Disclaimer: Same as the first chapter…
The Thing about Grace
Chapter 2"He has begun to search for his daughter Headmaster, I don't think it will be long before he locates her." Severus Snape sat in Albus Dumbledore's office and he looked quite tense indeed.
"You are certain of this?" replied the Headmaster with a grave expression.
"He had made a point of reference to the situation at last nights' meeting, is there anything that can be done for her?"
"Fortunately her mother had known of the prophecy and was able to think through a plan for herself and the child's life. She used a great deal of the deep magic to protect the girl, some of which gained strength through her death, others which were snuffed along with her life."
"So what's done is done, is what you're saying?" Quieried Snape. Dumbledore nodded his head sadly.
"Now all we can do is wait out the final phase of the prophecy, hope that Miss Lovegood has the strength to choose wisely and pray." He pulled out a small rather crumpled brown paper bag.
"Lemon drop?"
"No thank you, if you'll excuse me." The professor said as he stood.
"Of course Severus, I'll see you at dinner."
A week had passed and Christmas had arrived. Luna took care to notice her father had only been out of his room four times all that week. She constantly brought him meals, each as carefully prepared as that first breakfast.
She tried her best to be understanding of her father's mood and to respect his space while he needed it, but as it was Christmas, she hoped she and her father could share a nice dinner together.
She already had the potatoes boiling, two lamb shanks cooking with carrots and herbs in the oven, and a favorite of her fathers', honey glazed yams were ready for cooking.
The day before Luna had seen to baking an apple pie for the pudding and had baked some dinner rolls for the meal.
She wiped her hands on the navy blue and flowered apron she had donned for the job. As she waited for the food to demand her attention again, she went to look over the gifts sent to her.
Since the incident the previous school year in the Department of Mysteries, Luna had been receiving a great deal more mail than she ever had, many of the letters from her friend Harry. The poor boy was grieving over the loss of his Godfather, Sirius Black (Luna knew the music world had suffered a great loss over him as well) and sought consolation from his friends, old and new.
Luna picked up a book sent to her from Hermione about myths and legends of the United Kingdom. She poked aside a couple of packages of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum from Ronald to look at a packet of seeds with a picture of a Flutterby Bush on it that was continually budding and blossoming in the picture. This she had received from Neville and they would be ready for planting in the spring. Perhaps she would allow it to sprout indoors first, although she would have to check to see if this was possible.
Luna went back to the kitchen to stir the potatoes and check on the lamb, she had just shut the oven door again when her father burst through the door, looking panic stricken.
"Quickly grab whatever is essential for you to wear for a week, put it in a travel bag and meet me back in the kitchen! Now!" He shouted when she hesitated.
She dashed into the hallway, took the steps two at a time and ran to her room. From her closet she snatched a worn looking travel bag and stuffed into it two sets of robes, a pair of socks and a few sets of undergarments. She grabbed a photo of her mother and laid it carefully on the clothes. On top of the photo she dropped a pair of jeans and an extra sweater. Her wand was taken from her bedside table and tucked behind her ear, then she hurried to the toilet where she tossed her toothbrush, and some toothpaste into the bag. Alongside it she threw a hairbrush. She snapped the bag shut and rushed down the stairs.
Her father was waiting for her with a bag of his own.
"Good, are you ready now?"
"Just a second daddy." Luna said and she ran around turning off the oven and the stove.
"Ready now?" Her father asked, clearly eager to be on their way.
"I think so… wait!" She went to the table, grabbed the gum and the packet of seeds amd stuffed them into her pockets.
"Okay, I'm ready." She turned to her father.
"Good, we're going to be apparating, so hold on to me tightly."
Luna nodded and clutched to her bag. Then she dropped it.
"Wait! I forgot one more thing!" She pulled a chair over to the counter by the sink and climbed up, when she came back down the green tin was in her hand. This too when into her bag. She picked it up and went to her father. He checked his watch and nodded.
"Okay, let's go."
Luna clung to him as the room around them vanished and a new one replaced it with two quick pops. She looked around at her surroundings and recognized the décor to be that of the Leaky Cauldron.
"Headmaster." She heard her father say and turned to see Professor Dumbledore shaking her father's hand.
"Mr. Lovegood, delighted to see you again."
"And you Headmaster, if only it were under different circumstances."
"Well, at least you're both here now." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Happy Christmas, Miss Lovegood."
"Happy Christmas, sir." Luna replied as she looked to him for any sort of explanation.
"Not to worry Miss Lovegood, we're only tr-"
The door swung open and Professor Snape swept in.
"He's gone to the house, he left a few moments ago." Snape announced.
Luna's father sunk into a chair and gave an audible sigh of relief.
"Daddy, what's going on?" Luna asked, as she sat beside him. Her father and Dumbledore turned rather pitying eyes on her while Snape went to close the door.
Her father looked tired as he spoke to her.
"Luna, dear, I…" He looked at the floor.
"I'm not your real father."
