Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling


A/N- Okay, not sure how much is left on this, two at the most though. Not sure if I will be able to fit everything in the next chapter or not. Enjoy the chapter...it ends with a nice big surprise!


Fred's Gift

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Unexpected


George and Luna spent another two weeks in Little Matako; someone had to keep an eye on things while Oliver and CJ were away on their honeymoon. Eventually the time came when they had to once again say goodbye to the place that had become a second home to them, to the people who had become like family. Plans were made for Oliver and CJ to visit in the late summer. With the war now far behind, the need for a safe house was gone and CJ had decided the time had come for her to move on as well; as CJ really had no other close family in the states they would be moving back to the UK and would spend the end of the summer looking for suitable places to live.

Back at home George and Luna began living for the first time a normal life. For the first time they had no concerns, no conflict between them and nothing hanging over their heads. The extended trip had caused no problems, despite the fact that George had been away from the shop far too long. Hermione had taken over the books and inventory as she had when they were in Little Matako the previous fall and Ron and Harry had handled everything else. Miraculously, everything was still standing.

Luna was desperately behind in her school work, there was no just the normal course work but also her N.E.W.T exams to prepare for and she realized to her horror that they were only a month away. Every spare moment that was not spent with Hope was spent with her head in a book, early in the morning to late at night. Finally after two weeks she had caught up and was able to enjoy an afternoon to herself now and then while Hope napped and George was away at the shop.

She tried to relax during these times, to push any unhappiness from her mind. Occasionally the guilt came back when she thought about Nathan Wayling and sadness over Ashley's death…but most often these days her mind went to her father, her mother, and her uncle Xenovius.

It was impossible to reconcile the two, the Xenovius of Leroy Brinks memories and the Xenovius of her memories. But they were the same man; it had taken a simple bit of digging on her part to verify that the story that Leroy Brinks that told her was true…at least the part about the four having been at Hogwarts at the same time. But Luna knew if she wanted to know more there was only one place she was going to find answers, a place she had been afraid to go for the past two weeks.

Luna had been able to save precious little from the remains of her house after the explosion. Most of it had fit into a shoe box. But when she and George had begun working on the yard before they went to Little Matako they had unearthed a heavy steel locked box and when they unlocked it, they had found a woman's jewelry box filled with things that had belonged to her mother. Hidden in a trap door under the jewelry box had been her mother's teenage dairies.

In those diaries, Luna knew, she could find the truth. But did she dare?

She had only to think of Ginny Weasley to remember how dangerous a diary could be. Not that she was expecting to be possessed by her mothers diaries; but wasn't it possible that reading them could make things even worse? What if her mother had secretly not liked Xenovius Lovegood? What if she had known of the Christmas plans and asked anyway? It was so risky, far too much to risk for someone like Xenovius Lovegood. Luna had precious few memories of her mother…what if reading the diaries tainted the few she had? Was it worth taking such a risk for the man who had tried to kill Hope?

But Luna's heart tugged at her conscience. She wasn't the sort of person who could stand knowing that someone had been hurt, particularly when there might be something she could do about it. Not even when that person was Xenovius Lovegood.

And so one sunny afternoon found her sitting in the sun with her mothers diaries in her lap, Hope sound asleep next to her on the blanket she had laid out on the lawn. She skipped over the early ones, the ones written when her mother had been young. She would read those one day, just not now. Instead she looked for the ones dated during her mother's years at Hogwarts…and the first mention of Xenophilius and Xenovius Lovegood.

()

September 1, 1968

I am here! The sorting is finished and as Daddy suspected, I have been sorted into Ravenclaw House! There is so much to see here, so many things! The stairways move, the paintings talk and the armor walks on its own! On our way to our tower this evening we met the most horrible, horrible poltergeist named Peeves. He called me a titchy ickle firsty and tossed an ink jar at me…but this kind boy stepped in front of it and took the ink all over his back. His name is Xenovius Lovegood and he is quite nice looking…he and his brother. I didn't get his brothers name. I'll be seeing a lot of them though; they are in Ravenclaw as well. Well…much to see tomorrow…must sleep.

()

October 8th, 1968

After all this time, the Lovegood brothers have realized I am alive! It was quite sweet really; Xenovius and Leroy Brinks came to me after potions and said that he was quite impressed with my answers to professor Slughorn this afternoon. Poor Leroy, he tries so hard to impress Professor Slughorn but the old poop is such a snob, the only reason he doesn't like Leroy is because he is from the United States. He is a whiz at History of Magic and not too bad at charms either.

