Chapter 68: The Deathly Hallows

"Listen, I've got a feeling you'd be able to tell who lived there if you looked through the Lovegoods' window. Let's try the next lot of hills," Ron said firmly.

Albus chuckled to himself, knowing that the Lovegoods house was, indeed, very noticeable. Xenophilius was just as… open-minded as his daughter, so of course their house would reflect that special uniqueness as well. Albus followed after them up the hill, yet anxiety was still growing inside him at what Xenophilius will do when he sees them.

His emotions were raging on inside him as they soon spotted the tall tower that was standing at the top of the hill the shadowy moon hanging behind it in the late afternoon sky.

"That's got to be Luna's house, who else would live in a place like that?" Ron asked his friends excitedly, "It looks like a giant rook!"

"It's nothing like a bird," said Hermione, frowning at the tower.

"The chess piece Hermione," Albus couldn't help but chuckle. "A castle."

He remembered fondly when he had taught Luna's mother… she had truly been a bright, young girl who had made Ravenclaw proud. He even remembered how much she had loved chess and it didn't surprise him that she would have moved into a house that looked like it belonged on a chessboard.

"I was talking about a chess rook. A castle to you," Ron spoke up, and he went running up to the house with Harry and Hermione both panting to keep up with him. After finally being reunited with them, Ron's spirits had never seemed brighter, and he seemed to be doing his best to try and be optimistically for them all. After all that they had been through, it helped greatly with their morale… even Hermione though she didn't want to admit it.

Ron went straight up to the worn-out fence and even laughed out loud when he spotted the three signs that were hanging there and pointed them out to the others. Albus had to admit that he was right… There could be no doubt who it was.

THE QUIBBLER. EDITOR, X. LOVEGOOD

PICK YOUR OWN MISTLETOE

KEEP OFF THE DIRIGIBLE PLUMS

Yes, he remembered with Xenophilius once offered him a Diribible Plum, and Albus wondered to this day actually what it was and if he should've regretted eating such a bitter fruit.

Still, today wasn't the day to visit when Xenophilius was in such a fragile state. He had all but given up the hope of ever seeing Luna again, and knowing how weak that men can be, he might be willing to do something truly desperate to get her back. Though Albus didn't fault him, he was a desperate man who was desperate to save the only family he had left. He hated that he couldn't warn those three of this as they passed the gate and walked up the zigzagging path to the front door.

"You'd better take off the Invisibility Cloak, Harry," Hermione whispered to him. "It's you Mr. Lovegood wants to help, not us."

"No, not the best idea," Albus groaned out again. How many times had he cursed the fact that he knew more than he was supposed to? But still, Harry did what he was told and took his cloak off and passed it to Hermione, who stuffed it into the beaded bag. Albus bit his lower lip as he watched them reach the door and knocked.

Xenophilius answered at once, most likely thinking that the Death Eaters were there and that they might have some kind of information on Luna. He was a mess, having not slept in the last week, and stared wildly at them.

"What? What is it? Who are you? What do you want?" he cried in a high-pitched voice, looking first at Hermione, then at Ron, and finally at Harry, when he realized who it was, his jaw fell open in shock. Harry calmly introduced himself as Xenophilius continued to stare at him—and Harry awkwardly lowered his hand.

"Would it be okay if we came in?" asked Harry slowly. "There's something we'd like to ask you."

"I… I'm not sure that's advisable," whispered Xenophilius as he swallowed and cast a quick look around the garden, as if torn at the thought of what he should do. "Rather a shock… My word… I… I'm afraid I don't really think I ought to -"

"It won't take long" said Harry at once; Xenophilius still looked at a loss at what the right thing to do would be, and seemed to decide to let them in until he was able to figure out what he should do.

"I - oh, all right then. Come in, quickly, Quickly!" he said and Albus sighed. He wished that there was something that he could do to help them—all four of them in fact—and he could, at least remind Xenophilius that this wasn't what his daughter would want. Xenophilius quickly closed the door behind them and he invited them all upstairs, to where his printing press was making a great deal of noise.

It was difficult for them all to move through the house, though he suspected that it was normally very messy, Xenophilius was no longer bothering to clean up after him as he was being haunted with nightmares of what might be happening to Luna. Albus saw Xenophilius's eyes widen as he saw the press that was quickly printing out the latest article of 'Undesirable Number One' and he quickly covered it with a grubby-looking tablecloth before they could see the papers.

