A/N: Hey, people. I've got new plans in my head and, as you'll find out, it involves the Deathly Hallows. :P Also, as I'm sure you'll all be pleased to hear, the attraction between Harry and Severus is going to start appearing soon. :P So, keep reading and don't forget to leave me reviews. :]
"What was that about?" Draco asked as they walked through the corridors, clearly heading for the library.
"What do you mean? It's time for Ron to realize we're at war and he needs to fight side by side with people on our side, no matter who they are." Harry shrugged.
"I get that but I don't get the homework part. You're done all your homework," Draco said.
"It's called a lie, Draco, I'm sure you've heard of it," Harry said and Draco glared at him.
"Watch it, Gryffindor," Draco said.
"I'm so scared," Harry said and they chuckled.
"So, what are we doing?" Draco wondered.
"I need you to help me find a book," Harry said.
"Great. Just what I want to do with my time. Look for a book with Pince hanging over my shoulder," Draco said sarcastically and Harry rolled his eyes.
"She won't be hanging over our shoulders, Draco," Harry said as he opened his bag and pulled out the familiar Invisibility Cloak.
"Why do we have to use the Invisibility Cloak?" Draco asked.
"Because the book we're looking for is in the Restricted Section," Harry said and grabbed Draco's upper arm, pulling him close. He threw the Cloak over them and they slowly walked into the library.
"What book is it and why do you need it so bad?" Draco whispered as they passed Madam Pince.
"It's the book I told you about, where Ron, Hermione, and I found out about Horcruxes. I need it because I still don't know how to destroy the bloody things and I bet that book will tell me," Harry explained quietly as they turned to the left and headed for where Harry knew the doors to the Restricted Section to be.
"I thought you were trying to figure out what the Horcruxes were?" Draco said.
"I was until I realized that I have absolutely no idea where to even begin with that. I've been reading Slytherin's journal trying to find any mention of personal possessions to the other Founders but there's been nothing. There was only a brief mention of a goblet of Hufflepuff's. I figured it's about time I learn how to destroy the things," Harry told him and they stopped outside the Restricted Section. Looking around, Harry slid the lock to the right and they slowly and quietly pushed the doors open, slipping through when the crack was large enough.
"A goblet?" Draco repeated.
"Yeah. Apparently it was really special to her or whatever. It was only mentioned once though. So, it could be a Horcrux or it might not. I need to watch more of those memories but I can't." Harry nodded.
"Memories?" Draco frowned and Harry cursed silently. He had forgotten that Draco didn't know about the memories Dumbledore had given him.
"I'll tell you later, Draco. Not now. So, with the goblet, you sounded like you knew what I was talking about," Harry said as they wandered to the very back of the Restricted Section.
"I might. I'll get back to you on it," Draco said and Harry nodded.
"Okay, it should be around here," Harry said, removing the Cloak.
"What's the title of it?" Draco asked.
"You won't be able to read it. It'll just be a bunch of symbols to you. It's a green cover with a symbol on the spine. It looks like an eye kind of. A triangle with a circle in it and a line down the middle," Harry told him and he nodded.
They began to slowly peruse the shelves, looking for the book. They quietly talked the whole time, discussing the Horcruxes and the possible ways of destroying them.
"Harry, I think I found it," Draco said about ten minutes later and Harry ran over to him. Draco pointed to a green book and Harry smiled.
"Yes, this is it," Harry said and pulled the book from the shelf.
"That symbol," Draco said, pointing to the symbol on the spine that Harry had described. "It looks really familiar."
"What is it?"
"Have you ever heard 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'?" Draco asked and Harry shook his head. "It's a wizarding fairytale. A story parents read to their kids before bedtime and whatnot."
"What's this story? What does it have to do with this symbol?" Harry frowned, staring at the small symbol.
"We'll talk to Severus. I don't know if he knows about the symbol part, but he knows the story," Draco said.
"We can go tonight. We're just doing research tonight anyways since I have Quidditch practice," Harry said.
"Against Hufflepuff, isn't it?" Draco asked as Harry put the book in his bag and threw the Cloak over them again.
"Yep. If we win, which we will, we're in the Final since we won against Ravenclaw at the last match." Harry nodded.
"We just have to go against Ravenclaw and then we go to the Final as well," Draco said and Harry chuckled.
"Convinced you're going to win, are you?" Harry said.
"Of course we're going to win. It's Ravenclaw. They're good but not that good," Draco said and they laughed.
Invisible and silent, Harry and Draco left the library and pulled off the Invisibility Cloak once they were back in the corridor.
