Chapter 3: The Deathly Hallows

Bartemius Crouch was happy with Xenophilius Lovegood's new story. 'He learned his lesson, it seems.' He thought. Instead of demonizing martyrs or defending Death Eaters, Lovegood was now theorizing that the Peverell Brothers were the brothers of the tale or, if that part of the story was to be believed, the theory already existed and was already believed by most who believed the Deathly Hallows to be real and he just claimed to have found another reason to believe it.

Crouch was also amused at the theory that the stone in Morfin Gaunt's misplaced ring was the Resurrection Stone and that Voldemort might have learned of the Hallows from the Gaunts and be the one who stole it. Crouch also wondered who would believe ludicrous theories like Gellert Grindelwald being the one who stole what Mykew Gregorovitch passed as the Elder Wand and Professor Dumbledore took it from him during their famous duel; or the Potters owning the Cloak of Invisibility and it being the reason Voldemort went after them. 'To be fair,' Crouch thought, 'people not knowing about the prophecy might be more likely to believe that.'

The one thing that Crouch was willing to accept as a possible truth was the alternate theory that the stone was stolen not by Voldemort but by a Grindelwald supporter who's just waiting for Grindelwald's death and it being the real reason Dumbledore talked the ICW into sparing the former Dark Lord's life. Even if just because Crouch believed Grindelwald deserved no mercy.

Meanwhile, Albus Dumbledore also read Xenophilius' new theories and mentally berated himself for not realizing an important part himself: if James Potter, who was Ignotus Peverell's last living direct descendant before Harry was born, had the Cloak, it stood to reason the Gaunts, as Cadmus Peverell's heirs, would have kept the Stone even if oblivious to its power since it served as a reminder of how old their magical lineage was.

Dumbledore was also amazed at Lovegood's theory that Voldemort feared him out of the belief that he won the Elder Wand from Gellert Grindelwald. 'If only he knew Tom's fear of me came from before that. Well, Xeno still deserves congratulations for connecting Gellert to the wand theft.'

The one other bad spot, and Dumbledore wasn't certain if Crouch read that part, was that Lovegood checked the records on Morfin Gaunt. Xeno reported that "Gaunt's confession, unlike Sirius Black's, couldn't be dismissed as 'too vague'. Instead of merely saying those deaths were his fault, Gaunt did say he killed that muggle family and a wand check performed by Aurors sent to Little Hangleton to investigate the triple murder confirmed that the Killing Curses came from his wand.'

Normally, Dumbledore would be focused on keeping Sirius Black from cheating justice and would wait until something else confirmed the fact Voldemort made Horcruxes but he decided questioning Morfin regarding the potential Deathly Hallow was more urgent.

Meanwhile, near the Gaunt Shack, two accused Death Eaters who were acquitted on grounds of the Imperius were looking for the Resurrection Stone. "Crabbe, are you certain the stone is around here?" The other asked.

"Yes, Goyle." Crabbe answered. "The Dark Lord always gave hints that he performed experiments to stay alive. It's probable he meant the Resurrection Stone and hid it here or that Gaunt just pretended it was stolen so nobody would look for it after he was arrested for killing some filthy muggles."

"No, Crabbe. I meant the part about the Dark Lord's mother coming from this dump." Goyle commented while looking at the shack with disgust.

"That's why we were taught not to marry siblings even if it's the only way to keep a bloodline pure." Crabbe explained.

"But our Dark Marks aren't completely gone." Goyle replied and showed his own to illustrate his point. "That means he's still alive even if somehow unavailable to lead us."

"Which means there's a chance the Stone won't have the drawbacks it had with the second brother's deceased love interest, Goyle." Crabbe argued. "Think about how the Dark Lord will reward us once we bring him back."

Feeling satisfied by Crabbe's reassurance, Goyle followed him into the Gaunt Shack. While they were looking for the Stone, Albus Dumbledore got permission from Crouch to visit Azkaban inmate Morfin Gaunt. All the Headmaster had to say was that Morfin was Voldemort's Uncle and Crouch assumed the visit was Dumbledore somehow assuming he should notify Morfin in person.

Back at the shack, Crabbe and Goyle finally found a ring. Goyle was the first one to catch and inspect it. "I don't think it's the Resurrection Stone." He commented. "The symbol doesn't look like what Lovegood described."

Crabbe then took the ring. "It's upside down." He stated and flipped it around. "See?" Smirking in triumph, Crabbe readied himself to put it on.

One minute later, at St. Mungo's, Severus Snape was preparing potions as part of his effort to portray himself as reformed when a healer interrupted him. "Professor Snape, a friend of yours needs your expertise on the Dark Arts."

Oblivious to that new development, Headmaster Dumbledore eventually got his desired meeting with Morfin Gaunt. "Who are you?" Gaunt rudely asked. "What do you want?"

"For your first question, I am Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, and Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Morfin." Dumbledore answered. "As for my reason to be here, officially it's to notify you of your nephew's death even if I'm not certain he's really dead."

"Nephew?" Morfin asked in confusion.

"Your sister's son Tom Marvolo Riddle, Morfin." Dumbledore explained.

"Oh, yes." Morfin said in understanding. "I do remember meeting her bastard son. How dares she mix father's name with that filthy muggle's?"

Considering the reasons Dumbledore decided to meet Gaunt, the Headmaster decided to ignore the latter's anti-muggle feelings. "You met him?" He asked.

"Yes." Gaunt answered with certainty and disdain. "It's the last thing I remember before killing that filthy muggle family my squib sister mixed herself with even if all those years with dementors around messed practically everything else."

Dumbledore didn't dismiss it as a coincidence that Morfin Gaunt met Voldemort on the very same day he killed the Riddles. "May I have a memory of this meeting and one of you killing the Riddles as well?"

Having nothing to lose and feeling particularly proud of what he (thought he) did to the Riddles, Morfin agreed and Dumbledore pulled his wand and two vials.

End chapter.