Ron's good feeling about heading further North was right, they found the Lovegood's home towards the Northern edge of Ottery St Catchpole on the top of the hill they appeared on. The house was in a very irregular style, a massive black cylinder which was being hauntingly illuminated by the moonbeams from the ghostly moon in the afternoon sky hanging behind it. "See, their house screams Lovegood, looks like a giant rook." Ron commented as he pointed it out to Harry and Hermione, "that looks nothing like a bird, Ron." Hermione counters his description, Ron having to clarify that he meant a chess rook. "Come on, we want to get back to camp before it starts to get dark." Harry suggests as his eyes were locked on the waxing almost Full moon.
Ron reached the top of the hill first thanks to his long legs, an infectious grin on his face as something caught his eye that proved who lived in this strange house. Harry and Hermione were panting loudly, clutching their waists as stitches started to form in their sides, asking what he's grinning about. "It's definitely theirs, just look at this place." Ron beamed gesturing towards the front yard. The garden was surrounded by a rickety fence, surrounding a chaotically flourishing garden with an array of different kinds of magical plants. As they passed through the garden via a zigzagged path leading to the front door, they could see a multitude of signs tacked onto stacks in the ground by some of the plants.
Some they could read while passing by was 'PICK YOUR OWN SNARGALUFF' or 'GROW YOUR OWN GURDYROOT', against the side of the house was a bush covered in some orange radish like fruit with a sign in front of it that told them to 'KEEP OFF THE DIRIGIBLE PLUMS'. They arrived at the thick and black, iron nail studded front door that had an eagle head as a knocker, clearly inspired by Ravenclaw Tower and a golden plate which had the words 'EDITOR OF THE QUIBBLER, X. LOVEGOOD' etched into it in black lettering. Hermione suggests for Harry to take his Invisibility Cloak off now, "it's you who Mr. Lovegood wants to help, not us." Harry wasted no time pulling off his cloak and stuffing it into Hermione's beaded bag.
Harry, Ron and Hermione all look at one another, giving each other a chance to back out of this plan as they know it has nothing to do with the Horcruxes, but it might help them understand what Dumbledore was trying to tell Hermione. After a moment of silent consensus, Hermione reached up and grabbed a hold of the eagle knocker, rapping the door three times. They didn't speak after Hermione knocked, all of their minds and hearts racing as they knew that this interaction could go either way at the moment. They didn't have to hold their breaths for long, as Xenophilius Lovegood swung the door open seconds later, and he looked like an awful mess.
His long white hair was dirty with grease and looked like it hadn't been brushed in weeks, patches of dirt spread across his neck, forehead, hands and feet which he left bare as he stood on the mat on his floor by the door. He was wearing a white trousers that looked like it had been balled up in the bottom of his wardrobe for months before he put it on, small holes littered around it from the moths that had fed off it. He wore a cream lumpy cardigan that was falling apart from every edge, even the patches were peeling off from where they were sewn. His shirt seemed to be a pyjama top that was almost completely covered in an array of different colour stains that it's hard to tell what it was supposed to look like.
"What is it?" Xenophilius croaks, making it clear that he hasn't used his voice in quite a long time, "who are you?" his voice shakes as she looks at Hermione and Ron, who were coincidentally blocking Harry from Xenophilius' eye line. "What do you want?" He hisses impatiently as no one has jumped to answer his questions in the second between each one. Harry taps Ron and Hermione, silently requesting they give him space to go ahead of them to converse with Mr Lovegood. Xenophilius' jaw drops as Harry stepped forward bidding him a hello, "I'm Harry Potter, we met a few months ago at Bill and Fleur's wedding." Xenophilius doesn't say a word, his hands slightly shaking as his eyes travel to the marker of his true identity, the lightning scar on Harry's forehead.
Harry cleared his throat feeling uncomfortable by Mr Lovegood's silence, remembering him as a bubbly, slightly eccentric man that attended Bill and Fleur's wedding just six months ago. "These are my friends, Ron Weasley," Harry gestured to Ron, Mr Lovegood's eyes moving ever so slowly to look at the redhead, Ron offered him an awkward friendly smile, not knowing what to say. "And Hermione Granger." Hermione holds her hand out towards Xenophilius as he turns to look at her, Mr Lovegood doesn't make any movement to shake her hand. Hermione withdrew it when she realised he wasn't going to shake it, "would it be okay if we came in? There's something we'd like to ask you."
Mikayla pottered around the kitchen while making something to eat for their little decorating crew because they had worked through lunch to finish decorating the ballroom. She didn't want to get started on the ceremony setup until after they had eaten, a late lunch is better than no lunch at all. Penelope and Kingsley tried to offer to make them lunch as a thanks, but Mikayla shut the offer down, explaining that she wanted to try out a new recipe. Fred picked her up a Muggle Cookbook when he went into town last week to do some grocery shopping while she was working on design plans.
His cheeks were bright red as he stumbled over the explanation of why he got it, that moment is one that she'll never forget. Mikayla always loves when she gets to witness a flustered Fred, he had wound himself up in knots on his way home, worried that she would take the gift the wrong way. He wanted her to be able to discover all sides of the culinary arts which she has fallen in love with over the past few months since she confronted her eating disorder. Fred was worried that if her routine became too repetitive that the reborn spark of passion would die out and perhaps she'd lose some of the amazing progress she's made so far.
