione. "Seems to me that you have been on the Hallows Quest for sometime now. Many of us Questers believe that the Peverells have everything, everything to do with the Hallows!"
"Who are the Peverells?" Ron asked confused again. Hermione shook her head in irritation.
"If you were paying any attention before we came here, it was the grave I saw in Godric's Hollow with the mark on it," Hermione said, sighing, still watching Xenophilius. "Ignorus Peverell."
"The original owners of the Hallows…" Ryder said, catching on. Everything was all falling together now.
"Yes, my boy!" said Xenophilius, his forefinger raised pedantically. "The sign of the Deathly Hallows on Ignotus's grave is conclusive proof!" The Doctor nodded his head confirming the true, "The three brothers in the story were actually the three Peverell brothers, Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus," he said, excitedly. With another glance at the window he got to his feet and headed for the spiral staircase, "You will stay for dinner?" he called, as he vanished downstairs again. "Everybody always requests our recipe for Freshwater Plimpy soup."
"Probably to show the Poisoning Department at St. Mungo's," Ron said, under his breath. Hermione nudged the young man in the stomach.
"Can't wait to try it!" the Doctor called out to Xenophilius excitedly, "Can't be any worse then some thing that I have eaten before." He waited until they could hear Xenophilius moving about in the kitchen. The Doctor strode over to the spiralling staircase. He was looking up at the next level in thought. Ryder followed his father's gaze in curiosity.
Both Time Lords climbed the stairs to the next floor. Once the Doctor moved out of Ryder's way when he reached the top step. Ryder was a bit startled to see his own face was looking back at him from the ceiling of the room above.
He soon realized that it was not a mirror, but a very detailed painting. Ryder also saw the faces of Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Emma, and even the Doctor there on her ceiling. They were not moving as the portraits at Hogwarts moved, they did carry a certain magic too them. They almost seemed to be breathing. What appeared to be fine golden chains wove around the pictures that linked them together. He looked closer to see that they were the same word repeated over and over. a thousand times in golden ink, friends… friends… friends…
"Doctor, Ryder, what are you doing? I don't think you should look around when he's not here!" He barely heard her being so mesmerized by the beauty of Luna's love for her friends. The Doctor stood by his son's side understanding the growing affection for Luna. He looked around the room.
"Luna's mother," The Doctor informed Ryder as the young man spotted a large photograph beside the bed, of a young Luna and a woman who looked very much like her. They were hugging. Luna looked rather better groomed in this picture than Harry had ever seen her in life. The picture was dusty, "Luna was taken she hasn't been here for weeks." His voice was quite grim, "Let's go tell the others."
Ryder nodded, hoping that Luna was alright wherever she was. Now Xenophilius' behavior made sense. He was hiding it from them. His heart went out to him.
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked as she saw the men's grave expressions when they descended the staircase, but before he could respond, Xenophilius reached the top of the stairs from the kitchen, now holding a tray laden with bowls.
"Xenophilius, we know that Luna is gone," The Doctor addressed the man grimly. Xenophilius shook his head trying to brush it off like nothing was wrong.
"Excuse me?" He said, setting the tray down. He laughed nervously, ""I—I've already told you. She is down at Bortons Bridge, fishing for Plimpies. Let me fetch her." He started back to the staircase but the Doctor caused him to halt on the top step.
"We can help you find her but you have to let us," the Doctor said firmly. Xenophilius tried to speak, but no sound came out. The only noise was the continued chugging of the printing press.
Xenophilius's hands shook.
"Luna hasn't been here for weeks," Ryder filled the others in to the discovery he had made with his father, "Her clothes are gone, her bed hasn't been slept in. Where is she? And why do you keep looking out of the window?" Emma, Ron, and Hermione drew their wands. Both Time Lords had their screwdrivers aimed at him as well.
Xenophilius frowned, his hand about to enter his pocket. At that moment the printing press gave a huge bang and numerous Quibblers came streaming across the floor from underneath the tablecloth, the press fell silent at last.
Hermione stooped down and picked up one of the magazines, her wand still pointing at Mr. Lovegood. "Ryder, look at this." He strode to her as quickly as he could through all the clutter. The front of The Quibbler carried his own picture, emblazoned with the words UNDESIRABLE NUMBER ONE and captioned with the reward money.
"I never thought of you as a coward. To side with those who want nothing to destroy the life of your daughter's friend," the Doctor said coldly, his eyes were the darkest they have been in a long time. He didn't do well with those who cowarded down to evil, "Is that what you were doing when you went into the garden, Mr. Lovegood? Sending an owl to the Ministry?" The Doctor demanded. Xenophilius shook even more as sweat poured down his face.
Xenophilius licked his lips. "They took my Luna," he whispered. "Because of what I've been writing. They took my Luna and I don't know where she is, what they've done to her. But they might give her back to me if I—if I—" The Doctor practically had him pinned to the wall. His anger was boiling over in a dangerous way.
"I will be damned if I hand over my son to them," the Doctor growled, "Oh yes, he is my son." His eyes flashed almost shining red.
"As a parent you will understand what I did," Xenophilius whimpered cowarding to the man's fury.
"Ryder, take the others to the TARDIS, now," the Doctor said directly to the young man.