They've asked me to take part in their study group but I don't know if I dare. Xenovius' brother is a part of it…those two do nothing apart you know…and I feel like such a nincompoop whenever I get near Xenophilius Lovegood! I said I would think about it…but, gosh…what do I do?

Luna thumbed through several more entries, most detailed their studies and the growing friendship between the four. There was mention here and there of her mothers growing attachment to her father and uncle and Luna began to wonder when it was that she had actually chosen her father over Xenovius. She went through three more books, leading up to her mothers sixth year…the year that everything fell apart.

()

October 10th, 1974

I don't know what to do, things are getting so tense and it is all my fault. They are both waiting for me to make a decision, but how do I chose when I love them both? I don't understand how this happened; I never knew that it was possible to love two people at the same time. When I am with Xenophilius I feel so happy and alive, when I am with Xenovius I feel such joy and well-being. They make me laugh and my heart soars when I am with them! Oh…if only there was a way that I could have them both. I look at them and my heart breaks…I am hurting them so much.

()

October 25, 1974

Xenovius came to me tonight after dinner and he told me that he was stepping aside so that Xenophilius and I could be together. And why…because he wanted his brother to be happy. His words should have made me happy, the pressure is off, my choice has been made for me, but the truth is…if he came to me now and told me that he changed his mind… I would choose him. To make such a sacrifice, to give up his own happiness for the sake of his brother…

Oh to be the lucky woman who wins the heart of Xenovius Lovegood forever.

()

Luna stopped reading, her heart felt like it was about to break in two. Xenovius Lovegood had suffered, and from what Luna knew, his suffering was only beginning.

November 15th, 1974

Xenophilius and I had another row this evening…the study group again…what else. I keep trying to tell him that I think we should keep going as if nothing had changed but he maintains that our being together in front of Xenovius is hurting him and so our keeping up the study group is rubbing salt in his wounds. I see his point, but isn't it unfair to take that away from him too? Xenophilius and I spend so much time together; he cancelled their hunting trip to Wales last weekend because Xenophilius got detention from that evil old ghost Professor Binns for not handing an essay in on time. I told Xenophilius to tell Xenovius about that too but he wouldn't listen. What is it with men and pride? Stubborn old things.

On and on it went, more arguments over the study group and her mother describing the furthering gap between her father and uncle…until Luna came to an entry that reminded her of something she hadn't thought of when Leroy Brinks was telling her his story.

()

December 19th, 1974

The most horrible thing has happened. Daddy was killed last night in an accident. I've come home from school a week early and Xenophilius bless him is coming next week at the end of term to stay with us. I suppose I should have asked him to bring Xenovius, but things have been so touchy with them lately… besides, why should his Christmas be ruined just because mine has?

So that was why…why her father had broken his promise to go to Wales over the Christmas holidays. Luna had known that her grandfather Verion Westier had been killed just before Christmas but she had never put two and two together. Her father hadn't been being selfish…he had no idea his own grandfather was about to die, he needed to be there for her mother. She wondered if that would make a difference to Xenovius Lovegood; if knowing why would change his bitterness.

There were only a few pages left in the diary and Luna knew these would be the most difficult to read. She settled back and read, tears streaming down her face the whole time. When she finished she put the diary aside and pulled the jewelry box onto her lap and opened the lid. She remembered the broach Leroy Brinks had spoken of…her mother had shown it to her a time or two. She also remembered now a locket her mother had shown her and she said that it bore pictures of the men who were the most precious to her in the entire world.

Luna located the broach easily, still in its blue velvet bag; she opened the bag and dumped it out into her palm. It was a large ruby that had been cut into the shape of a heart, in the middle of it was a large extremely ornate L surrounded with fancy curlicues that shaped into hearts…the Lovegood family crest. She dug a little further until she found a small yellowed white box and inside that was the locket that bore the pictures of the two men who were the most precious in all her mothers' world. She clicked the locked open and on one side was her father, on the other was a man who…just as Luna suspected… looked exactly like her father.

Her uncle, Xenovius Lovegood.


()


Luna was used to the house being loud these days, Hope was quite a draw and it wasn't unusual that there was family underfoot. But when she returned from running errands she wasn't expecting to find the minister of magic himself sitting at her dining room table.

"Minister!" She exclaimed, her eyes huger than normal. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Minister!" Harry guffawed loudly and received a dirty look in return.

