•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

As expected, Hermione's anger did not abate overnight, and the next morning, she communicated by dirty looks and pointed silences towards Ron and sometimes, Harry. Ron was unnaturally somber to show his remorse, and when the four of them were together, Deanna and Harry could only exchange glances because of the tense atmosphere.

But when Deanna and Ron had some time alone together as they looked for food and water, Ron was very cheerful especially since they broke one Horcrux and Deanna was now with them. The two of them exchanged stories about each of their journeys and Ron told her about the Taboo, making Deanna thankful she never said his name in the past months. Deanna was laughing with him all the time, feeling more optimistic than ever.

"Hey, I'm really glad you came back, Ron." Deanna suddenly said on their way back. The words surprised Ron, but they definitely warmed his heart, making him smile softly at her.

"I'm glad you're here with us, Deanna." Ron bumped her on the shoulder gently. "How have you been with... You-Know-Who?"

"It's been a long time since my last vision with him." Deanna let out a sigh. "I don't know what he's planning, but it must be something big for him to hide it from me. Oh, we're here."

The two of them immediately went to Harry who looked the happiest he had been in days. Deanna left the two boys alone and went inside the tent to see Hermione reading a book at the table, her eyebrows furrowed. Deanna's eyes softened and she went behind Hermione who was trying not to smile as she anticipated what Deanna was going to do.

"What are you reading?" Deanna said softly, wrapping her arms around Hermione from behind. Now, Hermione really couldn't hold in her smile. She turned around to place a kiss on Deanna's cheek when...

"NO!" Ron suddenly said, surprising both Deanna and Hermione and causing Harry to jump. "Sorry..." Hermione sent him a scowl and Deanna could only chuckle at Hermione's annoyed expression.

"Let it go, darling." Deanna kissed the top of Hermione's head, being taller than her for the first time. "He did destroy one of the Horcruxes and he came back. Ron's still our friend."

Hermione's eyes softened at that and she let out a sigh. "I'll think about it, but for now, come on." She snapped the book shut and Deanna couldn't help frowning when she saw she was reading Rita Skeeter's book about Dumbledore. Hermione noticed her change in expression and held Deanna's hand. "I know it's twisted, love, you don't have to worry. I know you and your father."

Deanna smiled softly at Hermione and nodded. Hermione smiled back at her and the two of them went out of the tent where Ron was trying to fiddle with the radio but he stopped immediately upon seeing Hermione. "If it's annoying you, I'll stop!"

Hermione just ignored him and looked straight at Harry. "We need to talk."

"What?" Harry said apprehensively.

"I want to go and see Xenophilius Lovegood."

Deanna, Harry and Ron stared at her in surprise, not expecting that.

"Sorry?" Harry asked.

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

"Er — why?"

Hermione took a deep breath and said, "It's that mark, the mark in Beedle the Bard, Deanna's necklace. Look at this!" She opened the book and showed it to Deanna and Harry who leaned in and saw Dumbledore's letter to Grindelwald. Deanna just frowned upon seeing her father's letter. She knew he changed, but he was just as young as they were then...

"The signature," said Hermione. "Look at the signature, Deanna, Harry!"

Deanna's mouth opened slightly upon seeing the triangular mark like her necklace's. It was indeed Grindelwald's mark. "Er — what are you — ?" said Ron tentatively, but Hermione quelled him with a look and turned back to Deanna and Harry.

"It keeps cropping up, doesn't it?" Hermione said. "I know Viktor said it was Grindelwald's mark, but it was definitely on that old grave in Godric's Hollow, and the dates on the headstone were long before Grindelwald came along! And now this! Well, we can't ask Dumbledore or Grindelwald what it means — Deanna didn't get anything from him aside from that it symbolizes something powerful — but we can ask Mr. Lovegood. He was wearing the symbol at the wedding. I'm sure this is important!"

Deanna turned to Harry who was looking at her with worry. She knew he was worried of another dangerous journey just like Godric's Hollow. After a long pause he said, "Hermione, we don't need another Godric's Hollow. We talked ourselves into going there, and —"

"But it keeps appearing, Harry! Dumbledore left me The Tales of Beedle the Bard and Deanna the necklace, saying to follow the sign, how do you know we're not supposed to find out about the sign?"

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

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

"And this is what he's been looking for, Harry." Deanna said with a gentle tone but there was a firmness underneath it, telling him there was no room for arguments. "I'm sure you can see he's been asking Gregorovitch and that vision of a young man taking something."

Harry was surprised at what Deanna said but remembered then that she and Voldemort too had a connection. He was still hesitant though. They lost his wand at Godric's Hollow and got only Rita Skeeter's damn book. Who's saying they won't lose anyone at the Lovegoods' House?

