is the truth； just to keep us talking。〃
〃Well； I don't suppose it matters；〃 sighed Hermione。 〃Even if he was being honest； I never heard such a lot of nonsense in all my life。〃
〃Hang on； though；〃 said Ron。 〃The Chamber of Secrets was supposed to be a myth； wasn't it？〃
〃But the Deathly Hallows ican'ti exist； Ron！〃
〃You keep saying that； but one of them can；〃 said Ron。 〃Harry's Invisibility Cloak a150a150〃
〃The Tale of the Three Brothers' is a story；〃 said Hermione firmly。 〃A story about how humans are frightened of death。 If surviving was as simple as hiding under the Invisibility Cloak； we'd have everything we need already！〃
〃I don't know。 We could do with an unbeatable wand；〃 said Harry； turning the blackthorn wand he so disliked over in his fingers。
〃There's no such thing； Harry！〃
〃You said there have been loads of wands a150a150 the Deathstick and whatever they were called a150a150〃
〃All right； even if you want to kid yourself the Elder Wand's real； what about the Resurrection Stone？〃 Her fingers sketched quotation marks around the name； and her tone dripped sarcasm。 〃No magic can raise the dead； and that's that！〃
〃When my wand connected with You…Know…Who's； it made my mum and dad appeara133and Cedrica133〃
〃But they weren't really back from the dead； were they？〃 said Hermione。 〃Those kind of a150a150of pale imitations aren't the same as truly bringing someone back to life。〃
〃But she； the girl in the tale； didn't really e back； did she？ The story says that once people are dead； they belong with the dead。 But the second brother still got to see her and talk to her； didn't he？ He even lived with her for a whilea133〃
He saw concern and something less easily definable in Hermione's expression。 Then； as she glanced at Ron； Harry realized that it was fear： He had scared her with his talk of living with dead people。
〃So that Peverell bloke who's buried in Godric's Hollow；〃 he said hastily； trying to sound robustly sane； 〃you don't know anything about him； then？〃
〃No；〃 she replied； looking relieved at the change of subject。 〃I looked him up after I saw the mark on his grave； if he'd been anyone famous or done anything important； I'm sure he'd be in one of our books。 The only place I've managed to find the name 'Peverell' Is iNature's Nobility： A Wizarding Genealogyi。 I borrowed it from Kreacher；〃 she explained as Ron raised his eyebrows。 〃It lists the pure…blood families that are now extinct in the male line。 Apparently the Peverells were one of the earliest families to vanish。〃
〃Extinct in the male line？〃 repeated Ron。
〃It means the name died out；〃 said Hermione； 〃centuries ago； in the case of the Peverells。 They could still have descendents； though； they'd just be called something different。〃
And then it came to Harry in one shining piece； the memory that had stirred at the sound of the name 〃Peverell〃： a filthy old man brandishing an ugly ring in the face of a Ministry official； and he cried aloud； 〃Marvolo Gaunt！〃
〃Sorry said Ron and Hermione together。
〃iMarvolo Gaunt！i You…Know…Who's grandfather！ In the Pensieve！ With Dumbledore！ Marvolo Gaunt said he was descended from the Peverells！〃
Ron and Hermione looked bewildered。
〃The ring； the ring that became the Horcrux； Marvolo Gaunt said it had the Peverell coat of arms on it！ I saw him waving it in the bloke from the Ministry's face； he nearly shoved it up his nose！〃
〃The Peverell coat of arms？〃 said Hermione sharply。 〃Could you see what it looked like？〃
〃Not really；〃 said Harry； trying to remember。 〃There was nothing fancy on there； as far as I could see； maybe a few scratches。 I only ever saw it really close up after it had been cracked open。〃
Harry saw Hermione's prehension in the sudden widening of her eyes。 Ron was looking from one to the other； astonished。
〃Blimeya133You reckon it was this sign again？ The sign of the Hallows？
〃Why not said Harry excitedly； 〃Marvolo Gaunt was an ignorant old git who lived like a pig； all he cared about was his ancestry。 If that ring had been passed down through the centuries； he might not have known what it really was。 There were no books in that house； and trust me； he wasn't the type to read fairy tales to his kids。 He'd have loved to think the scratches on the stone were a coat of arms； because as far as he was concerned； having pure blood made you practically royal。〃
〃Yesa133and that's all very interesting；〃 said Hermione cautiously； 〃but Harry； if you're thinking what I think you're think a150a150〃
〃Well； why not？ iWhy not？i said Harry； abandoning caution。 〃It was a stone； wasn't it？〃 He looked at Ron for support。 〃What if it was the Resurrection Stone？〃
Ron's mouth fell open。
〃Blimey a150a150 but would it still work if Dumbledore broke a150a150 ？〃
〃Work？ iWork？i Ron； it never worked！ iThere's no such thing as a Resurrection Stone！〃i
Hermione leapt to her feet； looking exasperated and angry。 Harry you're trying to fit everything into the Hallows story a150a150〃
i〃Fit everything in？〃i he repeated。 〃Hermione； it fits of its own accord！ I know the sign of the Deathly Hallows was on that stone！ Gaunt said he was descended from the Peverells！〃
〃A minute ago you told us you never saw the mark on the stone properly！〃
〃Where'd you reckon the ring is now？〃 Ron asked Harry。 〃What did Dumbledore do with it after he broke it open？〃
〃But Harry's imagination was racing ahead； far beyond Ron and Hermione'sa133
iThree objects； or Hallows； which； if united； will make the possessor master of Deatha133Mastera133Conquerora133Vanquishera133The last enemy that shall be destroyed is deatha133i
And he saw himself； possessor of the Hallows； facing Voldemort； whose Horcruxes were no matcha133iNeither can live while the other survivesa133iWas this the answer？ Hallows versus Horcruxes？ Was there a way after all； to ensure that he was the one who triumphed？ If he were the master of the Deathly Hallows； would he be safe？
〃Harry？〃
But he scarcely heard Hermione： He had pulled out his Invisibility Cloak and was running it through his fingers； the cloth supple as water； light as air。 He had never seen anything to equal it in his nearly seven years in the Wizarding world。 The Cloak was exactly what Xenophilius had described： iA cloak that really and truly renders the wearer pletely invisible； and endures eternally； giving constant and impenetrable concealment； no matter what spells are cast at ita133i
And then； with a gasp； he remembereda151
〃Dumbledore had my Cloak the night my parents died！〃
His voice shook and he could feel the color in his face； but he did not care。
〃My mum told Sirius that Dumbledore borrowed the Cloak！ This is why！ He wanted to examine it； because he thought it was the third Hallow！ Ignotus Peverell is buried in Godric's Hollowa133〃 Harry was walking blindly around the tent； feeling as
though great new vistas of truth were opening all around him。 〃He's my ancestor。 I'm descended from the third brother！ It all makes sense！〃
〃He felt armed in certainty； in his belief in the Hallows； as if the mere idea of possessing them was giving him protection； and he felt joyous as he turned back to the other two。
〃Harry；〃 said Hermione again； but he was busy undoing t