Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Great and Strong - to J.K. Rowling you belong.

This is the 5th story in the series 'N years earlier; The Powers'.
It will tell how Voldemort was defeated 5 years earlier, than in canon.
And some interesting magical Power will be used to defeat him.

About formatting:
For direct quotes I use italicized font.

CHAPTER 1
The Tale of One Mother, Three Sons and Seven Deathly Hallows

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 (with notes by Albus Dumbledore).

There were once three brothers who were single-bachelors and lived together with their mother.
When the youngest of them came of age they decided it's time to go and search for wives.
And the mother went with them.

At some point their path was blocked by 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.

But as they were prepared to walk across the bridge their mother stopped them.
She pointed her wand at the bridge and cast a spell.

And, lo and behold, a hooded figure was revealed in the very middle of the bridge.
And Death spoke to them.
He was angry that he had been cheated out of the four new victims, for travelers usually crossed the river and willfully walked into his domain.

But Death was cunning.
He pretended to congratulate the three brothers, and said that each had earned a prize for having been lucky enough to evade him.

"But what about our mother?" said the youngest son, "It was her magic and wisdom that kept us alive."
And Death reluctantly agreed that for saving three sons their mother earned three rewards.

The oldest son was a combative man.
He 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 eluded Death himself!
So Death broke off the grip of his scythe and transformed it into Unbeatable Wand.

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 tore off a button from his cloak and transformed it into Resurrection Stone.

And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like.
The youngest son was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he understood that mom always knows best.

He turned to his mother and asked for an advice.
Then he asked Death for something that would enable him to hide from enemies.
So Death took off his sash and transformed it into Invisibility Cloak.

But the mother stayed silent, not expressing her wishes.
"Witch," said Death, "Speak! Make up your mind!"
"What?" said the mother with feigned surprise,
- You did not set any limits on when we can express our wishes.
- So, I choose to postpone my requests until such time when my sons need my help the most.

Death was furious that he was outwitted by a mere witch, but he was bound by his own promise.

"Our mother," said the youngest son,
- Just had shown more cleverness than Death himself. Surely she deserves an extra reward?
"Yes," the second son addressed Death, "You promised total of six rewards so far…"
"…but isn't seven the most powerfully magical number?" finished the oldest son.

Now Death was genuinely impressed by their cunning and audacity.
"In for a knut, in for a galleon," he thought.
Then he said aloud, "So be it, clever witch; you have one more wish and you have one minute to make it."

And the mother asked for something that would let her always know where her sons are and whether they are in danger.

So Death drew a circle on the ground with the shaft of his scythe and transformed it into a clock with three hands.

Each hand had the name of one son written on it and instead of numbers the clock had such signs as "home", "country fair", "mortal peril" and so on.

That's how the first Magical Location Clock came to be.

(Albus Dumbledore's note:
Such clocks are extremely expensive but when Ministry was concerned about wizarding low birth rate, they were giving away such clocks to pureblood families with seven children.)

Then mother and sons turned around and walked away.

Soon they parted.
Mother settled in a small village, and the sons went their separate ways.
===o===o===o===o===o===
The oldest son went to the court of Wizard King who just promised his daughter's hand in marriage to the winner of spellcasting tournament.

Naturally, with the Unbeatable Wand as his weapon, the oldest son could not fail to win all tournament duels.

But on the wedding night, while he was laying, wine-sodden upon his bed, the princess eloped with a palace guard.
And before leaving, the guard slit the oldest son's throat for good measure.
And so Death took the first brother for his own.

(Albus Dumbledore's note:
I remember (when I was six years old) how my mother asked at this point, "Whom we should blame – king or oldest son or princess or guard?"
And I explained that they all are guilty:
the son did not ask princess if she loves him, the king did not ask her either, the guard killed him and the princess did not talk him out of it.
And my mother was pleasantly surprised by my reasoning, sensible beyond my years.)

The oldest son died untimely and left no heir.

At that very moment the first clock hand in the mother's house fell off.
"Woe to me," cried the mother,
- My oldest son let Death take him while I am still alive.
- This is the cruelest thing son may do to mother.

And Death appeared before her.
"Smart witch, did you just call me?" he asked, "Are you ready to express your first postponed wish?"

"I wish," said the mother, "the image of my son to live on."
So Death picked up the fallen clock hand from the floor and used it to draw a portrait of the oldest son on the hut wall.
And this portrait could talk.

That's how the first Magical Portrait came to be.
===o===o===o===o===o===
The second son fell madly in love with a Muggle girl and married her.
They lived happily and had several children.

But the girl, being Muggle, could not live as long as a witch.
When she died, the second son, stricken by grief, refused to spend his remaining years without her.
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 his beloved wife appeared at once before him.

Yet she was vacant and detached like empty shell, unable to talk or feel anything.
Finally the second brother, driven mad with hopeless longing, killed himself so as to truly join her.
And so Death took the second brother for his own.

At that very moment the second clock hand in the mother's house fell off.
"Woe to me," cried the mother,
- My second son let Death take him while I am still alive.
- This is the cruelest thing son may do to mother.

And Death appeared before her.
"Wise witch, did you just call me?" he asked, "Are you ready to express your second postponed wish?"

"I wish," said the mother, "the spirit of my son to live on."
So Death picked up the fallen clock hand from the floor and used it to stir the boiling water in the pot.
And vapor rose from the pot and took the shape of the second son.

That's how the first Ghost came to be.

(Albus Dumbledore's note:
When pureblood supremacists read this story to their children, they inevitably emphasize the "Muggle could not live as long as a witch" part.
What puzzles me is that some staunch supporters of Muggle rights feel embarrassed and, when reading to their children either omit this part or choose a different version of the tale.

My position has always been that it is generally preferable to tell the truth than to skip it.
Yes, Muggles ARE different from Wizards. And shorter lifespan IS one of such differences. It's nobody's fault and there is nothing to be ashamed of.)
===o===o===o===o===o===
The youngest son fell deeply in love with a witch girl and married her.
They lived happily and had several children and many grandchildren.

When they learned that mother's health is failing they insisted that she moved into their house.

The day came when the mother felt that her last hour was near.
She called her last son into her bedroom to say goodbye.
The son brought with him Invisibility Cloak.
"Mother," said he, "Let me hide you from Death."

At that very moment Death appeared before them.
"Sage witch, your end is near," he said, "And you still have one last wish to be granted."

"My life is behind me," said the mother, "I have no wishes left."
"Unless…," she paused, "unless my last wish could be passed on to my son?"
"We both know," Death said with a sympathetic smile, "that it is impossible."
"Then," the mother said, "I forfeit my last wish."

Death said, "I made a promise. Now, as you've refused to ask for anything, I will bestow on you the Hallow of my choosing."

- The warmness of your heart will live on to protect your descendants.
- You will be able to carry immensely heavy loads.
- You tears will have healing power.
- Your song will strengthen the souls.
- And the everlasting fire will burn inside you.

With these words Death picked up a handful of ashes from the hearth and let the dying witch blow on it.
A magnificent firebird emerged from the ashes.

That's how the first Phoenix came to be.

It's believed that that First Phoenix is truly immortal and still is watching over descendants of second and third sons, ready to protect them when needed.

THE END (of the tale)

(Albus Dumbledore's note:
When my mother finished reading I asked her, "But what if two descendants began to fight?"
She froze, dumbfounded; apparently such question had never occurred to her.
Then I patronizingly explained to her, "First Phoenix would force them to make peace!")

TO BE CONTINUED

Your reviews will be appreciated.

You can read still another version of 'The Tale of the Three Brothers' in my other story "Gift of Demise".