Bedtime Stories

Chapter 1: The Tale of Three Brothers

Authors note: This is my first story that I have published so please don't be too hard on me. The story is set pre-epilogue and Ron and Hermione are reading a story to Rose and Hugo

It was late in the evening and Ron and Hermione Weasley had just sat down to read a story to their two children. It was The Tale of Three Brothers- Hermione's favourite story. The two children curiously looked at their Mother and Father waiting for the story to begin.

"Ok are you both sat comfortably?" Ron asked his children, "Good, then we shall begin" "Once there were three brothers who were travelling along a lonely winding road at twilight" Hermione began, but was then interrupted by their intrigued daughter.

"Midnight, Daddy always says midnight" Rose replied and Ron hugged her whilst stifling a chuckle.

"The brothers then reached a river to difficult to swim across however being learned in the magical arts they made a bridge" Hermione Continued, " However they found their path blocked by a hooded figure it was death, and he felt cheated, because normally people would drown in the river"

"Mummy, is this about the Deathly Hallows?" Hugo questioned, Hermione then nodded to him "Yes Hugo" replied Hermione

"Moving on then, Death said that they had each won a prize for evading him. The first brother asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence and so death fashioned him one from an elder tree" Hermione continued, "The second brother decided to humiliate death even further and asked for the power to recall loved ones from the grave and so death plucked a stone from the river and gave it to him. "

"Then death turned to the third brother, a humble man, he asked for the power to go forth from that place without being followed by death. So death gave him his own invisibility cloak"

"The brothers then went their separate ways" Ron then took over from Hermione. "The first went to a nearby pub with the Elder Wand in hand killed a wizard he once argued with. But that night another wizard killed him and took the wand. So death took the brother for his own"

Hermione then began again "The second brother journeyed to his home where he turned the stone thrice in hand, to his delight the girl whom he once hoped to marry appeared before him. But she turned sad & cold as she didn't belong in the mortal world" "So he killed himself to join he. And so death took the second brother for his own"

Ron decided to finish the story "The third brother couldn't be seen anywhere, & only when he attained a great age did he take the cloak off and give it to his son. He greeted death and gladly went away with him. Departing this life as equals"

He then smiled at his wife, daughter and son "So Rosie and Hugo, what did you think of the story?" as he pulled his daughter onto his knee.

"It tells us the morals of how to lead our lives and never to trust a hooded figure" Rose answered Ron directed his stare to Hermione who was beaming back at him. He couldn't believe how much she was like his wife when she was only six years old.

"Ok, I think it's time for you two to go to bed" She smiled and looked down at a four year old Hugo who was asleep in her arms. She then lifted him into bed as Ron did with Rose.

"Night Rosie" He leant over and kissed his daughter on the cheek then Hermione did the same. They then left the room together.

"You're so great reading to them Hermione" Ron whispered as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Well you're brilliant with them and you're also my knight in shining armour" She replied

Hermione then turned around and kissed him on the lips "Come on, let's go to bed it's been a long day"

He then kissed her deeply on the lips and they headed off to their bedroom.