o her lips。 The door downstairs crashed open。 〃Didn't I tell you there was no need to hurry； Travers？〃 said a rough voice。 〃Didn't I tell you this nutter was just raving as usual？〃 There was a bang and a scream of pain from Xenophilius。 〃No。。。no。。。upstairs。。。Potter！〃 〃I told you last week Lovegood； we weren't ing back for anything less than some solid information！ Remember last week？ When you wanted to s your daughter for that stupid bleeding headdress？ And the week before〃 a150a150 Another bang； another squeal a150a150 〃When you thought we'd give her back if you offered us proof there are Cumple〃 a150a150 Bang a150a150 〃Headed〃a150a150banga150a150〃Snorkacks？〃 〃No a150a150 no a150a150 I beg of you！〃 sobbed Xenophilius。 〃It really is Potter； Really！〃 〃And now it turns out you only called us here to try and blow us up！〃 roared the Death Eater； and there was a volley of bangs interspersed with squeals of agony from Xenophilius。 〃The place looks like it's about to fall in； Selwyn；〃 said a cool second voice； echoing up the mangled staircase。 〃The stairs are pletely blocked。 Could try clearing it？ Might bring the place down。〃 〃You lying piece of filth。〃 shouted the wizard named Selwyn。 〃You have never seen Potter in your life； have you？ Thought you'd lure us here to kill us； did you？ And you think you'll get your girl back like this？〃 〃I swear。。。I swear。。。Potter's upstairs！〃 〃Homenum revelio。〃 said the voice at the foot of the stairs。 Harry heard Hermione gasp； and he had the odd sensation something was swooping low over him； immersing his body in its shadow。 〃There's someone up there all right； Selwyn；〃 said the second man sharply。 〃It's Potter； I tell you； it's Potter！〃 sobbed Xenophilius。 〃Please。。。please。。。give me Luna； just let me have Luna。。。〃 〃You can have your little girl； Lovegood；〃 said Selwyn； 〃if you get up those stairs and bring me down Harry Potter。 But if this is a plot； if it's a trick； if you've got an acplice waiting up there to ambush us； we'll see if we can spare a bit of your daughter for you to bury。〃 Xenophilius gave a wail of fear and despair。 There were scurryings and scrapings。 Xenophilius was trying to get through the debris on the stairs。
〃e on；〃 Harry whispered； 〃we've got to get out of here。〃 He started to dig himself out under cover of all the noise Xenophilius was making on the staircase。 Ron was buried the deepest。 Harry and Hermione climbed； as quietly as they could； over all the wreckage to where he lay； trying to prise a heavy chest of drawers off his legs。 While Xenophilius banging and scraping drew nearer and nearer； Hermione managed to free Ron with the use of a Hover Charm。 〃All right。〃 breathed Hermione； as the broken printing press blocking the top of the stairs begin to tremble。 Xenophilius was feet away from them。 She was still white with dust。 〃Do you trust me Harry？〃 Harry nodded。 〃Okay then。〃 Hermione whispered。 〃give me the invisibility Cloak。 Ron； you're going to put it on。〃 〃Me？ But Harry a150a150〃 〃Please； Ron！ Harry； hold on tight to my hand； Ron grab my shoulder。〃 Harry held out his left hand。 Ron vanished beneath the Cloak。 The printing press blocking the stairs was vibrating。 Xenophilius was trying to shift it using a Hover Charm。 Harry did not know what Hermione was waiting for。 〃Hold tight〃 she whispered。 〃Hold tight。。。any second。。。〃 Xenophilius's paper…white face appeared over the top of the sideboard。 〃Obliviate！〃 cried Hermione； pointing her want first into his face then at the floor beneath them。 〃Deprimo！〃 She had blasted a hole in the sitting room floor。 They fell like boulders。 Harry still holding onto her hand for dear life； there was a scream from below； and he glimpsed two men trying to get out of the way as vast quantities of rubble and broken furniture rained all around them from the shattered ceiling。 Hermione twisted in midair and thundering of the collapsing house rang in Harry's ears as she dragged him once more into darkness。
pC0=〃Chapter Twenty…Two： The Deathly Hallows〃
bChapter Twenty…Two
iThe Deathly Hallowsib
Harry fell； panting； onto grass and scrambled up at once。 They seemed to have landed in the corner of a field at dusk； Hermione was already running in a circle around them； waving her wand。
〃Protego Totaluma133Salvio Hexiaa133〃
〃That treacherous old bleeder。〃 Ron panted； emerging from beneath the Invisibility Cloak and throwing it to Harry。 〃Hermione you're a genius； a total genius。 I can't believe we got out of that。〃
〃Cave Inimicuma133Didn't I isayi it was an Frumpent horn； didn't I tell him？ And now his house has been blown apart！〃
〃Serves him right；〃 said Ron； examining his torn jeans and the cuts to his legs； 〃What'd you reckon they'll do to him？〃
〃Oh I hope they don't kill him！〃 groaned Hermione； 〃That's why I wanted the Death Eaters to get a glimpse of Harry before we left； so they knew Xenophilius hadn't been lying！〃
〃Why hide me though？〃 asked Ron。
〃You're supposed to be in bed with spattergrolt； Ron！ They've kidnapped Luna because her father supported Harry！ What would happen to your family if they knew you're with him？〃
〃But what about iyouri mum and dad？〃
〃They're in Australia；〃 said Hermione； 〃They should be all right。 They don't know anything。〃
〃You're a genius；〃 Ron repeated； looking awed。
Yeah； you are； Hermione；〃 agreed Harry fervently。 〃I don't know what we'd do without you。〃
She beamed； but became solemn at once。
〃What about Luna？〃
〃Well； if they're telling the truth and she's still Alive a150a150〃 began Ron。
〃Don't say that； don't say it！〃 squealed Hermione。 〃She must be alive； she must！〃
〃Then she'll be in Azkaban； I expect；〃 said Ron。 〃Whether she survives the place； thougha133Loads don'ta133〃
〃She will；〃 said Harry。 He could not bear to contemplate the alternative。 〃She's tough； Luna； much tougher than you'd think。 She's probably teaching all the inmates about Wrackspurts and Nargles。〃
〃I hope you're right；〃 said Hermione。 She passed a hand over her eyes。 〃I'd feel so sorry for Xenophilius if a150a150〃
〃a150a150if he hadn't just tried to sell us to the Death Eaters； yeah；〃 said Ron。
They put up the tent and retreated inside it； where Ron made them tea。 After their narrow escape； the chilly； musty old place felt like home： safe； familiar； and friendly。
〃Oh； why did we go there？〃 groaned Hermione after a few minutes' silence。 〃Harry； you were right； it was Godric's Hollow all over again； a plete waste of time！ The Deathly Hallowsa133such rubbisha133although actually；〃 a sudden thought seemed to have struck her； 〃he might have made it all up； mightn't he？ He probably doesn't believe in the Deathly Hallows at all； he just wanted to keep us talking until the Death Eaters arrived！〃
〃I don't think so；〃 said Ron。 〃It's a damn sight harder making stuff up when you're under stress than you'd think。 I found that out when the Snatchers caught me。 It was much easier pretending to be Stan； because I knew a bit about him； than inventing a whole new person。 Old Lovegood was under loads of pressure； trying to make sure we stayed put。 I reckon he told us the truth； or what he thinks is the truth； just to keep us talking。〃
〃Well； I don't suppose it matters；〃 sighed Hermione。 〃Even