12بخش

I’ve always liked these flames Hermione makes.

How long do you reckon shell stay mad at me?

Well, just keep talking about that little ball of light touching your heart and shell come round.

It was true. Every word.

This is gonna sound crazy…

but I think that’s why Dumbledore left it to me, the Deluminator.

I think he knew that somehow I’d need it to find my way back, and shed lead me.

Bloody hell, I just realized, you need a wand, don’t you?

Yeah. I’ve got one here.

Its a blackthorn. Ten inches.

Nothing special, but I reckon it’ll do.

Took if off a Snatcher a couple of weeks ago.

Don’t tell Hermione this, but they’re a bit dim, Snatchers.

This one was definitely part troll, the smell of him.

Engorgio.

Reducio! What’s going on in there?

Nothing. Nothing.

We need to talk.

Yeah, all right.

I want to go see Xenophiliu’s Lovegood. Sorry?

See this?

Its a letter Dumbledore wrote to Grindelwald. Look at the signature.

It’s the Mark again.

It keeps cropping up.

In Beedle the Bard, in the graveyard in Godric’s Hollow.

It was there too.

Where? Outside Gregorovitch’s Wand Shop.

But what does it mean?

Look, you’ve got no idea where the next Horcrux is, and neither do I…

but this, this means something.

I’m sure of it. Yeah. Hermione’s right.

We ought to see Lovegood.

Let’s vote on it. Those in favor?

You’re not still mad at him, are you?

I’m always mad at him.

Luna.

Luna.

Keep off the dirigible plums.

What is it? Who are you?

What do you want?

Hello, Mr. Lovegood. I’m Harry Potter. We met a few months ago.

Could we come in?

Where is Luna? Luna?

She’ll be along.

So how can I help you, Mr. Potter?

Well, actually…

It was about something you were wearing round your neck at the wedding. A symbol.

You mean this?

Yes.

That exactly.

What we’ve wondered is, what is it?

What is it?

Well, its the sign of the Deathly Hallows, of course.

The what? The what?

The Deathly Hallows.

I assume you’re all familiar with The Tale of the Three Brothers.

Yes. No.

I have it in here.

There were once three brothers…

who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight.

Midnight. Mom always said midnight.

But twilight’s fine. Better, actually.

Do you want to read it?

No. It’s fine.

There were once three brothers…

who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight.

In time, the brothers reached a river too treacherous to pass.

But being learned in the magical arts the three brothers simply waved their wands and made a bridge.

Before they could cross, however…

they found their path blocked by a hooded figure.

It was Death, and he felt cheated.

Cheated because travelers would normally drown in the river.

But Death was cunning.

He pretended to congratulate the three brothers on their magic…

and said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.

The oldest asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence.

So Death fashioned him one from an elder tree that stood nearby.

The second brother decided he wanted to humiliate Death even further…

and asked for the power to recall loved ones from the grave.

So Death plucked a stone from the river and offered it to him.

Finally, Death turned to the third brother.

A humble man…

he asked for something that would allow him to go forth from that place…

without being followed by Death.

And so it was that Death reluctantly handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.

The first brother traveled to a distant village…

where, with the Elder Wand in hand…

he killed a wizard with whom he had once quarreled.

Drunk with the power that the Elder Wand had given him…

he bragged of his invincibility.

But that night, another wizard stole the wand…

and slit the brothers throat for good measure.

And so Death took the first brother for his own.

The second brother journeyed to his home…

where he took the stone and turned it thrice in hand.

To his delight, the girl he’d once hoped to marry before her untimely death…

appeared before him.

Yet, soon she turned sad and cold for she did not belong in the mortal world.

Driven mad with hopeless longing the second brother killed himself so as to join her.

And so Death took the second brother.

As for the third brother…

Death searched for many years but was never able to find him.

Only when he attained a great age did the youngest brother…

shed the Cloak of Invisibility and give it to his son.

He then greeted Death as an old friend and went with him gladly…

…departing this life as equals.

So there you are. Those are the Deathly Hallows.

I’m sorry, Sir. I still dont quite understand.

Where’s that pen I had?