She Is Alive ~ V | d.m.

23. The Lovegoods

Morning had soon come and we wasted no time in leaving.

We were walking along the hills as Ron was leading us to the Lovegood's.

"Ron, do you actually know where you're going?"

"Well, Scarlett, it should be here somewhere. You know, it's weird, being this near, but not going to visit," said Ron.

"Well, it's not like you haven't just seen them. You were there for Christmas," Hermione countered coldly as she crossed her arms.

"I wasn't at the Burrow!" Ron stopped and turned around to face her, "Do you think I would go back there and tell them I'd walked out on you? Fred and George would've been great about it. And Ginny, she'd have been really understanding."

Shocked, Hermione curiously eyed him, "But where have you been, then?"

"Bill and Gen's new place. Shell cottage. Bill's always been decent to me. He wasn't impressed when he heard what I'd done, but he didn't go on about it. He knew I was really sorry. None of the rest of the family know I was there. Bill told Mum he and Gen weren't going home for Christmas because they wanted to spend it alone. You know, first holiday after they were married. Gen, however, wasn't having it, she wasn't happy that I left you guys. She certainly made sure I knew."

I smiled lightly at the thought of Gen being defensive, it was always in her nature.

Ron turned his back on the Burrow and face the open plains ahead of us, "Let's try up here," he pointed over the hill ahead.

We walked for a few hours and soon came to a cluster of low hills that appeared to be deserted apart from one small cottage, which was quite abandoned.

"Do you think it's theirs, and they've gone away for Christmas?" Hermione asked, peering through the window.

"I already told you, Luna is at Hogwarts still. So Mr. Lovegood should be home. Besides, their house would be more..."

"Unique." Hermione finished my sentence as I nodded in agreeance.

"Let's try the next lot of hills, then."

We all nodded and soon disapparated a few miles farther north.

We soon landed at another house and Ron leaped for joy when he set eyes on it, "Aha!"

Ron was pointing upward, where a most strange-looking house stood, "That's got to be Luna's house, who else would live in a place like that? It looks like a giant rook!"

"Hey, don't be mean."

Hermione snapped at him and he lowered his head slightly, "Right, sorry."

Hermione then walked up and knocked three times on the door, as we all waited behind her.

Not much time had passed, as the door opened and revealed Mr. Lovegood himself, barefoot and wearing a stained nightshirt. His long white hair was dirty and untouched.

"What? What is it? Who are you? What do you want?" he spoke in a high-pitched voice, he looked at Hermione, then at Ron, and finally at Harry before he met my eyes. Upon glancing back and forth between me and Harry, his mouth fell open in shock.

"Hello, Mr. Lovegood," Harry spoke, holding out his hand, "I'm Harry, Harry Potter."

Mr. Lovegood didn't take Harry's hand, he just stood as if unbelieving.

"Hello, I'm Scarlett Grindelwald, we've met before. Would it be okay if we came in, Mr. Lovegood?" I stood up and walked in front of Harry, "There's something we'd like to ask you."

"I... I'm not sure that's okay," he whispered and swallowed before casting a quick look behind us. "Rather shocking... I- I'm afraid I don't really think I ought to-"

"It won't take long," I insisted, as I raised a brow confused by his behavior.

"I- oh, all right then. Come in, quickly. Quickly!"

We were barely past the frame when Mr. Lovegood slammed the door shut behind us.

We were now standing in the most peculiar kitchen we had ever seen. Everything was curved to fit the walls: the stove, the sink, and the cupboards. All of it had been painted with flowers, insects, and birds in bright primary colors.

However, the effects in such an enclosed space were slightly overwhelming.

In the middle of the floor, a metal spiral staircase led upstairs, to which Mr. Lovegood motioned to, "You'd better come up."