blackthorn wand levitate small stones at his feet； but his magic still seemed clumsier and less powerful than it had done before。 Hermione was lying on her bunk reading； while Ron； after many nervous glances up at her； had taken a small wooden wireless out of his rucksack and started to try to tune it。 〃There's this one program；〃 he told Harry in a low voice； 〃that tells the news like it really is。 All the others are on You…Know…Who's side and are following the Ministry line； but this one 。。。 you wait till you hear it； it's great。 Only they can't do it every night； they have to keep changing locations in case they're raided and you need a password to tune in 。。。 Trouble is； I missed the last one。。。〃
He drummed lightly on the top of the radio with his wand muttering random words under his breath。 He threw Hermione many covert glances； plainly fearing an angry outburst； but for all the notice she took of him he might not have been there。 For ten minutes or so Ron tapped and muttered； Hermione turned the pages of her book； and Harry continued to practice with the blackthorn wand。 Finally Hermione climbed down from her bunk。 Ron ceased his tapping at once。 〃If it's annoying you； I'll stop！〃 he told Hermione nervously。 Hermione did not deign to respond； but approached Harry。 〃We need to talk；〃 she said。 He looked at the book still clutched in her hand。 It was * The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore。* 〃What？〃 he said apprehensively。 It flew through his mind that there was a chapter on him in there； he was not sure he felt up to hearing Rita's version of his relationship with Dumbledore。 Hermione's answer however； was pletely unexpected。 〃I want to go and see Xenophilius Lovegood。〃 He stared at her。 〃Sorry？〃
〃Xenophilius Lovegood； Luna's father。 I want to go and talk to him！〃
〃er … why？〃
She took a deep breath； as though bracing herself； and said； 〃It's that mark； the mark in iBeedle the Bardi。 Look at this！〃
She thrust iThe Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledorei under Harry's unwilling eyes and saw a photograph of the original letter that Dumbledore had written Grindelwald； with Dumbledore's familiar thin； slanting handwriting。 He hated seeing absolute proof that Dumbledore really had written those words； that they had not been Rita's invention。
〃The signature；〃 said Hermione。 〃Look at the signature； Harry！〃
He obeyed。 For a moment he had no idea what she was talking about； but； looking more closely with the aid of his lit wand； he saw that Dumbledore had replaced the iAi of Albus with a tiny version of the same triangular mark inscribed upon iThe Tales of Beedle the Bardi。
〃Er … what are you a150a150 ？〃 said Ron tentatively； but Hermione quelled him with a look and turned back to Harry。
〃It keeps cropping up； doesn't it？〃 she 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 … I don't even know whether Grindelwald's still alive … but we can ask Mr。 Lovegood。 He was wearing the symbol at the wedding。 I'm sure this is important； Harry！〃
Harry did not answer immediately。 He looked into her intense； eager face and then out into the surrounding darkness； thinking。 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 iThe Tales of Beedle the Bardi； 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。〃
Harry threw him a dark look。 He was quite sure that Ron's support of Hermione had little to do with a desire to know the meaning of the triangular rune。
〃It won't be like Godric's Hollow；〃 Ron added； 〃Lovegood's on your side； Harry； iThe Quibbler'is 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 me about it before he died？〃
〃Maybe 。 。 。 maybe it's something you need to find out for yourself；〃 said Hermione with a faint air of clutching at straws。
〃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 Love good …〃
His hand flew into the air before Hermione's。 Her lips quivered suspiciously as she raised her own。
〃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 Lovegood's 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。〃
When Hermione had returned to her bunk； Harry lowered his voice。
〃You only agreed to try and get back in her good books。〃
〃All's fair in love and war；〃 said Ron brightly； 〃and this is a bit of both。 Cheer up； it's the Christmas holidays； Luna'll be home！〃
They had an excellent view of the village of Ottery St。 Catchopole from the breezy hillside to which they Disapparated next morning。 From their high vantage point the village looked like a collection of toy houses in the great slanting shafts of sunlight stretching to earth in the breaks between clouds。 They stood for a minute or two looking toward the Burrow； their hands shadowing their eyes； but all they could make out were
the high hedges and trees of the orchard； which afforded the crooked little house protection from Muggle eyes。
〃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； Harry； at Hermione's