Chapter 149 " The Visit to The Lovegood Family"

It was already evening when we returned to Malfoy Manor.

The house-elf Lele had prepared a sumptuous dinner. Skyler and his family of four talked and laughed at the dining table, enjoying the delightful meal.

Though on the surface, Narcissa expressed dissatisfaction with Skyler's decision to welcome Andromeda and criticized him a few times during dinner, Skyler could discern the underlying gratitude in Narcissa's eyes.

Skyler's actions spared her from the difficult task of expelling her own sister.

In the end, blood ties and family bonds proved undeniable. While easy to discuss, putting it into practice was an intricate challenge. Skyler wisely kept these thoughts to himself.

An intriguing observation was Lucius's occasional furtive glances, revealing a mix of disbelief and... guilt?

This revelation sparked curiosity. Skyler was no fool. Draco's unusual behavior might be concealed from Narcissa, but it couldn't escape the notice of his perceptive father.

Lucius seemed to be well aware of Draco's situation and harbored a hint of guilt himself.

Skyler misunderstood the motives behind the family's actions, thinking that Lucius and Draco had orchestrated these subtle moves to further the cause of pure-blood supremacy.

Returning home was a rare occasion for Skyler, and he didn't want to rush back to school so soon.

However, with seven days left until school resumed, staying at home every day wasn't a viable option. Daphne and the others were still at school, and most of his friends were occupied with the Yule Ball.

Among them, only one person, like him, chose to return home during this Christmas vacation—Luna Lovegood.

Earlier in the semester, Luna had been recruited by Chang Cho to join the Serpentis Vigil Club. Despite this, her reserved personality made her appear somewhat withdrawn to outsiders.

Misconceptions about Luna abound. Many believe she's eccentric, unique, indifferent to others' opinions, and prone to unrealistic and fanciful thinking.

In reality, Luna was a girl who had witnessed her mother's death at a young age and lacked emotional guidance from her unreliable father.

The isolation in the wizarding world further hindered her communication with peers, exacerbating the situation.

After her mother's passing, Luna found herself in a state of melancholy and confusion. Unfortunately, no one guided her through the process, offering no lessons on expressing emotions or providing a platform for her to share her feelings openly.

Consequently, Luna erected impenetrable emotional defenses, concealing her truest emotions.

Entering school with her distinctive temperament, Luna faced intense alienation and discomfort from her peers.

The other young wizards, reacting with honesty, chose to isolate and distance themselves from her. Luna undoubtedly experienced a dark period during this time, grappling with low self-esteem and depression.

Despite these challenges, she clung to the kindness in her heart. This innate kindness, coupled with unwavering persistence, enabled her to rise from the depths of sorrow and cultivate resilience.

Luna stopped letting others' ridicule and bullying affect her. She made a conscious decision to embrace her true self, staying true to her own values.

Luna's belief in her individuality and the courage to go her own way transformed her into a warrior unafraid to confront the world authentically. In her eyes, being different wasn't a flaw; instead, it signified the bravery to be true to oneself.

In her second year at school, Luna experienced an unexpected stroke of luck on the train when she encountered Skyler. This encounter, a scenario she had never dared to imagine, unfolded in a way that would significantly impact her life.

Skyler's warm and amiable demeanor effortlessly won her friendship, making him the first person, aside from her family, to truly enter Luna's life and inner world.

Luna's deep appreciation for friendship is evident in a sketch prominently displayed in her room. The illustration portrays Skyler, Daphne, Meredith, Astoria, and Luna herself, capturing a moment of shared joy as they indulge in airship plums under the slanting sunlight.

Each figure in the scene wears a bright and genuine smile.

Upon learning of Meredith's mysterious disappearance, Luna experienced profound sorrow and melancholy in the solitude of a deserted corner. Despite the intensity of her emotions, Luna chose to keep her feelings private.

When she discovered that Cho was recruiting members for a secretive organization associated with Skyler, Luna joined without hesitation.

Recognizing the shared importance both she and Skyler placed on emotions, Luna believed in the authenticity of his feelings for Meredith and was convinced he would do everything in his power to save her.

Luna was ready to provide any assistance he might need.