He then turned to Harry and asked, "Why have you come here?"

But before Harry could even open up his mouth, Hermione let out a startled cry. "Mr. Lovegood - what's that?" she gasped, pointing to a large, gray spiral horn mounted on the wall.

"Oh Merlin!" Albus exclaimed when he saw it. How could someone have something that dangerous in their home and not even realize it?

"It is the horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack," Xenophilius explained absent-mindedly.

"No, it isn't!" said Hermione at once, her eyes wide.

"Hermione," muttered Harry, looking as if he couldn't believe that she was trying to make a point out of something right now, "now's not the moment -"

"But Harry, it's an Erumpent horn!" she cried out. "It's a Class B Tradable Material and it's an extraordinary dangerous thing to have in a house!"

That was an understatement… those things had been known to blow up at the slightest touch. Hermione also began to tell them about how she had read about the description and how dangerous it was, but Xenophilius grew to be very stubborn and insisted that it was the horn from a Crumple Horned Snorkack. The two argued, and he claimed that he got it from a delightful young wizard who shared his interest in the Snorkack and he got it for Luna for Christmas.

A delightful young wizard who just happened to know that he liked Snorkacks enough to sell him a dangerous product? How convenient it was.

But Xenophilius turned back to Harry and asked, "Why exactly have you come here, Mr. Potter?"

"We need some help," said Harry, before Hermione could speak anymore, and Albus was glad that they were getting to the heart of the matter as quickly as possible. Xenophilius looked terrified at the request and seemed to be struggling within himself over what to do now. He stared at Harry's scar like it was the answer to his prayers as he slowly tried to buy time. "Ah… Help, Hmm. Yes. The thing is... helping Harry Potter... rather dangerous..."

"Aren't you the one who keeps telling everyone it's their first duty to help Harry?" Ron asked him at once, "In that magazine of yours?"

Xenophilius was never a good liar. Albus remembered when he had still been a boy when he came to Hogwarts. He truly believed in the things that he would tell stories about, and because of that he was able to think that he was telling the truth. However, when it actually came to lying, he was so poor at it that it was actually kinda amusing. Though there wasn't anything funny about this now.

"Er - yes, I have expressed that view. However -" he began, as if he wanted to come out and show them the latest articles.

"That's for everyone else to do, not you personally?" said Ron coldly, giving him a hard look.

Xenophilius was still looking like he was trying to do the right thing in helping them, but the desire to see his daughter again was quickly winning out. And it was when Hermione asked where Luna was and what she would think did Xenophilius seem to make up his mind.

Hearing his daughter's name seemed to strike a fire in him so strong to see her again that he had made his choice. He steeled his will for what he was going to do and made up the lie, "Luna is down at the stream, fishing for Freshwater Plimpies. She… she will like to see you. I'll go and call her and then - yes, very well. I shall try to help you."

Albus left the three of them there for a moment as he went and followed after Xenophilius who had left, wondering outside, far past the house so that they wouldn't see him through the window and he contacted the Death Eaters there.

"I don't… I can't… they're her friends…" he heard Xenophilius mumble to himself, "But it's their fault that she's gone. My Luna… my little girl… I have to get her back. She'll be disappointed in me, as least for a while, but I'll risk that. I have… I have to save her even if she hates me for it."

Albus looked away, his heart going out to Xenophilius. He knew the feeling of wanting to protect and save someone even if they grew to hate you for it. He knew that protective feeling of willing to do just about anything if it only meant keeping someone you did love out of harm's way. He shut his eyes… sadly knowing that you could have all the best intensions in the world… but that didn't mean that was what the ones we love would want us to do. Albus learned that the hard way a long time ago… yet he just didn't seem to be able to hold true to that lesson even to the day he died.

Albus watched grimly as Xenophilius contacted the Death Eaters, letting them know that Harry Potter was at his home and that he wanted to make a deal… Harry in exchange for Luna.

One he was finished, he quickly turned and sprinted back to the house, as if fearful that the trio had left while he was gone. When he heard them talking upstairs he let out a sigh of relief as he quickly made up a pot of tea and carried the tray upstairs with the hope of keeping them here long enough for the Death Eaters to come.

Albus also climbed the stairs to see that the three of them were looking over at a particular statue in the corner. "Ah," he said in what Xenophilius thought was a positive voice, though it sounded weak and strained as he shoved the tray into Hermione's hands and walked over to him.

