Hair the texture of candyfloss, he wore a cap whose tassel dangled in front of his nose and

Robes of an eye-watering shade of egg-yolk yellow. An odd symbol, rather like a

Triangular eye, glistened from a golden chain around his neck.

“Xenophilius Lovegood,” he said, extending a hand to Harry, “my daughter and I

Live just over the hill, so kind of the good Weasleys to invite us. But I think you know

my Luna?” he added to Ron.

“Yes,” said Ron. “Isn’t she with you?”

“She lingered in that charming little garden to say hello to the gnomes, such a

glorious infestation! How few wizards realize just how much we can learn from the wise

little gnomes – or, to give them their correct name, the Gernumbli gardensi.”

“Ours do know a lot of excellent swear words,” said Ron, “but I think Fred and

George taught them those.”

He led a party of warlocks into the marquee as Luna rushed up.

“Hello, Harry!” she said.

“Er – my name’s Barry,” said Harry, flummoxed.

“Oh, have you changed that too?” she asked brightly.

“How did you know -?”

“Oh, just your expression,” she said.

Like her father, Luna was wearing bright yellow robes, which she had

Accessorized with a large sunflower in her hair. Once you get over the brightness of it all,

The general effect was quite pleasant. At least there were no radishes dangling from her

Ears.

Xenophilius, who was deep in conversation with an acquaintance, had missed the

Exchange between Luna and Harry. Biding the wizard farewell, he turned to his daughter,

who held up her finger and said, “Daddy, look – one of the gnomes actually bit me.”

“How wonderful! Gnome saliva is enormously beneficial.” Said Mr. Lovegood,

seizing Luna’s outstretched fingers and examining the bleeding puncture marks. “Luna,

my love, if you should feel any burgeoning talent today – perhaps an unexpected urge to

sing opera or to declaims in Mermish – do not repress it! You may have been gifted by

the Gernumblies!”

Ron, passing them in the opposite direction let out a loud snort.

“Ron can laugh,” said Luna serenely as Harry led her and Xenophilius toward

their seats, “but my father has done a lot of research on Gernumbli magic.”

“Really?” said Harry, who had long since decided not to challenge Luna or her

father’s peculiar views. “Are you sure you don’t want to put anything on that bite,

though?”

“Oh, it’s fine,” said Luna, sucking her finger in a dreamy fashion and looking

Harry up and down. “You look smart. I told Daddy most people would probably wear

Dress robes, but he believes you ought to wear sun colors to a wedding, for luck, you

know.”

As she drifted off after her father, Ron reappeared with an elderly witch clutching

His arm. Her beaky nose, red-rimmed eyes, and leathery pink hat gave her the look of a

Bad-tempered flamingo.

“…and your hair’s much too long, Ronald, for a moment I thought you were

Ginevra. Merlin’s beard, what is Xenophilius Lovegood wearing? He looks like an

omelet. And who are you?” she barked at Harry.

“Oh yeah, Auntie Muriel, this is our cousin Barny.”

“Another Weasley? You breed like gnomes. Isn’t Harry Potter here? I was

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 812