Returning to Skyler, he hasn't forgotten the distinctive magical aura he sensed in Luna—an essence closely aligned with nature, radiating a purity and tranquility that felt magical. At that time, Skyler had already considered recruiting Luna into the Serpentis Vigil Club.

Now that Luna is a member of the club, in a sense, she is one of his subordinate members. As the de facto leader, it becomes a necessary responsibility to care for her and foster mutual communication and understanding.

Considering Luna's potential possession of valuable blood talents, Skyler admits that this ethereal and dreamy girl occupies a special place in his heart.

It's not love, nor is it the sentimental connection between individuals of the opposite gender; however, it transcends simple friendship. Each time Skyler encounters Luna, a tender place in his heart is stirred.

Luna may symbolize the freedom that Skyler genuinely aspires to achieve.

Prompted by this sentiment, Skyler uses the family's fastest owl to send a letter to Luna, expressing his intention to visit her.

Luna responds promptly. Given the proximity of Devon and Wiltshire, the reply arrives on the same day.

After revealing his feelings to his family the following morning, Skyler tossed a handful of Floo powder into the fireplace, announcing "Lovegood House" with gusto before arriving at Luna's residence.

Situated in the village of St. Catchpole in Devon, England, Luna's home coexists with both wizard and Muggle inhabitants. The magical community established itself after the seventeenth-century signing of the International Statute of Secrecy.

Noteworthy wizarding families residing nearby include the Weasleys, Fawcetts, Diggorys, and Lovegoods.

Among them, the Diggory family and the Weasley family maintain a strong relationship, with the male heads of both households employed at the Ministry of Magic.

Although not occupying high-ranking positions, they lead comfortable lives. On the other hand, the Fawcett family experienced a decline, evident in their inability to secure tickets for the Quidditch World Cup hosted in their home country.

Speaking of the Fawcett family, though less recognized, Skyler is familiar with their sole daughter, Sibil Fawcett. A notable figure at Hogwarts, she is also known for her mischievous endeavors.

In the incident involving Harold Dingle peeping in the girls' bathroom at the end of the last semester, Sibil took matters into her own hands, pursuing Dingle and administering a beating that left his nose bruised and face swollen.

Later, during the Goblet of Fire registration ceremony, she and Hufflepuff's Summers attempted to circumvent the age line to register before the Weasley twins.

The consequence was being expelled from the line and covered in white beards. For quite some time afterward, all four of their names were considered the laughingstock of Hogwarts.

Her "glorious deeds" continued. Just a few days ago, on the Yule Ball night, she and her Hufflepuff boyfriend brazenly engaged in inappropriate activities in the rose bushes outside the Great Hall!

Unfortunately for them, the plan did not pan out, and they ran into Professor Snape and Headmaster Karkaroff, who were discussing secrets. Both of them deducted ten points from their respective houses, and Skyler became the target of numerous people's ridicule.

What is more noteworthy is that Skyler and Luna are both Ravenclaw students, with Skyler being three grades ahead of Luna.

Despite the close proximity of their families, they never interacted with each other, as Skyler never paid any attention to the neighbor girl at school.

Returning to Skyler, Luna's house hall layout resembles the tent visited during the Quidditch World Cup.

Firstly, it must be mentioned that Luna's home resembles a rook in wizard chess—a long, thin, black, round cylinder house. In front of the house lies a glistening stream that stretches down into the valley.

Judging from the exterior, one can get a sense of the interior style.

The space within the house forms a narrow circle, segmented into several levels interconnected by a wrought-iron spiral staircase.

Upon entering through the door, the first floor is the kitchen, while the floor above houses the living room, where Skyler currently finds himself. This space also serves as Luna's father's workplace. Moving further upward, it likely leads to the father and daughter's bedroom or a similar space.

Due to Luna's father working in this space, it appears somewhat disorderly. One might even say that the piles of books, magazines, and papers scattered everywhere give it a maze-like appearance.

Hanging from the ceiling are exquisite animal models that Skyler doesn't recognize, all of them flapping their wings or moving their mouths. In a prominent spot, there is a female bust resembling Lady Rowena Ravenclaw, a familiar figure to Skyler.