"It won't be like Godric's Hollow," Ron added, "Lovegood's on your side, Harry, The Quibbler's been for you all along, it keeps telling everyone they've got to help you!"

"I'm sure this is important!" said Hermione earnestly.

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

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

"Yeah," said Ron sycophantically, "that makes sense."

"No, it doesn't," snapped Hermione, "but I still think we ought to talk to Mr. Lovegood. A symbol that links Dumbledore, Grindelwald, and Godric's Hollow? Harry, I'm sure we ought to know about this!"

"I think we should vote on it," said Ron. "Those in favor of going to see Lovegood —" His hand flew into the air before Hermione's. She glared at him before raising her own. Harry looked to Deanna, hoping for some support but she could only grin, raising her own hand as well.

"Outvoted, Harry, sorry," said Ron, clapping him on the back.

"Fine," said Harry, half amused, half irritated. "Only, once we've seen Lovegood, let's try and look for some more Horcruxes, shall we? Where do the Lovegoods live, anyway? Do either of you know?"

"Yeah, they're not far from my place," said Ron. "I dunno exactly where, but Mum and Dad always point toward the hills whenever they mention them. Shouldn't be hard to find."

Hermione returned to her bunk after glaring one last time at Ron. Deanna let out a chuckle before patting Ron on the shoulder. "Keep it up, and she'll forgive you, mate."

"And we'll be back to normal." Ron said brightly, making the three of them laugh. He then looked down, remembering how he saw Eleanor on the run with Dean Thomas, Ted Tonks and the Goblins a few months ago. It was the main reason he left, he left in hopes of finding Eleanor and keeping her safe, but he couldn't find them anywhere. "I miss her, Deanna, Harry."

Deanna and Harry did not have to speak to each other to know who she was talking about. They could only pat Ron on the back and smile, hoping it was enough to comfort their friend. Harry wondered too about Noah, but he knew the boy would be fine as he was a pureblood. Still, their hopes and thoughts couldn't take away the worry they had for the people they loved.

Deanna knew how they felt because all those months away from Hermione just made her realize all the more how much she loved the Gryffindor and how much she missed her.

"After this war, we can come back to the people we love." Deanna told the two boys, sending them a smile before she made her way into the tent, smiling at the sleeping Granger, hoping uselessly for those words to apply to her and Hermione too... Deanna then got into bed with her, tracing Hermione's face with her eyes and then placing a kiss on her forehead.

'I love you.'

•─────⋅☾ ☽⋅─────•

The four of them Disapparated the next morning to a breezy hillside where they had a great view of the village of Ottery St. Catchpole. They tried to look towards the Burrow, but they could not see the little house, only high hedges and trees of the orchard.

"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," said Hermione coldly.

"I wasn't at the Burrow!" said Ron with an incredulous laugh. "Do you think I was going to go back there and tell them all I'd walked out on you? Yeah, Fred and George would've been great about it. And Ginny, she'd have been really understanding."

"But where have you been, then?" asked Hermione, surprised.

"Bill and Fleur's new place. Shell Cottage. Bill's always been decent to me. He — 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 Fleur weren't going home for Christmas because they wanted to spend it alone. You know, first holiday after they were married. I don't think Fleur minded. You know how much she hates Celestina Warbeck."

Ron turned his back on the Burrow. "Let's try up here," he said, leading the way over the top of the hill. They walked for a few hours, Deanna and Harry, at Hermione's insistence, hidden beneath the Invisibility Cloak. There was only a small cottage that seemed deserted among the low hills.

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

Ron snorted. "Listen, I've got a feeling you'd be able to tell who lived there if you looked through the Lovegoods' window. Let's try the next lot of hills." So they Disapparated a few miles farther north. "Aha!" shouted Ron, as the wind whipped their hair and clothes.

Ron was pointing upward, toward the top of the hill on which they had appeared, where a most strange-looking house rose vertically against the sky, a great black cylinder with a ghostly moon hanging behind it in the afternoon sky. "That's got to be Luna's house, who else would live in a place like that? It looks like a giant rook!"

"It's nothing like a bird," said Hermione, frowning at the tower.

"I was talking about a chess rook," said Ron. "A castle to you." The four of them quickly walked to the top of the hill, panting as they went.

"It's theirs," said Ron, grinned broadly. "Look."

Three hand-painted signs had been tacked to a broken-down gate. The first read, THE QUIBBLER. EDITOR: X. LOVEGOOD the second, PICK YOUR OWN MISTLETOE the third, KEEP OFF THE DIRIGIBLE PLUMS.

The gate creaked as they opened it. The zigzagging path to the front door was overgrown with a variety of odd plants. It was quite amusing and fascinating, Deanna thought. A little owl peered down at them from one of the branches.

