〃Ooooh！〃 said Hermione； swiveling around in her seat to look at the entrance。
A great collective sigh issued from the assembled witches and wizards as Monsieur Delacour and Fleur came walking up the aisle； Fleur gliding； Monsieur Delacour bouncing and beaming。 Fleur was wearing a very simple white dress and seemed to be emitting a strong； silvery glow。 While her radiance usually dimmed everyone else by parison； today it beautified everybody it fell upon。 Ginny and Gabrielle； both wearing golden dresses； looked even prettier than usual and once Fleur had reached for him； Bill did not look as though he had ever met Fenrit Greyback。
〃Ladies and gentlemen；〃 said a slightly singsong voice； and with a slight shock； Harry saw the same small； tufty…hired wizard who had presided at Dumbledore's funeral； now standing in front of Bill and Fleur。 〃We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of two faithful soulsa133〃
〃Yes； my tiara set off the whole thing nicely；〃 said Auntie Muriel in a rather carrying whisper。 〃But I must say； Ginevra's dress is far too low cut。〃
Ginny glanced around； grinning； winked at Harry； then quickly faced the front again。 Harry's mind wandered a long way from the marquee； back to the afternoons spent alone with Ginny in lonely parts of the school grounds。 They seemed so long ago； they had always seemed too good to be true； as though he had been stealing shining hours from a normal person's life； a person without a lightning…shaped scar on his foreheada133。
〃Do you； William Arthur； take Fleur Isabellea133？〃
In the front row； Mrs。 Weasley and Madame Delacour were both sobbing quietly into scraps of lace。 Trumpetlike sounds from the back of the marquee told everyone that Hagrid had taken out one of his own tablecloth…sized handkerchiefs。 Hermione turned around and beamed at Harry； her eyes too were full of tears。
〃a133then I declare you bonded for life。〃
The tufty…haired wizard waved his hand high over the heads of Bill and Fleur and a shower of silver stars fell upon them； spiraling around their now entwined figures。 As Fred and George led a round of applause； the golden balloons overhead burst。 Birds of paradise and tiny golden bells flew and floated out of them； adding their songs and chimes to the din。
〃Ladies and gentlemen！〃 called the tufty…haired wizard。 〃If you would please stand up！〃
They all did so； Auntie Muriel grumbling audibly； he waved his wand again。 The scars on which they had been sitting rose gracefully into the air as the canvas walls of the marquee vanished； so that they stood beneath a canopy supported by golden poles； with a glorious view of the sunlit orchard and surrounding countryside。 Next； a pool of molten gold spread from the center of the tent to form a gleaming dance floor； the hovering chairs grouped themselves around small； white…clothed tables； which all floated gracefully back to earth round it； and the golden…jacketed hand trooped toward a podium。
〃Smooth；〃 said Ron approvingly as the waiters popped up on all sides； some hearing silver trays of pumpkin juice； butterbeer； and firewhisky； others tottering piles of tarts and sandwiches。
〃We should go and congratulate them！〃 said Hermione； standing on tiptoe to see the place where Bill and Fleur had vanished amid a crowd of well…wishers。
〃We'll have time later；〃 shrugged Ron； snatching three butterbeers from a passing tray and handing one to Harry。 〃Hermione； cop hold； let's grab a tablea133。 Not there！ Nowhere near Muriel …〃
Ron led the way across the empty dance floor； glancing left and right as he went； Harry felt sure that he was keeping an eye out for Krum。 By the time they had reached the other side of the marquee； most of the tables were occupied： The emptiest was the one where Luna sat alone。
〃All right if we join you？〃 asked Ron。
〃Oh yes；〃 she said happily。 〃Daddy's just gone to give Bill and Fleur our present。〃
〃What is it； a lifetime's supply of Gurdyroots？〃 asked Ron。
Hermione aimed a kick at him under the table； but caught Harry instead。 Eyes watering in pain； Harry lost track of the conversation for a few moments。
The band had begun to play； Bill and Fleur took to the dance floor first； to great applause； after a while； Mr。 Weasley led Madame Delacour onto the floor； followed by Mr。 Weasley and Fleur's father。
〃I like this song；〃 said Luna； swaying in time to the waltzlike tune； and a few seconds later she stood up and glided onto the dance floor； where she revolved on the spot； quite alone； eyes closed and waving her arms。
〃She's great isn't she？〃 said Ron admiringly。 〃Always good value。〃
But the smile vanished from his face at once： Viktor Krum had dropped into Luna's vacant seat。 Hermione looked pleasurably flustered but this time Krum had not e to pliment her。 With a scowl on his face he said； 〃Who is that man in the yellow？〃
〃That's Xenophilius Lovegood； he's the father of a friend of ours；〃 said Ron。 His pugnacious tone indicated that they were not about to laugh at Xenophilius； despite the clear provocation。 〃e and dance；〃 he added abruptly to Hermione。
She looked taken aback； but pleased too； and got up。 They vanished together into the growing throng on the dance floor。
〃Ah； they are together now？〃 asked Krum； momentarily distracted。
〃Er … sort of；〃 said Harry。
〃Who are you？〃 Krum asked。
〃Barny Weasley。〃
They shook hands。
〃You； Barny … you know this man Lovegood well？〃
〃No； I only met him today。 Why？〃
Krum glowered over the top of his drink； watching Xenophilius； who was chatting to several warlocks on the other side of the dance floor。
〃Because；〃 said Krum； 〃If he vus not a guest of Fleur's I vould dud him； here and now； for veering that filthy sign upon his chest。〃
〃Sign？〃 said Harry； looking over at Xenophilius too。 The strange triangular eye was gleaming on his chest。 〃Why？ What's wrong with it？〃
〃Grindelvald。 That is Grindelvald's sign。〃
〃Grindelwalda133 the Dark wizard Dumbledore defeated？〃
〃Exactly。〃
Krum's jaw muscles worked as if he were chewing； then he said； 〃Grindelvald killed many people； my grandfather； for instance。 Of course； he vos never powerful in this country； they said he feared Dumbledore … and rightly； seeing how he vos finished。 But this〃 … he pointed a finger at Xenophilius … 〃this is his symbol； I recognized it at vunce： Grindelvald carved it into a vall at Durmstrang ver he vos a pupil there。 Some idiots copied it onto their books and clothes thinking to shock； make themselves impressive … until those of us who had lost family members to Grindelvald taught them better。〃
Krum cracked his knuckles menacingly and glowered at Xenophilius。 Harry felt perplexed。 It seemed incredibly unlikely that Luna's father was a supporter of the Dark Arts； and nobody else in the tent seemed to have recognized the triangular； finlike shape。
〃Are you … er … quite sure it's Grindelwald's …？〃
〃I am not mistaken；〃 said Krum coldly。 〃I walked past that sign for several years； I know it vell。〃
〃Well； there's a chance；〃 said Harry； 〃that Xenophilius doesn't actually know what the symbol means； the Lovegoods are quitea133 unusual。 He could have easily picked it up somewhere and think it's a cross section of the head of a Crumple…Horned Snorkack or something。〃
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