"You know Potter…" Kingsley mock glared "…some people actually recognize the dignity of my position."

"But you're just Kingsley." Ron shook his head, a smirk twitching his lips at the corner.

"Okay, well, since I am obviously missing something." Luna smiled and handed Hope off to Ginny and Hermione. "Would someone explain what is going on?"

"Big news." George took her hand and pulled her into the chair next to him. "A hearing has been set, to overturn the law that allows for a guardian to force an underage witch to terminate her pregnancy."

"Oh!" Luna's head shot up and then around the table. "What do you need from us? Whatever it is, were in."

George laughed and took her hand in both of his. "I already told Kingsley that."

"So, what do you need from us?" Luna looked at Kingsley.

"Simple really." Kingsley smiled "We just need you to tell your story to the Wizengamot."

"That's all?"

"It might not be that simple." Ginny looked nervous.

"Why not?" Luna looked confused. What could possibly be so hard about telling a simple story? What had been done to her was wrong…surely anyone with a conscience would see that.

"There are people on the Wizengamot who don't like change." Kingsley said simply "They feel that if a law exists, it exists for a good reason and so it shouldn't be tampered with."

"But this law is ludicrous, it's outgrown it's time." Ron protested.

"And place." Harry added

"Not that it ever really had one." Ginny looked like she wanted to spit venom.

"Problem is…"Kingsley looked at George "There are people outside the Wizengamot trying to rile them up against taking this law off the books."

"Two to be exact." Hermione looked disgusted.

"Two?" Luna had her suspicions who one of them was…she wouldn't put it past her uncle. Pain made people do terrible things. "My uncle…and who?"

The others around the table looked around at one another for a moment, neither wanting to be the one to tell her. Finally Kingsley decided it fell on him…he was after all, minister of magic.

"Horace Slughorn."

"Professor Slughorn?" Luna felt dizzy "He would …do such a thing…"

It was too much to bear. She knew Professor Slughorn had been opposed to her being at school while she was pregnant, she knew that he had had it out for her since then…but for him to support a law that allowed for such a vile thing.

"Excuse me." Luna stood from the table, her head swimming and her eyes so blurred she could hardly see to make her way to the bathroom where she promptly threw up.

This was too much; this was just much, much too much.

"Luna?" Ginny knocked softly on the door before cracking it open. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." She nodded and flushed the toilet, then sat back against the cool bathroom tiles. "I'm fine."

Ginny went to the sink for a wash cloth and then ran it under the cool water. She sat on the floor across from Luna and handed it to her, Luna gratefully put it on her face.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Ginny looked worried "You look kind of green."

"I'm okay." Luna nodded. "It's just…thinking…that that vile, horrible man could do such a thing when I thought he was such a good person just a few months ago."

"I know." Ginny put her hand on Luna's "I can't imagine how you must feel. You've been through so much this past year."

"We all have." Luna looked at Ginny with sad eyes. "You have too."

"Yes, we have." Ginny sighed and leaned back against the wall. "To think that it's been a year next week. A whole year since the last time I talked to Fred, since I heard him laugh or seen him smile. It's so sad when I think about it that way."

"But it has been a good year too." She turned back to Luna and smiled "You and George are married now, and you have Hope. Ron and Hermione are together and Harry and I. Best of all, we all have one another. Idiots your uncle and Professor Slughorn don't matter, not in the big picture."

"What about the law Ginny?" Luna sighed and let her cheek fall against the tile. "It is so wrong. We almost lost Hope because of it, when I think of all the babies that have already been lost because of it…and realize that many, many more might be…it just makes me so damned angry!"

"Then tell them that." Ginny smiled "Stand up in front of the Wizengamot and tell them how angry this law makes you. Tell them how wrong it is and why they need to change it."

Luna laughed and looked away. "Can you believe…for once I am actually afraid of speaking my mind?"

"Nothing to be afraid of." Ginny sighed and put her hand on Luna's face to make her look her in the eyes. "Luna, you've survived Peter Pettigrew and Nathan Wayling…you've looked you-know-who in the face. Facing down the Wizengamot should be a piece of cake after all that!"

"Difference is Ginny," Luna looked away again. "There was only my life on the line before. If the Wizengamot decides against taking the law off the books…so many more lives are going to be lost…innocent lives."