"You'd better take off the Invisibility Cloak, Deanna, Harry," said Hermione. "It's you Mr. Lovegood wants to help, not us." Harry took the cloak off them and handed it to Hermione. She rapped three times on the thick black door.

Barely ten seconds passed, then the door was flung open and there stood Xenophilius Lovegood, barefoot and wearing what appeared to be a stained nightshirt. His long white candyfloss hair was dirty and unkempt.

"What? What is it? Who are you? What do you want?" he cried in a high-pitched, querulous voice, looking first at Hermione, then at Ron, and finally at Deanna and Harry, upon which his mouth fell open in a perfect, comical O.

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

"Deanna Dumbledore, sir." Deanna too held out her hand, but Xenophilius did not take either of their hands. His eyes were flickering from Deanna's blue eyes and the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Would it be okay if we came in?" asked Harry. "There's something we'd like to ask you."

"I... I'm not sure that's advisable," whispered Xenophilius. He swallowed and cast a quick look around the garden. "Rather a shock... My word... I... I'm afraid I don't really think I ought to —"

"We'll ask you quickly, Sir," said Deanna with a bit of pleading though she was confused with his attitude.

"I — oh, all right then. Come in, quickly. Quickly!" Xenophilius immediately slammed the door shut when they all got it. It was quite a peculiar kitchen, everything was perfectly circular and Deanna knew that this was definitely the Lovegoods' house though she still had her guard up. She was Undesirable No. 2 and she didn't know when would they be under attack. Deanna then wondered where was Luna? It had been a long time since Deanna saw the kind Ravenclaw.

"You'd better come up," said Xenophilius, still looking extremely uncomfortable, and he led the way. It was quite a cluttered room with all the books and papers of mystical creatures around. But aside the mess, Luna was not there. Xenophilius took a tablecloth from under an immense number of books and threw it over the printing copies of the Quibbler then he faced Deanna and Harry. "Why have you come here?"

Hermione let out a small cry of shock before any of them could answer.. "Mr. Lovegood — what's that?" She was pointing at an enormous, gray spiral horn, mounted on the wall

"It is the horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack," said Xenophilius.

"No it isn't!" said Hermione.

"Hermione," muttered Harry, embarrassed, "now's not the moment —"

"But Harry, it's an Erumpent horn! It's a Class B Tradeable Material and it's an extraordinarily dangerous thing to have in a house!"

"How d'you know it's an Erumpent horn?" asked Ron, edging away from the horn as fast as he could, given the extreme clutter of the room. "There's a description in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them! Mr. Lovegood, you need to get rid of it straightaway, don't you know it can explode at the slightest touch?"

"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack," said Xenophilius very clearly, a mulish look upon his face, "is a shy and highly magical creature, and its horn —"

"Mr. Lovegood, I recognize the grooved markings around the base, that's an Erumpent horn and it's incredibly dangerous — I don't know where you got it —"

"We need your help, Sir," said Deanna immediately.

"Ah," said Xenophilius. "Help. Hmm." His eyes moved to Harry's scar to Deanna's blue eyes and there was terror and mesmerization in them. "Yes. The thing is... helping Deanna Dumbledore and Harry Potter... rather dangerous..."

"Aren't you the one who keeps telling everyone it's their first duty to help Deanna and Harry?" said Ron. "In that magazine of yours?"

Xenophilius glanced behind him at the concealed printing press, still banging and clattering beneath the tablecloth. "Er — yes, I have expressed that view. However —"

"That's for everyone else to do, not you personally?" said Ron.

Xenophilius did not answer. He kept swallowing, his eyes darting between the four of them, now making Deanna extremely suspicious.

"Where's Luna?" asked Hermione. "Let's see what she thinks."

Xenophilius gulped. Finally he said in a shaky voice difficult to hear over the noise of the printing press, "Luna is down at the stream, fishing for Freshwater Plimpies. She... she will like to see you. I'll go and call her and then — yes, very well. I shall try to help you."

He disappeared down the spiral staircase and they heard the front door open and close. They looked at each other. "Cowardly old wart," said Ron. "Luna's got ten times his guts."

"He's probably worried about what'll happen to them if the Death Eaters find out we were here," said Harry.

"Well, I agree with Ron," said Hermione. "Awful old hypocrite, telling everyone else to help you and trying to worm out of it himself. And for heaven's sake keep away from that horn."

"Hmm... that's strange..." Deanna mumbled to herself, having a bad feeling about Xenophilius Lovegood.

"Are you okay, love?" Hermione asked worriedly, taking Deanna's hand in hers and rubbing a thumb over the back of her hand. She noticed how tense Deanna's entire body was, as if she was expecting something to happen and her grip on her wand was too tight as well.

