joyous as he turned back to the other two。
〃Harry；〃 said Hermione again； but he was busy undoing the pouch around his neck； his fingers shaking hard。
〃Read it；〃 he told her； pushing his mother's letter into her hand。 〃Read it！ Dumbledore had the Cloak； Hermione！ Why else would he want it？ He didn't need a Cloak； he could perform a Disillusionment Charm so powerful that he made himself pletely invisible without one！〃
Something fell to the floor and rolled； glittering； under a chair： He had dislodged the Snitch when he pulled out the letter。 He stooped to pick it up； and then the newly tapped spring of fabulous discoveries threw him another gift； and shock and wonder erupted inside him so that he shouted out。
〃IT'S IN HERE！ He left me the ring … it's in the Snitch！〃
〃You a150a150 you reckon？〃
He could not understand why Ron looked taken aback。 It was so obvious； so clear to Harry。 Everything fit； everythinga133His Cloak was the third Hallow； and when he discovered how to open the Snitch he would have the second； and then all he needed to do was find the first Hallow； the Elder Wand； and then a150a150
But it was as though a curtain fell on a lit stage： All his excitement； all his hope and happiness were extinguished at a stroke； and he stood alone in the darkness； and the glorious spell was broken。
〃That's what he's after。〃
The change in his voice made Ron and Hermione look even more scared。
〃You…Know…Who's after the Elder Wand。〃
He turned his back on their strained； incredulous faces。 He knew it was the truth。 It all made sense； Voldemort was not seeking a new wand； he was seeking an old wand； a very old wand indeed。 Harry walked to the entrance of the tent； forgetting about Ron and Hermione as he looked out into the night； thinkinga133
Voldemort had been raised in a Muggle orphanage。 Nobody could have told him iThe Tales of Beedle the Bardi when he was a child； any more than Harry had heard them。 Hardly any wizards believed in the Deathly Hallows。 Was it likely that Voldemort knew about them？
Harry gazed into the darknessa133If Voldemort had known about the Deathly Hallows； surely he would have sought them； done anything to possess them： three objects that made the possessor master of Death？ If he had known about the Deathly Hallows； he might not have needed Horcruxes in the first place。 Didn't the simple fact that he had taken a Hallow； and turned it into a Horcrux； demonstrate that he did not know this last great Wizarding secret？
Which meant that Voldemort sought the Elder Wand without realizing its full power； without understanding that it was one of threea133for the wand was the Hallow that could not be hidden； whose existence was best knowna133iThe bloody trail of the Elder Wand is splattered across the pages of Wizarding historya133i
Harry watched the cloudy sky； curves of smoke…gray and silver sliding over the face of the white moon。 He felt lightheaded with amazement at his discoveries。
He turned back into the tent。 It was a shock to see Ron and Hermione standing exactly where he had left them； Hermione still holding Lily's letter； Ron at her side looking slightly anxious。 Didn't they realize how far they had traveled in the last few minutes？
〃This is it？〃 Harry said； trying to bring them inside the glow of his own astonished certainty； 〃This explains everything。 The Deathly Hallows are real and I've got one a150a150 maybe two a150a150〃
He held up the Snitch。
〃a150a150 and You…Know…Who's chasing the third； but he doesn't realizea133he just thinks it's a powerful wand a150a150〃
〃Harry；〃 said Hermione； moving across to him and handing him back Lily's letter； 〃I'm sorry； but I think you've got this wrong； all wrong。〃
〃But don't you see？ It all fits a150a150〃
〃Not； it doesn't；〃 she said。 〃It idoesn'ti。 Harry； you're just getting carried away。 Please；〃 she said as she started to speak； 〃please just answer me this： If the Deathly Hallows really existed； and Dumbledore knew about them； knew that the person who possessed all of them would be master of Death a150a150 Harry； why wouldn't he have told you？ Why？〃
He had his answer ready。
〃But you said it； Hermione！ You've got to find out about them for yourself！ It's a Quest！〃
〃But I only said that to try and persuade you to e to the Lovegoods'！〃 cried Hermione in exasperation。 〃I didn't really believe it！〃
Harry took no notice。
〃Dumbledore usually let me find out stuff for myself。 He let me try my strength； take risks。 This feels like the kind of thing he'd do。〃
〃Harry； this isn't a game； this isn't practice！ This is the real thing； and Dumbledore left you very clear instructions： Find and destroy the Horcruxes！ That symbol doesn't mean anything； forget the Deathly Hallows； we can't afford to get sidetracked a150a150〃
Harry was barely listening to her。 He was turning the Snitch over and over in his hands； half expecting it to break open； to reveal the Resurrection Stone； to prove to Hermione that he was right； that the Deathly Hallows were real。
She appealed to Ron。
〃You don't believe in this； do you？〃
Harry looked up； Ron hesitated。
〃I dunnoa133I meana133bits of it sort of fit together；〃 said Ron awkwardly； 〃But when you look at the whole thinga133〃 He took a deep breath。 〃I think we're supposed to get rid of Horcruxes； Harry。 That's what Dumbledore told us to do。 Maybea133maybe we should forget about this Hallows business。〃
〃Thank you； Ron；〃 said Hermione。 〃I'll take first watch。〃
And she strode past Harry and sat down in the tent entrance bringing the action to a fierce full stop。
But Harry hardly slept that night。 The idea of the Deathly Hallows had taken possession of him； and he could not rest while agitating thoughts whirled through his mind： the wand； the stone； and the Cloak； if he could just possess them alla133
iI open at the closeia133But what was the close？ Why couldn't he have the stone now？ If only he had the stone； he could ask Dumbledore these questions in persona133and Harry murmured words to the Snitch in the darkness； trying everything； even Parseltongue； but the golden ball would not opena133
And the wand； the Elder Wand； where was that hidden？ Where was Voldemort searching now？ Harry wished his scar would burn and show him Voldemort's thoughts； because for the first time ever； he and Voldemort were united in wanting the very same thinga133Hermione would not like that idea； of coursea133But then； she did not believea133。Xenophilius had been right； in a waya133iLimited； Narrow； Close…mindedi。 The truth was that she was scared of the idea of the Deathly Hallows； especially of the Resurrection Stonea133and Harry pressed his mouth again to the Snitch； kissing it； nearly swallowing it； but the cold medal did not yielda133
It was nearly dawn when he remembered Luna； alone in a cell in Azkaban； surrounded by dementors； and he suddenly felt ashamed of himself。 He had forgotten all about her in his feverish contemplation of the Hallows。 If only they could rescue her； but dementors in those numbers would be virtually unassailable。 Now he came to think about it； he had not tried casting a Patronus with the blackthorn wanda133He must try that in the morninga133
If only there was a way