𝐭𝐑𝐒𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐒𝐱

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chapter thirty six | the tale of the three brothers

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Stella Mason and Harry Potter didn't mention what happened the night before to their friends, for obvious reasons, but they knew something had shifted between them. The next morning, the four apparated to the Lovegood residence. Even though Ron and Hermione didn't have a clue as to what went on while they were asleep, they noticed how their two friends were extremely close, closer than before. They held hands as much as they could, laughing at little things quietly to each other. Ron thought it was quite gross, if he was being honest, but didn't say anything, while Hermione was thoroughly happy for her friends.

The crisp wind swept Stella's face as she and her friends trudged their way to the big house on the hill. The walk was dreadful and by the time they reached the gate, they were panting and dry mouthed. The gate creaked open, the four setting sights on all kinds of different fruit on the sides of the walkway and the front door.

Hermione was the one to knock. The door was black with iron nails and a silver knocker shaped like an eagle. Not even ten seconds later, the door swung open to reveal a tired looking Xenophilius Lovegood. His clothes were dirty and his hair was unkept and knotted.

"What is it? Who are you? What do you want?"

Harry stepped forward so he could be seen, "hello, Mr. Lovegood. I'm Harry Potter. We met a few months ago. Could we come in?"

He allowed them in, muttering something Stella couldn't understand, but followed her friends nonetheless. There was clutter everywhere. Plants, some dry and dead, hanging from the walls and ceiling. Clothes scattered around the rooms, and dishes huddled together, uncleaned, in the sink. They followed the man up a spiral staircase to a small living area. He let them get settled while he made them tea and came back with cups full, followed by awkward silence.

"Where's Luna," Hermione asked out of the blue.

"Luna? Oh, she'll be along..."

More awkward silence occurred, the occasional sip of tea broke it.

After a while, Mr. Lovegood spoke, "so, how can I help you, Mr. Potter?"

"Well, actually, it was about something you wore around your neck at the wedding."

"You mean this," Lovegood pulled out a necklace with the triangular symbol from inside his shirt and presented it.

"Yes," Harry spoke, gazing at the necklace, "that exactly. What we were wondering was... what is it?"

"Why, it's the sign of the Deathly Hallows, of course."

"The what?"

"The Deathly Hallows," the man repeated after the four friends spoke in unison, "I assume you are familiar with the tale of the three brothers?"

"Yes," answered Ron, Hermione and Stella.

"No," Harry was the odd one out.

Hermione spoke with hesitation, "I have it in here," she rummaged through her bag and brought the story book out and started to read, "there were once three brothers, who were travelling along a lonely winding road, at twilightβ€”"

"Midnight. Mum always said midnight," eyes went to Ron as he interrupted, the boy quickly realized what he had done and started to backtrack, "but twilight's fine. Better actually."

Hermione narrowed her eyes, "do you want to read it?"

"... No."

The Granger then continued the story, "there were once three brothers, who were traveling along a lonely winding road, at twilight...."

As Hermione read, the story grew darker and darker. Death found each brother in time after murder, suicide and hiding. The first brother died from an enemy's hand, who stole the wand the oldest brother was given from Death. The second brother tried to bring back his lover from the grave but she died again from sadness, causing him to do the same by taking his own life. The third was able to live his life until he accepted Death as an old friend, and after giving his Cloak of Invisibility to his son, he died in contentment. Stella thought it was a bit vain for it to be in a children's book. She remembered her mum reading it to her before she went to sleep some nights, and her innocent young mind didn't comprehend what the story was actually about.

Once Hermione was finished, Harry spoke to Mr. Lovegood, "I'm sorry, sir, but I still don't understand."

Mr. Lovegood shot up from his seat, muttering about a pen and walking to a nearby desk. The four friends looked at each other with furrowed brows and went over to the man who was starting to draw.

"The Elder Wand," the man drew a line going straight down, "the most powerful wand in the world. The Resurrection Stone," he drew a circle in the middle of the line, followed by a triangle, "the Cloak of Invisibility. Together, they make the Deathly Hallows. Together, they make one master of death."

Stella and Hermione met eyes nervously, the latter spoke, "that mark was on a grave in Godric's Hollow. Mr. Lovegood, does the Peverell family have anything to do with the Deathly Hallows?"

"Yes, Ignotus and his brothers, Cadmus and Antimoch, were said to be the original owners of the Hallows," Lovegood pushed through the teens and started rushing with his words, "and therefore inspiration for the story. Uh, uh, I bet your tea's gone cold."

The four friends watched him hurry down the spiral steps to the kitchen. Ron grabbed his bags first, everyone following him, "let's get out of here. I'm not drinking that stuff hot or cold."

Stella went down the staircase with her friends as she spoke softly to Mr. Lovegood, "thank you, Mr. Lovegood, but we really should be goingβ€”"

"No, you can't!"

The Mason flinched, along with her friends, as they watched Mr. Lovegood mutter to himself before slamming himself against the wall.

"...Sir?"

Mr. Lovegood shook as he turned to face them, "you're my only hope. They've been angry, you see, about what I've been writing," he whispered, "so they took her. They took my Luna," he walked over to Harry and caressed his scar, "but it's really you they want."

"Who took her, sir," Harry removed the man's hand and asked.

"Voldemort."

In an instant, Black clouds started coming in and out of the house. Stella dropped to the floor with a scream, covering her head from the flying glass and random things in the house that were starting to fall apart. She crawled to meet her friends in the middle and as soon as they all met hands, they apparated away from the Lovegood Residence. It was that moment that Stella knew that hiding was going to be ten times as hard as it was before.

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don't be a silent reader!
edited: 6 april 2021

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