"Yeah, just thinking..." Deanna mumbled distractedly, her eyes on the covered copies of the Quibbler and machine that was still making much noise. Why would Xenophilius hide the copies of the Quibbler from them? It just struck Deanna as strange.

"Deanna?" Hermione asked again, this time it broke Deanna out of her thoughts and she looked at Hermione with surprise and confusion.

"Yeah? What was it, darling?"

"You sure, you're alright?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine, Mione." Deanna squeezed her hand in reassurance. "I got you so I'm fine." Hermione blushed at her comment and bumped shoulders with Deanna, making the Hufflepuff laugh.

At that moment, they heard the front door close and a moment later, Xenophilius climbed back up the spiral staircase into the room, holding a tray of a steaming teapot and assorted teacups. He handed the tray to Deanna who steadied it immediately. "Ah, you have spotted my pet invention. Modeled, fittingly enough, upon the head of the beautiful Rowena Ravenclaw. 'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure!'" He indicated the objects like ear trumpets.

"These are the Wrackspurt siphons — to remove all sources of distraction from the thinker's immediate area. Here," he pointed out the tiny wings, "a billywig propeller, to induce an elevated frame of mind. Finally," he pointed to the orange radish, "the Dirigible Plum, so as to enhance the ability to accept the extraordinary."

"May I offer you all an infusion of Gurdyroots?" said Xenophilius, taking the tray from her. "We make it ourselves." As he started to pour out the drink, he added, "Luna is down beyond Bottom Bridge, she is most excited that you are here. She ought not to be too long, she has caught nearly enough Plimpies to make soup for all of us. Do sit down and help yourselves to sugar.

"Now," he removed a tottering pile of papers from an armchair and sat down, his Wellingtoned legs crossed, "how may I help you, Mr. Potter and Ms. Dumbledore?"

"Well," said Harry, glancing at Hermione, who nodded encouragingly, "it's about that symbol you were wearing around your neck at Bill and Fleur's wedding, Mr. Lovegood. We wondered what it meant."

Xenophilius raised his eyebrows. "Are you referring to the sign of the Deathly Hallows?"

The four exchanged glances, none of them understanding what he meant. Deanna asked. "The Deathly Hallows, Sir?" She took a sip of the tea but immediately set it down, disgusted at the taste.

"That's right," said Xenophilius. "You haven't heard of them? I'm not surprised. Very, very few wizards believe. Witness that knuckleheaded young man at your brother's wedding," he nodded at Ron, "who attacked me for sporting the symbol of a well-known Dark wizard! Such ignorance. There is nothing Dark about the Hallows — at least, not in that crude sense. One simply uses the symbol to reveal oneself to other believers, in the hope that they might help one with the Quest." He stirred several lumps of sugar into his Gurdyroot infusion and drank some.

"I'm sorry," said Harry. "I still don't really understand."

"Well, you see, believers seek the Deathly Hallows," said Xenophilius, smacking his lips in apparent appreciation of the Gurdyroot infusion.

"But what are the Deathly Hallows?" asked Hermione.

Xenophilius set aside his empty teacup. "I assume that you are all familiar with "The Tale of the Three Brothers'?"

Harry said, "No," but Deanna, Ron and Hermione all said, "Yes."

Xenophilius nodded gravely. "Well, well, Mr. Potter, the whole thing starts with 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'... I have a copy somewhere..."

He glanced vaguely around the room, at the piles of parchment and books, but Hermione said, "I've got a copy, Mr. Lovegood, I've got it right here." And she pulled out The Tales of Beedle the Bard from the small, beaded bag.

"The original?" inquired Xenophilius sharply, and when she nodded, he said, "Well then, why don't you read it aloud? Much the best way to make sure we all understand."

"Er... all right," said Hermione nervously. Deanna sent her a small smile and saw the symbol of the Deathly Hallows on top of the page. She already heard the story before, but somehow, the thought of Hermione reading the story made Deanna excited. Hermione gave a little cough, and began to read. "'There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight —'"

"Midnight, our mum always told us," said Ron, who had stretched out, arms behind his head, to listen. Hermione shot him a look of annoyance.

"Sorry, I just think it's a bit spookier if it's midnight!" said Ron.

"Yeah, because we really need a bit more fear in our lives," said Harry.

Deanna snorted at that and noticed Xenophilius did not seem to be paying much attention, but was staring out of the window at the sky. "Go on, Mione."

"'In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. And Death spoke to them —'"

"Sorry," interjected Harry, "but Death spoke to them?"

"It's a fairy tale, Harry!"

"Right, sorry. Go on."

"'And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.

"'So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.

"'Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.

"'And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.'"

