Chapter 2
“How are we going to cross the river?” asked Ignotus. “We’ll simply conjure a bridge, idiot.” Antioch rolled his eyes and drew his wand. He waved it over the tree roots that stuck out from the damp soil, and twisted them to form a bridge over which they could cross safely.
When they reached the other side, a shrouded figure appeared. “Hello, Sir?” call Cadmus. “May we be of assistance?”
“Stop it, you idiot. He could be a muggle who’s just seen us performing magic!” hissed Antioch. “Fear not,” said the figure, resting in the shadows. “I am no muggle, nor am I wizard.”
“Are you friend or foe?” asked Ignotus, reaching for his wand. “I am friend… or foe,” replied the figure. “I am Death, and I would like to congratulate you three brothers on crossing such a perilous river, where so many before you have drowned.
“To reward your quick thinking and intellect, I would like to bestow upon you each a single gift.” The three brothers looked at each other, dumbstruck. Right here before them, a figure claiming to be Death itself, wishing to reward them…
“A wand,” said Antioch, finally. “A wand more powerful than any other wand; that cannot be beaten in a duel.” The figure snapped a branch off the tree it was standing underneath, and the brothers watched as it took the form of a wand. Antioch threw his old wand into the river and grabbed the new wand with glee.
“You, middle brother. What is it that your heart truly desires?”
“I wish for the power to resurrect people from the dead,” decided Cadmus. The figure hissed in annoyance before reaching for a pebble from the river bank. He gave it to Cadmus who cleaned it off. “Turn this stone thrice in hand, and your dear departed loved ones will return to this land.”
Cadmus grinned before pocketing the stone. The figure turned to Ignotus. “Young brother; what powers do you wish for?”
“I don’t want any powers that I don’t already have, but maybe a cloak that allows me to disappear at will?” The figure hissed again, and he removed his own cloak. “Here,” he said. “This cloak will hide you, and protect you on your command.”
The figure slowly walked away. The brothers waited until it was gone before bursting into discussion. “Look,” said Antioch. “A new wand that cannot be beaten!”
“Cadmus, why did you want a stone that resurrects dead people? We don’t know anyone who’s died,” asked Ignotus. “Think about it. If that truly was Death, then he was probably going to be pretty annoyed, because people normally drown in that river; he said so himself. So, he was probably none too happy when Antioch simply waved his wand and conjured a bridge. You know me, little brother; I can never resist irritating people further, so I saw my chance and took it. I wanted to rob death of even more souls, so I asked for the power to resurrect the dead. In any case,” he said, ruffling his brother’s hair, “You never know when it could be useful. You might get mauled by a werewolf, or maybe Antioch will be stabbed by muggles.”
“Stop teasing,” said Antioch, looking at how pale Ignotus had gone. “Anyway, why an invisibility cloak?” Ignotus shrugged. “I just think that it could come in handy, so the werewolves can’t find me.” The brothers laughed, and carried on with their journey.
When they had pitched the tent that night, an owl came soaring gracefully through the sky. Ignotus recognised it as Gabriel, Helena’s owl. “Oh look, your lover’s owl,” teased Antioch. “Should we leave the tent while you read the letter?”
Ignotus ignored him, taking the letter from the owl’s clutches while his brothers howled. He read through Helena’s letter. “That awful man,” he muttered to himself. “What, is someone trying to steal dear Helena from you?” asked Cadmus. “She’s not mine to be stolen,” insisted Ignotus. “We’ve been friends since we were eleven years old, and I am incapable of seeing her as anything other. No, the Baron has been visiting her persistently, and that is what worries me.”
“Why?” asked Antioch. “He’s wealthy, comes from a good family… what more could Helena want?”
“You don’t know him,” said Ignotus, exasperated. “He’s vicious, and cruel, and he will not leave her alone until she agrees to be his wife. I fear that one day, she will cave into the pressure and give him her hand in marriage, and then she will be trapped in an abusive marriage forever.” He sighed. “I will write back to her after dinner.”
The sky grew darker, and Ignotus sat down and wrote his reply.
Dear Helena,
You must learn to be more firm with the Baron! No good can come from being kind to him, and the fact that he is not kind to your lovely servants only proves to show that he is a man cruel by nature. Why, I would rather marry you myself than see you on his arm! I hope that it should never come to this…
My brothers and I are faring well. It is hard to believe that we have been gone for four whole months! The days to tend to blur into one another. However, there was an incident today which I shall never forget. My brothers and I came across a most treacherous river, too deep to simply wade across. Antioch conjured a bridge out of tree roots, and we crossed safely. When we reached the embankment, however, there stood a shadowy figure. I know not why, but his presence sent chills running through my very soul. It was most disturbing. The gentleman claimed he was Death, and offered my brothers and I a gift, as a reward for using our magical learnings and intellect. Antioch chose to be given a wand, more powerful than any. The figure simply pulled a branch from a tree and fashioned it into a wand using his bare hands. I have never seen anything quite like it! Cadmus asked for the ability to resurrect the dead (he later confessed to me that he wished to humiliate Death, a move that is most unwise in my opinion), so the figure took a stone from the shores of the river and told Cadmus to turn it thrice in hand, and the person of his choosing would appear before him, alive and well.
What did I ask for? I asked for a cloak of invisibility. Lord knows the amount of times that you and I could have use of one while we were at Hogwarts! I simply believe that such a cloak could be useful in the future.
As for our quest, dear girl, we have none! We are simply three brothers, wishing to see shores foreign. Antioch says we are nearing the end of our journey, and we will be back home in a week. I hope you can ward off the Baron until my return!
Ignotus Peverell
He sealed the letter, and sent it with Gabriel through the night. The next day, he received a reply from Helena.
Dear Ignotus,
What a strange story! I hope you don’t mind, but I shared it with Elizabeth, my maid. She believes you were wise to ask for a simple cloak, rather than tease Death further like Cadmus. However, how can you be so sure this mystery man is Death? He may simply be a powerful wizard playing a trick.
In any case, the news of your return is very welcome indeed! I have arranged with my staff that there shall be a ball upon your arrival home. There is no sense in trying to change my mind; I have not seen you in so long, it would not do to let you come home to a poor reception. I have sent out notice of it to all the wizarding families in the area. There are a fair few, so maybe the Baron’s family may have failed to receive a notice… He will indubitably show up, invited or not. I am using the ball as an excuse to buy a new dress, too. The tailor is coming tomorrow for the fitting.
Bring Cadmus and Antioch to the ball too; there will be plenty of people they know, and it will be a good opportunity for me to finally meet you beloved brothers!
With love and anticipation,
Helena Ravenclaw
“Antioch, Cadmus; we’ve been invited to a ball,” he said, as he read through the letter. “A ball? Who’s having a ball?” asked Cadmus. “Helena has said that we’ve been gone for so long that she feels she must throw a ball in honour of our return in a week’s time. She’s invited all the wizarding families in the area.”
“Sounds like fun,” said Antioch. “We’ll finally be able to meet your special friend Helena!” Ignotus mumbled something about ‘not special friend’, and they all laughed.
Lying awake that night, Ignotus had never been more excited to return home.