"Modeled, fittingly enough, upon the head of the beautiful Rowena Ravenclaw, 'Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure!'" he proclaimed.

Albus looked to see what he was speaking of—and he saw a stone statue of a beautiful, but slightly cloudy-eyed witch wearing a bizarre headdress. Albus had only seen the inside of Ravenclaw Tower a few times in his life, but he had seen the statue of Rowena there, and he could see what Xenophilius was trying to do. Though the Lost Diadem of Ravenclaw didn't look anything like the statue back at Hogwarts. Such as the two bled golden ear trumpets curved out from the sides, added along with some Billywig propellers and even the orange radishes…? If nothing else, it was a great conversation piece.

"These are the Wrackpurt siphons - to remove all sources of distraction from the thinker's immediate area," Xenophilius said, a hint of pride there before he pointed to the wings, "Here, a Billywig propeller, to induce an elevated frame of mind. Finally, the dirigible Plum, so as to enhance the ability to accept the extraordinary."

Hermione was having trouble trying to balance the tea tray on the unbalanced tables as he strode back towards her, having asked if they wanted an infusion of Gurdyroots. Albus actually coughed at the memory of how Xenophilius offered him one of those cups and he took it simply to be polite, but he had to wonder if it might've killed him since that taste alone was enough to wake the dead.

None of the three said anything as he poured out the drink of deep purple juice as he added, "Luna is down beyond Bottom Bridge, she is most excited that you are here. She ought not to be too long, she has caught nearly enough Plumpies to make soup for all of us. Do sit down and help yourselves to sugar."

For their sakes, Albus hoped that they add a lot of sugar into that drink to even be able to swallow it.

They all sat down nervously as he removed a bunch of papers from an armchair and sat down himself, trying to be as calm as possible before he asked, "Now, how may I help you, Mr. Potter?"

Albus bit his lip, wondering just what they were going to do about all this mess, while Harry came out and asked, "Well, it's about that symbol you were wearing around your neck at Bill and Fleur's wedding, Mr. Lovegood. We wondered what it meant."

Xenophilius raised his eyebrows. "Are you referring to the sign of the Deathly Hallows?" he asked them in great surprise.

And at last, they were finally going to learn of the story of the three brothers and of those tempting objects. Everything was slowly coming together and the three looked at each other in confusion, not having the slightest idea as to what Xenophilius was saying.

"The Deathly Hallows?" Harry repeated in confusion as Albus fidgeted a little. He could see that Ron and Hermione all looked just as confused as he did.

"That's right," said Xenophilius. "You haven't heard of them? I'm not surprised. Very, very few wizards believe. Witness that knuckle-headed young man at your brother's wedding," he nodded at Ron, "who attacked me for sporting the symbol of a well-known Dark wizard! Such ignorance. There is nothing Dark about the Hallows – at least not in that crude sense. One simply uses the symbol to reveal oneself to other believers, in the hope that they might help one with the Quest."

And knowing them, they were probably fuming on the inside at the idea of another quest when they already had another one that they were struggling to get through.

Xenophilius stirred several lumps of sugar into his Gurdyroot infusion and drank some as Harry apologized and stated that he didn't understand. He then bravely took a sip from his cup and from the look on his face, he looked as if he was about ready to spit it back out and gag before he bravely swallowed.

"Well, you see, believers seek the Deathly Hallows," said Xenophilius, smacking his lips and Albus couldn't help but guess that Gurdyroot infusion was a… enquired taste.

"But what are the Deathly Hallows?" asked Hermione, and she sounded as if she couldn't stand not knowing something for once.

Xenophilius set aside his empty teacup as he asked, "I assume that you are familiar with 'The Tale of the Three Brothers'?"

Albus nodded his head grimly, remembering how that had been his favorite story when he had been a young child. Funny… it was so long ago, yet it seemed like it only happened yesterday. He shook his head from those sad thoughts as he turned back in time to hear Harry confessing no, but Ron and Hermione had both confirmed a yes. Xenophilius nodded to them as he looked around for his copy of the story, but Hermione pulled out her own copy, something that Albus was glad to see being put to use. They were right on track, but for how long remained to be seen.

Hermione pulled out her worn copy and Xenophilius was interested in seeing that it was an original copy before suggesting that she read it out loud for them all. Hermione looked nervous at the idea, but did so as she opened the book and read out with a little cough: "'There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight –'" she began.