"Come on. We have to get to Transfiguration," Harry said and they took off for the fourth floor.
"Draco, what's with the book?" Harry asked as they slowly made their way down to the dungeons.
"What? You can bring your book but I can't bring mine? Fine then," Draco said arrogantly and began to turn back down the corridor.
Harry laughed and grabbed his arm. "No, you prat. What book is it?"
"The Tales of Beedle the Bard," Draco said simply. He looked at Harry when the Gryffindor didn't answer. "Surely you've heard of it?"
"Raised as a Muggle, Draco," Harry said pointedly.
"I always forget about that," Draco said.
"Compliment?"
"Could be."
"I'll take it."
"Have at it, Gryffindor."
Harry chuckled. "So what's important about this book?"
"It has that fairytale that I told you about this morning in it. I don't know if Severus has the book or not," Draco told him.
"I wouldn't doubt it. That man owns every bloody book in existence," Harry said and Draco grinned. They stopped outside Salazar's portrait.
"Hey, Salazar," Harry greeted.
"Hello, Mr. Potter." Harry rolled his eyes. "Hello, Draco."
Harry gaped. "You have got to be kidding me."
"I believe Severus is expecting you, Mr. Potter," Salazar swung open and Harry scowled.
"It's Harry!" Harry called as he walked into the rooms.
"Have a good night, Mr. Potter, Draco," Salazar said and Harry shook his head while Draco laughed.
"He does it because he knows it annoys you," Draco said as they walked over to the sofa in Severus' sitting area.
"Obviously," Harry said, rolling his eyes.
"Harry?" They heard Severus call from the library.
"Yeah, it's me," Harry called back. "Draco's here too."
Harry and Draco looked up when they heard the library door open. Severus leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. "And why, pray tell, is Draco here during the hours we are to work?"
"He's here to help," Harry said simply and Severus' eyebrow rose higher. "I can't find anything on what the other Horcruxes might be so I've decided to research how to destroy them instead until I get another lead."
"What does this have to do with Draco?" Severus asked as he moved over to the lounge chair and sat down.
"We went to the library to find that book I told you about, the one written by Salazar Slytherin where I found out about Horcruxes. Draco helped me find it and he noticed the symbol on the spine. He said he recognized it and that it had something to do with a fairytale that's in that book," Harry explained and pointed to the book that Draco held.
"Which fairytale?" Severus asked.
"'The Tale of the Three Brothers'," Draco said and Severus nodded.
"I know the story but I am unsure of a symbol related to it," Severus said.
"That's fine. I know the legends behind the story and symbol," Draco said and Severus nodded again.
"Is anyone going to actually tell me this story or legend or whatever it is?" Harry interrupted and both Slytherins glowered at him. He raised his hands in defense.
"Now, first and foremost, remember that this story is just that; a story. It has been a fairytale told by parents to children for centuries," Severus said and Harry nodded in understanding. "The story is, obviously, about three brothers that are travelling. They come to a river but, unlike others who have come to this river, the brothers are magical and so, they just conjure a bridge. As they are passing over it, Death appears—"
"Death?" Harry said in disbelief. "As in, a physical form of death?"
"Yes, Harry, Death really appeared to the three brothers," Draco said.
"But death is not a physical being. It's an apparition if anything but even then, that's acting like death is something you can really see," Harry said, frowning deeply.
"Remember, it is a story, Harry," Severus said and Harry nodded as he remembered that fact.
"Anyways." Draco picked up the story. "Death said he would give the brothers any gift they wanted as a reward for being able to deceive him, as people always drowned in the river."
"The oldest brother asked for a wand," Severus continued. "A wand that was more powerful than any other and that would always win duels for him. Death created this wand out of a branch from an elder tree on the bank of the river."
"The second brother asked for the power to recall those from Death. Death gave him a stone and told him it could bring people back from the dead," Draco said.
"The third brother, the youngest and also the wisest, did not trust Death. He asked for something that would allow him to leave without being followed. So Death handed him his own Cloak of Invisibility," Severus said and Harry gulped, one thought going through his head.
I have an Invisibility Cloak, something that's apparently extremely rare.
"The brothers continued on their way with their gifts and eventually parted," Severus said, bringing Harry's attention back. "The oldest came to a village after a week or so and he sought out a wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with his new wand, the Elder Wand, he won the duel. He left his enemy dead on the floor and proceeded to an inn. Here he bragged about the wand he possessed; the wand, he said, he had snatched from Death and how it made him invincible."