"Death's got an Invisibility Cloak?" Harry interrupted again.

"So he can sneak up on people," said Ron. "Sometimes he gets bored of running at them, flapping his arms and shrieking... sorry, Hermione."

"'Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had had, and admiring Death's gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.

"'The first brother traveled on for a week or more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.

"'That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand and, for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat. And so Death took the first brother for his own.

"'Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him.

"'Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her. And so Death took the second brother for his own.

"'But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life.'"

Hermione closed the book. It was a moment or two before Xenophilius seemed to realize that she had stopped reading, then he withdrew his gaze from the window and said, "Well, there you are."

"Sorry?" said Hermione, sounding confused.

"Those are the Deathly Hallows," said Xenophilius. He picked up a quill from a packed table at his elbow, and pulled a torn piece of parchment from between more books. "The Elder Wand," he said, and he drew a straight vertical line upon the parchment. "The Resurrection Stone," he said, and he added a circle on top of the line. "The Cloak of Invisibility," he finished, enclosing both line and circle in a triangle, to make the symbol.

Those words made Deanna think... Gregorovitch, Grindelwald... One of the Deathly Hallows. And when she exchanged glances with Harry she knew both of them had the same thoughts in mind...

"Together," he said, "the Deathly Hallows."

"But there's no mention of the words 'Deathly Hallows' in the story," said Hermione.

"Well, of course not," said Xenophilius, maddeningly smug. "That is a children's tale, told to amuse rather than to instruct. Those of us who understand these matters, however, recognize that the ancient story refers to three objects, or Hallows, which, if united, will make the possessor master of Death."

There was a short silence in which Xenophilius glanced out of the window. Already the sun was low in the sky. "Luna ought to have enough Plimpies soon," he said quietly.

"When you say 'master of Death' —" said Ron.

"Master," said Xenophilius, waving an airy hand. "Conqueror. Vanquisher. Whichever term you prefer."

"But then... do you mean..." said Hermione slowly, and Deanna could tell that she was trying to keep any trace of skepticism out of her voice, "that you believe these objects — these Hallows — actually exist?"

Xenophilius raised his eyebrows again. "Well, of course."

"But," said Hermione, and Deanna could feel the suspicion jumping out of her, "Mr. Lovegood, how can you possibly believe — ?"

"Luna has told me all about you, young lady," said Xenophilius. "You are, I gather, not unintelligent, but painfully limited. Narrow. Close-minded."

"Perhaps you ought to try on the hat, Hermione," said Ron, nodding toward the ludicrous headdress. His voice shook with the strain of not laughing.

"Mr. Lovegood," Hermione began again. "We all know that there are such things as Invisibility Cloaks. They are rare, but they exist. But —"

"Ah, but the Third Hallow is a true Cloak of Invisibility, Miss Granger! I mean to say, it is not a traveling cloak imbued with a Disillusionment Charm, or carrying a Bedazzling Hex, or else woven from Demiguise hair, which will hide one initially but fade with the years until it turns opaque. We are talking about a cloak that really and truly renders the wearer completely invisible, and endures eternally, giving constant and impenetrable concealment, no matter what spells are cast at it. How many cloaks have you ever seen like that, Miss Granger?"

Deanna exchanged glances with the three of them at once. Harry's Invisibility Cloak. It was the one just like Xenophilius had described.

"Exactly," said Xenophilius, as if he had defeated them all in reasoned argument. "None of you have ever seen such a thing. The possessor would be immeasurably rich, would he not?" He glanced out of the window again. The sky was now tinged with the faintest trace of pink.

"All right," said Hermione, disconcerted. "Say the Cloak existed... what about the stone, Mr. Lovegood? The thing you call the Resurrection Stone?"

"What of it?"

"Well, how can that be real?"

"Prove that it is not," said Xenophilius.

Hermione looked outraged. "But that's — I'm sorry, but that's completely ridiculous! How can I possibly prove it doesn't exist? Do you expect me to get hold of — of all the pebbles in the world and test them? I mean, you could claim that anything's real if the only basis for believing in it is that nobody's proved it doesn't exist!"

"Yes, you could," said Xenophilius. "I am glad to see that you are opening your mind a little."

"Do you think the Elder Wand exists too, Sir?" said Deanna quickly, placing a hand on Hermione's knee to calm her down.

"Oh, well, in that case there is endless evidence," said Xenophilius. "The Elder Wand is the Hallow that is most easily traced, because of the way in which it passes from hand to hand."

"Which is what?" asked Harry.