"Midnight, our mum always told us," Ron interrupted and Albus had to wonder why he was provoking her unnecessarily. "Sorry," Ron added, suddenly becoming timid again, when Hermione glared at him. "I just think it's a bit spookier if it's midnight!"

"And I don't think that we need more fear in our lives at the moment, Ronald," Albus sighed.

"Yeah, because we really need a bit more fear in our lives," Harry spoke out sarcastically and Albus actually laughed a little at those words before Harry added for Hermione to go on.

"In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water," she read. "They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure. And Death spoke to them –'"

Albus raised his eyebrows at that thought, wondering just what it would be like to actually meet with death halfway across a bridge. While he highly doubted that it was 'death' himself, he believed it to be more likely that these three wizards were young and talented… and probably too powerful for their own good.

"Sorry," Harry interrupted, "but Death spoke to them?"

"It's a fairy tale, Harry!" Hermione reminded him and he apologized quickly, remembering that little fact before he let her continue.

"'And Death spoke to them. He was angry that he had been cheated out of the three new victims, for travelers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning."

"He always is," Albus nodded nodding. You would have to be a fool to think that you can outwit him forever. You cannot win against him for long… Tom… why can't you understand this fact?

"He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him."

And already here was a good moral for young children… never accept gifts from strangers… Death of all people…

"'So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.'"

Albus sighed, knowing how close he had been to becoming that same man… even becoming something like him despite having not found the wand for so many years. He understood the longing for power, and now he knew now just how unremarkable that Hallow was… he only wished that it didn't mean losing his dear little sister for him to learn that.

"'Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.

Again, Albus sighed, that this was the Deathly Hallow that he longed to have more than any other for more than half his life. If only he could've use it just once… see his family just once to explain… and again he had been given the harsh lesson that he was not worthy to use such a thing. And he glanced down at his hand—recalling how it had once been blackened and shriveled beyond recognition.

"'And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death."

Now that was something that he couldn't blame… and Albus glanced over at Harry. If the book was anything to go by, if he had to guess, he was sure that Harry must've been very much like his ancestor in those regards.

"So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.'"

"Death's got an Invisibility Cloak?" Harry interrupted again in deep surprise.

"So he can sneak up on people," said Ron, trying to make a joke, not realizing that he was interrupting Hermione again. "Sometimes he gets bored of running at them, flapping his arms and shrieking… sorry, Hermione." He added that last part in as a whimper as Hermione's eyes narrowed at him for daring to interrupt again.

Albus couldn't help but laugh before Hermione read on, "'Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way, and they did so talking with wonder of the adventure they had had and admiring Death's gifts.

"'In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination. The first brother traveled on for a week more, and reaching a distant village, sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.

No, not the wisest thing to do in the least. Of course someone would be tempted to steal it if they thought that it was truly that powerful.

"'That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden upon his bed. The thief took the wand and for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat.And so Death took the first brother for his own," Hermione read on, a rather disgusted look on her face at the thought of someone getting their throat sliced open in their sleep.

"Lesson for fools," Albus said, wishing that he had paid more attention to this part of the story and took what was there to heart.

"'Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in his hand. To his amazement and his delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry, before her untimely death, appeared at once before him."

Something else that Albus could understand very well. After all, everyone wishes that they can bring someone back home to them. But he also understood now that it wasn't right… to force someone to come back to this world when they were already at peace.

"'Yet she was sad and cold, separated from him as by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered.

She suffered greatly for she knew that this wasn't a world that she belonged any longer. To be here yet separated at the same time… he wondered if that was how the ghosts at Hogwarts felt when they chose to stay behind. He could see why the second brother had done what he did… it wasn't easy carrying on once you lost someone… though dying before your time wasn't what they would've wanted. He wondered if that poor girl had tried to stop him from taking his own life if that was truly the case.

"Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as to truly join her.

"'And so Death took the second brother from his own.But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life.'"

That really was all that we can do. The youngest brother was wise, indeed, to see that. He knew that he couldn't hope to hide from death forever, but just long enough until he felt that he was ready. He passed the cloak on to the next generation before he accepted his death and left the world in peace. That was the lesson that story had to tell… and Albus wished that he could've met Beedle and ask him about his book. He sounds like he would've been an amazing man to have meet.

Hermione finally closed the book, and Xenophilius was so focused on their 'guests' coming soon that he didn't notice that she had finished for a moment. He then realized that it was quiet and he looked up, adding quickly, "Well, there you are."

