Chapter Text
“But what are the Deathly Hallows?”
Xenophilius set aside his empty teacup. “I assume that you are all familiar with the “Tale of the Three Brothers’ ?”
Henrietta said, “No,” but Ron and Hermione said, “Yes.”
Xenophilius nodded gravely.“Well, well, Miss Potter, the whole thing starts with ‘The Tale of the Three Brothers’. Miss Granger, you said you had a copy of it. Can you please read it out loud for us?"
Hermione nodded, pulling out the book from her enchanted bag and started—
"There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight—"
Xenophilius did not seem to be paying much attention, but was staring out of the window at the sky. “ In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. “And Death spoke to them — "
“Sorry,” interjected Henrietta, “but Death spoke to them?”
“It’s a fairy tale, Harry!” Hermione exclaimed in frustration.
“Right, sorry. Go on.”
“‘And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him. So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the older brother.”
“‘Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead. And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility."
“Death’s got an Invisibility Cloak?” Henrietta interrupted again.
“So he can sneak up on people,” said Ron joked. “Sometimes he gets bored of running at them, flapping his arms and shrieking. ” He shut his mouth when Hermione shot him a glare. "sorry Hermione"
“Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had had, and admiring Death’s gifts. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination. The first brother traveled on for a week or more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible. That very night, another wizard crept upon the older brother as he lay wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand and slit the oldest brother’s throat. And so Death took the first brother for his own. Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and he turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him—"
"—Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as truly to join her. And so Death took the second brother for his own. But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life." Hermione closed the book.
It was a moment or two before Xenophilius seemed to realize that she had stopped reading, then he withdrew his gaze from the window and said, “Well, there you are.”
“Sorry?” said Hermione, sounding confused.
“Those are the Deathly Hallows,” said Xenophilius. He picked up a quill from a packed table at his elbow, and pulled a torn piece of parchment from between more books.
“The Elder Wand,” he said, and he drew a straight vertical line upon the parchment. “The Resurrection Stone,” he said, and he added a circle on top of the line. “The Cloak of Invisibility."
He closed the line and the circle with a triangle. "Together. The Deathly Hallows."
"—Those who understand that ancient story, however, recognize the three objects or Hallows which, if united will make the possessed The Master Of Death."
"Master"
"Vanquisher"
"Conquerer. Which term you prefer."
The word Deathly Hollows never appeared in the story. For Hermione who trusted books than people, it was a valid point enough for her to call whatever Luna's father had said, rubbish. "Are you. . .Are you telling us that. . . these objects actually exist?"
"Yes, of course, Miss Granger. It all comes down to the Peverell Family."
Hemione looked like she wanted to argue.
Henrietta glanced out of the window. The sun was setting down spreading like a warm blanket across the sky. She wondered when Luna would come home from her outing.
Master of Death
Peverell.
It brought her chills.
Henrietta did not see such betrayal coming from Luna's father. Shock was an understatement on the Trio's face when the Death eaters appeared flying past the windows. Yet, they managed to escape.
They landed somewhere in a field in the dark. They was a tiny cottage not far from them. The only source of light in the dark field.
"They have Luna! We have to save her!" Henrietta exclaimed as soon as they landed.
Ron looked flabbergasted. "Mate, Mate, I knew you were bonkers but i didn't that reached the level of a guaranteed bed in St Mungo's mental ward!"
"Ron.."
"No, Harry, really! You just suggested walking straight into the snakes pit! We 'ought to get you checked mate."
"Ron . . ." Hermione said slowly, processing what Harry had said.
"What?"
"Luna's our friend. They captured her because of us. Because her father supported us. And she's just sixteen, Ron. We have to do something."
" 'mione, do you need a bed too?"
Hermione shot him a murderous glare before proceeding to explain the grave consequences an young girl captured in a war by the enemies could face. By the end of it, Ron's face turned red in shimmering anger.
"Bloody Hell That's filthy! Would they seriously do that!?"
"It is an act of dominance, Ron, Power. The others, i don't know, Ron, but Dolohov and Greyback for sure would do it." Harry said, looking into the dark, hoping that their light haired mystical friend would be safe.
That girl said they were her friends despite obvious danger. That reason alone, was enough for to Harry to jump into action and save her right away. Even if it meant walking to her own death. She would do it whether Ron agreed.
"Alright, But where would they keep her? Surely they won't have only one hideout unlike us." Ron asked.
Hermione considered it for a couple of minutes "They captured Luna to use her as direct blackmail against her father. They would need her to be safely nearby so she would stay unharmed, ensuring they could monitor her father and force him to publish pro-Voldemort propaganda. Somewhere, other's won't dare to investigate even if Xenophilius shouted out to the world."
Ron's eyes widened as he realised. "It's. . ."
"The Malfoy Manor" Harry finished for him.
Joseph Maguire, had been living in a cottage he owned in a field, since the day he retired. The warm and peaceful quiet of the night in the cottage reminded him of his late wife. So, everyday, after dinner, he adapted a habit of sitting by the window watching the breeze blow across the field. He was a man who believed strongly in God and miracle. That day, as usual by the time of eight, he sat near the window watch the immobile field. What he didn't expect to see were three figures — A redhead, a brunette, a dark head, vanishing into thin air. He blinked twice. Removed his glasses, cleaned them and put them on again.
He had just seen three people disapper into darkness. A miracle!
He had just witnessed a miracle. And he wanted to see it again. So that night he campaigned out of the cottage, in the chilly night, waiting for it. It was past two when his long wait came to an end. The miracle happened again. Three figures appeared out of nowhere. But this time it was— a Redhead, a brunette, a light blonde. The dark one was nowhere to be found. The people on the field looked exhausted, tense. Joseph narrowed his eyes to get a better view of them but one of them noticed him and made their way to him and the last thing he heard was.
Oblivate.
Years passed, Joseph passed with it, waiting for a miracle to happen in his life.