()


Xenovius Lovegood sat at his desk, shuffling through his day's mail. The house was unusually quiet, his daughter was home for the summer holidays and she and the wife had gone out for a bit of shopping and dinner…Xenovius had work to catch up on. He had been spending all his time writing letters of late. Convincing the Wizengamot not to reverse this law was turning out to be more difficult than he had anticipated, even with the help of Horace Slughorn…Slughorns name wasn't what it used to be…not since word had gotten out that he had been the one who had given you-know-who the vital information he'd needed to learn how to tear his soul and put it into horcruxes…something that might never have gotten out of not for nosey Rita Skeeter.

Xenovius paused over a chunky manila envelope in an unfamiliar curvy script. This wasn't his typical office mail, nor was it bills or letters. It was heavy and something delicate slid about inside a small box.

He tore the end off the envelope and dumped the contents out onto his desk. There was a book covered in floral fabric, a blue velvet pouch, a white yellowed jeweler's box and a note on mint green paper. He picked up the note first.

()

Dear Uncle,

I don't expect any of this to change your feelings towards me, or the decisions that you have made. I only hope that in seeing these things you can find some sort of peace.

Luna Lovegood Weasley.

()

Xenovius clenched his lips tightly together and picked the lot up, preparing to toss the whole thing into the fire. But the tie on the pouch pulled open and a broach tumbled out onto the carpet. He picked it up…his heart clenching as he realized what he held in his hand. Granddad Lovegoods Broach…the one thing he had wanted from his estate…and finally, it was his.

After seeing the broach Xenovius' curiosity was peaked. He opened the white box and saw a woman's locket…he recognized it right off as the locket that Louisa had always worn.

Louisa…Louisa Westier.


-Flashback-


"Xenovius" Louisa laughed when she found him hiding behind the statue in the entry way "What are you doing hiding, we need to study!"

"I need to talk to you Louisa, away from Leroy and Xenophilius"

"Okay" She dimpled up at him, making his heart break for what he knew he had to do. "What is it?"

"I want you to know…"He loved her…he loved Louisa Westier so much, but he loved his brother more. "You don't have to decide…I want you to be with Xenophilius."

"You…you do?"

"Yes." He laughed "It was just a silly crush, and I should have realized it wouldn't last. I'm over it now…so you and my brother can be together, no worries."

"Xenovius…you're just saying that…I know you are."

"Louisa…it doesn't matter." He smiled and kissed her cheek. "As long as you and Xenophilius are happy…I'll be happy too."


-End Flashback-


Xenovius allowed his eyes to close, the memory of Louisa's face as he turned and walked away made his heart ache. After a long moment he opened his eyes and looked at the locked again. She would never tell him what was inside, only that it was her two favorite people in the world. He put a thumb nail between it and clicked it open…inside were pictures of him and Xenophilius. Louisa had still been wearing that locket the last time he had seen her, shortly after Luna was born.

Xenovius stared for along time at the book…what else could it be but a diary? He didn't want to read it, his heart was already broken enough for one night…for one lifetime. Why allow the scabs to be torn off further?

He rose from his desk, taking the diary with him, and went to the bar for a bottle of firewhiskey, then he settled into a chair by the fire. Page by page he relived the growing tension while Louisa tried to make her impossible choice and with a pain like white fire he discovered the true reason Xenophilius had not gone with him to Wales over Christmas. And then, he came to the last page of the diary.

()

January 10th, 1975

I wore the broach today. It was a horrible, wretched thing to do to, but I did it. I had no choice; it's the only way to end this. It's my fault, all my fault that Xenophilius and Xenovius have become estranged. If I hadn't chosen between them…if I hadn't asked Xenophilius to come home with me over Christmas…my fault…all my fault. Please God…Let Xenovius hate me. Let him take his rage out on me and curse the ground I walk on. And more than anything else… let Xenophilius take his side.

()

January 12th, 1975

Things are only getting worse and worse...Oh God...what have I done?

()

January 15th, 1975

Xenovius and Xenophilius have stopped speaking…Xenovius told Leroy that Xenophilius is dead to him and when Leroy told us Xenophilius cried for hours. He has been putting up a brave front in front of others…but when we are alone, I can see how broken he is. He keeps writing Xenovius letters…but he can't bring himself to give them to him…he says he deserves all this and more. Today I told him that I wanted to break up…maybe without me they could patch things up. Xenophilius agreed…and then a few hours later he came back. I wish things could be the way they used to be…this is all my fault.

