Chapter 20
- Loony Lovegood -
Hermione was on watch. And as she guarded the campsite alone, the others sat awkwardly inside the tent. Harry and Ron sat together on one of the bunks, watch the ball of flames Hermione had made to light up the tent. Teddy watched them silently from his bed as Arkie laid tiredly on his lap, fast asleep.
"I've always liked these flames Hermione makes." Ron commented, looking once at the half-opened entrance to the tent. Just through it her could see Hermione, her back turned in his direction. "How long do you reckon she'll stay mad at me?"
"Well, just keep talking about that little ball of light touching your heart and she'll come round."
Teddy wondered if he should try laughing to break the tension, but that didn't feel like the right move. Ron sighed hopelessly. "It was true. Every word. This is gonna sound crazy... but I think that's why Dumbledore left it to me, the Deluminator. I think he knew that somehow I'd need it to find my way back, and she'd lead me."
The shaggy haired half-breed looked between the two, then to the stool he was using as a bedside table. On it lay his mother's jewelry box. The words from Dumbledore's will swam laps in his mind. 'A possession of one of my students long ago, in hope he is encouraged to seek the best in himself.'
Seek the best in himself? What did Dumbledore mean by that? How could he find the best of himself?
"Bloody hell," Ron broke his thoughts. "I just realized, Harry, you need a wand, don't you? I've got one here." He rummaged through his bag, pulling out a long, simple black wand. "It's a blackthorn. Ten inches. Nothing special, but I reckon it'll do. Took if off a Snatcher a couple of weeks ago." Ron glanced once more at the tent entrance. "Don't tell Hermione this, but they're a bit dim, Snatchers. This one was definitely part troll, the smell of him."
Teddy showed a hint of a smile and observed as Harry carelessly flicked his wand at the ball of flames in front of them. "Engorgio." He murmured.
Fwoom!
The fire burst upwards, reminding Teddy of a fountain of flames. "Reducio!" Teddy gasped and the flames died down. Arkie jolted awake on his lap. Hermione's worried voice wafted through the tent. "What's going on in there?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing."
"Nothing."
They all replied at once, sharing a silent laugh. Arkie looked around, tired and confused but happy to see the wall between the boys had broken. Suddenly, Hermione stumbled into the tent. "We need to talk." Silence fell upon them.
"Yeah, all right." Harry replied.
"I want to go see Xenophilius Lovegood." She walked towards the small kitchen area.
"Sorry?" Everyone got up, following behind her.
"See this?" She opened the book she'd taken from Bathilda's. Inside was a letter. "It's a letter Dumbledore wrote to Grindelwald. Look at the signature." At the end next to Dumbledore's signature was the same triangular eye symbol. "It's the mark again."
"Why does it keep popping up everywhere?" Teddy looked closer at the symbol. "I mean it was in your book."
"And the graveyard at Godric's Hollow." Hermione added, looking between the others, except for Ron.
Harry's eyes widened. "It was there too."
"Where?" Arkie asked, rubbing her eyes as she talked.
"Outside Gregorovitch's Wand Shop. But what does it mean?"
Hermione folded up the letter, sliding it back between the pages of the book. "Look, we've got no idea where the next Horcrux is... but this, this means something. I'm sure of it."
Teddy opened his mouth to agree but Ron jumped in first. "Yeah. Hermione's right." Hermione finally looked at him, yet it wasn't a kind glance. "We ought to see Lovegood. Let's vote on it. Those in favor?" He raised his hand, yet no one did the same so he slowly lowered it down.
The next day the five of them apparated a good distance away from Lovegood's house. They didn't want to apparate straight there in case they bumped into someone they didn't want to bump into.
In fact, Teddy urged that they apparated so far away from Lovegood's house that it'd take them a day or two to make it there on foot. Sure enough, after two days of walking they reached Lovegood's home. It reminded Teddy of the Burrow.
Tall, misshaped. Only it was quiet and lifeless. It was too quiet.
"Let me." Teddy objected before Harry could knock on the door. "I'm a closer friend with Luna." Harry stepped down, allowing him to knock on the door softly.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The door opened a crack, not enough for Teddy to see through the opening. "Luna?"
"What is it? Who are you? What do you want?" He recognised Mr. Lovegood's voice.
"Mr. Lovegood." He smiled comfortingly, though got a hair raising feeling from Mr. Lovegood's terrified gaze. "I'm Teddy, Teddy Lupin." He opened the door open an inch more. "I'm a friend of Luna's..." But the light haired man wasn't paying attention to him anymore. He was staring at Harry strangely. "Sir, could we come in?" Teddy asked.
Lovegood gave a slight nod, opening the door enough for them to slip inside. Soon they were all sitting on Mr. Lovegood's armchairs, holding cups of inedible tea. "Mr. Lovegood? Where is Luna?" Teddy asked, finding it odd that she hadn't come down to greet them yet.
"Hm?" Mr. Lovegood apparently hadn't been listening.
"Luna. Where is she?" Teddy asked again, making sure to keep his tone kind and gentle.
"Oh... She'll be along." Through the awkward silence they all sipped their cold tea. It had a disgusting bitter taste to it and Teddy put down his cup, not wanting to have much more. "So how can I help you, Mr. Potter?" Lovegood asked, breaking the silence.
"Well, actually... It was about something you were wearing round your neck at the wedding. A symbol."
Lovegood pulled something out from under his shirt, a silver necklace with the symbol on it. "You mean this?"
"Yes." Harry leaned forward to get a better look at the odd symbol. "What we've wondered is, what is it?"
Mr. Lovegood looked at each and every one of them as if they'd just asked him if the sky was blue, which it actually wasn't. The sky was as grey as ever before. "What is it? Well, it's the sign of the Deathly Hallows, of course."
"The what?" Everyone around him said, but Teddy straightened, lost in thought.
"The Deathly Hallows. I assume you're all familiar with 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'?"
"I am." Teddy replied when no one else did. Their heads turned to him. "There used to be a copy in my dad's library. Wasn't my favourite story, but I remember it."
"I have it in here." Hermione pulled out her gift from Dumbledore.
"Let me." Teddy offered and Hermione passed him the book.