Chapter 214: A Pleasant Surprise
Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I own nothing but the original characters I create.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
- Author notes -
Chapter 214: A Pleasant Surprise
He did not have to wait long behind the wards before being granted entrance into the Lovegood grounds, despite having arrived without an invitation.
According to Luna, her father would rarely leave the house, so there wasn't much need for a warning.
Luna came out of the house and greeted him.
"Harry! You came to see me? Did you bring me a present?"
"Of course, but I'm afraid your present is not ready yet. I also need to speak with your father. Is he in the house?"
"He is locked in the attic, writing some article about the werewolves' migratory movements… or perhaps it was seagulls…" Luna appeared unsure about it.
"I'll go call him!" She took off running into the house, leaving Harry by himself.
He decided to wait inside, so he went into the kitchen and took a seat.
Just a few minutes later, he heard someone stumble their way down with hurried steps.
"Harry! I knew you were going to visit us soon." Xenos looked even more unkempt than usual.
"Too much work?" Harry asked.
"Ah… yes… it's a difficult time. Lots of strange things happening," Xeno said before moving his eyes over Harry as if he were searching for something.
Harry noticed this and already knew what the man was trying to find.
"I have them here." He did not feel the need to waste time and brought out the two Hallows in his possession, leaving them on the table.
Xeno's eyes passed by the wand but only held his interest for a couple of seconds before moving to the other object… the Stone of Resurrection.
Harry felt pity for the man. Like Dumbledore, he was also someone who wished to make use of the stone and talk with a lost loved one.
He could understand Xeno's need better than Dumbledore's, as he also lost his wife once.
But even if the stone worked, it would be of no use to him. That person doesn't exist in this world, just a different version of her.
"May I?" Xeno's hand hovered over the small black stone.
"You will be disappointed, I'm afraid… but go ahead." Harry heard some steps and glanced to his side, just in time to see Luna entering the kitchen. She held the invisibility cloak in her arms.
"Daddy told me to bring it," she explained.
Xeno held the stone in his palm and looked at it very closely so he could inspect all its details.
"It's really the Stone of Resurrection!"
"Of course… it had been in possession of the Gaunt Family for many generations. Although I'm not sure if they knew what they had," Harry said. At least he was sure that Voldemort didn't know what the stone was. He would have kept it with him at all times otherwise.
"Pandora…" Xeno whispered the name of his lost wife.
He said it loud enough for Luna to hear.
"Why is he calling for Mom?" the girl asked.
"The Stone of Resurrection allows you to speak with the dead for a short period of time… or it would if it was still working," Harry told her.
Luna stared at her father for a moment.
"Yesterday was Mommy's anniversary…"
"Oh…" Harry now understood why Xeno looked so messy. It wasn't just from work.
Xeno sighed and gave the stone back to Harry.
"Sorry, I already knew it wasn't going to work, but…"
"I know… I would have tried too," Harry told the sad man.
"That's too bad; I also wanted to talk to Mommy… I still don't know where she put her recipe for strawberry pudding…" Luna commented.
The writings on the stone became alight while Harry was holding the stone in his palm.
"What is happening?" asked Xeno.
The stone made a loud, strange noise, and grey smoke started to come out of it.
Harry had seen this phenomenon before…
"This can't be… it shouldn't work!" He was truly shocked to see this.
A female figure started to form from the smoke.
"Pandora!" Xeno exclaimed.
"Mommy!" Luna called.
"W-what?... where am I?.. is this my kitchen?" She looked very confused.
She looked around and stopped when she spotted her husband.
"Xeno… what is happening?"
"Pandora, oh my love, you are here!"
The woman glanced at the young blonde girl with carrot earrings.
"Luna?!, but… how are you so big?. You should be eight… have I been sleeping too much?"
"No, you are dead," Harry told her.
"You have been for the past… four years."
"Potter?... no… you look different… too young and no glasses." Pandora stared at Harry.
"He is Harry Potter." Luna went to his side and told her mother.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Lovegood. I am Harry; you may have known my father."
"You are James's son… and Lily. You…" She looked at her hands and gasped. Only her upper body had manifested from the smoke.
"What is this?... am I really… dead?"
"I'm afraid so…" said Xeno with a grave voice.
"We lost you four years ago… There was an accident during-"
"Magic crafting! I remember now! I was working on a new spell to make fireworks…" Pandora said.
There was a moment of silence before she spoke again.
"Oh, I'm so sorry for leaving you… I didn't know it was going to be so dangerous."
"Harry… how long do you think it will last?" Xeno asked.
"I have no idea… so if you have something important to say… say it. I will try to hold this for as long as I can." He could feel his magic being drained at a fast pace. They were lucky he had a lot of it.
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