✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

78 | ZEMBLANITY

ZEMBLANITY
(n.) the inevitable discovery of what we would rather not know; the opposite of serendipity

TESSA WAS JUST AS CLUELESS AS SEBASTIAN, RON, HARRY, AND HERMIONE. She blinked stupidly, unsure of what Xenophilius had just said. Very slowly, she raised her hand and asked, "What is a Hallow and why is it deathly?"

     Ron slowly brought down Tessa's hand as Harry repeated, "The Deathly Hallows?"

     "That's right," Xenophilius said. "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 nodded 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 oneself to other believers, in the hope that they might help one with the Quest."

     "I'm sorry," Tessa said. "We still don't really understand."

     "Well, you see, believers seek the Deathly Hallows."

     "But what are the Deathly Hallows?" Hermione asked.

     Xenophilius set his teacup down. "I assume that you are all familiar with "The Tale of the Three Brothers'?"

     Harry and Sebastian were the only ones who said no as Tessa, Ron, and Hermione said yes.

    "Well, well, Mr. Potter, and Mr. . . ?"

"Elliott," Sebastian supplied. Now that Tessa thought of it — was Elliott even his real last name or did he just make one up when he came to Hogwarts? She made a mental note to ask him what his real Greek surname was later on.

"Mr. Potter and Mr. Elliott — the whole thing starts with 'The Tale of the Three Brothers' . . . I have a copy somewhere." Xenophilius glanced around the chaotic room amidst the mountains of books.

     Hermione said, "I've got a copy, Mr. Lovegood, I've got it right here." She pulled out The Tales of Beedle the Bard from her bag.

     "The original?"

     She nodded.

     "Well then, why don't you read it aloud? Much the best way to make sure we all understand."

     "Er . . . all right," Hermione said with a hint of uncertainty before she flipped open the pages and cleared her throat. "'There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight —' "

     "Midnight, our mum always told us," Ron intervened, arms behind his head comfortably as he listened.

     Hermione sent him an annoyed look as Tessa said, "Uncle Kasi always used twilight."

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

     "Yeah, because we really need a bit more fear in our lives," Harry grumbled before nodding at the girl. "Go on, Hermione."

     " '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," Harry cut in, "but Death spoke to them?"

     Sebastian sighed exasperatedly. "We're never going to finish the story."

     "It's a fairy tale, Harry," Tessa explained wearily.