()

Xenovius stared at the last words, his eyes swam with tears and behind them… he saw Louisa's face.

Louisa…beautiful Louisa.

He hadn't known about her father…if only they had told him, but then, he hadn't given them a chance. He had refused to speak to Xenophilius at their granddads funeral, and when they were all back at Hogwarts, he had already begun to withdraw. It was shortly after that that Louisa had worn the broach…what he realized now was a desperate attempt to draw them together …against her. How could she have ever thought that would work? And Xenophilius…he had never known…never realized his brother had suffered just as much as he had. If he had known… if he had only known…

So many years…so many wasted years.

Xenovius closed his eyes and let his head fall back against the chair for a moment, and then he stood and went to his desk and sat. He picked up the broach and locket, holding one on each hand as if weighing them, then, his eyes fell on the note from his niece.

I don't expect any of this to change your feelings towards me, or the decisions that you have made. I only hope that in seeing these things you can find some sort of peace.

His niece was a foolish girl. How could she think that any of this would bring him peace? If anything, all she had done was add to his guilt.

Luna Lovegood Weasley was a foolish girl…just like her mother.


()


The Weasley's gathered together the week of the anniversary of the battle of Hogwarts. Fleur was in an advanced state of pregnancy, only a couple weeks to go and Hope would have her first cousin, and so they gathered at Shell Cottage. It was a particularly poignant gathering for Luna, considering what had happened there the night before the battle.

As it turned out this was the furthest thing from her mind. She wasn't feeling well and was going to great lengths to hide it. It was enough that the family had Fleur, not to mention the anniversary of Fred's death, on their minds. But on the third morning Luna began to notice that Ginny was watching her every move and when she politely declined breakfast and decided to take a walk on the beach instead…she found Ginny on her heels.

"Okay Luna, fess up." Ginny took her elbow and turned her around. Not a good idea. Luna jerked her arm free and ran for the nearest bush.

"Sorry, sorry." Luna said miserably. "That was horribly disgusting of me."

"Hmm." Ginny tapped her chin. "Now where have I heard that before?"

"Very funny." Luna stood straight and gave Ginny a dirty look. "I just have the stomach flu or something."

"Stomach flu."

"Yes." Luna nodded and headed for the beach.

"Just in the morning."

"It's not just in the morning." Luna said defensively "It's …early afternoon too."

"Luna!" Ginny stopped and took her arm again. "You can't fool me; I was there last September...remember?"

"Merlin's fat hairy arse." Luna slid down on the sand and buried her head in her knees. "This can't be happening."

"Well, the way you and George have been going…"

"Ginny!" Luna sat up sharply, something she regretted "That's not helping."

"Sorry." Ginny looked at Luna sympathetically "Do you know for sure?"

"No." She shook her head, burying it back between her knees. "Not for sure."

"How late are you?"

"Two weeks…but, I've not had a chance to go back to normal since Hope was born. Bloody hell Ginny, she's only three months old!"

"Well, we can find out easy enough." Ginny stood and pulled out her wand "Accio Bag"

"How?" Luna ducked as Ginny's bag flew through the air from the upstairs window.

"I just so happen…" Ginny dug around for a minute and then pulled out a pink box "to have this."

"What is it?"

"A home pregnancy test."

"Do I want to know what you're doing with a home pregnancy test Ginny?" Luna lifted an eyebrow

"Probably not." She grinned a little. "Let's just say that Harry and I had a little too much fun during one of my Hogsmeade visits last April. I ended up not using it. Whew...lucky me. Anyway, I brought it here to dispose of the evidence."

"You're being safe right?" Luna gave her a mother look "You and Harry I mean?"

"Safer than you apparently." Ginny smirked

Luna narrowed her eyes. "That was low."

"I know." Ginny wrinkled her nose and unwrapped the test stick "Sorry. Anyway, all you have to do is pee on this. You'll find out in two minutes."

"And you're sure this is accurate?"

"Of course, Harry says muggles use these all the time."

Luna nodded and took the stick, the vanished into the nearest bush. She came back a moment later, her face twisted into a confused frown.

"Ginny, what does it mean if a line appears really quick after you pee on it?"

"Err." Ginny bit her lip and looked at Luna. "It means you and George need to have a long talk."

Luna dropped the stick in the sand and ran for the nearest bush.


()


()


Chapter Thirty Preview

Luna tries to find a way to

break the news to George while Xenovius tries to decide what to do with his newfound

information.

()


()


()