"Which is that the possessor of the wand must capture it from its previous owner, if he is to be truly master of it," said Xenophilius. "Surely you have heard of the way the wand came to Egbert the Egregious, after his slaughter of Emeric the Evil? Of how Godelot died in his own cellar after his son, Hereward, took the wand from him? Of the dreadful Loxias, who took the wand from Barnabas Deverill, whom he had killed? The bloody trail of the Elder Wand is splattered across the pages of Wizarding history." Deanna could see Hermione frowning but she did not contradict him, meaning it was true.

"So where do you think the Elder Wand is now?" asked Ron.

"Alas, who knows?" said Xenophilius, as he gazed out of the window. "Who knows where the Elder Wand lies hidden? The trail goes cold with Arcus and Livius. Who can say which of them really defeated Loxias, and which took the wand? And who can say who may have defeated them? History, alas, does not tell us."

There was a pause. Finally Hermione asked stiffly, "Mr. Lovegood, does the Peverell family have anything to do with the Deathly Hallows?" Xenophilius looked taken aback as Deanna frowned. She recalled the grave at Godric's Hollow and remembered she heard the name before. Somewhere...

"But you have been misleading me, young woman!" said Xenophilius, now sitting up much straighter in his chair and goggling at Hermione. "I thought you were new to the Hallows Quest! Many of us Questers believe that the Peverells have everything — everything! — to do with the Hallows!"

"Who are the Peverells?" asked Ron.

"That was the name on the grave with the mark on it, in Godric's Hollow," said Hermione, still watching Xenophilius. "Ignotus Peverell."

"Exactly!" said Xenophilius, his forefinger raised pedantically. "The sign of the Deathly Hallows on Ignotus's grave is conclusive proof!"

"Of what?" asked Ron. "Why, that the three brothers in the story were actually the three Peverell brothers, Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus! That they were the original owners of the Hallows!"

With another glance at the window he got to his feet, picked up the tray, and headed for the spiral staircase. "You will stay for dinner?" he called, as he vanished downstairs again. "Everybody always requests our recipe for Freshwater Plimpy soup."

"Probably to show the Poisoning Department at St. Mungo's," said Ron under his breath.

When they heard Xenophilius moving about in the kitchen downstairs, Harry spoke up. "What do you think?"

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said wearily, "it's a pile of utter rubbish. This can't be what the sign really means. This must just be his weird take on it. What a waste of time."

"I s'pose this is the man who brought us Crumple-Horned Snorkacks," said Ron.

"You don't believe it either?" Harry asked him.

"Nah, that story's just one of those things you tell kids to teach them lessons, isn't it? 'Don't go looking for trouble, don't pick fights, don't go messing around with stuff that's best left alone! Just keep your head down, mind your own business, and you'll be okay.' Come to think of it," Ron added, "maybe that story's why elder wands are supposed to be unlucky."

"What are you talking about?"

"One of those superstitions, isn't it? 'May-born witches will marry Muggles.' 'Jinx by twilight, undone by midnight.' 'Wand of elder, never prosper.' You must've heard them. My mum's full of them."

Deanna was just keeping her silence, her heart beating faster. 'Wand of elder, never prosper.' Her own wand was that of elder and phoenix feather. She truly was not meant to have a happy life... But Deanna quickly shook her head out of those thoughts and thought of the Elder Wand. Was it possible? Could it be the Hallow Grindelwald possessed?

"Harry and I were raised by Muggles," Hermione reminded him. "We were taught different superstitions." She sighed deeply as a rather pungent smell drifted up from the kitchen. The one good thing about her exasperation with Xenophilius was that it seemed to have made her forget that she was annoyed at Ron. "I think you're right," she told him. "It's just a morality tale, it's obvious which gift is best, which one you'd choose —"

The four of them spoke at the same time; Hermione said, "the Cloak," Ron said, "the wand," and Harry said, "the stone," and Deanna said, "none." They looked at each other, half surprised, half amused.

"You're supposed to say the Cloak," Ron told Hermione, "but you wouldn't need to be invisible if you had the wand. An unbeatable wand, Hermione, come on!"

"We've already got an Invisibility Cloak," said Harry.

"And it's helped us rather a lot, in case you hadn't noticed!" said Hermione. "Whereas the wand would be bound to attract trouble —"

"Only if you shouted about it," argued Ron. "Only if you were prat enough to go dancing around, waving it over your head, and singing, 'I've got an unbeatable wand, come and have a go if you think you're hard enough.' As long as you kept your trap shut —"

"Yes, but could you keep your trap shut?" said Hermione, looking skeptical. "You know, the only true thing he said to us was that there have been stories about extra-powerful wands for hundreds of years."

"There have?" asked Harry.

Hermione looked exasperated: The expression was so endearingly familiar that Harry and Ron grinned at each other and Deanna chuckled. "The Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny, they crop up under different names through the centuries, usually in the possession of some Dark wizard who's boasting about them. Professor Binns mentioned some of them, but — oh, it's all nonsense. Wands are only as powerful as the wizards who use them. Some wizards just like to boast that theirs are bigger and better than other people's."