"That night, another wizard crept up to the brother, who was drunk, and took the wand. He then slit the brother's throat for good measure. So Death took the first brother for his own," Draco said. Harry gasped quietly but said nothing.
"The second brother went to his own home where he lived alone. He took out the stone Death had given him and turned it thrice in his hand. The figure of the girl he had hoped to marry before she unfortunately died appeared before him," Severus said. "However, she was silent and cold, as though separated from him by a veil. She had, indeed, returned to the mortal world but she didn't belong there so she suffered."
"Eventually, the second brother was driven mad with hopeless longing and killed himself so he could really be with her," Draco said. "And so, Death took the second brother as well."
"Death searched for the third brother for years but he couldn't find him. When the third brother reached a great age, he finally removed the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. He then greeted Death as an old friend and went with him willingly, gladly, and, as equals, they departed this life," Severus finished the story.
"That's a fairytale?" Harry said, his eyes wide. "Wizards are insane. That's a freakin' horror story, not a fairytale."
Severus chuckled. "It's not supposed to be like the Muggle fairytales. The wizarding world has always stuck closer to reality with their stories, closer to real life lessons that can be learned."
"Why? What are Muggle fairytales like?" Draco wondered.
"They're all about princesses and princes and the princess falling in love with a prince and living happily ever after," Harry said and Draco snorted. "So, what's important about this story?" he asked.
"Well, it's said that this story isn't just a story," Draco began.
"But, you said—" Harry looked at Severus.
"I know what he said, Harry, but he doesn't completely know this part," Draco said and Harry looked at him again. "It's believed by some that this story is based on real events. It's believed that the three brothers were real."
"Who were they then if they were real?" Harry asked.
"No one's ever figured that part out. Not that I've ever heard anyways," Draco said, shrugging slightly.
"All right, so this story could, possibly, be real. Loads of stories are based off real events. What then if it is?" Harry asked.
"Those gifts from Death," Draco said and Harry blinked.
"You mean they exist?" Harry said with a touch of skepticism in his voice. "Seriously?"
"Is it so hard to believe?" Draco said. "You own an Invisibility Cloak."
"Yeah, but I highly doubt it was once Death's Invisibility Cloak," Harry said with a little snort. "Okay, say the gifts are real. What about them?"
"They are sometimes referred to as the Deathly Hallows and that is where that symbol comes in," Draco said, pointing at the spine of the book Harry held. Harry looked at the small symbol again: a triangle with a circle inside and a line down the middle. It didn't look like anything spectacular.
"Okay?" Harry said, confused.
"Here, I'll do this. Is makes it a bit easier to catch onto," Draco said and pulled some parchment onto his lap and grabbed a quill. He drew a triangle. "The Cloak of Invisibility." He drew a circle inside the triangle. "The Resurrection Stone." He drew a line straight down the middle. "The Elder Wand."
Harry looked at the newly drawn symbol. "So, this symbol is…what? The sign of the Deathly Hallows?"
"That's exactly what it is." Draco nodded.
"So, besides the literal objects, what are the Deathly Hallows?" Harry asked.
"It's said, that whoever possess the Deathly Hallows is the Master of Death," Draco said.
Harry gaped. "Master of Death? Honestly? You mean, like, immortal? Unable to die?"
"Well, no one knows for sure what it means. As I've said, this is all rumour. However, no, it doesn't mean the person is immortal. It means that the person can control Death, the person can call Death to them and order him," Draco told him.
"This is insane," Harry shook his head. "I have to go for a walk. I need to think about this. I'll be back in a bit," he said and left the quarters, leaving all his stuff behind.
"Shouldn't one of us go after him?" Draco asked, watching as the door shut.
"He'll be fine, Draco. It's a lot to take in, all that you told him," Severus said.
"Do you believe it?" Draco asked.
"I think it could be a possibility, yes," Severus nodded. "However, I am unsure about these objects and this 'Master of Death'."
Draco nodded. "That seems to be what gets most people."
Harry sighed as he wandered around the corridors aimlessly. He had no idea what to think. Was the story of the three brothers real? Were the Deathly Hallows real? What about the whole 'Master of Death' thing? He ran a hand through his hair and turned a corner, coming to an abrupt halt when he found himself face to face with a familiar girl.
"Oh, hello, Harry," Luna greeted in her soft, dreamy voice.
"Hi, Luna." Harry smiled at her.
"You appear to be deep in thought," Luna said and Harry laughed silently at the girl's bluntness.
"Yeah, I've got a lot to think about." Harry nodded.
