Atlas Malfoy and how history repeats itself

Part 49

Xenophilius has a lovely house, but that doesn't mean I need to want to be here. I shuffle again in my seat and Mr Lovegood says, "What can I help you four with?"
"Well, Mr Lovegood," I say, nodding, "We would like to know if you would be able to tell us what this symbol means?"
He is erratic, and scared. He takes the book out Hermione's hand and says, "It is the sign of the deathly hallows."
"The what?" Harry asks. I say, "Is that not the thing from the tale of the three brothers?"
Xenophilius points at me and says, "Yes, yes it is. It is exactly. I assume you are all familiar with the story?"
"Yep," Ron says. Hermione just nods and Harry says, "No... no, sorry sir, I don't."
"Of course you do?" I laugh, before stopping at Harry's genuine confusion. I scoff, "How could you possibly not know-"
"Raised my muggles."
"Right..."
"Can you read it to them?" Xenophilius says, looking at Hermione. She nods, and begins, "Three brothers, traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight reached a deep treacherous river where anyone who attempted to swim or wade would drown. Learned in the magical arts, the brothers conjured a bridge with their wands and proceed to cross. Halfway through the bridge, a hooded figure stood before them. The figure was the enraged spirit of Death, cheated of his due. Death cunningly pretended to congratulate them and proceeds to award them with gifts of their own choosing. The eldest brother, a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence. Death granted his wish by fashioning the Elder Wand from a branch of a nearby elder tree standing on the banks of the river. The second brother, an arrogant man, chose to further humiliate death and asked for the power to recall the deceased from the grave. Death granted his wish by crafting the Resurrection Stone from a stone picked from the riverbank. The third and youngest brother, who was the most humble and wise, did not trust Death and asked for something to enable him to go forth without Death being able to follow. A reluctant Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Invisibility Cloak. The three brothers took their prizes and soon went on their separate ways. The eldest brother travelled to a village where a wizard whom he had quarrelled lived. He sought out a duel and fought the wizard using the wand, instantly killing the latter. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the eldest brother walked to an inn not far from the duelling site and spent the night there. Taken by his conscience and lust of the Elder Wand's power, the eldest brother boasted of this wand gifted by Death and his own invincibility. That very night, Death transfigured to a murderous wizard. The unknown murderous wizard crept to the inn as the eldest brother slept, drunk from wine. The wizard slit the oldest brother's throat for good measure and stole the wand. That was when Death took the first brother. The second brother returned to his home where he lived alone. Turning the stone thrice in his hand the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him, much to his delight. 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, committed suicide by hanging from his house' balcony so as truly to join her. That was when Death took the second brother for his own. Death searched for the youngest brother as years past but never succeeded. It was only when the third brother reached a great age, he took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. Greeting Death as an old friend, they departed this life as equals."

I smile at Xenophilius and his glare darkens.
"May I get a glass of water, Mr Lovegood?" I ask, standing up. He nods and I walk awkwardly to the sink, where there are clean glasses laid out. There is an odd piece of paper on the side, and there is scratchy, familiar handwriting. I hold it, reading it quietly to myself.
Malfoy Manor
Simply write that the boy is there

I turn to Hermione and the boys, who are stood with Xenophilius with a quill and ink. He is drawing and I say, "Sorry, sir, but I was wondering where Luna is?"
"Luna..." he says, sadly, "They took my Luna. But it isn't her they want. They want you, Harry. And you, Atlas, but not Luna. Luna is my world. You need to understand."
"GET DOWN." I scream.

A spell shoots through the window, smashing the painting above me. I scream and curl under the sink as more spells fly. Hermione crawls to me, and grabs my hand, screaming, "HARRY AND RON. OVER HERE."
Ron lunges at us, and I scream, "THEY NEED TO KNOW WE ARE HERE. THEY NEED TO SEE US."
We apparate to a forest, in a random place. I double over coughing and spluttering, until I see snatchers.

I groan, knowing I wont be able to outrun them, and just wait. One of them- a woman- grabs me and I watch as the other three disappear into the trees. She says, "Name?"
"Why do you care?"
She slaps me and I flinch. A tear rolls down my face as she repeats, "Name?"
"Atlas."
"Atlas what?"
"Atlas Black," I say, through gritted teeth. I know for a fact my face is red, and it stings like mad. She says, "Status?"
"Single?" I scoff. She slaps me again, the force making me stumble back. Her hand grips my wrist tighter and I say, "Pureblood."
"Parents?"
"Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy."
"Malfoy?" The woman's grip loosens and she says, "Like, related to Bellatrix?"
She kicks me in the back of the leg to get me to start walking and I do, with a slight limp. I nod and say, "Yeah, my aunt. She'll be hearing about the slapping, don't you worry."
The man ahead of us yells, "TO THE MANOR."
"Please don't tell your aunt." The woman is begging me, almost crying. I shrug and say, "Should have waited to slap me."