It was mid-January; late afternoon, when the Trio apparated to a wide-open field near the village of Ottery St. Catchpole. The house in the distance was dark, shaped oddly cylindrical, and appeared to have a slight slant in its design.
As Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked through the front yard, many odd plants comprised a small garden. At the end of the pathway, orange-fruit-like plants labeled 'Dirigible Plums,' seemed to levitate against the exterior of the house. Climbing up the stone steps, they approached the front door where they noticed a small sign which read: "Xenophilius Lovegood: Editor of the Quibbler".
Ron slowly reached up to the eagle-shaped-knocker and rapped it against the door three times.
Hearing shuffling and various items loudly crashing against each other from beyond the door, Ron shot a hesitant look towards Harry and Hermione.
The door whipped open to reveal a tall, thin man with shoulder-length white hair. He was dressed in loose, eclectic robes, and seemed overly anxious.
"Who are you? What do you want?" demanded Xenophilius.
Harry climbed up another step, appearing next to Ron. "Hello sir, I'm Harry Potter. We spoke at Bill & Fleur's wedding. May we come in?"
As the trio took their seats upstairs in the Lovegood sitting room opposite Xenophilius, they filled the awkward silence by sipping the tea that he had offered them.
Grimacing from the foul taste that filled their mouths, the trio each swallowed hard and set the mugs down; never intending to pick them up again.
"So, how may I help you, Mr. Potter?" questioned Xenophilius.
"Actually, we were wondering if you knew anything about 'The Deathly Hallows'. I couldn't help but notice the necklace you wore at the wedding was the symbol," said Harry.
Placing his hand inside the collar of his shirt, Xenophilius exposed a thin gold chain, with the Deathly Hallows symbol dangling at the end.
"This?" asked Xenophilius.
Harry leaned closer to examine the necklace, "Yes, that exactly."
"We know the tale of the three brothers, and the gifts they received from Death…" Hermione paused, "but do you think that they could really exist?"
"Oh, yes. There is reason to believe that they are real. Trouble is, as you can imagine, only a few have ever reported seeing them throughout history, never together. It's said that if one Witch or Wizard possessed all three, they would be considered the 'Master of Death'; Invincible," replied Xenophilius.
"So there really is a wand that powerful?" asked Ron.
"The Elder Wand, yes," answered Xenophilius.
"Do you know who the last known owner of the Elder Wand was?" asked Harry.
Xenophilius stood and began pacing the room, pausing to stare out of the small window, "Uh, the wandmaker, Gregorovitch was said to have it in his possession. He had attempted to replicate its power. Only, word of its possible location spread, and it was stolen from his shop in the middle of the night."
"It was stolen? Any idea who might have stolen it?" asked Hermione.
Turning around to face the group once more, "Oh, uh, no. The only thing Gregorovitch ever reported was seeing a young, blonde-haired-boy escaping with the wand in hand," said Xenophilius.
"That's all I know I'm afraid," he continued.
As the trio stood, "Thank you, Sir," replied Hermione.
They moved towards the spiral staircase, when Xenophilius shrieked and darted in front of them, blocking their path.
Harry instantly pulled Hermione behind him.
"No! I'm sorry. I can't let you go," said Xenophilius.
Ron also took a step forward, standing next to Harry and keeping Hermione behind both of them.
"Why is that?" asked Ron. Glancing around the room, he realized Luna had still yet to join them, "Where's Luna?"
Xenophilius' face fell. With a trembling lip, "They were angry you see, about what I'd been writing. So they took her. They took my Luna," he replied.
"Who took her, Sir?" asked Harry.
"VOLDEMORT," replied Xenophilius.
The side of the house suddenly erupted with multiple blasts from incoming Death Eater strikes.
The trio dropped to the floor, Harry protectively placed his body over Hermione's to shield her from any curses or flying debris.
Hermione intertwined her fingers with Harry's hand, while reaching out to grab Ron's closest hand.
The trio Disapparated, barely escaping a torrent of hexes and unforgivable curses being hurled their way.