"Sorry?" said Hermione, sounding confused.

"Those are the Deathly Hallows," said Xenophilius as he reached for a quill and a torn piece of paper before he drew a straight vertical line, "The Elder Wand…" he added a circle on top of that, "The Resurrection Stone," and he finished up by enclosing them with a triangle, "The Cloak of Invisibility.Together, the Deathly Hallows."

"But there's no mention of the words 'Deathly Hallows' in the story," said Hermione, looking at the book again with a frown.

That didn't surprise him in the slightest. After all, why would something like that be written in a book that was made for children. It was meant to entertain them, and maybe even warn them. Not to tell them that such tempting objects truly existed in the world and for them to go looking for them.

"Well, of course not," said Xenophilius, and he knew that smugness was sure to get Hermione's goat. "That is a children's tale, told to amuse rather than to instruct. Those of us who understand these matters, however, recognize that the ancient story refers to three objects, or Hallows, which, if united, will make the possessor master of Death."

"Only in one sense," Albus stated. For when it speaks of Master of Death, it is not what some would like it to believe. It means that you are no longer afraid of Death and that you understand that you must die someday. An unbeatable wand that attracts conflict, if you won it, you must never speak of it or must always fear attack. The stone that breaches the barriers of life and death, when someone passes on we must accept that they are where they belong. For one day we will be there as well. As for the cloak, it is there to help protect those that we love besides one self for they know that there are worse things to lose in this world beside your life.

"Luna ought to have enough Plimpies soon," Xenophilius said quietly, or in other words, the Death Eaters will be along shortly.

"When you say 'master of Death' –" Ron began.

"Master," said Xenophilius, waving an airy hand. "Conqueror. Vanquisher. Whichever term you prefer."

"But then… do you mean…" said Hermione slowly, as if she was fighting to keep the skeptical tone out, "that you believe these objects – these Hallows – really exist?"

"Unfortunately, they do Hermione," Albus said. "Though very few actually believe them."

Xenophilius raised his eyebrows again. "Well, of course," he said as if it was obvious.

"But," Hermione counted, resisting the act to tell him off, "Mr. Lovegood, how can you possibly believe – ?"

Xenophilius looked long and hard at her as he said, "Luna has told me all about you, young lady. You are, I gather, not unintelligent, but painfully limited. Narrow. Close-minded."

Albus chuckled to himself at those words. Hermione is one of the brightest students he had ever known, but had to admit that Xenophilius had a point. For the truth was, she needed hard proof to believe in something. Luna, was the opposite however, she didn't need prove.

"Perhaps you ought to try on the hat, Hermione," said Ron, nodding toward the ludicrous headdress and Albus had to burst out laughing at the thought of Hermione wearing such a thing.

She glared over at him before she looked back to Xenophilius and added, "Mr. Lovegood, we all know that there are such things as Invisibility Cloaks. They are rare, but they exist. But –"

"Ah, but the Third Hallow is a true Cloak of Invisibility, Miss Granger!" he said, "I mean to say, it is not a traveling cloak imbued with a Disillusionment Charm, or carrying a Bedazzling Hex, or else woven from Demiguise hair, which will hide one initially but fade with the years until it turns opaque. We are talking about a cloak that really and truly renders the wearer completely invisible, and endures eternally, giving constant and impenetrable concealment, no matter what spells are cast at it. How many cloaks have you ever seen like that, Miss Granger?"

Which is true. There was no doubt that it was the same cloak that belonged to the Potters for generations. He thought back to the last time he had seen Lily and James alive, how Harry was so attached to the cloak that they had to pry the cloak from his hands. He smiled sadly as he thought of those memories… if only he had known then what that the life that little baby would be like.

Hermione opened her mouth to answer, then closed it again, looking more confused than ever. She, Harry and Ron glanced at one another, and Albus was willing to bet anything that they were all thinking of the exact same thing. That they knew where that particular cloak was… in the room at that moment.

"Exactly," said Xenophilius, as if he had defeated them all in reasoned argument. "None of you have ever seen such a thing. The possessor would be immeasurably rich, would he not?"

Well, the owner does have enough money to last his entire life, but that's no reason to believe that they would naturally be a theif.

"All right," said Hermione as Xenophilius looked out at the setting sun. "Say the Cloak existed… what about that stone, Mr. Lovegood? The thing you call the Resurrection Stone?"

"What of it?" he asked, not paying her much attention.

