Dark Pasts { A Harry Potter Story }

Chapter 96 - Xenophilius Lovegood

Harry and Ron were out getting water the following morning, leaving Hermione and me to discuss what we had discovered while apart.

"I wanted to ask you," I began as I browsed through the pages of Beedle The Bard, "if you knew what this is?"

I pointed at the odd triangular symbol at the top of the page. She gasped as she looked at it and suddenly stood to grab two books. She quickly flipped through the pages of Dumbledore's copy of A History of Magic and pointed at the top of a page where, curiously enough, the same symbol had been drawn.

"What does it mean?" I asked.

"I don't know," she said and I could feel her excitement. "Look, it's here as well."

She handed me The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore and I eyed her curiously.

"What on earth are you doing with that book?" I asked.

"Just look at the signature at the bottom of the letter," she said quickly.

I gasped quietly as I saw the symbol again.

"It's got to mean something!" I said.

"I thought so too," she said as she sat down again. "Now that I see it's also in the book Dumbledore gave you. . . . it just reinforces that fact."

"Luna's dad was wearing that symbol at Bill and Fleur's wedding," I said.

"That's what Harry said," she told me. "Perhaps we should go visit him. He could help us."

"I don't know," I said hesitantly. "Are you sure it's not too risky?"

"No, I'm not sure," she said truthfully. "But Mr. Lovegood's always been on Harry's side, so I'd say it's safe enough."

At this moment Ron and Harry walked back into the tent.

"We need to talk," Hermione said.

"What?" Harry said apprehensively.

Hermione and I exchanged a look. "We want to go and see Xenophilius Lovegood."

"Sorry?" he said.

"Xenophilius Lovegood. Luna's father. We want to go and talk to him!"

"Er — why?"

"Look," she said and I handed him the copy of Beedle The Bard. "It's that mark again!"

"Hermione, we don't need another Godric's Hollow. We talked ourselves into going there, and —"

"But it keeps appearing, Harry!" she said. "Dumbledore left us these books, how do you know we're not supposed to find out about the sign?"

"Here we go again!" Harry said. "We keep trying to convince ourselves Dumbledore left us secret signs and clues —"

"The Deluminator turned out to be pretty useful," Ron said. "I think Hermione's right, I think we ought to go and see Lovegood."

"It won't be like Godric's Hollow," she said. "Mr. Lovegood's on your side, Harry, The Quibbler's been for you all along, it keeps telling everyone they've got to help you! Please, I'm sure this is important."

"But don't you think if it was, Dumbledore would have told me about it before he died?" Harry said.

"Maybe . . . maybe it's something you need to find out for yourself," Hermione said.

Harry stared at her for a while but did not speak.

"I think we should vote on it," Ron said. "Those in favour of going to see Lovegood —"