"But how do you know," said Harry, "that those wands — the Deathstick and the Wand of Destiny — aren't the same wand, surfacing over the centuries under different names?"

"What, and they're all really the Elder Wand, made by Death?" said Ron. Deanna did wonder then if her elder wand too was unbreakable. It fit her so well she forgot how it felt to use her old wand, and maybe because, it also had a phoenix feather core. But she just couldn't help but wonder where is the Elder Wand? And if it really was what Grindelwald possessed.

"So why would you take the stone?" Ron asked Harry.

"Well, if you could bring people back, we could have Mad-Eye... Dumbledore... my parents..."

Deanna smiled sadly at him while neither Ron nor Hermione smiled. It would make their journey easier too. She could also talk to her old friends but she thought not. It was too dangerous.

"But according to Beedle the Bard, they wouldn't want to come back, would they?" said Harry, thinking about the tale they had just heard. "I don't suppose there have been loads of other stories about a stone that can raise the dead, have there?"

"No," she replied sadly. "I don't think anyone except Mr. Lovegood could kid themselves that's possible. Beedle probably took the idea from the Sorcerer's Stone; you know, instead of a stone to make you immortal, a stone to reverse death."

The smell from the kitchen was getting stronger: It was something like burning underpants. Then, Hermione turned to Deanna. "Why would you choose none of them, love?"

Deanna could see both Harry and Ron becoming curious too, making her smile. "Three extremely powerful objects. The wand is the most dangerous and the cloak is the safest. Still, I'd choose none of them because nothing good comes from so much power. If you do not take caution, it may destroy you and everyone you love."

The four of them fell silent, the other three thinking Deanna was right. And they couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking about Dumbledore too as she said that.

"What about the Cloak, though?" said Ron slowly. "Don't you realize, he's right? I've got so used to Harry's Cloak and how good it is, I never stopped to think. I've never heard of one like Harry's. It's infallible. We've never been spotted under it —"

"Of course not — we're invisible when we're under it, Ron!"

"But all the stuff he said about other cloaks, and they're not exactly ten a Knut, you know, is true! It's never occurred to me before, but I've heard stuff about charms wearing off cloaks when they get old, or them being ripped apart by spells so they've got holes in. Harry's was owned by his dad, so it's not exactly new, is it, but it's just... perfect!"

"Yes, all right, but Ron, the stone..."

And the two of them argued like they always did. Deanna let out a sigh and stood up, making her way to the covered copies of the Quibbler. She was about to lift the tablecloth when...

"Harry, what are you doing? I don't think you should look around when he's not here!"

Deanna turned around at Hermione's words and saw Harry had climbed the stairs. She exchanged glances with Hermione and Ron, and just before she started towards the stairs, Harry had come down.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked, but before he could respond, Xenophilius reached the top of the stairs from the kitchen, now holding a tray laden with bowls.

"Mr. Lovegood," said Harry. "Where's Luna?"

"Excuse me?"

"Where's Luna?"

Xenophilius halted on the top step. "I — I've already told you. She is down at Bottom Bridge, fishing for Plimpies."

"So why have you only laid that tray for four?"

Xenophilius tried to speak, but no sound came out. The only noise was the continued chugging of the printing press, and a slight rattle from the tray as Xenophilius's hands shook. Deanna's eyes widened at his reaction, her feelings turning out to be right and she started her way towards the printing press. Just as Xenophilius dropped the tray, Deanna took the tablecloth off the covered copies and her eyes widened once more at the sight, the press finally falling silent.

"Look at this. We have to go." Deanna whipped her wand out, glaring at Xenophilius Lovegood. She picked up one of the magazines and showed it to them, the front of the Quibbler carried Harry and Deanna's pictures, emblazoned with the words Undesirable Number One and Undesirable Number Two respectively and captioned with the reward money.

"The Quibbler's going for a new angle, then?" Harry asked coldly. "Is that what you were doing when you went into the garden, Mr. Lovegood? Sending an owl to the Ministry?"

Xenophilius licked his lips. "They took my Luna," he whispered. "Because of what I've been writing. They took my Luna and I don't know where she is, what they've done to her. But they might give her back to me if I — if I —"

"Hand over Deanna and Harry?" Hermione finished for him.

"No deal," said Ron flatly. "Get out of the way, we're leaving."

Xenophilius looked ghastly, a century old, his lips drawn back into a dreadful leer. "They will be here at any moment. I must save Luna. I cannot lose Luna. You must not leave." He spread his arms in front of the staircase.

