𝑩𝑳𝑨𝑪𝑲|𝑺𝑰𝑹𝑰𝑼𝑺 𝑩𝑳𝑨𝑪𝑲'𝑺 𝑫𝑨𝑼𝑮𝑯𝑻𝑬𝑹

Desperate People Do Awful Things

The symbol had been drawn before our eyes.

"That mark was on a grave in Godric's Hollow" Harry remarked, nodding to the drawing but mostly talking to Hermione since the rest of us weren't there.

"Uh, Mr. Lovegood, does the Peverell Family have anything to do with the Deathly Hallows?" Hermione prodded uneasily, the mans movements seemed more restless, his fleeting tapping against the floor relentlessly.

"Ignotus-Excuse me" he paused, breathing in deeply, "and his brothers, Cadmus and Antioch are thought to be the original owners of the Hallows and therefore the inspiration for the story" he informed us.

Nezz shuffled forward so that she was perching just on the end of the sofa. She reached out to touch Xenophilius's hand, her fingers grazed his knuckle but she flinched back as he'd burnt her.

I craned my neck to gage Nezz's reaction; her eyes were wide and glittering, her lips parted.

"But your tea's gone cold!" Luna's Dad stuttered, jumping up and scampering downstairs.

"Nerezza" Harry breathed, "what is it?" He said, shaking her hand a little.

"I felt..." Nezz swallowed, "guilt. Too much" she whispered.

"Let's go down there" I suggested, helping Nezz to stand and making sure she wasn't light headed after the sudden rush of emotions she felt from the jumpy man.

"Let's get out of here more like" Ron corrected, tugging at his jumper collar. "I'm not drinking any more of that stuff, hot or cold" he puffed.

We all made our way downstairs to see Xenophilius in the kitchen area, clattering around with teacups and staring off into space...just letting the water run until the pot over spilled in the sink. This was fucking strange.

Harry rubbed his hands on his jeans nervously as he glanced back at us all before speaking to Mr. Lovegood again.

"Thank you, sir." Harry tapped his shoulder and he sprang back around, eyes bulging out of fear, "We really should be going" Harry smiled softly at the panicked man.

Harry headed toward the door but Lovegood threw himself in front of the piece of wood, his arms almost hugging it. I grabbed Harry by the back of his jacket and I pulled him back to Nezz, Ron, Hermione and I, protectively.

"No, you can't!" He barked.

"Sir?" Hermione uttered.

"You're my only hope." Mr. Lovegood whimpered, his body sagging lifelessly with a tone of desperation lacing his cries. "They were angry, you see, about what I'd been writing. So they took her. They took my Luna" he confessed in a broken sob.

Nezz clamped a hand over her mouth in shock. Harry clenched his fists angrily at the admission that the sweet, unique yet kind Luna had been taken from her home. From her father.

I could feel Nezz's hand grip my arm which was by my side, if Luna wasn't here then why had he lied?

"Luna" Nezz fretted.

"But it's really you two they want" Mr. Lovegood nodded to Harry and Nezz.

I could feel my muscles tense as soon as the words left his cracked lips.

"Who took her, sir?" I asked tentatively.

"Voldemort." He replied grimly.

"GET DOWN!" Nezz shrieked.

The window smashed open and I yanked Nezz down to the floor.

Hermione let out a yelp as she and Ron hit the floor and shimmied under a table, Harry crouched on the floor with his hands covering his head.