The Eagle and The Snake: A Tragic Love Story

63. The Last To Know

Luna spent almost every day at the Malfoy Manor in the days that followed, but on Christmas Day, she planned to spend most of the day with her father.
Bellatrix wouldn't be coming for her until that evening, so Luna and her dad would get to spend lots of quality time together. And a Lovegood Christmas was a lot more exciting and full of fun, than a Black one.
Xenophilius wanted to suprise Luna on Christmas morning, by bringing all of her presents straight up to her room, so that she didn't have to open them by the Christmas tree downstairs, like they normally did.
"Merry Christmas!" Exclaimed Xenophilius, as he pushed open Luna's bedroom door, and stepped inside her room.

Luna jumped to her feet at his sudden appearance.
She had been in the middle of getting dressed when he arrived, and she was only in a t-shirt and trousers.
Since she had no time to put on her Christmas jumper to cover her arm, she quickly placed it behind herself, so that her father wouldn't see her dark mark.
"Good morning dad. Happy Christmas" Luna said awkwardly.
"I brought all of your gifts up, so that we could open them in here" announced Xenophilius.
"Oh, great, thanks" replied Luna.

"What's wrong?" Asked Xenophilius, when he noticed Luna's lack of excitement.
"Nothing" Luna said quickly.
"Then why are you holding your arm behind you, like that?" Questioned Xenophilius.
"It's nothing. You just caught me in the middle of getting ready, that's  all, and you know I don't like people seeing the scars on my hand"
"If it was just your hand you were worried about, then why are you hiding you whole arm?"
"I'm not hiding anything"
"I can tell that you're lying. What's wrong sweetheart? Are you hurt? You know you can tell me anything. Please, just show me your arm, and put my mind at ease".

Luna sighed, realising that she would have no choice but to show her father her arm, and reveal what she was.
When she brought her arm around, exposing her dark mark, Xenophilius dropped the presents he was holding, as his face fell in horror.
"You- You're one of them" stuttered Xenophilius.
"I'm sorry dad" apologised Luna.
It killed her to see the look of disappointment and sadness on her father's face.
"Is Carly one too, or are you hiding this from her as well?" Asked Xenophilius.
"I'm not hiding anything from Carly. Her and I became death eaters at the same time" admitted Luna.

"Why? Why would you do this?" Questioned Xenophilius.
"Because we had to do something. People like me and Carly are being arrested and killed, just for being gay. We had to make a stand. And the dark lord is the only one willing to stand up for our rights, that is why we joined him" explained Luna.
"But he is an evil man. He's a killer" insisted Xenophilius.
"The Ministry is no better than him. You've seen the papers, you know how people like me are being treated. You know that Scrimgeour is no better than Fudge. And you know that under his government, Carly and I will never be safe".

"But you're a good girl. You are my little Luna. You're not a bad person. You have a sweet disposition" reminded Xenophilius.
"I was a sweet person. I went to school full of happiness and joy. But the world soon took that out of me. My classmates bullied me relentlessly for being different and called me a freak. And when I realised that I was gay, I discovered that the world wanted me dead, because my feelings were apparently unnatural. I was an optimistic person, but the world beat that out of me. I became stronger and darker, because that was the only way I could survive" informed Luna.

"This is all my fault. I should have protected you better. I'm such a failure" Xenophilius said sadly.
Luna approached her father, avoiding the fallen presents, and put her hands on his arms.
"No, this is not your fault. You're an amazing dad. You did your best to protect me from the harsh realities of the world, when I was a child, so that I had a happy life. Which did end up making me naïve and innocent, and an easy target for bullies when I got to Hogwarts. But I don't blame you for that" reassured Luna.
"If I had been a better father, you wouldn't have needed to turn to him" replied Xenophilius.