As if everything that had just happened had been an illusion, before Draco could even work out what those words meant, he saw Xenophilius turn and slip straight into the rows of wooden worktables.
In an instant, he vanished into the workshop filled with piles upon piles of paper and books.
A closer look revealed that those clattering wooden contraptions were fitted with countless gears driven by magic, and at this very moment they were spitting out sheet after sheet of The Quibbler. It seemed these magical machines were what printed The Quibbler.
Draco did not anxiously chase after him to ask about what he had just said. Instead, he let his gaze fall over the things arranged around him...
Among them, what caught Draco's attention most was the horn of some unknown beast. "That is...?"
"That is the horn of a Crumple Horned Snorkack."
Following that utterly flat voice, Draco realized that at some point Luna had already come to stand by the spiral staircase, watching everything here.
And that answer was indeed very Luna.
At the same time, he also noticed Ginny Weasley standing behind Luna, only a small head peeking out...
Even though she was Luna's close friend, Ginny still could not help rolling her eyes at that and, without giving Luna any face at all, immediately retorted, "I already told you it is not a Crumple Horned Snorkack. I specifically went back and asked Charlie, and he said that is an Erumpent horn, not your Crumple Horned Snorkack."
"It is a Crumple Horned Snorkack. I know it."
"Listen, Luna, an Erumpent horn is a Class B trade item. Keeping it in the house is dangerous!"
Ginny's words made Draco look more carefully at the enormous grey spiral horn hanging by the wall.
He did not know much about magical creatures in general, but he had at least read about Erumpents before.
Class B was already enough to count as dangerous.
And an Erumpent's horn would explode at the slightest touch...
...
Though Draco had no idea who the Charlie Ginny mentioned was, he still expressionlessly put a bit more distance between himself and the horn.
That obvious movement made Luna, who noticed it, puff out her cheeks in displeasure, though the gesture was so subtle that no one else saw it.
Walking up in front of Draco, she tipped her head up and looked seriously into his eyes. "The Crumple Horned Snorkack is a shy, magical creature. Its horn would never explode."
"...."
That is an Erumpent, not a Crumple Horned... fine.
Draco twitched at the corner of his mouth, but in the end he said nothing, because from those few short lines alone he had already understood just how stubborn the little witch in front of him was.
And judging by the shrug and helpless look Ginny sent this way, it was obvious that arguing over this was utterly pointless.
More importantly, Draco had not come here to identify what creature the horn belonged to in the first place...
At that moment, Xenophilius, who had disappeared earlier, emerged again. "If I remember correctly, Luna, the time you arranged with this Mr. Malfoy should not be quite right, should it? I thought..."
"I am sorry, but I had no choice but to come early. Or rather, if I had not come now, there might not have been another chance. Am I right, Mr. Lovegood?"
"Uh..."
Draco's words made Xenophilius hesitate visibly, swallowing over and over, as though some painful struggle were taking place inside him.
Seeing that, Draco became truly certain that something was wrong with him...
"I... I will go downstairs and make tea. Very soon."
Thud thud thud.
And just like that, Xenophilius disappeared down the spiral staircase.
"Do not mind him. Mr. Lovegood is always like this, as if danger might show up at any moment... sorry, Luna." Only halfway through speaking did the somewhat careless red haired witch belatedly realize that Luna was also there, making her hurry to press her hands together and apologize.
But it was as though nothing could affect Luna at all, as though the person being spoken about just now had not been her father.
Luna gently shook her head. "I am fine."
While the two girls were whispering to each other, Draco walked over to the window and looked out at the little stream outside, like a glowing thread stretched along the foot of the hill.
Draco spoke softly. "Who knows. Perhaps Mr. Lovegood really does know something. After all..."
"After all, things outside are a mess right now. But what I mean is, this place is very safe. Nothing you are thinking about will happen here."
Before Draco could finish, Ginny cut in and snatched away the topic, saying something that might or might not count as comfort. It made Draco glance at the red haired witch a few more times.
It seemed that despite how careless she looked, she actually had a thoughtful side...
"What are you looking at! Anyway, why exactly are you here? The letter clearly did not say that. Or was it you, Luna..."
"I cancelled it."
"Hmph. I knew it. So this was all your own decision, was it not?"
Yes.
That had not actually been an invitation, but a letter explaining why the meeting had to be postponed.
In just a few words, the girls realized that it was not because they had remembered the time wrong, nor because they did not want Draco here. This simply had not been part of anyone's plan.
Just as they were about to ask more, footsteps suddenly sounded...
"You can have some Gurdyroot tea. Luna told me that you like it too."
It was Xenophilius, carrying a tray of tea upstairs.
Aside from Ginny, who wore a look of disgust, both Luna and Draco sat down beside the table piled high with things.
As the pale purple liquid was poured into the cups, Xenophilius stared tightly into Draco's eyes, exactly like Luna had done before.
"Now then, how can I help you, or rather, what is it you want to know, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Eh?!"
Draco had just put down his cup and was about to explain why he had come when he caught sight of something on the cluttered table, something familiar enough to make him pause.
Or rather, a symbol.
Just as Draco tried to get a better look, a pale hand came down and covered it, and the owner of that hand was Xenophilius, sitting across from him.
That sudden movement made both Ginny and Draco freeze for a moment...
"This is far too messy to show a guest. Let me tidy the table a little."
That guilty attempt at covering it up made Draco narrow his eyes.
Although it had only been a brief instant, so brief he might have seen almost nothing at all, Draco still recognized the symbol he had just glimpsed.
Rubbing a finger along the rim of his cup, he said, "That is the Deathly Hallows, is it not?"
Those words made Xenophilius, who had been in the middle of standing up, freeze where he was.
"..."
"..."
The prolonged silence and the heavy tension made even Ginny, who had only come here to talk to Luna, realize that something was wrong.
Although her whole family had indeed joined the Order of the Phoenix, the number of things she knew was very limited. She had no access at all to any plans or missions.
And now, it seemed she had just heard the name of something extraordinary.
The Deathly Hallows... just hearing it made it sound important...