The Deathly Hallows Long ago, it is said, Death created the Deathly Hallows. The Elder Wand; The Resurrection Stone; and The Cloak of Invisibility, together, make the beholder a master of supernatural powers. It is important therefore that these legendary objects never fall into the wrong hands such as those of He Who Must Not Be Named. The Creation The legend of the Deathly Hallows can be found in The Tales of Beedle the Bard. The story goes that the Deathly Hallows were created by Death as both a prize and punishment for the three brothers: Antioch, Cadmus and Ignotus Peverell. They cheated him by using magic to cross a treacherous river which he had expected to be too dangerous for them survive in. The Elder Wand Fashioned by Death from an elder tree on the banks of the river crossed by the three brothers, the Elder Wand is the most powerful wand in existence. It was requested by the eldest brother, who was greedy for power, so he could be invincible. Arguably the most sought after Deathly hallow, it is said to be unbeatable in combat; it is unique and is the only one to exist. As a result, this powerful weapon has driven many wizards to callously murder its previous owner as the Elder Wands takes on each new master whenever it is ‘won’ from them. However, with this great power comes responsibility and trouble – would you really like to own the most powerful magical object in history when everyone around you would be anxious to get it from you in any way they can? The Resurrection Stone In the tale, Death plucks a stone from the river to give to the second brother and wards it the power to bring back the dead. Cadmus Peverell longed for his lost love who was taken before her time. However, the Resurrection Stone only brings back the dead in the form of an echo, more solid than a ghost, but not a living body. In the story the brother uses the stone to bring back his lost love, but she was ‘sad and cold’ and didn’t ‘truly belong’ in the mortal world anymore. But is it such a good thing to bring back the dead if they weren’t truly happy? Maybe it would help to overcome grief, but at what cost? This stone may seem too devastating for many but could it do the world some good? Imagine bringing back great leaders from times gone by for advice – is there a magic more powerful than that? The Cloak of Invisibility The third and final item to make up the Deathly hallows is the Cloak of Invisibility. In the tale, it is given to the third brother, Ignotus who seeks to hide from Death. Harry Potter, who was a living descendant of the third brother, was later given the cloak by Albus Dumbledore. The cloak makes the user entirely invisible. It is said that the brother evaded Death for many years until he shed the cloak and gave it to his son. This tremendous power to cheat Death makes it arguably the best Hallow – further supported by the fact that the third brother was the only brother who had happier life. It’s certainly true that such a cloak could be great fun and very helpful: hiding from teachers or parents, using it to trick your friends, or sneaking around without being seen. However, just imagine if it ended up in the hands of a criminal; they’d never get caught! .