"Perhaps if you talked about it. I've found that saying things out loud and discussing them, even with yourself, can help things make more sense and make a solution clearer," Luna said and Harry looked at her. So many people thought she was strange and, sometimes, the things she believed in were a little eccentric but, Harry found she always knew exactly what she was talking about.
"Yeah, maybe I'll try that," Harry said.
"Would you like me to stay?" Luna asked and Harry smiled at her again.
"Would you mind?" Harry asked, thinking perhaps her odd perception of things might help.
"Not at all," Luna said and proceeded to sit on the floor underneath a window. Harry grinned and sat on the opposite side of the hallway, facing her. "So, what is going on in your head, Harry?"
"I'm confused. I just learned this story, 'The Tale of the Three Brothers', and I've heard the rumours behind it. I don't know what to believe," Harry said.
"The rumours? Oh, you mean about it being true?" Luna said and Harry nodded. "Well, I can tell you that it most definitely is true."
"It is?" Harry frowned. "I thought it had never been proven true?"
"It hasn't," Luna said. "However, if you put the facts together, you'll find it is quite a realistic story."
"So, what are these facts?" Harry wondered.
"The three brothers are said to have been real. Here, I've got a picture of the Resurrection Stone with me," Luna said and dug around in her bag before handing Harry a folded picture. He unfolded it and looked at it. It was a simple black stone in the general shape of a diamond. "Do you see that symbol on the stone?"
Harry looked closely. The stone looked strangely familiar. Then he saw the symbol. "It's the symbol of the Deathly Hallows."
Luna nodded. "Yes, exactly. Do you not recognize this stone, Harry, as anything other than the Resurrection Stone?"
"It looks familiar but I can't place it," Harry said.
"I'll help you. The brothers that are in this story are said to have been Cadmus, Antioch, and Ignotus—"
"Peverell," Harry finished breathlessly. "The Peverell brothers. They're the brothers from the story? That's how I recognize this stone. It's the ring. The Peverell ring."
Luna smiled. "Exactly. So, if the Resurrection Stone exists, don't you think the others must as well?"
"The Cloak of Invisibility," Harry breathed.
"I believe you own one, don't you, Harry?" Luna said and Harry nodded. "It's said that the Cloak from the story is impervious to magic. It gives the wearer complete invisibility, no matter what spells are cast at it. It continually gives constant and impenetrable concealment."
Harry swallowed thickly. The description sounded scarily familiar.
"It fits, doesn't it?" Luna said and, had it been anyone else, Harry would've thought he could hear humour in the words.
"Freakishly well." Harry nodded. "What about the Elder Wand then?"
"You believe they exist then?" Luna asked.
"I'm really beginning to," Harry said.
"Well, no one's quite sure what has become of the Elder Wand. There've been many great wands over the centuries even if none have compared to that of the Elder Wand," Luna told him.
"So, the wand could be gone?" Harry said.
"Well, I suppose but I don't think it is. I believe it is closer than we all think, hidden in plain sight," Luna said.
"Like everything else in this world," Harry muttered and Luna gave a small, soft laugh.
"Yes, quite like that," she said. "Anymore questions, Harry?"
"One," Harry said and she nodded. "What about the whole 'Master of Death' thing?"
"Well, whoever has all of the Hallows is the Master of Death. It is not how it sounds. You don't control Death. Well, you do but only if you choose to. Some believe you can befriend Death and, even without the Hallows, he can appear to you if you manage to befriend him. Even if you befriend him, you sometimes have to order him to do or not to do something but he is, essentially, a friend. That is truly all being the Master of Death means," Luna explained and Harry allowed the information to process in his mind. Finally he looked at the young Ravenclaw girl and smiled.
"Thanks, Luna. This helped a lot," he said and she smiled back.
"I'm glad to have helped, Harry. Help is needed these days. It's just up to people to seek it and accept it," Luna said and Harry, once again, wondered if she had Seer blood. She was always saying something philosophical like that.
He smiled and shook his head again. "I have to go, Luna. Thanks again for the help," he hugged her.
"It was my pleasure, Harry." She smiled and began humming as she walked away. Harry watched her go before turning and heading the opposite to direction to return to the dungeons.
A/N: So, I hope you liked it. I know it had a lot of information, information I'm sure you all know. If you've read the 7th book recently or remember it from the last time you read it or seen the movie(s), you'll know all of this. :P It's necessary, however, and this chapter has direction which, in turn, is giving the story direction once again. :P Anyways, don't forget to leave me a review, please. :]