"Well, how can that be real?" she demanded.

"Prove that is not," said Xenophilius.

Ah… that age-old counter argument going on again. Albus had a feeling that Hermione wasn't going to take to that well, and he was right for she now looked outraged by what he said.

"But that's – I'm sorry, but that's completely ridiculous!" she said, unable to stop her own nature, "How can I possibly prove it doesn't exist? Do you expect me to get hold of – of all the pebbles in the world and test them? I mean, you could claim that anything's real if the only basis for believing in it is that nobody's proved it doesn't exist!"

"Yes, you could," said Xenophilius in agreement. "I am glad to see that you are opening your mind a little."

Maybe, but maybe now wasn't the best time to point that out. Harry obviously sensed danger as well for he suddenly asked about the Elder Wand, and wondered if he thought it existed as well.

"Oh, well, in that case there is endless evidence," said Xenophilius, and Albus had to agree that was all correct as well. "The Elder Wand is the Hallow that is most easily traced, because of the way in which it passes from hand to hand."

"Which is what?" asked Harry as Albus looked away, knowing that the wand truly does have a dark past.

"Which is that the possessor of the wand must capture it from its previous owner, if he is to be truly master of it," Xenophilius explained before he began to tell them about some of the Elder Wand's history. All those wands are one and the same… they were all the Elder Wand. Though Albus suspected that a lot of that information was either made up or taken off real events, he knew that the history was always bloody.

Even Hermione couldn't think of anything to contradict him as he spoke.

"So where do you think the Elder Wand is now?" asked Ron, with a bright glint in his eyes.

"Alas, who knows?" said Xenophilius, as he gazed out of the window, still waiting for the Death Eaters to arrive, and most likely hoping that Luna was with them. "Who knows where the Elder Wand lies hidden? The trail goes cold with Arcus and Livius. Who can say which of them really defeated Loxias, and which took the wand? And who can say who may have defeated them? History, alas, does not tell us."

Albus remembered had to work very hard to discover the wand's trail and he was sure that Grindelwald also struggled for years to track it down. Yet, once he heard the rumor that Gregorovitch was trying to replicate it…? That was just asking for trouble.

"Mr. Lovegood, does the Peverell family have anything to do with the Deathly Hallows?" Hermione asked suddenly and Albus raised an eyebrow at that, pleased but not at all surprised that she was able to remember that little detail. Xenophilius looked taken aback at hearing that and sat up and goggled at her.

"But you have been misleading me, young woman!" he said and that actually caused Albus to chuckle a little at the sight of it. It usually took a lot to surprise Xenophilius Lovegood. "I thought you were new to the Hallows Quest! Many of us Questers believe that the Peverells have everything – everything! – to do with the Hallows!"

"Who are the Peverells?" Ron asked in confusion. Hermione quickly explained that they found that name on a grave when they visited Godric's Hollow and she mentioned the name Ignotus…

"Exactly!" said Xenophilius, raising up his forefinger. "The sign of the Death Hallows on Ignotus's grave is conclusive proof!"

You could almost see the question mark hanging over Ron's head as Xenophilius added, "Why, that the three brothers in the story were actually the three Peverell brothers, Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus! That they were the original owners of the Hallows!"

Xenophilius glanced at the window, still not seeing any Death Eaters, and got to his feet, absent-mindedly asking if they would stay for dinner, stating that everyone asks for their Freshwater Plimply soup. After previous experiences with his cooking, Albus ventured never to try this soup.

"Probably to show the Poisoning Department at St. Mungo's," Ron whispered to the others as Harry waited until he was sure that Xenophilius was downstairs before he looked to them and asked, "What do you think?"

"Oh, Harry," she said wearily, "it's a pile of utter rubbish. This can't be what the sign really means. This must just be his weird take on it. What a waste of time."

"No, you must learn to broaden your horizon's Hermione," Albus spoke up gently. There are some things in this world that don't need proof to believe it.

Ron nodded sagely and added, "I s'pose this is the man who brought us Crumple-Horned Snorkacks."

"You didn't believe it either?" Harry asked him.

"Nah, that story's just one of those things you tell kids to teach them lessons, isn't it?" he said with a wave of his hand, "'Don't go looking for trouble, don't go pick fights, don't go messing around with stuff that's best left alone! Just keep your head down, mind your own business, and you'll be okay. Come to think of it," he added, "maybe that story's why elder wands are supposed to be unlucky."

