The Twin: a Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter 52

"I vote Hermione to knock," I said. We were arguing on who should knock.

"Hallie!" Hermione exclaimed. "I thought you were on my side!"

"I also vote Hermione to knock," Harry said, with a smile on his face.

"Well, I don't," Ron replied. "It would make more sense for Harry to knock." Hermione sent a grateful smile his way.

"But, it's two to one, so ha!" I stuck out my tongue at them.

"Or we can send Hallie to do it," said Hermione, as Harry pushed her to the door. "He would probably feel sorry for her."

"Suck it up," I said in a song song voice. She rolled her eyes and and knocked. The door opened and a man with blonde hair and fair skin poked his head out.

"Harry, Hallie," He said, his eyes wide. I looked closer and saw that he had dark circles under his eyes and disheveled hair. "Come in."
Once we got inside, we sat down, and he prepared tea.

"Where's Luna?" I asked, when I sat down.

"She is out, but she will be back," He said nervously.

"We were wondering," Harry said. "About the symbol you were wearing around your neck the night of the wedding." Mr. Lovegood reached down and pulled off a necklace off of his neck. He showed it to us.

"Is this it?" He asked.

"Yes," said Hermione eagerly.

"It is the Deathly Hollows, of course," he said.

"The what?" Ron asked.

"The Deathly Hallows," he said. "haven't you heard the tale of the three brothers?" Harry and I said no, and Ron and Hermione said yes.

"I actually have a copy of it, right here," Hermione was digging through her bags. She pulled out the book that Dumbledore gave her.

"Would you read it to us?" Mr. Lovegood asked.

"Of course," Hermione said. "There was once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely winding road at twilight-"

"Midnight," Ron interrupted "Mum always said midnight. Hermione shot Ron a look.

"In time, the brothers reached a river, to dangerous to pass, but being learned in the magical arts, the three brothers waved their wands and conjured up a bridge. Before they could cross, however, they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. This figure was Death. Death felt cheated. Cheated because drown in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the brothers on their magic, and said each had earned a reward for being clever enough to evade him. The eldest brother asked for a wand more powerful than any other in existence. So Death fashioned him a wand from an elder tree that stood nearby. 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 from the river and offered it to him. Finally 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, reluctantly, Death handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.

The first brother traveled to a distant village where, with the elder wand in hand, he killed a wizard he once quarreled with. Drunk with the power that the Elder Wand had given him, he boasted of his invincibility. But that night, another wizard stole his wand and slit his throat 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 that he was once to marry before her untimely death appeared before him. Yet, soon, she turned sad and cold, for which she did not belong in the mortal world. Driven mad by hopeless longing, the second brother killed himself as to join her. And so, death took the second brother.

As for the third brother, Death searched for many years, but could not find him. Only when he attained a great age, did the youngest brother shed the Cloak of Invisibility, and gave it to his son. And then, he greeted Death as an old friend went with him gladly, departed life as equals," she recited the last line, and then put the book down.

"And that is the tale of the Deathly Hallows," Mr. Lovegood said.