Disclaimer: Harry Potter, tell your wife - J.K. Rowling rules your life.

CHAPTER 1
The Tale of Three Feats of Magic

Department of Mysteries has many rooms.
One of them - Chamber Of Wizarding Freakish And Roguish Tales, aka COWFART.
In this chamber the whole bookcase is reserved for versions of one tale, known to children as 'The Tale of Three Brothers'.

Here is another version, the one which Albus Dumbledore copied and studied at length.

There were once three brothers who were much gifted in magical arts and crafts.
And they forged for themselves three unique objects of immense power.
Brothers were greatly admired among the wizardfolk and these three objects were referred to as Feats of Magic.

Once they were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight.
Suddenly they found their path blocked by a hooded figure.

And Death spoke to them.
Death was curious if the rumors of their magical prowess were true.

So, the three brothers demonstrated the power of their Feats.
The oldest brother took out his Unbeatable Wand and offered to duel any witch or wizard.

Death was canning; he summoned his strongest minion wizard for a duel, but warned that if somehow his servant is killed, the killer would be forced to join Death's army instead.

Nevertheless the first brother accepted this condition and the fight has begun.
At the same time the second brother borrowed Invisibility Cloak from the youngest one and, hidden under it, approached the duelists.

Naturally, with the Unbeatable Wand as his weapon, the first brother could not fail to win the battle.
As soon as the dead body of Death's champion fell to the ground, the second Brother bent over him and turned his Resurrection Stone three times.
Such was the power of the Stone that the killed wizard stood up, fully alive.

In spite of his animosity Death was impressed by brothers' abilities and teamwork.
And he reluctantly declared that each brother earned a reward - a Gift of Demise.
This meant that every brother could claim the life of any one person of his choosing.

Death was not only canning, but malicious as well; he did not reveal that whoever used such gift for evil purposes - would nearly drain the magic of his Feat; the leftover magic would be enough for only one usage.

The first brother gladly accepted the gift and immediately invoked it to kill a fellow wizard, who recently humiliated him in a spellcasting contest.
But that wizard also had two brothers, who had sworn to avenge the murderer.

The first brother had to leave the country and go into hiding.
He was never found by his pursuers, but his life was filled with fear; he avoided company of people and often glanced over his shoulder.

They say that when he died his face relaxed into a smile, as if he was freed from a terrible curse.
His Unbeatable Wand was left with just enough power to win one duel.

The second brother was in love with a girl who did not reciprocate his feelings.
So, he also eagerly accepted the gift and immediately invoked it to kill a rival wizard, who was to marry the girl.
The girl was truly in love with her fiancée and took a cruel revenge on the murderer.

She pretended to agree to marry him and on the day of planned wedding killed herself.
The second brother went mad from shame and grief and never recovered.

They say that when he died his whole body relaxed, as if a heavy burden was lifted from his shoulders.
His Resurrection Stone was left with just enough power to bring back to life one person.

The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers; he understood that such abhorrent gifts should not be spent on personal grudges.

So, he politely told Death that he doesn't have a mortal enemy.
Then he inquired if he could just pass the Gift of Demise to his heirs, who may someday meet the greater enemy, worthy of such marvelous gift.
And Death, impressed by his wisdom and self-restraint, granted his wish.

It's believed that his Gift of Demise is still potent; that somewhere lives his heir who can kill one single person just by invoking the Death's promise.
And whose Cloak of Invisibility still retains all its ancient power.

TO BE CONTINUED


Your reviews are appreciated.

By the way, here we have the same level of bloodthirstiness as in Beedle the Bard version - two murders and one suicide.