PARALLEL {Cedric Diggory | Harry Potter}

Fifty Seven

"There were once three brothers, who were travelling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too treacherous to pass. But being learned in the magical arts, the three brothers simply waved their wands and made a bridge."

By the window, Lovegood accidentally dropped a fork. It clattered to the floor and he sent an apologetic look to them, before his gaze shifted back to the grass outside.

"Before they could cross, however, they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. It was Death, and he felt cheated. Cheated because travellers would normally drown in the river."

Lori didn't know why, but she pictured Death much like a Dementor, with a billowing, black cloak and soulless eyes.

"But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers on their magic and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him. The oldest asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence, so Death fashioned him one from an elder tree that stood nearby."

Hermione looked up to check everyone was still listening, "The second brother decided he wanted to humiliate Death even further, and asked for the power to recall loved ones from the grave. So Death plucked a stone and offered it to him."

"Finally," she continued, "Death turned to the third brother. A humble man, he asked for something that would allow him to go forth from that place, without being followed by Death. And so it was that Death reluctantly handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility."

Harry ignored the glance that Lori sent him, hooked on Hermione's every word.

"The first brother travelled to a distant village, where, with the Elder Wand in hand, he killed a wizard with whom he had once quarrelled. Drunk with the power that the Elder Wand had given him, he bragged of his invincibility. But that night, another wizard stole the wand and slit the brother's wand for good measure. And so Death took the first brother for his own."

"The second brother journeyed to his home, where he took the stone and turned it thrice in hand. To his delight, the girl he'd once hoped to marry before her untimely death appeared before him. Yet, soon she turned sad and cold, for she did not belong in the mortal world. Driven mad with hopeless longing, the second brother killed himself so as to join her. And so, Death took the second brother."

"As for the third brother, Death searched for many years but was never able to find him. Only when he attained a great age, did the youngest brother shed the Cloak of Invisibility and give it to his son. He then greeted Death as an old friend and went with him gladly, departing this life as equals."

Lori stretched in her seat and smiled at Harry, "Probably a bit more dark than Muggle fairytales."

Still at the window, Lovegood addressed them, "So there you are Those are the Deathly Hallows."

Harry interjected, looking to the man, "I'm sorry, sir. I still don't quite understand."

Lovegood bustled over to a nearby stack of books, the others following him as he began to draw. First a line, "The Elder Wand, the most powerful wand ever made," then a circle, "the Resurrection Stone," then a triangle enclosing both, "the Cloak of Invisibility. Together, they make the Deathly Hallows. Together, they make one master of Death."

Hermione looked at the fresh ink as it slowly dried, "That mark was on a grave in Godric's Hollow. Uh, Mr Lovegood, does the Peverell family have anything to do with the Deathly Hallows?"

"Ignotus, excuse me," he tried to extract himself from the tight group, "and his brothers, Cadmus and Antioch, are thought to be the original owners of the Hallows and, therefore, the inspiration for the story."