"What are you talking about?" he asked as Albus smiled a little. It would make sense if everyone goes killing the owner of the unbeatable elder wand.

"One of those superstitions, isn't it? 'May-born witches will marry Muggles'," Ron asked, "'Jinx by twilight, undone by midnight.' 'Wand of cider, never prosper.' You must have heard them. My mum's full of them."

"Harry and I were raised by Muggles," Hermione reminded him, and it seemed that her fight with xenophilius had caused her to forget all about her anger towards Ron at the moment. "We were taught different superstitions. I think you're right. It's just a morality tale, its obvious which gift is best, which one you'd choose –"

Everyone will always have a favorite, though the Cloak is clearly the wisest choice, that is the whole point of the story.

The three of them spoke at the same time: Hermione said, "The Cloak," Ron said, "the wand," and Harry said, "The stone."

They looked at each other in surprise before Ron said, "You're supposed to say the Cloak, but you wouldn't need to be invisible if you had the wand. An unbeatable wand, Hermione, come on!"

Yes, and all the trouble that came with it. Be wise, Ronald… that wand is more cursed than blessing. Even if you didn't brag about it, all the duels you would win with it would be sure to attract attention.

"We've already got an Invisibility Cloak," Harry reminded him.

"And it's helped us rather a lot, in case you hadn't noticed!" said Hermione darkly. "Whereas the wand would be bound to attract trouble-"

"Only if you shouted about it," argued Ron. "Only if you were prat enough to go dancing around waving it over your head, and singing, 'I've got an unbeatable want, come and have a go if you think you're hard enough.' As long as you kept your trap shut -"

Ah, but most would never be able to hold it back forever. He shook his head a little as he thought fondly of Hagrid… even with the best of intensions, even he could slip out with a few tankards of ale.

"Yes, but could you keep your trap shut?" Hermione asked him knowingly, sounding highly doubtful. "You know the only true thing he said to us was that there have been stories about extra-powerful wands for hundreds of years."

"There have?" asked Harry as Hermione looked away and the boys grinned at each other. For a moment it was like they were in school again.

"The Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny, they crop up under different names through the centuries, usually in the possession of some Dark wizard who's boasting about them," she went on, "Professor Binns mentioned some of them, but - oh it's all nonsense. Wands are only as powerful as the wizards who use them. Some wizards just like to boast that theirs are bigger and better than other people's."

"But how do you know," said Harry, "That those wands - the Deathstick, and the Wand of Destiny - aren't the same wand, surfacing over the centuries under different names?"

And Harry hit the nail right on the head there. That was exactly what happened… countless people have been desperate to claim something as tempting as an 'unbeatable' wand and have stolen it for their own use. He suspected that was how it survived for so many years.

"What if they're all really the Elder Wand, made by Death?" Ron asked as Harry laughed.

Well, not Death… but the Peverell brothers. They must've been some truly powerful wizards to be able to create such objects.

"So why would you take the stone?" Ron asked him and Albus looked away, he knew the reason very well.

"Well, if you could bring people back," Harry said, looking away, "We could have Sirius… Mad-Eye… Dumbledore… my parents…?"

Neither Ron nor Hermione smiled, understanding at once though Albus was surprised that his own name came up. He looked away, wondering if he only he wanted him back to yell at him for everything that he had put them through this year. If it were the other way around, Albus would probably have done the same thing.

"But according to Beedle the Bard, they wouldn't want to come back, would they?" Harry added before he looked to Hermione and asked, "I don't suppose there have been loads of other stories about a stone that can raise the dead, have there?"

"No," she replied sadly. "I don't think anyone except Mr. Lovegood could kid themselves that's possible. Beedle probably took the idea from the Philosopher's Stone; you know, instead of a stone to make you immortal, a stone to reverse death."

Yes, it would be difficult to believe that a stone like that could still exist, but he had a feeling that the stone was made into a ring so that no one could ever figure how it worked. The Deathly Hallows… Albus knew that he was never worthy of having them but there was one person whom he wanted to believe was.

He looked sadly over at Harry, and gave a silent prayer that this boy, who was so like and unlike him, who be able to reach a point in life that he never could.

(Sorry for such a long wait. I would've had this up a week ago, but the stupid power supply on my computer broke down so I had to order a new part and wait for it to come in and I've been off the computer for a good week at least. Not fun. Hope that you do like the chapter and it was worth the wait.)