Now that they live together, the young couple are seeing every side of one another, and falling deeper in love as they discover every individual part of each other's entire being, the good and the bad. Mikayla loves listening to all of his tales of his mischievous childhood, the lessons he learned in the process, unable to stop herself from beaming with joy when he gets that twinkle in his eyes. He always loves to see how her eyes light up whenever she talks about the times Peppy would let her cook with her when she was little. Some of Mikayla's calmest moments happen in the Kitchen, whether she is cooking alone or with Kreacher, and Fred can't help but find himself getting lost in her quiet happiness.
So it's no surprise that when he is supposed to be chatting with Penelope and Kingsley while Mikayla makes lunch, their words were falling on deaf ears as he watches Mikayla in her element. Penelope and Kingsley share a knowing look as they catch the look of pure admiration on Fred's face, feeling her boyfriend's stare, Mikayla looks up catching his eye. Her whole face lights up as she flashes him a brilliant smile, "almost done, love." Mikayla informs him with a wink, Fred reshaping his expression into an overexaggerated frown, which Mikayla rolled her eyes at. Penelope and Kingsley taking a hold of each other's hands, big smiles on their own faces before they remind the younger couple that they had company.
"So, has all this planning got you two love birds excited for tying the knot yourselves?" Penelope asks the couple, making the pair blush as I realised that Penelope and Kingsley just bared witness to what could be only described as them eye-fucking. Fred was able to play it cooler than Mikayla, who just put her head down and focused on her Chicken Kiev Quesadillas. "It has definitely got us thinking of our wedding day, I'll definitely have to get your planner's number for ours, whatcha think, Mia?" Mikayla shook her head at Fred's antics, "well, Freddie, I think you're getting a little head of yourself, one of us has to propose first." Mikayla smirks at him, Fred clears his throat getting up from his chair, both him and Mikayla laughing as he walks over to her.
"If you don't have a ring, don't even think about it." Mikayla laughed, Fred began frantically searching his pockets, looking to Penelope and Kingsley, who were silently laughing at the pair. Penelope pulls off one of her rings, handing it over to Fred, who accepts it with over dramatised gratefulness, before he turns to face Mikayla again. He wipes his hands against his trousers, acting all nervous as he began to go down on one knee. Mikayla had tears from laughing at her boyfriend's antics, feigning shock as he holds up the ring to her. "Miss Black, will you do me the honour of becoming my Mrs Weasley?" Fred asks, Mikayla places her hand on Fred's shoulder, her smile comically dropping as he rejected his proposal.
Fred let out a cry asking Mikayla to explain herself, "the main reason is because I'll have to return that ring to Penelope, it wasn't yours to give." Fred got up to give Penelope back her ring, blaming her for the love of his life rejecting his proposal, before he started setting the table. "Don't worry, man. You can try again, she'll be your Mrs Weasley some day." Kingsley pretends to console Fred as he gets up to help him set the table, "don't lie to him, Kingsley, I'll never be his Mrs Weasley." Mikayla retorted in a serious tone as she plated up their lunch, by the silence that followed that she cringed realising that their guests took her words the wrong way.
"That's right, Mia, but one day I'll be your Mr Black." Fred throws back making Mikayla smile as she looks over at him, "well that's inevitable, love." Fred grins as Penelope and Kingsley relax, "so you're taking Mikayla's last name?" Penelope questions just to clarify that's what the couple had meant by Mikayla never being Mrs Weasley, "that's the plan, Mikayla doesn't want her family name to die with her, and I have more than enough brothers to carry on the family name." Fred half explains the reason behind their decision, claiming that Mikayla wants to reinvent the Black family's name, rewriting its ideals to match the legacy her father wanted to create. Mikayla wanted people to learn about the hidden goodness of her family.
How her uncle, Regulus, sacrificed his own life over his house elf's for the chance of destroying Voldemort. How her father defied his family's plans for him, fought for the equal rights of all, and laid down his life to save her and friends from Voldemort. Despite all odds, Narcissa saw the errors in her family's ways and has done all that she can to help Mikayla succeed in taking down the Dark Lord. Andromeda, who her Dad called the 'Original Badass', has spent her life healing people from every possible background, there is not a prejudice bone in her body. She recognises that good doesn't at all excuse the horrors the Black family has committed, but is a start, it's a chance to mend the brokenness of the past for a better and brighter future.
"You two are perfect for each other." Penelope chuckles, a part of her in disbelief that the young couple have not only thought that far ahead of them, but have discussed in depth. "He's okay, I guess." Mikayla comments, Fred feigning outrage at her dismissal, "you're lucky to have me." Fred snarks back as he takes two plates off Mikayla as she was contemplating juggling the four of them to the kitchen table. "That I am." Mikayla smiled softly at him, affectionately ruffling his hair as she took the seat next to, across from Penelope and Kingsley. "How about you two? Has either of you decided that you're going to change your last name?" Mikayla questions the older couple, feeling bad for getting wrapped up in joking around with Fred instead of focusing on the soon-to-be weds.
"Yeah, I'm going to take Kingsley's last name, I want our family to share one last name and I'm not overly attached to mine, especially now considering how my family reacted to my pregnancy." Penelope answered as she placed a hand on her prominent eight month pregnant belly. Kingsley rested his hand on top of hers, the silent affectionate gesture making the couple share a smiling glance. "Have you thought of any names yet?" Fred questions wanting to keep the conversation light-hearted, knowing that no one would know what to say if they delved into Penelope's unofficial disownment. "We have some ideas, but nothing concrete yet. I don't think we'll settle on anything until we meet them." Kingsley admitted with an easy smile, "Well, we're all looking forward to meeting baby Shacklebolt." Mikayla tells them, answering a question they weren't ready to ask yet. "Exactly, we want you all to know just how loved you are."