"Get out of the way, Sir." Deanna's eyes flashed gold, scaring Xenophilius Lovegood as she looked so angry and commanding.

"Don't make us hurt you," Harry said.

"DEANNA!" Hermione screamed. Figures on broomsticks were flying past the windows. As the four of them looked away from him, Xenophilius drew his wand. Deanna cursed immediately, pushing Harry, Ron and Hermione out of the way with her as Xenophilius's Stunning Spell soared across the room and hit the Erumpent horn.

There was a colossal explosion. The sound of it seemed to blow the room apart, wood, paper and rubble, flying all around the place. Deanna let out a cough, her back being hit by some debris. Deanna could hear Hermione's scream and she quickly stood up, pointing her wand at Xenophilius Lovegood. "Ignis Rugiet!"

The fireball hit him in the chest and made him fall backward down the spiral stairs. Deanna wrapped an arm around Hermione who was coated in dust and brought the two of them behind one of the pillars, a few inches between them. Deanna pressed a finger to her lips, and Hermione nodded in response, clapping a hand over her own mouth.

The door downstairs crashed open. "Didn't I tell you there was no need to hurry, Travers?" said a rough voice. "Didn't I tell you this nutter was just raving as usual?"

There was a bang and a scream of pain from Xenophilius. "No... no... upstairs... Potter, Dumbledore!"

"I told you last week, Lovegood, we weren't coming back for anything less than some solid information! Remember last week? When you wanted to swap your daughter for that stupid bleeding headdress? And the week before" — another bang, another squeal — "when you thought we'd give her back if you offered us proof there are Crumple" — bang — "Headed" — bang — "Snorkacks?"

"No — no — I beg you!" sobbed Xenophilius. "It really is Potter and Dumbledore! Really!"

"And now it turns out you only called us here to try and blow us up!" roared the Death Eater, and there was a volley of bangs interspersed with squeals of agony from Xenophilius.

"The place looks like it's about to fall in, Selwyn," said a cool second voice, echoing up the mangled staircase. "The stairs are completely blocked. Could try clearing it? Might bring the place down."

"You lying piece of filth," shouted the wizard named Selwyn. "You've never seen Potter or Dumbledore in your life, have you? Thought you'd lure us here to kill us, did you? And you think you'll get your girl back like this?"

"I swear... I swear... they're upstairs!"

"Homenum revelio," said the voice at the foot of the stairs. Deanna's eyes widened when she heard Harry's gasp and she could feel the sensation of something swooping low over her.

"There's someone up there all right, Selwyn," said the second man sharply.

"It's them, I tell you, it's them!" sobbed Xenophilius. "Please... please... give me Luna, just let me have Luna..."

"You can have your little girl, Lovegood," said Selwyn, "if you get up those stairs and bring me down Harry Potter and Our Lady. But if this is a plot, if it's a trick, if you've got an accomplice waiting up there to ambush us, we'll see if we can spare a bit of your daughter for you to bury."

Xenophilius gave a wail of fear and despair. There were scurryings and scrapings: Xenophilius was trying to get through the debris on the stairs.

"Let's get out of here." Deanna whispered, she and Hermione started looking for Harry and Ron. Luckily, Harry had already gotten out of the mess and the three of them quickly helped Ron get free.

While Xenophilius's banging and scraping drew nearer and nearer, Hermione managed to free Ron with the use of a Hover Charm. "All right," breathed Hermione, as the broken printing press blocking the top of the stairs began to tremble; Xenophilius was feet away from them. She was still white with dust so Deanna helped her, dusting her off with her hand and making Hermione blush slightly. "Do you trust me?"

The three of them nodded immediately. "Okay then," Hermione whispered, "give me the Invisibility Cloak. Ron, you're going to put it on."

"Me? But Deanna and Harry —"

"Please, Ron! Deanna, hold on tight to my hand, Harry, grab my shoulder and Ron grab Deanna's shoulder." While she felt Ron grip her shoulder tight, Deanna held out her right hand for Hermione, wondering what the Gryffindor was planning and what she was waiting for. The printing press blocking the stairs was vibrating: Xenophilius was trying to shift it using a Hover Charm.

"Hold tight," Hermione whispered. "Hold tight... any second..." Xenophilius's paper-white face appeared over the top of the sideboard.

"Obliviate!" cried Hermione, pointing her wand first into his face, then at the floor beneath them. "Deprimo!" She had blasted a hole in the sitting room floor. They fell like boulders and Deanna held on tight to Hermione's hand, wondering when did the Gryffindor witch become this bold.

And there was a scream from below and Deanna saw the two men trying to get out of the way as broken furniture and debris broke down all around them. Hermione twisted in midair, dragging them along with her and Deanna could hear the thundering of the collapsing house as they went.

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