Dawn Rivera

The Tale of the Three Brothers

Harry and Danny turn to look at Ron, Hermione and I. None us have understood what Xenophilius said, either.

"The Deathly Hallows?" Harry says.

"That's right," says Xenophilius. "You haven't heard of them? I'm not surprised. Very, very few wizards believe. Witness that knuckle-headed young man at your brother's wedding," he nods at Ron, "who attacked me for sporting the symbol of a well-known Dark wizard! Such ignorance. There is nothing Dark about the Hallows - at least, not in that crude sense. One simply uses the symbol to reveal one's self to other believers, in the hope that they might help one with the Quest."

He stirs several lumps of sugar into his Gurdyroot infusion and drinks some.

"I'm sorry," says Danny. "I still don't really understand."

To be polite, he and Harry take sips from their cups too and almost gag.

"Well, you see, believers seek the Deathly Hallows," says Xenophilius, smacking his lips in apparent appreciation of the Gurdyroot infusion.

"But what are the Deathly Hallows?" I ask.

Xenophilius sets aside his empty cup.

"I assume that you are all familiar with 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'?"

Harry says, "No," but Ron and Hermione both say, "Yes." Danny and I say nothing.

Xenophilius nods gravely.

"Well, well, Mr Potter, the whole thing starts with 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'...I have a copy somewhere..."

He glances vaguely around the room, at the piles of parchment and books, but I say, "We've got a copy, Mr Lovegood, we've got it right here."

And Hermione pulls out The Tales of Beedle the Bard from the small beaded bag.

"The original?" enquires Xenophilius sharply, and when we nod, he says, "Well then, why don't you read it aloud? Much the best way to make sure we all understand."

"Er...all right," says Hermione nervously. She opens the book and I see that the symbol we are investigating heads the top of the page, as she gives a little cough and begins to read.

"'There were once three brothers who were travelling along a lonely, winding road at twilight - '"

"Midnight, our mum always told us," says Ron, who has stretched out, arms behind his head, to listen. Hermione and I shoot him looks of annoyance.

"Sorry, I just think it's a bit spookier if it's midnight!" says Ron.

"Yeah, because we really need a bit more fear in our lives," says Danny, before he can stop himself. Xenophilius does not seem to be paying much attention, but is staring out of the window at the sky. "Go on, Hermione, Dawn."

"'In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across'," I read. "'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 oath blocked by a hooded figure.'"

"'And Death spoke to them - '" reads Hermione.

"Sorry," interjects Harry, "but Death spoke to them?"

"It's a fairy tale, Harry!" I say.

"Right, sorry," says Danny. "Go on."

"'And Death spoke to them'," reads Hermione. "'He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travellers 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.'"