"They will be here at any moment. I must save Luna. I cannot lose Luna. You must not leave." He spread his arms in front of the staircase. Taking Ryder back to where his father tried to protect him back on Gallifrey. How Lily had done the same when he was a baby in this universe.
"Don't make us hurt you," Ryder warned him with his sonic screwdriver at him.. "Get out of the way, Mr. Lovegood."
"RYDER!" Emma screamed as she saw figures on broomsticks were flying past the windows. The Doctor pinned Xenophilius' arm down before he could attack.
"RUN!" The Doctor bellowed as he aimed his screwdriver at the Erumpent horn. Ryder took the girls' hands as he bolted down the stairs with Ron right behind him. There was a colossal explosion. The sound of it seemed to blow the room apart. Fragments of wood and paper and rubble flew to all directions, along with an impenetrable cloud of thick white dust. Harry flew through the door. They had barely made it down the stairs when the second level crashed down around them.
Ryder shoved Emma to the ground and protected her with his body. He heard Hermione's scream, Ron's yell, and a series of sickening metallic thuds, which told him that Xenophilius had been blasted off his feet and fallen backward down the spiral stairs.
"GO! GO! GO!" The Doctor said, practically yanked Ryder out of the rubble. Ryder could barely breathe or see for dust. He didn't see what else was going on as they ran through the debris. He searched for the others. He was afraid that they had been badly injured. He spotted Hermione coated in dust like a second statue. She pressed her finger to her lips. the door downstairs crashed open.
"Didn't I tell you there was no need to hurry, Travers?" A rough voice said. "Didn't I tell you this nutter was just raving as usual?" There was a bang and a scream of pain from Xenophilius.
"No…no…upstairs…Potter!" Xenophilius winced in pain almost pleading.
"I told you last week, Lovegood, we weren't coming back for anything less than some solid information! Remember last week? When you wanted to swap your daughter for that stupid bleeding headdress? And the week before"—another bang, another squeal—"when you thought we'd give her back if you offered us proof there are Crumple"—bang—"Headed"—bang—"Snorkacks?"
"No—no—I beg you!" Xenophilius pleaded more, sobbing. "It really is Potter! Really!"
"And now it turns out you only called us here to try and blow us up!" the Death Eater roared, there were a volley of bangs interspersed with squeals of agony from Xenophilius.
"This place looks like it's about to fall in, Selwyn," A cool second voice echoed up the mangled staircase. "The stairs are completely blocked. Could trying clearing it? Might bring the place down."
"You lying piece of filth," the wizard named Selwyn shouted, "You've never seen Potter in your life, have you? thought you'd lure us here to kill us, did you? And you think you'll get your girl back like this?"
"I swear…I swear…Potter's upstairs!" Xenophilius whimpered. Ryder couldn't help but have an extremely dislike of the man.
"Homenum revelio," the voice said at the foot of the stairs. Ryder heard Hermione gasp as he had the odd sensation that something as swooping low over him, immersing his body in its shadow.
"It's Potter, I tell you, it's Potter!" Xenophilius kept pleading for his life. "Please…please…give me Luna, just let me have Luna…"
"You can have your little girl, Lovegood," Selwyn threatened, "If you get up those
stairs and bring me down Harry Potter. but if this is a plot, if it's a trick, if you've got an accomplice waiting up there to ambush us, we'll see if we can spare a bit of your daughter for you to bury."
Xenophilius gave a wail of fear and despair. There were scurryings and scrapings: Xenophilius was trying to get though the debris on the stairs.
"Come on," The Doctor whispered, finding Emma in the corner, "Back to the TARDIS. We'll get Luna." Hermione shook her head. "We've got to get out of here."
"We can't, we have to Disapparate," Hermione retorted sadly. The Doctor knew that she was right. He nodded gravely.
Ron was buried deepest: Harry and Hermione climbed as quietly as they could over all the wreckage to where he lay, trying to push a heavy chest of drawers off his legs. While Xenophilius's banging and scrapping drew nearer and nearer. Hermione managed to free Ron with the use of a Hover Charm.
"All right," Hermione breathed as the broken printing press blocking the top of the stairs began to tremble. Xenophilius was feet away from them. She was still white with dust. "Okay then," Hermione whispered, "give me the Invisibility Cloak. Ron, you're going to put it on."
"Me? But Ryder—" Ron started but Hermione cut him off.
"Please, Ron! Ryder, hold on tight to my hand. Ron, grab my shoulder. Emma take Ryder's hand." Ryder held out his left hand. Ron vanished beneath the Cloak. The Doctor took a hold of Ryder's shoulder The printing press blocking the stairs was vibrating: Xenophilius was trying to shift it using a Hover Charm. Harry did not know what Hermione was waiting for.
"Hold tight," she whispered. "Hold tight…any second… " Xenophilius's paper-white face appeared over the top of the sideboard. "Obliviate!" Hermione cried, pointing her wand first into his face and then at the floor beneath them. "Deprimo!"
She had blasted a hole in the sitting room floor. They fell like boulders, Ryder still holding onto her hand for dear life. There was a scream from below and he glimpsed two men trying to get out of the way as vast quantities of rubble and broken furniture rained all around them from the shattered ceiling. Hermione twisted in midair and the thundering of the collapsing house rang in Harry's ears as she dragged him once more into darkness.