Skyler encountered Luna and her father, Xenophilius Lovegood.

Xenophilius, a middle-aged man with a beard-like face, sported a head of white hair resembling cotton candy and wore a dazzling light yellow robe. Around his neck hung a gold chain adorned with a peculiar symbol, resembling a triangular eye.

"Luna, Mr. Lovegood, hello," Skyler greeted them politely as he approached. Then, he retrieved a Crumple-horned Snornack from his pocket, presenting it to Mr. Lovegood. "This is a meeting gift; please, Mr. Lovegood, you must accept it."

A joyful light gleamed in Xenophilius's eyes as he eagerly accepted the gift. "Ah! This is the Crumple-horned Snornack! Look, Luna, Dad didn't lie to you, right? It really exists!"

With her somewhat dreamy eyes, Luna gazed at the horn and couldn't resist reaching out to touch it. Skyler had modified the horn of the Snornack creature, significantly reducing the magic power within.

If, in the future, destiny compelled the three Harrys to visit Lovegood's house, this horn would no longer pose a threat. It would fail to blast Luna's home into rubble.

Xenophilius quickly arranged a relatively comfortable seat, urging Skyler to sit down.

He then asked Luna to prepare a drink and engaged in a continuous chat with Skyler—or, more accurately, it was him doing the talking while Skyler listened.

Clutching a magazine with "The Quibbler" written on the cover, Xenophilius kept the conversation flowing: "Owl hooks and harassing flies are my least favorite magical creatures. They bring nothing but destruction and harm. Unfortunately."

Maintaining a serious expression, Xenophilius continued, "I suspect that the current Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, is haunted by these two magical creatures."

"Huh?" Skyler attempted to join the conversation but soon realized he and Xenophilius had little in common. It appeared his imagination had its limits.

"Fudge is secretly cultivating an army of fire spirits—the Black Leopard. I believe he's been influenced by the oyster hook and the harassing fly," Xenophilius asserted matter-of-factly. "That's why I wrote about this in 'The Quibbler.' I hope he doesn't repeat the same mistake over and over again."

While Skyler perceived it as an amusing anecdote, his opinion of Fudge wasn't favorable anyway. Yet, from Xenophilius's perspective, it seemed no one had been willing to lend an ear to his tales for quite some time.

Skyler became a rare listener for Xenophilius, especially since his wife Pandora... Thoughts of Pandora brought a mist to the corners of Xenophilius's eyes. He apologized and withdrew to his dormitory.

"Dad must be thinking of Mom. Whenever he thinks of her, he looks like this..." Luna displayed an uncommon expression of sadness and spoke softly, "She was a quite extraordinary witch, you know, but she did like to experiment and one of her spells went rather badly wrong one day... Unfortunately, one day, one of her experiments went awry. Yes, it was rather horrible. and I lost her. I was nine years old that year."

"I'm sorry," Skyler said gently.

"Yeah, it was truly devastating at the time," Luna acknowledged sincerely. "I still feel sorrowful about it from time to time. But I still have Dad. And, it's not like I'll never see my mother again, will I?"

"Yes, I'm sure you'll see her again," reassured Skyler.

"Indeed." Luna gazed at Skyler earnestly with her bright eyes, then broke into an innocent smile. "By the way, Dad really likes you!"

The two of them enjoyed several days in St. Catchpol Village (Skyler made sure to return home each night).

Luna took Skyler to catch freshwater colored ball fish in the creek near Valley Bridge, and then she prepared fish soup, which turned out to be quite delicious. Skyler truly appreciated these leisurely days.

Lovegood's home was filled with numerous books, most of which were the spell notes of Luna's mother, Pandora.

As an exceptional spell master, Pandora had crafted numerous unique spells. Even Miranda Goshawk, the author of "Standard Spells," openly expressed admiration for Pandora's work. Her notes on spell creation proved to be highly inspiring for Skyler.

Observing Skyler treasure Pandora's notes, Luna decided to gift the entire set to Xenophilius with his consent.

[Obtained Pandora's Spell Notes! ]

As time passed, January 4th arrived swiftly, marking the beginning of the new term at Hogwarts.